Philadelphia Temple Open House

 On our way to Philadelphia we stopped in Leesburg, VA to meet Lisa Jones (Palermino) and her family. She has 4 boys, the oldest is going to BYU this fall. Her youngest is the same age of Luke and Noah. The boys went downstairs and played Nerf war while the rest of us chatted. Lisa told us about her conversion, it was so interesting to hear from her perspective now as a 20+ year church member! I remembered some things she was super interested to know too. She looks just the same, huge smile, lots of energy. What a blessing to spend a little bit of time together and get reacquainted. Lisa is the YW president in her ward. I always felt blessed to even be a part of her conversion, she had learned from several sister missionaries before Sis. Manwaring and I. But I hadn't remembered that Lisa was not committed to baptism when I met her. I do remember Sis. M and I kneeling in prayer with her to set a baptismal date. I need to find my journal from my mission and read what I wrote then. Lisa is amazing and it was sooooo fun to see her.

 Philadelphia Temple

The Philadelphia Temple open house was amazing. The temple is right downtown. The contrast of peaceful, calm, beautiful temple compared to loud, busy, crazy city was profound. The temple itself is gorgeous, looks just like it was built 200 years ago. Colonial hardware, original paintings, so beautiful. I loved being there! The walk from the hotel was a killer. The heat index was like 107, it was HOT. But so worth it.

 

We went to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. No one was as excited as me to be there. You can tell in the pictures if you look close. Independence Hall was amazing to me. To be in the room where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were drafted and worked on. The only original thing in the room is the big chair up on the dais. It was were George Washington lead the Congress. The decoration on the chair looks just like the Sunstones from Navoo. Our guide told us that Benjamin Franklin recorded that he wondered if the sun was setting or rising on the chair. He decided it was rising, symbolic of the rising of the new nation.

 

Directly across from our hotel was a huge indoor marketplace, Reading Market. It has been there since the 1800's. We ate the BEST donuts ever there. And delicious cheese steak sandwiches, and Thai food, and candy. Yes. Food is important to the Hardy family.