It’s Bus Season in Palmyra

   This is bus season at the historic sites. In a given day as many as 20 buses may visit the five sites. We have a schedule of when each bus will arrive, and we plan for them. As in life, plans often have to be adjusted.

   Yesterday we were expecting two simultaneous buses at the Whitmer Farm. They were to carry about 100 teen-aged youth. We counseled with our young sisters on how to handle it effectively. After much discussion, we came up with a good plan that all felt good about. However, one of the buses came about forty minutes earlier than the other. So we did a quick powwow and modified the plan. It worked great.

   We try to counsel together with them and get unanimous agreement on approaches as situations arise. They are so good, so harmonious, and so creative.

   Many of the buses and large groups who come are youth. EFY (Especially for Youth), FSY (For Strength of Youth), and stake youth conferences. Today we have a group of 30 deacons (12-13 year-old boys) from Vermont.

   Other large groups are family reunions. A few days ago we had a McConkie family reunion. As I drove some of the more elderly family members up the Hill Cumorah on the golf cart I had a daughter-in-law of the late Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. She is the widow of Joseph Fielding McConkie, one of my favorite gospel authors.

   We also host many church history tour buses. Most of the visitors on those tours are retired folks. Their tour leaders are some of our favorite podcasters, education week presenters, and authors, such as; Anthony Sweat, Casey Griffiths, John Bytheway, Hank Smith, Garrett Dirkmaat, Scott Woodward, Al Carraway. It’s fun to get to know them.

   Usually with the buses we have to give somewhat abbreviated tours in order to get them on their way quicker. Also the biggest challenge with the big groups is handling them and all of the walk-in visitors too. I’m usually the one who has to ask people to come back at a certain time when we’ve completed the big group tours. Other times we’re able to incorporate the walk-in visitors with the large-group tours. It always seems to work out.

   The number of visitors this year is much higher than last year, and last year was much higher than the year before. It is so good to associate with such great people.