Standing in the middle of a wheat field in Eastern Idaho, just a few miles west of Salem, Idaho my family witnessed the Great American Eclipse of 2017. We were invited by our close friends to camp out near the center line of the Path of Totality. Words can't really describe the experience. Unless you saw it, no one can really explain the event to you and give it justice. A total solar eclipse is not only meant to be seen, but needs to be experienced first hand. It is not just a visual spectacle, it is an experience you feel with your entire body. It is life changing. My mouth dropped in awe. Tears fell down my wife's cheek. My confused 5 year old daughter asked us, "When is it going to be morning again Dad?"
Within a 3 minute time span , one witnesses the bright blue sky of the midday change to a dark sky of night. Stars and planets appear, temperatures plummet as the sun and moon align perfectly changing day to night then back to day in minutes.
To sum it up best would be to quote D&C 88: 47: "Any man who hath seen any or the least of these hath seen God moving in his majesty and power."
I testify that my family and I witnessed God moving in Their Majesty and Power yesterday at 11:33 AM on August 21, 2017.
Here are a few photos I took with my camera to document the event.
 |
| Taken Just a few minutes before the complete total eclipse. |
 |
| Photo of the total eclipse that lasted for us for about 2 minute 18 seconds. While the moon completely covered the sun, we could watch this without any eye protection. This sign in heaven was meant to be seen with the natural eye without any protective eye gear. |
 |
| Photo of the sun reappearing after the total eclipse with the moon. |
 |
| The moon and the sun continuing to move apart after appearing to be exactly the same size. |
 |
| This is still frame from the video I took with a wide angle lens while the eclipse was occuring. |
Sidenote:
For weeks I was trying to determine where I would go to view the eclipse. There were alot of factors to consider including the weather, traffic, accommodations, and who was going to come from my family. We finally decided on Saturday and we got ready to leave early Sunday morning. It was a beautiful drive up to Idaho Falls and we continued further North to be as close to the center of path of totality. That evening some clouds began to roll in creating a beautiful sunset but causing some concern and/or doubt that maybe it might be cloudy the next day. It seems like in every important event in our life, we have "clouds" of doubt roll in and cover our skies.
 |
| Photo taken of the sunset on August 20,,2017 on the eve of the Total Eclipse in Plano, Idaho. |
However the next morning, just hours before the eclipse, I woke up early to beautiful clear skies. I went into a nearby wheat field to watch the sunrise.
 |
| Standing in the middle of a wheat field. I could see the location where NASA set up their operations for the eclipse. NASA They were located on top of the plateau that you can see in the distance. |
 |
| Photo taken hours on top the water irrigation tower that is located in the center of wheat field. This is the location where my family would return to watch the eclipse. |
 |
| In the distance it was possible to see the Grand Tetons in the horizon just before the sunrise. |
The event was not just observed by us, but it seems like all of creation anticipated the event.
 |
| Photo of a flocks of birds heading east towards the sun in the horizon. |
 |
| (Not the best photo since it is kind of blurry, but it is a photo of a night owl flying low over the wheat. It was taken in the wheat field where we watched the eclipse. Not only have I never seen a total eclipse, I have never seen an owl fly in the wild. |
 |
| Photo of a dove perched high up in blue spruce just prior to the eclipse. |
Image for comment no 3 from Taylor:
