Historic LDS Tours…Our Approach

Our approach is private custom tours. It is that simple! You tell us what you want to see and how long you have and we do the rest. After traveling to these sacred locations time and again, Historic LDS Tours has created a unique experience for those looking to visit historic LDS sites. These tours are individually guided with small groups of people. Contact us today to plan your trip, the way you would like. You can see some suggested daily schedules under each tour, however, these can be adjusted to fit your desires. We do not have any pre-set dates, we can arrange to take you at your convenience.

How Much does it Cost?

The cost of your trip depends on the number in your group and the length of the tour. We can be flexible with flight costs and reward tickets as well as other travel award programs. There are a number of variables for each tour, once we get a feel for what you want to see and when you want to go, we can price out the flights, accommodations and transportation. This only take a few minutes, but then we have an accurate estimate.

How to Book a Tour

We can arrange the details of your trip in a number of ways, by phone, email or skype. Once we have a schedule and estimate that works, we can book the tour. We usually book the flights to start and then finalize the rest of the trip.

Payment and Refunds

Tours are not booked until payment is received. One-half of the cost is due initially with the balance due 60 days before departure. Historic LDS Tours accepts checks, certified funds, wire transfers, Paypal, and Credit Cards (additional processing fees may be applied). No refunds will be given within 60 days of travel. Trip insurance is recommended but not required.

Before the tour

Your experience with Historic LDS Tours begins well before you travel. Each tour includes some pre-trip study materials that will help prepare you for the trip. This material will include study guides and photos, historical reviews and some reading suggestions that will prepare you weeks before you leave, so you are ready to enjoy the spirit of these sites when you are there.

During the tour

When the tour begins, you will be guided personally, from start to finish. Your tour will be small and comfortable. Traveling with a large group can be very stressful, slow, and at times, a huge burden.Historic LDS Tours has created the best possible recipe for comfort, time-management, personal attention, flexibility and learning.

You will enjoy the most sacred places in the world without the frazzle and stress of large groups, where the many are usually waiting on the one. With Historic LDS Tours, you are the one, a smaller groups gives you the flexibility to come and go as needed, to return or stay as desired, and to see what the masses could not see.

Many of these sacred sites are to be enjoyed alone with the Spirit of what happened there. Historic LDS Tours focuses on creating these individual moments. Little else matters when traveling to such amazing locations.

Digital memory book

When the tour is complete and the life-changing memories preserved, Historic LDS Tours will provide a digital photo-book for each tour member, where all of the media from the tour can be viewed…Then, 1 tour down, 3 more to go!

Here he would listen to the “Joseph Smith the Prophet” tapes by, Truman Madsen and visit many of the historical sites surrounding the history of the church in England and Wales.

His love for church history continued to expand while studying Church History at BYU from Dr. Andrew H. Hedges, who was meticulous for detail and accuracy. Sterling began to read and study the History of the Church and to visit many of these places time and time again. His parents served additional missions in Nauvoo, and Hawaii.

He made his first trip to Palmyra with his young family where they drove from New York to Missouri, taking in all they could from these inspirational sights.

Since 2003, Sterling has been a volunteer instructor with Seminaries and Institutes, teaching is his Passion. Upon completing his Doctorate in 2009 he has been working as a Professor and Investment Advisor.

Following years of study and research, Sterling has finally begun to share his passion and expertise for Church History, on location, where it all happened. As the current growth of the Church expands, the foundation of history from which it grows can be an inspiration to all.

Visiting these places with Sterling will be a rare experience to be cherished and remember for a life time.

Perry M. Montoya

Perry M. Montoya loves the Lord, his family, and his fellow man. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and served a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Texas, Corpus Christi (Spanish Speaking) Mission.

Perry has a degree in Psychology from Westminster College and a master’s degree in Education from the University of Utah (Instructional Design and Educational Technology).  He has been involved in various aspects of teaching religious education and especially loves guiding tours in Israel (as well as other church history sites).  

Perry’s hobbies include family, teaching the gospel, food, fishing, travel (he has sand from over 400 places in the world on his office wall), public-speaking, tour guiding, most sports (lately pickleball and whiffle ball), and trying new things.   

Guide Quote:

“Travel exposes you to a nation or region.  Where you stay while there introduces you to people.  Food welcomes, cements, reminds, and endears you to their culture.  Individuals you “chance” to meet sculpt your life and leave you changed.  What you write about the aforementioned is a piece of who you are and an invitation to come along.  The sands that adorn my office wall (from over 400 worldwide locations) are as eclectic as the stories that come with them.  I’ve lived in 40 homes, reinvented myself again and again and yet remain the curious, accepting, convicted and compelled boy-gone-man that drives each new adventure.”
 
Perry currently resides in SLC, Utah with his wife Brandi and their three children. He can be reached with questions/comments at pbmontoya@hotmail.com.

Damon L. Bahr

Damon L. Bahr is on the faculty of Brigham Young University where he teaches Doctrine and Covenants and Mathematics Education Courses. He is the author of twenty journal articles and three books, including The Voice of the Lord is Unto all Men: A Remarkable Year of Revelations in the Johnson Home, along with his co-author, Thomas P. Aardema. 

He teaches courses on the Kirtland era of the Church at Education Week and provides tours of Church Historic Sites. 

He served a mission at the historic sites in Kirtland and Hiram, Ohio, along with his wife of 43 years, Kim. They are the parents of four children and eighteen grandchildren. 

He has served as a full-time missionary twice, as a Primary and Sunday School teacher, a Bishop, Stake President, and a member of two MTC branch presidencies. 

Will Perez

Will Perez was born and raised in Miami and is currently coordinating for LDS Seminaries and Institutes in South Florida. He earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Florida International University and completed his master’s degree in religious education through Brigham Young University. 

He served in the Texas McAllen mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and dabbled in real estate and public relations before pursuing teaching full time. 

Will has a passion for church history and strives to keep up on the latest scholarship so that he can contribute to the conversation and share it with others. He fell in love with the Holy Land after his first visit with Sterling and has returned several times. 

Check out his work on the Ascension of Jesus Christ within Latter-day Saint theology or tune into his YouTube channel, “Latter-day Divers!” He is married to the amazing Tori Perez and they have three little girls. Will loves the gospel, pizza movie nights, and saltwater fish tanks!