Nauvoo Trip 2008

Day 1: Thursday, August 28, 2008

-Independence, Missouri- LDS Visitor Center, Temple Lot, and Community of Christ 

Lesley infront of the Community of Christ Temple.  
This is the reason why it looks like an icecream cone on the outside.  They wanted the ceiling of sanctuary to resemble a conk shell.  They use their temple as a symbol of peace where they have a daily prayer for peace.  It's sad how far you can fall when you lose the priesthood keys.  
"Peace" became the word of the trip.  LOL

-Liberty, Missouri.
-Adam-Ondi-Ahman
Before we went to the place were Adam dwelt, we drove through Jamesport, an Amish community.  It was pouring down rain so we didn't get out of the bus.  Luckily it stopped raining when we got to Adam-Ondi-Ahman.  It was so green and shining from the rain.  Absolutely gorgeous!

That night we had dinner at a little Mom and Pop Restaurant.  It was... um... interesting.  Sadly it was the best food of the trip.

Day 2: Friday, August 29, 2008

-Far West.  The only thing left are the cornerstones of the dedicated ground of the temple.  This is the place where the Twelve left on thier missions to England.  They had to sneek back into Missouri after the extermination order had been given.  

This is me and one of my roomies Melody.  She was so fun to hang out with and I'm glad we had personalities that meshed well.  I was so afraid of having difficult roommates but we really lucked out with Charlotte and Melody.  

-Nauvoo, Illinois
Brickyard- we got a free brick :)
Heber C. Kimball's Home.  It took him 4 years to build and he only lived in it for 4 months.  

-Carthage, Illinois
Lesley outside Carthage Jail and below Lesley and I are posing like the statue of Joseph and Hyrum.  We did this a lot while on study abroad in London.  It helps you really remember great statuary.  
Day 3: Saturday, August 30, 2008

-Nauvoo Temple

We did a morning session in the Nauvoo Temple which was the highlight of the entire trip.  It was amazing and so special.

Lesley was so adorable on the steps of the temple.  It was so peaceful and beautiful that none of us wanted to leave.  It was tragic to get back on the bus.  

For lunch we ate at a little bakery and then walked down Mullholland Street which is like a little main street.  We stopped at the Fudge Factory!! A little indulgence goes a long way :)
We went on a tour of the Community of Christ sites in Nauvoo.  We had to watch a little film in thier visitor's center and Lesley snook a sip of Dalton's rootbeer.  It was so great that it must have a prayer for peace inside :)  

This is the view from Joseph Smith' s Homstead.  It is right next to the Mississippi.
Here is the Mansion House
This is the sign over Joseph's office door in the Red Brick Store
This is for Kendra :)

He even sold beautiful dishes in his store- Lesley was in heaven to see such servingware!
This is the re-built Red Brick Store.
A beautiful statue of Joseph and Emma at the LDS visitor's center.
We took a wagon ride of Old Nauvoo.  It was a great way to finish our tour of Nauvoo
That night we went to a play put on by the Senior Missionaries called "Rendezvous to Old Nauvoo"  It was another highlight for me.  It was so cute and fun.  I kept thinking about Grandma and Grandpa's lip-synch they did with their Good Sam group.

Day 4: Sunday, August 31, 2008

-Sacrament in Nauvoo Groves and group photos at the Temple.

-Mt. Pisgah
This was a pit-stop on the way across Iowa to Winter Quarters.  There really isn't anything there but it was really cool nonetheless.

Day 5: Monday, September 1, 2008

-Winter Quarters
Monument at Winter Quarter's cemetary.  I was moved to tears.  So many people died and most of them were children and infants.  
Winter Quarters Temple- It was really pretty and peaceful.  There is a great visitor's center there and such a great spirit.  It was kind of sad that I was almost too exhausted to enjoy it.

That was our Nauvoo Trip.  It was packed-in and incredible.  

I thought I'd be more emotional but I wasn't.  I was so wrapped up in the history and facts that I didn't really think about "feeling" what happened there.  

It was such a great trip and the temple was a definite highlight, then Winter Quarters, and the wagon ride.  Mt. Pisgah was cool, but it kind of got ruined when a huge spider was climbing up my shirt and I freaked out big-time.  Don't worry- just a little embarassing.