every few years doug's side of the family travel's to missouri for thanksgiving. this year we decided to head out early and spend a couple of days in
nauvoo, illinois. it turned out to be a great time of year to be there. luckily for us, the weather was quite pleasant.
this is the cute little house we stayed in during our visit
we did quite a lot of driving around. it was about a 4 1/2 - 5 hour drive from the airport, and an additional two hours to get to the lodge in missouri. we did all of our traveling in this 15 passenger van. the kids loved it! it was nice to be able to spread out and have room.
we loved visiting all the historic sites and learning about our pioneer heritage. one of our favorite activities was the wagon ride that took us through the city. we bundled up in blankets and learned interesting facts about the area.
(lydia was fast asleep by the end:)
here we are just before loading the wagon
we learned about all the hard work it took just to have water to do the dishes or to take a bath.
one of the highlights for me was attending the temple. . . such a unique and beautiful temple!
the kids learned about the school house . . .
. . . and were able to try out the slates.
such good little student's:)
this is a picture of the trail of hope. in 1846 began the mormon exodus from nauvoo where the early saints left behind their homes, beautiful city, family and friends. i love the thoughts of sister sheri l. dew as she reflects on this site:
"I love Nauvoo. And every time I visit the City of Joseph in Illinois, I walk to the end of Parley Street, where the Saints lined their wagons as they prepared to evacuate the city. There I try to imagine how our pioneer sisters must have felt as they loaded what little they could into a wagon, glanced a final time at their homes, and then followed their faith into the wilderness.
I always weep on Parley Street, because I can't help but wonder, Would I have loaded that wagon? Would my testimony of a modern-day prophet and Jesus Christ have been strong enough that I would have given up everything and gone anywhere?
Perhaps none of us will be called upon to suffer deprivation because of what we believe. But we have been called to live in a time when the chasm between the philosophies of men and the teachings of the Master gapes wider than ever."
this is the view of the temple from parley street. imagine looking back on this site when leaving the city. all the sacrifices made to build a temple!
The Prophet's Last Ride
On the morning of June 24, 1844, Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum left their families, homes, and fellow Saints for the last time. Traveling on horseback, they paused on this bluff. Joseph looked admiringly at the unfinished temple and the city of Nauvoo and declared:
This is the loveliest place and the best people under the heavens;
little do they know the trials that await them.
Joseph and Hyrum then continued on to Carthage, Illinois, where they faced legal charges and eventual death at the hands of a mob.
there is such a wonderful sprit in nauvoo. it was fun to be there as a family and enjoy the experience together. i loved seeing all the sites and reflecting on the many sacrifices and honorable qualities of these early saints. what a wonderful heritage!
