Pioneer heritage part 2

We stayed here our second night. Two words. Bunk beds. That night I took bottom with Liam and Chad took top bunk.

We took the carriage ride.  This was one of my favorite parts of the whole tour.  Liam got to see cool horses & I love history and there was some really cool stories & facts shared.

I loved a point of the ride where they stopped the wagon to point out three steeples.  Our host explained that one was the catholic church steeple, one the mormon church steeple, and the last the Nauvoo temple.  He said Joseph would've been pleased with that and told us how Joseph had said, 'If you can't enjoy and share our religious beliefs, at least come and enjoy our hospitality'.  Joseph Smith was known to be a great defender for religious freedom.

These next properties are actually not owned by the church, but by the RLDS or Community of Christ.  This part wasn't free like the previous stuff...but not bad.  $3/person.

Different homes where Emma and Joseph had lived.

Joseph & Hyrum's bodies are supposedly buried under this shed and a nearby liliac bush.  The bodies were hid, for one, because there was a reward for the head of Joseph Smith- dead or alive.

The red brick store.  This isn't the original building, but built in it's likeness.  Above the store (right picture) was a room where the Relief Society was organized and where Joseph passed all of his priesthood keys onto the twelve apostles before his martyrdom.

Before heading home, we stopped at Carthage Jail.  The Jail where Hyrum and Joseph Smith were murdered unlawfully by a mob.  Below are some of the rooms in the jail.

This is the room where they were murdered.  The hole in the door is  one of the actual bullet holes.  The upper window on the right is the window Joseph jumped from in an attempt to save his friends.  Among those friends was Willard Richards.  A year earlier Joseph had prophesied to him that "the balls (bullets) would fly around him like hail, and he should see his friends fall on the right and on the left," but he would not be hurt (History of the Church, 6:619).

A memorial to Joseph and his brother Hyrum.  I also, LOVE the quote on the below plaque.

Celebrating our pioneer heritage

Pioneer day...July 24th...this past Sunday.  The day we commemorate the saints entrance into Utah Valley.  I can't think of a better way to honor the memory of the pioneers than to spend the prior weekend in Nauvoo.  It was painfully hot and humid, but it was one of those experiences that left me a little different.  It left me thinking.  It left me longing to change.  It left me craving to be just a little bit better as a person.  Why?  Let me share a little bit about the story of Nauvoo...and my story of Nauvoo.

The saints came to Nauvoo after financial problems in Kirtland, Ohio and being run out of Missouri.  It was swampy and infested with mosquitos carrying Malaria.  Many got sick, but many miraculous healings were performed.  And these early saints got to work transforming this swamp into a city that would champion Chicago in size (at its' height, it had 300 people less than Chicago).  They built a community, they built a temple, and they built their faith.

Now my experience.

Here's some pictures.  They might tell the story better than me. :)

We stayed here the first night.  Praire Winds Motel.  Carthage, IL.

Hotel phone...yes, we unplugged it.

Friday morning.  Nauvoo temple.  The temple was gorgeous!!  This temple was built as a replica of the original that was destroyed by mobs when the saints were forced to flee Nauvoo.

These statues of Joseph and Hyrum Smith commemorate their last ride from Nauvoo.  They stopped in this area and looked at the temple.  Joseph commented how much he loved the people and how they had no idea of the hardships that awaited them.  He knew he would not be coming back.

I was so impressed by all the couple missionaries in Nauvoo! They were all there on a volunteer basis.  No pay.  They all had a quiet confidence about them.  They guided us on tours of the different pioneer homes and demonstrated crafts of the day, and they always found ways to share their testimony of Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith!  It invited such a gentle and sweet spirit.  Never overbearing.  Always full of sincerity and love.

Webb Brothers' Blacksmith Shop.  We got cool "diamond" rings here.

John Taylor Home

The below rocking horse was made by John Taylor for his son.  When the Saints were forced from Nauvoo, this was left behind.  His son was so upset, that John Taylor rode the 20+ miles back to Nauvoo, knowing that mobs were out searching for any "mormons".  Needless to say, he made it back safe...he later became the third prophet of the church.

Print Shop

Browning Home & Gunsmith Shop

Pendleton Home & Log School- I love how the walls are hand scrapaped!  Can you imagine the work it would take?!?

They also told us here about some of the efforts for education.  There were immigrants from all over Europe who had come to join Zion.  Most did not speak english.  Some did not have the means to pay for an education, so they paid in eggs, apples, and other commodities.

Brigham Young Home- so glad we don't have to wear bonnets!  The one below apparently sits high on the head to allow circulation in hot months.

Scovil Bakery- yum!  We got to try pioneer ginger bread.

That night we attended the Nauvoo pageant.  I've been to two others- the Manti pageant & Mesa, AZ pageant.  This one is my favorite so far...minus the mosquitos & humidity :)

This was our first day touring. More to come about our second day!

The rest of the sprinkler pictures

Water

Liam and his cousins Sadie & Payson playin' in the sprinklers.  Don't you love that water logged diaper bum? :)

To see more sprinkler pictures click here (It's always so hard to choose your favorite!).

And to see more awesome water entries, click the link below!

Chad's birthday

Chad turned 34 this year!  We had some red velvet cake for his b-day...and I can't find any more of my pictures :(  So these will have to suffice, until I get some more when we do a little family sunday birthday get-together.

Temple trip

Chad's still young men's president...at least for a few more weeks (he was called last week as the 1st counselor in the Elder's quorum presidency), so we got to go up to St. Louis for the youth temple trip.

Liam & me waited outside.

It was hot and the shade was minimal, but I was excited to try out a new lens I'd just gotten- the 85 mm 1.4.  I love it!  I think it's my new favorite!

And then, as I was taking pictures something caught Liam's eye.  His curiosity was fun to photograph, until I realized that he was chewing  on whatever it was he found...

Liam always finds trouble when I'm taking pictures of him (note the previous entry with pictures of him beginning to drown).

On a happier, less disgusting note, everyone really enjoyed the temple.

And, another happy note- Liam went into nursery for the first time yesterday. He LOVES it!!!  Not a tear shed.  I can't wait til he has a little brother or sister because he loves other little kids! (below is his first nursery art work...definitely a very talented use of an orange crayon).