Beautiful Nauvoo.

This weekend we went to the beautiful city of Nauvoo, another church history sight.  We had a wonderful time!  We flew into Springfield, Illinois on a tiny plane that only sat 50!  It was so small from what we are use to!  While we were up in the sky we got to watch a lightning storm it was amazing!  Once we landed at an airport that actually made Salt Lake look small we drove a little less than 3 hours to Nauvoo.

  

We began our day in Nauvoo by walking down what is known as Parley street and hearing about the Trail of Hope.  Starting in February of 1846 a group of at least 13,000 mormons crossed into Iowa escaping persecution and eventually headed west to the Great Salt Lake Valley.  Thousands of other mormons soon followed.  They had to travel over 1,600 miles.  The stories we heard of early saints from their journals [journaling is important even today!] were incredible.  

These saints had such faith and courage and they followed the prophet.  The name of this trail use to be the Trail of Tears but a few years ago the prophet changed it because he believed it wasn't just a trail of sorry and tears but was a trail of faith and hope.  As you walk down Parley's street to the mississippi you can see Nauvoo temple towering behind you.  I can't imagine how hard it must have been to leave the temple behind before they had even completed it all.  The Lord blessed them with a tender mercy as they left, the Mississippi had frozen over [which has happened very few times since then] so they could just walk across with their supplies and wagons.  I imagine this was a hard tender mercy because I can only imagine how cold it must have been!

Here is where Parley's Street leads to the Mississippi.

Here is Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. Joseph Smith had passed away before the
saints headed west but had drawn a map and seen their journey.

We explored the visitor center afterwards and got to the Christus statue. We have now seen the one in Palmyra, the one in Salt Lake, & Nauvoo.  They are all amazing!

We were able to make an appointment to do a session at the Nauvoo temple.  Josh's favorite temple and my it is incredible!  The outside has been redone to look just like the way the saints built it.  Along with the spiral staircase and part of the assembly hall inside.  It was amazing!  The temple is on a hill overlooking the Mississippi.

After the temple we explored all of the old houses and buildings the saints use to use.

Learning how the bricks were made!  Almost got our souvenir brick taken away
at the airport they thought it was a weapon apparently. 

Outside of Lucy Smith's home Joseph's mother. 

The Smith's backyard. 

The 70's hall.

Now it was Pageant time!  Before the pageant started they had a carnival where we got to play with all the old toys and get dinner.  It was a lot of fun Josh was having a blast. 

Us in front of the stage!

the beginning of the pageant!

The Pageant was fantastic!  They did a wonderful job.  The pageant tells the story of Joseph Smith and the building up of Nauvoo as a city.  It's crazy it's population use to rival Chicago!  At the end of the pageant you hear the voice of Gordon B. Hinkley when he dedicated the Nauvoo temple in 2002.  He calls this temple Joseph's temple and Salt Lake Brigham's temple.  They face each other like bookends with volumes of of journeys in the middle.

Sunday morning we went to church.  We went to the 8 am meeting and turns out it was the one all of the senior missionaries and elders and sisters go to.  There were SO MANY!  We learned these senior missionaries make up 20% of the senior missionary field!  They all had such sweet spirits.

After church we went and saw Joseph Simth's house by the Mississippi which is not actually currently owned by the LDS church.  We saw the graves of Hyrum, Joseph and Emma as well. 

And then sadly we had to say goodbye to Nauvoo!  Lucky for us we were able to visit Carthage on our way to the airport.  This is where our prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were martyred.  It is such a sad place but one full of inspiration.

the door the mob shot through.

The window Joseph fell from.

Carthage Jail

  

We had such a wonderful time in Nauvoo it is another city full of the spirit.  We have been so inspired by stories of courage and faith from the early saints. We must always remember Parley's street and those who made their journey of hope.