LDS Church History tour - Nauvoo, IL!

Tuesday, Kelli and I and the Garbinski's flew to St. Louis and from there rented a car and drove up to Nauvoo, IL. We first stopped at Joseph Smith Jr's, Hyrum Smith's and Emma Hale Smith's memorial. Afterwards, we went to the Nauvoo Pageant, where we played a few pioneer games before the start of the show. The last time I was in Nauvoo was 14 years ago, a lot has changed. I had vague memories of the area and of the buildings. I had a great time re-exploring Nauvoo!

The Nauvoo Temple, the cornerstone was laid April 6, 1841. Originally dedicated April 30 and May 1, 1846. Between 1937 and 1962, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reacquired the lot on which the temple stood. In 1999 church president Gordon B. Hinckley announced the rebuilding of the temple on its original footprint. After two years of construction, on 27 June 2002, the temple was dedicated.

Nauvoo Illinois Temple!

The sun stone

This is my favorite picture that I took on the trip! I saw a similar one in a gallery on main street and decided I could attempt to be just as good!

 

Nauvoo, the beautiful!

Looking out over the Mississippi River. Joseph, Hyrum, and Emma's memorial is just behind me.

Another view of the Mississippi

The Nauvoo House, originally the foundation extended to the far left by the stable and farther right. Only one level of red brick was laid at the time of Joseph's martyrdom. The house was to be used as a hotel to house visitors and immigrants coming into Nauvoo. Emma remarried 3 years after Joseph died and with the help of her husband, they took the bricks from the farther ends and made the third and final level of the house, finishing it off.

The Mansion House, where Joseph lived up until the day he left for Carthage. It was also used for a hotel, built to house more people than their homestead house. Originally, the Mansion House as well extended farther to the right only, but after years of that section not being used it was torn down.

A view of the Seventies Hall, I believe, beautiful view through the trees!

The Nauvoo Bagpipe Band! I recorded them playing Amazing Grace, my favorite!

The pageant was wonderful! They had such fun activities for kids and adults to participate in while waiting for the show to start.

First one we tried was the stick pull, Joseph was very good at this game! I pulled Kelli!

Sawing wood! Harder than I thought it would be. You really have to work together and not go too fast or the saw bends.

 

The Nauvoo Pageant! The saints are celebrating at the finishing of the temple.

Joseph and Hyrum, which sits in front of the temple and behind is the Mississippi.

Nauvoo Neighbor and Times and Seasons. Two newspapers the saints published while in Nauvoo. It was really fun to go to the printing office and see how it was all done. I truly understand now why they say "Mind your p's and q's, cause they could turn into b's and d's."

Times and Seasons, published twice a month, similar to our Ensign today.

An original sun stone, sits at the entrance of the quarry overlook.

Their wildflowers were spectacular! I couldn't get enough of them and I wanted to see if I could capture the rustic fence and main street Nauvoo in the background.

Trail of Hope! The trail the saints walked as they left Nauvoo for the trek west. We walked it and read the signs along the way, quotes from saints and pioneers about their experience leaving everything behind in Nauvoo. I can't imagine, that would've been a real trial of faith to just up and leave. Many of the houses we toured were only lived in for a few months after years of working on them.

The Mississippi River!

Oxen, I thought it was a cool shot. I also got shocked by the fence cause I guess I was getting a little too close. I think it is made the other way round, in case the oxen get too close. :)

Lilly pads on the Mississippi River.

Carthage Jail, where Joseph, Hyrum, John Taylor, and Willard Richards came to stand charges. An angry mob broke in on the afternoon of June 27, 1844 and killed Joseph and Hyrum. John Taylor was badly wounded but survived. He stood as a witness with Willard Richards of the martyrdom.

The bullet hole through the door struck Hyrum in the face and instantly killed him. Another bullet was shot at the lock, which you can see above the current doorknob.

The bed where the prophet and his counselors would've rested while in jail. The window on the left is the one Joseph fell out of as he was hit in the chest. His final words as he fell to the ground outside the jail were, "O Lord, my God!"

The fireplace and desk where I can imagine they sat at to write letters and ponder on the words of the scriptures.

 

Most of the houses in Nauvoo had these stars as decoration over the metal rods. I had a pretty good idea what they were for and it was to hold the walls tight together. The stars I'm sure helped cover up the long rod sticking out of the brick.

LDS Church History tour - Kirtland, OH!

Monday morning, we drove to Kirtland, Ohio to tour the sites where the saints used to live. Kelli and I at the Newell K. Whitney store in Kirtland, Ohio! I took church history classes from Susan E. Black at BYU and loved them! I had seen pictures of the store and it was a joy to actually be at the place once heard of.

The story is, these lanterns each had a different design specific to each family. The purpose serving, if a carriage came through town at dark, one would be able to know who they were by the design on the lantern given off by the candle inside. These lanterns hung for display inside the N.K. Whitney store.

On our tour, the missionary told us this was an original table once used by Joseph Smith Jr. while he lived above the store. I looked at it and was just amazed that they still have it. What a blessing for us to have a little taste of Joseph with us, to remember the sacrifices he made for the fulfillment of the gospel.

Original floorboards, and yes...they looked old!

These scriptures and glasses were sitting on the table once used by Joseph Smith Jr. Yet, not his, it gave the sense of what he would've been doing at this table.

I found these slits in the ceiling so interesting, they are for air conditioning!

The room in which Joseph held the school of the prophets, on the top floor of the N.K. Whitney store.

The Whitney home. I love the yellow paint!

I also found this metal object very interesting, I don't know if I would've guessed. It's a baby bottle. I can't imagine using that now days.

One of the features I came to love of the Midwest was their wildflowers, but not at all the humidity. I fell in love with the beauty of Kirtland and their wildflowers that were abundant everywhere!

Outside the sherry in Kirtland. The saints discovered that if they refined their ash from fireplaces, they could sell it to make glass and ceramic wares. The missionaries on our tour reminded us that Christ refines each of us in a similar fashion until we are perfected.

The Kirtland Temple, construction began in 1831 and dedication services were held March 27, 1836.

A "House of The Lord, built by the Church of the Latter Day Saints"

In the cemetery across the street form the Kirtland Temple lies the twins, born to Joseph Smith Jr. and Emma Hale Smith who died soon after birth in 1831. Also buried under the same grave marker, Mary Duty Smith, grandmother of Joseph Smith Jr., and Jerusha Barden Smith, wife of Hyrum Smith.

Thankful Halsey Pratt, Parley P. Pratt's wife.

On the night of March 24, 1832, Joseph and Emma Smith were caring for their adopted twins. Both of the twins were sick with the measles. While Joseph was sleeping on the trundle bed on the first floor of the Johnson home a mob of about 25 attacked Joseph and dragged him out the front door. Joseph struggled with the mob but was overcome. The mob choked him, tried to put acid in his mouth, put tar all over his body and then covered him with feathers. When Joseph got back to the house, Emma thought that the tar was blood and fainted. Joseph's friends spent the rest of the night cleaning the tar off of his body. The next day, Joseph preached a sermon to a crowd which included some of the mobbers and baptized three people. One of the twin babies, the eleven-month-old boy named Joseph Murdock Smith died four days later. The Johnson Farm held a spirit unlike that at historic main street Kirtland. It's truly a sacred place.

The meadow outside the steps of the John Johnson home. It was most likely where they took him to tar and feather him. Several revelations were received by Joseph Smith and other church leaders while at the Johnson Farm. Sixteen of the sections of the Doctrine and Covenants were received. Among these revelations were section 1, the introduction and section 76, the vision of the degrees of glory. As part of section 76, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon stated, "And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of (Jesus Christ), this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father--."

Niagara Falls!

After leaving the ward we attended in Palmyra, NY on Sunday, we drove to Buffalo, NY and experienced Niagara Falls! I had heard the Canadian side was prettier and so I made sure my passport came with me. The Rainbow Bridge connects the two countries and was a short walk from the Maid of Mist port of entry. It was fun to walk to Canada, I mean, how many people can say they've done that!

Kelli and I are rating Niagara Falls...we're giving it a "eh"! After all, we both experienced the beauty of the Iguazu Falls on the borders of Argentina and Brazil. After seeing them, nothing else can compare! Upon seeing Iguazu, the United States' First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt reportedly exclaimed "Poor Niagara!"

American Falls! I asked for an extra blue poncho to wrap around my camera bag. I'm still slightly protective of my new, big purchase. But on our way back to port, when it was safe from mist, I whipped out my camera and snapped a few pictures.

Austin in his cool shades, aunt Kelli's in the back with her shades on her head, I wonder who he gets that from! Erica and Adam Garbinski sporting the blueberry ponchos and enjoying the shower from the mist!

What? Austin gives the best looks! The best were while riding in the car, my idea of entertaining him apparently wasn't working because he gave me frequent similar looks!

A view from the Canadian side! American Falls on the left and Horseshoe Falls on the right. It was a fun experience to walk into Canada, tell the lady all I was going to do was take a few pictures and I'd be back in the U.S.

I love the zoom lens on my camera! Horseshoe Falls with two maid of mists boats.

While in Canada, since I was by myself, I looked for someone who had a camera similar to mine. I found a lady and asked her to take my picture since I knew she'd know how to work my camera. I found out not very many people know how, they always try to use the screen to take the picture. I taught many people over the course of my trip.

I loved this sign! The path I walked to get back to the land I love!

The international boundary line!

Niagara Falls, NY, U.S.A...Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada