My neice, Lindsey, and I are standing at the door in the Carthage jail where a bullet came through and pierced Hyrum in the face. Yes, I have been crying. It was hard not to cry at such a reverent place. On June 24, 1844, the Prophet Joseph Smith, with his brother, Hyrum, and in company with seventeen other men, left Nauvoo for Carthage, on what would be his final horse ride, to answer false charges against him. On June 27, 1844, Joseph and his brother Hyrum were martyred. His prophetic words later became a reality when he said, "I am going like a lamb to the slaughter but I am calm as a summer's morning. I have a conscience void of offense towards God, and towards all men. I shall die innocent, and it shall yet be said of me --he was murdered in cold blood."On one of the plaques at Carthage it quotes Joseph Smith in 1835 saying: "When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth's sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to do his will, he does know, most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not, nor will not seek his face in vain."
I got to stay in this little yellow house with my sister, Allison, her husband, Bill, and their three girls, Amanda, Rachel, and Sarah. We had so much fun together. Amanda and I slept on the extremely uncomfortable hide-a-bed with a huge dip in the middle. I would wake up in the middle of the night to us sleeping in V-formation. She later had a genius idea of putting the mattress on the floor. After doing that, we slept great! One other highlight of our yellow house stay was when Allison and I were showering the the girls payed me back from the night before with cups of cold water directed at Allison and me. Allison shouted, "No girls, it's not funny, it's NOT funny!" But it WAS funny. 
The flowers were beautiful in Nauvoo and I even captured this picture of a baby praying mantis.
Here we are waiting for the play "High Hopes and River Boats" to start.
Before the pageant Kelsey and Amanda took up some square dancing.
These are may flies. I had to capture this ugly bug. They fly around all over when you are by the banks of the Mississippi.
This is my adorable mother dancing in "Sunset By the Mississippi." She was asked to play the part of "the gal down the road" in the song Grandma's Feather Bed for the summer. She danced around the stage in her decked out hat. It was fun to whoop and holler for her.
Here she is dancing with Elder Kennedy, a young performing missionary.
This friendly fly wouldn't leave my breakfast alone! Because Grandma Bastian likes to have people in every one of her pictures, and because I want to be like her, Allison's hand is featured here. Thanks, Al! While sitting down to breakfast we noticed there were several flies in the restaurant. Impersonating my mother's voice Allison said, "I just tell myself there aren't any flies in Nauvoo, and then there aren't." (My mother often says in the winter when she feels cold, "I just tell myself I am warm and then I am.")
Here I am with the Kelsey, Lindsey, Justin, Jenna, Jared, and John Salisbury at Carthage. This statue of Joseph and Hyrum depicts them at their actual height. I didn't realize how tall they were.
My Mom has many fun hats and bonnets that she made, or that she received as gifts.
These are my handsome nephews Sean and Chad Collette. Can you see the white horn growing from my head? I guess that makes me a true Mormon.
The flowers were beautiful in Nauvoo and I even captured this picture of a baby praying mantis.
Here we are waiting for the play "High Hopes and River Boats" to start.
Before the pageant Kelsey and Amanda took up some square dancing.
These are may flies. I had to capture this ugly bug. They fly around all over when you are by the banks of the Mississippi.
This is my adorable mother dancing in "Sunset By the Mississippi." She was asked to play the part of "the gal down the road" in the song Grandma's Feather Bed for the summer. She danced around the stage in her decked out hat. It was fun to whoop and holler for her.
Here she is dancing with Elder Kennedy, a young performing missionary.
This friendly fly wouldn't leave my breakfast alone! Because Grandma Bastian likes to have people in every one of her pictures, and because I want to be like her, Allison's hand is featured here. Thanks, Al! While sitting down to breakfast we noticed there were several flies in the restaurant. Impersonating my mother's voice Allison said, "I just tell myself there aren't any flies in Nauvoo, and then there aren't." (My mother often says in the winter when she feels cold, "I just tell myself I am warm and then I am.")
Here I am with the Kelsey, Lindsey, Justin, Jenna, Jared, and John Salisbury at Carthage. This statue of Joseph and Hyrum depicts them at their actual height. I didn't realize how tall they were.
My Mom has many fun hats and bonnets that she made, or that she received as gifts.
These are my handsome nephews Sean and Chad Collette. Can you see the white horn growing from my head? I guess that makes me a true Mormon.
My neice, Kelsey, and I wore the exact same colors every day in Nauvoo. We saw each other the first day and thought nothing of it until the second day when we commented on it and mentioned the color we would be wearing the third day. Yep, the same! I guess it is fitting since my sister, Krista, is constantly calling her Rachel on accident...for years.
Can you believe how big these flowers are? My beautiful niece, Rachel, is helping me demonstrate how large these flowers actually are. They are called dinner plate hibiscus.
This is a portrait of Brigham Young in his home in Nauvoo. It amazes me how strong one can feel the Spirit in the homes and on the streets of Nauvoo. In the pageant it was said, "When you're here, we're here," meaning the saints. I could feel their presence while I was there. In the Brigham Young home a letter was read. It was a letter from Mary Young, Brigham's wife, to Brigham. She was writing him to tell him of the death of the prophet Joseph. Brigham was on a mission at the time. She writes to him saying, "I hope you will be careful on your way home and not expose yourself to those that will endanger your life. Yours in haste if we meet no more in this world may we meet where parting is no more. Farewell, Mary Young." It brings tears to my eyes to think of how much I love these saints who suffered so much and remained faithful. I have the desire to become a better person because of them.
My sister Teresa and I are outside the Cultural Hall waiting for them to seat for the play "Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo." All the senior missionaries performed in this play, including my Mother. It was fun to see her up there performing. My favorite part was when the men were singing about leaving their beautiful homes and city of Nauvoo. They would leave Nauvoo..."willingly, because we HAVE to, meaning they felt forced to go. And then at the end of the song their words changed from "willingly, because we have to," to "willingly, because we want to." This song reminded me of my life challenges. My burdens are lightened when I submit to the will of my Father in Heaven. After all, I want what He wants for me because His plan is so much better than anything I can dream up.
My neice, Sarah, is hilarious. She kept us laughing throughout the trip. We went on a wagon ride and saw all the homes and different buildings to see.
My 3 neices Amanda, Sarah, and Rachel taking a rest.
My Mom gave us the tour of the tin shop. Tinsmiths made many of the items used in the Saints' homes and farms. Lanterns, candle safes, buckets, pots, pans, and many other things could be made quickly from tin plate. A good tinsmith could make a tin pan in 15 to 20 minutes.
These are all the people in my family that came to Nauvoo during the week of July 30th.
Back from left: John Salisbury, Rachel LeBaron, Allison Routt, Krista Salisbury, Kelsey Salisbury, Barry Collette, Teresa Collette. Front from left: Jared Salisbury, Bill Routt, Rachel Routt, Amanda Routt, Sarah Routt (sitting in front of Amanda), Lindsey Salisbury, Sean Collette, Jenna Salisbury (in front of Sean, Justin Salisbury and Chad Collette.
My Mom gave us our tour of Riser Boot.
Riser boot belonged to George and Christiana Riser. He was one of thirteen shoemakers in Nauvoo. A pair of finished shoes cost $1.75, and boots cost $5.50. George was born in Germany and owned a prosperous shoe making business in Ohio. When he heard the gospel of Jesus Christ preached, he sold his business and with his wife, Christiana, and infant son, John Jacob, traveled 500 miles to Nauvoo to learn more of this new religion. Soon after they arrived, their baby became very ill. Joseph Smith administered to him and he was immediately healed. This event greatly influenced the Riser's conversion. They were baptized in the Mississippi river in December 12, 1842, where a hole was cut in the ice to perform the baptism. The following spring, John Jacob became ill again and died. The parents grieved, but felt that their son's mission in life was to bring them into the Church. The Risers left Nauvoo in 1846 with a small daughter, and a son was born as they traveled. They arrived in Utah in Sept. 1847. They were the parents of nine children and always remained faithful.
Their story was one of my favorites. Feeling moved by the Spirit and not afraid to act on it by moving their family from their thriving business in Ohio gives me courage that I too can go unafraid where the Lord wants me to go. Seeing the death of their child as his mission in life helps me to know that the trials and tragedies in my own life are here for my profit and learning.
The Jonathan Browning Home and Gun Shop was another one of my favorite homes. I learned many fascinating things about this gunsmith. His talent influenced his son and grandson as they became great gunsmiths as well. Browning is a well known brand of gun in our day because of Jonathan Browning's talent and precision as a gunsmith. Brother Wasson gave us the tour of the gun shop. He was in my ward in Colville, Washington, the town I grew up in. Brother Wasson is now Elder Wasson in Nauvoo. He is a selfless man that often helped my ailing father on our farm. One Christmas morning when I was a young girl (aroung 12 years old), I went outside in the bitter cold because of the coaxing of my parents to find a horse with a big red bow around her neck. It was a present to me from Brother Wasson. I loved horses and he gave me his seasoned, reliable (yet stubborn) mare named Leddy. I had many great memories with that horse thanks to Brother Wasson.
This is Sister Wasson. She gave us a tour of the Seventies Hall. She, like her husband, is a wonderful person. One thing I love about Sister Wasson is her sweet speaking voice.
I can't imagine the sadness that the Saints felt when they left the temple they worked so hard to build. Nauvoo is amazing. My testimony is stronger because I have visited this glorious place. When Joseph left Nauvoo for the last time before his martyrdom he gazed at the beautiful temple, then looked toward Nauvoo and the Mississippi River and said, "This is the loveliest place and the best people under the heavens, little do they know the trials that await them."
I left beautful Nauvoo on an airplane. After a half days travel I arrived at the end of the Saints trek west, Salt Lake City, Utah. In just a few hours time I arrived in the place that took them months, even years for some, to walk to. I wonder how they liked the Salt Lake Valley compared to their lush green Nauvoo (also filled with lots of bugs!). I feel so blessed to live in the place that the pioneers settled. I am grateful for their example of loving Jesus Christ, trusting in Him, and trying to be like Him. I was married in the Salt Lake Temple, the temple that took them 40 years to build. They have blessed my life in myriads of ways and continue to do so. As I reflect upon my life I know I have a lot of work to do. The Lord often gives me suggestions of where to improve...often uncomfortable suggestions. I find strength through these wonderful examples of how to live my life.
The Jonathan Browning Home and Gun Shop was another one of my favorite homes. I learned many fascinating things about this gunsmith. His talent influenced his son and grandson as they became great gunsmiths as well. Browning is a well known brand of gun in our day because of Jonathan Browning's talent and precision as a gunsmith. Brother Wasson gave us the tour of the gun shop. He was in my ward in Colville, Washington, the town I grew up in. Brother Wasson is now Elder Wasson in Nauvoo. He is a selfless man that often helped my ailing father on our farm. One Christmas morning when I was a young girl (aroung 12 years old), I went outside in the bitter cold because of the coaxing of my parents to find a horse with a big red bow around her neck. It was a present to me from Brother Wasson. I loved horses and he gave me his seasoned, reliable (yet stubborn) mare named Leddy. I had many great memories with that horse thanks to Brother Wasson.
This is Sister Wasson. She gave us a tour of the Seventies Hall. She, like her husband, is a wonderful person. One thing I love about Sister Wasson is her sweet speaking voice.
I can't imagine the sadness that the Saints felt when they left the temple they worked so hard to build. Nauvoo is amazing. My testimony is stronger because I have visited this glorious place. When Joseph left Nauvoo for the last time before his martyrdom he gazed at the beautiful temple, then looked toward Nauvoo and the Mississippi River and said, "This is the loveliest place and the best people under the heavens, little do they know the trials that await them."
I left beautful Nauvoo on an airplane. After a half days travel I arrived at the end of the Saints trek west, Salt Lake City, Utah. In just a few hours time I arrived in the place that took them months, even years for some, to walk to. I wonder how they liked the Salt Lake Valley compared to their lush green Nauvoo (also filled with lots of bugs!). I feel so blessed to live in the place that the pioneers settled. I am grateful for their example of loving Jesus Christ, trusting in Him, and trying to be like Him. I was married in the Salt Lake Temple, the temple that took them 40 years to build. They have blessed my life in myriads of ways and continue to do so. As I reflect upon my life I know I have a lot of work to do. The Lord often gives me suggestions of where to improve...often uncomfortable suggestions. I find strength through these wonderful examples of how to live my life.
3 comments:
That was an awesome post. It really made me want to go back to Nauvoo. Z and the kids have never been there. Maybe next summer.
I loved every single thing you've written on this post. It was wonderful! What a testimony building experience we can have when we turn the focus off of ourselves and look for the blessings in our trials and others' experiences. I love you!
-Jessica
Dave and I went to Nauvoo when we were first married. It was such a neat experience! And seeing all those bugs totally reminded me of how hard it would have been to be a pioneer living on the banks of the Mississippi! From my recollection, that place is crawling with all sorts of weird, flying, biting bugs! It gave me a whold new respect for what my predecesors went thru.
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