Norm and Marge Nauvoo

On the way home from Church (Note: Dave and Tarah were actually here May 15-20. We are just slow getting our pictures sorted.) Dave, Tarah and Ellie were our first visitors.  It was fun to be able to show them around and share some of the things that we are experiencing. We went to the Visitor's Center where we watched a video presentation explaining the history of Nauvoo. Ellie liked the statues in the Visitors Center and in the Women's Garden. She liked walking with her grandpa as well. Ellie with statue of the First Vision Walking in the Women's Garden with Grandpa Grandma and Grandpa in the Women's Garden On the oxen ride Ice cream at Annie's Dinner at the Nauvoo House Ellie has found a new friend in the Woman's Garden Getting ready for an oxen ride By the well at Carthage At the Carthage Jail A reverent moment at Carthage We are having a good time We are really ...

Mississippi River I have called this post Sunset on the Mississippi because the sunsets here are so spectacular almost every day. We just can't resist them! I am sure you will see many more pictures of them before this mission is done!! Last week we went for a walk along the river near the foot of Parley street.  This time we parked near the Red Brick store and walked along the sidewalk that closely follows the river bank. There were so many birds and wildlife there in the estuary chirping their last songs of the day. I thought we were just going to get a little exercise and watch the sun set.  Actually it turned into a nature walk.                 View from the sidewalk near the river First there was a large eagle that flew up out through the trees along the water's edge over our heads.  It had a large fish in it's talons. I wanted to take a picture but it was too fast. Not much further along we saw a turtle sit...

Statue of Hyrum and Joseph on the way to Carthage Our June Schedule Starting on June 1 st , the temple moves to the summer schedule.   This means that the temple will be open on Monday’s for 4 sessions – 8:00, 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00.   On  Tuesdays thru Saturdays there is a session every hour starting at 8:00 AM with the last session at 6:00 PM. Our schedule for June is to serve on Monday AM, Tuesday AM, Wednesday P-Day, Thursday PM, Friday PM and Saturday AM.   On Mondays and the other AM schedules, we need to be at the temple by 7:00 AM.   We finish our shift at 1:00 PM on Mondays and at 2:00 PM on Tuesday and Saturday.   For Thursday and Friday, we start our shift at 1:00 PM and finish at 8:00 PM. We have been assigned as the endowment coordinators for Tuesday AM shift.   For all other shifts our assignments change every day. The temple only assigns our schedule one month at a time so we do not know what our schedule for July...

Looking at the treeline Zelph mound on the left.  The two Lamanite mounds on the right Illinois River very close to Zelph Mound Zelph Mound near the top On the top of Zelph Mound Zelph Mound For our P-day and for our family home evening group, we had a trip to Zelph’s mound. We traveled about 75 miles South to Hannibal, MO (home town for Samuel Clements or Mark Twain).   There we met Brother Gibbon at the Hannibal Branch building.   There Brother Gibbon spoke to us about Zion’s Camp and Zelph.   In early June of 1834, Zion’s Camp traveled to and crossed the Illinois River.   They camped the west bank of the river and noticed several large mounds there.   Three men climbed to the top of the largest one.   One felt inspired to dig there.   In doing so he discovers a skeleton.   They brought some of the bones back to camp to show Joseph.   Joseph then accompanied them back to the top of the 300-foot-high mo...

President Ballard, President Nelson and his daughter, Sister Irion May 9 th , 2018 Wednesday, May 09, 2018, we were called to the temple to a special missionary meeting this morning.  There was a bit of mystic about it because no details were announced except that we should wear our Sunday clothes, be there at 10:45 and meet in the assembly room.  When we went into the assembly room the first two rows were reserved for a lot of visitors.  We were beginning to suspect that President Nelson was going to speak to us.  His daughter, Gloria, is our temple matron.  We were in our seats a little bit early and Sister Blood played a beautiful prelude.  The spirit was so strong I could hardly breathe.  10:45 came and went and nothing happened.  We continued to wait and ponder the significance of that beautiful room with its four levels of pulpits on each end of the room.  I was imagining what it was like to be in the Kirkland temple the da...

When Joseph Smith was martyred in June of 1844, work on the temple was delayed until the leadership of the Church was settled.  At the resumption of work, Brigham Young increased the size of blocks being used in the wall in order to complete the temple faster.  In the second picture you can see this change.  The blocks below the window sills in the upper windows, are smaller that the ones above it.  You can see in the first picture where this line is, about 3/4 up on the wall.  When the temple was rebuilt they included the martyrdom line showing respect for the saints and the trials that they endured to get the temple finished.

Jail with location of original well A visit to Carthage Today we made a visit to the Carthage Jail.   This is a very well-built building constructed in about 1838.   It is a two-story building with a holding cell on the first floor and a high security cell on the second floor.   The high security cell has only two slits in the wall to provide light.   The jailer and his family lived at the jail.   They had a kitchen and a living room with a bed on the first floor.   The parent’s bedroom was on the second floor next to the high security cell.    This building served as a jail for 25 years and then the county sold the building to a family to live in.   In 1903 the jail went up for sale.   The president of the church at that time, Joseph F. Smith, the son of Hyrum Smith, heard that the jail was for sale and authorized the purchase of this building.   It was the first purchase of an historical site by the church.   N...

This Is the "Mail Barn".   Have you ever heard of going to the barn to get your mail? I never had until we got here. They have taken this old barn and turned it into a place for us to pick up our mail and packages. There is a code lock on the door so you can let yourself in any time of the day or night. It also has a very interesting room in the back which is called the "Missionary DI".  If you ever have anything useful that you don't want to keep anymore you can take it there and leave it on the shelf.  And if you are in need of something you might be able to find it there and it is free for you to use as long as you need it. It is really a great system.  On the other end of the building (on the right) there is a sewing room that is used by those who are preparing the costumes for the pageant and plays.    

Today I had a walk in the Women's Garden next to the Visitors Center. Norm went for a walk yesterday and took the pictures of the statues.  Today he wanted to go back so he could get the names right for his post.  After our shift at the temple we went for a walk there and I was taken with the beautiful tulips in their many colors that dominated the garden.  They were so beautiful and the fragrance was delightful.   We ran into some friends who were also enjoying the garden and the sunny afternoon.  They happen to be from Seattle Temple too.  So we sat on this bench and enjoyed the sights and sounds and smells for a few minutes.  This garden is such a lovely tribute to the women of the Relief Society.  My daughters and daughters-in-law are gathering in Provo to attend BYU Women's Conference this week.  I couldn't be with them physically but as I sat here and took in the spirit I felt close to them...

Description of the temple The Nauvoo temple was the first temple to perform all the saving ordinances.    The Kirkland temple was built to have a place to receive the keys necessary for the plan of salvation to be fulfilled.   The design for these two temples are very different because their purpose was so different.   The original Nauvoo temple did perform baptisms for the dead but only performed about 5,000 endowments and sealings during the brief time it was open before the saints were driven West. On the outside, the current temple is almost exactly as the original one.   The biggest difference is the Angel Moroni which was horizontal on a weather vane on the original temple.   He now is vertical like other modern-day temples. On the inside, the baptistery is on the first level.   The font is the same size as the original font and is the largest of any temple.   In the original temple the weight of the font was so great that the...