First I need to apologize in advance for all the pictures. My dad took charge of taking pictures today. My brothers know how this goes . . . many, many pictures. He also oversaw which pictures I picked for this post. I still had to talk him out of several.
Anyway, things are great here. I texted Mike this morning and asked him if I could buy a souvenir that I had my eye on. He texted back, "Sure. There is a really ugly mutant tree in our back yard . . . can I cut it down?" Later he texted, "Cut down a bunch of trees til the saw ran out of gas." Haha! Oh man, he has fun when I'm gone! The kids have seemed very happy. I got them a couple of wii games that have been big hits. I look forward to playing with them when I get home.
Okay, on to my day. I woke up in a panic because the clock said 8:30. We were suppose to board the bus at 8:35. Luckily the clock was wrong - by a couple of hours. It really was around 7. Last night my dad was excited that he didn't need to get anything ready for today. He has been staying up really late planning things he wants to say. He was excited to go to bed on time. Instead he got so excited planning our schedule in Nauvoo tomorrow that when he looked at the clock it was 5 am! I could never do that.
We started out the day at the Nauvoo House. Joseph Smith never ended up living in this house, but this is the house Emma died in. In Section 124 the Lord commanded that a hotel be built to house the weary traveler on his way. My dad said the Hotel Utah (now the Joseph Smith Memorial Building) served the same purpose in Salt Lake City. In Nauvoo, the Saints laid the foundation and got the first story done, but because the Temple was a priority, that's all the further that they got. Years after Joseph's death, Emma married Louis Bidemon and he built a house for her on the West end of the hotel foundation, using the bricks from the first floor of the hotel (Nauvoo House). The Community of Christ (formerly Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) owns the property and uses it as a place for retreats, youth conferences and such-like gatherings.
Nauvoo House
Emma, Joseph and Hyrum's graves
At one point, Joseph and Hyrum were buried under the little house and Emma was buried under the lilac bush. Joseph and Hyrum's bodies were moved many times in order for their bodies not to fall into the hands of the mobs.
Joseph and Emma only lived in the Mansion House for a few months. They then leased out the house and they moved into the servant quarters. They lived there for about six months before the prophet was killed. These properties are owned by the Community of Christ Church. My dad was really hoping for Laughlin Mackay to give us the tour. (Totally not sure if I spelled his name right.) Anyway he got his wish. My dad says he is the foremost historian for the Community of Christ Church.
Laughlin Mackay and two random LDS missionaries
in front of the Mansion House
This is all that is left from the hotel part of the Mansion House.
We now had free time! I remember several years ago overhearing Uncle Steve talk about one of our relatives that lived in Nauvoo. I remember hearing the name Joseph Hyrum Lovell. Uncle Steve said he was the first child born after the martyrdom. He was born August 3, 1844. Before we left on the tour, we were able to send names of anyone who might have lived in Nauvoo to the Lands and Records Office. I sent the name of John Lovell. This is how it goes. Me -> Harriett Marie Parry -> Lois Ellen Lovell -> George Hyrum Lovell -> Joseph Hyrum Lovell -> John Lovell. So John Lovell is my great-great-great-grandpa. Anyway, the Land and Records Office gave us a map that had the plot of land marked that had once belonged to John Lovell. My dad and I found that land and had a great time walking around it.
The red X was John Lovell's property
We were curious to find out what is there now. It is . . . an RV Park! It is a little dilapidated in some parts. We took a lot of pictures here, but it was really fun.
Stephanie (you'll get tired of seeing me)
There was no foundation on the property sticking up through the grass. That would have been cool. We were wondering if maybe this old shed was built over the old foundation. Who knows. My dad was wishing he had coat hangers so he could walk over the ground with them. He was sure he could find the foundation that way.
This baseball field was across the street. I thought it would have been so cool if it had been on the property! Although Dad pointed out that it is practically in their backyard - just like Grandpa's.
Stephanie on the corner of John Lovell's property
Dad at the North-East corner of the property
(Young and Winchester)
Stephanie
Inside the building
It looks like whoever ended up with the property use to do Martyrdom Trail Rides. Doesn't look like it was extremely successful.
Stephanie - again and again and again
There was even a broken down snowmobile!
Southwest Corner of John Lovell's property
Next we went to the visitors center. It started to rain while we were in the statue garden. Everyone went inside. Dad had a camera . . . you get the idea.
Stephanie interrupting a family game
Stephanie knocking a dad out of the way so she could catch the baby
Dad separating two people who are too close
Stephanie next to giant woman
Dad begging for food
Random picture my dad insisted stay in.
I was reading the Times and Seasons
when they announced the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum.
My dad and I before our carriage ride.
We didn't have tickets, but they let us on anyway.
Limestone - the reason Nauvoo was originally a swamp.
Black Locust trees
These use to be all over Adam-Ondi-Ahman.
My dad had great fun at the Upper Grove or The Stand. This was the place where they had the meeting to discuss who would be the next leader of the church. Signey Rigdon talked for three hours as to why he should be the Guardian of the Church. Brigham Young didn't talk long, but when he did his face and voice were changed into the face and voice of Joseph Smith. Brigham Young became the next leader of the church. My dad kept saying about how this changed the entire history of the church. He was thrilled to be there. He didn't know where the stand was, he wondered if it was set up as an amphitheater and the speakers were at the bottom. This is also where Joseph delivered King Follett's Discourse where he talked about how little children are saved in the Celestial Kingdom if they die before the age of accountability. There were 10,000 people there. Wow. He also delivered the Temple Sermon here eleven days before he died. In it he stated that there were many Gods, but only one God pertaining to us. This was a new concept.
Dad pretending to be Brigham Young.
Stephanie in the middle of the field.
Field - a lot of people were sure crammed in there that day.
My dad also was looking for the exact location of the Nauvoo Expositor. It's kind of hard to find a record because they only printed one edition. It was printed by people against the church. I guess it was so inflammatory that it was declared a public nuisance. People then tossed the equipment out into the streets. This is the charge that was used to throw Joseph Smith into the Carthage jail.
The location of the Nauvoo Expositor was just left of the green building
or this white one.
The exact location is under that big white building that looks abandoned.
My dad was really excited about this. It is a tiny jail that was built after the saints left Nauvoo. The temple was destroyed and people would go over there and take what they wanted. This jail is built out of the original temple stones from the first Nauvoo Temple. My dad thought that was so cool and said he could now die happy. (A little dramatic, don't you think?)
Temple Stone Jail
Dad saying, "Why did they ruin these stones?"
Stephanie preforming a jail break,
notice the temple in the background? Pretty cool.
Dad's turn for the jail break.
Dad got permission to do a presentation in the upper room of the Red Brick Store after they closed. This is where the Relief Society was organized. The first temple endowments were given here before the temple was finished. Joseph Smith also gave all priesthood keys to members of the Quorum of the Twelve. He said, "I have had sealed upon my head every key, every power, every principle of life and salvation that God has ever given to any man who ever lived upon the face of the earth. Now, I have sealed upon your heads every key, every power, and every principle which the Lord has sealed upon my head." (That was quoted by Wilford Woodruff.) The reason we went back after they closed is because the Community of Christ guide would not agree with what really happened there--that the 12 were to lead the church after the death of the prophet.
Dad teaching in the upper room of the Red Brick Store.
Upper Room of the Red Brick Store
Joseph Smith's desk. He probably used this
desk when he translated the Book of Abraham.
Newel K. Whitney's desk. Brought from Kirtland, Ohio.
We went to the Nauvoo Cemetery where we found Laura Clark Phelps grave. She was a character. She hid the prophet and his brother from an angry mob, she tricked a mob into thinking they were chasing the wrong man when they were after Heber C. Kimball and she broke her husband and Parley P. Pratt out of jail. One family that is on the trip with us is her great-great-great-grandson. (Not quite sure of the number of greats!)
Dane, Kirsten, Bob and Brandon
We then went to the Allyn House where we got to hear from Charles Allen about being a window maker. He made all the windows and doors for the Nauvoo temple. He was really interesting to listen to. He made an extra star window to keep down here so people could get a closer look at it.
Charles Allen ~ Window Maker
Well, it's now one o'clock in the morning, so I better get to bed. I'm sure I'll have another busy day tomorrow!
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