With my mom and dad serving a mission in Nauvoo we were able go visit them again this summer. Our first visit was over Thanksgiving last year, we took the train then. We knew we wanted to go again this summer so we could participate in all the summer activities. This time we flew and took Todd's parents and Mitchell Clement with us!
Sunday: Waiting for our flight in Idaho Falls
View from the plane of our neighborhood!
We flew into Kansas City Missouri.
Monday: First stop was Independence Missouri. Here we got to see the Visitors Center (it has been remodeled since the last time we have been there and it was awesome!!) We also saw the temple site Joseph Smith dedicated, but the saints never had the chance to build.
This was a table with The Book of Mormon in all languages. We were told to walk around the table with our eyes closed and then drop your hand on a book, and whatever the language is, that might be where you get called on a mission! We will see if any come true! Braeden can send in his papers in February, yikes!?!
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| Kekchi |
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| Latvian |
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| Cambodian |
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| Telugu |
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| Haitian |
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| Portuguese (Rigged) |
Next stop was Libery Jail. It is so crazy to me to see how they made these brothren live is such poor conditions, but grateful for the revelations received while being held there.
We then made the 4 1/2 hour drive to Nauvoo. We made it there just in time for dinner then off to the Rendezvous show. We watched both shows this night, what a fun show and even better with my mom and dad in it!
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| Dad playing the Editor part in Rendezvous (the main part) |
Tuesday we drove to an Amish town and went to the Dutchman Store. Later that night we enjoyed the show Sunset on the Mississippi (another one my parents are in!) The couple missionaries participate in this one with the young performing missionaries. Very entertaining! Then we headed over to get our almost front row seats for the Nauvoo Pageant. Wow, it was soooo good. We loved it. It poured rain about 3/4 the way through, but the show continued, they didn't miss a beat. The rain was warm and it was humid so we enjoyed sitting in the rain!
A couple pictures from the Pageant:
Early Wednesday morning, we got up and went on a 3 mile trek. It was the same area where the movie Legacy was made! There were some pretty steep hills we had to go up and down and the 4 of us girls pulled both handcarts up the Women's Pull!
Later that day mom gave us a great tour of the Women's Garden with all the statues, we went to the show The Promise (performed by the young performing missionaries) went to the Pageant Country Fair to play all the games, dance and make crafts. Then went to the British Pageant. This was the first year for this pageant, and it was also very good!
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| Mom and Dad were also asked to participate in the end of this pageant when all the missionaries go on stage! |
Thursday: We went to the Just Plain Anna Amanda show (performed by the young performing missionaries), saw the home of Drusilla Hendricks (one of my Ancestors) it is still standing and considered Historic however it is privately owned. The kids participated in Baptisms for the Dead at the Temple. They were able to do family names for both sides of the family! We walked down Parley Street and the Trail of Hope, the same path the Saints took while leaving Nauvoo. That night we watched Rendezvous and the Nauvoo pageant again! My cousin Anna Karina and her family were here for a couple days so we got to be with them also!
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| Analee on stage at the Just Plain Anna Amanda Show |
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| Home of Drusilla Hendricks |
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| Walking down the Trail of Hope |
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| This is the last view of Nauvoo Temple the Saints had before being driven out of Nauvoo and crossing the Mississippi River |
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| This is the end of Parley Street where they crossed the Mississippi |
Friday: Dad gave us a tour of the Visitor Center, and the Quary where they got all the stone to build the original Nauvoo Temple. We went on the Wagon Ride (in the rain) through Old Nauvoo drove to Carthage Jail, saw Just Plain Anna Amanda again, Went to the buffet dinner at The Hotel Nauvoo, saw Sunset on the Mississippi again, some of us went to the British Pageant again and some of us went home to catch Fireflies!
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| Todd's Aunt and Uncle, Paul and Linda are also serving a Temple Mission in Nauvoo so we got to spend some time with them while we were there! |
Saturday: We went on the Oxen Ride before leaving Nauvoo to drive back to Kansas City. On the way back we stopped at Adam-Ondi-Ahman and Far West.
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| Tired kids on the ride back! |
Sunday: Flew back home to Idaho Falls!
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| I read this book on the plane rides, it's a great book! |
Braeden took Mitchell on all the favorite tours throughout the week. Some included
the Brick Yard, Browning Gun Shop, the Bakery and the Blacksmith Shop. We also went on the Carriage Ride, shopped, watched as they tried to call the horses in, went swimming, saw some Historical Vignettes and listened to the Brass Band and Bagpipe Band!
Once again we had an amazing week in Nauvoo. We are so lucky to be able to travel with both sets of Grandparents, and Mitchell! My mom had every meal prepared for us and my dad had tickets and front row seats for all the shows. They are so busy but so organized, everything just runs so smooth. I am so thankful to be able to provide our kids with the opportunity to learn of our Church and Family History!
