Nauvoo Trip - Day 3

We had a more laid-back day on Sunday.  We slept in a bit, Ben and John made breakfast, then we went to Sacrament Meeting.  Luckily, Will and his wife gave us a heads up that Sacrament Meeting would be crowded, so we arrived early.  About 20-30 minutes before the meeting was to start, we had to sit about 1/3 of the way back into the cultural hall.  The cultural hall eventually filled up, including the stage.  There were people in the foyers and a feed set up in the Primary room.  This was probably the most full meeting I've ever attended, and it must have been like this all summer because the ward was prepared - they even had two Sacrament tables set up.  I would guess that between the families in town to help with the pageants and the more short-term visitors, we multiplied the local ward by a factor of 10.

After Church we went to the temple and took some pictures, then went back to the AirBNB for lunch.

The basement was one huge bunk room (for all the nieces and nephews
I'd hoped would be coming) but Eliza and Iris preferred to sleep together.
So, they slept on two mattresses in the middle of the floor.

Ben and John made breakfast.
Also, twins!

 

After lunch we drove to Carthage to tour the jail.  Many other people had the same idea so we ended up waiting for a little while, but it was worth it.  Unlike most of the buildings in Nauvoo, the jail is original.  It was incredible to walk on the same floors Joseph and Hyrum Smith walked on, and to see the bullet hole in the door where the mob was trying to force their way in.  Being there, hearing the account of the martyrdom, and looking around and visualizing it in that very building strengthened my testimony.  I felt the Holy Ghost witnessing to me that Joseph and Hyrum Smith were men of God who were brutally murdered in that solemn place.

This is the window Joseph Smith fell out of when he was killed.

(The same window on the second story behind us.)

Back in Nauvoo, we did some more touring and visited the Family Living Center.

This is the home of William and Caroline Weeks.  William, an architect, worked closely
with Joseph Smith designing the Nauvoo Temple.  William eventually left the Church but his
family kept the drawings and returned them to the Church when the temple was being rebuilt.

Walking over to the home of Edward and Ann Hunter.
Edward was a Bishop.

This is the Stonecutter Pavilion, a little area that teaches how the temple was built.

Making rope at the Family Living Center.

Spinning demonstration.

Weaving demonstration.

Candlemaking.

We had dinner back at the house, then drove to the Seventies Hall to walk down Parley Street, along the Trail of Hope.  The Nauvoo Performing Missionaries put on an interpretive demonstration, sharing experiences of the people who had to leave Nauvoo, as recorded in journal entries and letters.  It was really beautiful.  Then we took some time to take pictures and enjoy the sunset on the Missisippi River.

(Jack was off making friends with some of
the Youth Conference groups.)

Back at the house, Eliza and Iris put on a dramatic performance of their own.

There was more laughing in this one, though.