I experienced the trip of a lifetime being able to go on a church history tour back in the beginning of July. I went with my family when I was 14 and we were able to tour Kirtland and Palmyra which I didn't get to do this time around, and I'll never forget that trip with my family. However, this one was different because of the study and research I have done over the past years that have made it all the more impressionable and meaningful.
I went with my YSA ward and it was a 4 day trip (ON A BUS RIDE) through 8 states! What a journey and a weight-gainer too...! Good thing I have such an incredible Bishopric and ward friends who made the hours and hours and days and days of sitting on a packed bus ride well worth the trip. Not to mention the extremely GREAT food, and the movies that helped me get through the ride. I think I was the only one on the bus ride bawling (and even watching for that matter) through all 3 Work and the Glorys! Heaven knows my seat-mate was ready for a change.
The bus ride was... ehhh for the most part enjoyable. Just the last stretch when you're ready for this trips end and your seat partner, who you just met, has the light on at 3am because she's reading Pride and Prejudice for the THIRD time that trip and keeps poking you throughout the night as your trying to find a comfortable spot on your 180 degree vertical window to tell you how Mr. Darcy just did the sweetest thing, surprise squeels and screams that make you jump out of your trousers, Miss America Pageant fanning hands of ready-set tears that are leaking out as she exclaims her heartfelt emotions to your zombie-ridden-sleep-deprived self and then ever so dearly falls asleep on your stomach-lap area after reapplying a fresh coat of deoderant, with a beautiful, timely snore...facing up at you.
I exaggerate not.
Needless to say, even the best trips always need to come to an end. And no better end than a new best friend perched on your lap as the bus pulls safely into the church lot after having broke down 3 times for an hour each during the night with the only AC being the movements of 150 unwashed, BO and stinky fragrant bodies moving to readjust their never-going-to-be-comfortable-...ever selves.
But I promise you, it still was the best trip!
Now, enough with the words, let's get to the pictures!
We were able to see 3 temples and 2 temple sites. It is a goal of mine to see every temple in the US and so far I've done 28/72... so I still have a lot more to cover. We were able to visit the Far West, Temple site and the Independence Missouri, Temple site, walk around Winter Quarters, Nebraska and Kansas City, Missouri Temples, and actually do work inside the beautiful Nauvoo, Illinois Temple. What a great memory!
Winter Quarters, Nebraska Temple
Kansas City, Missouri Temple
Nauvoo, Illinois Temple
Adom-Ondi-Ahman, Independence Missouri
We were able to go to some very remarkable sites. First Carthage Jail, which was my personal favorite.
The Carthage Jail where Joseph and Hyrum were martyred. The top window where Joseph fell out of.
The actual door in the Carthage Jail and the bullet hole that killed Hyrum.
The Liberty Jail where Joseph was imprisoned for months and received the revelation in D&C 121.
Independence, Missouri where the temple will be built.
Then we spent the remainder of our time in NAUVOO!
and these cute old folks (missionary couples) welcomed us all with the cutest little musical
"High Hopes and Riverboats".
I have never wanted to be an old married missionary couple more!
Visitor Center in Nauvoo. Albanian Book of Mormon shoutout for Rachel. The crazy mess of hair is due to the massive amt of humidity!
The Smith's Mansion House
Front side of the Mansion House (owned by the Community of Christ Church)
The Smith Family Gravesite (Hyrum, Joseph, and Emma)
All Is Well, All Is Well
Prairie Diamond. The boys would propose to the ladies with one of these nails heated up and bent into a ring. The company was called Diamond, thus the Diamond, and the proposing was on the prairie... the trek to SLC.
Oh, I miss the trees!!!!
Aunt Annie's Custard! The best custard out there, with some great friends.
Annie's Custard round 2, midnight run.
A real slab of the rock that was used for the original Nauvoo Temple and now used as a stairway into one the Ol' Nauvoo Giftshops.
"Always remember to look up."
Another cemetary for many of the saints.
Joseph Smith would sit here (in the Old Red Brick Store) and look out this window to the Mississippi River. It is said that this was his very favorite view, and I'm seeing why.
"In life they were not divided, and in death there were not separated."
Statue of Joseph and Hyrum at sunset infront of the Nauvoo Temple.
Temple at dusk.
Last night in beautiful Nauvoo.
A gorgeous sunset.
The Nauvoo Pageant. ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL! (:
Last glance of the temple as we drove off.
The Nauvoo trip was a great highlight of my summer! I am so thankful I was able to go. It truly was an unforgettable experience and I sure hope I am able to go back soon. If I had to choose one temple that meant the most to me or was my favorite I would choose Nauvoo.
The best experience I had on the trip was choosing to sit by myself with just my thoughts, all alone, during the Nauvoo Pagaent while fireflies were lighting up my night sky. To feel the Spirit so closely. Lay back on the grass and look up at the temple. Listen to the secadas and crickets and the powerful music ring through the night.
This was a great trip...
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