Carthage - the Final Sacrifice

Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, were murdered by a mob at Carthage, Illinois on June 27th, 1844. They were guilty of no crime, but as with most of the Lord's prophets of any age were persecuted and killed for their obedience to the will of the Lord.


Joseph and Hyrum

The persecutors believed that by killing Joseph Smith, they would destroy Mormonism, but 163 three years later, it is strong, growing, and vibrant. The work of the Lord will not be thwarted by men.

Joseph knew that if he went to Carthage he would not return alive, but he also knew that all the keys and authority to continue the work had been given to the 12 Apostles. He fulfilled the work he had been called to do, and sealed his testimony with his blood, as did his brother Hyrum.

Other pictures of the day.

Nauvoo Historical Sites and Pageant

The first stop today was the Trail of Hope, the walk taken by thousands of Saints as they left their beloved city to cross the Mississippi to a destination out of the United States where they could find peace.


The Trail of Hope

We traveled to the Pioneer Burial Ground, a place where many of the people of Nauvoo were buried. Many were children and most of the markers have vanished.


A Grieving Family

We visited a number of sites owned and cared for by the Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). The home of Joseph and Emma, the Red Brick Store, the Mansion House, the Smith cemetery were all part of the tour.

I spent the majority of the rest of the day visiting the various rebuilt or restored sites in Old Nauvoo. Places like the Family Living Center where skills used in those days were demonstrated, the tinsmith, the Browning home and gun shop, the blacksmiths and other places.

In the evening we watched the Nauvoo Pageant - The City of Joseph. I was impressed and brought to tears as well.


Pageant Worker


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The City of Joseph

We have a number of free hours, both today and tomorrow. I went to the temple in the morning with most of the tour, where we were able to serve in the temple for a couple of hours. It is beautiful inside as well as outside.

I was able to visit some of the historical sites in Old Nauvoo, but will take more pictures tomorrow. We watched a film in the visitor's center about Joseph Smith the Prophet of God. It brought forth some strong emotions as we watched events happen in places that we had been that day or mere days before.

At the Visitor Center there is a statuary garden, with bronze statues celebrating women and the organization of the Relief Society which occurred in Nauvoo. It is a beautiful place with beautiful statues.

     

Teaching With Love       In Her Mother's Footsteps

During the summer months in Nauvoo there are a number of young people called on service missions to perform in the town. We watched a production called High Hopes and Riverboats, which was very entertaining.

Tomorrow we go to tour some of the sites owned by the Community of Christ Church (formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), then will have some more free time. I hope to get to the rest of the historic places tomorrow.

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Nauvoo the Beautiful

This morning we were able to see Far West, Missouri, the final gathering place for the Saints before Gov. Boggs issued his infamous extermination order. "The Mormons must be driven out.. or exterminated."

Because of scheduling issues we were unable to attend church with the local ward, so we had our own sacrament service. We had priesthood holders qualified to perform this sacred ordinance and it was beautiful and inspiring.

We traveled to see the millstone from Haun's mill and also traveled the dusty roads to Haun's Mill. There is nothing remaining to identify where the settlement was, other than in that area.


Millstone from Haun's Mill


We have arrived at Nauvoo, on the banks of the Mississippi. There is much to see and do here and we will be here until Wednesday.


The Nauvoo Temple

The way I've been feeling, I don't want to finish this tour and go back to the humdrum of life without the feast of the spirit being present every day most all day.

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Independence and Liberty

St. Louis Temple

We departed St. Louis in the morning and drove west to Independence, Missouri after a visit to the St. Louis Temple. This is one of the settling places for the Saints during the Missouri period. In revelation God revealed that this would be the Center place for the Church. Currently the acreage is owned by three different churches who claim Joseph Smith as their founder, the Community of Christ, the Church of Christ, Temple Lot, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Each has one or more buildings here.

Our next stop was Liberty, the place where the Prophet Joseph Smith and several associates were held while the Saints that were in Clay County were driven out. They moved to Caldwell County and Far West. In Liberty Jail Joseph Smith received some of the most powerful revelations and the experience made him both stronger and more empathetic to the distresses of others.


Liberty Jail

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Zion's Camp and St. Louis

To follow the life of Joseph Smith in a semi-chronological way, we traveled from the Kirtland area to Missouri today. Joseph Smith and several hundred men from the Kirtland area traveled to Missouri to help the saints there who were being driven from their homes by mob violence. While the 'Zion's Camp' didn't fight once they reached Missouri, the hardship of the march forged strong church leaders. Nine of the 12 Apostles, the Seven Presidents of the Seventy and all of the Seventy were called from those men who were willing to sacrifice their all if necessary.


Words to Remember

We are staying at the Drury Inn in St. Louis tonight. We had a prime rib dinner on the Becky Thatcher riverboat and watched the fireworks from the boat, with the St. Louis arch behind us.


Old and New St. Louis

This hotel has broadband via a data line so I'm finally able to get caught up on loading pictures. It's late so I probably won't be able to caption many of them but I'll be able to insert links to this and earlier posts soon - so you can see selected pictures.

Other pictures of the day.

Quarries, Temples, Farms, and the Amish

Day 6 of the tour. We visited the stone quarry where the rock was cut to make the rubble stone constructed Kirtland Temple. We saw the Kirtland Temple, and a nearby cemetery where several prominent early Latter-day Saints are buried.


Stone Quarry

We traveled past the home of Lorenzo and Eliza Snow. The brother and sister were both significant early members of the church, Lorenzo became a President of the Church and Eliza was an historian and poet.

On the John Johnson farm we were able to see where Joseph and Emma lived for year. The Johnsons gave them the best room for their bedroom. It is a beautiful house and a beautiful farm, and the Johnson's sold it when asked to do so by the prophet. They helped finance the building of the Kirtland Temple and were given charge of the Johnson Inn in Kirtland.


John Johnson Farm

Our hotel for the night is Der Dutchman, in Walnut Creek in Ohio. It's in the midst of Amish country and is very beautiful. I don't think I could find any place modified by man that is more peaceful and lovely.


Amish Country

Other pictures of this day.