The Opposite of Being Ill in Illinois

April 30, 2015

The Opposite of Being Ill in Illinois

I finally made it to Nauvoo!! After reading books and learning about church history, I finally walked the paths that some of the early Saints walked. I walked the roads that Joseph Smith walked and learned so much about the history of Nauvoo. I’ve read books and learned about it, but going there was a completely different experience. I love traveling because I feel like you can only learn so much about a place, but actually going there teaches you the most. On Monday, we first went to the visitor’s center and watched a short movie before boarding a horse-drawn carriage ride. This ride was perfect because we rode all around Old Nauvoo and kind of received a summary of Nauvoo and picked places that we wanted to come back to and go inside. We visited Nauvoo at the perfect time because the weather was great, and there were few people there.After our narrated carriage ride, we stopped by a few places, our first choices being the houses with free things (brick at the brickyard, bread at the family living center, cookies at the bakery, a “diamond” ring at the blacksmith’s, etc.), but we all agreed our favorite place was Lucky Mack Smith’s home. I always loved learning about her because she was a spunky, 4’11’’ mother (the best height, I believe) and because she was my great, great, great, great, great grandma. Maybe that’s why I’m 4’11’’? I do have a testimony of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, but it’s a little extra connection I have with them. The elderly sister missionary testified to us about Lucy Smith’s testimony and belief in Jbecause the weather was great, and there were few people there.

Overall, Nauvoo was amazing! We also stopped by the temple, the old graveyard, and a delicious fudge shop. I loved the spirit that was there by the Mississippi as we walked along the roads of Old Nauvoo.

Beautiful flowers in the garden with statues honoring the mothers of Zion

I had chills as I looked at this statue. It represents Hyrum and Joseph on their final horseback ride to Carthage. We didn't make it to Carthage this trip, so I guess I'll just have to come back!

Smith Family Cemetery. Amazing that so many family members are buried here. Some of them (like Joseph and Hyrum) were eventually buried here, but this was not their original resting place.