This was a blessed week. We had Jeff & Lyndsie come to visit us in our humble
abode here in Old Nauvoo, 440 Partridge. It was so good to see them and
show them the sites. There is a spirit here that we get to feel each and every day,
and we wanted them to be able to feel of that as well.
We did not hold back, we packed a few days with all the sites and performances we could!
A highlight for us was to have them in the temple. And they said the highlight of the trip
for them was to be in the temple. On Saturday we work in the baptistry.
They came in and did some baptisms for family names. Pretty special.
"Perfect morning in the Nauvoo Temple Baptistry with Matt and Joan Thompson."
On Monday they did an endowment session and some sealings.
Where else in America can you go to the temple on the 4th of July!?
Here in Nauvoo, we are open on holidays.
This is on the top floor of the Cultural Hall. It is the original floor.
The second floor has a beautiful antique quilt display.
We went on the wagon ride. We had some rain during the weekend, some drizzles, and really cool weather. The hot and sticky are back now, but 4th of July weekend was unseasonably cool.
We rode down Parley Street to the Mississippi River.
We saw a barge.
And rode past our house!
We saw Sister Miller at the bakery, and here at the Tin Shop.
We seemed to follow her around to all the sites all weekend.
The Print Shop.
We had a lovely walk one evening to the Old Pioneer Burial Grounds.
There is a beautiful bronze statue in the cemetery.
Around the base is a quote by Joseph Smith,
"The place where a man is buried is sacred to me."
BYU Noteworthy was in town for 2 weeks. They are so entertaining. They put on really fun shows.
Saturday night we drove over to Montrose. We got barged going and coming home.
Here we are on the bridge, you can see the barge coming behind us.
On the bridge were some of the cars from the car show.
These were jeeps made for the Jurassic Park movie.
There were suppose to be fireworks. They got cancelled because of the weather.
But we had a beautiful sunset and view of the temple.
We attended the Nauvoo 2nd ward Sunday. It was so crowded! It was like stake conference. Chairs all the way back filling the cultural hall and even on the stage. They are used to summer around here, and were well prepared to pass the sacrament quickly and efficiently to all that were in attendance.
Separate sacrament tables were set up in the culture hall.
This is the Wilford Woodruff home. This was his box that he took on his mission to England.
He was able to use it to sit on and he stood on it when preaching. What a treasure!
His home is beautiful. He wrote in his journal that he personally picked each
brick for the front wall of his home.
In 1843 Elder Woodruff wrote, "I desire to have a house for my family to abide in and be
comfortable in my absence." In an attempt to ensure that his family was comfortable he
built a working fireplace in each room.
Lucy Mack Smith home has the steapest stairs in Nauvoo. You can really feel the spirit here. She was not well enough to travel west, so lived here before moving in with Emma before she died.
We went to Carthage Jail on Sunday afternoon. It was a real treat to be on Sister Lynn's tour.
We know Heavenly Father had this jail built to last so that everyone who comes could feel the spirit of this sacred place. It really is a blessing to have the original jail here to come to.
We went to see "Be Still" before driving to Carthage and listening to the Brass Band play hymns.
After the murders, Williard Richards wrote to the people of Nauvoo, "Be Still. Be Patient."
Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation
of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years,
he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God,
and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise
documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord's anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum.
In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!
--Doctrine and Covenants 135:3
This is some of us waiting to rehearse the finale of the British Pageant. The missionaries come up at the ending singing a "Called to Serve" medley.
The Nauvoo Pageant Bagpipe Band are now in town.
Here is Elder Thompson with the Bagpipers.
He has completed his profile on Mormon.org, check it out.