Week Two of Two Temple Shut Down

During the break we had dinner with President and Sister Irion. 

They are delightful people.  So fun to sit and visit with them.

Sadly the Shaw's leave in a few weeks. We have grown to love them so much. They are great people. 

We know we say that a lot about the people we have served with.  But it is true.  

Our lives will never be the same for having met and served with the people here in Nauvoo.

After we dropped off Jeff & Lyndsie at the airport,
we drove through the Amana Colonies on our way to Pella, Iowa.
We went to Pella last spring to see the tulips.
But with time off, the Jaarsma Bakery and In't Veld's Meat Market,
we had to go back!
It was a beautiful day and a beautiful drive.

 We were greeted in Pella by a beautiful sunset over Lake Red Rock.

It is on the Des Moines River and it is an absolutely beautiful area.

The next day we drove around the lake.
The weather was perfect.  So sunny and bright.

Lovely views everywhere you look.

We got photo bombed by a butterfly!

We stopped at Cordova Park.  They have this cool observation tower. It started as a water tower, but when it was no longer needed for water, they turned it into an observation platform.  It is 106 feet tall and provides a great view of the lake.  The sign says it is the tallest and longest continuous fiberglass stairway in the world.

It is nice and safe up there and the views are fantastic.  

Sister Thompson stayed on the ground.  No stairs for her. ;)

There are these great cabins right on the lake. 

 Had we known about them sooner we would have stayed here.

You could see the Cordova Park Tower from further on down the lake.

No one was around, we had the lake to ourselves...so selfies had to do.

When we got back to the hotel, there was another gorgeous sunset.

We had the best meal we have had since we left home at Kaldera Restaurant.

Luckily, no selfie, our waitress JoAnn took our picture.

She was a really sweet lady. 

Our hotel was on a beautiful golf course, Bos Landen.

While on a walk in the morning Elder Thompson saw several really large buck deer.

Well, the break was fun and relaxing.

But there are new missionaries arriving so we are headed home to welcome them to Nauvoo.

Week One of Two Temple Shut Down

The first little trip we took during the two week temple shut-down was to Springfield, Illinois. 

It is loaded with Abraham Lincoln sites. 

This is inside the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. 

It is a great museum.  It was designed by the same man who recently 

remodeled the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City.

The exhibits are really fun to walk through.  

This is a recreation of the log home Lincoln lived in as a boy.

Abe and Mary Todd. 

We loved this depiction of the Lincoln/Douglas debate because Knox College is in 

Galesburg, Illinois and we attend the Galesburg Ward each Sunday.

We just happened to be here at this museum on election day.  It was a great way to spend it.

President Lincoln had a gift for saying what was important in very few words.

This is the farewell speech he gave on the back of the train he rode to Washington. 

These were the last words by him in Springfield, he never did return alive.

"My Friends -- No one, not in my situation, can appreciate my feeling of sadness at this parting. 

 To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe every thing. 

Here I have lived a quarter of a century, and have passed from a young to an old man.  

Here my children have been born, and one is buried.  

I now leave, not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return, 

with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington.  

Without the assistance of that Divine Being, who ever attended him, I can not succeed.  

With that assistance I cannot fail.  

Trusting in Him, who can go with me, and remain with you and be everywhere for good, 

let us confidently hope that all will yet be well.  

To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, 

I bid you an affectionate farewell."

Mary Todd Lincoln welcoming us into the White House.

In front of her is a picture of her wearing this dress.

They have a huge collection of political cartoon's 

regarding President Lincoln.

The cabinet debating the Emancipation Proclamation.

Pictures of Civil War Soldiers.

 Portraits of Lincoln.

  Recreation of Ford's Theatre.

The pictures of the recreation of his casket lying in state are not very good, 

but it was a spiritual experience being in that room.

We are really glad we had the time to visit Springfield.  We highly recommend it.

 We also visited Lincoln's Tomb.

Elder Thompson giving Abe's nose a lucky rub.

The door behind is where you enter the tomb.

Abraham Lincoln, Mary Todd and 3 of their 4 boys are buried here. 

The fourth son is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

 This bronze bust of Abraham Lincoln was created by Borglum. 

 Borglum designed and created Mt Rushmore.

On the wall behind are the words "Now he belongs to the ages".

It is said his Secretary of War Edwin Stanton uttered those words at Lincoln's death bed.

The street where the house he lived in is a cute little restored street.

This is the Lincoln home restored to what it looked like in 1860. 

Yup, A Lincoln.

Our experiences in Springfield at the Lincoln sites were very moving. 

President Lincoln was a spiritual person. 

He said this about the Bible: 

"In regard to this Great book, I have but to say, it is the best gift God has given to man.  

All the good the Savior gave to the world was communicated through this book."

And he said this in the Proclamation setting Thanksgiving Day observance: 

"Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, 

do hereby appoint and set apart the last Thursday in November next as a day which

I desire to be observed by all my fellow-citizens, 

wherever they may then be, 

as a day of thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God,

 the beneficent Creator and Ruler of the Universe.

We stopped and had a famous Cozy Dog.  Route 66 goes right through the middle of Springfield.

The first weekend of the shut down Jeff and Lyndsie came to visit and to go to the 

Michigan vs Iowa football game.

 We had a fantastic game-day breakfast.

The game did not go as we had hoped (that's okay), but it was so good to see some family.  

Love them!