Nauvoo

This was how our trip started. We had only been traveling for about 6 hours when Nolan, Michael's dad stated, "I could drive all night long!" Then a huge doe hit the grill while we were driving 75 miles an hour on the free way. Thank goodness for the organization of the LDS Church. Nolan called their home bishop and he called the Bishop in Brush, Colorado (which is where we were stranded) and he rallied up a few men who were able to help fix the suburban by the very next day so that we could continue our trip!

This is the same size as the covered wagons the early saints took across the plains only it is about 2 feet longer.

Jayla giving grandpa hugs and kisses. She loves riding on everyone's shoulders... especially grandpa's.

Jamie found a toad and was showing it to Jayla. Jamie was a little shocked when Jayla grabbed it without hesitation. That Jayla girl is not afraid of anything!

These are the steps to the cemetery for Old Nauvoo. We were on our way to pay respect to those who died in Nauvoo. We were also on a quest to locate our ancestors. (Jayla was thrilled because she got to climb up her favorite thing in the world... stairs.)

This is Michael's great great great grandfather (Seymour Brunson), who was a body guard for Joseph Smith. On the day of his funeral Joseph Smith punlically announced the doctrine of baptisms for the dead.

We were able to take several oxen and horse rides around Nauvoo. We had so much!! Jayla loved petting the animals afterward.

Us on the Mississippi River. I couldn't imagine having to cross that river in the dead of winter. Those early saints had so much Faith!!

The boys (Micheal's youngest 3 brothers) at the Brick yard learning how to make bricks like the pioneers.

Jayla... dog piling on everyone. She always has to be the center of attention and there are always plenty of people around to give her that attention.

This was where we stayed. It was right in the middle of Nauvoo, so when Jayla got tired or when it got too hot outside (It was 97 degrees with 80% humidity!) we were able to come home. It was so convenient.

One of the sites at Nauvoo is the Trail of Hope or also known as the Trail of Tears. This was the route the saints took in the middle of February. The mobs were escalating and Brigham Young told them it was time to leave. It was bout 30 below zero outside when they left to cross the Mississippi.

The whole Fam is getting a lesson in rope making.

The Brass Band just drove by blaring their music so naturally Jayla stopped whatever she was doing to dance.

Grandma Ora Mae May... (Jayla Mae is named after her) playing her xylophone, in one of the musical production that the missionaries put together. She was really good!!

Here are all of us kids in the balcony of the Cultural Hall... most groups are not allowed up there, but we got special treatment since our grandma is a missionary in Nauvoo.

Daddy dancing with Jayla again... on the original floor that Joseph and Emma Smith danced on!

The rest of the clan resting on the benches in the Cultural Hall.

This is Jayla at the children's park dressed up as a little pioneer... and she makes it look good! She looks so cute in her little bonnet and the dress actually slowed her down a little bit so that she couldn't run away from us as fast. She loved playing in the cabin, knocking down the clothes line, throwing the dishes on the floor and holding the dolls.

This is a statue of Hyrum and Joseph Smith as they were leaving Nauvoo for Carthage Jail. Joseph knew that this would be his last look down at the city and the temple that the saints worked so hard to build.

We had the opportunity to go through a session at the Nauvoo Temple. It has such a different feeling about it because of the amazing things that took place there and the sacrifices that the early saints had to make to built it! We are so glad that we had the opportunity to go to Nauvoo. We learned about great faith, obedience, and sacrifice. Most importantly we learned that God will always provide a way. Although things don't always turn out how we would like them too... in the end everything turns out far better than we could ever imagine if we just put our trust in Him. Sometimes he allows us to go through difficult things in order to protect us from worse things... such as, commanding the saints to leave their beloved Nauvoo and suffer hardships in order to find peace, freedom, and safety from the mobs as they settled in the Salt Lake Valley.