Church history tour/reunion/vacation

We headed to many historical places from our church's history last week.  You can find out more about some of the history we learned about on www.lds.org/churchhistory and about all the fun stuff we got to do in Nauvoo, Illinois at www.historicnauvoo.net.  When you go to the latter website, and click on the midwestern region of the US, you will find that there is no little marker for Haun's Mill.  Thinking it would be good to see this spot of interest, we drove 4 1/2 miles on a dirt road complete with it being piled up enough to scrape the bottom of my van and in some places so bogged down with mud that I had to barrel through it so we wouldn't get stuck.  Not that I'm complaining, just FYI - in case you decide to try to head there sometime.  

The pictures: * The Nauvoo Temple - isn't it beautiful?!

* Elise and Max outside of an antique store on our way home.

* Elise in Nauvoo dressed up in traditional time period clothes at their past-times playtime (children's play area).

* Sunset on the Mississippi River off of Parley street, where many of the LDS families crossed the river when they were being run from Nauvoo.  (there were a lot of mayflies when we were there)

* The Nauvoo Temple again, but this time from Parley street

* Max playing Jacob's ladder at the past-time playtime place

* Haun's Millstone

* Elise driving a covered wagon at Independence, MO.

* Max in the print shop 

* All of my family that made it to the reunion - we were at Carthage Jail.

The interesting and very sobering thing about us being there (Carthage, IL) at the time and date we were: June 25, approximately 5 PM.  In 1844, the prophet Joseph Smith was martyred on June 27, approximately 5 PM (John Taylor, one of our ancestors, was in prison with the prophet and was shot four times).   

We did have a very nice trip; the weather was fair, we liked seeing the sights, and we especially enjoyed learning more about the hard work, courage, faith and hope of those early Saints.