Nauvoo- The first morning..my birthday!

We checked in on Saturday....my birthday, and got the keys to our apartment. This is "HOME" for the next 6 months. They build these homes when they build the Temple so they are new and very nice. We are down on what they call the "flats", right by the old village and the restored homes. There is a wonderful spirit here. This is a duplex at 440 Partridge street and we live on the top floor.

Taken by our host couple, just before we went inside.

Looking down Parley's street towards the Mississippi. This is just 2 streets over from us. This is the street the saints traveled down to cross the Mississippi when they were driven out of Nauvoo.....only it didn't look like this!!! It was February and so cold the river was frozen over!!

Standing on Parleys look up at the Temple. Can you imagine how they must have felt leaving this city and the Temple they had worked so hard on! And this was the SECOND time they had to leave a Temple they had build! What faith they must have had!


A FRIEND I met on Parley's Street! He was a little TOO friendly!


The original restored duplex of Erastus Snow and my great-great grandfather, Nathanial Ashby! The site missionaries live in this home. At the musical the other night there was an entire song about Nathanial Ashby, and all his sons. He was a shoemaker from Mass. who joined the church and moved to Nauvoo with his 11 children and then had one more child in Nauvoo! He died at age 41 in Iowa while they were traveling to Winter Quarters. That last child, a little boy was only 9 months old!

A beautiful little waterfall we passed by on the walking trail we found that day.

A crane down by the river. There are lots of wild life around...it is really fun .

IT WAS A MEMORABLE AND VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY!!!

A special thanks to my family for all the calls, and birthday songs, and wishes. It was wonderful to hear from all of you. We love and miss you so much!

NAUVOO!

We are finally here...I could hardly believe it!

The Pictures I took that first night. We got there right after sundown and the light was perfect. The flowers are amazing too...just as pretty as Temple Square in Salt Lake, and you could smell them as you walked around the temple grounds. It was a beautiful night as you can see. I am so excited to be here...and feel so blessed to have this opportunity.

This statue is of Joseph and Hyrum and stands just in front of the Temple and depicts them as they are riding off to Carthage. It is very touching to think of that occasion and what must have been going through their minds. You can feel the spirit of Joseph Smith so strongly here. This really is the CITY OF JOSEPH!!

First night in Nauvoo

The first night we arrived in Nauvoo, we couldn't get into our apartment so stayed at Becky Brown's bed and breakfast about 7 miles outside of town. It was a beautiful place. The first picture is a view of the Mississippi from her balcony. The second is the treelined lane leading to her home. It sits on 10 acres and she mows it all herself!!

We took a walk that night and it was about 78 degrees and humid....since then it has been rainy and cold. Oh Well, we know the heat will come soon enough!

The MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI at sunset. Can you see the barge in the river? We saw two of them that night!

Church sites along the way

Even though we didn't leave until 6:00 PM Wednesday night, by driving 800 miles and 11 hours on Thursday, we were able to take a little detour on our way to Nauvoo and see some Church sites . It was a great experience. We were the only people at each of these sites and felt the Spirit so strong. I feel it really prepared us for this mission at the Nauvoo Temple.

Liberty Jail where Joseph and others spent over 4 months in horrible conditions...and yet it is often called the "Temple Prison" because of the marvelous revelations Joseph received there!

Just see the thickness of the walls of the jail!

Next we drove to the Far West Temple Site...it is such a peaceful place...overlooking a beautiful valley. Hard to believe such awful things took place there!

The monument telling of the story of Far West. This was a sad time for the Saints.
Looking into the Temple site from the north side.

Looking south from inside the Temple site.

This poor little kitten came up to us when we first got to Far West and followed us all around. I think he had been left there! I fed him some bread and wished I could take him with us...but don't think they would have liked that at the Temple

ADAM-ONDI-AHMAN What a beautiful, spiritual place. It is amazing to think what took place here and what WILL TAKE PLACE HERE in the future!!

It was a sunny, warm day...but the wind was really blowing...can you tell?!!

Looking down on the valley of Adam-Ondi-Ahman....where the Savior will meet with Adam and his righteous posterity in preparation for the Second Coming.

This was on Tower Hill at Adam-Ondi-Ahman where Joseph said there was remains of an old Nephite altar.....we think this was it :)


Another view of the valley of Adam-Ondi-Ahman....will we be there?

Monday night at the Gateway

Monday the 20th...just two days before we were to leave for Nauvoo, we took Dan & Clare and Emily and Cannon to dinner at the Gateway, because they were the two families who were unable to go to dinner with us the week before after the Draper Temple. (Kevin was away working in Arizona...sorry Kevin) Anyway...it was a fun evening...but again sad to think we wouldn't be together again for a while.

Loved this shot of Mesia and Cannon looking down on the Mall.

Anna and Cannon getting to know each other better...they will be soooo big when we get back :(

Last Sunday Goodbyes

Sunday the 19th we went to Bountiful to say Goodbye to our families there. It was Adam's Eagle Court and Eliza's birthday too, so it was a very special night....but sad to say goodbye to everyone!

The Barlows singing the song for us that they had sung that day in Sacrament meeting..."I love to see the Temple"..Christina played and it was wonderful!

We then went across the stree to Tingeys and had our picture taken in their "under construction back yard"!! :) We expect to see it all finished when we return! Note Stafford's new puppy, Buddy. I'm glad we got to see him before we left. Also, note my new glasses I got for this mission. They are the first glasses I have had since I was 18 and first started wearing contacts!

Stafford and Buddy

Sunday was also Eliza's 11th birthday...so we dropped in to see her and give her a birthday present before we went to Adam's Eagle Court.

Mark & Wendy and their 3 beautiful girls...they came to the Eagle Court so we got to say Goodbye to them!


We are VERY PROUD of you Adam....and expect lots more great things from you in the future!
Adam and his family...all very proud of him!

Mallory's shower

On Saturday, April 18th we had a bridal shower at my home for Mallory. She is my sister Cathi's daughter and is getting married on May 9th, but we will be in Nauvoo:( It was a wonderful event and we had about 55 people there! Congratulations Mallory and Brady...we wish you lots of happiness.



Part of the crowd!

Mallory with her mom, Cathi, and her soon to be mother in law, Linda.

Some of the little grandaughters....all thinking of becoming brides someday!

Some of Brady's family...and my sister Wendy.

Cynthia with Libby & Cory, Ilene's daughters, who had just run the S.L. Marathon THAT MORNING! Amazing!

My mother with some of my grandaughters...her great-grandaughters.And with three more.A four generation picture with Emily and Cannon.
A final "SISTERS POSE" before I leave for Nauvoo!

Tara was not at the shower because she had a date for the Senior Prom that night. This is here just before her date came....isn't she beautiful!! ....and yet modest...way to go, Tara!