Farewell Nauvoo

It has been several months since we left Nauvoo, but I never finished this Blog and closed this chapter of my life.  It is hard to do so, because it was such a unique and wonderful chapter.  What a blessing it was to serve there for 18 months in the House of the Lord, and what a blessing to meet so many wonderful friends.  I hope and pray we will someday all meet again in some "corner of Heaven".

I am going to post some final pictures and then say FAREWELL!  In the production "Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo" that the Site Missionaries perform each night there is a final song that the members of the cast sing as they are depicting those early Saints having to leave their homes and fields and all they are worked so hard to build - especially their beautiful Temple on the bluff.  This song always touched my heart, and I often hear the melody and words in my mind as I think of Nauvoo...beautiful City of Joseph's.

FAREWELL NAUVOO
And so, Nauvoo we say farewell to you, with numb & aching hearts one last adieu.
As through our tears we look to homes beyond, would ever we be fond as one as you.
One cardinal's song, one sunset's glow, one Nauvoo dawn, one silhouette of woods on snow.
From templed hill, faint echoes ring where prophets walked and talked with God, their memo'ries linger.
And so we go, and hide our aching hearts. No one will see our tears when we depart.
This home we leave will shelter memories clear, of all that we hold dear, in Old Nauvoo.

Smith Family Cemetery and the Mississippi

Joseph, Hyrum and Emma's graves

Our Bedroom - all cleaned and ready for the new missionaries! :(

The Kitchen

Standing in our living room for the last time.

Going down the stairs for the last time...wonder how many times we walked up and down these ?!
This is the pile of things we left for other missionaries.

Say goodbye to the Eickbushes...our dear friends and neighbors from across the street.

We are REALLY PACKED!!

One last look at the apartment!  440 Partridge Street!

Time to go!!

Last look at the Temple through the prairie grass.

Last look at Mulholland Street as we drove out of town!

I also wanted to post a couple of videos that I took the last few days before we left.  Here they are:

I miss the geese- such fun birds- always honking! 

But I mostly miss the Temple!!  FAREWELL NAUVOO!!