Our family trip visiting Church History sites

Melissa, Andy and Stella came to Utah to visit with both sides of the family.
We had a little birthday cake for Stella to celebrate her turning 1

our first stop in the Tetons. Beautiful I didn't realize we would see Buffalo. Way fun.

BEARS
Mel, My Mom, Julie, Michelle and ME pulling a handcart at Martin's Cove
Another shot, with my brother in the background. So glad we didn't have to travel this way
My Mom with 9 of her grandchildren. Only 3 were missing. Tyler and Melissa, and Aubrey

Carthage Jail where Joseph Smith was martyred
Throwing rocks in the Mississippi River at the end of Parley St.
Winter Quarters Visitor Center. What a group
Winter Quarters Temple, Nebraska

Liberty Jail
Far West. One of the cornerstones of the temple that was

never built

Adam Ondi Ahman. Very beautiful

Well, we're back. We did it!! My parents (mother) wanted to take a family trip

to Nauvoo. So she and Jeff went about getting hotels, etc. and then Mel figured

out a few places we HAD to go, and off we went. First we headed to the Tetons

for a partial family reunion with my aunt Madelyn and some of her children.

It was beautiful. We saw some wildlife, and beautiful scenery. We got re-acquainted

with Nick and Candi Hunter (which was very fun). Then we started on our trip.

We started with a short stop at Martin's cove, and we all got in groups and pushed

handcarts to get a feel for what the Saints went through. (We couldn't even scratch

the surface). Then our final destination for the day was Cheyenne, WY. The next

morning we got up and had our complimentary breakfast at the Comfort Inn and

drove to Winter Quarters in Nebraska. The kids had fun dressing up in Pioneer

clothing, and we learned a lot about the early pioneers. We walked around the

cemetery and got a picture in front of the Winter Quarters temple. We stayed in

Omaha, Nebraska at an Econo Lodge. Eeeek. One positive. They had a complimentary

breakfast also. Then the next morning we stopped by Kanesville to see the tabernacle

where Brigham Young was ordained the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter

Day Saints. Then we arrived in Nauvoo, Illinois just in the nick of time to watch a show

put on by the young missionaries. It was called "High Hopes and Riverboats" It was

a little historical play. Very cute. Then that very same evening we went to "Sunset

on the Mississippi" which was a variety show given by the senior missionaries and the

young missionaries. What talent. Very entertaining. But WOW, the bugs were out

in force. It was the first hatch of the May Fly. They are a totally freaky weird bug.

They were so thick. Oh, we also saw fireflies. That was really fun for me. I haven't

seen one of those since I was a child, and had gone back to Nauvoo. The next morning

my parents and siblings and husband and daughters, and nieces that were 12 years old,

went to the Nauvoo Temple to do baptisms for deceased ancestors. That was a very

special time. It was the first time my parents and siblings and I had been in the

temple together. LOVED IT. Then during the day we went and saw some of the

historical parts of Nauvoo. We went to the Smith Family living center, went on a

buggy ride, went to the Blacksmith shop, etc. That evening we saw the show

"Rendevous" put on by the senior missionaries. The next morning my mom and

brother Darryl and wife Cristina went to do a session in the Nauvoo temple at 8 am

and my sister and her husband Jeff and I did a 9 o'clock session. That was neat

to be able to do also. Mel didn't realize we were going to go, so he went to get a

headlight for the car, and when he got back, he rounded up all the kids to take them

to see "Just Plain Anna Amanda", a cute show geared to the younger crowd. The young

missionaries put that on. Then we went and saw the Brick store, and where Joseph

and Hyrum Smith are buried, along with some other members of their family. Then

we had to head on out to Carthage jail and had a sweet experience there. Mel, Alaine,and Cristina bore their testimonies of the Prophet Joseph Smith. After that we started

for Independence, Missouri. We stayed at a nice hotel there. A Fairfield Inn. Got up

in the morning, and went to the visitors Center where a temple will be built, and then

went to Far West, then onto Adam-Ondi-Ahman. Very Very beautiful. I have a

different opinion of Missouri now. It's not such a weird place. It is beautiful. It's

also muggy, but my lips didn't get chapped. = ) The feeling I think we all experienced

there where the early Saints had struggled and fought against all odds, to establish

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was one of gratitude and awe. I

am very Thankful to my ancestors who did what they did so that we could have the

Church in our lives. It truly blesses us.