The Corn Grows in Illinois

Have you heard the expression that 

"the corn is as high as an elephants eye".  

Well, it is.

Sunset on the Mississippi

The 2014 Young Performing Missionaries
(Not including the Brass Band)

One of the shows available in Nauvoo most of the summer is Sunset on the Mississippi.  This one hour variety show features many of the senior "site" missionaries and the Young Performing Missionaries (YPM's).  

The YPM's include 20 young people who are selected to present programs in Nauvoo each summer.  The energy and talent of this group is amazing.   In addition to the Sunset show they did many other vignettes and programs.  The YPM's also include a brass band that provided entertainment throughout Nauvoo during the summer.

We attended the the Sunset program several times.  The format is the same each night with variation in the presentation and talent.  It was always enjoyable ... lots of fun.

We took some video of the program and put together some snippets of the evening.  You can watch the video Sunset on the Mississippi - Nauvoo.  Hope you enjoy it ... we did ... a lot.

Nauvoo Entertainment

One of the great attractions to Nauvoo, especially in the summer, is the number and variety of entertainment options available.  Of course, throughout the year the restored homes and many other venues are available.  A complete list of the entertainment options is available at this website: Historic Nauvoo: Official Website.  This website also has information about the historic homes and other places to visit in Nauvoo.

The Temple from the Pageant Stage

The Nauvoo Pageant and, this year, the British Pageant have been presented on alternating nights Tuesday through Saturday.  The average attendance at these pageants has been just over 3,000 people per night.  The pageants are held at the Pageant Stage which is just below the temple.

The Nauvoo Pageant

Joseph Smith teaching children

The Nauvoo Pageant was held on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday nights. 

Stage Presentation of the Temple

This pageant is the story of the people who came to  Nauvoo and the building of the city and Temple ... ending on their leaving Nauvoo as the result neighboring persecution and the death of the prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum in June 1844.

The Nauvoo Temple

The Nauvoo Temple was completed in 1846 after the death of Joseph Smith.

The British Pageant

The British Pageant was held on Wednesday and Friday evenings.  Many member of the cast were from Great Britian.

This pageant tells the story of the spreading of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Great Britain in the 1840's.  It reflects the impact on families of the gospel being taught, the efforts of many to join the members of the church in Nauvoo, and the events the provided the way for the gospel to be taught in these countries. 

Stories are told of individual families and the challenges and sacrifices they made to travel to America to join with the saints.




The pageants (Nauvoo and British) tie together the events that led to the migration of thousands of people to Nauvoo in the 1840's.

Ox Wagon Ride

Today on our morning bike ride we stopped by the Oxen Wagon Ride as the wagon and oxen were being
prepared for the day.

As the men were hooking up the oxen to the wagon we got to watch the process.

After the oxen were prepared for the day we went on a wagon ride.  The ride is only about 10 minutes.  During the ride one of the men talks about the use of the oxen as the primary means of the pioneers transporting goods to the west.

The advantages of oxen over horses are many.  Oxen can eat just about anything, they don't tire as quickly, they are less expensive to outfit, and they can be eaten as beef when needed. Oxen travel at about the same pace as a person walking ... where horses travel much faster.

Nauvoo has four oxen.  Their names are Abraham and Isaac (the black and white oxen) and Chip and Dale (the red oxen).  Abraham and Isaac are 3 and  4 years old and weigh about 1,400 lbs.  Chip and Dale are about 2 years old and are around 1,000 lbs.

Elder Thomas, one of the men, will complete his mission in about two weeks.  He talked about how he has trained and prepared the oxen for this use.  He was emotional as he  talked about the animals.  He has trained them and will soon be leaving them in the care of others.  They are his "kids".

Some of the oxen (Chip and Dale) are steers that were no longer useful for rodeo roping.  When they come to Nauvoo they need to be trained for this use.  He said they are kinda wild when they come.  It takes time for them to trust the men who care for them.  When they are trained they can be managed well.

Update of the flooding Mississippi (at least here)

During our morning bike ride we took a picture of the end of Parley Street that shows how the river has receded since last week.

Parley Street - July 14

It's interest to compare this picture to those we took a week ago.

Morning Bike Ride(s)

Since coming to Nauvoo in April we have (most days) gone on a bike ride around the "flats".  We purchased a couple of inexpensive coaster bikes to get us around.

We usually ride in the mornings on Monday - Wednesday and in the evening on Thursday - Saturday (when it's not raining).

This morning was sunny and very pleasant ... temperature was about 70 degrees.  

Ox

Today we rode from our apartment past the Nauvoo Groves, up to the visitors center, down to the Nauvoo Quarry, down Main street past the Oxen Cart ride, the Cultural Hall, the Gun Shop, then turned to go down Kimball street past Brigham Young's home, then to the Blacksmith Shop and turned down Parley Street (where many of the saints left Nauvoo in February 1946), passed the Seventies Hall.  At the end of Parley street we came to the Mississippi and then turned back up Water Street to Joseph Smith's Red Brick Store and the Joseph Smith Homestead.  From there we found our way home passing the Mansion House, Sidney Rigdon's home and the Brick Yard.

Oxen's pasture

Currently the Nauvoo and British Pageants are being performed and there are a lot of visitors to Nauvoo.  The Pageant Stage is located about a block and 1/2 from our apartment. 

Cultural Hall

Riding toward the Blacksmith Shop

Brigham Young Home back yard

The Mississippi

Joseph Smith's Red Brick Store

Joseph Smith Homestead in spring

The rides are great.  We enjoy the beautiful scenery, the sounds of the birds and the activity of the squirrels and rabbits (that are everywhere).  

We are truly blessed to be in this peaceful, historic and sacred place!!

The Mississippi River - Barges

The Mississippi River is the chief river of the largest drainage system in North America.  It starts in Minnesota and reaches over 2,300 miles to the Gulf of Mexico.  The tributaries that feed the river are remarkable.  The map at this link The Mississippi River Tributaries shows the drainages reaching as far west as Montana and Colorado and as far east as Pennsylvanie.

At Nauvoo the river currently is approximately 1 1/4 miles wide.  In the 1839-46 period the river was slightly narrower and shallower.  

In the early 1900's a dam was built at Keokuk (12 miles down river from Nauvoo) to improve navigation past the Des Moines Rapids and to provide a power plant.  Lake Cooper was formed as a result of the dam ... raising the level of the water behind the dam approximately 20 feet.  Some of the lots and homes in Old Nauvoo were covered when the dam was built.

This barge came from up river.

The dam includes a lock that permits barges to navigate past the dam.  The barges are quite large (easily the length of a football field) and heavily loaded with a variety of cargo.








The barges are pushed by a "towboat".






A typical barge carries 1500 tons of cargo, which is 15 times greater than a rail car and 60 times greater than one trailer truck. An average river tow on the Upper Mississippi River is 15 barges consisting of 5 barges tied together and moving 3 abreast. The same load would require a train 3 miles long or line of trucks stretching more than 35 miles.

Mississippi River Flood - July 2014

River at Parley Street about 3 weeks ago

The River is currently at flood stage due to the heavy rains during the past few weeks.  

River at Parley Street yesterday

At present the river is about 8 - 10 feet above flood stage at most of the communities above and below Nauvoo.

We have been surprised at how fast the current is flowing ... particularly with the dam being only 12 miles down river.  The log seen floating in the river is about 30-40 feet long.

Questions

What is the purpose of life?

What is the true nature of God?

Can families be together forever?

Where do we go after this life?

Answers to these and other eternally significant questions can be found by visiting Mormon.org.

Kalona - Amish and Mennonite Country

On a recent P-day we visited the town of Kalona, Iowa.  This town of about 2,400 residents is 95 miles from Nauvoo and is the home of many Amish and  Mennonite families.  The Amish began settling in this area in 1846.  (Click on either of these links to learn more about these people)

Our day included a 2 hour guided bus tour that took us to the area around the town.  The guide took us to the Golden Delight bakery (many goodies), to the JK Creative Woodworking shop and the Kalona Cheese factory.  We saw the fields, homes and gardens in the area and learned about the people.  The farms are well cared for and very attractive.  It is obvious that the people take pride in their homes.

Dinner

After the tour we had lunch in an Mennonite home outside of town.  The meal was great and the 82 year old hostess/cook was delightful.

Garden - one of many

Countryside

Horse drawn cultivator

Bonnie wants one of these when we get home

The Nauvoo Groves

In the early days of Nauvoo there was no building sufficient to house the people for large gatherings. Today there is an area identified as "The Nauvoo Groves".  There are several plaques available for those who visit this area that include excerpts from the journals of those who recorded their experiences at the Groves.

One of these plaques includes the following description of these places.

"It was in nearby groves which were located northeast of here where many great and historic speeches were given by Joseph Smith and other church leaders of the time.

There were other sites where meetings were held including:

• ·   The East Grove, located one-quarter mile east of the Temple between Young Street and Knight Street, east of Robinson Street.
• ·   The hollow across from the Temple, south of Mulholland Street
• ·   The floor of the unfinished Temple

 Inclement weather was at times a factor in whether and where meetings were held.

Maintaining reverence and order was difficult in such an informal setting as a wooded grove of trees.  Joseph Smith reminded the saints of this on an occasion of September 17, 1843, when he gave instructions about order in the congregation (horses in the assembly and men and boys on the stand who didn’t belong there).  He requested the people to keep good order and asked the police to exercise their authority to see that it was done."

Another plaque reads:

In the afternoon (May 1844) we drove to visit the farms upon the prairie which this enterprising people had enclosed and were cultivation with every appearance of success.  On returning, we stopped in a beautiful grove, where there were seats and a platform for speaking  “When the weather permits” said Smith, “We hold our service in this place…”  “I suppose none but Mormon preachers are allowed in Nauvoo,” said the Methodist minister, who had accompanied our expedition.  “On the contrary,” replied the prophet, “I shall be very happy to have you address my people next Sunday, and I will insure you a most attentive congregation.”  “What! Do you mean that I may say anything I please and that you will make no reply?”  “You may certainly say anything you please, but I must reserve the right of adding a word or two, if I judge best.  I promise to speak of you in the most respectful manner.” - Josiah Quincy, Figures of the Past, (1883), p 393


And another:

7^th (February 1846) The Saints met at the Grove in front of he (Nauvoo) Temple for the last time to be addressed by the Twelve.  Much instruction was given by President Brigham Young in relation to our leaving Nauvoo and emigrating to the wilderness.  A large congregation of saints were present and (it) was a solemn time. - William Huntington, autobiography, Typescript, BYU, p45

The "Groves" today is a peaceful place where we can reflect on the people who lived and worked here over 150 years ago.  Many of our ancestors lived and died in this place.  The Prophet Joseph Smith and other leaders spoke here. 

Old Stone Bridge

The "Old Stone Bridge"

Joseph Smith referred to the land purchased for the saints at Commerce in the following terms, "The place was literally a wilderness.  The land was mostly covered with trees and bushes, and much of it was so wet that it was with the utmost difficulty that a footman could get through and totally impossible for teams."  The people suffered from extreme hardship as they cleared the land and prepared it for a gathering place.  Many fell ill due malaria, ague and fever that came in part from the mosquitoes.

The swamp had to be drained.  The origin of the water was NOT the river, but came from springs on the land above.  In order to capture the water a large ditch and/or canal was dug to divert the water to the river. 



This ditch can now be seen from the "Old Stone Bridge" site on the southwest side of Nauvoo.  

Our 50th Anniversary

June 1, 1964 we were married in the Salt Lake City, Utah Temple.  We were (perhaps still are) a handsome couple.

We met on July 4, 1963 on a blind date and were engaged by fall.  We both have many memories of this courtship time.

We graduated from BYU in June 1966 and moved to Denver that summer.

We had hoped that we would celebrate our 50th with our children.  But, we were given an opportunity to serve in the Nauvoo Illinois Temple from April - October. So instead of being with our children and grandchildren we celebrated here in Nauvoo.   Hopefully, we will be able to celebrate with our family next year.

The night before (Saturday) we stayed home and had a Digiorno's pizza.  (We go 1st class all the way.)

Before going to church we opened an anniversary book that included a wedding photo from each of our children along with memories and thoughts about us as their parents.  This was really a special treat and memory that we'll treasure for years to come.



We went to church in the morning and then stopped in front of the Nauvoo Temple to take our 50th Anniversary picture.

As it turned out we were responsible for hosting a "break the fast" dinner with three other couples. The missionary couple that lives above us (the Dalling's) had a similar assignment so after we had dinner we met in our apartment for dessert with the other couples (7 in all).  We had lots of dessert and really enjoyed being with the other couples.  We particularly liked the cupcake "50" prepared by Sister Moller.

We received calls from each of our children and really enjoyed the video that Mike put together with comments from each of children and many of the grandkids.

On Monday we received a beautiful bouquet of flowers from Bryan and Justine ... just perfect.

Overall it was a great anniversary celebration.

We love our family and will be glad when we can be with them later this year.  For now we are happy to be serving in Nauvoo.

This is the right place for us to be at this time.