Nauvoo the Beautiful!

Dear Baby,

Mommy and I had an amazing opportunity to go to Nauvoo, Illinois at the end of September and early October.  Nauvoo is a very special place in our family and religion.  Mommy and I have both had ancestors that lived in Nauvoo before being forced out West due to their beliefs.  Grandpa and Bonnie have been serving a mission there in the temple for almost two years.  We had the opportunity to go out for a very special reason.  Grandpa and Bonnie had decided to be sealed for time and all eternity in the temple.  This is a special ceremony performed by the Priesthood that binds families forever!  Since Mommy and Daddy were married in the temple you will be sealed to us forever and we are so grateful for that!  Many people have asked me how I feel about this since your Grandma Walter has passed away.  I love your Grandpa and Bonnie.  I want them both to be so happy and they love each other.  This sealing takes nothing away from your Grandma and we honestly feel that she has helped prepare you for your arrival here soon! 

Mommy was in here last month of pregnancy and we were very concerned that she may have you on the plane.  She was amazing and you stayed put!  You are now the size of a watermelon.  You were a cantaloupe and many other fruits and vegetables but you are just growing in weight until your arrival in less than 3 weeks.
We met Natalie and Eric in Salt Lake and traveled to and from St. Louis, Missouri together.  We took over 400 pictures on this trip!  Here are a few highlights.

Natalie and Debbie with the beautiful horses that lead the carriage ride.  Nauvoo has been restored to the way it looked in the 1840's.

Natalie and Eric on the carriage ride

The carriage ride.

The ox ride.  These guys are amazing!

This is the burial spot for the Prophet Joseph Smith, his brother Hyrum Smith, and Joseph's wife Emma Smith.

This tunnel was used to drain Nauvoo.  When the church members moved here the area was a swamp.  They loved it so much that they drained it so that they could live here.  It is truly amazing what they were able to do to make this a beautiful city.  At the time it was larger than Chicago. 

Dad and Bonnie exiting the temple after their sealing.  The sealing is no different than a marriage (although they are already married).

Debbie and Stephen at the Nauvoo Temple.

The group that was able to attend.

The temple at night.

The next morning we decorated their car with balloons, streamers, lipstick captions and some items left on the windshield that can prevent additional offspring.  :)

We headed to Carthage where Joseph and Hyrum were killed.  The spirit was so strong here and it confirmed to both of us once again that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true and that it is here upon the earth! 

Me and Dad standing outside.

We went on many tours of homes and businesses of prominent members of the church who lived in Nauvoo.  The tours were amazing and all the people working here were in period clothing and are all volunteers called to serve here.

This is an example of the type of buildings that is here.  Most of the homes and businesses were made of brick that they made themselves.  It is a real strength to see what so many of our ancestors went through.  It makes us stronger!

The next morning we traveled to the old pioneer cemetery.  This place was just amazing!  So calm and peaceful!  The leaves were just starting to change and the colors were amazing! 

This may be an ancestor of mine.  We are still looking into this one.

Such a wonderful way to spend our Sunday morning.

A statue of Joseph and Hyrum by the temple.

Debbie at the Mississippi river.  When the members of the church left Nauvoo they had to leave in the cold of February.  This was the beginning of their heartbreaking trek to Utah.

View of the temple from the Mississippi.  This was the last sight of Nauvoo that many of these wonderful people had before leaving.

The temple standing today has been rebuilt when the original temple was damaged by fire and demolished by a tornado.  It was built on the original foundation and the exact scale and design of the original.

Monday morning we went to do some service in the temple and said our goodbye's to Dad and Bonnie.  We left Nauvoo spiritually fed and grateful for our experiences.  We headed toward St. Louis to meet Natalie and Eric.  We stopped in Hannibal where Mark Twain lived and did a little exploring.  We didn't have any time to do anything though.

Before heading to the airport we stopped at the St. Louis Arch to see it and meet up with Natalie and Eric.

Natalie and Debbie.

Isn't it incredible?

We didn't even get to go up (and between Debbie's fear of heights and my claustrophobia probably was a good idea) but it was incredible.  We then headed to the airport.

Thank you to Grandpa and Bonnie for being such wonderful hosts and for showing us this beautiful place!  We had so many wonderful experiences and were so lucky to be able to be there for such a special event.

Baby boy, we want you to know of our testimonies of Jesus Christ.  He is the Savior of the world and makes it possible for us to live again as a sealed family for time and all eternity.

Love always,
Dad and Mom