After visiting some pioneer graves on the outskirts of Nauvoo, we headed to Carthage Jail. It was deeply moving to pull up at this sight as our anticipation was high for a solemn experience.
As with all of the other Church sites we visited, the Carthage Jail site is meticulously kept. This statue of Joseph and Hyrum is very moving.
There are wonderful portraits of both of them
just inside the Visitor's Center.
This tender rendition of the events of Joseph and Hyrum
as they passed the unfinished Nauvoo Temple
on the way to their martyrdom is also moving.
We heard a moving presentation in the room
where they were both killed.
This is the window Joseph fell from when he was shot.
A bullet hole that came through the door at them.
We were reminded of the sad realization that
when Joseph fell out the window after he was shot
onto the ground below, the mob continued
to shoot him to make sure he was dead.
The clock marking the time of his death is still in the room.
Fittingly, next to the clock is this simple lantern and a few
copies of the Book of Mormon and some pamphlets of the
testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith.
I did not know what to expect when I went into the room of the martyrdom. I have a strong testimony of the prophet Joseph and his mission. Surprising to me, instead of shedding tears, I felt great joy and peace because of all he did for us. I asked someone to take this picture of me in that room. I was converted to this Church in the few minutes it took to read this pamphlet 35 years ago. It is fitting that this picture be taken in that room. I have the same overwhelming testimony of Joseph Smith the prophet today that I had 35 years ago when I read the pamphlet. (I was obviously having a bad humidity hair day here-sorry).
The upper window is the window Joseph fell from.
There are some wonderful plaques
outside the Visitor's Center.
I loved this statue.
I like this one.
This had a profound effect on me
the first time I read that pamphlet.
The entire experience at Carthage was unforgettable.
That afternoon, a few of us took our tour bus to be
dropped off in uptown Nauvoo
but our guide decided to make this
out of the way stop first. I am very glad he did.
It's a beautiful old cemetery
of many pioneers who died in Nauvoo.
Most of them were children.
This inscription really got to me:
"Sweet child the breeze that fans thy tomb,
shall bear our love to thy heavenly home."
And this one.
We went back to Nauvoo for a few more quick stops.
In preparation to leave from the end of Parley Street,
our guide asked to to leave a half hour
to read the plaques along the way.
There were quite a number of them,
all very touching.
All inspiring.
It must have been so hard to walk that street
looking at the temple over their shoulder
as the members were forced out
of their beloved Nauvoo.
This is a statue at the end of Parley's Street
at a little gathering place.
It's Joseph and Brigham Young pointing west.
Those poor pioneers had to cross this frozen river to get to
Iowa on the other side where nothing awaited...
nothing but frozen ground.
I have deep, deep respect for the early pioneers
and all they sacrificed for us.
End of day notes:
"I am
sitting on the bus traveling through Iowa. It's been another long but
wonderful day. I never imagined this
trip would have been planned out like this. Our guides make sure we have
readings about the people and places we are visiting most of the time whenever
there is empty drive time on the bus. Either participants or the guides do them;
it has been like a week long Sunday school class. I have learned so much!
This
morning on the way to Carthage, we stopped at a pioneer burial ground. We
learned about a few people who died in Nauvoo that sacrificed everything for
the sake of the gospel. Then we headed to Carthage.
On
the way, our guide reviewed with us all the history surrounding the martyrdom.
He talked about the events right before Joseph was murdered and how John Taylor
sang "A poor wayfaring man of grief" for Joseph. Joseph asked
to have it sung a second time. Then over the bus speakers we heard the best
rendition of that song I have ever heard, a male acapella version. The singer
sang it twice. It was on tape. I will never forget hearing it in that
setting. He had an amazing voice.
We
visited Carthage Jail which was a tender and sacred experience. The Spirit was
very strong. I asked someone to take a picture of me in the room of the martyrdom
holding a Joseph Smith pamphlet of his testimony which is how I was converted.
We
had lunch in the park again and headed off for an afternoon in Nauvoo. We
visited the small shopping district. We went to the temple again and then caught
he tour bus to old Nauvoo again. Everything is pretty close but the bus pick up
and drop off places helped.
Dad
and I went to Brigham Young's house for a minute and the back to he land and records
building. We got many more pages of ancestors on a CD.
We
headed down the Trail of Tears or the Trail of Hope that leads down Parley's Street
to the Mississippi River where the saints crossed to Iowa in the freezing
winter of 1846. There were plaques along the way. Very touching.
We
had a small devotional and we are now on a long bus ride through Iowa for our
night time stop in Osceola.
GREAT
day today. Wagon ride at Mt. Pisgah tomorrow and Winter Quarters tomorrow
afternoon.
Love
you all. Joseph really was a prophet... of this, I have no doubt.
Love,
Mom
PS
We stopped at dinner on the Mormon Trail in Garden Grove, Iowa. We saw endless
rows of corn. Iowa is all corn!! Now I think I know what Gregory's mission
consisted of. :) The people were great and they gave us a history of the pioneers
who came through there and how they rediscovered their trail in the late
'90's."