Carthage

June 29 2012

Hi, where has the month gone?  We attended  two commemorations for the martyrdom of Joseph and Hiram Smith on June 27.  The first was at the Community of Christ (formerly RLDS).  There were several musical numbers by our YPM, prayers by Presidents Gilliland and Condie and a historical address by a man named Mackay who is the director of their center and a great,great. great grandson of Joseph Smith.  It was good and informative but not about the martyrdom--no testimonies.

We also attended the  commemoration service at Carthage.  Again we had numerous musical numbers but on more of a spiritual theme and President Gilliland was the speaker narrator.  His talks were full of testimony.  It was a wonderful time to reflect on the mission of the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum.  We had to hurry home to be in Rendezvous so we did not get to hang around Carthage but there were hundreds of people there so it was not a good day for a peaceful contemplation.

    

The Sister Missionaries are singing at the Commemoration of Joseph & Hyrum Smith's death at Carthage, Ill.   They sang about brothers, it was so beautiful.

Vocal Point at Carthage Jail- June 27, 2013

This is the band leader. Sadly I couldn't get a picture of the band.

This is a large crowed of people to watch the commemoration of Joseph & Hyrum Smith deaths on June 27, 2013.  We are waiting for the program to start.  This is our lst time to be here at Carthage Jail for this program.  It was a spiritual time on our Nauvoo Mission.  We loved the programs on this special day. 

 

I love working at the brickyard because we get to talk to smaller groups in a nice quiet room.  I often use the process of changing bricks from clay to brick to talk about the changes that go on i our lives, trials etc.  A few days ago a family had left and the father came back alone and thanked me for what I had said.  They have a son going on a mission and grandma has just been diagnosed with cancer.  He thought my remarks had really helped all of them.  It is cool when you do what the spirit tells you say.  That happens pretty often.  The neatest thing about this mission is meeting people from all over the world.  Nauvoo is like a national park--everyone comes here.  You would be amazed how many have some connection with Blanding--met a man from Alabama who was a missionary in Blanding in 1980--he lived in Ike Chamberlains basement--I think his name was Dankirk.  The same couple are parents in law to Shylo Hunt, Wesleys daughter.  A few days ago I met the parents in law to Sam Wilson--

Well thats all for now--will say we are getting along pretty well with the shows we are in--will soon be ready for Las Vegas--sorry for the drought and heat out west--it gets hot and muggy here.  Elder Harris

Commemoration of Joseph & Hyrum Smith's Martyrdom

  June 27, 2013--Thursday

June 27, 1844 is the day Joseph Smith and his Brother Hyrum were killed in Carthage Jail. Tomorrow we are going over to watch a program about this sad occasion at Carthage, Ill. and it starts at 5:00 pm and we have to be back by 6:30 pm to get ready to do our Noah and Sophia in one of the programs at the Cultural Hall.  At least tomorrow is our preparation day.  We are also going to a program tomorrow about Joseph Smith's death that the Community of Christ is putting on down by the mansion which that church owns.   I will write later about that event.  Talk to you later, hope you are enjoying our blog. We are excited that our Son-in-law, Ken Bonney will be visiting us next Monday night and also Jed and his family are coming to Nauvoo for the 4th of July, 2013.
     
Here we are at the Commemoration of Joseph & Hyrum Smith's Martyrdom on June 27, 2013.  The Community of Christ is doing this program at the monuments of Joseph and Hyrum in Nauvoo.  It was nice but it was interesting because the songs were all our missionaries and the BYU Vocal Point sang in the program.  It was our FM people that set up all the chairs and we, the LDS pretty much did it.  Here are some pictures.  The spirit wasn't as strong as it was when we went to Carthage Jail's program.

There youth did give some talks but it wasn't the same as when we went to Carthage, Ill.

This Barge came by during the program since it was so long I took several pictures of it on the Mississippi River.  This young missionary with the band is my good friend, Sister Shaw.

The Trees are very weak in Nauvoo

Wed. June 26, 2013
 I took a picture of a tree that the other night just fell down from a hard wind storm.   The trees here are very weak.

Today I spent my time at the Seventy Hall, which is across the street of this tree.   The Seventy's hall was made for the Seventies to prepare them before they left on Missions.  It is a really neat site to talk about.  It prepared them to know about people and cultures and how to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.  You can look up your relatives in the books upstairs in a library to see if they were ordained as a Seventy.  If you have any relatives that are in the books you can write your name in the book and how your related.  I have signed for George Washington Brimhall and George Mayer.
After this we went and ate at Keokuk to a place that you can eat all you want chicken dinner for $4:00 dollars.  We have free night to night with no programs to do.  While we were there we took pictures of these really neat large homes.   They were really cool.

                   I couldn't believe that there were so many of these mansions within 2 to 3 blocks.
                               I took pictures as we drove across the Mississippi River.

This Mansion is across the Mississippi River and we drive past it as we go to Nauvoo.  This is the back side of the home.   It is such a beautiful home, you can decide for yourself.

This is a view through the fence at the front of the home.

  

      Spencer here is a home you can make for your Dad and Mom.  It is awesome!!!!!

                         This is a close up of the beautiful Flowers at the entrance to the gate.

                                 This is one side of the gate that is the entrance to the door.

Flowers by the Lyon Drug Store

June 18, 2013
 Sister Harris got to do something that she has been waiting to do.  I got to play in the dirt and plant flowers outside the Lyon Drug Store.  I started at 8:00 am and worked till 1:00 pm.
 It was a lot of flowers to plant, and I loved it but I'm not sure my muscles did.

I am writing this on June 20, Thursday Night.  We did Noah and Sophia tonight and I felt like we did a really good job.  Elder Harris is getting the timing good. President of the Mission said we did a really good job for only doing it the 4th time.

                                Here we are after our show dressed up. Bye for now. Sis.Harris

                                             Performing Noah and Sophia Packard

Joey, Jens, and Charity watching the performance.

                                                          Charity the future performer

Our daughter Kisti-Jo visiting

                                  Elder and Sister Harris in the Nauvoo Visitor Center by the Christus.