I served at the Heber C. Kimball Home today. I always feel like this site is very special since my ancestor, George Mayor lived across the street. There is only grass at that spot now. It's wonderful to learn about some of the facts of Heber C. Kimball's live. Spencer W. Kimball is a Grandson to Heber C. Kimball. Heber's Great Grandson J. LeRoy Kimball was the one that started the Restoration at Nauvoo. He started in Heber C. Kimball's home. He wanted to live in the home put people kept coming and wanted to tour the house so his family never lived in it. He got the ball a rolling for all the sites to be restored. He also got the money to restore buildings and gave a lot of his own money to do this big project. I can really feel the spirits here as I walked down the streets in old Nauvoo. I love the spirit that is here. I love my mission and hope that all is well where ever you are living.
Tuesday- July 16, 2013
Sister worked today at the FM until 1:00 pm. I spent my time cleaning out weeds out of the flower gardens close to the Nauvoo Temple. It was about 95 degrees and I was very tired so when I got home I had a nap. Elder Harris worked at the Brick Site and got home about 3:00 pm. At 4:00 pm was a weekly event that they do at the Women's Garden. These are done by the pageant performers that do the pageant in the evenings. They acted out the organizing of the Relief Society and sang song with it. It was awesome and the spirit is so strong there with the statures of women, families and Joseph and Emma's statures. They performed this by the Grandmother stature that is quilting a quilt. We have been so busy that we haven't had time to see the rest of the weekly events but hope to this week since this is the last week of July and the Pageant.
Wednesday- July 17, 2013
Up early to go to a 8:00 am Training Meeting, which we do every Wednesday morning. Today we lucked out because we didn't have to go to a site at 8:45 am but we are on a "B" schedule which is 11:45 pm to 6:00 pm. Then we run home get something to eat and be at the "Sunset by the Mississippi River by 6:20 pm. We only do this program for l hour then we get home about a little after 8:00 pm.
Sister Harris served at the Land and Record Site. It is the only place you can get your family history about your Nauvoo ancestors. You can not get this information on family search or family tree. I also have learned how to do research of the Nauvoo ancestors and I just love doing this. You can put on a CD as many names and their information up to 550 pages, which is a lot of information for l dollar. It is fun to see peoples faces light up when they find information about their ancestors that lived in Nauvoo. We can also show them where their ancestors live and they can ito it and take pictures if it is not too far away from Nauvoo. I have even found some cousins when I notice they are looking up the same ancestors I have. It is fun to email them and keep in touch. What a small world it is. Elder Harris worked at the Browning Gun Site. He gives great tours at all his sites, that is what other elders tell me. It is fun to learn about the first guns made and how they are made. This is such a fun mission.
Thursday- July 18, 2013
Up early to get my hair done at 7:00 am. At 10:00 a group our friends went all together to do the "On The Martyrdom Trail", the last 21 days by Craig Roy Dunn.
This was so awesome, it was the trail that Joseph & Hyrum Smith traveled as they went willing to Carthage Jail. They traveled outside the county of Nauvoo towards Carthage, Ill. I can't give the whole tour but I did take pictures as we traveled and Craig told us stories of the tour. Joseph Smith was charged with riot and he could go to any judge in Hancock county and Nauvoo is in Hancock county so he went to Judge Aaron Johnson. Hyrum his brother, was with Joseph Smith when they were directed to report to Carthage, Ill. Joseph and Hyrum went on their own because they would harm the saints if Joseph didn't go.
We first stopped in Nauvoo to the Judges home, Aaron Johnson, who is the city judge.
Then we stopped in front of the Red Brick Store.
We then went up Parley's Street and past the road that Joseph & Hyrum would have taken but we couldn't go on it now because it runs into farm land.
As we travel up the road of Parley Street We past some homes at the bottom left.
They arrived at the farm of Albert Fellows, Mormon, four miles from Carthage where they encountered sixty militia led by Captain Dunn. As Joseph dismounted he told the brethren, "Do not be alarmed, brethren, they cannot do more to you than the enemies of truth did to the ancient Saints-they can only kill the body."
In the back is the farm home.
Joseph then says to the group, "I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am calm as a summers morning. I have a conscience vois of offense toward God and toward all Men. If they take my life, I shall die an innocent man, and my blood shall cry from the ground for vengeance, and it shall be siad of me, he was murdered in cold blood.
Joseph's lawyer left the company there and continued to Carthage.
Captain Dunn felt that there would be resistance from the Legion without Joseph's presence in Nauvoo so he asked him to return with him and aid in collecting the arms. He no doubt feared that the order of the Governor would excite the inhabitants of Nauvoo beyond endurance, and therefore chose to depend on the well known integrity of General Smith than to risk the chances of exciting the feelings of a much abused people.
Joseph writes a letter to the Governor explaining why he will be late.
Hyrum tells Abram Hodge to go into Carthage and assess the situation there.
At 2 p.m. the people are elated when they see Joseph ride back into town but their hopes are dashed when they find out the reason for his return.
While the weapons are turned in at the Masonic Hall- Dance Hall, Joseph maps out the way west with a piece of chalk on the dance floor.
While in Nauvoo Joseph returns home twice to say goodby to his family. On one of the visits Emma requests a blessing. He tells her to write one out and he would sign it.
Three Cannons and 200 Muskets and pistols are surrendered.
Now disarmed Joseph changes out of uniform and dresses in street cloths. He and his brother leave their temple robes.
6 P.M. The sixty men from Captain Dunn's company and the men with Joseph leave for Carthage. When the group passed by the farm near the old cemetery the prophet turned in his saddle and said,"If some of you had got such a farm and knew you would not see it any more, you would want to take a good look at it for the last time."
This is Joseph's Farm home showing it up close behind the other home.
This is the corn field, I can't believe how tall the corn gets here. To the right is soy beans which are large also, not like our farms at home in Blanding.
The company arrived back at Fellow's farm where thy rested for half an hour. At this point they had covered 42 miles on horseback.
This is the trail where they traveled with Joseph and Hyrum.
The trail that Joseph and Hyrum went on is a straight trail to Carthage Jail but we have to drive around on the roads so we keep passing over the trail they used.
This is another corn field we past by.
You can see on the sign that we zig zag on the trail.
As we traveled we past this beautiful green shrubs and trees.
As we went over this bridge he told us that the mob stopped here and painted their own faces with gun powder so no one would know who they where.
This is the town as we drove into the town.
11:55 p.m. They ride into town and make their way past the courthouse square and then a block further to the hotel all the while enduring the cursing and swearing from the Grey's. " Stand away, McDonough boys, and let us shoot the darn Mormons. G-d-you, old Joe, we've got you now. Clear the way and let us have a view of Joe Smith, the Prophet of God. He has seen the last of Nauvoo. We'll use him up now, and kill all the darn Mormons."
All of this noise was at the Town Square.
Hearing all the noise alerted Governor Ford who opened one of the windows of the hotel and yelled out, " I know your great anxiety to see Mr. Smith, but it is quite to late tonight.. but you shall have the privilege tomorrow morning."
Joseph, Hyrum, and Fifteen others are escorted from the hotel to the courthouse and appear before Robert F. Smith who is justice of the peace and also captain of the Carthage Greys, the same men who just the day prior had threatened to shoot the brethren as they rode into town and earlier in the day had been charged with mutiny and insubordination. They were supposed to have been taken before released twice before on the charge of riot the justice rules that there is sufficient evidence for a trial and bail is posted at $500 a piece, an exuberant amount, but property in Nauvoo is put up for collateral and bail being met the men are free to go until the next court session in October.
Elder Harris in front of the beautiful flowers at Carthage Jail and walking into the Visitor Center. What a beautiful pot that we walked by. Their is a lot that happens that I can't put in the blog. It is already too long. We get back into the small bus and head to Warsaw. Joseph and Hyrum never had a chance to save their lives with the way Governor Ford was on the enemy's side.
The mob flat out murdered Joseph and Hyrum and there was a fake trial, they were found not guilty and nothing happened to any of the men from Warsaw.
We then traveled on to Warsaw where the man went back bragging about what they had done.
We then traveled on to Warsaw where the man went back bragging about what they had done.
This picture is where the mob went past this corner where you see the Mississippi River and right by the place where they went to the bar to celebrate that they killed the Prophet Joseph & Hyrum Smith in Warsaw, Illinois.
after they killed Joseph & Hyrum Smith.
This place is across the street of the bar. The lawyer for the defense attorney lived here and no one was ever punished for murdering the Prophet and his brother. I don't think anyone lives in it and it looks like it is ready to fall down. The town looks pretty bad and they are getting their reward.
Their is a question what the last name is on the window of the newspaper place.
This is what the inside looks like, all falling in. They are getting their reward because the town looks pretty bad.
It looks pretty gone. They might as well just tear down the place.
It was really interesting what happened to the town of Warsaw and the people.
It was truly sad how Joseph and Hyrum were murdered in cold blood. My heart was touch and how much I know that Joseph was the prophet at that time and what a great love that Hyrum and Joseph had for each other. I know that they both are living with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and pray that I can be worthy someday to be with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and all the wonderful man that helped the early saints. I know that my Heavenly Father loves me so much that he gave his son Jesus Christ to die for my sins and when I repent of my sins he has paid the price for me. I know I can live with them both someday. I love my mission and pray I will be a good missionary to bring souls unto Christ and Heavenly Father. Stay strong in the gospel of Jesus Christ and endure to the end.
Sister & Elder Harris
