First thing today we attended Bishop Joe Smith's (I am not making this up) ward. They had a special Sunday school and Primary for visitors. There seemed to be many more visitors in town than locals.
Afterwards we visited some of the sites that are open on Sundays. Above you see Rebecca in front of Joseph Smith's office inside the Red Brick Store. It was in this building that some endowments were performed ahead of the dedication of the Nauvoo Temple.
The graves of Joseph's parents.
Originally Joseph and Hyrum were buried secretly because it was worried that mobs would dig them up. Now the family cemetery can be visited by anyone.
The blacksmith shop was open. They explained about how wagon wheels and horse shoes are made.
They gave each of us a "Prairie Diamond". Really it is a nail with a diamond shaped head bent into a ring. The story is that a poor made needed a ring to convince his future father-in-law to let him marry his daughter. He got creative and apparently it worked.
We passed by Brigham Young's Nauvoo home.
We went to a place that demonstrated several pioneer crafts. Above the kids are learning about one of the steps in preparing wool to become yarn. We also saw demonstrations of barrel making, cooking bread in a wood powered oven, candle making and rope making.
Peter thought that this bench was lots of fun.
While Heidi and I prepared spam, rice and eggs on the camp stove (and rice cooker) the kids played on this nearby playground.
In the evening we walked the Trail of Hope (formerly known as the Trail of Tears). President Hinckley renamed it because, although there were tears, he wanted us to focus on the hope that the Pioneers had that they would find the place Heavenly Father wanted them to be.
More special/forever memories for your spiritual folder. Last evening Sarah and Joseph proudly showed us their "Prairie Diamond" ring and told us how they got them at the Nauvoo blacksmith shop.😄
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