Nauvoo, once again

Had a weekend of no rain, warm weather...so what comes to mind? Favorite place in Illinois, Nauvoo. We began the trek just deciding where to go. I was thinking Mississippi Palisades since I've never been th

ere before. Then it hit...Memorial day weekend. Longer trips are in order. Tracy got the stuff packed and I had the arduous task of staying out of her way. Aside from a small panic of not finding a temple recommend, it was a quick trip out. Tracy went in the temple for a session and I set up camp. To hear Tracy say it, I picked the worst spot, but it was on the top of hill, right next to the lake.

The e

vening was uneventful except for a brief moment of panic when I couldn’t identify a sound. It sounded like a huge winged insect, going back and forth outside of the tent, deciding whether or not to attack…then I remembered that there were probably bull frogs out there.

Then next day was uneventful for me really, which is what I wanted. I followed the family around for some of the restorations there, and then I stayed at the camp with a napping child for the

most of the afternoon. Tracy and the family went to a play around 7 and I went to look at the river with Hayden. We did make a brief trip to the old cemetery there. On the lot was a newer headstone with “Durfey” as the name. The man died in 1845 and his wife died in Winter Quarters in 1850. “They consecrated everything to the Lord”. I am sadder at the knowledge that she died so far away from home, probably on the way west to join the saints. We just don’t know what sacrifice really is.

I look back with a good deal of fondness

at the building of the Nauvoo Temple. I’m sure I’m not the only one. I watched the webcam on the internet. I volunteered twice for the open house. I wandered the halls of the old catholic school that the church bought as part of the temple construction. (The building has since been torn down, making way for an incredible view of the Mississippi River as well as the restored flats.) I have only visited the temple proper a few times since the construction. I remember being in the celestial room there just marveling at what the Lord has done for his people.

Sunday held the promise of being a hot and miserable day, with rain that evening and on Monday. I made the executive decision to head for home. After a lunch at Fort Madison, my next to favorite place (trains, barges and bridges), we came home.