Nauvoo

April 15th and 16th we went to Nauvoo as a family. Susan Easton Black, who is a BYU professor and an expert on church history invited the Young Single Adult branches from a few surrounding areas to come and tour with her. We took advantage of the opportunity and decided to go as a family. We stayed in a house that we rented with our friends the Noonan's and enjoyed spring in Nauvoo. It was beautiful.

*Note: Shad was put into the branch presidency as the 2nd counselor the week before this trip. This was quite a surprising calling for both of us. We do a lot with the branch already with Shad being the institute director. It was almost as if he was a 3rd counselor. We were both curious to see why the Lord put him into this calling and what would actually change (besides me being alone at church now with the kids). We have been amazed already at the way the spirit works and the blessings that we have already seen from Shad being in the presidency. There really is power in having and exercising priesthood keys that he did not have before as the institute director.  

Shad had an early morning observation on Friday morning in Galesburg (about an hour away) so we went with him and stayed in a hotel there and then headed to Nauvoo afterwards. Haken stayed at the Noonan's house so he could go to school on Friday and then he rode out with them Friday afternoon.

It was a perfect weekend. Shad and I attended the temple on Friday night while the Noonan's watched our kids, then they went with the YSA the following morning to the temple. Shad was able to go and do baptisms with those that were not endowed. When he got out we went to the park and played with the kids until the endowment session was done.

Gracie loved the swings at the park

Picking "flowers" at the park

There's my happy boy... even though he might be eaten by daddy

Gracie was obsessed with these "bleeding heart"
flowers on the temple grounds

That afternoon was the tour with Sister Black. I stayed at the house with the kids since they wouldn't be as interested in the tour. I had a lesson to prepare for Relief Society the following day anyway. Shad said the tour was really neat because she took them to places that you don't normally go on a typical Nauvoo tour. I'll let him write the details about that tour.

My two favorite parts of the weekend were attending the temple with my sweetie on Friday night and jogging with him past the temple and around historic Nauvoo as the sun was coming up Saturday morning.

There really is something special about that temple. There is so much history and sacrifice that was involved in the building up of that temple and the surrounding city. I could actually feel the spirit of those that built the original building as we moved throughout it. We were also able to be the "witness couple" for our session which made it extra special. I was nervous being pregnant, but I know the Lord blessed me so that I would be able to do it without passing out, as I have almost done before being pregnant and doing sealings.










I am still in awe that we are only 3 hours away from this beautiful place. We will be returning often.

Overlooking the Mississippi river from the temple grounds