Logan Temple

CACHE VALLEY VIEW

Tyler's niece, Tatum, got married Friday, so we went up for the wedding and luncheon. I had never been to Logan before (which is also where my dad was born).

The temple is beautiful. I stayed outside with all the kids while Tyler went in for the ceremony. Tatum looked amazing. After pictures, we went to a local park for a BBQ luncheon.

waiting for pictures....

There were horses across the street. It was all Tee could talk about...the hor(s)es. (he leaves the s out when saying it)

Tee has no fear....every time I turned around, his fists were in the horses noses and mouth! (cutest furriest donkey!)

sprinklers

The kids were sitting on the grass the other evening when the sprinklers came on. It was warm out, so instead of getting out of the way, they ran through them...with their clothes on.

They got thirsty, too.....

We love Utah evenings!

Stop #5 Carthage Jail

Last but bot certainly not least was our stop at Carthage Jail. There is a wonderful visitors center there that shows a movie that tells what happened. Following the movie, a sister missionary took us on a guided tour of the jail. Once we were in the jail, Tee decided that all the interesting antiques behind the little roped off areas would be great fun to play with...and when I told him no, he threw a very LOUD fit, so I took him outside while the rest of the finished the tour.

The boys got to put their fingers through the hole in the door where the bullet went through. They learned that Hyrum as shot and killed instantly and that Joseph was shot twice, jumped/fell out the window and was shot two more times. John Taylor was severely wounded, and was taken into the dungeon room where he was hid under the mattress, for fear that the mob would come back and find him. They say the hay that was in there got into the bullet wound and help clot the blood and save his life.

This testimony of John Taylor has new meaning for me, having seen the jail where these events took place. I'm not sure one can read this and not tear up.

THE DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
SECTION 135
Martyrdom of Joseph Smith the Prophet and his brother, Hyrum Smith the Patriarch, at Carthage, Illinois, June 27, 1844. This document was written by Elder John Taylor of the Council of the Twelve, who was a witness to the events.

To seal the testimony of this book and the Book of Mormon, we announce the martyrdom of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and Hyrum Smith the Patriarch. They were shot in Carthage jail, on the 27th of June, 1844, about five o’clock p.m., by an armed mob—painted black—of from 150 to 200 persons. Hyrum was shot first and fell calmly, exclaiming: I am a dead man! Joseph leaped from the window, and was shot dead in the attempt, exclaiming: O Lord my God! They were both shot after they were dead, in a brutal manner, and both received four balls.

John Taylor and Willard Richards, two of the Twelve, were the only persons in the room at the time; the former was wounded in a savage manner with four balls, but has since recovered; the latter, through the providence of God, escaped, without even a hole in his robe.

Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!

When Joseph went to Carthage to deliver himself up to the pretended requirements of the law, two or three days previous to his assassination, he said: “I am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but I am calm as a summer’s morning; I have a conscience void of offense towards God, and towards all men. I SHALL DIE INNOCENT, AND IT SHALL YET BE SAID OF ME—HE WAS MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD.”—The same morning, after Hyrum had made ready to go—shall it be said to the slaughter? yes, for so it was—he read the following paragraph, near the close of the twelfth chapter of Ether, in the Book of Mormon, and turned down the leaf upon it:

And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that he would give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have charity. And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore thy garments shall be made clean. And because thou hast seen thy weakness, thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father. And now I . . . bid farewell unto the Gentiles; yea, and also unto my brethren whom I love, until we shall meet before the judgment-seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood. The testators are now dead, and their testament is in force.

Hyrum Smith was forty-four years old in February, 1844, and Joseph Smith was thirty-eight in December, 1843; and henceforward their names will be classed among the martyrs of religion; and the reader in every nation will be reminded that the Book of Mormon, and this book of Doctrine and Covenants of the church, cost the best blood of the nineteenth century to bring them forth for the salvation of a ruined world; and that if the fire can scathe a green tree for the glory of God, how easy it will burn up the dry trees to purify the vineyard of corruption. They lived for glory; they died for glory; and glory is their eternal reward. From age to age shall their names go down to posterity as gems for the sanctified.

They were innocent of any crime, as they had often been proved before, and were only confined in jail by the conspiracy of traitors and wicked men; and their innocent blood on the floor of Carthage jail is a broad seal affixed to “Mormonism” that cannot be rejected by any court on earth, and their innocent blood on the escutcheon of the State of Illinois, with the broken faith of the State as pledged by the governor, is a witness to the truth of the everlasting gospel that all the world cannot impeach; and their innocent blood on the banner of liberty, and on the magna charta of the United States, is an ambassador for the religion of Jesus Christ, that will touch the hearts of honest men among all nations; and their innocent blood, with the innocent blood of all the martyrs under the altar that John saw, will cry unto the Lord of Hosts till he avenges that blood on the earth. Amen.

Stop #4 Nauvoo

We drove all day Sunday, and got into the Nauvoo area early that evening. The kids swam in the pool and we ordered pizza and went to bed early, so we would have plenty of energy for sightseeing in Nauvoo.

The first thing we did was get tickets for the wagon ride through the country and then headed over to the temple visitors center. The kids watched a movie about the rebuilding of the temple and then played for a bit in their playroom. (Tee especially loved the pioneer clothes!)

We then headed down by the Mississippi River for an Oxen ride. The girls were a little nervous to get on the wagon, so we watched as the boys and Tyler went for a ride. When they got back, Duce told me all he learned: that oxen were the preferred animal used by the pioneers because
1. you could buy three oxen for one horse

2. the moved slower, so it was easier to walk next to them (the wagons were used for their possessions...if someone were to ride in the wagon, then they would have to leave behind a necessary item)

3. they were stronger and could pull more stuff

4. the indians preferred to steal horses, not oxen

5. if they died, they could eat their meat

We had talked to the kids about how hard it was for the pioneers to cross the big Mississippi River, that there weren't bridges like there are today. Well, when it was time for our Wagon ride, Josie began to panic. She was convinced that we were going to cross the river with the horses and wagon. She kept a death grip on my hand the whole time.

Tee wanted to stay and pet the horses the whole time. He made himself "horse" by saying "horse" nonstop!

We drove past the Smith Family cemetery where Joseph and Hyrum are buried, along with other members of the Smith family. Because we have so many small kids, we didn't get to do all there is to do in Nauvoo. And seeing the width of the river and hearing the stories of crossings...again....it gave me a greater understanding of the massive sacrifices the early saints had to make. And seeing the beauty of the temple and learning about its construction....this really is the Lord's church!

Stop #3 Niagara Falls

After Palmyra and on our way to our hotel in Cleveland, we made a stop at Niagara Falls.

Tyler and the boys bought tickets for what they thought was just a pass to get them down on the trail next to the US falls, but it turned out they bought tickets for the Maiden of the Mist boat ride down, basically, into the falls. They loved it! Don't let Duce's smug look tell you otherwise...he was mad Tyler made him stand so close to Jett for a picture. (beast!)

The girls were too nervous about being so close, so we stayed up in the shade and enjoyed some ice cream and people watching....Tee was photographed by an Italian guy and 4 or 5 times by a Japanese woman. He happily smiled for them. And I guess it was 1/2 price if you traveled from India...those men sure do love their mustaches....

Stop #2 Smith Family Farm & Sacred Grove

After the Hill Cumorah, we drove the short 3 miles over to the Smith Family Farm and Sacred Grove. We went into the visitors center and met up with a wonderful Sister missionary who took us on a little tour of the area. The first place we went into is what's called the Smith Log Home. This is what the family built upon arriving in Palmyra. It was the home where the Angel Moroni appeared to Joseph while he slept upstairs with his siblings. Its also the house where they were living when Joseph has the First Vision.

Tee found himself a little time period stool that we could not keep him off of....Jett on the staircase up to the bedroom

On the walk over to the Smith Frame House, you can catch a glimpse of the Palmyra Temple.

This tree is black locust. Back then, it was tradition to plant a tree in honor of someone when they died. Lucy Mack Smith planted this tree when Alvin died. They usually only live to about 100 years old. This one is over 200 years old and still looks beautiful.

After our tour of the farm houses, we went over to the Sacred Grove. Josie kept calling it the Secret Garden. And as we got closer to walking in, Avery began to panic that we would "get lost in the forest". But the trails are well marked and the shade was welcome relief from the sun.

It was a great experience for us to visit Palmyra. I'm not sure how much of it the kids will remember, or what exactly they will take away from it, but I certainly felt a greater appreciation for what happened there and what is means to me today.