Day 13 - Nauvoo the Beautiful

Where to start! Today we left Quincy and headed to Nauvoo. Its hard to believe we made the trek in one day that it took the pioneers weeks to do. AND they did it in the winter on foot and many were not well prepared as they were driven from Missouri.

Nauvoo is absolutely beautiful. I was in awe as we drove along the banks of the Mississippi entering Nauvoo. What a gorgeous setting for the saints. When we arrived we had free time to wander around historic Nauvoo and enjoy the sites. Old Nauvoo is so cool because all the original shops and buildings are there (original and rebuilt) and senior missionaries run them all. They are dressed in the pioneer garb and tell you all about the history of the building as you enter. I didn't have too much time to wander as I was needed to go help the younger group with baptisms in the temple. AMAZING!

The temple is beautiful inside. Everything was gorgeous and it was very cool to be in there. It was fun to help with baptisms and confirmations for the second time this trip. This time around we all knew each other better. I love being in the temple with close friends and family. For me it helps to create the celestial experience because we will all know each other there and renew old friendships.

After the temple we had dinner and then some of us went to go see "Sunset on the Mississippi", a variety show put on by senior and musical missionaries. It was funny and we all laughed very hard. Its usually held right near the Mississippi (hence the name) but because of the Nauvoo Pageant, it was held in an auditorium. The show served as a great preshow to the pageant. We headed down the hill to where they perform the pageant at the base of temple hill.

The Nauvoo pageant was more than I could have ever imagined. First of all, its not really a pageant, its a musical. The actors are auditioned and paid and the music is live, not pre-recorded like most pageants. It was VERY well done and it just really hit me. "The Spirit of Nauvoo" was alive and well that night. The pageant touched me and I couldn't stop the tears for the rest of the evening. We talked afterwards with many cast members. It was so nice to talk and cry together as we shared our experiences and testimonies and we all felt the Spirit bear testimony of the Savior and the faith of those people that built up Nauvoo and then were forced to leave.

We walked slowly up the hill to the temple, just enjoying the beautiful evening. We sat at the foot of the temple for a long time. We laughed, cried, read scriptures and just enjoyed the feelings of the evening. None of us wanted to go to bed or go to our hotel rooms because we didn't want the feeling to end. It was amazing. Eventually we all walked to our hotel rooms and turned in for the night. What a place!