By Kevin V. Hunt
Blog #8 May 16, 2024
We seem to have many special times, places, and people as we serve in Nauvoo. And the cool thing is that we really cannot predict the good times. They just seem to creep up on us. We never know when they are going to come … we just bask in the beauty of each moment or experience as it comes to us.
BIKES, MICE, SUNSETS AND EAGLES
Bikes, mice, sunsets, and eagles … That sounds like an interesting combination. If it rhymed, it could be the opening line of a Dr. Seuss book!
Okay, so a bike ride may not sound that exciting. But, in Nauvoo, even a routine bike ride together has its surprises and enjoyments.
Previous blogs showed our bikes on top of our wagon as we came from Arizona to Nauvoo. When we first got here, the weather was a bit chilly (at least for Lou) relative to bike riding. She wanted to hold off until we had a bit more heat coming our way. (Now that the weather is beautiful, we better do it before the humidity hits her!)
One challenge with the bikes was where to store them. We tried just leaving them out behind our back door – and they would have been perfectly fine there – without being locked up. We soon found, however, there was a bit too much rain and moisture to do this. In just a few days, the chains could be orange with rust. Hmmmm … where to put them?
We tried putting them on a corner of our small kitchen floor – on the tile next to the dining table. But, that didn’t leave us much room for navigating around our small place.
Then we thought of our basement. Yes, like many old Nauvoo structures, our place does have a basement or cellar (with most of the original limestone rocks still intact). A basement, I would think, would be a place on a level below the rest of the structure. And when I thought of “Cellar”, I thought of Grandma Hunt’s old cellar on the Beryl Junction farm. This was a stand-alone hole with a door entry. And in the cellar, Grandma would store meat, veggies and fruit that she had bottled – and a plethora of spiders. It looked like something out of a Halloween horror movie inside. But, it sure did its job! I remember trips down the cellar to get needed items for Grandma.
Here at the Simeon Dunn home in Nauvoo, the two concepts kind of come together. The cellar connects to the basement. Upon arrival, we went downstairs to explore – and found this creepy looking exit from the basement – up through the outside cellar doors. (And of course, all of the women immediately see a “security threat” with such an arrangement – either that or an open door and welcome mat to all of the mice creatures that might be out lurking out there and an opportunity to enter our place). With a few minutes of broom action, however, the cellar exit did actually work out quite well for getting the bikes outside and also protecting them from the outside elements when not in use.
We could ride anywhere – and we would see great scenery – with amazing green trees and grass everywhere (a bit different from our Arizona desert back home).
A natural route is to turn west from our place onto the famed Parley Street. And that is what we did. We headed west down through “The Trail of Hope” – where the Saints walked with wagons and freezing children as they left Nauvoo, heading west).
We arrived at the Mississippi River just in time to catch the magnificent sunset for which Nauvoo is known. Wow!
We rounded the corner as the road became Water Street. And then, in amazement, we saw above us in a giant tree, a huge eagle’s nest. And in the next we could see two baby eagles that were both being fed by mom and dad eagle. Dad had caught a fish and was ripping it apart (throwing out the bones) and feeding it to the hungry kids! Another wow!
WANNA BOOT?
Years ago, when we visited Nauvoo, with our family, we were touring some of the homes and shops. We decided to head to the nearby Riser Boot and Shoe Shop. As we approached, we were greeted by Sister Noble (wife of Ken Noble – my 8th grade choral teacher in Mesa, Arizona. And that class is another story … I was kicked out of class. I couldn’t carry a note – let alone a full tune in the bucket. Where was the Nauvoo tin shop when I needed a bucket? But, I wouldn’t have known where to carry it anyway) . On that long ago day, Sister Noble (the senior site guide that day came outside and hollered in a really deep voice: “WANNA BOOT?”
That made a lasting impression on our children. They were often heard quoting Sister Noble, on that memorable day. We found new meaning to the “Wanna Boot” phrase ourselves as it was now our turn to be the guides at the site. Wanna boot? That was the question George Riser would ask every customer.
George and Christianne Riser were both German immigrants in their youth. They both ended up in Marion, Ohio where George became an apprentice (technically, a shoe maker was known as a “Cordwainer”) and by 1840, he owned his own shoe shop. After they were married, George and Christianna heard of “Those Mormons”. He had a worker, whom he said “was a better worker than a Mormon”. Nonetheless, George was impressed and sold his shop and moved to Nauvoo as a non-member. Hearing the Prophet, Joseph speak once was all it took. They became instant converts and never looked back. And they were faithful to the end.
Paying a “wagon and a team of horses”, he bought land and built himself a successful new shoe shop. After a mission (back to Ohio), he returned home to find that the Saints were heading west. He sold his business “for a wagon and a team of horses” and headed out.
In the shoe shop, Sister Hunt learned a new skill (a possible Etsy business) as she became the Cordwainer of the day. (That is one time that women’s lib paid off – at least for me.)
Riser Boot and Shoe Store Price List
And as she finished, she could say with pride, “WANNA BOOT?”
A SACRED VISIT INSIDE THE MAGNIFICENT NAUVOO TEMPLE
The most imposing building, by far, in Nauvoo, is the restored Temple. It stands in majestic beauty atop of the hill. Words cannot adequately describe its beauty – from every angle – in sunshine and in the sunset.
Photo “The Nauvoo Temple at Sunset” Copyright Kevin V. Hunt 2024
We wanted to visit inside and found it a bit challenging to get an appointment. The Temple is a very popular place. Everyone (living and the dead) wants to get inside – and it is truly worth it. And the challenge is that at least through April, the last session of the day was at 5:15 PM – and we don’t get off from our home assignments until 5:00 PM. We thus planned our trip there late on our P-day.
The Temple was as beautiful and amazing as we had anticipated. We had actually been there a couple of times before. Our daughter was here with a BYU historical sites semester years ago and Lou and I and a few others were all on the end of vacuum cleaners and saw literally the whole place. (Did I already talk about that? I apologize if I have already done so.)
We marveled at the fabulous full-wall murals in each room as we progressed from the creation room, to the World Room, and then to the Telestial Room. Wow! In one room, the mural begins with scenery from Vermont, where the Prophet Joseph Smith was born, then shows New York, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois and then Salt Lake City. The mural is so amazing that the transitions to each new area of Church history just melt into each other. And the spiral staircases are so breathtaking. The craftmanship is deluxe to the max.
And after the tour, we went into the “left hallway” where we saw shadow boxes with the actual original Temple keys, the saber that Joseph used in the Nauvoo Legion, and some original Temple clothes that belonged to Mary Field Smith (widow of Hyrum, the Patriarch), and more.
We also did some “sealings” – and uniting couples as eternal companions – as well as some sealings of children to their eternal parents. It was very exciting to have David Palmer, a Temple missionary serving here, as our “sealer”. We were neighbors with him and his family 30 years ago – when we lived over by “The Westwood House”.
We thought that one of the “extras” who came to assist us looked familiar. After the sealing session, we were talking to Brother Palmer and told him that we now live in metropolitan Maricopa. The lady piped up and said that she also is from Maricopa. Turns out, she is in our current Pacana Park Ward. Are you kidding? Nauvoo is full of surprises. We were both a bit new to that ward and we didn’t even put two and two together.
Photo: Joseph and Hyrum at Sunset – View from the Temple looking west to river
COUSINS AT THE PENDLETON HOME AND SCHOOL
I noted that we never know what is going to happen in Nauvoo – nor whom we might see. We were assigned to teach one day at the Pendleton home and school. I gave the history part and Lou became the school marm of the day. And of course, this was right up her alley.
We were expecting several bus field trip kids to arrive (and they would give Lou plenty of practice in her school room). She taught them until it was time to release “for recess”. They didn’t have standardized spelling in those days. People just kind of spelled as they heard words. And this was a bit of a challenge with immigrants coming from so many parts of the country, Great Britain, and beyond.
Photo: Calvin Pendleton penmanship (telling his history in the church)
Here is an example of some of the words of the day. We felt as if we were again playing “Mad Gab” with our teenagers at home.
In between the bus groups, I went outside to greet a large group (or large for the small building). I found three couples out at the sign in front of the home. We began with our usual greeting of our names and where we are from – and then asked the people where they hail from. And then always follows a session of “Do you know …” I was surprised on this occasion. All three couples said that they were from Enterprise, Utah. Wow! They were half of the town of Enterprise – and all here together right here in Nauvoo. My father – and generations behind him called Enterprise home. The three ladies were all sisters. And coming from Enterprise, we knew that we were all cousins.
They and I all took out our trusty FamilyTree app on FamilySearch. We did the “Relatives Around Me” game (which is so fun!). Not surprising, they fund out that they were related – but also we learned that I am also “3rd Cousins – Once Removed” with them. How fun! So great to find all of these long-lost cousins. We all hugged and sang, “Kumbayah”. They also claimed Pendleton blood on their “other line” so they were anxious to learn all about their ancestor’s home.
COUSINS AND MORE COUSINS
And then there is the day that we were serving at the newly acquired Homestead and Mansion House of the Prophet Joseph. (And these are very popular places these days … people are thronging here to see these sacred and beautiful places.)
We greeted a large multi-generational group who in the “Where are you from, and who do you know” game, let on that they were Farmington, Utah. I quipped as I often do, that “I am related to half of Farmington, … but they are all in the cemetery.” My 4th great grandfathers, Joseph Lee Robinson and Ezra Thompson Clark were both early founders of this city. (And Farmington is where Lou and I got our marriage license. I then lived in Ogden and she lived in south Salt Lake (Sandy) so we met in the middle – at Farmington to get the license.
Sensing possible more cousins, I suggested that we check “Relatives Around Me” together. Several folks pulled out their phones – and sure enough, there were the relationships.
As I did this exercise with my new cousins, there were three other separate (small) groups standing around waiting for a tour to begin. These people noticed our excitement and activity going on and they wanted to join the scene. So, people in these other three groups also pulled out their phones. And believe it or not, we had five groups (counting me) who were all related somehow to folks in each of the five groups. (That is where polygamy paid off!)
Another time, we were again at the Joseph Smith Homestead. I had just come out of the house with a group and was heading over to the Mansion House. One of the young sister missionaries came and got my attention. She said that someone wanted to see me. I went around the corner and was surprised to see my wife’s nephew (married to Michelle, daughter of Lou’s sister “She Jerrie” (not to be confused by her husband, “He Jerry”). Richard Hirst was there with two of his daughters and his brother. They were driving home (as Michelle flew) from Virginia for the college graduation of the oldest daughter. They had heard that Lou and I (aka Sister Hunt) were serving in Nauvoo.
I guess they got the royal run-around as they looked for us around Nauvoo Keep in mind, that I have already said that I have two other Hunt cousins who are serving here as Teamsters. Upon arrival, they had gone to a few places – after getting hints about where a Hunt might be. They finally got directed toward the real Elder Hunt (me). If someone wants to get to Nauvoo, they have to be somewhat determined (or focused) to come here. It is not easy to get here. That had been the case with Richard and Family. We don’t know how far out of their way they had come to find us and sadly, they used up all of their few available moments running around Nauvoo trying to find us. We were with a tour group but took a momentary diversion to have one tour member get a photo of us. And then they were off – on their way, heading west toward Utah.
ENTERTAINING ANGELS UNAWARES
Most folks who come on our tours are wearing their casual travel clothes. But, occasionally, we have someone show up in Sunday clothes (on a weekday). They are a dead give-away. We know that they are going to or coming home from the Temple. This couple arrived in their Sunday best (though he was not wearing a suit coat).
Anyone who knows me, knows that I do not have many days where I am not wearing one of my characteristic bolo ties. And even here, in Nauvoo, I have been able to wear a bolo most days. (Though, admittedly, I had to do a bolo sorting exercise to see which ones might be Nauvoo appropriate. Cowboys, for instance, had not yet come into Vogue in 1840, so bolos with cowboy hats are “out”.)
Whittling was a thing in Nauvoo … Ever hear of the “Whistling Whittling Berigade”? (More on that later!)
My bolos have become a part of my Nauvoo period costumes. And this particular day was no exception. I greeted this couple sporting a bolo tie and this became a conversation starter with the couple. The brother recognized my bolo and connected it to the Scouting Philmont Scout Ranch (in New Mexico).
He asked if I had been to Philmont – and sadly, I had to report that I have never attended a training course there. I mentioned that Sister Hunt had been to Philmont when age nine or so – when her father was in a stake presidency. Then this brother admitted that he had attended Philmont when serving as a stake President a few years ago. I started to do the math. This guy still had “the look” even though he had been a stake president a few years ago.
As I later learned at the Print Shop, I just “cut to the chase”. I flat out asked him, “So, are you a General Authority now?” He added humbly that he is presently a General Authority Seventy and that he has responsibility for a dozen stakes surrounding Nauvoo. This means that he had administrative jurisdiction for Nauvoo. Wow! Elder Morgan and his wife were both very impressive. We gave them our regular tour at the newly acquired Joseph Smith Homestead. I am still here, so we must not have done too badly.
MEETING A TRUE FRIEND AND BROTHER – AND A TRUE SON OF HELAMAN
On our final tour one day at the Mansion House, we had some special folks as a part of a very large tour group. Alfredo was there from Utah with his wife and a friend and his wife. They were likely Lamanites – originally from Venezuela. This Alfredo and I hit it off immediately. We were instant friends. This was one of those rare times where I felt as if I had always known him (and he acted likewise). What a great man!
Alfredo and his group had come from Utah – having driven almost continuously to get to Nauvoo. They were in Nauvoo for only a single day, and they were trying to pack in as much as possible in just that one day. He lamented that they had to return home on the morrow and the fact that he had not seen all that he wanted to see. He was really sad that everything would be closing within just a few minutes.
I said to him, “If you could see any one place that you missed, which would it be?” He said he had hoped to see the Brigham Young Home. I happened to have a key to the place (though I have not yet served there this time around). I told him, “I have not taken a tour of Brigham’s home in 49 years, but maybe I can remember it to take you through it.” He did not want to “put me out” but I persuaded him that I would love to take him through it. We arranged to meet there at the Young home at 7:00 PM.
We met him there – as we had promised. With us also was Lou’s brother and wife, Kerry. (More on them later!) We went into the home, and I began giving him the tour. Amazing how everything came back to me. (The Holy Ghost is so amazing under such circumstances!)
I had just begun the tour when someone opened the front door and burst in. The guy said loudly and quite abruptly, “First, I want to know who you are and what your are doing here.” I told him that I am a “site missionary”. (We had been told that site missionaries can take after-hours tours for family and friends – so I thought that there was no problem.) He introduced himself as a night security guard. I was new so we had not met. After he calmed down, he told me that all was well. He later sent me instructions on how to next time inform security of an after-hours arrival and departure – so that I don’t catch them by surprise again.
The abrupt visit kind of caught us all off guard. We caught our breath, and all had a good laugh. It definitely gave us some added excitement.
Recently I re-read some of my journals from the 1975 era when I was in Nauvoo as a “young Elder”. An entry said that I loved giving tours of the Brigham Young home because it was easy to talk about the man, Brigham, and not to focus upon the antiques of the place.
I shared with Alfredo and the rest of the gang about Brigham’s “Council Room” where the Quorum of the 12 Apostles met regularly to map out and plan the western migration of the church to the Salt Lake Valley. (Joseph had previously told Brigham that the Saints would go to the Rocky Mountains and would create settlements all along the mountain range.)
This “Council Room” is one of my favorite rooms because it contains a large painting of Brigham Young (a much older Brigham than when he was in Nauvoo.) Years ago, we took our nine children to Nauvoo and were in the cast of the then “City of Joseph” pageant. We did not have set roles in the show, but I had dressed up and had a beard to look like Brigham on a few other occasions. So, I said that I was Brother Brigham in the pageant. I cut my beard (the “square look” with no mustache) and colored it to look like Brigham. And on that occasion, I had my photo taken with Brigham.
Even to this day, I love to show this photos with my Brigham beard to others (mostly guys who, like me, love beards). It is fun to show them a beard that I have actually grown myself. (It’s a “guy thing” … sharing beard-growing bragging rights!”) Over the years, there have been many other beards that I have grown. Admittedly, however, my beard is no longer the rusty red of when I was about 30.) And it is always fun to show the picture of the two of us. And as I show the photo, I always say, “That’s me on the left!” (This always brings a laugh from the on-looker … and I love it.)
When we were in the Pageant, our family made a visit to the Brigham home and I was wearing my full regalia costume to look like Brigham. As we entered the home, the senior sister missionary was already giving a tour. When giving a tour, the guide should be careful to stay facing the group. This particular sister, however, had her back to the group and had her head up inside of the “bustle oven” (so named because the oven sticks out beyond the house – liker a woman’s bustle.) When she came up for air from the bustle oven, she made a gasp as she saw me. After her initial shock, she gulped and said, “Well, here’s Brother Brigham, now!” That was my moment. I gloated in it.
Back to the current tour … I took all of the folks out to the back yard and showed them all of Brigham’s “out buildings” including his outdoor root cellar (that I talked of above), his well his rain water cistern, his carriage house, and the view that he would have had of the temple as it was under construction. My friends were all amazed in awe.
Brigham’s Root Cellar
Then it was time to bid farewell to my friend and brother, Alfredo. We hugged each other – again feeling that we had forever been brothers. It was a sad parting.
Oh, and one more funny incident with that beard … Earlier that spring (March 1997) I played the role of an apostle in the Mesa Temple Easter Pageant and had the beard for that production. During the pageant, I had to make an emergency trip to Utah for the funeral of my grandmother, Aususta Wilcox Hunt. As I was in the Las Vegas airport, I looked over and found myself walking paralell with famous football player, Steve Young. Without saying Brigham’s name, I said to him, “I am growing this beard to be your great grandfather in the Nauvoo pageant this summer.” He looked over at me and said simply, “Well, if you want to be Brigham, you will have to put on a few pounds.”
Backing up a bit … I said that I had played Brigham on a few other occasions. Two of those occasions date back to when I was about age 8 or 10. On one occasion, I played Brigham in a Cub Scout pack meeting. My sister and all of my brothers were all dressed up as my wives. (I am sure that they loved that. That was in a day when such action wasn’t super weird.)
And on another occasion, back then, I was Brigham in the 24th of July Pioneer Day parade at the church. My brothers were spared the dresses on that occasion (but most of them still made the picture). In those days, we had a neighbor, “Doc” Douglas who lived in our Park Place cul-de-sac. He had previously been a “Shriner” in Canada and as such, he always needed to put beards on himself. So, he had all of the materials to put a really great beard on me. I loved his beards – and I used his skills and talents a few times.
I mentioned our participation in the “City of Joseph” production. On that occasion, I had an arranged meeting with – and with my family – I was able to meet the Prophet Joseph at his Mansion House. That was a happy meeting – which I shall always remember.
GIVING THE EXTRA MILE
We had another interesting experience stemming from a tour at the Mansion House. (We have had a lot of great experiences there). On our tour, we had many members of a large LDS bus tour group that was seeing various LDS historical sites across the country. On the tour was another new-found “cousin” named Barlow. As I heard his name, I knew before “Relatives” that we could be related – or that it was likely we were because Barlow is a good old Enterprise name.
Anyway, he told us that he had to be back to his bus in just an hour. He and his wife had decided together (using the map brochure of Historic Nauvoo) that they really wanted to see the Sarah Granger Kimball home. He asked if they would have enough time to walk down there by the bus meeting time. I told him that it was located over a mile down the road and that he probably would not make it back in the allotted time. They were kind of disappointed.
I remembered a time when Lou and I experienced a similar situation. It was a bit strange – and the young sister missionaries thought that I was crazy. I might have been, but I gave him my keys to my car parked nearby. Under protest, the guy decided to take me up on my offer. And then they were off to the Kimball home (to learn about the organization of the Relief Society). I was in the middle of another tour as they returned so my wife just quietly took the keys back. They were very grateful.
The incident reminded me of a situation years before. At that time, I worked for America West Airlines. It was July 3rd or 4th – a holiday. We decided at the last minute to take a one-day plane trip over to Ontario, California to go to the beach for a picnic. (Quite a feat for Lou and I for our nine children – all riding on “stand-by”. We did make it to the airport – thinking that we could catch a bus down to the beach. But, since it was a holiday, no buses were running.
An employee from the airline (where I also worked as the Corporate Claims Manager) had been talking to us about the possible bus scenario. When we determined that we were out of alternatives, the lady absolutely insisted that we take her car – with instructions “to just be back here at 3:00 PM when I get off work”.
We went out to the parking space that she had mentioned. We were delighted and grateful when we found her brand new bright red Suburban vehicle. Wow! And it even fit all of our family crowd. We did drive the two or three miles to the beach and had a glorious picnic together under the swaying palm trees.
As instructed, we got back to the terminal and the designated meeting spot just as the lady came outside. She grabbed her keys and sped off before we could even thank her – and could not pay her anything. We have always been grateful to her as we have remembered her special service to us that day.
My wife also thought of this past scenario as we talked with our Barlow friends, and she agreed with me that it was the right thing to do. We were happy to assist them.
OUR FIRST FAMILY VISITORS
We have been told that as missionaries, we can host family and friends with us in our missionary housing. They even make available air mattresses, bedding, towels, and whatever else might be needed – as check-out from “Facilities Maintenance” (with advance reservation). So, under this wonderful scenario, we look forward to happy times with any who might come.
We were new missionaries, so some other missionaries were surprised when we got our first family members so soon after our arrival. But we were happy to welcome Lou’s brother, Brad Belcher, and his wife, Kerry. They came through as a part of an extended auto trip that they were taking around the country. They were stopping to see anyone and everyone whom they had ever known. When they got to us, they had put on 5,300 miles as they had traveled through at least 18 states. Wow! That sounds kind of like the train trip that Lou and I took last summer.
We were happy to claim them as family – and glad that we met the requirements of who they were to see along the way.
It was so fun to have Brad and Kerry here with us. They met us as we got off work at the Mansion House on Friday night – and just after we had taken Elder and Sister Morgan on their tour. We talked about this Elder Morgan and decided to look him up on our Google friend. We found him, and were surprised to learn that in his youth, he had actually been a member of the Reorganized Church of Christ and converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. An interesting story, indeed.
We went with Brad and Kerry to eat at the local “Red Front” café – where Lou and I love to eat. (I promise to write about this place later in a future blog … so stay tuned!) The food at this place proved as wonderful as ever. Back at our Simeon Dunn home, we had grand reminisces about the “good old days” in the Belcher household. There were certainly a lot of funny stories about “Gramps” Belcher and Verna. We talked about Elder Belcher’s creation of the Nauvoo brickyard and the bricks that are still given out as souvenirs. (More about all of that later). We also talked of Elder Belcher’s dedication in literally “saving” the Coolidge House – that was to be demolished soon. And those are stories for other future blogs.
Brad and Kerry borrowed our bikes and used them throughout the day Saturday as they went to many different restored homes and shops. They enjoyed this mode of transportation.
They were here with us over Sunday, so they were able to attend our missionary “ward” with us. They loved the gathering of all of the missionaries – senior missionaries – along with our army of young Sister Missionaries. (I think it even made them entertain the thought of being missionaries themselves.)
After Sister Hunt and I got home from our assignment of the day, Brad pampered us with scones. He and Sister Hunt had collaborated on the recipe and procedures for the ultimate scones. And they turned out fabulous. We all ate too many of them. We had all been hungry for scones after I told Brad and Kerry that Emma Smith “made fried dough – topped with honey” for her guests at the Mansion House. I knew that she was talking about scones. (Scones have long been our Hunt go-to meal when we were short on resources, had little notice for a meal – or when we were to feed a big crowd.) One of Emma’s dignitaries was highly impressed with the scones and asked Emma what they were called. She said emphatically that they were “candidates”. He questioned her name for the scones. She said that they were so named because “they are puffed up and full of air”. So true!
Well, enough is enough for one night. I could go on with more, but you get the picture. There is never a dull moment for us here in Nauvoo. There are so many opportunities for special times in fun places with great people. It is all such fun!
Again, Elder and Sister Hunt on “The Nauvoo Trail”.