When Sister Hunt and I first received our call to serve our “senior couple” mission in Nauvoo, my immediate thought was that I wanted to create a package or document to remind me – and all of my family – about the many ancestors who lived in Nauvoo. I knew that I had many Nauvoo ancestors, but I had not really taken an accurate count of how many there were. I made a note on one of my cards – to make this a future project.
And then, the longer that I was in Nauvoo, the more that I wanted to get to this special project. Being in Nauvoo just naturally draws one to his/her ancestors. Nauvoo just does that to you. You can’t be here without being drawn to your own ancestors. And that was what happened to me.
Of course, Sister Hunt and I are site missionaries. This means that we focus on about 20 families who lived here in Nauvoo. In our tours, we share personal details, stories of commitment and covenant of some great people who were in Old Nauvoo. And giving those tours, has led me to do even more research about those people. And then this research drew me on to my own ancestors.
My first step was to create an expanded pedigree chart to show all of my Nauvoo ancestors. I looked carefully at each person, their birth dates, marriage and their death dates (the basics on the pedigree chart). And if there was any possibility that they might have been here in Nauvoo – or if I wasn’t sure, I checked on my Family Tree and “memories” on FamilySearch. I got excited with each name that I was able to highlight in green – my indication that he or she lived in Nauvoo.
And after this exercise, I was absolutely elated to find that I actually have 32 NAUVOO DIRECT ANCESTORS. Wow! This was so exciting and wonderful.
With my green-highlighted pedigree charts, I went to work. There was much research to complete. I dug into it and had a grand time going for it. And the more information that I found, the more excited I became. I learned of my people and their family events in Nauvoo. I found many special accounts of their conversion stories, their associations with Joseph Smith, how they dealt with mob persecutions and being driven from their homes – even multiple times, how they sacrificed for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, how and when they were baptized, and their participation in the Nauvoo “covenant community”. I found ancestors who came at all ages to Nauvoo. I learned of Nauvoo marriages. I found many young children who were born here. I found some ancestors who died here. I found ancestors who walked the “Trail of Hope” of Parley Street with their faces toward better times in the West.
I love the “collective” story of the Nauvoo period. But, even better, I love the individual stories of faith, dedication and commitment. And together, all of these ancestors build a beautiful tapestry woven together into the bigger story of the Restoration of the Gospel, the First Vision of God and Christ visiting their chosen prophet, Joseph, and calling him to restore the Church of Jesus.
And so now, as the project concludes, I am very excited to share with you the lives and commitment of these great people. I hope that you might each feel the same love for these our pioneer ancestors as I have come to know them. I love them each. I am so grateful to all of our 32 Nauvoo ancestors and their families.
I am also grateful for the many ancestors in lines who did not make it through Nauvoo. These folks are just as marvelous and amazing as those who were here. And who did not make it to Nauvoo?
The Hunt family – John Hunt and Jane Coates and their son, Amos Hunt with two wives joined the church around 1850 in Kentucky where the Hunt clan had lived for 50 years. A great many of the Hunt clan joined the church together in Kentucky and they moved in one great migration toward Utah in the Benjamin Gardner Company in 1852. They settled in Ogden, Utah. In the October 1861 General Conference, their names were read over the pulpit to be colonizing missionaries to the “Dixie (or Muddy) Mission” around St. George.
Samuel Barnhurst was an ancestor who gave up everything – literally – for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His family thought that he was crazy – and even his wife tried to poison him so that he could not join the Church. He escaped with almost no possessions and left to join the Saints in Utah. Upon arrival in Utah, he was brought to the office of Brigham Young – who counseled him to marry a young Danish lady who had arrived about the same time from Denmark. They were obedient even though he did not know Danish, and she knew no English. That should have been interesting marriage – at least from the beginning.
My mom’s Pritchett family was like the Hunts. A large group of Pritchett family members joined the church together in Virginia. They traveled together to Utah under the leadership of William D. Pritchett – in 1855, and began a faithful legacy in Sanpete County in Utah.
And then there are my Danish ancestors. I love my Danes. And I recently had a DNA test (thanks, Keith) which revealed that I literally have 50% Danish blood in me. This is so exciting! I have 5 second great grandparents who came from Denmark. The Danes did not receive the Gospel until the early 1850’s. But having joined, with complete commitment and faith, they immediately wanted to join the Saints in Utah’s “Zion”. They joined handcart companies and made their way west – after getting to St. Louis, Missouri and going west from there.
The project relative to my own ancestors in Nauvoo, naturally leads to a similar future project to feature the Nauvoo ancestors of my wife and her family. I would not be surprised to find that she also has 30 or more such Nauvoo ancestors. I can’t wait to get into that project.
In my Nauvoo research I have found individuals and families of profound faith. I have found people who made special covenants in the Temple. I have found many of my/our own people who were among the first who received their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple – just as soon as it was possible for them to receive their endowments there. I have found my/our people who had strong and continuing testimonies of the Prophet Joseph Smith – in spite of his challenges and weaknesses. I find my people who were true all of their lives to Joseph and his mission. I found people who were so committed that they were willing to leave their homes again and again in support of God’s Kingdom.
And in my research, I am uplifted as I have seen my/our people continue in their faithful lives in Utah. Even with their challenges and sacrifices, they were true to what they believed. They were true to the Nauvoo covenants that they had made. I hope that you will bask in and love the Nauvoo Spirit as you get to know these special people who were here, who gave their all, and who remained covenant faithful through their lives. And these folks (in the next world) hope that all of their posterity are drawn to them – just as they are drawn to us. Let’s keep the hearts turning and burning!
Here are a couple of ways by which you can access the book.
As ever, I have published the book on lulu.com. The link is not yet cojing up but should within the next couple of days. You can go to lulu.com and then do a search on “Nauvoo” or my name. Contact me for a discount code if you want to order the book.
Elder Kevin and Sister Lou Dene Hunt are enjoying serving in Nauvoo homes and shops. We are pleased to be serving in Nauvoo as “Site Missionaries” in the Illinois Historic Sites Mission (that includes Nauvoo and Carthage). This is a great blessing and privilege.
As noted earlier, Sister Hunt’s parents, Elder E.H. and Sister Verna Belcher served in Nauvoo from 1979 to 1981. They spent their entire mission (18 months plus 2 6-month extensions) in the tiny Lucy Mack Smith home. They got to know that tour well. Also, while here, Elder Belcher built the Nauvoo Brickyard and created the now famous souvenir “Nauvoo Brick” that is still enjoyed by our guests today.
And you also know that I served in Nauvoo in 1975 for the final six months of my mission – also as a site missionary – just as today. There were then 8 sites that were open to the public and Elder Hunt knew each of these tours and took people through all of them.
Things are different today. There are over 30 restored homes and shops in Nauvoo, so visitors have a variety (and quantity) of places to see and experience.
Today Sister Hunt and I get rotated amongst the various homes – daily! We have the opportunity be in all of the 30 sites and have learned the scripts for each one. It is a great honor to serve in these sacred Pioneer homes and to share the lives and testimonies of faith of the early Saints who lived in Nauvoo from 1839 to 1846.
This presentation has been prepared to share with our family and friends. You often hear that “we are in this home (whatever one) today” with little comprehension of what that means. This document introduces the various homes and shops and tours that are available for guests to see and experience (and feel) here in Old Nauvoo.
We hope that you will enjoy this brief introduction to the many beautiful places here in Nauvoo. Perhaps it can help you enjoy Nauvoo from “a distance” until you have opportunity to come to Nauvoo to really experience Nauvoo for yourself. Come, and bring your families – and know and feel the full beauty, glory, and wonder that awaits you here.
Here is the link for you to connect to the presentation.
A while ago, I mentioned in passing about the Nauvoo Whistling and Whittling Brigade. In the earlier blog, I said that I would write about the Brigade in a future blog. And a promise is a promise!
THE WHISTLING WHITTLING BRIGADE IN OLD NAUVOO
Back in pioneer Nauvoo, the Whistling and Whittling Brigade was a thing – a special group – a brotherhood back then.
Today, we talk of the group in two of our presentations. One is at the “singing tree” where the Nauvoo Performing Missionaries (NPM’s) perform. There is a giant tree in Nauvoo. It is at the corner of Main Street at Kimball Street. Two or three times a day, the NPM’s sing at this tree, and it is so fun to gather there with whoever might then be on Main Street.
One presentation that we have enjoyed there is “Men Sing the Songs of Zion”. Another popular production is “The Youth of Zion”. In this little vignette, several of the young performers – both men and ladies – talk about the Nauvoo youth and some of their activities, their spirit, etc. I love this presentation. Like all of the other performances, this one is fantastic.
In this presentation, the performing missionaries introduce the Brigade and talk of how the youth of old Nauvoo protected the city with their whittling antics.
The Teamsters also talk about the Brigade as they tell stories out on their Carriage Ride – where folks ride on wagons pulled by horses – and as they go over the woods and through the river north of the Visitors’ Center. Their Depot – where the trip begins, is at the north end of the Center parking lot. The Teamsters tell of one David Moore and give him credit for starting the Brigade. They tell how his boys “whittled and whistled many a rascal right out of town.”
My ears perk up with any hint of some new piece of history for me to latch onto and to study in depth. And the Whistling Whittling Brigade was one of those. I am, of course, a whittler from ancient history – so I was particularly intrigued with this Nauvoo Brigade and their woodcarving. Whitling … now there is something I can relate to.
MY INTEREST IN WHITLING AND CARVING STARTED AS A YOUNG BOY SCOUT
I took up an interest in whittling when I was a Boy Scout – age 12. I had an official Scout knife – and I still have it. It is black and kind of “bulky” for a knife. (Not as sleek as later models.) I took the Woodcarving merit badge at Camp Geronimo. I earned the badge by carving a letter opener and a neckerchief of the hand of a Scout in the Scout sign. I still have the pocket knife and the letter opener. I cannot find the Scout sign, but I know that I must have it – since I never throw away “anything historical”. (I have quite a collection!) The two wood-carved pieces are not at all marvelous, but they do bring back special memories.
MY FIRST CARVED WALKING STICK
My woodcarving skills were put on hold for many years. I didn’t know that I had any skills – or even interest. Then I got involved with the Boy Scouts in a more professional way. And it was then that the dormant interest began to stir once again.
As a new professional for the Boy Scouts of America, I found myself on a 24 or so day training back at the old Schiff Scout Reservation in New Jersey. (This place was magnificent but has since gone the way of the world – sold to help pay for other Scouting opportunities). I attended what was then called “NEI” – which is the acronym for “National Executive Institute”. While at the NEI training, I went to the little bookstore that they had at the place. And I there purchased my first real Scout whittling knife. Wanting to carve, but not knowing what to carve, I found a stick and began to carve on it.
I carved “NEI” on it and took advantage of the natural curves and bumps of the stick to create a twisted funny face. Also on the stick, I carved “NEI 7803”. (I was in the 3rd NEI Class of 1978 …). I quickly learned that all one needs in order to whittle was to get a knife and a stick – and to go at it. I found that was true. It began to work for me. Again, it was kind of a humble start, but it was enough to get me hooked on the skill or hobby or whatever it was.
In the rush of leaving for home, I somehow left my newly carved stick at the NEI place in New Jersey. And then I was in a dilemma. I called back to folks at the Reservation, and they found the stick and the folks were able to send it home with a BYU friend who was in the 7804 NEI class. It took a few months before I had a rendezvous with Brad to get the stick back. I was grateful that he took it on the airplane and somehow got it back to me.
Carving that stick got me hooked on the practice and art of woodcarving. I resolved then that I would create a new walking stick for each Boy Scout camp that I would work at in the future. And, so, a new tradition was begun. I created a stick at and for Camp Loll where I worked later that summer. And then later, at Camp Bartlett, I created a new stick for that camp. And so, it began – and became a thing for me. I got into the mode of finding the right wood stick and with just my trusty Scout carving knife, I began to have success. I worked hard to create the new sticks through the years. And I had a great time doing it.
Creating the sticks was sometimes a challenge when the pressures of time and responsibility sometimes were so much that I didn’t have as much time to carve as I desired.
Over the passage of time, I created about 15 new walking sticks, and I have them in a barrel collection in my Scouting Trails Museum – now jam-packed floor to ceiling at our Maricopa home. We moved all extraneous stuff of Sister Hunt and me into our two front bedrooms to make room for our daughter and son-in-law who are residing in our place while we are on our mission. I filled one room (my museum) with my stuff and Lou filled the front bedroom with her stuff.
WALKING STICK COUNSELING
I found that carving the sticks at camps afforded me a unique experience. I called it my “walking stick counseling”. I could go sit literally anywhere in camp – even on some remote log on some hidden trail. I would start carving and within a few minutes, I would have a couple of Scouts there on the log with me. They were very intrigued with my carving and asked many questions as I showed them what I was doing.
We had great conversations. And as I sat with the boys on the log with me, I would ask them about camp. “How do you like the Nature area? What is your favorite thing to get at the trading post? Who is your favorite staff member? Do you see any problems with our camp?” And in these discussions, I learned about the goings on all around the camp. Then as needed, I could use what I had learned in future staff meetings or discussions with individual staff members.
By this method, I seemed to know everything that was going on around the camp. And this blew the minds of my staff. They wondered how I knew all of this about them, and their areas, and the camp. It was great!
THE POCKET KNIFE SAGA
I mentioned that first BSA whittling knife. I carried that knife in my pocket always for about 20 years. I had used this knife to carve many of my stick in the collection. Then, one summer, we took all of the kids up north to the town of Payson, Arizona and attended July 4th festivities there. We sat in the grass at a large park to watch the fireworks. Then sadly, the next morning, I realized with horror that I no longer had my pocketknife. We returned to the park, and we all scoured the area around where we were sitting – but to no avail. The pocketknife was nowhere to be found. (I am sure that someone else found it and enjoyed it.)
Soon thereafter, and knowing of my love for the knife, my three sons pooled their resources, and they bought me a new knife – identical to the original BSA carving knife. That was about 25 years ago, and I have since carried that knife everywhere as I had its predecessor. And, like it, I have now carved many more sticks with it. And I still (even on the mission) carry that knife with me everywhere (except church – where I’ve learned that it slips out of my suit pants pocket). And I also carry my dad’s “Old Timer” knife with me – keeping a part of him with me as I serve. (And there’s another “Old Timer” story … which I have already long since blogged about.)
MY OBSESSION WITH BOLO TIES
With my whittling interest, I have had a life-long obsession with a love of hand-carved bolo ties. Though I have never carved one, these have become my personal trademark. I have so loved them, that there have been few days over the years when I have not worn the carved ornaments around my neck. Even family photos through the years each sported a different bolo time (for posterity).
My bolo tie interest also had its beginnings in my youth. When about age 16, I read in the “Scouting” magazine about the famed woodcarver, Bill Burch. I read of him creating hundreds of the bolos and then giving them out to Scouts at the National Scout Jamboree. (And that is also when I first learned about Jamborees and developed an intense desire to take our Troop 155 to the upcoming 1973 Jamboree (and that is a story that I’ve already told).
Anyway, from that youth moment, I wanted to somehow acquire a Bill Burch Bolo Tie (or “neckerchief slide”) but didn’t know how to get one. This aching burned within me for several years. Then finally when I was about age 30, a Bill Burch bolo came to me.
Lou and I and three children (expecting #4) were then living in Santa Barbara, California (where I was still a professional with the Boy Scouts). I was also the Ward Mission Leader. We literally had absolutely no place to house our missionaries. (Santa Barbara is a wonderful and most beautiful place – but it is also very strange relative to housing for young adults and families.)
Lou and were already crowded in our 3-bedroom townhouse with our expanding family but we moved all of the children into one bedroom. We then created bunk beds and furniture in the other bedroom to accommodate young Elders to be with us.
One of the first missionaries who came to live with us was from Spokane, Washington – where I knew the carver, Bill Burch, lived. I got excited. I said to him, “Do you know Bill Burch, the Scout carving guy?” He said, “Yeah, he was my Scoutmaster.” I said, “Really …! Wow! I have forever wanted to have one of hisfamous bolo ties.” He said, “I have about seven of them in my dresser at home. I will have my mom send one of them to me.”
He did so … and that is how I got my first Burch bolo … numbered #6667 on the back. And that started an even greater obsession with them. The bolo had the address of Bill Burch on the back – with the number of the bolo. And with his address, I was able to communicate directly with him to acquire additional of his bolo ties.
Photo: Kevin Hunt (left with walking sticks and friends – at his 50th Anniversary in Scouting Jubilee Celebration
From that point forward, I have collected bolos from many sources and from more than a dozen different carvers of them. And now, I have a collection of about 35 of them – with the goal of having one to pass on (posthumously) to each to my nine children (including the ladies) as well as one for each of my 26 grandsons. It has taken a bit of effort and resources to accumulate such a collection. (And that brings to memory another blog article …) Read it at: https://thescoutingtrail.wordpress.com/2017/10/23/bolo-ties-are-part-of-my-scouting-tradition-part-1/
BLOGS, BOYS, KNIVES, STICKS, AND WHITTLING
Some years ago, a long-time Scouting friend, Darryl Alder, got me hooked on the hobby or whatever it is – of writing blog articles. I’ve written about a 100 blog articles on Scouting subjects and many of them through the years have been on woodcarving, or whittling,
I introduced one of those blogs saying, “There is something about boys, knives, and carving … Like kids and mud puddles, camp, Scouts, sticks, and knives just kind of go together. One thing that all Scouts seem to have in common is their propensity for stick carving.” (August 16, 2017)
Sadly, with the passage of time and the changing of the guard in Scouting (and me personally), many of the links to those former great articles have gone the way of the world. But I did save them and published them all in Volume #20 of my personal autobiography (that I called “My Life’s Collective Works”). You can access the book at this link:
NOW BACK TO THE NAUVOO WHISTLING WHITTLING BRIGADE
That was kind of a round-about way to introduce the Nauvoo Whistling Whittling Brigade. I hope that you enjoyed the detour …
So, boys, sticks and carving are not a new phenomenon. The connection is probably as old as time. Adam and his sons probably made knives and began carving soon after the Eden experience. It was likely a part of their survival mode.
When my sons were teens, they were privileged to attend the biennial Varsity Scouting “Mountain Man Rendezvous” held at Camp Geronimo near Payson, Arizona. In preparation for this grand guy event, the boys worked for months ahead to create capotes (large fur-like capes) mountain man hats, and other gear. Creating their own knife (from a plain piece of steel to a cool, finished knife) was a part of the program. And each Scout who made such a knife has, no doubt, treasured it for life since that time. (*Much to the dismay of their wives who wonder why their men keep such a thing in their homes.)
HISTORICAL BEGINNINGS OF WHITTLING AND WHISTLING IN OLD NAUVOO
Historical records indicate that the old Nauvoo Whistling Whittling Brigade likely did not get its formal start until 1845 – after the death of the Prophet Joseph
. However, Mosiah Lyman Hancock may have employed the same tactics much earlier – to help protect the Prophet Joseph Smith. Mosiah was born in 1834 so would have been ten years old when the Prophet was martyred. He was the son of Levi Ward Hancock (and nephew of my 4th great grandmother, Clarissa Hancock Alger). In his autobiography, he said,
“I joined the whistling and whittling band. In those days, there was, now and then, a fop or dude who would go to a man’s shingle pile, and with his hat or cap cocked on one side, would sit and whittle and whistle. There was no law against that, but from what we could learn, some of them were interested in taking the life of the Prophet. We kept a good watch and were directed to keep an eye on the “Black Ducks”. We really tried to do our duty, and we succeeded in bagging some game. I was about to give some instances, but forbear by saying, “In no case did I ever help to engage in whittling any one down to make them cross the great river unless they were known to be lurking around the Prophet’s premises quite late, or to be seeking that which was none of their business. In extreme cases when we knew a man to be a snobber, and who still sought the life of the Prophet, we would use our rail. We generally had four boys to a rail—–the rail would be flat on the bottom and was three cornered; on the top corner it was terribly sharp—–fixed to suit the aggravating circumstances. Four boys generally knew how to manage the rail. We all had our knives and our timbers to whittle and make rails from, and we knew what tunes to whistle. I do not know if the boys from Nauvoo would like for me to betray those old-fashioned secrets; but that was the way we initiated those who seemed to wish with all their hearts to become thoroughly acquainted with the secrets of the Prophet. …”
The above account tells of how Mosiah (who lived just a block East of Joseph’s Mansion House – on the corner of Water and Partridge Streets) helped to protect the Prophet Joseph. Mosiah continued: “The Brethren pushed the work on the Temple; and the Gospel was preached; and every Saint was busy doing all he could to help the work along. Although I was very young, I was on guard many a night, and gladly did I hail with many of the Saints, the completion of the temple.”
Mosiah adds an interesting side note: “On about January 10, 1846 [when he was 12] , I was privileged to go in the temple and receive my washings and anointings. I was sealed to a lovely young girl named Mary, who was about my age, but it was with the understanding that we were not to live together as man and wife until we were 16 years of age. The reason that some were sealed so young was because we knew that we would have to go West and wait many a long time for another temple.”
As noted, Mosiah seemed to be protecting the Prophet Joseph (who died in 1844). The real organization of the Brigade happened after the death of Joseph but Mosiah had the skills so he definitely would have fit right into the newly organized Brigade.
PROTECTION FROM THE MOBS
From the day of the First Vision, Joseph the Prophet of the Restoration, had to run for his life. He was constantly barraged by evil people who wanted his capture or even his demise. He had to be constantly on-guard and had to ask many other people for their help and protection in his behalf.
The enemies of Joseph and Hyrum thought that the church would evaporate or die with the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum. The harassment of the church stopped but only for a brief period before it intensified even more. The evil designs of the adversary opened fire against the Saints. Foes of the church were also determined to stop the construction of the Temple.
THE NAUVOO CITY CHARTER
“The Nauvoo City Charter was unique because it established a city council, municipal court, university, and independent militia unit (“The Nauvoo Legion”). The charter was quickly approved by the Illinois general assembly on December 16, 1840, and passed the final review by the Council of Revision on December 17, It became effective February 1, 1841. Before the 1870 Illinois Constitution, municipalities could vote to incorporate themselves or could be incorporated by special acts of the General Assembly. For a time, this city charter was magnificent. It served the Saints well and allowed them to create their own “Utopia” by which they governed themselves.
“The charter authorized the creation of a city council, consisting initially of a mayor, four aldermen, and nine council members; and a municipal court with jurisdiction over local cases and the power to issue writs of habeas corpus. The charter also included provisions for a university and a local militia. … The Nauvoo Legion, the city’s militia – and a local police force – was organized in 1841 and functioned until its charter was repealed in 1845. The Legion was made up of mostly members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some opponents of the Legion believed it was a threat to non-Mormons.
“ ,,, Nauvoo’s charter was unique among Illinois city charters, the combination of powers in the charter and the energetic use of those powers became a source of contention.”
Neighboring communities saw Nauvoo and its charter a political and economic threat and mob violence increased.
After the Martyrdom, mob rule was the order of the day. Violence increased as mobs and wicked people continued to want to exterminate the “Mormons” (members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) – just as they had done in Missouri and elsewhere prior to the Nauvoo era.
Ultimately, the full charter – with all of its powers – including the right of citizens to defend themselves was revoked in 1845, again by order of the Illinois General Assembly. In January 1845, the legislature repealed the Nauvoo Charter by a vote of 25-14 in the Senate and 75-31 in the House.[2] Nauvoo was dis-incorporated and its assets were placed into a receivership. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nauvoo_City_Council)
EFFECT OF THE REVOCATION OF THE NAUVOO CHARTER
The revocation of the Nauvoo City Charter dissolved the Nauvoo Legion as well as the local police force. This action came as mob violence and prejudice continued to increase exponentially. The city was then totally without protection. The Saints were left to the mercy of those opposed to them. Dramatic action was needed for the protection of the city and for the completion of the Temple. Brigham Young and the Apostles soon realized that guards were needed both day and night.
Thurmon Dean Moody wrote a beautiful treatise (maybe one of the greatest writings) on the subject of the Whittling Whistling Brigade. I recommend his article can be found at chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1738&context=byusq
Citizens of Nauvoo knew that this was the demise of their beloved Nauvoo. Appeal attempts were made but to no avail.
Almon Babbit wrote an appeal to the charter revocation: “Repeal the charter of Nauvoo, prescribe her citizens by your public acts and you will tolerate and encourage the demonstration of mob violence that surrounds the people of Nauvoo.” He noted that fiends around them were waiting to feast upon the Saints to their destruction.
Wandle Mace said of the evil forces: “They tried every means they could devise to bring trouble upon Nauvoo. Frequently a party would land from a steamboat and come into the city, commit their deviltry, and return to the boat and leave again – well knowing we had no law to protect us since the city charter was taken away.”
A PLAN IS DEVISED
Apostle Brigham Young decided that action needed to be taken. On Sunday, March 16, 1845, Brigham called a meeting for the next evening. He said, “We want the bishops at the Masonic Hall, and we will organize them according to our notion of things. We have no police, and the legislature has repealed our charter. We mean to have the City of Joseph organized so the streets shall be kept clear and the poor cared for.”
Hosea Stout had previously been the Chief of Police under the city charter.
Photo: Hosea Stout
The committee organized the city into companies of ten with a captain at the head of each company. The “new police” were to continue to meet mostly as a guard for the Temple. They were not a city organization, but it was to be an ecclesiastical guard. The groups were to receive no pay and were to be volunteers. Not wanting to resort to extra legal extra activities and being aware that their priesthood authority did not apply to any but their own people they felt as if this would be a viable solution.
At the meeting Brigham called, Hosea was present and suggested a plan. He had met three days before with Stephen Markham, a captain in the former Legion. Both were anxious to preserve order as much as possible under the circumstances.
The plan was to organize the whole community of saints into quorums of 12 Deacons – each with a Bishop at their head. David Moore – referred to on the horse “Carriage Ride” said, “The purpose of the organization was two-fold: 1) to take care of the poor 2) to guard the city at night to keep everything straight.” He further recorded: I was appointed one of the bishops also (at age 26). I had a very large district assigned to me. I was allowed 13 men, and we had to keep watch over the north part of the city one night each week including the steamboat landing. Our weapons were a large hickory cane and a toothpick – a huge knife. The object of the knife was to whittle rascals out of town.”
Brigham soon proclaimed this as a new “official Mormon practice” at the meeting on the 17th of March.
IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN
In his autobiography, George W. Bean recorded, “This was my first real public service at the age of fourteen and a half years [and] being large of stature and well equipped, I did my full share of duty for five days and nights after this. I performed guard duty at nights all winter about the streets of Nauvoo.”
On each corner was a man from twelve to twenty years of age who watched all movements from sunset to dawn and reported any suspicious activity to the bishop who promptly consulted the leaders and the Nauvoo Legion Officials.”
THE AGE OF THE BRIGADE DEACONS
Some reports of the Whistling Whitling Brigade indicate that the “Deacons” were all very young – like teen-age boys. Such may not have always been the case. In those days, there was no age parameter for being a Deacon. A Deacon could be a young boy, or he could be an adult. Ages for Aaronic Priesthood quorum membership did not happen until 1908 (just in time for the 1910 organization of the Boy Scouts of America). At that time, young men of age 12 could be ordained as Deacons.
So, the Brigade Deacons could have been ages 12 to 25 or older in old Nauvoo.
THE JOB OF THE WHISTLING WHITTLING BRIGADE
Paul D. Bailey gave a detailed account saying that the community “met the increasing flood of gentile undesirables by organizing the boy population into a whistling and whittling brigade suspicious strangers immediately would be surrounded by groups of boys armed with long bladed jack knives and sticks whichever way the suspect moved the boys followed whistling and whittling as they went. Not a question would they ask not a question would they answer. They were too small to strike individually too many to battle collectively when they descended on a hapless stranger they hugged his presence like vermin until in exasperation he was glad to take hasty leave from the abode of the saints.”
Wandle Mace said, “Our families were exposed to the rascals who on finding them unprotected by husbands and fathers would insult and abuse them in consequence of such things. The old police formed themselves into whittling companies and guarded the city from the rascals. When a stranger came into the city they would learn if they were upon legitimate business and if so, they did not interfere with them but if they had no legitimate business, they were then under the surveillance of the Whittlers who would follow wherever they went whittling and whistling. They did not molest them in any way not even talking to them but simply followed them whittling and whistling as they went.”
William B Pace painted a vivid picture as he wrote in his journal of the activities of the Brigade. He said, that “every boy generally could whistle and most of them had knives from ten to fourteen inches long in scabbards ”a la bouy” and when any of these fellows became boisterous or showed any signs of meddling the boy who discovered would draw his knife and commence whittling and soon a crowd of his pals gathered. Then they would surround the obnoxious element – be he large or small – many or few – and whistled and whittled in his direction and they’d stick by him until he was out of town. This was rather an amusing process. Not a word was said but an unearthly whistle – and generally everyone had his own favorite tune – and an incessant whittling with those large knives was enough to strike terror to the hearts of the victims and he got out of town as quick as his legs could carry him.”
BROTHER BRIGHAM AND THE BRIGADE
Brigham Young was often confronted about the Brigade by men who got whistled and whittled. He denied that he had anything to do with the antics of the Brigade. But, on 14 April 1845, during the height of the brigade encounter, Brigham Young mentioned that “Nauvoo’s Whistling and Whittling Brigade and the deacons have become very efficient looking after the welfare of the saints. Every part of the city is watched with the strictest care and whatever time of night the streets are traveled at the corner of every block a deacon is found attending his duty.”
Dirty men who felt the brunt of the Brigade sometimes complained to Brother Brigham and accused him of orchestrating the plan and the antics of the Brigade. One such person who talked to Brigham was given an interesting retort back. President Young is reported to have quietly replied in the words of Martin Van Buren when president of the United States to Joseph Smith: “Gentlemen your cause is just but I can do nothing for you. The legislature has taken away our city charter we have no laws nor power to protect you.”
Obviously, Brigham Young did support the Bishop and Deacon method of watching and guarding Nauvoo, but it was not as apparent that he was supportive of what appears to be its offshoot the Whistling and Whittling brigade.
Many reflected the opinions expressed by many involved with the organization noting that the Brigade lasted but a few weeks. But, even so, Scoundrels soon learned that to go into Nauvoo, men must mind their own business and not meddle with the people, or they would get whistled out. So, if the whistlers kept out even a few of the bad guys – the scoundrels – they were successful.
While the Whistling Whittling Brigade was successful in the short run, the Bishops and Deacons ultimately could not fully control the mobocrats who came after the Saints. They were still expelled from Nauvoo – beginning in February of 1846.
SO, WHAT DID THE WHISTLING WHITTLING BRIGADE WHITTLE?
This blog article was based on the assumption that the Whistling Whittling Brigade actually did real “woodcarving” – and that the Bishops and Deacons created a desired object, shape or design with their sharp-edged cutting tools. (That is a Google definition.) I guess I assumed that the work of the Whistling Whittling Brigade was whittling or actually wood carving. And this is what drew me to the Nauvoo Whistling Whittling Brigade.
Now, however, as I have learned more about them, I have realized that their real purpose was to protect the city and to encourage scoundrels to get out of town fast. I realized that they really weren’t doing real woodcarving, but they sure put on a good act. They cut on sticks as if whittling – but probably were just taking big swipes (maybe taking the bark off of their sticks). I had no idea that they did their whittling with large “Bowie Knives”. Whittling really is not possible with a very large-bladed knife. Whittling – with a specific goal or design in mind – is best done with small blades that can be manipulated to create intricate designs.
WHAT DID THE WHISTLING WHITTLING BRIGADE ACCOMPLISH?
I learned that the Brigade really was successful – in that they accomplished their goals – but it was a different goal than I had supposed. Their mission was that of helping scoundrels out of town. They were a real source of strength to the Saints. Their presence helped Saints feel at least some peace and protection – even in the trauma of the time. Their work had nothing to do with whittling and carving. Theirs was a higher calling – to protect their community, the Temple and fellow saints. And they accomplished that mission.
The Brigade members served their Nauvoo Covenant Community. Each man or boy did his best and did his part to contribute to the community as a whole. Brigade participants experienced a great brotherhood as they worked and served together. They became friends, and brothers as they served together for the cause of Zion.
Brigade members worked under the direction of their ecclesiastical or church leaders. They were a beautiful witness of how the Priesthood can operate when all work together. Bishops were responsible for and guided their Deacons – men and boys – in the protection of their fellow Saints. Bishops and Deacons worked together to accomplish their mission – setting an example of how Bishops and Aaronic Priesthood men and boys can work together in our day.
The Brigade was successful in keeping the peace in the short run but, the Brigade could not handle the violent mobs that were to come, and the Saints were later forced to evacuate Nauvoo the following spring. The Spirit and camaraderie of the Brigade members, however, would live on within their minds and hearts as they went forward – united in faith – to their next adventures and future priesthood responsibilities.
I am surely not a whistler, but I do love to whittle along the trail whenever I can.
It is Pageant time in Nauvoo, and it is truly an exciting time to be here. There is so much energy – so much fun – so much to do. Everywhere in town we see and feel that energy. It is all around us and the pageant lifts and excites everyone.
(FYI: This proved to be a rather long blog (so much good stuff) but at least with the bold bullet headlines, you can pick and choose what you want to read. You have been warned! Kevin]
There are presently two different pageants running simultaneously in Nauvoo over a three-week period. “The Nauvoo Pageant” is staged on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday nights and the “British Pageant” runs on Wednesday and Friday nights of each of the three weeks.
The Nauvoo Pageant – 2024
The Nauvoo Pageant talks of the building of the city of Nauvoo under the influence of Joseph Smith, the Prophet. The British Pageant, with the theme title of “Let Truth Prevail” shows missionaries going to preach the restored Gospel in England and through all of the British Isles.
Missionaries here in Nauvoo love the pageants because they draw hoards of guests from all over the country. And that is why we are serving here in Nauvoo … we want to share the Lord’s Gospel message with many people. The pageants are a focus and dream for months before they actually happen. We look forward to the folks coming. (I do admit, however, that there is a bit of trepidation – as we anticipate crowds beyond what we can usually handle on our individual tours.)
HISTORY OF PAGEANTS IN NAUVOO
The original Nauvoo pageant, an outdoor musical staged by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was called “The City of Joseph”. This historic musical of Nauvoo premiered in the summer of 1976 and was staged each summer until 2004. As the title indicates, the show testified of the life and mission of the Prophet Joseph and the “covenant community” created in Nauvoo by him and members of the Church from the years 1839 through his death in 1844.
The purpose of the “City of Joseph” pageant was “to reach out to non-members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – to teach them about the faith and to build the testimony of those participating, similar to that which occurred with the pageants at the Hill Cumorah and Manti, Utah,” (BYU Studies Quarterly Volume 53) … seeking to inspire the audience with the nostalgia and memories of former days in “Old Nauvoo”.
The ”City of Joseph” pageant was replaced in 2005 with the new “Nauvoo Pageant” – titled, “A Tribute to the Prophet Joseph Smith”. Like its predecessor, it “celebrates the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the city of Nauvoo. The pageant’s purpose is to honor the prophetic leadership and mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and to commemorate the construction of the original Nauvoo Temple. The pageant also emphasizes the joy of early Latter-day Saints as they learned to love and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ through their faith. The pageant helps visitors see and feel the sacrifice and faith of the early “pioneers” who came to Nauvoo and built a city from a swamp.
The ”British Pageant”, titled, “Truth Will Prevail”. made its debut in Chorley, England in 2013 and is performed there every four years (except when expanded for COVID). The pageant was first performed in Nauvoo the following year – in 2014. It has been performed annually in Nauvoo ever since. The British Pageant is captured in the words, “I go because my Master calls” as it portrays the departure of faithful Saints as they left their native lands to answer God’s call to gather to Nauvoo. The British Pageant invites all to enjoy the blessings that come from seeking and following God’s truth.
The two shows complement each other. Many of the same characters appear in both shows – like Joseph Smith, Heber C. Kimball, Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff, “Twizzleton” Turley (a fictitious name?) and others – the same men who built Nauvoo, “The City of Joseph” and who were the Apostles who were sent to preach the Restored Gospel in England. The show depicts the beginning of preaching in England and then shows those same missionaries returning to Nauvoo with their English converts, full of the fire of conversion. The Pageant explores the beginnings of the Church in the British Isles and the impact of the British members’ abiding faith and deep love for one another and the Savior.” (by Christine Rappleye writing for “The Church News” 25 July 2023).
Both Pageants teach important gospel doctrines including the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the divinity of the Book of Mormon, the ordinances and hope of the Temple, the plan of salvation through Jesus Christ, and the prophetic mission of Joseph Smith.
THE CASTS OF THE “NAUVOO PAGEANTS”
The casts of the pageants are a combination of seasoned actors and family cast members. The main “core actors” take the stage through the whole summer season. Five “ensemble family casts” serve on a rotating schedule during the season. Each ensemble family cast can include over 600 volunteers from the United States, Canada and England. (And it is fun to hear the true “Brits” mixed together and speaking with the “Yanks”!)
Parley P. Pratt, an early Apostle and a “core actor” in the Nauvoo Pageant, narrates the show each night. I love his opening line: “When you’re here, we’re here”. “The “British Pageant” is narrated by a “core actor” character named Arthur Ashton.
TRUTHS TAUGHT AND QUOTES FROM THE PAGEANTS:
Each night, missionaries and others distribute a “Nauvoo Neighbor” newspaper version of a pageant program, entitled, “PAGEANT TONIGHT”. This wonderful publication shares wonderful quotes from the shows – on various Gospel themes:
Families: “So, this was the grand panorama. The blessings of the Restoration … were for the whole of God’s family, from our fathers before us to our children after.”
Life After Death: “How consoling to those of us called to part with a husband, wife, father, mother, child, or dear relative, to know that they shall rise again to dwell in immortal glory.”
Prophets: “Like our parents and grandparents, we knew our Bibles. We knew that if God opened the heavens again, He would speak to us through a prophet.”
Community: “We who were many were becoming one.”
The Holy Bible and The Book of Mormon: “In them together is the fulness of the gospel. In the mouth of two witnesses” and “What kind of book is it? My good man, it is the most correct of any book on earth!”
The Spirit of God: “But I’ve had a feelin’. And it’s not a feelin’ I conjured up m’self. I can’t quite explain it, but I know it’s true.”
Divine Authority: “Go on as the disciples of old and bless the sick in the name of Jesus Christ, healing them by the power of God, through the priesthood you bear”.
Temples: “Well this building is somewhat different, Robert, Because it’s a temple, and a temple is for making covenants with God.”
PRESENTATION OF HISTORICAL VIGNETTES BY PAGEANT CAST MEMBERS
While the “core actors” have been captured here in Nauvoo – as they participate in the show casts, they also take time to present great little vignettes to help people feel more of the special people and events of Old Nauvoo. Often these vignettes also combine with the talents of the “Nauvoo Bagpipe Band” and the Nauvoo Performing Missionaries.
BIRTHDAY PARTY HELD IN HONOR OF EMMA SMITH
On Wednesday, July 10th, Sister Hunt and I found ourselves serving at Joseph Smith’s Red Brick Store. Soon after we got going for the day, I learned that a “birthday party” was being staged that morning in the Smith Family Cemetery located between Joseph Smith’s Homestead and his Red Brick Store. I sent Sister Hunt and the young sisters over to participate in it. The performing missionaries and the Bagpipe Band were also there. Sister Hunt later reported that they sang “Happy Birthday” with bagpipe accompaniment. They also sang a song that was in Emma’s first hymnal: “Guide us, O Thou Great Jehovah”. And they had doughnuts. (Sister Hunt said that is why the guys from the Nauvoo Performing Missionaries showed up just at the right moment!) It sounded like a fun activity.
LETTERS OF JOSEPH AND EMMA
The Pageant cast and leaders have created a new little program that featured Joseph and Emma Smith – and mother Lucy Mack Smith. The Homestead and Mansion House (where we were serving for the day) were closed for about an hour and a half to accommodate the program that was held on the lawn north of the Mansion House. Joseph and Emma made their grand entrance with an exit from their Mansion House – and again were introduced by the Nauvoo Bagpipe Band. This group really has a way of making events even more special and wonderful.
Sister Hunt and I quickly ate our lunch after the sites closed. We then went over to view the program. The program was entitled, “The Letters of Joseph and Emma” and the characters quoted many of their beautiful and loving letters written to each other. I loved the Joseph and Emma characters. They both looked so authentic in their roles. Joseph was particularly impressive – and he sings very well. It was a very fun event (lasting about a half hour) – so fun to view and to enjoy. It was a very beautiful production.
THE PAGEANT BRINGS FAMILIES TOGETHER
As missionaries, we have noted that the pageant has been a major force in bringing families and youth groups together. We have witnessed many families who have come together from all parts of the country to be united for the pageant experience. It has been great to witness the reunions, the camaraderie, and just the fun of folks enjoying being together. The family connections have added much to the total pageant experience for many.
And youth groups have come in throngs (and many buses) to join the pageant experience. It is so great to see these young people as they have traveled together from all over – Texas, Indiana, Nebraska, Las Vegas, and other places – to enjoy the pageant – and all of our wonderful historic sites available to them here in Nauvoo. Like their leaders, we know that their testimonies of the Prophet Joseph Smith as the Lord’s prophet, will be indelibly impacted by these experiences. What a blessing to these young people!
ELDER AND SISTER HUNT HOSTED THEIR OWN PAGEANT VISITORS
Though they planned their trip before Sister Hunt and I were called to Nauvoo, they planned their trip (from their Tempe, Arizona home) so that they could participate in both of the Nauvoo pageants. It was such great fun to have them here with us for almost a week.
The Simeon Dunn home where we reside is nice, but also rather small – and not really conducive to a family of visitors. It is nice for the two of us but there is not a lot of room for others. We made it work, however. Conveniently, there is a giant rag rug (in the greatest of Old Nauvoo style) that has been folded on a table in the corner. We dragged this out and swept it off and spread it on the floor of the home cellar. The rug must have been made just for the home. It filled the concrete floor perfectly. And we were able to line up four air mattresses on it to accommodate the four grandchildren.
Then a large air mattress completely filled every inch of our free space in our living room. This is where Jackie and her man spent their nights. We had to be creative in scheduling use of the single bathroom – located upstairs in our bedroom.
Somehow, it all worked out very well. The tight togetherness brought us closer! The family ate with us (or we ate with them). We headed off each morning to serve in our various historic sites and the family also headed off on their own schedule to experience all that is available to families here in Nauvoo. They had a grand time – and were actually quite worn out each night because of their exhaustive schedule. And as Jackie noted, “It was all FREE!” She marveled that the Church has put together so much – and all centered around families. She thought it was one of the greatest possible vacation destinations ever.
We were able make arrangements to take the family on a private tour of Joseph’s Red Brick Store. (And I documented this in my recent blog on “Miracles”). Even with our tight service schedule, we still had a lot of time to spend with the family. We even got to take a fun “field trip” with them on our P-day. (More on this in a future blog post!)
And besides the Arizona family, their two cousins came at the same time with their Kyle, Texas youth group. (Their trip was also scheduled before our mission call.) The group came on three buses timed, of course, to be here for pageant. So, we were able to connect with them and enjoyed activities and tours together.
We attended both pageants together (with all of the grands) and this was wonderful. We also participated in the Country Fair each of the nights.
COUNTRY FAIR FUN
It is hard to describe the immense possibilities of fun and excitement afforded by the Country Fair that accompanies the pageants each night. The event features a plethora of great activities that pioneer families may have done back in the day. There were many fun games – like stilt walking, log sawing, sack races, and more.
The round dancing event drew young and old together for good old-fashioned country dancing. Our 15-year old grandson even participated as partner to his 19-year old sister. And I think that he had fun – in spite of himself. And games of skill and strength … wow! What a selection: stickball, tug-of-war, relay and sack races, a handcart pull, graces and hoops, horseshoes, log sawing, stick pulling, and more.
The children’s activities were also fun. Our ladies had fun weaving rags and braiding headbands and such.
And a real favorite of ours was the pioneer photo booth. As a seasoned “fact checker”, I found the photo – with the pioneer handcart a little ahead of its time but super fun. Somehow, we managed to corner the family all together at the same time and location to catch a photo of all of us together.
Able and happy workers helped us all to don wonderful pioneer costumes and to stage our best photo op. They even hit the button on our cell phone cameras. Such fun!
STANDING RESOLUTE AT THE BRITISH PAGEANT
Not to break the surprise for those who choose to come next year, but all of the Nauvoo missionaries (young and old) get to participate in the finale of the British Pageant. We missionaries had a difficult role. We came in on cue, as the cast began to sing, “Come, Come, Ye Saints” and stood “resolute” on risers on both sides of the stage (as the worldwide missionary effort – beginning in England as portrayed in the pageant was introduced).
Ours was a hard role and we had to have two or three practices to get it down. We came in singing “Called to Serve” and joined in singing for two more songs – “Then Say What is Truth”, and “Redeemer of Israel”. Our role was to “stand resolute” as silent witnesses to the united cast phrase of “Truth Will Prevail”.
THE HUNT FAMILY IN THE “CITY OF JOSEPH” CAST
The “City of Joseph” Pageant began in 1976 – the year after I was there as a missionary. I had heard of this pageant for many years and lamented that I/we had not been able to be a part of the show. And for years, I had the dream that someday I could go there to be in the cast with the whole family. The dream was always there but I did not see any way that we would ever be able to do it (on our constant mode of lack of resource for such an adventure. Having money was never a part of our family situation.) I did not think time and resources would ever come together at the same time to give us the opportunity. Finally, in late 1995 I told the family that “next summer is our year to go be in the pageant”. We did not know how it would be possible, but we went forward in faith, trusting that things would come together.
We got accepted to be in the 1996 show. We knew that it would be a major project to take us and nine children the 1,500 or so miles from our Mesa, Arizona home to Nauvoo, Illinois. We learned that it would take our every effort and focus to get there. It took a full year to get there. We laid out our plan of everything that we needed to do, and began to work on that plan.
GETTING OUR COSTUME PARTS TOGETHER
We learned – with a bit of shock – that we would have to put together our own costumes. Wow! For eleven people … that was a major challenge. We had been in the Mesa Temple Easter Pageant for many years and this pageant had always supplied the many and various costumes for us. I guess we had been spoiled.
So, we had to have period pioneer clothing for all of us. And we had to adhere in everything to a set standard that the pageant staff sent to us. And we had to send in splotches of every material that we wanted to use. And we had to use (or be in compliance) with various costume styles and patterns. This became a lengthy and challenging project – that seemed to get bigger and bigger.
(And incidentally, times have changed … Sister Hunt stood aghast as we recently visited the “new” pageant building – located way east of town. There were rows and rows of glorious costumes of all kinds – just waiting for cast members to get into them.)
The boys and I had to have kind of baggy pants and shirts with specific collar styles. The ladies needed frilly skirts with pantaloons. And the list of accessory items seemed especially formidable. We needed scarves, hats, special socks, aprons, suspenders, knickers for the boys, half jackets for the ladies, bonnets, boots, vests, shoes, and much more. We made regular trips to thrift stores, garage sales, and everywhere else we thought might possibly have our desired or needed items. And one by one, we found all of the needed accessories.
MAKING THE TRANSPORTATION DECISION
We looked at various options for our transportation. Finally, we decided that we wanted to take the Amtrak train back to Nauvoo. We found a “1 plus 2” rate. This meant that for each paying adult, we could take two kids for free. Lou and I were, of course, adults, and Jackie – who was over age 16 counted as an adult. We recruited Lou’s widowed father to go with us as the fourth adult (but after his fare was paid, he decided that he could not make the trip with us … and his fare money was lost). This all proved to be a great deal for our large family.
FINDING HOUSING FOR OUR LARGE CLAN
There were some options … we could have tented in the state park. We could have found a commercial place to stay. (But that was before AirBandB was a thing – and the internet was just coming into its own.) Another alternative was to stay in Camp Nauvoo – a camp owned by then Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ. This ultimately proved to be the best option and we chose this plan. The pageant had rented out the whole camp for use of the cast members. There was to be a large kitchen and a cafeteria, and folks could rent cabins or bring RV’s. Having no RV, we chose the cabins. And we were lucy enough (highly blessed) to obtain a large “cabin” that had sufficient bunkbeds for the eleven of us.
In order to stay in the cabin, we needed to come up with about $80 per each of us. This would include all food for the three weeks as well the cabin itself. We began to save our pennies (lots of them) to be able to take this trip. It would take a lot of effort and faith, but again, we went forward – not knowing how it would all come together.
FINANCING THE TRIP
I noted that financing a pageant trip was always the problem. How to get all of the funds needed? We had been out of a job (again) and this was not the best time to make such a financial commitment. And in our circumstances, we did hold back a bit.
It was Christmas, 1995 … That was a very challenging time – but many good friends, neighbors – and even people whom we did not know came forth with help so that we had a glorious Christmas (way beyond just the gifts). One special gift was very much unplanned. My sister, Lesa, and husband Charlie came to our home and somehow left us an old truck that had belonged to Charlie’s father (delivering the truck in the middle of the night with some special way of us finding the keys later).
The truck was so “vintage” that it was actually a genuine albatross. A couple of years before, the government had banned the use of “Regular” gasoline, and all cars were to use the new “Unleaded” gas. The truck used “Regular” gas. (Regular gas was still available for a while, but it was very challenging to obtain it.)
Anyway, I rejoiced when we were given this great gift. I knew that it had come in answer to our prayers. I am not exactly sure why Lesa and Charlie had given us the truck, or what they thought we could do with it – but it was amazing and so wonderful for us. I told the family that this gift was the key – the opportunity – for us to go to Nauvoo. We recognized it as the needed manna from heaven to help us make the journey. The plan was for us to sell the vehicle. And we tried for months to sell the truck – and no buyer came forth. This became a greater test of faith for us, but we somehow knew that we would sell it to finance our trip. Ultimately, we did sell the truck – but the sale came in the Lord’s own time – which was literally the day after our trip was complete and we were back home. (Another major test – the timing – but it did somehow all work out … and we were very grateful for this great blessing.)
I don’t know what Lesa and Charlie thought of us selling their gift but to us it had come as a major miracle, and we rejoiced in it.
But still additional funds were needed. We gave each child the task of somehow earning the $80 for their own share of the Camp Nauvoo experience. Some of the children worked and were able to save much of their own money. We needed something for the rest of the children. We decided that we could paint address numbers on curbs. So, we spent a great many nights over many months going out together (whoever could on a given night) painting curbs. I think we painted half of the curbs in town!
THINGS BEGAN TO COME TOGETHER FOR OUR PLANNED TRIP
It was definitely a major stretch and surely a giant leap of faith, but somehow it all came together. Lou and the girls were in a constant mode of sewing the many costumes. As noted, we scrounged everywhere trying to find just the right accessory items needed for everyone – and somehow – one item at a time – we did find the items. We packed these items into a large plastic trunk. We were able to make our train reservations when the time came (and the window was a very small one). Miracle after miracle happened and things fell into place.
We had to take all of our costumes and we bought a large moving wardrobe box – with the bar – to hold the dresses. We had to take all of our own bedding to go on the metal cots at Camp Nauvoo … so this meant sleeping bags and blankets, pillows, etc. Each person had to have their own suitcase(s). We were to be gone for three weeks. (And incidentally, I had recently been given a new job, but I made the needed time off a matter of my pre-hire contract – so we were able to be gone for the needed time – taken as “unpaid leave”.)
With all of this “stuff” that we had to take, we almost needed to rent a U-Haul to get us to the train station. In the end, we came up with 25 pieces of luggage! Wow! So unbelievable – even now. It was good that we had the family 15-passenger van – and a large borrowed trailer.
Packing everything was a major miracle that Lou and all of us pulled together. Jenae was a major force in this effort. She and Lou stayed up nearly all night the night before our departure – sorting and folding everything.
The day of departure arrived, and it was time for our departure. I had to work that day, so the final arrangements were left to Lou. And as ever, she did an amazing job.
A MAJOR LAST-MINUTE CHALLENGE AND A MIRACLE FOR KEITH AND ALL OF US
In the week prior to going to Nauvoo, our son, Keith, had been up to Utah where his grandfather had property that was bordered by a stream. And all along this stream, there was poison ivy. And the ten days or so before our Utah trip, Keith was also at Camp Geronimo in Arizona and there tromped through more poison ivy. Keith showed no reaction to the poison ivy until a week or so after the exposures to it. But, somehow it got into his bloodstream and surfaced on the day that we were to leave on the train for Nauvoo. It broke out in its fury in the form of a pussy rash that completely covered his body. And his head swelled up like a pumpkin – to the point that his eyes were swollen, and he could not even see out of them. We took him to the doctor two hours before we were to leave on our trip. The doctor examined him and said that we absolutely could not take him on our planned Nauvoo trip (because there would be no doctors en route on the train). He was emphatic as he said that his breathing could shut down completely.
We were devastated. We had worked tirelessly for over a year to prepare for this trip. We had collected and created our extensive costume collection for the whole family. We had worked at various tasks to earn money for our trip. It had been an exhausting but wonderful preparation for the trip. And now suddenly, we were told that we could not go. A priesthood blessing was given by our bishop, friend and long-time neighbor, Richard Hale (as I was still at work) and Keith was miraculously healed – sufficient that the doctor finally allowed him to make the trip – with strict instructions for emergency medical attention if his condition worsened at any time en route.
THE TRAIN TRIP TO NAUVOO
Going on the train meant that we had to board it at Flagstaff, Arizona to go east. Our journey started as our neighbor, Richard Hale, drove our big van with all of us to Phoenix. We thought that we were to go to the Greyhound station in West Phoenix to catch a bus to Flagstaff. We got there and found a sign that said that the station had recently closed and that we were to meet a shuttle bus (operated by Arizona Native Americans) from the airport. So, we were now a bit pressed for time, but we rushed over there and arrived just in time.
As already noted, we had 25 pieces of luggage for our crowd. This included all of our costumes, sleeping bags and bedding for all of us for the three weeks, regular clothes, food chests for two days of travel on the train – for our crowd, etc. So, Brother Hale helped us get all of that loaded onto the bus and we were soon off on the charter connection. We enjoyed the bus trip up north to Flagstaff.
Upon arrival in Flagstaff, the Indian bus line took us to a bus station – which was across the street from the train station. He was kind enough to take us also to the train station. We secured use of a giant old wagon on which we put all of our stuff. The train folks assured us that we could leave the whole trailer in an open bin of the station – until our departure the next morning.
Another guy in our ward had a cousin in Flagstaff who owned a motel. When Scott told his cousin of our service trip, he offered to give us two rooms in his motel for free for the night. (Another great “tender mercy” of the Lord). The hotel “The Pony Soldier” was located down the road about two miles. (And our kids ranged in age from 1 1/2 to 17). We had arranged for two taxis to come for us. We learned that 5 was the maximum number of people to be in a taxi so that is why we had two. And learning that there were 11 of us, they almost made us take a third taxi but, the folks decided that the baby could sit on mom’s lap.
We had a grand time there in the hotel that night. This was a first for us and the kids loved it.
Next morning early, the two taxi cabs returned to take us to the train station. We were told that Flagstaff “law” would only allow any train to stop for a total of six minutes (so as not to hold up traffic – or whatever). And if this was not met, the train conductor would be arrested and a new conductor would have to be sent to Flagstaff from New Mexico. (True statement!) We were told that the off-coming folks would have three minutes to disembark and us on-going passengers (more than just our crowd) would have only three minutes to get on the train with all of our stuff. We were told that we could just go in as fast as possible, drop our stuff and then go upstairs – and then in a little while, we could return downstairs to the luggage area to organize and store our stuff properly.
We lined up all of our 25 items on the sidewalk and put with each person assigned to one – or multiple items – to the kids whom we thought could best handle that part of the stuff. One of the children was to take the baby and others were to have one or more items to be in charge of. The children were all very psyched up and ready for the challenge. When the train stopped our adrenaline was high. The folks coming off just kind of took their time and the second that they were off, we blew the whistle (not really) and the signal was “Run!” And it was really crazy. (There were multiple cars so groups could pick whichever one they thought best – so there were a lot of people lined up on the sidewalk by different cars.)
We somehow managed to get all of the stuff and us into the train – and then it was off – full steam ahead. We went upstairs and found the seats to be giant recliners – like the ultimate in movie theaters or the first-class section of a big airplane. Wow! We found seats all in the same area – another miracle. And after a little while, we were able to go down to get our stuff put together.
The ride was absolutely fabulous. The kids had a grand time going to the dining car (which we could not afford) or to the “recreation room” at the other end of the train. Our nine-year old son was then into balloon tying (and was excellent at it) and he went up and down the train making balloon creations for young and old).
The train went 72 MPH in the daytime and 90 MPH at night. And we had to spend a night on the train. We wished that we had known that the A/C would be blasting full blast, or we would have planned and packed better so as to have blankets with us for the ride. We drove through New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas City and then got off at Fort Madison, Iowa – located up-river about 15 miles from Nauvoo.
OUR UNIQUE HUNT FAMILY LOOK
As we prepared for our trip, we thought it would be fun to show up on stage (at the opening practice) in family look-alike t-shirts. This was long before computers and modern-day graphics programs, but we created a great design and put this on shirts for all of us. They were great!
OUR NAUVOO ADVENTURE BEGINS
As we arrived in Iowa, we really wished that we had our big family van. We had to rent a car and could not afford to rent a big van. So, we rented a little car. And somehow, we got all eleven of us in the car. (We left our collection of stuff at the train station – with the promise that we would be back for it soon. And we then didn’t even know how we would get back for the stuff). Then we were like Nephi and “went forth with faith”. We drove in our squished condition to Keokuk, Iowa (because from my Nauvoo mission experience), I wanted to enter Nauvoo from the South. We went to a fast food joint to eat. Some folks there – maybe store employees – were shocked as our large crowd came pouring out of the car and into the place. We were afraid that they were going to report us to authorities or something for child abuse or whatever. So, we quickly got our food and headed out – across the river and up-river to Nauvoo the beautiful.
We drove to the Camp Nauvoo campground where we were to stay. This campground – owned then by the RLDS church and rented to our church – had places for RV’s, tents, etc. We had saved up enough money to rent a single cabin – with bunk beds – for our crowd. The place also had a dining hall. It was much like a Scout camp or similar (and we had plenty of experience with that scenario).
We checked in and got our assigned cabin. We then walked around looking for someone who might have a truck and who could help us. We knew absolutely no one. But, we found a couple of trucks and their owners – and talked to the folks. It was an instant connection – just as it was with everyone in the pageant – and the guys – new friends and brothers – were more than willing to assist us. (Yet another major tender mercy of the Lord.)
I left my wife and most of the kids at the campground and I headed off with my new friends back to Ft. Madison. We loaded all of the stuff into their vehicles and returned back to Nauvoo.
MISSING OUR ACCESSORY TRUNK
We got all of the stuff to the cabin and began to take inventory. To our shock and horror, our main large trunk – that held most of our accessory items (which we had so painstaking worked to buy and accumulate) was “missing in action”. We did not know what to do. We knelt and prayed as a family.
I went to a pay phone (that was long before cell phones) – and after getting a large supply of quarters – began to make phone calls to the train company – and everyone else – to try to locate our trunk. I was on the phone literally for about two hours through this process. With the passage of time, I learned that our trunk had not made it off from our original Indian contract bus that we had taken from Phoenix to Flagstaff. But, it gets better (or worse) … The trunk was not discovered by the bus line, and it had remained on the bus. And after our departure, it remained on the bus undiscovered and was touring all over Arizona – and had been for three days.
The folks (with my many calls) finally located the trunk out in the middle of no-where Arizona somewhere. They then made the necessary arrangements to get the trunk back to Flagstaff and onto the train. So, we had to wait another three or four days for it to catch up with us. Luckily, we were just in show practices at that time and didn’t yet need the costume items.
So, can you see the Lord’s hand in all of this? We certainly did … and with grateful hearts, we gave thanks to the Lord for all of his many tender mercies in our behalf. We were ready to hit it with the show!
We auditioned for – or were cast – in a number of scenes. It was fun to be in so many of the great scenes.
THE HUNT FAMILY IN THE OPENING PAGEANT SCENE
Most folks who know me, know that I have a propensity for journal writing. It has been my practice to write a daily entry in my personal journal for fifty plus years. I now create and maintain my journal volumes on the computer but the first 101 volumes of my journal were hand-written. As I worked to maintain my journal writing habit, I had learned to take the journal with me wherever I went so that I could take advantage of precious writing moments whenever and wherever I might have a few spare minutes to write. Such was the case when we were in Nauvoo. I took it with me to the stage set so that when we were not busy rehearsing, I could write in it.
On one occasion, I was busy writing when the director of our show, “The City of Joseph”, held a “think session” with his directing staff. He was not comfortable with the show opening and was brainstorming with many of the cast about what they could do for the opening. There was a lot of discussion. Then suddenly he looked over at me writing in my journal and he later said it was as if he had a vision on the spot. He said excitedly, “There it is!” He had seen me with my journal beginning the show – on a blanket surrounded by my wife and nine children – and reading from my journal as if I was reading them the show story. He had us enter as a family – coming from all directions, and me holding the journal book high. We then sat on the ground as if at a picnic and I took out my journal and began to read. The director and everyone else loved it! It was a big hit. We were cast in this role and we did this grand family entry for both of the summers (1996 and 1997) that we were in the “City of Joseph” pageant cast. We all enjoyed this special opening role as we performed it each night.
FOOD AND BOARD AT CAMP NAUVOO
We got all of our stuff into the cabin at the Camp Nauvoo. We lived in a single room – with 11 bunkbeds. We had to have a large table for the seven women to do their hair and other “girl stuff”.
We ate in the large dining hall with all of the rest of the cast who were staying also at the camp. This was a great place and we had many good times there – along with the food. We took turns with other cast members in the preparation of the food, clean-up, and other functions. We helped re-roof the structure as a service to the camp for letting us stay there. The place worked out well for us and our large gang.
With three very cute teenage girls, we always had a few extra guys hanging around and wanting to eat with us. The arrangement was mutually agreeable to all parties.
THE HUNT FAMILY GETS CAST IN THE PRODUCTION
There were 400 or more cast members in the production. Each family was given specific roles in the show. For some key roles, an audition was needed. Some other scenes were just assigned. Sometimes it was just being in the right place at the right time when more people were needed.
Anyway, we ended up cast in many scenes. Some were with the whole family and other times it was just two or three family members.
HELPING TO “STEADY THE ARK”
One of the great scenes of the Nauvoo pageant was a giant work scene. All over the stage families were demonstrating work, crafts and all that helped the Saints build Nauvoo. One of the props for the scene was a giant water wheel – about 20 feet tall. As we progressed through the scene, this water wheel began to topple. I and a few others who were doing our things close by, ran over to “help steady the ark” and to keep it from falling.
A while later – after we had finished the practice for this scene, a newspaper writer and photographer came up to me. She said, “I got a picture of you holding up that water wheel so now I have to get your name so that it can be in the newspaper with the photo. I provided her my name and then she asked what had brought us to Nauvoo. I told her that we had many ancestors who had lived in Nauvoo. I told her about being in Nauvoo on a mission. She was kind of bored with all of that. And then as a stroke of inspiration, I began to tell her that my in-laws had served a mission to Nauvoo. She politely asked who my in-laws were – though she was not really interested in hearing the answer. I told her that my father-in-law was EH Belcher and that he had built the original brick yard for modern Nauvoo guests. As I told her the name of E H Belcher, she just about sky-rocketed off of the stage. She said, “You’ve got to be kidding!”
She then told us how EH Belcher had converted her to the Church. We had heard this story but not knowing the lady – and not being in Nauvoo when the baptism occurred, we had never paid a whole lot of attention to it. Now the story made sense. This reporter – then not a member of the LDS Church – lived across the river in Keokuk, Iowa. And frequently on weekends, she found her way to Nauvoo to hang out – having felt great peace there. And one of her favorite places to go was to the brickyard – manned by EH Blecher. And over many months, and at his prompting – after giving her a Book of Mormon and a brick, etc. – had decided to join the church. And “Gramps” had baptized her in the Mississippi River. That had been about 15 years prior to our Nauvoo experience.
And now suddenly she could not get enough of us. She then interviewed us extensively. She wanted to hear every detail of our family, our Nauvoo experiences and our pioneer ancestors who were there. She took copious notes. She did not even publish her water wheel photo but instead featured our family and created a 2-page spread that got published as the front page and more – in three local county newspapers. So, our family became missionaries to all of those people.
2024 Note: As Sister Hunt and I returned to Nauvoo as Senior Missionaries, we wondered what had become of our friend, Cecelia – the news reporter of long ago. We knew that she had lived back then in Keokuk but really had no idea where she might be all of these years later. Then we had a “miracle meeting” with a couple of “FM” (Facilities Maintenance) workers from here in Nauvoo. We found out that they attend local wards. We asked one brother if he knew Cecelia. He did not – but looked in his stake directory to see if she might live in the local area. And there she was … living across the river in Montrose, Iowa.
We have tried on a few occasions to connect with Cecelia, but we still have not managed the task. But, sometime, we believe that we will suddenly come face to face with her. We know that “Gramps Belcher” would like us to find and talk to her. We know that it will happen
BECOMING ACQUAINTED WITH THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH
The Hunt Family with Joseph Smith at his Mansion House
One of the greatest blessings of being in the “City of Joseph” Pageant was the beautiful opportunity to become personally acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith – the Prophet of the Restoration. We lived with him in his “covenant community” and even though a hundred and fifty years after his time, we felt we knew him. We felt his power and influence as God’s Prophet. It seemed that we were consecrating our efforts for him and our pioneer ancestors. It was a glorious time.
One of my favorite scenes was an intimate one with the Prophet. This was “Men on the Fence”. A few of my pageant brothers and I were talking with Joseph. He told us the story of some poor brother whose house had burned down. We all felt sorry for the man. Then Brother Joseph said, “I feel sorry in the amount of $5!” (with an implied hint that we all likewise “feel sorry”). All of the men chuckled (almost lost it in their character role) as I put my debit card into the hat. It was a great moment!
POETIC INSPIRATION FOR THE MOMENT
Often in spiritual situations, I receive inspiration and pen some lines for the occasion. This was one of those times. I wrote a cast song – and presented it to the show director for his future use:
THE THREAT OF RAIN AND TORNADO AND THE NIGHTLY MIRACLE
Nauvoo is a place that is absolutely green and beautiful with its lush grass and trees. Of course, all of this beauty is dependent upon frequent rains to maintain the look and feel. And so it was a natural thing to also be challenged by the rain at times. There were times that we got dumped on.
We remember many (not just one time) when it would be raining for a couple of hours before a scheduled performance. As a cast, we would meet in the Nauvoo chapel on the hill above the stage for a nightly devotional. And sometimes it would rain outside through this devotional. And then as the devotional ended and the chapel doors opened, the rain would miraculously stop – and the show would go on. And on one occasion, there was a tornado watch within just a couple of miles from us.
Even today, Nauvoo insiders (even “non-members” of the Church) say, “We don’t know what it is with the Mormons … The pageant never gets rained out!” And it’s true!
We all remember one rain night with the “City of Joseph”. The night had again happened as described above. This was the final night of the show, and this meant that we needed to “strike the set” (take everything down) after the show. This made for a very long evening. Anyway, on this occasion, the skies were cloudy and there was a threat of rain but it held off.
“Old Blue” Semi Trailer – Still in use in 2024!
We finished our tasks – which included putting all of the tech stuff lights, sound systems, etc.) into “Old Blue” the church’s semi-trailer that goes around to all of the pageants. (We became good friends with “Old Blue” as it came to all of the Mesa Pageants that we were a part of. It was like an old friend.) Anyway, we completed our strike and literally, the second after the doors of Old Blue were shut, there was an absolute deluge of rain. We all got a free bath that night! (But we rejoiced in the Lord for this great blessing and miracle that we experienced together!)
SHEDDING THE PAGEANT FUZZ
Many or most of the pageant men took advantage of the opportunity to show their manhood by growing a pageant beard. That is, of course, every man’s dream. (Though many women – including my mother – can be vocal about the evils of such …) And I was no exception! I love growing beards and I must say, I can grow a pretty good one. It has often been the envy of many a brother who has seen the beards. It was great fun to grow a pageant beard.
But sadly, all good things must end … And that was the case with the pageant. Even this glorious and wonderful event had to come to a close. And after the pageant ended, it was time to get back to reality – to the “here and now”. As I had done many times after cast service in the Arizona Temple Easter “Jesus the Christ” Pageant, I hosted a “beard shaving party” for the true men of the “City of Joseph” cast. Many men loved this idea, and they joined us for the grand event.
We gathered to a central place at our Camp Nauvoo and at the specified time – late at night after the final show – and after “striking the set” (taking down everything and putting it all away). I provided many treats for the occasion and others brought goodies, too. It was party time!
We all hammed it up! We would let the women shave off parts of the beard and we would all go for the same look – and with each new look, we would take more photos. This proceeded until the beard was fully cut off – exposing a new shade of whiteness under the intense tan of the upper face – gained from long practices in the sun. We each had to tweak our own face a bit more – with a closer razor to fully take the remaining fuzz off.
It was a guy thing … And we all played it to the hilt and loved every manhood moment of it!
THE PAGEANT WAS LIKE A 3-WEEK YOUTH CONFERENCE
Words cannot adequately express the joy of each pageant experience – and especially in a summary reading such as this. Suffice it to say that there was some kind of activity going on every minute. There was never a dull moment. There were classes, activities, programs, and events for each person, family, and age group.
Suffice it to say, it was like a giant EFY experience that went for three weeks. The only difference was that it included all youth but also siblings, and parents – and new friends – all participating and enjoying every minute of it.
GRATITUDE TO THE LORD FOR GREAT BLESSINGS IN PAGEANT PARTICIPATION
Our pageant experience was truly one of the greatest experiences that we ever had with our children and family. We all still talk of it (even 27/28) years later. Doing this was one of the best things that we ever did for our family.
As we returned from our 1996 pageant experience, I reflected upon the many blessings that we had experienced from the Lord and through our pageant journey. Though tired, I took the much late night time to recount those blessings in a journal entry – written on the day of our return to reality – August 12, 1996
SO MANY MEMORIES TO SHARE
This has become a rather large or long blog article, and I could go on forever expounding on the glorious events of those special pageant days. I have just touched on some of the highlights of our experiences but there is so much more. I cannot specifically mention all of the great times (as Book of Mormon writers said, “I cannot include even a hundredth part of what happened”. I recorded some 81 pages of journal writing about our 1996 experience (July 24 to August 12, 1996).
I have included a link here to my full journal writings of that time. And so, the really interested person (and especially my children and posterity) can see and experience with us all of the gory details. (And if you read something you should not – meaning some personal opinions of the writer, … act as if you have never read them.)
RETURNING FOR THE 1997 “CITY OF JOSEPH” CAST EXPERIENCE
We had so much fun in 1996 that we decided to do it all again in 1997. That too, was a grand and glorious experience. While some of the memories shared above also apply to 1997, there were many more different and fun times.
In 1997 we could not afford to take the train again. Sadly, we had to resort to driving. Our 15-passenger van was literally packed to the gills. I don’t think we could have put another sock into the mix. In a stroke of genius, we bagged use of suitcases (literally). They were just too big and bulky. We resorted to the use of large garbage bags for everything – since they were “fluid” and “squishable” and we could compress them into every available inch and corner.
The trip (both directions) was long and arduous … but so worth every effort.
A special part of the 1997 pageant experience was that we were joined in the cast by my long-time missionary companion and friend, Elder Shaltes, and his family. At our urging, they applied for and became a part of the cast. They made the trek from their Sacramento, California home. It was super great hanging out with them reliving old experiences and enjoying new fun times together.
The Shaltes Family
(Elders) Hunt and Shaltes in front of “The Red Barn” Home where they had lived as missionaries together 22 years previously
Again, I journaled the entire experience and will include the link here. There is some extraneous stuff in the entries leading up to departure day, but much of it talks of the preparations needed to make the trip. To avoid all of this, you can, to use a printing term, (John Taylor Print Shop), and just “cut to the chase” and go direct to the entry beginning July 23. (Same reading and forgetting rules as noted for 1996!)
Each pageant experience was wonderful and glorious and though we would have loved to have returned year after year, we had to face reality. Time and money would not always realign, it was hard to get off work for the required time, plus our kids’ school years began earlier and earlier (early August) so we had to be grateful for the two pageant experiences we had, and move on … to let some other families have the same experiences.
REVISITING “CAMP NAUVOO” AS SENIOR MISSIONARIES
I have noted that our family were privileged to be housed in a large “bunkhouse” room at Camp Nauvoo when we were here in Nauvoo in the “City of Joseph” pageant. We had a grand time with the many other pageant families. We became friends with many with whom we shared time and memories for many years. Those were great times. The journal entries detail many of those great times (at the dining hall, doing service, teens hanging out at the “water bubbler”, activities, and just being and sharing together).
Still holding to those memories of long ago, it was fun to go with Sister Hunt’s brother, Brad and Kerry, to revisit Camp Nauvoo. Going back to the place was so fun. It was great to relive those memories. We walked the camp, visited the room where the 11 of us bunked, and of course, took a plethora of photos to share with the family.
SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS OF PAGEANT PARTICIPATION
Our family had the opportunity to serve in the cast of the Mesa Arizona Temple, “Jesus the Christ” pageant 12 times (over 20 years). This pageant cemented in our children their testimonies of our Lord, Jesus Christ as we walked and lived in the life of Jesus. These were glorious experiences, and they had a life-long profound effect upon the children.
Likewise, participating twice in the Nauvoo pageant had a deep and abiding influence on the children – relative to Joseph Smith – as the Lord’s prophet. Being in the pageant brought special feelings of the Prophet to each of the children.
Our daughter, Jenae, summed it up as she was on her mission and was studying about Jesus and Joseph. She talked of her testimony of both as she wrote her mother and me: “I think a big part of that testimony was because of our experiences in both the Nauvoo and the Easter “Jesus the Christ” pageants. I decided that those were the best experiences that you gave all of us – as those two subjects are so important in the Gospel and our testimonies. It was probably one of the greatest preparations for serving a mission and in helping us develop a testimony of these teachings for ourselves.”
“I continue to learn that my testimony is strengthened because I have experienced for myself a small portion of Joseph Smith’s life and Christ’s life through both pageants. My testimony of them is more solid because I got to experience their lives somewhat. So, thank you for taking the time, money and effort to allow us to participate in both pageants.”
Our daughter, Kaylea, years later, also expressed her feelings and memories of pageant participation – along with how the pageant strengthened her testimony of the Restored Gospel.
“Being in the Nauvoo pageant for two years gave me some of the most memorable times of my life. It was a pivotal time in my life when I was building my own testimony of the church. Being able to walk the same streets that our Prophet walked and learning about all the pioneers was so special. I grew to love the Prophet Joseph Smith and all the sacrifices he made to bring the church back for us all. My testimony really grew so much! Being in the pageant almost made me feel like I was back in time. Being all dressed up in time period clothes was so fun!! And I made so many friends. There is a special spirit in Nauvoo that you just can’t feel anywhere. I’m so grateful my Dad made sure we had that opportunity to be in the pageant. It really made me understand and appreciate how the church was restored and all the sacrifices the saints made for us. I will never forgot my time in Nauvoo and the memories I made there. It will always hold a very special place in my heart.”
Being Pageant participants – and the adventures getting there and back – and being on stage were some of our greatest times. They were definitely fun times. But, beyond the fun times and the adventure or it all, it was also a time filled with the Spirit – the Holy Ghost. We felt His Spirit with us in all that we did – in our travels, in our activities, the practices, the associationj with others of the pageant “covenant community” and in our witness through our performances. We felt the Lord’s guidance and protection in our preparations, the trips, and in the performances.
Being in the Nauvoo Pageant was one of the greatest blessings that we ever experienced as a family. We had also served a dozen times (over 20 years) in the “Jesus The Christ” Easter Pageant at the Mesa, Arizona Temple. The Easter Pageant cemented in the children, a love for and an abiding testimony in our Lord Jesus Christ. And being in the Nauvoo Pageant solidified in each of them a burning testimony of the Joseph Smith as the Lord’s Prophet of the Restoration. Together, these various pageant experiences had a great impact upon our children and their testimonies of today.
We have been able to witness the pageants several times this year and we can readily see why the Church stages these performances – for both the cast participants as well as the thousands of visitors who see the performances through each season. It is definitely worth coming and doing!
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NAUVOO PAGEANTS IN 2025
Sadly, all good things must end – and the 2024 Pageants will soon be history. But now, we can look forward to the possibility of experiencing the Nauvoo Pageants again in 2025.
The pageants next year – 2025 – will be staged from JULY 8 THROUGH AUGUST 2ND. Mark your calendars and start planning time and finances so that you might be able to make the trip. Sister Hunt and I would be happy to welcome you here in beautiful Nauvoo. And remember that the pageants are staged on alternate nights – so plan to attend both.
Happy to be on stage on the wonderful and historic trail of Old Nauvoo. 9
It’s not just Sister Hunt and me. It is a thing with all of the Nauvoo Missionaries – no matter what kind of missionary he/she may be. We all find ourselves REJOICING IN NAUVOO MIRACLES. And it is definitely a very real thing for us here in Nauvoo. We all experience them every day. It is amazing and wonderful. We know that these miracles are guided and orchestrated by a higher power – one greater than any of us. And the results come off better than any of us could possibly have imagined– even if we thought hard about them.
In my first blog, written after we got here to Nauvoo, I commented on the amazing church meetings of our missionary “ward”. We have nearly 300 missionaries serving here together in various roles and support functions. It is so great to attend each Sunday – and to feel of the strength and power of each person in the vast audience. Each one contributes their own skills and talents – for our “covenant community” and it is wonderful how everything comes together.
In a recent Sacrament meeting, our Mission President (Mission Leader), President Daniel S. Mehr was conducting. He noted a recent interview that he had held with a “YSM” (Young Sister Missionary). They talked about Nauvoo Miracles. I guess she had at first, been skeptical of the concept, but has come to be a believer. He then invited each of us, as we partook of the Sacrament that day, to ponder the Nauvoo Miracles that we have each experienced, and to thank our Savior for those miracles. I did that, and it was a great experience. It was special to reflect – and to acknowledge the true source of those many miracles – the influence of The Spirit and the work of Christ (or the Godhead) in our behalf.
Almost no day passes but what we do feel of Their love and Their guidance in creating these miracles, or making them come to pass for us. Many of those miracles involve PEOPLE and our connections with them. And the connections are just so fun. We are always amazed and grateful in our moments of surprise and wonder.
In that same sacrament meeting, a NPM (Nauvoo Performing Missionary), Elder Josh Call, inspired me as he said, “The Lord is very willing to bless the lives of those who are willing to bless the lives of others.” Maybe that is why we have been so great blessed in our connections with so many people here. Or maybe better, that can be an ongoing goal for us.
ALREADY RECOUNTED MANY MIRACLES IN BLOGS
In my many previous blogs, I think that I have already recorded many Nauvoo Miracles. We have felt the Nauvoo Miracles before we arrived – in our preparation and travels to get here. And we have certainly experienced them since our arrival. I acknowledge the Lord in all of these miracles. I try to be grateful each day – and to recognize that these special blessings – or miracles come to us froma God who loves us..
I had an interesting conversation with a friend a month or so ago. He said that he likes my blogs because they are positive (and I didn’t say it – but probably because I write about the miracles). He has traveled the world, but he says that he is too “literal” and often cannot enjoy the beauty and wonder of the moment because he gets side-tracked to start over-analyzing things – thinking to himself, “I don’t think this is the right place” or “I don’t think it could happened like that.” Funny that he admitted that he has this problem and recognizes the effects of such a behavior. This look at the world keeps him from seeing the miracles around him.
THE MIRACLE OF JUST BEING IN NAUVOO
Just being here in Nauvoo is a miracle. When we were preparing our mission application paperwork, we ultimately removed all preferences and said that we would go wherever needed and for as long as needed. We had not even thought about being sent to Nauvoo. But it was exciting when we received our mission calls to serve in Nauvoo as site guides. As already noted, Sister Hunt’s parents had served here for two and a half years (and I have written about them). And I had served in Nauvoo for the last six months of my mission (another Nauvoo miracle) a hundred years (or half of that) ago.
And how cool is that – to get to come back to serve in my original mission – and with my own companion? Who gets that opportunity? I feel so blessed!
This has proved to be a special miracle and one which I have often been able to talk about while here (though not in the script). As people hear the story, they too, think it a miracle to be back here.
LEARNING FROM THE BEST – MY DAD – THE ULTIMATE PEOPLE CONNECTOR
In our work in the tours, we get to meet a plethora of people. They come from all over the country (and even the world). (And as a sidenote … I log each night the number of people we hosted on our own personal tours that day. And thus far – in just 3 months, we have personally taken through 5,917 people! Unbelievable!) As we greet people, we tell them we are from Maricopa, Arizona … and then we are quick to add “And, that is the TOWN of Maricopa and NOT the Maricopa County and their election woes that you have heard about”. (And it is funny how many people have heard of those woes … and Sheriff Arpaio and his pink underwear … we see it in their reactions). We then ask them where they are from – as a way to develop a common bond or connection with them.
This is a trait that I actually learned from a lifetime of being with my dad, Russel F. Hunt. He was the absolute ultimate best at making such connections with people. It was almost a joke in our family. We teased him saying that he could take off in a car going anywhere, and within minutes, he would find someone with whom he had common ground or connections – and could even find a place to stay anytime – using those same skills. He was truly the master connector. I have been grateful for his training as I have been here in Nauvoo.
NAUVOO RESTORATION – A WITNESS OF THEN AND NOW
One Nauvoo Miracle about me returning to my former mission is that I have been able
to see history in action. In my Blog #9 I shared a link https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1bRVa8rnQdY9YmBRA8AVDuAS5NeXgwsGA/edit#slide=id.p10 (that I have also printed in a book). In these presentations, I shared a multitude of photos taken 100 years ago (50) when I was here in 1974. And now back on the mission all of those years later, I share in the presentation/book, what various homes looked like then and today – comparing the two eras. This is a rare Nauvoo Miracle that few other folks could create.
THREE HUNT COUSINS
At the MTC, we were surprised to learn that there were three Hunt couples reporting there at the same time. We all reported on April 1st – no joke! We had not known each other previously, but a check on “Relatives” proved that we are all 3rd cousins – all from different sons of a common 3rd great grandfather. It has been so fun to associate at the MTC and since.
It has been fun to share our “cousins” story with many visitors. We hear all of the time from visitors, “Oh, so, you’re one of the other Hunts”. Evidently, they have seen our cousins as they have been teamsters with the folks on their rides. Some have already heard our story from the cousins, and some get to hear it from us.
DUNN FAMILY VISITORS
As you already know, Sister Hunt and I live in the historic home first owned by Simeon A. Dunn. He built the first 2-story home in Nauvoo and even the Prophet Joseph enjoyed the view with him from the 2nd story. Anyway, the home is original on the outside, but we have modern guts inside. (Glad we have indoor plumbing and electricity.)
Anyway, we’re finding that being a Dunn family descendant is quite the thing. I guess years ago, per some of our visitors, the Church invited Dunn family members to contribute to the restoration of their ancestral home – and many did.
Now all of these years later, the Dunn family members have spread the word – the tradition of the Nauvoo home. And when any Dunnite gets here, they all want to check out the family home.
We can always spot a Dunn descendant. They drive up to the front of the house and they sit there in awe in their vehicles. Some will snap a quick shot out of the front car window. They are a dead giveaway. On such occasions, we always hurry outside and invite the folks in to see the house. The folks are always in awe of a rather small and plain-looking living room and kitchen. In this room, we do point out the boarded-up area where the fireplace would have existed.
We take them up the stairs to the rather normal – L-shaped bedroom (complete with a “dressing area” – where we have a rack with our many Nauvoo costumes). The three old dressers – with mirrors – are kind of unique but are likely not “of the period”. The bathroom is just like any other. But, with all of these “unique features”, the folks are just in awe and act so excited and grateful to see their Dunn home.
We then take our guests down into the cellar. Here it gets a bit more interesting. The whole basement has been plastered so it does not look at all 1845’ish. We do show them the original limestone fireplace foundation and they all think that this is so cool. Then our final “Wow” is the stairs that exit up from the basement to the world above (and I think I’ve shared a photo of this in a previous blog). The steps are the original limestone – as are the rocks that line the sides. Folks always get a kick out of getting a photo of themselves coming up out of the cellar (with the photo being taken from up top, and looking down).
And then, our final act is to invite them to sign the Dunn family book. This becomes a ceremonial treat as they sign their name – just as many Dunns have been doing – since 1982. I always get a laugh at their entries – as they each try to explain how “great” they are (meaning how many generations down they are from the legendary Simeon A. Dunn). Then most folks want a “real” photo out front with the sign (without fear that they will be discovered out on our lawn).
In the short time that we have been in the Dunn home, we have had seven or so different families who have met the above qualifications and with whom we have shared the home. Being the Nauvoo Miracle for these folks is always fun as we experience how overjoyed they are with the experience and the home.
COMPLETION OF BOOKS ABOUT MY GRANDPARENTS
My grandparents, Ray V. and Augusta Wilcox Hunt were married on June 25, 1924. A few months ago I realized that we would be celebrating (June 25, 2024) their 100th wedding anniversary. I realized then that I wanted to create a commemorative book on their lives and the great family legacy which they built.
Before my mission, I was able to create much of the book (which turned into two large volumes). I tried to finish the books before the mission but it just didn’t happen. There was too much to do.
Along with everything else, I was able to complete the writing and editing of the two books. I was able to publish them for all of my family to enjoy. This was a Nauvoo Miracle for me.
I was pleased recently, when my Aunt Mary Ann wrote me and had me order 6 copies of each of the books.
MY TALLAHASSEE MISSION HOME
A couple of years I created a rather extensive autobiography (of 21 volumes so far). In those books, I tried to recreate my whole life with all of the details that I could put together. I found photos of much of my lifetime. I was sad then that I could not locate any photos of the mission home of my young mission. I served in Tallahassee, Florida. I knew the mission home well. I was an office elder missionary so we were at the mission home with President Spencer H. Osborn frequently. I helped mow his yard. I played with the President at his favorite game of ping-pong in his garage. We often attended special gatherings there to welcome new missionaries and to hear departing missionaries share their final mission testimonies. I looked through all of my “stuff” and files and could not find the desired photo. It has been lamentable, ever since.
Then just a couple of weeks ago, Sister Hunt and I were serving in the Scovil Bakery for the day. A family – parents and married daughter came for a tour. As ever, we asked them where they were from. I was elated when they said that they were from Tallahassee. We talked of the new temple that is set for dedication in December of this year. We talked of the several wards in “Tally” – well beyond just the one or two wards when I was there. We talked of my mission president Osborn and the mom of the family said that she had been a teenager in the Tallahassee stake when President Libbert was the stake president, and her own father was a counselor to him.
I then told the folks, the Long family, that I had one mission regret – that I did not get a photo of our Mission Home. I was not prepared for their response. They said, “Well, we bought the home after the Church decided to sell it (after the mission was closed). And we LIVE IN IT,” they said! Wow! I was in shock. Talk about a Nauvoo Miracle!
The mom did not have a photo, but her daughter did. She quickly pulled up the desired photo on her phone. She sent it to me on my phone immediately. I was so happy! What an amazing miracle!
NEWMAN BRICK YARD MEMORIES AND MORE AT THE SCOVIL BAKERY
Just moments before the meeting with the Tallahassee folks, Sister Hunt got her own surprise miracle. She has been collecting information – anything and everything – about the brickyard that her father created when a missionary here in Nauvoo. She wanted to know what his place looked like – and which is no longer there.
A Newman couple came in and somehow the subject of the brickyard came up in the conversation. They told us that they had both – individually before their marriage – been to the brickyard. Each of them had specific memories of the Belcher brickyard that they shared with us. The lady thought that she might have some photos. She promised to go home to seek photos. Another Nauvoo miracle.
And that same day, we had a visit from some Hunt family members. had fun tgalking with them.
He said where he was from, and I said, “So, who is your grandfather?” Again, I got that funny stare … He said that his grandfather is Edward Hunt. I said, “Is that Edward Loren Hunt?” He said, “Yes”. Then I said, “Okay, then who is your father.” When he said, “Jay”, I then knew his genealogy. His father and my grandfather were “distant cousins”. My grandfather’s dad was the oldest of 15 children and Edward was the youngest of the 15.
Then to the surprise of this Bryce Hunt, I told him that I used to go deer hunting for many years with his father – and his older brother and sister – at the annual traditional HUNTing expedition at the old Hunt hunting grounds (where six generations of our family hunted). This guy was the youngest of the family so I never knew him at the Hunt camp. So, this Bryce and I are first cousins – twice removed. Another Nauvoo Miracle.
NOT WAITING ON THESE NAUVOO WOMEN
Sister Hunt and I work with about 75 different YSM’s (Young Sister Missionaries) here in Nauvoo. They live in various places – usually with 6-8 sisters (a district) in one house. I am sure that they have plenty of sleeping area but with that number of women, no number of bathrooms – and current bushes (for all of those curling irons) could ever be enough.
We talked of the miracle of these Sisters all getting work on time. We start at each site at 9:00 AM and are supposed to arrive at the site by 8:45. Most of these sisters have a car for the district. So, one companionship asre the drivers and they have to drop off two other sets – at some other places. And somehow, they are always on time. Wow!
Having a wife and six daughters, I have come to know and sympathize with the trauma of the guy who sings, the country song, “Waiting on a Woman”. I can attest to that. I have much experience in that area. I can only imagine what a true miracle this really is for these Sisters here in Nauvoo.
MUCH NEEDED COMPUTER HELP
With all of my writing and typing, I literally and completely wore out a computer. Many of the keys would not even work. This was traumatic – since the old computer was not all that old. But, I guess thousands of documents took its toll.
I ordered a new computer and this was exciting. Then came a new problem, however. I know how to use and abuse a computer – with a hundred files open simultaneously … but Iam not and have never been a “tech guy”.
Here in Nauvoo, there is a team of computer “tech guys” who have expressed willingness to help any of the mjissionaries with their computer needs. Wow! I was so happy with Elder Mills offered to assist me. He has spent a few hours trying to get the new system set up and all of my 130,000 files (over 20 years) and 30,000 photos backed up – on a large storage drive – as well where they need to be on the new computer.
Talk about a Nauvoo Miracle. This is a special miracle in my behalf and I am so grateful for his expertise and assistance. Thanks, Elder Mills!
A MESA CONNECTION TO THE LOCAL OWNER OF ANNIE’S CUSTARD SHOP
It was a summer evening, and we needed a treat. We usually go for ice cream bricks at the Red Front, but on this occasion, we decided to try Annie’s Custard – located across the street from Red. We got to talking to the proprietor of the place and learned that she is from Mesa, Arizona. Further conversation proved that she is a granddaughter of Oakley Ray – the patriarch of the great family – of a dozen children and 88 or so grandchildren. We talked of how all of the family men wore a bolo tie to Oakley’s funeral. (I think he was age 101!) We talked of Delwyn Ray – (whom Sister Hunt and I have both known for many years). He and his wife are her aunt and uncle. So fun!
Like so many shop owners here in Nauvoo, she felt “driven” of the Spirit to open up a shop here. That is the story told by many of these folks here.
UNPLANNED BRICKYARD VISIT
Some Nauvoo Miracles happened on June 6th as we were serving at the Orson Hyde Home. I have already written much of that day in previous blogs (the Field family descendants and Mary – “The Last Leaf”.) I quote from the journal entry for that date: “Lou lost her white hair piece somewhere in our travels today. She wanted to go to try to find it. We headed out. We got detoured, however, as we passed the old Belcher Brickyard and saw several cars there.
We decided to stop to see what was happening there. We found Elder Bundy – the site coordinator – there giving a demonstration to one of the mission districts. We almost left – since they are not our district, but Sister Bundy came running out and invited us in. We loved hearing some details of how they create the Belcher brick in the current brick making center. This was all great material.
We were glad that we “happened” to go by the brick yard at just the right time. This proved to be a “blessing.”
MORE MIRACLES THAT BEGAN AT THE RED BRICK STORE
Our first visitors on a day at Joseph’s Red Brick Store were the Watsons from Thomasville, Georgia. This is near Tifton – one of my mission areas. We loved the Suth’an accent of the folks (a couple and their adult son.) We talked about Tifton, Georgis where I served. I asked them if they know Blaine Pearce. He was a teen when I was there – and I think (per my journals of the day) that he and I were pretty good friends. I know that he and his family went with me on a picnic and spent most of the day together on the day that I was transferred from Tifton to Birmingham (50 years ago last week – where did that time go?)
The Watsons did, in fact, know Blaine Pearce, recently released as stake president – and a currently a member of the planning committee for the new Tallahassee Temple. And they had his contact information – which they shared with me.
I wrote text and e-mail messages to this Blaine. He soon responded – expressing that he was glad I had written to him. After a few days, Blaine and I (and his mother – whom I also knew) were able to connect over a video conference call. We talked for over an hour. It was such fun to connect with Blaine and to talk of our lives (and other ward members) over the past 50 years. Another Nauvoo Miracle!
Then as our Jackie and family were here, we arranged for us to stage an “after hours” tour just for them and us at the Red Brick Store. They showed up at the appointed hour as we were closing the place. We ushered in Jackie and family. I was closing the door and a youngish couple came running to join us. I could not shut the door on them. I welcomed them in and told them about our private tour we were going to have with our children. They acted as if that did not matter. They really wanted the tour – so I told them we would “adopt them into our family”. They thought this could be great.
They joined us for our best tour as we gave many extra details we do not give to everyone who comes. This Miller couple really ate it all up. They were excited about everything.
After the tour – as Sister Hunt and the family cleaned up the store’s “upper room”, I went outside as promised to share with and point out to them- the many historic properties which recently came to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Community of Christ. They were in awe.
As we talked, somehow the Hancock family came up in conversation. He was the one who mentioned them as his ancestors. I then shook his hand and said, “Hey, we are cousins”. This really caught him by surprise. We then talked of our common family connection. I was able to share with him a lot of information about Thomas Hancock – who died along the way to the Salt Lake Valley. I talked of the Hancock connection to Yelrome (the Morley Settlement). He was very happy about all of this information. It was so fun to have this connection with these special folks.
The Millers also joined us for our next family tour at the Lyon Drug Store (since we were on the subject of “stores” in Nauvoo).
We had three people who came from the country of India. They were not on our tour, but we talked extensively outside before their tour. The guy is the pioneer but has been a member for over 20 years. He went on a mission. The couple spoke very good English. They are looking forward to the construction of a newly announced temple that will be near them. After their tour, she stood by the sign for the place and her husband did a video taping of her essentially talking back the tour that she had just experienced. A very cool experience for me to watch. Great folks!
We took through a very large group of about 37 people. I began their tour outside – because a Spanish tour was going on inside. In the Red Brick Store tour, we talk about Joseph Smith’s prophesy called, “The Standard of Truth”. As I present this, I alwayslook for one or more former missionaries who might have recited the Standard – on their missions – and then I invite them to stand up and recite the Standard “with GUSTO”. On this tour, I very surprised when about 20 people on the tour knew the Standard and they all recited it together. They were absolutely magnificent.
We ended the day with a small group of only 6 people. One couple on the tour were named Robison. They were on their way home from a mission in Richmond, Virginia. They descend from Lewis Robison from the Nauvoo era. I had done a lot of research on this guy – as he is an ancestor of Brother Tyler Wright of our Pacana Park Ward. I shared this information with him – including photos of the existing beautiful structure. They were fascinated with all of this information.
GRATEFUL FOR UNPLANNED CONNECTION MIRACLES
My Aunt Mary Ann wrote me a note. She asked us to look for a young Sister Rivas. She said that this sister is from the country of Spain, but was a recent friend to Mary Ann’s family. I told her that with the number of Young Sister Missionaries, I did not know when we might find her.
The day after her note to me, we thought that we were to work at the John Taylor Print Shop. We reported there for duty and got ourselves all set up for the day. Then two young sister missionaries came in and were surprised to find us there. W learned from them that our assignment for the day was to change at the last minute to be elsewhere.
We were surprised that one of the sisters was this Sister Rivas that we were supposed to locate. Had we not been there by mistake, it would have been a while before we would meet her. Interesting. we took a photo and I shipped it off to aunt Mary Ann.
FROM ONE WRITER TO ANOTHER
On a personal note: As a writer, I do my best to write and to share good (or better) material for audiences to read and to enjoy. This has long been my goal and ambition. I love writing and hope that I am having a positive impact through my writing.
A couple of weeks ago, we were serving at the John Taylor Home and Print Shop. John Taylor was the editor of the local “Nauvoo Neighbor” newspaper and the “Times and Seasons” church magazine. I have been in awe of his writing prowess. I have idolized the writing efforts and expertise of John Taylor. John knew the Prophet, Joseph Smith, intimately and personally. I enjoyed reading to visitors about Joseph’s confidence in John’s writing.
He said, “I believe you can do more good in the editorial department than preaching. You can write for thousands to read; while you can preach to but a few at a time.”
I do not think that my writing is my full mission, but love that it can be a major part of my mission ministry. I liked the acknowledgement of the writing function by Joseph Smith.
THE PALMERS OF MESA, ARIZONA
Thirty years ago, we lived in the Mesa 20th Ward in west Mesa around Westwood High school. We knew David and Kathy Palmer and their large family well. We then had eight (of nine children) and they had 10. We had much in common. Over the years, we have seen the Palmers at various sports and other activities – even after we moved from Mesa (a different house) and then to Maricopa – where we now live.
The Palmers are currently serving as Nauvoo Temple missionaries – where he is a sealer. We had heard before our Nauvoo arrival (from their son-in-law – our dermatologist) that we were all to be in Nauvoo together. We were anxious to connect with them again. It took a couple of weeks before we first connected with them, but now we see them everywhere – and it is so fun. Their daughter (who is the age of one of ours) was here with her family and they came to the missionary Country Fair (that I talked of in my last blog). I had forgotten who her husband is, but when I saw him, we both knew we had shared Scouting experiences together in that old ward.
Sister Palmer had not known or had forgotten, that we have a family connection that goes back almost a hundred years. Our families both lived in the little town of Fairview, Utah. My mother, as a child, was friends to her two older sisters, Carolyn Biggs and Anita Farnsworth (now both in their 90’s) . And in fact, her father, Max Cox, was the 4th grade school teacher to my mother. And then somehow her family and my mother all ended up in Mesa, Arizona.
SACRAMENT ADMINISTRATION
Helping to administer the Sacrament is always a great opportunity for any Priesthood man. Sacrament administration is typically a function (at least nowadays) is generally a role completed by young Aaronic Priesthood brethren.
Two weeks in a row, I was able to assist in passing the sacrament. The first was in our Missionary “Ward”. The second was in the newly formed “Nauvoo Visitors’ Branch” (which holds meetings at the Nauvoo Stake Center. And in both situations, I was invited to pass the sacrament to the presiding authority and others on the stand. This was a great honor. I thought of the words of Joseph Smith who once said, “It was my privilege to administer the emblems of the Lord’s sascrifice.”
And speaking of the Nauvoo Visitors’ Branch … This branch was started as a service to the many folks who find themselves in Nauvoo over a Sunday. And it is an effort to keep the Nauvoo Ward meetings and ward somewhat normalized. And so, a branch just for visitors was formed. It meets at 8 AM – before the other two wards in the chapel. It is interesting that the branch only has three official members – and they are the Branch presidency. Branch leaders never know how many people to expect for their meetings. One week they had 200 people in attendance. And another Sunday, they had 450 people.
In preparing the sacrament for the visitors, we (senior missionaries) prepare 16 sacrament trays. Half of those are set up on a table in the cultural hall (with one central blessing on the bread and water).
SPECIAL INSIGHTS OF THE HOLY GHOST
Yesterday when we were at the Temple City Tour, – in the home of William Weeks, the Temple, architect, I was reading the Temple vision quote by Joseph Smith. He said that he had “seen in vision the splendid appearance of building illuminated”. As Lou and I talked to a couple of missionaries, I was impressed of the Spirit to realize Joseph never saw the Temple completed. And in those days, the people had only lighting by candle power. And that power would not have been sufficient to have illuminated the outside of the building. The Temple would not have been lit up and illuminated until after 2002 when the Temple was restored in our day. I realized that this was a great miracle – for him – and for us as we now ponder that thought. Wow! This was amazing and wonderful.
THE LORD ORCHESTRATES MANY PEOPLE FOR US TO CONNECT WITH – OFTEN DAILY
Sister Hunt (and all of our children who learn of the situations) are amazed at the many people whom the Lord puts in our paths for us to connect with through our tours. These are such fun connections. And it is interesting to see the circumstances under which the connections are orchestrated. Many come after some kind of “random” incident that involves changes in schedules or planned circumstances.
A FamilySearch Connection at the Orson Hyde Home
We had a group come to us – as parents of Elder Call, a Nauvoo Performing Missionary – at the Orson Hyde home. I learned that Brother Call works for FamilySearch. Before I came on this mission, I served a two-and-a-half year service mission writing and editing blogs and doing fact-checking for FamilySearch. (I was one of the two first ever missionaries (that we know of) that were called as fact checking missionaries.
When I learned that Brother Call works for FamilySearch, I asked him if he knows Paul Nauta. Paul is one of the greatest of men and it was my privilege to participate in weekly spiritual devotionals with Paul. Brother Call, did know Paul and is a good friend to him. Together we called Paul and showed Brother Call and me there thinking of him.
Tiffany – Friend and former roommate of our Marinda
Marinda told ahead of time that Tiffany, her former Snow College Roommate and friend was coming to Nauvoo and wanted to see us. We did not know how or when we would connect. The moment came as we were giving a tour at the Joseph Smith Homestead. Tiffany and her husband, Dave, “happened” to find us as we made an exit with our group from the Joseph Smith Homestead. She and her children joined our group. Then at the end of the tour, her husband joined us. We got photos and reminisced about old times – when they came to visit us in Arizona – even before they were married.
Jane Manning Actor
Again, at the Homestead/Mansion House tour, we had special guests. A lady “of color” was a part of our group as we told the story of Jane Manning – the free black woman who came against all odds to Nauvoo – some 800 miles from Connecticut where she was baptized – to be with the Saints in Nauvoo. Our guest had been an actress who had many times portrayed Jane in drama productions. She was able to give us great insight into Jane and her special story.
Joseph’s Own Desk
In the Mansion House parlor, we happily point out the beautiful desk that once personally belonged to the Prophet Joseph Smith. He had this desk at his home in Kirtland and it somehow survived through many moves and trauma between Ohio, Missouri, and Nauvoo. That is a miracle in itself.
This amazing desk (where Joseph likely received and recorded scripture) has been on display for years in the Mansion House. A few years ago, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints borrowed the desk from the Community of Christ organization. Our craftsmen carefully took the desk apart and part by part, they created an exact duplication of the desk. The duplicated copy was placed in the newly restored Joseph and Emma Smith home in Kirtland.
And then on March 5th of this year, the original desk (in the Mansion House) transferred ownership from the Community of Christ to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. So now, our Church has both the original and the duplicated desk.
And I just learned that Levi Ward Hancock my great uncle (actually several greats) – was the builder of the original desk. (Levi was a brother to Clarissa Hancock Alger, my ancestor). How cool is that?
We were talking about the desk in a tour last week and a family on the tour had just been to Kirtland. They saw the duplicated desk and heard the same story that we have been telling – including the part that Levi Ward Hancock played in it.
Heath – A great missionary friend of our Rusty
Rusty wrote us saying that Heath and family were coming to Nauvoo and that they wanted to see us. Heath and Rusty were missionary companions in Brazil. And after Heath and family moved to Arizona, we have had many wonderful gatherings at our home – and that of Rusty – where Heath and family have been present. Heath has been almost like an additional son to me and his kids as if they were my grandchildren.
Heath and family did make it to town and managed to find us as we served at the Lyon Drug store. It was so great seeing them.
Windsor P. Lyon Home in 1975
Lyon Drug Store – After Restoration – 2024
And speaking of the Lyon Drug Store, I had just been reading in my journal of times on my original youth mission. I was elated there to read that my first night spent in Nauvoo – after my transfer here – was actually in the Lyon Drug Store – before its restoration to its current glory.
Enterprise Visitor was Home Teacher to Uncle Dale
We seem to get a lot of visitors from the Southern Utah city of Enterprise, Utah – where my grandparents raised their 13 children – out on the farm homestead on the Beryl desert (17 miles north of Enterprise). Enterprise is a rather small community and usually folks there are all related rather closely. And so, with each introduction wherein an Enterprise resident comes forth, I immediately want to do “Relatives Around Me” to learn our connection. And they always come through! We always have a close degree of cousin relationship.
I met one such cousin at the Pendleton School House – outside – before the tour. I asked this “cousin” if he knew my dad’s sister, Evaline, and husband Marvin Bracken. I was pleased to learn that Marvin was his 3rd grade school teacher. (And this connection came at the Pendleton School House!)
At a sacrament meeting, I ended up sitting by a brother Schill – who is from Enterprise and who is in the local stake presidency. He knew Marv and Evaline – who still live near the old Hunt family farm – and who now attend church in the nearby village of New Castle.
A Young Sister Missionary, Sister Chambers and I learned that we are 2nd cousins once removed.
Another brother – whom I also met at the Mansion House, was a home teacher to my Uncle Dale – may dad’s younger brother. He replied that he had been the home teacher to Uncle Dale for quite some time. We shared memories of Dale (now deceased).
Photo of Stoddard Tin Shop on my Mission
In the Stoddard Tin Shop, there has been displayed a really bad photo of the place 50 years ago – before restoration on the building. The photo is included in our tour. I looked in my slides of 1974 and I found a much better photo of the ruins of the former tin shop.
THE BLACK FAMILY FROM MORGAN, UTAH – AND TERRY ALLEN
At the Blacksmith Shop, I met the Black family from the town of Morgan, Utah. I served Morgan County and Stake when I was a newlywed professional with the Boy Scouts of America (in the Ogden Lake Bonneville Council). He told me about the death of Milan Mecham a Scouting friend from those former times. I had reconnected with Milan not too long before his death
I asked Brother Black if he knew Terry Allen – the former Morgan High school principal. And of course, he did. I could not resist telling the story of my early association with Terry. And I invite interested parties to check out an article which I wrote about Terry – and included in one of my Scouting books. Here is the link:
I did not know the brother Hansen who came to participate in the many activities at the Family Living Center. I found him milling around watching a bigger group. We talked and I learned that he is from the Arizona city of Lake Havasu City (the modern home of the London Bridge).
I said, I have a cousin who lives in lake Havasu. I mentioned that I did not know if my cousin attends church. I have not seen or talked to Sue Ann in years. He looked her up in his ward directory (he is on the high council). He quickly located her and learned that she is there – and even in his ward. He made a note and promised to visit her.
On another occasion at the Family Living Center, we were surprised when Jan and Jenna (mother and daughter) came in. Jan’s deceased husband was my son’s Scoutmaster – and long a family friend. Jenna walked in and saw me in the entry waiting to greet new guests. She was only a little girl when I last saw her, but she immediately recognized me. She ran and gave me a big hug. Later in the day, she returned with her mother, Jan.
And on still another Family Life Occasion, Sister Hunt was meeting and greeting visitors. A large family came in – with their 13 children. Bonnie and Spencer were very surprised to see Sister Hunt. They all recognized each other immediately. Sister Hunt brought the family to me as I was teaching rope making. I helped her family make rope as we renewed memories and caught up on the here and now.
A lady came to the Center – and was watching my rope making demonstration. The lady kept looking at me. Finally, she came up and asked if we are the parents of Jenae in O’Fallon, Illinois. She recognized us from when we have made a few visits to that town with our children – and attended church there. We all had good conversation.
Two different families came and recognized us from Maricopa. Both knew our daughter, Marinda and had been in current or former wards with her and Mike. We met these folks – in two unrelated groups the same day.
At the Family Living Center, there is a display of the former Belcher brickyard. The former learning center at the Brickyard kind of died an ignominious death during COVID – but the tour still talks of the brick yard and the process of making bricks. Sister Hunt has had several opportunities to share memories of her father and how he created the first tourist brick yard – and the famous Nauvoo brick – that is still given out to all who want it – at the Family Living Center and at the Visitors’ Center. The people always are amazed at Elder Belcher’s story – and kept alive by his missionary daughter today. They say, “That is so cool that you get to continue his legacy.” It is a pretty special Nauvoo Miracle.
ALLRED FRIENDS FROM IDAHO FALLS
I talked with Elder Wilson, a fellow Senior Missionary who is from Shelley, Idaho. I asked if he knows my son-in-law – who is now in Idaho Falls. This Elder Wilson was the high school teacher of our son-in-law and knows his grandfather, Merlyn Jolley, a long-time Shelley resident – and with whom we have shared many great family events.
At the home of Williams Weeks – the architect of the Nauvoo Temple, some folks came looking for us. We had a name mix-up but finally figured out the connection. It was the sister (and husband, Bro. Atkin) of our Lana’s father-in-Law, Delwin Allred – also from Idaho Falls. I guess they had heard that we were here, and family told them to be sure to find us. They did … and we had a good visit together. Always so fun!
We have met at least two other visitor families who know our son-in-law. A popular guy in those parts!
“CITY OF JOSEPH” FRIENDS AND PAST PARTICIPANTS
We have met many new friends who were also cast members in the former “City of Joseph” pageant. This show was last performed in 2003 – and the “Nauvoo Pageant” and “British Pageants” are now performed.
We met Elder and Sister Sanders – new site missionaries. We shared a couple of years in the former pageant casts. They remembered our Hunt family opening scene in the 1996 and 1997 pageants.
We took our daughter, Jackie, to the stage of the drama and dance program staged nightly by the “Sunset on the Mississippi” Nauvoo Performing Missionaries. On this particular evening, the show for the night got cancelled because of rain (a couple of hours earlier). We by-passed the notification sign to take Jackie up to see the remains of the former stage (now kind of hidden under the new stage). As we were showing her the stage, a family came up and heard us talking. She noticed our missionary name tags. She asked if Kaylea might be our daughter. She said that she is a sister to Blaine – a young man whom our Kaylea was totally twitterpated with when they were both teens. (We still don’t know how she connected Kaylea with us.)
Red Brick Store Connection
The guest at the Red Brick Store did not know us. He saw only my Hunt nametag. And of course, there are thousands of Hunts in the world. After the tour, he said, “This is a long shot, but do you know a Porter Hunt?” I said, “Yes, I have a nephew Porter. We talked more and learned that my nephew is a former classmate and friend to this guy. Wow!
Mesa 10th Ward Friends
Our family was a member of the Mesa, Arizona 10th Ward for many years. We have found two or three couples who were from the old ward – but long after my time. We learned that these couples know my niece, Shar, as well as my long-time friend, Scott, their former Bishop.
PEOPLE FROM TEMPE WHO KNOW JACKIE
We were at the Heber C. Kimball home and were chatting after the tour with a family. They had said that they are from Prescott, Arizona. Anyone from Arizona gets our attention but we don’t know many folks in Prescott – located north of us about 3 hours. Then the lady said something like, “Well, it is not nearly as hot here as where I grew up!” I asked her where that was and she said, “Tempe, Arizona”. I then brought up my son-in-law, Michael – since his family is a “died in the wool” long-time Tempe family with very deep roots in Tempe They were surprised to learn that our Michael is the Bishop of his ward and that he was formerly a counselor to her parents – now serving a mission of their own.
TEXAS FRIENDS OF KAYLEA
The Kyle, Texas stake recently brought their stake youth to Nauvoo. And the group included our grandkids, Brodey and Lucy. We ended up finding many adults whom we had met on previous trips to Texas for ordinations, mission farewells, etc. We quickly took selfies and sent them on to Kaylea – who is the Texas resident photographer and who loves such photo connections.
LADY DOING TEMPLE SEALINGS WITH US FROM PACANA PARK WARD
We were in the Temple doing a sealing session. We needed one more Sister to help with the process. A lady was brought in to join us in our sealing session. She kept looking at us. We talked after the session and learned that we are in the same Pacana Park ward back home in Maricopa. We were both kind of new to the ward so we didn’t know each other – but it was unique that we are in the same ward.
Under another circumstance, a lady heard that we were from Maricopa. She said, “I have a cousin from there.” She said the cousin’s name and we were both surprised that the lady is the wife of a brother in our current Bishopric. She quickly sent off a selfie of us together to her cousin.
A CHANCE MEETING WITH PROGENY OF MY DAD’S LONG-TIME FRIEND
We were assigned on a Sunday afternoon to serve at the 70’s Hall. This is the starting place for a 3-site tour. The tours begin at the 70’s Hall and then moves to the Blacksmith Shop and then finally to the Brigham Young home. Normally, a couple of missionary couples would rotate to all three buildings in our turns.
On this Sunday, however, they had an extra couple there. This was a rare occasion. We decided that two couples would remain at the 70’s Hall and one would go to the Brigham Young home. Sister Hunt and I said that we would walk the two or three blocks to the Brigham home. (I have expressed my love of Brigham on other occasions.)
We got there to Brigham’s home and were sitting casually in the little missionary waiting room. We had our sign changed to “open” but the sign saying that the tour starts at the 70’s Hall still was permanently in place and visible to visitors.
We saw a car driving by slowly – trying to figure out if they might get a tour. I went out and flagged them down. They came in and we had a wonderful visit and tour.
At the beginning of the tour, I used one of my dad’s tactics. If he found someone with a surname of someone he knew, he would always say, “Who is your father?” This has become a long-time family joke – and yes, I definitely take after him in starting conversations with these words. (But now, at my age, I often have to start with “Who is your Grandfather?” or even a few times with a young-un, “Who is your great grandfather?” (Wow … could this be possible?)
Anyway, this guy named Godard came in. I don’t think that there are many Godard people in the world. I first asked him where he was from. And then when he said, “Gilbert, Arizona”, I pressed further. I asked his name. When he said, “Craig Godard”, my heart took a leap. I then asked the “golden question” of “So, who is your father?”
He looked at me as if I was from Mars. I could see his reaction written all over his face, “What does that have to do with the price of eggs?” People always have a weird reaction when I ask them this – as if “Why would you ask me that dumb question?” I got all of those reactions from him on this occasion. He did finally say that his father is Jerry Godard.
I could not believe it. I knew that Jerry and my father had been friends forever. They had been friends for so many years that I had forgotten even how they were connected.
After he told me his father’s name, I said, “I am so happy that you came in here today. Our fathers were best friends forever. He still looked at me as if I was totally off of my rocker. He had doubt written all over his face. Only then did he believe me and divulged his first name.
He finally gave in and began to talk to me. I told him of how we were in the same neighborhood years before – when his siblings and I were teenagers. He was the little kid brother – but I knew his teen brother, Randy and sister, Debbie who were close to my age. I told him the story of the birth of my sister. (And we determined that he was born just a few months before my sister was born.)
Anyway, on August 27, 1964, my sister, Laurie (now deceased) was born. On that occasion, my father was in Salt Lake City for an all-church softball tournament. He was up there with our champion team from our old Mesa 10th ward. (And he missed Laurie’s birth!) And in anticipation of him being gone for the big event, he asked his friends Jerry and Pam Godard to take mother to the hospital if the birth came while he was gone. And that is what happened! They did come and they took mother to the hospital. I told this Craig, “So you were then only a couple of months old, so you probably went with them in arms to the hospital.” Now Craig was in total awe and amazement.
But it got better! I then related to him a story of his older brother. I told him that I have written the “History of Scouting in the Church”. I told him how I went to the Church History Department and announced to personnel that “I would like to write the history of Scouting in the Church.” They said, “That is great … No one has ever done that. We will help you do it.” And for the next two days, the entire staff of the department was literally at my every command. They really gave me great service and a whole lot of material.
I went home and wrote the book. And a couple of years later, a new guy went to the Historical Department and said my exact words. They said to him, “Well, we cannot help you. We gave all of our information to a guy in Arizona.” Somehow this guy tracked me down and called me in Arizona. He told me his story and we realized that we had been friends as teenagers. (Our families used to do many things together before the Godard family moved to California.)
Craig and I got a big laugh at this. It was a fun story to share with him.
We talked of our fathers to try to figure out where they knew each other. We talked of military service, mission and more. Finally, we realized that his father, Jerry and my father had both grown up together on the Beryl Desert – north of Enterprise and that they had been friends literally through all of their lives. And it was interesting that both lived to age 90 and they died within a week of each other.
I gave the Brigham tour and Craig was so fascinated with everything. Then at the end of the tour we were to part. I was surprised when he grabbed me and gave me a big hug as if we had been brothers forever.
JACKIE AND FAMILY HERE SAME WEEK AS TEXAS GRANDS
The first week of Pageant, we found ourselves with parts of families of two our daughters here in Nauvoo at the same time. Jackie came from Tempe, Arizona with her man and four children. Also Brodey and Lucy were both here from Texas with their stake youth group. By “coincidence” (Nauvoo Miracle),all of the above showed up here in Nauvoo at the same time. The Texas grands stayed in a local hotel/inn. Jackie and family hung out here in our Dunn home with us. (And they were part of the welcoming committee when Dunnites came to visit us and walked through their dormitory quarters in the basement – on the way to the fireplace and cellar exit.)
We were able to get all ten of us together on a few occasions and of course, we sent photos off to the Texas momma. It was so fun to have so many of us here together. (More about our time with them later – in a future blog.)
The unique thing is that both of these trips were organized and planned long before we even received our mission call to Nauvoo. Another Nauvoo series of miracles! So amazing!
LADY IN AWE AT JOSEPH SMITH HOMESTEAD AND MANSION HOUSE
We took through a lovely lady on our tour of the Joseph Smith Homestead and Mansion House. We loved her comment at the end of the tour. She pointed to both Lou and me and said that Sister Hunt and I, during our tour, looked just like Joseph and Emma and she told us how amazing that experience had been for her. We were happy that we were a part of a miracle for her (and a humbling miracle for us).
FUN AT THE RISER BOOT SHOP
Two different guests came (today – June 15th) to the Riser Boot Shop where we were working. They were both descendants of Benjamin F. Johnson – an ancestor of our son-in-law, Michael. We talked of our excursion yesterday to Ramus, Illinois. (More about this in a future blog post.) (And at the Temple City Tour the next day, a YSM also descended from the same Johnson line.)
Another great miracle: We were just ready to start our tour. We had introduced ourselves and the husband looked at Sister Hunt. He said, “Are you the Sister Belcher who served a mission in Melbourne, Australia?” It was my wife’s turn to be surprised. He then introduced himself as “Elder White” who had served with her. Even his wife got excited and said, Both of the Whites stood and gave Sister Hunt hugs. “We have been to your home in Mesa,” they said. They recounted details that we had long forgotten. Sister Hunt remembered Elder White when he had black hair – and now suddenly he finds himself with gray (almost white) hair. Anyway, the two of them had served simultaneously in the same area on the island of Tasmania.
The wife stood – and Elder White followed suit and gave Sister Hunt a big hunt as if they were long-lost friends. Then Sister Hunt and Elder White had discussion about their missions in the ZAMM (Zion Australia Melbourne Mission). Such great fun! Another special Nauvoo Miracle.
Another family came there and announced that they were from Snowflake, Arizona. I asked if they knew Allan and Meryl Hunt Adams (who have lived there forever). They said that they know the Adams well. I told them that Allan was my first missionary district leader in Florida. They found this interesting. And then at the end of the tour, the lady told me that she had texted Meryl and she said, “Yes, Elder Adams remembers you well.” This made my day!
PHOTOS OF THE PAST FROM JACKIE
When our Jackie was here, she talked of photos that she took when she was in Nauvoo as a student in the BYU Nauvoo semester program in 2002. She sent them to us on her return home. She sent photos of her Grandpa Belcher’s brickyard – as well cemetery photos taken at the town of Ramus – where we had ancestors living. Both photo sets gave new perspectives that we had not known previously.
Well, I could keep going for a long time. I could think I am done (for this article) and then more miracles come along. We truly do receive special Nauvoo Miracles often – and generally every day. We stand in awe of these miracles and rejoice in them. We recognize that the miracles come from a loving Father who keeps arranging these miracles for us. He makes life good for all of us.
DAILY REMINDERS OF GOD IN OUR LIVES
Anyone who knows me knows that I stand in constant amazement of fabulous sunsets. I see them as daily reminders of God’s love for me and those around us. Each sunset in Nauvoo is a miracle of wonder and awe.
Wow! There are truly Nauvoo Miracles for us and others here in Nauvoo. It is beautiful to know and feel the Lord’s miracles that he stages for us. We stand in awe. We rejoice in the Nauvoo Miracles – and we are grateful.
Words cannot adequately describe the beauty of God’s wonders around us in Beautiful Nauvoo. Everywhere we look, we see magnificence. I stand in awe and amazement of God’s natural wonders so evident everywhere here in Nauvoo.
But, to put it in perspective for this Arizona Desert Rat boy, let me first say that some time ago, I wrote a blog article about the Arizona flora and fauna so I will here copy a link to that article – just so that the reader can properly contract the two very different, but both very beautiful places:
Rather than use a lot of words – as I am prone to do on some blogs, I will let the Nauvoo natural beauties speak for themselves. Enjoy!
How is that for bauty and wonder … we see it all over Nauvoo and it is magnificent indeed.
With all of the above, I can see all of you making plane reservations or making application to serve inj Nauvoo.
I am in awe of everything around me and express my gratitude to God for these beauties. It’s a rough life to experience all of this beauty, but someone has to do it! We are glad it is us!
Okay, confession time. In writing my blog articles, I don’t always write on the day that these great events happen. (But, I have a lot of practice with those 3×5” cards. I’ve got that system down! And my infamous cards have been so much a part of me, that a few years ago at a Mountain Man Rendezvous in Arizona – I was being inducted as a “true mountain man,” at a solemn campfire program, I was given the Mountain Man name of “3×5”.)
With the events of today, I didn’t have enough cards to cover the day. And the day was just too good. I just couldn’t wait. I had to write tonight – even though it was late. So much good in one day! Wow! Miracles, feeling the Spirit, connections, and a whole lot more. All in a day’s work …Where to begin?
SISTER HUNT VISITS HER FAVORITE PLACES
Sister Hunt has got the car trained. It just knows that she wants to go to this one special building – which actually houses two places in one.
One is the sewing room. She loves this place and the ladies therein. She looks for excuses to go there. One of the ladies wanted some scrap strips from the dresses they made for her. They didn’t divulge the plan, but I guess time will tell.
And Lou is literally in “7th Heaven” with the missionary “D.I.” (Deseret Industries Thrift Store). And the fact that the stuff is all free, makes it so much more of a thrill for her. She is always checking out the place to see what new stuff has been donated. And today, she was not disappointed. (We had better be careful or we’ll have to get a U-Haul for future.)
But, I must admit, however, that I did also this time find an item for me. I found a new black cap to add to my costume collection.
GATHERING FOR “HOMES OF THE APOSTLES”
Today we were assigned to a triple home tour. The tour is “Tours of the Apostles”. It includes tours to the Orson Hyde, Heber C. Kimball, and Wilford Woodruff homes. (And a cool thing is that all three of these places are all original buildings that have been here in Nauvoo for 180 years. The Kimball and Woodruff homes are Nauvoo brick, and the Hyde home is one of just sxi surviving wood frame homes.) The tour begins at the Hyde home and then we are to walk with the group two short blocks to the Kimball home, give that tour – and then walk to the Woodruff home. (Sister Hunt was there without me yesterday – as I was playing blacksmith) and she said that she and her companion of the day walked 5 miles by the pedometer. And she was super tired by the end of the day.)
The common denominator for these places is the fact that all of the men were among the earliest members of the Quorum of 12 Apostles – special witnesses of Christ in all the world. Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde were actually original members of the quorum.
We began with a gathering with two YSM’s (Young Sister Missionaries) at the Hyde home. We had prayer together and put together a plan for the day. There was actually a Sister team to be at the Woodruff home all day. One was a character actor who portrayed Phebe Woodruff in the first person. So, that meant that we could have a couple at each of the other two homes.
Sister Hunt and I headed to the Kimball home and the YSM’s remained at Orson Hyde. And we decided to make a switch at mid-day since the sisters needed to be off to another short event at the Visitors’ Center. And then we were off …
Each of the restored homes where we serve has a hidden little hideout room where we can study and relax as we await the next tour. We headed to this room. And the nice thing about these rooms is that they are each equipped with a modern current bush (unlike the rest of the “period” restored home). Sometimes I get a few rare minutes to work on some of my own projects. (The project of today is preparation of a PowerPoint slide show about Nauvoo Brickmaking and the role of Elder E. H. Belcher in keeping alive that art. – including his creation of the modern brickyard and the original and now famous “Nauvoo Brick”.) I got three or four slides completed today before the rush.
At one brief break in the action, Sister Hunt and I had opportunity to do a quick FaceTime video call with our granddaughter, Rosie, on the occasion of her 3rd birthday. Rosie and I have always had a special connection and I admit that she is one of my favorite grandchildren. (I love all 42 but Rosie is just so special.) Leaving Rosie for a year and a half at her young age, was a mission sacrifice that has ripped at my heart. Sister Hunt and I sang “Happy Birthday” to Rosie – as only we can do with our monotone duet. After our rendition, Rosie (so sweet) said, “Thank you”. It was fun to touch base with this family and to hear of their adventures and enjoyment of their new home.
HELPING OTHERS CONNECT WITH THEIR ANCESTORS
SNOW/ASHBY HOME IN NAUVOO (ASHBY ON LEFT SIDE)
Early this morning, I helped some folks find their ancestral home. An Ashby family member came through on a tour and said that their ancestor was Nathaniel Ashby. We talked of the Erastus Snow/Nathaniel Ashby Duplex and how one of the guys was the missionary and the other was his convert. (This is an original remaining structure from the Pioneer era.) These folks had done a drive by and knew of the home – and which side was Ashby.
When I learned what side his ancestor lived on, I said, “Well, you just might be in luck.” (I knew that a missionary couple has lived in the place – and knew that the Lowes – a missionary couple who had lived there – had to go home for medical reasons. I knew that their daughter and grandson were there today – packing up and leaving the home with he Lowe things. I told them of this couple and how their family was there today. I said, “I can’t make any promises, but if you just happened over there, the people might let you tour the home.”
I later talked to the Lowe daughter, and she said that the folks did indeed, come over and got to see the inside of the home. They took videos everywhere and thought this all so great. I was happy how this connection worked out.
THE KIMBALL HOME WAS THE START OF MODERN NAUVOO RESTORATION
DR. J. LEROY KIMBALL – THE NAUVOO RESTORATION VISIONARY
The year 1954 was great – and not just because that was when I hit the earth scene. In that year, Dr. J. LeRoy Kimball was a physician in Salt Lake City. He wanted a retreat from his medical practice. He had had his eye on the Heber C. Kimball home from earlier days of his medical school in Chicago. Anyway, in that year, he purchased the home of Heber – who was his great grandfather.
For six years, Dr. Kimball worked on his new place. By 1960, he had the place restored beautifully. He decided to stage an open house and dedication event before making the place his residence. He asked his uncle Spencer W. Kimball to come to dedicate the house. Dr. Kimball was quite surprised when 1,500 people came to the event. He never got to move into the home.
Then it dawned on Dr. Kimball – that Nauvoo was much bigger than just his family retreat. He realized that with that much interest, he should restore some of Nauvoo for people to visit and to learn of their own ancestors. At his own expense, he began to purchase other old pioneer homes and property in Nauvoo. He purchased the Wilford Woodruff Home and it opened to the public in 1966. He soon formed an organization called Nauvoo Restoration, Inc. (NRI). Soon this became the restoration entity for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As the NRI agent, he purchased nearly 1,000 acres “on the flats” (below the hill) in Old Nauvoo. He began a rigorous plan to restore many of the old homes of Old Nauvoo – saving many original buildings and also recreating some buildings that had disappeared over time – and restoring them to their former glory.
Dr. Kimball was indeed the visionary who brought the old town back to life. And we are indebted to him for all that we can experience today.
I SERVED MY “YOUNG MISSION” UNDER DR. KIMBALL
I am sure that by now, you are well aware that I served the last six months of my mission here in Nauvoo (back in 1975 – a hundred years ago). I was then a “site guide” just as I am today. On my tours today, I mentioned the Nauvoo experience of my youth. In the tour of the Kimball home, (at his photo), we talk about Dr. Kimball – so it was natural to deviate a bit – to tell folks that I was here at that time – and that Dr. Kimball was my mission president. And the folks were all amazed and said, “That is so cool!” (And pretty cool that the Lord put all of this together when I received my second call to serve here! I acknowledge Him in this great opportunity.)
I had forgotten this fact, but as I gave a tour this morning, I had a flash of inspiration. It is taught that the Holy Ghost can “bring all things to our remembrance” and that is what He did for me today. I saw a flash back to the former time … I saw in my memory that I was actually given a tour of the Kimball home by J. LeRoy Kimball himself on my first day in Nauvoo. In the flash, I could see him standing there in front of us – wearing his usual hat and holding onto his cane. (And incidentally that cane is still in the home as one of the “artifacts”.) I saw in my mind, him proudly giving us missionaries the tour of he home he had worked so hard to restore.After the tour ended, I went to my digitized copy of my journal of that special day – May 10th, 1975. It said simply:My journal entries of that day were not as beefy as they are today – good but not full of details (especially in retrospect).
I also wrote home to my folks each week. I checked that weekly letter, and it did not mention the Kimball home tour with Dr. Kimball. So, I was grateful today for that flashback from the Spirit.
THE APOSTLES WERE ALL SOME OF THE GREATEST MISSIONARIES EVER
Each of these three Apostles were great missionaries. They went multiple times to serve in Great Britain.
Heber C Kimball was called as the first foreign missionary, and the leader of the rest of the Apostles serving in England. This was in 1837. Heber was called again to serve in 1839 – with Elder Woodruff (who had been recently ordained to the Apostleship).
The missionaries served well, and the Spirit accompanied them. Within just six years, some 4,600 British converts immigrated to Nauvoo. It was estimated that the immigrants made up 25% of the Nauvoo Population.
MISSIONARY SERVICE AND SACRIFICE FOR CHRIST
Heber C. Kimball and his long-time friend, Brigham Young (both original Apostles) were to depart and serve together in 1839 (just sixteen months after Heber returned from the first mission). Both were deathly sick with malaria. It was all that the two men could do to head off – since both of their families were also deathly sick.
Heber said of his mission, “It was with difficulty we got into the wagon and started down the hill about ten rods. It appeared to me as though my very inmost parts would melt within me, leaving my family in such a condition, as it were almost in the arms of death. It seemed to me as though I could not endure it.”
Heber also said, “I took my life in my hands and went forth: I could say I had left all for Christ and for the Gospel”
A SURPRISE BECAME A SACRED AND WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE FOR ALL
One of our tour groups of the day included a full dozen young people – and their Bennion “Ma and Pa” – all a part of a Church History tour. They were from Huntington, Utah. And they came in two full busses and a couple of vans.
I had shared the above information with the group. And after sharing the line of Heber’s feelings about the mission, I looked around and said to the group, “Could you guys make that sacrifice for Christ?” I asked the group if any of them might be “RM’s (returned missionaries) but was told that these were all youth – so I called them “Preemies”). The leader pointed to Boston Huntington (and it was obvious by his name that his family had been around Huntington for a while). She said, “Boston here will receive his mission call soon.” I focused for a moment upon Boston and asked about his coming mission call. He said that he had no idea when the call might come. He didn’t act as if it was eminent.
I then proceeded to tell the youth about the departure of Heber and Brigham (retelling a story that has become legendary in the Church). As they were in the wagon, and were so sick that they could hardly go forward, I told the group of how Heber said to Brigham, “This is pretty tough, aint it?” and on that occasion, the men rose up and swinging their hats, three times over their heads, says Heber, we cried, “hurrah, hurrah, hurrah for Israel”.
I did the same thing for these young people. I swung my hat and said, “Hurrah, Hurrah, Hurrah for Israel”. The Spirit was strong.
And at that moment, we all got a surprise. Boston’s phone beeped. He looked down and saw that he had been given notice from the Church Missionary Deparment that his mission call was available for his viewing. Wow! How amazing and wonderful! We all basked in the greatness of the moment. There was some pressure for Boston to open the call, but Sister Hunt and I spoke from experience (having sent off 7 of our own missionary children) and said, “You have to wait to share the moment with your parents – or they would never forgive you.” (He later reported that he had texted his mom and they agreed that he will open the call on Friday after his return home.)
As the group headed for the Woodruff home, I congratulated Boston. His head was still spinning with what had just happened. He said, “I can’t believe it. This was so cool to get that notice in the Heber’s home.”
A FELLOW BROTHER WITH A SUTH’N MISSION EXPERIENCE
As I talked to the youth in the Kimball home, I noted that I had served my youth mission in Alabam, Flawda, and Jawja before being sent to Nauvoo on special assignment my last six months.
After the tour, a brother who had been on the tour came to me and said that he too, had served down Sawth – in South Carolina. We talked of how we both had to learn a new language for our missions.
My mind was drawn to my own patriarchal blessing received in my youth. In a paragraph about missionary service, it said I “would go to a foreign people and would learn their customs and ways.” On that occasion, my mother said, “Well, those folks are about as foreign as you can get.” I reminded her of that statement 25 years later when she received her own call to serve in Alabama. What goes around, comes around, I guess.
As the brother departed, I said, “Ya’ll come back now, Heah?” We both laughed … So true! That is what everyone said “down Sawth” – even as they kicked you off of their porches.
Then just a few minutes later when I had a few moments to catch my breath, I checked in on the family “WhatsApp” program to see what was happening with my large extended family. At that moment, our daughter, Kaylea, and family were traveling through Florida (returning from an extended vacation in the many “bigger than life” attractions in and around Orlando. (A rough life, but I guess someone had to do it!)
Kaylea posted a photo of a billboard they saw as they passed through my former Suth’n stompin’ grounds.
Seeing the photo made my day! With the photo, Kaylea wrote to her siblings: “Just drove by this sign. I could hear Dad saying it in that voice he’d use when he’d say it. Ha, Ha!”
SPECIAL YOUTH AT THE HYDE HOME
By our prior arrangement, Sister Hunt and I went back to the Hyde home so that the YSM’s could go do their assignment. And then we switched. We would remain in the Hyde home, and they would manage the Kimball home the rest of the afternoon.
We got a group who wanted to go to the Kimball home and after our part in the Hyde home, we walked them over to the Kimball home.
As we returned to the Hyde home, we found another “Ma and Pa” group (wearing a different T-shirt color) out front waiting for us to return. They were lined up in front of the Hyde home against the fence. That was such a beautiful picture – just waiting for the photo to be taken. I asked he group if I could take their photo and after the initial shock, they said that I could. They also said that I could blog about the photo. (and I later gave Brother Jensen, their leader, one of our mission cards and said that if any of the youth had a problem with me sharing their photo, to tell me and I would remove it.)
We brought the youth inside and told them about how Elder Hyde had – at the direction of Joseph Smith – gone to Jerusalem and had dedicated Israel for the gathering of Israel – and specifically, the return of the Jewish people to that chosen area. We told them that it was Orson Hyde who formally dedicated the Nauvoo Temple (May 1, 1846) – two months after the main body of the Saints had departed the town.
After the tour, I was talking to the “Pa” – a Brother Jensen. I said, “It seems as if you guys, and your group have had quite an experience here.” He shook his head around – as if dizzy – and said, “Yes … it has been like drinking from a fire hose.”
As I walked with the group, I asked the kids, “What has been the best thing you have done here in Nauvoo. A couple of kids immediately said, “Doing baptisms at the Temple”. (The Temple is always closed on Mondays, but the Temple leaders opened it up yesterday just for these youth!) That made my heart thump a bit.
It was appropriate for these Huntington youth to perform baptisms in the Nauvoo Temple since it was here in Nauvoo that the Prophet Joseph first revealed the doctrine and opportunity for worthy members to perform proxy baptisms for their deceased ancestors in the Temple.
Here in Nauvoo, Joseph received revelation relative to Baptism for the Dead. “On August 15, 1840, … Joseph Smith preached a sermon at the funeral for Seymour Brunson. Noticing a woman in attendance who had lost her son before he could be baptized, Joseph revealed that the Saints could now act for their friends who had departed this life” by being baptized in their behalf.” (“Baptism for the Dead” Gospel Study”) Later, in January 1841, Joseph received a revelation that baptisms for the dead were intended to be performed in temples. “For this ordinance belongeth to my house, and cannot be acceptable to me …” (D&C 124:30)
BIRTHDAY RECONNECT WITH A NAUVOO MISSIONARY COMPANION
ELDERS SHALTES AND HUNT 1975
When in Nauvoo, way back then, I was companions with Elder Craig Shaltes of Sacramento, California. We lived in the same “Red Barn” home. We did a lot together on the mission. We cooked together, we traveled together, we took a lot of photos together. We have been bac k to Nauvoo two times together since our mission . We have shared some really great times together through the years.
June 4th is Craig’s birthday, so I was able to connect with him on the phone for a short time. We were able to reminisce about especial times and memories shared. He has been reading my mission blogs and he has been able to relate to much of what I have written.
ANOTHER MIRACLE STAGED BY THE LORD
It was getting late in the afternoon. I was inside the Hyde home and looked out of the window toward the restored log cabin home of William Field. This place is “kitty corner” from the Hyde home. The place has kind of a unique wooden door knob. I saw a family outside looking at this cabin – hoping that they might get to go inside. (The place is supposed to be unlocked during tour times – for “self-guided tours”.) Seeing them about to depart, I went out and called to them (like a voice from heaven) and said that they could go in – and gave them instructions on how to work the unique door knob. They tried it again without success and I told them that I would come over to assist them.
I got the site key and headed over there. I was not prepared for the experience awaiting me.
There is the tradition (and it is detailed on the plaque on the outside of the cabin) of Mary Field Garner, daughter of William and Mary Harding) and who was the last remaining person alive who had known the Prophet Joseph Smith. And coincidentally, Sister Hunt had just taken a photo of this plaque a few minutes before, and we had read it and talked about it together.
We learned that Mary was known as “the last leaf” (so named by the church Historian office) – because of her being the final living connection to the Prophet Joseph. We had also heard of this Mary – because she is quoted on one of the plaques posted along the “Trail of Hope” on Parley Street.
In talking with the family (dad, mom and six children) I learned that the wife/mother was an actual descendant of Mary Field. And how cool was that?
Having a key to the kingdom, I was able to let the family into the cabin for a look around. They looked on in great awe and wonder. They had been to the home before but had not ever been able to see inside. We talked of the great miracle of how I had been directed over to them and what a special moment this was for them – and for me. We all rejoiced in the miracle for the family.
I then listened – again in great awe, as this mother taught her own children the family heritage of their ancestor and as her husband did a video of her presentation to the children. She proceeded to tell them how Mary Harding Field (the mother of young Mary) had been a widow – having recently lost her husband and two daughters to a dread disease.
THE MARY FIELD GARNER STORY AND TESTIMONY
Mary Field Garner was born in Herefordshire, England in 1836. Her family joined the church after hearing Elder Wilford Woodruff preach. They were baptized in 1840 and soon moved to the United States and Nauvoo. This mother taught her children that Mary had met Joseph Smith. She noted that Mary had long red, curly hair (just as one of her sons had the red hair).
Young Mary, age 8, attended the funeral of Joseph Smith after he was martyred.
We talked about Mary being present in the “West Grove” for many key events. I gave the family instructions on how to go to the grove. Sister Healy, the mother in our current scene, told her children how Mary (then age 8) was present in the grove when Brigham was transfigured to appear and speak as Joseph Smith. She taught her children that the mother Mary Harding was holding a baby in her lap. He was playing with a cup there in the grove. He dropped the cup and Mother Field stooped pick it up and when she arose up, she looked at the speaker and he had taken on the mantle of Joseph Smith. She saw and heard Brigham as Joseph. So there was no doubt in the minds of the Saints as to who would be their next president.” (Source: mchangroverheritage.wordpress.com)
Mary Field Garner (the last leaf daughter) herself wrote of her life and times in Nauvoo: “Here we lived in peace and happiness under the leadership and guidance of he Prophet Joseph Smith. Here he stood at the head of this dispensation, … We were very glad to attend church and listen to the Prophet Joseph and other leading brethren teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to us. We marveled at the Joseph’s superior intelligence of he Gospel and he simple way he could explain it unto the Saints, so that the most unlearned member could know and understand the truth.”
As the “last leaf on the tree,” she was the last person in the Church to give her testimony of the truth, who was personally acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith. “Toward the end of her life she bore this testimony: “It is said I am the only living witness to have actually seen and known the Prophet Joseph Smith, and I want to bear my testimony to the world and especially to every Latter-day Saint to the truthfulness of the Gospel as revealed through the Prophet Joseph, that Jesus Christ is the Savior of mankind, that Joseph Smith was a true and living prophet of God, that he was divinely called of God to establish his true Gospel on this earth in the last dispensation. (Source: mchangroverheritage.wordpress.com)
A MOTHER TEACHES HER CHILDREN OF THEIR ANCESTRAL HERITAGE
Sister Healy taught her children that Mother Mary had five children to provide for and was pregnant with another son who would be born four months later. We talked of how Mother Mary (Harding) was one of the “poorest of the poor” and had not been able to afford to leave with the main group of departing saints. In September 1846, a mob of about 1,000 marched through town, forcing them to leave. The family went across the river to Montrose, Iowa. They witnessed the “miracle of the quail” and with the quail, had enough food to eat.
The mob actually allowed the poor family to return to Nauvoo. They were still here when mobsters set fire to he Temple. She saw the beloved Temple on fire. This was in 1848. (The fire weakened the temple – with the guts burned out. Then in 1850, a tornado went through and took down most of the back end of the Temple. And with no support, the front tower ultimately tumbled and folks came from miles around and took away some of the Temple stones and used them in other projects – still evident today.)
Sister Healy taught her children about Mother Mary “having bread ready to bake when they were forced to leave, so she hung it on the wagon and baked it after they crossed the river.” (Same source as above.)
Wow! What a story … and how tender to watch Sister Healy share this special story with her children. We all felt a special joy in this moment that we had shared together.
THE FAMILY SEEKS NAUVOO ANCESTORS
Brother Healy told me how he and his family had been focusing in Nauvoo about learning of their own ancestors who were here. I asked him who else they were related to in Nauvoo. He then said, “Simeon A. Dunn”. I chuckled as he said this. I asked, “Were you able to see his home here?” He said, “We drove by his house and got some photos.”
I said, “Well, this gets better … and you are not going to believe this. My wife and I live in the Simeon Dunn home, and we can let you in to see it.” Brother Healy was totally dumbfounded. We were all kind of in shock. The family was delighted. I told them that my service at the Orson Hyde home would end at 5:00 PM and shortly thereafter, they could come to our home (located on the same street as the Field Cabin – but south a couple of blocks).
DUNN PROGENY VISIT THEIR DUNN ANCESTOR’S HOME
Shortly after Sister Hunt and I got home, the Healy family came to our door. We welcomed them into our home – as caretakers of their ancestor’s home.
The Dunn home is an original home from the pioneer era. The exterior of the building was restored a few years ago and it looks wonderful outside. The inside, however, is not original – but is a modern apartment made over to house Nauvoo missionary couples. We showed them our modern living room, small kitchen, and the upstairs bedroom.
I then took the family downstairs into the cellar. I showed them evidence of the original limestone fireplace. I then said, “Okay, are you ready for this?” I opened the latch of the exit up to the grassy world above. I invited the son (about age 8) to push up on the exterior doors. Following my directions, he was able to push the doors upward and out to rest on the wood uprights. The family was delighted. The kids were excited as they made their exit up the limestone stairs (shown in a previous blog with our bikes). Of course, Dad was quick to take some more photos of the activity.
THE DUNN FAMILY LOG OF DESCENDANTS
I then brought the family inside and showed them a special treasure. This is a log book in which Dunn family descendants have signed their names – since 1982 – as they have visited their ancestral home. There are pages and pages of individual lines of progeny – some showing their contact information – and some showing a long string of “greats” as they tried to explain their ancestral link.
I sat the book on the table and turned to the last entry in the book – made just a couple weeks earlier when we were visited by yet another family connection. I got out my pen and invited even the smallest of children to log their own names. I had to laugh at one young child as she said, “Our mom can’t sign the book because this was not her ancestor.” Her husband, however, wanted his wife listed with him and the six (of their 10) children.
Mom Healy continued to share with me their family stories. She said that Grandma Mary Field Garner had lived to age 107 and died in 1943. She said that there was a treasured family photo of her own grandfather shown in a photo with his great grandmother Mary Field Garner – that was taken in 1940. Later Sister Healy forwarded the classic photo to me to include here in this blog article.
Wow! We were all in awe as we thought in amazement and gratitude of the events of the past couple of hours. We knew that the Lord had orchestrated some special miracles in our behalf.
This photo made me think of a similar photo that I have with my mother and her own pioneer grandmother, Else Marie Pedersen Larsen. Mom was about six years old, and her grandmother was ninety-ish. I enjoy telling folks that my grandmother – truly with only one “great” – was a pioneer from Denmark at age 8. (My grandpa Larsen was age 53 when my mother was born – so that is how we get to the pioneer era so quickly. Else was born in 1846 and Grandpa Henry Larsen was born in 1879. I cherish that special photo of Mom and Elsie – my own special pioneer link.
Alura Larsen with grandmother, Elsie Larsen, Anna Larsen, Boyd (brother to Alura)
THE DAY KEEPS GOING WITH EVEN MORE SPECIAL EVENTS
Each week on Tuesday nights, our mission leaders stage a training for the 200 plus missionaries serving here. And so, after hosting our special company, Sister Hunt and I headed off to the meeting.
It was announced that 19 new Young Sister Missionaries (YSM’s) would arrive this Thursday. This is in addition to the 50 already here. We are kind of short-handed on site missionaries, so these ladies will be a great boost in helping to cover all of our bases.
First on the program was a great “dog and pony show” staged by Elder Davies and his team. They had a lot of energy as they invited all of us to participate in various way in the upcoming Nauvoo and British pageants. They taught us how to “stand resolutely” as a part of the cast of one of the pageants. Wow! This all sounds so fun and exciting. (July 9 to August 3rd … I can’t wait!)
We then heard testimony of a Brother Gary Boatright – via a “larger than life” video of him talking right to us from the Salt Lake City Historian’s office. His assigned topic of the evening was the Prophet Joseph Smith. He testified boldly. He said, “Joseph was “A man” … but he was also a “man called of God”. He said, “Yes, I am a follower of Joseph Smtih and the foundation he built. Joseph fulfilled the mandate of Christ as his Prophet.” He noted that after the Liberty Jail experience, Joseph KNEW without a doubt that he was indeed the Lord’s prophet. He said that Joseph was the man God called to reveal the mind of the lord to the Saints of the latter days.”
Brother Gary reminded us as missionaries, that we have also been called by a Prophet to be in Nauvoo at this special time because the Lord wants each of us to be here.”
“HOORAH, HOORAH, HOORAH, FOR ISRAEL”
When I was a young missionary, we had a few traditions that we followed as missionaries finished their service in Nauvoo and were to head home. One was a tie cutting ceremony.
I remember my own tie cutting ceremony. I tricked Brother Holliday who was conducting the solemn ceremony. I wrapped my tie twice around my neck. I wore a V-necked sweater, and the tied tie tip was just barely covered by the V-neck. And when Brother Holliday pulled it out for the cutting, the whole crowd burst into laughter as he felt pretty silly. I loved the moment. The other missionaries departing at the same time also got their ties snipped but their snipping was not as good as mine.
And then we all held hands (figuratively) and together and emotionally sang, “Old Nauvoo” – to the tune of Edelweiss. This reminded me of being at Scout camp at a final campfire program wherein we held hands and sang “Kumbaya” together. This was always a tear-jerking experience – and our “Old Nauvoo” singing was more of same.
Until tonight (June 4th) I was unaware of the current send-off tradition. After the training – as noted above, we all gathered out in the lobby of the visitors’ center. There were four departing couples. The mission president Mehr and his wife each ceremoniously hugged each of the departing missionaries.
One of the departees was my 3rd Cousin, Sister Thomas. We have enjoyed the whole “cousin” relationship. And her husband, Kim, has been our zone leader for our Heber Zone.
Then all of the missionaries formed a great horseshoe and with great gusto we raised and swung our hands in a circle (we were not in costume so none of us had our hats on) and we shouted the words, “Hoorah, Hoorah, Hoorah for Israel!”. Wow! What a moment. This was pretty powerful.
And then three of the four couples (the Lowes had flown home for an event – so they never go their last Hoorah.) All of the rest of us other missionaries also kind of lined up. Then all of the missionaries filed by them all and gave a multitude of hugs. I wondered how the folks survived all of that squeezing. We sang, “God be With You ‘Til we Meet Again.” Wow! Talk about heart-rending. It was a special and emotional time for the departees but also for the rest of us.
AND THEN “ALONG CAME JONES” …
This event is not spiritually drenched, but it was humorous as we heard it in first person by Elder Jones himself – after the above situation. Sister Hunt and I have felt a special connection with Elder and Sister Jones ever since we were together at the MTC. And it seems that Elder Jones always has an interesting tale to tell. Last week it was his kidney stones.
Today, his adventures continued. Knowing that he was to be assigned to labor at the dirty Blacksmith Shop, he and his wife had gone shopping at a thrift store (not our own mission DI shop). He “invested” in some cheap pants that he could get dirty at the forge. All went well until he made a visit to the lav and the “new” pants literally “blew a gasket” and burst the whole zipper out. He was caught “up a creek without a paddle” – as he was there for the day, and he had no car to go home for a change. (His wife had dropped him off at the beginning of the day.) Luckily, he was able to don a blacksmith’s apron that covered his now open condition. And under that cover – hiding his “open book”, he spent the rest of the day under the apron and feeling kind of vulnerable and foolish. Too bad his wife was not around. She has made enough aprons to outfit a whole army. Anyway, it made for a funny story which two or three of us couples enjoyed. Moral: “I guess you get what you pay for!”
THE EXCITEMENT CONTINUED AT HOME
Although it was late when we got home for the evening – our son, Rusty asked if we were still up. With all of my projects, it is a good thing that senior couples have more flexibility in their bedtimes than our young counterparts. (I could never get everything done, otherwise.) I assured Rusty that we were still up and would for a while. We staged a video call with the family for almost an hour. The kids were both anxious to share with us all of the awards and certificates that they were given in end-of-school recognition events. It was a bit sad that we missed those times – being on our mission. In the course of their lives, we have missed only a few such recognition ceremonies. Another of those mission sacrifices. Thank heaven for modern technology that still allows us to be with them. s to feel close – even though we are far apart.
POWERHOUSE YOUNG MEN VISIT NAUVOO
The day of June 4th – of which I have been writing, seemed to merge into the next day as the writing continued. I will thus include an incident that happened the next day as if It were in a single day. It is too good to wait, and I don’t want to lose it in the 3×5” cards.
Anyway, on this day, Sister Hunt and I found ourselves at the Jonathan Browning home and gunsmith shop. We were so busy that day. We took through about 400 people – with the help of one YSM couple. We were all on a fast-track mode rotating with rapid speed through the home – only to get back to the beginning in time to rush into the next tour. I hardly saw Sister Hunt all day – as we each took separate tours (usually we are together).
Our visitors of the day included a convoy of six full buses of youth from Texas around Dallas Ft. Worth, another Texas group of about 200 kids, a group from Sevier County, Utah, one from Las Vegas, and another from around Richfield, Utah. Wow! Talk about an invasion of great young people. They were all truly amazing.
I came out from the gate from my previous tour and straight ahead of me was a glorious sight. I stood with awe and amazement. It was a photo just waiting to be taken – nine great young men – all with trimmed hair, white shirts and ties. And that’s was another WOW. I asked these young men if I could take their photo and use it in a blog. They thought that was okay. They were a part of the Richfield group, and they were awaiting a guide for a Browning tour (and that was to be me!)
These guys were a powerhouse of goodness, strength and power. In seeing them, I was reminded of the scripture in Alma 53 (verses 19 to 21):
“And they were all young men, and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity, but behold, this was not all – they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted. Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before Him.”
These magnificent young men were all of that and more. It just radiated in their faces and in their whole demeanor.
I could see these guys all entering the MTC together. Wow! What a source of current and future strength.
WOW … WHAT A DAY!
Can you believe that all of this happened in just one day? It was truly a wonderful day, and we very much felt the Spirit of God with us and knew He was directing our paths. It is amazing what the Lord can do – creating such miracles as we let Him act in our lives and as He stages these people and experiences on behalf of us and those around us.
I retired for the night way too late, but truly grateful to the Lord for this special and wonderful day. (All in a missionary day’s work!) Instead of writing this article, I should have been journal writing – but at least this writing can mostly substitute as a journal entry.
Since Sister Hunt and I have come to Nauvoo, we have had some special times at Joseph Smith’s Red Brick Store, as well as at his Homestead and Mansion House – and other places.
March 5, 2024 proved to be a historic day that most of us had not anticipated. It was a glorious day. In a surprise announcement The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints and the Community of Christ together posted the news. On that date, all of the Joseph Smith properties in Nauvoo transferred from the latter to the former.
The Community of Christ Church (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ) is to be commended for their years of dedicated care of the Joseph Smith properties and we can be grateful for their service and management. Without their foresight and able management, these places would not be available to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the way that they are today.
The transaction included transfer of the Joseph Smith Homestead and Mansion House, the Nauvoo House, Joseph Smith’s Red Brick Store, the Sidney Rigdon Home, as well as Nauvoo’s “First Hotel”, the Jonathan Wright, William Marks and Aaron Johnson homes. Tours under the new leadership began on March 25 – just three weeks later. Since that time, many people have come in droves to see the new sites.
It was exciting for Sister Hunt and I to see the timing of our mission call. We (or I) had been frustrated with some delays in the call process. But after we received our call to serve in Historic Nauvoo, it all made sense. We arrived in Nauvoo just three weeks after the property transfer. And how exciting is that? And additionally, I was called to be the “site coordinator” for these properties. It was all very wonderful.
Since our arrival, we have had a several opportunities to serve as guides at the Homestead and Mansion House (one tour) and Joseph’s Red Brick Store. Our guests have been so excited to see these new places.
For those who do not know, Joseph fund a ready-made log home when he came to Nauvoo in 1839. What is called the “Homestead” cabin was built about 1823 by a James White – who was a Mississippi River fur trader. Joseph bought this home in 1839. He made two additional additions to the Homestead – first in 1840 and again in 1842. He and Emma moved to the Mansion House in 1843. The Homestead was the headquarters of the Church until 1842 when Joseph opened his Red Brick Store.
The Red Brick Store was a special and sacred place. Joseph said of his upstairs office, Here “I kept my sacred writings, translated ancient records, and received revelations.”
In the Store, Joseph recorded Section 132 of the Doctrine and Covenants. He translated and published the ancient Book of Abraham (in the local “Times and Seasons” newspaper), organized the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo, gave the first Temple endowments, and transferred Priesthood keys on to the 12 Apostles. So, the store was a very significant and sacred place in church history. (And it still is!) Pretty amazing and breath-taking in its scope.
THE JOHN WENTWORTH LETTER
John Wentworth was a Chicago newspaper publisher. He wrote to Joseph Smith asking what “The Mormons” believed. From his Red Brick Store, Joseph wrote back to Mr. Wentworth with 13 statements of our beliefs. We, of course, know them today as the “13 Articles of Faith”.
In our tour, we talk about the “Articles” and if there are children in the group, we invite them to share their favorite Article. They usually do better than the adults. It has been fun to watch the children recite them. On one occasion, three siblings stood together and sang a couple of the Article of Faith songs. So great!
We also talk about the “Standard of Truth”. This was also a part of the Wentworth letter. We also invite people young and old to recite this great standard and prophesy of missionary work going forth to the world. Many men and women have previously served missions and often recited the Standard at zone and other conferences. Often the folks can remember this from their missionary days. Even if they don’t recite it aloud, we can often see them mouthing the words along with us. (And The Standard is not just pretty words … it is Joseph’s prophesy about how missionary work will fill the whole earth. And as we look at what has happened since Joseph’s time – and everywhere in the world today, we see the exciting fulfilment of that special prophesy.)
One moment with The Standard was particularly memorable. I asked if anyone knew it and two teen brothers (about ages 13 and 16) stood flanking me and together they (and I) recited with great gusto:
”The Standard of Truth has been erected: no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing. Persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
Those boys were truly amazing! And talk about proud parents … (and it was the parents who had taught them the Standard so they were really proud that their efforts may have taken root a bit with the boys).
Whenever we have teens come in, and as we talk of “The Standard”, I try to get them to imagine themselves on their missions and standing as a mission or zone and reciting that together “with gusto”. I hope I have enlarged their visions a bit.
A TOUR DELAY PROVIDES AN UNPLANNED AFTERNOON CONCERT
The Red Brick Store has two parts – the downstairs and the “upper room”. Typically, there are two sets of missionaries serving at the Store together. One pair of missionaries can be downstairs with one group – while the other pair can be upstairs with another.
On this one occasion, there was a lady on the tour ahead of us. She was unable to climb the stairs, so the other pair of missionaries kept her downstairs to share with her the upstairs tour. This left Sister Hunt and I outside and waiting with a group for the folks ahead of us to finish up. A group of about 15 people gathered with us out there on the Red Brick steps and surrounds. So as to not get even further behind with the tours, I opted to gather the group and begin the first floor tour outside.
I had just gotten started when the sound of music rent the air. We looked up and coming toward us was the “Nauvoo Brass Band” doing their band thing in their very own carriage. And seeing us gathered outside, they had the teamster pull to a stop. They gave us our very own private concert right then and there. Talk about fabulous! And the energy of those folks … they were literally dancing and bobbing as they played their instruments. Amazing doesn’t adequately describe the scene. Maybe it should be “spectacular”.
It is so great having the band on the streets of Nauvoo. They give such an exciting and upbeat burst of energy with every stop that they make. And they give a couple of concerts each day – in the “park” (grassy area) in front of the Print Shop – and elsewhere. Such a fun missionary assignment!
A UNIQUE MEETING WITH 12 UNUSUAL BROTHERS
We never know who we will have on our tours. This one group really caught us by surprise. We looked outside and saw them coming. They came in three cars, and they piled out and moved en masse toward us. I wondered what had hit us! Here was a throng of very handsome “brothers” – all with dark hair and looking amazing and wonderful. They were so impressive. As I greeted them, we did the “where are you from thing” to get to know the folks.
They announced that they were a religious seminary group and that they were from Toronto, Canada. They said that they were touring all over to learn about other churches. I said, “That is great! What other churches have you already been to?” I had to laugh at their answer. They said, “We went to Palmyra and then to Kirtland!”
As noted, the guys said that they were from Toronto, Canada. I knew however, that they were not native to Toronto. The Spirit told me that they were from the country of Pakistan. I asked them if they were Pakistani and they admitted that they are. I told them that I love Pakistani people.
I felt such a connection to these guys. They looked so fabulous as they sat with us in the Red Brick Store. My heart and soul went out to these guys. I thought they must be royal princes of the best of Abraham. Not sure if they come from Abraham but when I mentioned him, they acted as if they claim him as their father.
These guys were sincerely interested in everything. One sage seemed a bit skeptical of things, but the other guys seemed to be loving everything that they heard. They were soaking it in.
It is hard to describe the feelings that I felt in the presence of these guys. They seemed like such great men.
After the tour, I was shaking hands with a couple of the guys – and one in particular. Sister Hunt put out her hand to shake and the man politely said that he could not shake hands – (a cultural thing for him). But, he crossed his arms over his chest – over his heart toward her and said, “Thank you so much!”
I took the group over to the cemetery that contains the graves of Joseph, Hyrum and Emma Smith and others. One guy noticed my bolo tie and wanted to know what this was. He really liked my explanation – that it has no significance to anything but that I like t collect them – and that they are kind of my “signature thing”.
The men were in awe and reverence. I then took them over to where the Joseph Smith homestead tour begins. There were sister missionaries there to greet them. I asked the men if it was okay for the ladies to take them on the tour and they said that it was.
I was kind of overcome with the Spirit after the special time I had just shared with all of these men of power and strength. Wow! I noted a special connection with one brother. He seemed really into the message and had listened and watched me intently as I presented new truths to him. I could tell that he was really feeling the Spirit in a good way. As I said farewell to this group, I shook hands with this one guy and as I did so, I said, “It was so great to have you here, brother.” He looked at me, and in a very natural way, we pulled each other into a great hug. Then, to my surprise, the long line of men behind him also wanted a hug from me.
One guy wanted to take a moment to teach me how to say “Hello” or “good day” in his native language – possibly Urdu? He had me say the words and then he had me practice them. Sad to say, my grasp of the “gift of tongues” was not that strong at that moment – but it was a fun bonding time.
And then they were off … I was still kind of choked up when I returned to the Red Brick Store and greeted my next group.
GREETED BY HOMEMADE CINNAMON ROLLS, WE BECAME FAST FRIENDS
There is nothing like home made cinnamon rolls to help “make new friends and influence people” (as my friend “Sam” Carnegie would say. My wife honed in on that art many years ago – and she has been working her charm with them ever since (just like my own mother and grandmother before her).
It was late on a Sunday afternoon, and we were at the Joseph and Emma Homestead and Mansion House. Sister Hunt and other missionaries assigned there that afternoon were outside of the Bidamon Stable just visiting and basking in the beauty and wonder of the world around us – and feeling the influence of Joseph and Emma with us. This was as we had a few and rare moments between tours. (Actually, part of the team were giving tours.)
We were approached by a young family bearing gifts. Our mouths began to water – even before they got to us. Cinnamon rolls just seem to have a special aura around them. No one knew who these folks were, but they quickly caught our attention as we eyed the plates in their hands. I went over to greet them, and we became fast friends. They said that these cinnamon rolls had not sold in their restaurant and by their tradition, they were bringing them to share with missionaries. How grateful we were to be the recipients. Wow! I shared the goods with the other missionaries and we were all agog with the delectables before us.
MEET THE SQUIRE FAMILY OF DOWNTOWN NAUVOO …
We were greeted by Dad, Jordan, and Mom, Morgan Squire and three of their six children. Each one offered us a plate. Wow! You can come to our place any time, folks!
My wife and I enjoyed visiting with the Squire family. They shared with us their story (and with their permission, I share it here with ya’ll). They said that they operate the “Red Front” café or restaurant located in metropolitan downtown Nauvoo. We had already been to their place several times but had never met the visionaries behind the counter.
We were in awe and amazement as they shared with us their story. It was amazing, and inspiring …)
About five years ago, I guess they had been to Nauvoo on a family trip. And they had purchased a possible bed and breakfast location – here – just as an investment. They returned home to Salt Lake City, Utah.
Within a short time, the wife/mother kept having recurring spiritual promptings that they should move to Nauvoo to start a restaurant – and that they should do it NOW. She was stunned. They had no previous plans of doing such a thing. And further, they had never operated a restaurant. But, the thought and impressions kept coming. She could not get them to go away. The feelings pressed down on her and she could not shake them. She went to her husband and told him about her feelings. She thought and hoped he would say, “That is really a dumb idea” and would talk her out of it. Not so! He said, “Well, if the Lord has told you to do this, then we better go for it.” She was then in a state of shock … and it was time to act.
This situation reminded Lou and me of a similar occasion for us. We were living in Santa Barbara, California, where we had lived for two years. I had recently left the employ of the Boy Scouts of America. I had been a professional Scouter – for seven years but a change was a necessity. We were out of a job and had no money. We were just getting started on a trip to Utah. We were speeding along on the freeway east of Ventura, California on Highway #126 – heading east on our way up to Utah to see Lou’s folks and family for a short time.
As we were thus on the freeway – going through the lovely orange orchards, I suddenly turned to my wife and said, “You are going to think that I am crazy, but I just got the feeling that we are supposed to move to this town.” (And we didn’t know anyone there – nor had we ever been there). She surprised me as she said, “No, I don’t think you are crazy … I just got the same feeling!” Wow!
We made our trip to Utah and returned to our home in Santa Barbara and within a few days, moved 50 miles away to the town of Santa Paula, California. That move proved to be a wonderful blessing in our lives in many ways. (Three more children joined the four – and we had some wonderful friends – the Lazenby’s and others.) We were grateful that we heeded the workings of the Spirit with us. We remained in Santa Paula for five years before returning home to Arizona.
Anyway, back to the Squire family … Being united in the cause, they made the decision to move “right now” to Nauvoo. They began to make preparations to move. And they were surprised when a neighbor a few doors down from them came over to talk. The neighbor said, “God told us that we are supposed to buy your house.”
Sister Jordan objected and said, “But you have a house .. why would you want to buy our house?” The neighbor was just as surprised as were the Squire family – but acted on the inspiration. Soon the purchase was made. The Squire family packed up and headed off for Nauvoo in the moving van. They quickly found a Nauvoo home to live in, and within a month or so, they suddenly found themselves living in the little village of Nauvoo, Illinois (now bursting at the seams with about 1,000 people). And within a ridiculously short period of time – like within a month, they were moved in and had their new restaurant/café open for business. And they have been here doing business ever since. They do not know fully why the Lord directed them here, but trusting in Him, they have had success and great experiences here. (And our mission President says that this same feeling can be shared by many of the business owners of Nauvoo. He said that “there is a gathering here … and people are being told to come here– and they don’t know why. They just go for it and do it.”
This spirit reminds me of the scripture that was my family favorite as I was growing up: Proverbs 3:5-6 which states, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Even through several bouts of unemployment and lingering uncertainty, we have gone forward in faith. That has been the modus operandi for our whole lives. And it seems to be working! And we now express our gratitude for the Lord’s bounties unto us. He has always provided us with “sufficient for our needs”.
A PLUG FOR THE LOCAL “RED FRONT” RESTAURANT
Okay, so there are not many options for eating in Nauvoo. We surely do not have a monopoly on eating establishments. But, that is not the only reason why I tout the Red Front restaurant or café here in downtown Nauvoo. They seriously, they have amazing food (and decent prices). We have loved it each time that we have gone there – and with every menu item we have tried.
Our favorite menu item is their ice cream “bricks”. Maybe it is just the Belcher Brick in our blood, but we really love this kind of brick. It comes in a plastic box about 4” square. And the ice cream brick inside – nearly fills up the box. They always have their mainstay of greet mint chocolate chip – to which Sister Hunt is addicted – but often have other exotic flavors – like French Silk, Lemon Raspberry, brownie dough, and more. And the crust on each one is truly amazing. We often feel a pull on the vehicle steering wheel nudging us to go there at nights. Sometimes we will share one brick. Oher times, we will each get our own favorite brick (depending upon flavors available). Occasionally, we will each eat our full brick, and sometimes, we each get our brick, eat part of it there, and then bring home half of it to freeze for another happy time.
When people ask for our food recommendations, we always are quick to sing the praises of The Red Front – owned and operated by Jordan and Morgan Squire. They are only open to 8:00 PM, however (later than most places in town … since most “roll up their sidewalks” earlier) so you’ll have to hurry … but they are sure worth going there. So, “Hats off, Squire family!”
AND A SIDENOTE ABOUT NAUVOO SHOPPING OPPORTUNITIES
Anticipating Mother’s Day and Sister Hunt’s birthday (I think), our son, Rusty, asked what stores we have in Nauvoo. He was, indeed, quite shocked when we told him emphatically, “Dollar General”. That is seriously the Walmart of old Nauvoo. He never ordered from there … I guess the place did not meet his hopes or expectations.
ANOTHER UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER WITH THE SQUIRES
One day, Sister Hunt and I found ourselves serving (literally) in the restored “Scovil Bakery”. We were visited by the Sister missionary who coordinates the “cookies” for the bakery. She said that she would not be there, but said that a lady would be bringing in a large collection of cookies. She gave us instructions for getting them into large freezer boxes (there’s that “large” word again) located down in the limestone cellar of the place. She said that we would be visited by Jordan Squire with a large batch of the famous and now traditional Scovil Bakery molasses cookies. She said, “Large” but we learned a new meaning of the word that morning.
Baker Squire showed up as promised. We learned what “large” means. On that morning, she literally brought in about 4,000 cookies. Yes, that’s right!
For many years, the modern Scovill Bakery used to actually make these famous molasses cookies (in the native “bustle oven” of the place – so named because of the bustle on a woman’s posterior – that sticks out in the back) and would give them out to visitors. They became “legendary” and people came for the tour just so that they could get another of those pioneer delectables.
We learned that the “large” meant being innovative in how to get the five or six “large” crates of cookies downstairs. All stairs in Nauvoo are notoriously treacherous in their steepness, but the Scovil stairs redefine the word and description. One can hardly call them “stairs”. It is more like one of those old-fashioned fire station poles. Jordan just kept bringing the boxes from her car and I would carry them to the launching point for the so-called stairs. Lou would perch herself (literally and precariously) on one or two of the “steps” to receive the packed boxes. Probably not the best alternative, she would slide the boxes down to the cellar below. And then she would transfer the box contents into the two waiting freezer boxes. She would return up the pole (an interesting feat, in itself) with the empty box and I would return it to Jordan. Even with the challenges, we soon got all of the boxes downstairs, unloaded, and passed back up to me for Jordan.
Jordan told us the “Nauvoo” had contracted with her Red Front company to create some 50,000 cookies that were projected to be needed through the summer for the onslaught of visitors whom we hoped would come. The cookies are small … you could not make a meal of them … but they are at least a bite of that old-fashioned molasses goodness. And another engineering challenge is that they are all individually packaged in their own little plastic bag. 50,000! Wow. That really defines “large”. She said that the cookies were “all hands on deck” for her family. Talk about home evening activities … that was certainly one for everyone to be a part of. They probably wished that all six children had six or more hands each for the task at hand. And the poor kids are probably watching cookies being created, baked, and bagged, all through the night –every night. But, “progress is being made”, said Morgan. “The end is in sight! This makes about 41,000 cookies in the freezers below!” Wow!
After she left, I began to check out the system by which the cookies made it to the packed freezers. I decided that we were not being very smart. Even though this building is a restored structure, it still has the characteristic old limestone basement – and a cellar door going up out of it. And Voila! (Remember my blog about our bike riding?) Well, that was the case with this place, also. One needed only to unlatch the door down cellar, and pull the outside doors up and over. We could have easily saved ourself (and especially Sister Hunt) a lot of grief if we had used our noggins a bit more creatively. I later mentioned this option to the “Sister Cookie Coordinator” and she tried to fathom that scenario. I am not sure she was a believer, but she should be! It would sure be easier for those coming 10,000 more cookies!
Well, there you have it! Life in Nauvoo just keeps getting better and better. I think we will stick around a while! (And maybe get some more of those cinnamon rolls and molasses cookies…!)
In case you haven’t been to Old Nauvoo in a while, maybe it is time you came! I have personally noticed a lot of Restoration going on – especially the Restoration in Nauvoo from 1975 to 2024.
And first, I apologize for the space between the last blog article and this one. Actually, however, I have not been idle. I have actually been working on this blog for 50 years!
I have had the unique opportunity and blessing to experience historic Nauvoo at various times and in several different circumstances through the years.
My first Nauvoo experience happened in 1975 when I was serving on my “young mission”. I served in Nauvoo for the final 6 months of that mission. I loved the experience. It was truly wonderful and exciting in every way. I served then as a site guide in the eight restored homes.
My wife and I brought the nine children to Nauvoo and were cast members two different summers in the “City of Joseph” musical production. We found other opportunities to come to Nauvoo for many other excursions.
Then in 2024, my wife and I were assigned to Nauvoo for an 18-month “Senior Mission” for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And once again, we are historic site guides – just as I was in 1975. This time, there are over 30 restored homes and shops and we rotate through most of them.
During both missionary assignments, I have taken a multitude of photographs of many of the historic restored homes in Old Nauvoo. Being somewhat of a historian, this has been a great adventure! In this book/slide show, I am able to compare the homes as they existed in 1975 – and as they are now in 2024 – 49 years later. (Where did that time go? I couldn’t possibly be that old!)
When in Nauvoo as a young missionary, I maintained daily journal entries for each day of the mission. I also wrote extensive letters home to the folks each week. In an effort to add a bit of variety to the photos, I have included entries from that 1975 era (from the journals and letters) to show actual activities that I participated in at that time.
This has been a major effort and I hope that you will enjoy the PowerePoint presentation. The show really tells the story of Restoration here in Nauvoo.
Here is the link. (And you might want to copy and paste the link into your browser.) Look at the top of the PowerPoint presentation. ) Once you click on the presentation, look for the word “View” at the top. Then click on “Slide Show”. You will probably also want to click on “View” once more and then “Zoom”. Enlarge the view to 100% (or more if you are my age!). And then you are off and running! Sit back and enjoy the ride.
And you know by now, that I don’t let moss grow under my feet. (But in humid Nauvoo, that might be a trick!)
I have already also published the book or slide show on my lulu.com site where I publish my books. With this link, you can order your own full-color book. (Color costs a bit more … but it is truly worth it!) The book will be a very quality book that you can put on your coffee table (without the coffee) and enjoy for years!
On the Nauvoo Trail 