Leaving Nauvoo

Today, 4/25/12, is our last day in Nauvoo. We have enjoyed our time here. The folks we've met were kind and upbeat.

 Little story--Becca and I entered the Visitor's Center as a meeting of all the hundreds of Nauvoo missionaries was letting out. There was a flood of senior missionaries passing us as they were going out. When they saw we were visitors we were stopped and "welcomed" to Nauvoo. Many had seen us at sites the past few days and wondered how we were enjoying ourselves. It took a long time for us to get inside where we were heading. 

But I can't help  but feel a sadness at what happened here. Can you imagine being here when the prophet and his brother were murdered? And then told for our safety we must put what we can in a wagon 3x8 and cross the river, which essentially was out of the United States, in the frigid February weather. What hardships and sacrifice! There is a monument at the river's edge commemorating the 2000 plus who died between Nauvoo and Salt Lake.

We are embarrassed that we have felt it has been a hardship to go without satellite television since last Saturday because the trees blocked the signal.

Anyway this was take off prep day. This morning we moved the rig over to the dump station. I was going to have to back in the little ramp, so Gramma said a prayer for safety and she got out to help me back in. In a minute it was not Gramma in my rear view mirrors. It was a big man with a full white beard waving me back. He had seen Gramma and stopped his pickup to lend a hand. He looked very much like Brigham Young. Interesting answer to a prayer here in Nauvoo.

Next we traveled the few miles back into Iowa to Keokuk. (Gramma is making a photo collection of water towers.)

We needed provisions. We find it a comfort to be able to stop at a Walmart. They usually stock everything we need from groceries to printer ink, which Gramma needed today.

Back in Nauvoo Gramma had two more places she needed to go in search of Heatherington records, The "Seventies Hall" stores many records.

The interior looks like a chapel. But we learned it was used primarily as a school room to train a variety of groups including outgoing missionaries

Our last stop was here. Heatherington owned property in Nauvoo. Becca and I were sitting quietly at a table while Gramma worked with one the helpers. We were exploring our new iPad and found "ring tones". Becca pushed the one that says "alarm". It disturbed the library atmosphere and we were asked to turn down the volume, but I haven't yet learned where the volume control is, so Becca and I went outside to wait.

The radio broadcast was just interrupted for a "severe thunderstorm alert" until 10:15. Good news --nothing about tornadoes. But the night ain't over yet. Good night