The Missouri

The mighty Missouri has exceeded her bounds and is lying right in our path. Water is covering roads, bridges are out and fields full of corn are submerged. It is an amazing, humbling and devastating sight. There is so much water and even more sandbags. Every town we go through has sandbags stacked along it streets and up against all the stores. People are evacuating as their fields lie under the river and the water continues to rise, approaching their homes.

We first heard about the flood from a fellow RVer at Carthage Jail. He just mentioned the detours he had to take to avoid the Missouri. So we got online and started looking. Much of our route, Highway 29, is closed. With the help of the internet and a couple senior missionaries we have thus far been able to avoid closed roads. We have seen a lot of county side from little two lane roads. In some ways it has been nice to see the farms and tiny Midwest towns up close. Fields of corn as far as the eye can see is a sight everyone should see. But obviously we aren’t making very good time and our RV doesn’t fit as well on a two land road as it does on a divided highway. At one point we were told to take the old Lincoln highway as a detour. The man who suggested it told us it might be a tight squeeze for us to get through a tunnel with our RV, but if he said if we couldn’t make it through the tunnel to just keep going another 15 minutes and there would be a slightly bigger one. So we get to the tunnel, 11’ 1” the sign said. We have never measured our RV but I had looked up RV specs on the internet and for models similar to ours the heights ranged between 10’3” and 11’3”. So we were a little nervous. Rick wanted to try it. I didn’t. Luckily looking out at the road we could see water covering it just a few hundred feet past the tunnel so we kept going. The next bridge had a clearance of 12’3”. We were more comfortable with that but we still did pull over and I jumped out ran ahead and watched as Rick inched through to make sure he wasn’t going to rip the AC off. We had plenty of room. We got a lot of stares and honks as cars whizzed by watching us crawl under the bridge but we made it fine.

We camped a little earlier than planned, we were exhausted and weren’t sure where the next place we could camp was. There was state park, Browns Lake State Park, right off the road so we decided to try it. We were hoping it wasn’t flooded but figured we could always just keep going if it was. Everything was open so we pulled in and camped. The place was swarming with mosquitoes and friendly campers. We had 2 men come over and meet us and offered to help us if needed. The electricity is great, the water is murky and the bathrooms are dirty. But since the only thing our RV doesn’t have is electricity it worked out just fine.

July 6th

July 6 –

Today was spent avoiding the Missouri and learning about the early Saints in Winter Quarters and the Mormon Battalion. That was a part of Pioneer history I wasn’t as familiar with. It was extremely interesting. I think some of our children our visitor centered out. They all go straight to the missionaries, they stick out their hand and say “Spanish Fork, Ut”. The missionary laughs shakes their hand and says “so your from Spanish fork”, then the kids, at least the three youngest, rush over and get as many of the little pass along cards as they can before we stop them. Rachel had a hard time sitting for the tours today, in fact at the Kanesville tabernacle, the largest log cabin ever built, she ran in and ran straight up on the stage. The Elder who was giving us the tour must have been the most patient old man I ever saw. He laughed and said are you going to sing and dance for us. He shook his head and said, just sing, and started to sing “I am a child of God”, Rachel didn’t want to be outdone so she ran up and started to sing “Nephi’s courage” the both steadily increased the volume to be heard above the other. I was a bit mortified to have my two kids, (both who looked like messy orphans at this point in the trip) up on change singing primary songs at he top of their lungs. The missionary just smiled, clapped when they were done and turned to me and said. Don’t worry I have all day – they can sing as long as they want. Well I thought one number was enough. I got them down and he began the tour. He was telling stories and explaining the history and Rachel was dancing on my lap. Before starting the tour I suggested everyone use the bathroom like I always do, but either she didn’t use the bathroom or 15 minutes is as long as her bladder could make it today because she was really dancing. I got up and started walking out. The Elder said, “Don’t worry ma”m I will wait for you. So they waited for me while I took her to the bathroom. The tour was actually really interesting. Rick remarked we need to come back with out the kids so we can hear the complete version and really pay attention without interruption. The missionaries do a great job of telling the stories and the history and then relating it to our lives. We also watched a movie on the Mormon battalion and I learned a lot, it was a moving story. I guess we have seen enough visitor center movies that the kids know to go in sit down and pass me the box of Kleenex they always have sitting on the ends of the rows. Anna likes to take a couple too and says –“ just in case we feel the spirit ”

The Winter Quarters visitors center was also really neat. It was set up like a trail you walk through and see different presentation on how the pioneers lived and traveled. I also learned a lot there. We got to dress up like pioneers when we came in which the kids loved. They also had a bronze exhibit depicting different scenes from the life of Christ which was wonderful. As we were leaving the missionary asked us what we liked best about visitors center. Ryan spoke right up and said, “I think it is amazing that we always feel the spirit when we come to them”. The missionary was a bit taken back- it sounded kind of funny how he said it- but he is right. It is absolutely true.

July 5^th

So I didn’t really understand how far those early Saints had to walk. Reminds me of Moses and the children of Israel wandering around the wilderness. I kind of always just assumed they left Palmyra and headed west making a few stops to establish cities along the way but mostly following a direct route west. I didn’t realize that they first went all the way west to Independence and then east to Nauvoo and then west again to Winter Quarters and then finally on to Salt Lake. They made little settlements all over the place and there are still monuments all over the Missouri/Illinois/Iowa /Nebraska area depicting the saints and the influence they had over this region. And these weren’t short distances. I feel like I have been zig zagging across the Midwest forever and I am going 65mph and not carrying everything I possess. Although Ryan reminded us that we are kind of like the pioneers in that we are traveling in our “home on wheels” too. Our RV is probably 10 times as big as their wagons and we certainly aren’t carrying everything we own in it. We all have plenty of room for our stuff and a nice place to sleep every night. The AC alone would make it a million times better than a wagon. Also the bathroom is a big plus. We aren’t wadding through mud and our rv is completely water and bug proof. Boy am I glad I was not born a pioneer. Kind of. If the spirit we feel as we watch depictions of their lives is anything like how they felt actually living it – I might trade.

So today we visited Independence and Liberty jail. The sacrifices they freely gave were enormous. The Liberty Jail was described as a temple prison which blows my mind. And Joseph and his friends endured it well. My little trials sure pale in comparison and it is not very often I endure them well. The kids sat well for the tour, which surprised me because they were pretty off the walls before. The church does such an impressive job of creating an atmosphere where you can not only learn but feel the significance of the events depicted. It continually surprises me the difference between our church and the Community of Christ. We have been to three areas owned by the Community of Christ now and they are all so different than the church sites. They are more like a business and less like memorial. We came to late to take tours of the Nauvoo and Indigence sites so we just walked around ourselves and read signs. The differences were enormous. Even a simple things like the landscaping. We walked around the grounds of the Community of Christ temple. It looked more like an office building than a temple – except for the huge ice cream cone swirl on top. There were rocks and bushes and trees but there were also weeds all over. Then we walked across the street to the visitors center . Even that was immaculately clean and orderly. The grounds were beautiful with flowers everywhere and not a weed in sight.

The whole community of Christ church just really saddens me. These people used to have the fullness of the gospel and they gave it all up. Now the avoid talking about Joseph smith, don’t use their book of Mormons and deny the existence of God and Christ as two separate beings. I just can’t wrap my head around the fact that they can say Jospeh Smith was the founder of their religion but have thrown out so many of his principle teachings. And the one of the most devastating parts of that is the fact that they did it largely for money and acceptance. One of the sister missionaries told us how many of the older members were leaving the church as they see so many changes being made and that most likely the only reason they have totally renounced Jospeh Smith is because of these older members who are probably big tithe payers. Rick was saying he can’t understand why they are holding on to sites like the Jospeh Smith home in Nauvoo or the Kirtland temple. Why not just sell them to the church and totally separate themselves. I would think our church would pay them a pretty penny for such sites.

One of the sister missionaries in the Independence visitors center told us that all the missionaries were a bit nervous for this weekend because the Smith family was having a big family reunion and that as part of it one of the LDS members of the family had arranged to bring the family there to the Independence visitors center. There have been prophecies that the Smith family would find their way back to the church and that the visitors center would play at part in that. Elder Ballard said the time is now. Now they are coming and the missionaries are feeling the pressure. I can’t help but think Jospeh must be devastated that his children weren’t raised with the fullness of the gospel under the leadership of a true prophet and with the privilege of priesthood authority. Someday I am sure that prophecy will be fulfilled.

The community of Christ seems less like a religion that worships God and more like an organization to promote peace. Which of course there is nothing wrong with promoting peace in the world, that is a great thing, but there is so much more they could have. The early saints gave so much but those that left the church when Jospeh died seemed to give them for naught. I guess that is why enduring to the end is an essential part of the gospel. It doesn’t’ do a whole lot of good to suffer through the first half of the trail and then stop without making it the summit.

July 3rd and 4th

“The Church is True, The book is Blue,I love Nauvoo. “ I had to laugh at the tons of blue shirts we saw running around with that little saying. I guess a family reunion or a youth group with a creative shirt designer was visiting Nauvoo. But Nauvoo was wonderful. Hands down the best part of our trip and the best part of that is that the kids came up with that. I loved Nauvoo but even more I loved that my kids loved Nauvoo.

We pulled into the beautiful city a little before 10:00. We were pretty nervous about finding a place to camp. We had called around and most everything was booked up. 4^th of July weekend and the Nauvoo pageant did a pretty good job of filling the place up. We called the Nauvoo Rv Park and the guy said he had an open spot he asked our name and said he would save it for us. So we were hopeful but with only the name Carter, no cc #, we weren’t sure he would really hold it all night. It was kind of hard to find but after taking a late night drive through an old cemetery, and a call to the place, we finally found the place. The camp host came out on the road and waved us in with a flash light. A little gravel lot with a few trees, and about 20 spots for RV’s. But the host was really nice and helpful, the electricity powered our ac, fridge and computers and there was a bathroom with warm showers and relatively little dirt and bugs. We called the place home for three days. The guy must have thought us crazy because we initially told him we would be there 1 night, but we ended up adding 1 more and then one more night. We just didn’t want to leave.

We went to the 11:00 church. I have been to meeting where the gym was filled and people were sitting on the stage and spilling into the halls but it has always been a conference not a sacrament meeting. They said that visitors outnumbered members more than 2 to 1. They had to have 2 sacrament tables set up, one in the front and one in the gym. Even with that it took a long time and about 20 deacons to pass the sacrament to so many people. It was quite a site and quite a feeling to stand with them all and sing the patriot hymns and hear the testimonies that Nauvoo has such a special way of strengthening. We thought we would do the primary and Sunday school a favor by not staying and adding to the already overwhelming numbers. So did many visitors it looked like. Rachel especially had a hard time sitting still during sacrament meeting and two different people came up to me afterwards and commented on how much energy she has. I know they were trying to be nice and she is amusing to watch but pretty much they are just saying “your daughter causes so much commotion we just couldn’t help but be distracted by her the whole meeting” Which is unfortunately the truth. It is a good thing she is so cute so at least people are generally amused and not annoyed with her distractions. We also had a couple people ask Rick if he was there to be in the pageant, I guess his scruffy beards lead them to that conclusion. So we left the church went to the temple and took pictures. The temple is beautiful and powerful. I would have loved a painting of it that we saw in one of the shops but at 700 I decided to pass it up although Rick offered to get it for me.

We decided to spend the day touring Carthage. We stopped for lunch at a roadside picnic area on the banks of the Mississippi. The kids were scared of the bugs shoved a few bites in and ran for the protection of the rv. No wonder so many of the saints died- “ mosquito infested swamps”, could still be used to describe that rest area.

To walk across the lawn where Jospeh lay dead, to see the bullet hole in the door and to think of the blood shed and sacrifice made was an extremely sombering experience. I learned a lot about the events of the day and understood more the significance of it all. We are all so blessed to have such a legacy.

Sunday evening we went to a Sunday Sociable which I really enjoyed. Ryan and Rachel enjoyed running around in the field behind us and coming up into our row disturbing our neighbors countless times during the performance. I told they kids it was a play – I wasn’t so sure what it was- I was a musical. It was Broadway type songs tied together with a little story of life. I loved the music the kids did to for about the first 2 songs then it was, “is this only going to be singing”.

Monday morning was the 4^th. I woke up early anxious to get over to the visitors center and stand in line for tickets. I wanted to be there before it opened so I could be first in line. I waited around till about 6:45 and then ran over. I didn’t want to wake the kids that early and figured I needed a like jog anyway so I ran the 1.5 miles to the visitors center. It was a nice little run except for the fact it felt like 1000 degrees outside. Doesn’t it ever cool off in the Midwest. By the time I got there I was number 10 in line. We waited about 15 minutes and they opened the door. I was able to get tickets to everything I wanted.

We started the day in historic Nauvoo with listening to the brass band which the kids loved. I was surprised by how much Rachel liked it and cried to follow them around. We watched the play “Just Plain Anna-Amanda” in the cultural hall. The kids were pretty leery of this since I said they would like the Sunday sociable and it didn’t turn out to be their favorite thing. But this they LOVED. It was really good. Rachel got called up on stage at the end, she adored the attention. She loved the actors dressed in period costumes and afterwards went up to give them all a hug and get her picture taken with them. It was fun that several of them remembered her name and even remembered her later that evening when we ran into them again at the next play we went to. I guess Rachel is pretty unforgettable with her deep blue eyes and fiery personality.

After the play we went and saw some of the houses and shops, learned how to make rope, bread and barrels. We watched them weave flax into linen and learned to make boots, bricks and wagon wheels. Then with our souvenir brick and rope and our prairie diamonds on our finger we headed over to take a carriage ride.

Max and King two huge Belgium horses took us for a pretty bumpy ride through the Nauvoo countryside while a teamster told us stories of the early saints and testified of the contributions their lives made. He mentioned Edmund Nelson in one of his stories, I leaned over and whispered to the kids that I thought Edmund Nelson was one of our Great Grandpa’s. I guess Ryan didn’t hear me that well because he kept saying “that is our great grandpa” pointing to the teamster telling the story. Rachel and Anna picked it up and the whole wagon heard the kids discussing our Great Grandpa, I tried to correct them a couple times but I think they left really believing our Great Grandpa took us for a carriage ride.

We also went to the play “High Hopes and Riverboats” another excellent performance put on by the performing missionaries. The kids were really excited for this program and weren’t disappointed. The church does a spectacular job putting these kind of things on.

We went to the Hotel Nauvoo for some dinner. I really enjoyed being in an old hotel and having a delicious meal surrounded by so much history. The kids liked the food and loved that it was buffet but I don’t think the staff liked us to well. At least I am sure they weren't’ too happy with the mess we left behind. There was a missionary couple we came over to chat with us they commented several times on their way in and out of the buffet how well behaved and cute our children where. They must have either been being sarcastic, or they were deaf and blind and missing their grandchildren because our kids are anything but well mannered. But it was a really nice meal.

When we arrived in town and learned the Pageant started Tuesday we were pretty disappointed we would miss it. We discussed staying till Wednesday morning but were planning on leaving Monday night and just didn’t think we could make it home on time if we did. Then we found out that Monday night was the dress rehearsal which worked out wonderfully. We went to that and just left Tuesday morning.

The Pageant was excellent and because it was the dress rehearsal instead of the performance there was a lot less people there. We arrived about 8:20 for the 8:30 performance and were only about 10 rows back. The kids were kind of disappointed we were going to the pageant rather than the fireworks but by the time the pageant was over I believe they were glad they went. The Pageant was spectacular I don’t think Rachel really ever got the fact that they were actors and not the real people. When Jospeh smith was introduced Rachel eyes got real big and she said really loud “I saw Jospeh Smith, I really saw Jospeh Smith” I tried to explain it was just pretend and he was just acting but later when King Follet died she said, again really loud “is that Jesus, THAT’S Jesus” I again tried to explain. A few minutes she again ask “so how did he get here, did he just float down” I think she still really believes Jesus was there.

The pageant also featured some bagpipe players that Taylor and Dallin were fascinated by. They went over and talked to them and have now both moved bagpipes and lessons to number 1 on their birthday wish lists. The bagpipes were impressive especially playing “Praise to the Man” that has become a family favorite – it is such a powerful song.

As we got back to our Rv I had Rick pull around to a dark corner of the lot and I pulled out some sparklers for the kids. They had a great time running around the deserted parking lot waving there sparklers around yelling freedom. I just prayed we wouldn’t been seen and we wouldn’t light any cornfields on fire. But I was so happy to see my kids so happy.

As we were driving back to the Rv park one of the kids said, “How come we didn’t do much to celebrate the 4^th of July today”, I laughed and said – we did and started singing the Star Spangled Banner. Rick joined in and then Dallin and then the other kids, as the music started to swell I heard Taylor in the background saying “Nauvoo was my favorite part of the trip” Just then the temple popped up over the hill and it hit me hard how blessed I truly am. I really do have it all.