Our trip started with a 12 hour bus ride, beginning at 8:00pm. Yes, PM! We rode overnight, with 50+ teenage kids stuck on a bus together. I was a little scared! But, it actually went MUCH better than I had anticipated. Besides my back, but that is to be expected.
We had a middle of the night pit stop, that had this fantastic potty sign! Just had to take a picture of it. Once we arrived in Nauvoo, we dropped off our belongings at Camp Nauvoo, ate a quick breakfast then walked 2 miles into Nauvoo.
We saw the Blacksmith, then walked down the Trail of Hope, reading the quotes on plaques, on our way to the Mississippi River. It was a great way to start a spiritual weekend.
I had a little reminder of home! There was a small outdoor building with all of the 2,070 names of those who died after leaving Nauvoo. Outside was a sign with a flagpole, donated by my hometown stake Provo Edgemont Stake! What a great surprise!
We spent that day touring parts of Nauvoo. The kids couldn't help rolling down the grassy hill beneath the Nauvoo Temple. They definitely regretted it later when they were covered with small cuts (not soft blades like in Utah!) and rashes!
After viewing the Joseph Smith movie at the Nauvoo Visitor's Center we were bused to Carthage Jail.
Our sweet, soft spoken tour guide was a Sister from South Korea. I found it all the more powerful to hear her testimony of the "American Prophet" Joseph Smith, and what he means to her, and her testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was great for the youth to hear how the same beliefs can connect them to someone from across the world in South Korea.
My back started to give me trouble so I listened to a devotional after touring the jail, lying on my back beneath a gorgeous tree.
I was extremely grateful for our youth, and how they appreciate sacred places and the spirit they can feel while there. This was only Day 1 of a very enjoyable trip.
4 comments:
Oh I'm so jealous! I was supposed to go with our youth in a few weeks--and then we moved!! I just know they are going to have a fantastic time!
Wow, I am jealous. This is one of the reasons I would love to be a leader in Young Women's.
I am very lucky to have YW in our ward who are SO good. With some of the other drama from other wards, I don't know if I'd be as happy in YW! And we are VERY lucky to live this close to Nauvoo. It allows the kids to have personal experiences walking where the prophet walked. Some of the questions were quite funny though! Like:
Is Adam-ondi-Ahman in a different country?? (As we're boarding a bus to go there)
Are we going to the Sacred Grove? (Which is in NY, not in Nauvoo)
...to name a few. But no better time to ask those questions than while we are there!
I just found out that my dad's branch in Brenham Texas,there stake youth Confernence is in Nauvoo. My Dad said it took two days to get there. And only the bishop/branch president of the ward and the young women president went with the youth. The other leaders could go if they paid there own way.
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