A Whirlwind Trip to Utah

George was asked to go to Utah for the weekend to receive training in his Area Auditor position for the church, so he bought me a ticket, too, and off we went this past weekend.  It is so great that we don't have to work on Fridays throughout the summer, so we left after school on Thursday and returned on Sunday.  We stayed with Kevin and Angie's family and had the best time.  

Friday.   When my sister, Joyce, knew we were coming to Utah, she invited us to the Church Museum on Friday morning, which is the day that she is a guide there.  Hannah and Lauren ended up being the only ones who could go--Connor was at Youth conference and Kade was in Lake Powell, but we absolutely loved our time at the museum with such personalized attention that my sister gave us--and we all learned so much.

Inside the glass case is an original page written by one of the scribes, dictated by Joseph Smith, as he translated from the Gold Plates for the Book of Mormon.  There is, also, a first printed Book of Mormon in there.  Five thousand copies were made in that first printing.  Behind you can see the original Grandin printing press that was used to print those first Book of Mormons.

This sign hung above the door of Joseph Smith's office upstairs in the red brick store in Nauvoo.  It was painted on oil cloth by his mother, Lucy Mack Smith.  This was how she gained a little extra money doing this for others.

The painting at the top is a depiction of the bodies of Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, who died as martyrs in the Carthage, Illinois Jail, as they were being prepared to be taken  home to Nauvoo.   After their death, members of the church came to Carthage and placed the two bodies in wagons and covered them with tree branches to shield them from the heat.  The solemn procession back to Nauvoo was one of grief and desolation among the people.  

  

The historical account behind this event is as follows:  Joseph and Hyrum Smith had voluntarily surrendered themselves to county officials when they were falsely charged with a myriad of charges and being acquitted of them all, but the state officials finally resorted to charging them with treason.  They were awaiting a hearing on this charge.  Joseph had gone through 24 years of persecution that included nearly 20 attempts on his life prior to this. 

As is reported in history:  Governor Thomas Ford of Illinois, who had come to Carthage, visited Joseph Smith in the jail.  He and the Prophet talked for about an hour.  Out on the streets of the town more than a thousand men belonging to various military units were lazily spending the day venting their hatred for the Mormons as they talked together in groups.  The target of that hatred was Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet.  

Joseph told the governor of the danger surrounding him.  The governor dismissed it.  He and his troops left for Nauvoo, leaving those in the jail behind at the mercy of the mob militia.  The weather was sultry and hot and miserable.  

At about 5:00 p.m., a noise was heard outside followed by a cry of surrender.  Then came two or three gunshots.  In all, four Mormons had been imprisoned:  Joseph Smith, his brother Hyrum, Willard Richards, and John Taylor.  Willard Richards looked out the window and saw a large group of men with painted faces.  The mob ran up the steep stairs and began firing.  The prisoners pushed against the door and then tried to knock down the guns sticking through the door.  Both John Taylor and Willard Richards used canes to try to push the guns back from the opening door.  

A bullet fired through the door which hit Hyrum on the left side of the nose.  Another ball, coming through the window, hit him in the back almost simultaneously.  Two other balls hit him as he fell.  John Taylor was then hit.  One of the balls struck his watch.  It stopped at 5:16 p.m.  (That watch was also in the case, and we saw where the bullet had hit it.)  

One or two balls then hit Joseph.  He jumped to the window paused for a moment, cried out, "Oh Lord, my God," then fell out the window, his body resting against the curb of the well.

It was all over.  Joseph was dead.  Hyrum was dead.  John Taylor was wounded.  Willard Richards miraculously escaped.    

When the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum were brought back to Nauvoo, these death masks were made since photography wasn't really developed at that time.   You can see where the first bullet hit Hyrum (who is on the right) to the left of his nose.   Then other bullets hit him in his face, so his chin had to be rebuilt for the death mask.

This sampler was made as a tribute to the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum.  It was hand-sewn by a 13-year-old girl.   To make the endearment of her great respect and love, she used her own hair to sew into it on the tribute.   

Those sad days are gone.  But as President Hinckley stated:  "The glorious work, begun by him who was killed at Carthage, has grown in a miraculous and wonderful way.  Today there are nearly 14 million members of the Church which carries the name of the Lord Jesus Christ."

After Hannah, Lauren, and I visited the Church Museum and saw all of these reminders of the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph, it made me realize how important it is as Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve stated:  "They were called to give their lives for the gospel.  We are called to live our lives for the same purpose."  

I sincerely hope and pray that I will always represent the gospel of Jesus Christ in all I do and say.    

Many of our ancestors were converted to the Mormon faith in the Scandinavian countries or in England.  The girls tried out the bunks which would house a whole family.  The parents would have the smaller children sleep with them.  Teenage boys would be on one end and teenage girls on the other end.  Notice the attached bucket which would be for sickness as well as their bathroom duties.  Those people went through so much--usually a one month stay on the ship--to come to America to worship in a religion they so totally believed in.

Ship ropes with rats who lived on the ship, also.  (I could never have made it with rats aboard!!!)

Beloved items that people would bring with them.  Little porcelain face doll.

Ten handcart companies came West with companies of Mormon saints--two were involved in the Willey-Martin Handcart companies who didn't listen to counsel and left later than they should.  Many died.  Eight went successfully to Utah with very little incident.  Can you imagine putting a whole family's belongings in this one little box? 

Silver pitchers, cups, and trays for the Sacrament.  One cup was sent around for the sacrament water, the person would drink, and then wipe the cup with his or her handkerchief and then pass it along.  Today, small paper disposable cups are used for the sacrament water.

Part of the baptismal font out of the Logan Temple placed at the museum when they remodeled the temple.  Logan Temple  has a special meaning to us because it is where our parents were married.

This is the missionary display case.  Joyce and I instantly related to the white jacket, especially, as it was used in hot climates and the missionaries were always to be dressed for special occasions.  Our grandfather wore one like this in the Samoan Islands.

Here is a picture of my Grandpa Lester on his Mormon mission to the Samoan Islands in the years of 1913-1916.  Notice the white missionary coat.

Carrying a load of bananas while on his mission.

My Grandma Hattie, also, was called to serve a mission with him since he left for the Samoan Islands one day after they were married.  They served together in teaching the Samoan people about the gospel, as well as doing much service for them--including being school teachers, and even teaching some of them how to play the piano.  (My Grandma Hattie was very good at the piano.)  Their first son was born in the Samoan Islands.  (They are on the second row together--far right.)

The Joyce showed Lauren and Hannah an example of how heavy the Gold Plates would have been.  The plates actually weighed 45 pounds, so Lauren and Hannah were struggling to pick them up.  It is amazing how many times Joseph Smith had to hide them, even running through the forest with evil men trying to take them from him.  However, he was very strong as his family had cleared the land to plant crops, and he had much experience in chopping down trees which took a great deal of muscle. 

Since they were struggling, Joyce showed them how to lift straight up.

They were so happy when they could do it.

We then saw many different ways people made money to be able to take their family to the temple.  One family, after praying fervently to be able to have the money to travel to the temple, found their prayers were answered.  There was a great demand for tortillas which they made and soon had the necessary travel money.  This was such a fun activity for the kids to interact with that story.  It was a tortilla toss.

Here Lauren is showing the culture of Mexico and the beautiful outfits the men and women wear.  They learned a dance from the country.

Another area had puzzles, match games, mazes, and figures to move around in Book of Mormon stories.  All of the activities were so interactive which really taught so many lessons through fun activities.

Outside, the girls enjoyed going inside this little log cabin which used to be by the South Visitor Center.  This little cabin, known as the Deull log cabin, originally came from Centerville.  It was moved in the 1980s to this site behind the Church Museum and the Family History Library.

Everywhere on Temple Square, the beautiful flowers were just breath-taking.

Hannah, me, and Lauren in front of the Seagull Monument which denotes the Miracle of the Seagulls who rescued the pioneer crops after they got them all planted in Utah.  The pioneers would have starved to death being so far from any other civilization had they lost their crops.  They had tried beating the crickets, burning them, flooding them--all to no avail.  After mighty prayers were offered, the seagulls came and ate the crickets--then regurgitated then and ate some more.  It truly was a miracle!

After leaving Temple Square, we went over to City Creek, which has just recently been opened.  It is absolutely beautiful, with   restaurants, stores, high rise apartments and condos.  The church put 1 and 1/2 billion dollars into this area without using any tithing--only with money from investments the church made. 

Hannah had a little plastic duck which she put into the creek. 

Look at that smile!  She had the greatest time watching it go along the little stream!

This little backdrop was in some store, so the girls were good sports to pose for me.

Joyce and I together.  After the wonderful tour she gave us, we had lunch with the girls, then all went shopping.  She is a great person to shop with since she has so many good ideas!

About that time, George, Kevin, and Angie joined us.

   Kevin and Angie with the girls in front of the Assembly Hall back on Temple Square.

Saturday.   George was going to be gone all day at the Church Office Building, Kevin was doing yard work, and Angie was at Youth Conference, so I asked the girls what they would like to do.  They said they wanted to go to Thanksgiving Point to the Dinosaur Museum!  So, off we went!

At one place in the museum, there are magnetic boards with all kinds of dinosaur puzzle pieces.  We decided to try it.  You had a picture to look at, but there were three different dinosaurs, and it was extremely hard to match all the pieces.  I mean, really hard!!!  Hannah and I were ready to give up, but Lauren said, "No!  I want to keep trying!" 

So, with Lauren's persistence, Hannah and I helped, and soon we had one together . . .

and the second one together . . . but, we were meeting Kevin for a movie to see "Madagascar," so we thought we'd better move along.  But I was so proud of the hard work those girls did, and Lauren leading us to not give up!

This picture really makes me laugh!

We had a few minutes before we needed to be at the movie--so Kevin and the girls and I went to the Rose Garden area.  Absolutely beautiful!

I think all the grandkids love my camera.  The next pictures are all of the beautiful flowers that Lauren and Hannah took.  Great job, girls!

This was a picture I took as we came out of the movie--"Madagascar," which was adorable, by the way.  

George and Angie met us and after going to dinner, we had to end the movie with yogurt (George is on a diet!)--even though it had really turned off cold that evening.  That isn't going to stymie George's love of ice cream!  

Such a wonderful weekend--even though very quick.  We got up the next morning at 4:30 a.m. and left on the 7:00 a.m. flight for home.  Thanks, Kevin and Angie and girls, for such a great time!  We loved our weekend with you!