History of the Saints...writer and narrator Glen Rawson

 Have you heard of Glen Rawson? He does a tv show on Sundays after the Tabernacle choir sings which would be 10:00 a.m. channel 5. He is a researcher and I would dare say he knows church history inside and out and can recite about any name date or place in church history. He is passionate about it, loves Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon. What a testimony this man has! You can't help but be more converted by his knowledge and spirit.

We are watching this first dvd as we have now returned from touring with him and his beautiful redheaded wife and 92 other people for 10 days whom we love. Starting in Sharon Vermont and ending in Carthage Illinois. The trip was sacred. spiritual and unforgettable. We had no idea it was going to be as fantastic as it was. Fun for less tours is where to sign up for and I wouldn't wait. It's called the Ultimate church history tour. And that it was!

 Glen Rawson , to be with him and hear him pour his heart into the stories he tells at each and every site we were at was to be in awe. He made things so real, logical and put us there.  This man with all his passion and energy would walk down the bus isles in the morning as we were heading to our next destination and ask if we are okay, what do we need and did we have any questions. He really cared.

 You've heard of the Joseph smith papers...Glen Rawson was a seminary teacher in Idaho, I think Idaho falls. He felt the desire to quit and his wife said  no you cant do that! Had he been teaching he would not have gotten the call from Larry H. Miller to write the Joseph smith papers.

 His wife told a cute story about how she just wanted to go on a cruise. they have 7 children and she just wanted to go on a cruise. well, she ends up being a tour guide for this trip and to the Holy lands two times a year, plus other traveling. I love that story!

Just in awe at his knowledge and ability to pull it up at any time. You can ask him a persons name in history and he has a story to go with it.
The tour was 10 days , 3 of those days traveling by air the rest by 2 buses.
we would get up at 6:00 a.m. and drop into our beds around 10-11:00 p.m.
no one complained, it was too wonderful.

we were taught on the buses each day as we traveled from place to place.
we had morning devotionals.
I must tell you some bus driver stories , but that will be in the first days of our trip.
There were always tears.
And wonderful new people from all over the united states to meet.
2 young men, just new off their missions by a week were with us too, that was great!

I'll be back with more...right now, getting ready for the HOLIDAY Acorn antique show this weekend!

Historic Nauvoo. "to be beautiful" tour day 9

                                    Nauvoo temple sits upon the hill as you drive into the city.
Persident Hinckley called the time of the groundbreaking a "happy day" in Nauvoo "where it all
really began. It will have great historic significance.

This temple and the Angel Moroni face toward the Mississippi River and the West unlike all the other temples which face East. It was dedicated June 27th 2002  (note June 27th is the date Joseph and Hyrum were killed).

We had the opportunity to go through a session while here. Inside a big room is a replica of the Kirtland temple meeting room, stunning.  Our whole group had a photo at sunset. I will need to find it and put it on here. Special sacred experience to say the least.

Joseph and Emma's Mansion house

Joseph smith jr. began construction 1841 

It was used to entertain guests giving visitors free room and board. 

It became to expensive and turned it into a hotel. 

After Joseph and Hyrums death they were viewed here approx. 10,000 people.

Emma and her children lived here until 1869.

In 1918 Frederick A. Smoth, Josephs grandson deeded the Mansion to the RLDS church. 

It remains in their ownership along with the cemetary.

                                                 Beautiful fall colors tucked in everywhere.
                                          Temperatures 70's, this date was Sept. 15th 2015
                                                   Nauvoo was also named Commerce
                                           I'm only showing a few places in the historic area
                                we did have dinner buffet at the Hotel Nauvoo in town and a play.

              An example of the dishes that were used. All these pieces are broken and glued.

                                                     We didn't do this, but should have.
                                                    If your here for a short time it's ideal.

                                                                        A solomn place...

Josephs parents

                        Joseph .Emma.  Hyrum memorial. We do not believe they are buried here now.

                                      The Mississippi river would be at the edge of this photo.

                                                  This is the Browning Gun shop museum

How a log home would be constructed.

This is a replica

a common well

 Scovill bakery, showing Greg Larsen my brother in law. This was his ancestors on his mothers side.

                                 Inside the small bakery. A sister missionary is there to  tell of any stories.
                                       Many couple missionaries serving in Nauvoo are from Utah.
           The missionary couples put on a plays in the evening in the town of Nauvoo, 4 nights a week.

                                               This is the Scovill founder of the bakery.

                                                             The fireplace inside bakery

                                          Carl checked out the outhouse...yep, a two holer!

                                                                    Outside baking area

The sister missionaries bake up thousands of gingerbread boys and serve them to guests.

Cobbler shop

                                  Beautiful streets, homes and shops are not real close to each other.

Planting of the tulips...like hundreds and hundreds get planted

by a college group. They throw the colors in randomly.

 Nauvoo is really a dying town, there are under 2,000 residence and business' cannot make a go of it for long. It is however a tourist town. And in the summer very busy (humid and hot).

These are photo's just off my camera. I also took photo's with  my phone which i will need to learn to download onto the computer one day. This was day 9.

Carthage Jail... of Joseph and Hyrum Martyr tour day 10

Carthage Jail in Carthage, Hancock county Illinois. 

It was restored to close to its appearance  of 1844. It sits on a full city block.

Joseph and Hyrum Smith brothers

Martyr "a person who willingly suffers death rather than renounce his or her religion. a person put to death or endures great suffering on behalf of any belief,m principle or cause."

inside the visitor center are tributes to these brothers lives

June 27th 1844 they were killed by angry unruly mob of about 150 who stormed

in this jail, which was not a highly secure place.

remarkable grounds of peace. tranquility and time for thought.

A hisorical moment in church history.

                                                  

inside the jailhouse downstairs.

This was used as a home up until the 1930's 

It wasn't owned by the Mormon church until about then.

upstairs was the jail,  sleeping area

shackles

                                                           the stairs are narrow to go up.

                                            this walking stick was in the corner of the room.

                                                      the exact door a shot went through.
                                            The blood on the floor has since been taken off.

                                                Joseph fell out the window on the right.

                  we met in this room as a group as Glen Rawson told us this compelling story.
                          I felt a feeling of heaviness a very strong spirit is in this room.

                                   Painting of...        Joseph and Hyrum as they were driven out of Nauvoo.

 we then ventured to the airport after being spiritually fed beyond our expectations for 10 days.
A trip we will never ever forget. Our convictions so strong to the truthfullness of  the Restoration
of the Gospel in this dispensation.
New friendships made...

im going to add more, but this week is antique show week and time is limited.