Road Trip: Day Three

We were so blessed to be able to visit Nauvoo, IL and Carthage, IL!

Day Three (Wednesday, July17th): Nauvoo has a great Visitor's Center. The young missionaries there put on some wonderful shows!

And the Relief Society Tribute Garden will always remind me of my mother...

My favorite statue!

And coming around the hill and seeing an actual temple! 

I was last in Nauvoo 30 years ago, and I remember wishing I could have seen the temple in Nauvoo...

I love that we now have a new LDS temple in Nauvoo. It is so very beautiful!

And the view of the Mississippi from the temple steps-

Spectacular!

Luke and I then went to Carthage, IL- the site of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith (Joseph being the prophet and first President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints).

There is a special spirit at this site. The prophet Joseph Smith and many of the Saints surrounding him in his life were such great people.

 Great story surrounding this pic of the prophet teaching on the banks of the Mississippi. Short version: the artist, who painted this, included himself as the man holding his hat. He came to gain a testimony of the truth of the Gospel while painting this thanks, in part, to the teaching of a good friend- also in the painting (the man holding his chin). I am so blessed to have a testimony of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

We found a great Mexican restaurant this evening- in Carthage, IL of all places!- in the cutest little town square you have ever seen!