Day 38 - 7/28

We spent all of today in Nauvoo seeing the different plays/musicals and buildings. We started off the day riding in a carriage drawn by horses and saw some of the old farms and the dry river. Along the way we heard stories of the people who lived here and what the wildlife was like. Before the Saints settled in Nauvoo, the land was a complete swamp and was mostly inhabited by mosquitoes. They were able to dig ditches and eventually drain the area. The trees that grew here also rotted from the inside out so the outside bark could only be used for firewood. Julia enjoyed the wagon ride a lot because she could pet the horses afterwards.
We then saw a couple of musicals the young missionaries put on. The first one, called Just Plain Anna Amanda, was about a girl who wanted to be important, but then realized she is great being who she is. Lydia said she liked it because, "it was a good way to teach kids that they are important while having fun." Before the show started they had a puppet show that involved singing. Emily especially liked standing up to sing Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree. The other play was about other events in Old Nauvoo. As always, the singing and acting was perfect. I have been very impressed with all the plays in Nauvoo. If anyone is considering going, I would highly recommend making the trip.

We also visited some of the buildings such as the Brickyard, the Print shop, and the Blacksmith. I liked the Brickyard because they give you a souvenir brick at the end and explain the process of forming the bricks. The Print shop showed how the Nauvoo Neighbor, the local newspaper, was printed. The printing press was fun to be able to touch and actually feel how something would be printed. At the Blacksmith, they showed all of the tools that were used to make wagons and they even showed how to make a horseshoe. At the end, they gave everyone a prairie diamond ring. There was also a center where different trades were shown such as rope making, candle making and a kitchen that made bread. The rope was especially fun to make because it took all of us to make a sturdy rope out of Si001/sal fibers.

The highlight of today was attending the Nauvoo Pageant. Before the Pageant, they had a bunch of 19th Century activities such as stilt walking, hitting a hoop with a stick and puppet shows. Blake liked walking with stilts because he could take five steps, while the rest of us couldn't get off the ground. The Pageant was about the history of Nauvoo. It showed the temple being built and the martyrdom of the prophet Joseph Smith. The ending number they sang, The Spirit of God, was very powerful and spiritual. I'm very grateful to have the gospel in my life and be able to enjoy the happiness and peace it brings me.

Oh, and by the way, Happy Birthday to Nathan. You have existed for fourteen years, and I hope that your future will be filled with no anguish and much prosperity. At least, that's what that fortune cookie said.