Almost There!!!

Some of the photos I wanted to add to the last blog just would not cooperate with me...so, here they are! Man, should it be so hard to add a couple of great shots to share??? Must be to test my patience or somethin'!

Danielle playing in the Tabernacle in Kainesville...she sounded amazing!

This statue and scripture were the "greeting" you received as you first walked through the doors of the Visitors Center at Kainesville...

The Saints truly did leave all and Follow Him!

Our little Natalie promptly climbed up and "prayed" right along with the rest of the people in this statue...Wow do I love little children! (and big ones, too!)

This was the gates opening to the Pioneer Cemetery at Winter Quarters...such a special Spirit was here...

Danielle was really not ready to leave here (cemetery) at all, so we left her to have her special moment.

Back to my driving narration: (Just after leaving Independence, Missouri)

Everyone Needs to eat again…but all we’ve been doing is eating out of our car, sandwiches, yogurt, muffins, chips, fruit and car stuff. So, we decided tonight that we just needed real food. The “real food” that all the kids chose was Taco Bell. Now, I love Mexican food, but the experience is just a bit different than really eating Mexican food, but it was better than making a pile of sandwiches to pass around to the crew. I had to laugh, they didn’t have ketchup sitting out anywhere so I went up to ask them for some…they looked at me like I was some alien form of a person because I wanted ketchup in a taco joint. I tried to explain to them that in Idaho we do have ketchup in ALL taco Bells. They didn’t buy it. My little ones were feeling a little unhappy, how on Earth do you eat a taco or a burrito without our trusty bottle of ketchup? Natalie couldn’t even finish her taco. Maybe they’ll think about it here in Missouri and bring ketchup out…they just don’t know what they’re missing!

It’s just after 8 p.m., and completely dark!!!! Our last stop for the evening is to be Liberty Jail. Sure hope we can see it in the dark.

Need to think about Zion being here in Independence, Missouri. Don’t know enough. I’m thinking my study time here could be amazing!

As I think about Liberty Jail, I think of how Joseph Smith marked each day and at a certain point asked , “God, where art thou?” How alone and forsaken he must have felt. How afraid for not only himself, but his family and all the Saints. The responsibility, the load that he carried is just unimaginable to me. And when I think of Joseph Smith, my thoughts always go to Emma. The strength, endurance, faith, and love of this woman amazes me. She is on such a pedestal in my heart. I can’t imagine, nor would I wish to, the pain and the loss she suffered, the loneliness and the fear she had to experience are incomprehensible to me. I am so hopeful that we can go and feel the Spirit and appreciate these landmarks that we’ve seen only in movies…that our children’s hearts will be touched by this experience, that the testimonies of their hearts will be strengthened and solidified.

In a certain way, although to some this may seem bad, I feel a touch of peace knowing that even a Prophet of God at times felt and said aloud, "God, Where Art Thou?" We've all felt at one time or another (or maybe too many times) that maybe He has forgotten us in our trials on this Earth

and we do wonder God, where art Thou? Thinking of the struggles and the triumphs of the Saints gives me hope when I feel mine has faded. In the midst of what seemed the darkest hour for Joseph Smith, he received revelation that is crucial to us and is available to us in the Doctrine and Covenants...I can't wait to devour this treasure, I've spent so little time reading this part of our scriptures and feel that it is time for me, that my heart and spirit are just waiting.

On my next post, I'll be sharing thoughts that Chad and I had after leaving the Liberty Jail...

Loved our conversation!