NAUVOO IL AND THE PAGENT 7/8/2011

Friday, July 8th, we got up and drove to Nauvoo IL.  On the way, we took the red roads through beautiful farm country.  The corn is getting bigger as we travel later in the season!

We pulled into Nauvoo State Park and felt right at home.  We had stayed in this wonderful park 5 years ago and found it still just as easy to access and as charming as last time.  Mark, this is the park I have called you from twice now!!  We did not stay in the same space as we did last time though.  We have a bigger rig and the space was too small for us this time.  But this one was just fine!! 

After setting up camp, we went to the city of Nauvoo to take in the sights.  We went on a narrated wagon ride around the old city first.

Then we took in a musical play about the settlers of Nauvoo.  It was very well done!  These very talented young people that played and sang the parts are young missionaries.  And because of their talent are called to serve the first 6 months of their mission performing here and then are transferred to their proselyting areas around the world to finish their mission.

This is a local bagpipe group that was here performing.  They were awesome!  We ran into them several times as we walked around Nauvoo.

Then we attended a presentation by the actor that portrays Joseph Smith in the Nauvoo Pageant.  He gave a 20 minute portion of the three hour King Follet address.  It was amazing!  If you have never read that address given at the funeral of King Follet, a friend of Joseph Smith's that was killed in a well he was digging when it collapsed in on him, read it.  Good stuff!

We also toured many of the still existing and reconstructed historical homes of prominent persons from the 1830's and 1840's that lived here during the town's heyday and decline.

We attended a couple more performances celebrating the  history of this city.  Here we were at one presented by mostly the senior couples missionaries.  It was fun!

Barber Shop Quartet wanna be's!  They were funny!

One thing that impressed us, is that every performance began with the presenting of our nations colors, The Pledge of Allegience, us singing our country's national anthem and a prayer!  This performance presented the theme song and flag of all the armed service branches of our country.  Those in the audience that had served in each branch were asked to stand and be thanked as their branch's flag was presented.  It was grand and made Wayne cry.

We attended the Nauvoo Outdoor Pageant in the evening.  It was amazingly well done and had the temple in the background.

We had gone to the seating area when we had first arrived, earlier in the day, and placed an exercise pad on our chairs to save our spot.  That pad was nice later on in the performance!!

Again, the performance was begun with the presentation of the flag, the pledge and the national anthem!  Very nice!  Notice the bag pipers in the back ground?!  Nice touch!

This dramatization of the founding and settling of Nauvoo, Il was very inspiring and entertaining.  here is Joseph Smith teaching the Saints.

As the story was presented of the building of the temple, it slowly was constructed in the background.  Not Broadway, but amazing none the less.

The majority of these actors and cast are volunteers from around the world that come here to spend a portion of their summer presenting this program.  It is amazing how well things turn out!!

This pageant was the capstone to a wonderful day spent in Nauvoo IL!  We were duly entertained, spiritually fed and impressed! 
Here Joseph Smith delivers an address near the end of the evenings performance.  The play teaches the history of the city as well as emphasizes our faith in and devotion to Jesus Christ.  Good Stuff!