Sunday, October 4, 2015

Young Sister Missionaries, Happy Birthday, Farewell Nauvoo, Winter Quarters, and Home

We had the young sister missionaries and the Udalls over for one last dinner.
 It was Elder Johnson's, Elder Udall's, and Sister Schenk's Birthday.



 We also invited some of our friends to eat with us at Grandpa John's the morning we left Nauvoo for the last time.




 Our mini van was full to the brim with a car-top carrier ta-boot.

 Goodbye little house.

Motivation for leaving was a desire to reunite with family and friends.
Here's a few more pictures of our sweet grand kids in Chicago. 
Love the face, Zoey.

 Mia is so grown up. She's off to kindergarten already.

 Last week I told you a bit about Council Bluff or Kanesville as the Mormon's called it. Now I'll tell you about a place called Winter Quarters which is located west across the Missouri River from Council Bluff.
 Council Bluff was a holding area while the Mormons ferried across the Missouri River to Winter Quarters. Ferrying large rivers in the 1840's was a big deal that took valuable time. The pioneers wanted to head for the Great Salt Lake early spring and needed to have the river crossing behind them. The main problem with crossing the Missouri River was that land outside Iowa Territory was occupied by the Native Americans.

 Brigham Young plead with the Federal Government for assistance. This time, the Feds helped to negotiate with the Indians and granted the LDS pioneers use of the land named Winter Quarters for a two year period.


 A temporary but large community emerged quickly. (It grew to about 4,000 population in 1846 with 800 cabins, huts, and cabins with about 3,000 people who stayed in Kanesville east across the river.) As one group of saints left, another moved in to take their place. Many of the journals comment on the horrible conditions in Winter Quarters. Their weakened and exposed condition made many vulnerable to scurvy and many other diseases born of malnutrition. The disease infested the community giving the pioneers added incentive to move further west quickly.

By 1848 the Mormons relinquished Winter Quarters as agreed and the saints who had been asked to stay behind to help with the migration moved east to Kanesville. At that time, 350 houses and 3,000 people lived in Kanesville.  By 1852 there were 5,000 residents. It became a springboard for migrants.

For more detailed information see Winter Quarters Church Headquarters

For protection against the Indians, the wagons were pulled into large circles. Brigham Young stressed the importance of treating the Indians kindly. The Mormons had relatively few problems with them.

 Many journals also expressed the impression that angels assisted them in their travels.
Next to the Winter Quarter Visitor Center is a cemetery full of pioneers who died here. At least 1,000 died in the camps between 1846-1848. Brigham Young said, "God would have a tested people, but they would be redeemed in the fire of their wilderness afflictions."

 Below is the Winter Quarter's Temple. It was closed for cleaning on our trip home so we were unable to attend it. Isn't it beautiful?

 We're home. Sure glad we had numerous vacuum packed bags. We wouldn't have gotten everything in without them.


 


We will be reporting on our mission next Sunday relating some of our missionary experiences. 
Check out the blog in a week, and I'll give you some of the highlights.
Invitation:
These early pioneers pulled together for the temporal preservation of all. The interest of the whole prevailed over the interest of the individual. I invite you to unite with your family and friends. If we are not one, we are not Christ's. (See D&C 38:27) We, if are not Christ's, have not charity. (See 2 Nephi 26:30 and 1 John 5:2 and 1 John 4:7) If we have not charity, we are nothing. (See Moroni 7:46)

1 comment:

  1. Welcome home grandma and grandpa! Your example of service will continue for generations. We love you and have enjoyed your weekly posts. Thank you for your testimonies.

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