A spiritual feast - a trip of a lifetime!!

One morning we all went as a family to the Nauvoo Temple and did Baptisms For The Dead. The baptismal font is incredible. What a beautiful Temple and experience!!

We FINALLY took our older kids on a Church History Trip. Right after I graduated from high school I was able to be a participant in the Hill Cumorah Pageant (I was a wicked Lamenite), this experience was monumental for me in regards to my testimony. I swore then, that I would someday take my children to see and experience what I had. So, we left Sunday May 30th and returned home a week later on June 6th. We had a wonderful time!! We saw things and felt things that strengthened our testimonies and blessed us as a family. It was a trip filled with the spirit!!!!

Washington D.C. - South Mission!!!

This is the monument at the base of the Nauvoo Temple where J.T. got his call. It is Joseph and Hyrum on horse back, their final ride together on there way to Carthage. He got a text from Alyssa Weber who was watching our 3 little ones that she had just picked up his call in the mail. He was presented with a huge dilemma (do I wait 4 days and open the call myself or do I get Chace to read it to me over the phone??). Well - the suspense was killing him so he decided to have Chace read it to him over the phone. This monument is where he wanted to be when he found out. On our way there, we ran into the Brady's that we had met earlier on our trip and JT invited them to join us, they were so excited to be a part of it all. We all stood around this monument waiting to get the news. Chace was great and when he read WASHINGTON D.C.-SOUTH there was a lot of jumping up and down and squealing. Tim was freaking out because this is where he served on his mission!!!!! What a way to receive your mission call!!!!

He will be speaking English and reports to the MTC August 11th.

Carthage Jail!!

This picture is taken with the door closed through the bullet hole - totally cool huh!!!!

I love this place!!!!! Carthage jail is amazing, I learned a lot on this tour. Sister Despain from Snowflake was our tour guide and she did an incredible job, she shared a lot of stories and bore testimony of the things that took place here. It is hard to put into words the feelings I had while on this tour. I am so grateful for the Prophet Joseph Smith, for his courage and example -"Praise To The Man Who Communed with Jehovah"!!

Graves of Joseph, Hyrum and Emma.

Old Nauvoo!!

JT and Nicholas learning how to make rope.

This was my boys favorite place in Old Nauvoo - they had the coolest guns.

Don't they look thrilled?? We took this covered wagon ride through Old Nauvoo, I thought it was great but they thought is was looong and boooring!!

We went and saw this play called "High Hopes and River Boats". A bunch of young kids, ages 19-24 auditioned for a part in this production, they were amazing. The boys were super hesitant to go and watch it but Carly was determined to introduce the "arts" to her brothers and they loved it!!!! Yea -she might have started something!!

Adam-Ondi-Ahman!!!!

You talk about beautiful, this place is gorgeous!!! I can really see the Savior returning here!!! This was one of JT's favorite places. They had talked a lot about this place in Seminary and he was jazzed to see it.

Everything was sooo green and lush - I am still in awe with how beautiful it is!!

We had a picnic and ran into the Brady's that we had met earlier at Far West. In the middle of our lunch Sister Brady came up to JT, put her arm on his shoulder and pretty much bore her testimony to him. She told him that the things he was seeing and experiencing were true and correct and how grateful she was for the restored gospel. It was powerful!!! It really made a strong impression on him and I will be forever grateful to her for that.

Far West!

Far West is beautiful - there is really not much to it, there is a monument and 4 corner stones where a Temple will be built but there is a really neat spirit there. This is where we met a older couple from Colorado "The Brady's"- we visited with them for a long time- great people.

Macky and his wacky hat - everywhere he went there were comments made about this hat!!

One of the 4 corner stones.

Liberty Jail!!

My boys loved this place - they were really fasinated with the structure and size of the jail. At the end of the tour there is an audio that is played that talks about the different revelations that were given to the Prophet Joseph while in this jail (sections 121, 122 and 123 of the Doctrine and Covenants). The audio finished and our guide started singing " I Know That My Redeemer Lives", the spirit is a powerful thing -I really couldn't contain myself.

Visitor Center in Independence, Missouri!

We were given an awesome tour, our tour guide talked a lot about ZION. What is Zion?? and how can we have Zion in our families??? Zion is of "One Heart"!!! She definantly got you thinking, a personal evaluation so to speak. I found myself having a lot of work to do!!

We sat around this Christus at the end of our tour and as a family we sang the hymn Redeemer of Israel by William W. Phelps. It was pretty powerful!!

This is the Community of Christ Temple which is across the street from the Visitor Center. Our tour guide encouraged us to go check it out and take a tour. After touring it, I totally understood why she would encourage it - you go from feeling the spirit strongly to not feeling it at all. It was a great teaching/learning moment for my kids. They all recognized the difference and commented on how cold and uncomfortable it felt. In the basement of their Temple is a museum that has a lot of Emma's and the Prophet Joseph's things. The have this "wall of the Prophets" which is the starting of their church, from the 1st prophet to their current prophet. It was interesting to see and read. One of their prophets retired and another one of their prophets resigned. They have a picture of their First Presidency which includes a woman and a picture of the quorum of the twelve which includes 4 women. It was a great testimony strengthening/building experience!!!

More Pics for Graduation!!

I'M A BIG BOY NOW!!!!!

On May 28th 2010 JT graduated from Mogollon High School. We are super proud of this kid. He accomplished a lot in High School, especially his senior year. We are grateful for the good kid that he is and we are excited to see what the future holds for him:)

These two spent and spend a lot of time together. I love it when cousins are best friends. JT is blessed with amazing cousins and Chizzy is one of them. I never worry when Chizzy is a round because he does a great job keeping JT in line. These two are hilarious, I love being able to spend time with them!!!

Seminary Graduation!!!

On May 26th 2010 - J.T. graduated from Seminary. I love Seminary Graduation. There is always a really neat spirit there.

This picture is missing a few kids, it was difficult to get everyone together at the same time. A great bunch of kids doing great things!!!

I really do love and appreciate this man - President Whipple. He is one of JT's best friends and I think that is totally neat. The kids really do love and respect this man. A while back we were having a little conversation with JT and Macky about if they ever found themselves in trouble what would they do and who would they call. JT made it very clear that President Whipple would be the first person he would call. Tim seemed a little surprised and disappointed that he wasn't first on JT's list. JT informed Tim that President Whipple wouldn't yell/scream and reprimand that he would simply come to his rescue and listen. I thought that that was a wonderful compliment to President Whipple. I really am THANKFUL for him.