Today's blog focuses on remembering two historical Mormon Pioneer events with our GRATEFUL hearts. The first event took place on Saturday, February 4th, 2017, commemorating the exodus of those faithful Mormon Pioneers who lived here in Nauvoo 171 years ago. As we have mentioned before in our previous blogs, amongst those faithful Pioneers were James Allred and his wife, Elizabeth Warren Allred, Elder Peterson's 3rd great grandparents.
Although we were serving in the temple the morning of the re-enactment and so we couldn't participate, the spirit of that special occasion resounded throughout Nauvoo. In the temple that day, several patrons attended both before and after the actual event. It was special to be blessed to serve those who came to the temple and to realize that we were assisting with a spiritual exodus of sorts through providing sacred ordinances in behalf of those whom the patrons were representing. We are so GRATEFUL to be serving as Temple Missionaries here in Nauvoo! We have walked down their path on Parley Street, the street where we live, the route of today's re-enactment, down to the Mississippi River several times since we came here last Fall. On this particular day, the weather was cold and blustery, even though the river currently was not frozen over as it was when the Pioneers crossed on the ice to the other side near Montrose, Iowa. The below marker quoting Newel Knight, a revered Nauvoo pioneer, expresses their tender feelings as they departed for their trek through the unknown, leaving their beloved Nauvoo and their "magnificent" Holy Temple behind after having them for such a short time.
Some of our fellow Temple Missionaries, Elder and Sister Boehm, work the Saturday night shift at the Temple, so they, along with the other Temple Missionaries on the night shift, did attend this special event. They kindly shared their pictures from that day with us and we will include some of them in our blog so you will be able to catch the spirit of the exodus re-enactment in a small way. We are GRATEFUL for the sacrifices of the Pioneers and their faith that sustained them on their trek to their new home in the Salt Lake Valley.
Elder Boehm, German Flag and Sister Boehm, Swiss Flag
Nauvoo Legend- (LtoR) Elders Mabey,Marshall, &Vinton
the Borrowmans to Dairy Queen in Hamilton, 15 minutes away.
We are GRATEFUL for ice cream!
On Tuesdays, our Temple shift is in the evening. So, on Tuesday morning, February 7th, we drove to Quincy, Illinois along with our dear friends, neighbors and fellow missionaries, the Cordovas. Quincy is a city located on the Mississippi River banks, and is about 47 miles from Nauvoo, approximately a one hour drive. We began this excursion with excitement and drove home at the end of our adventure with GRATEFUL, humble hearts! Quincy is the site of our 2nd Pioneer event which we wish to share with you in our blog today.
" In the late Winter and early Spring of 1839, Latter-Day Saint refugees began appearing on the banks of the Mississippi River opposite Quincy, Illinois. They had been ordered to leave the state of Missouri by decree of Governor Liburn W. Boggs, and the state militia had enforced the chief executive's infamous Extermination Order."
"Banished from their home, the Saints took the only route out of the state open to them-due east to Quincy, where they hoped they could escape the unspeakable atrocities of Missouri. The citizens of Quincy looked across the wide river and saw there the starving and freezing refugees, arriving in droves. Before long, hundreds could be seen on the shore."
"The people of Quincy were troubled by what they saw. Who are these people? What are we going to do? Their response came to be known as the Quincy Miracle." "The story that follows is heart-rending history of the Latter-Day Saints in Quincy, Illinois. It's an emotional story. At one moment you will feel shock and outrage over the cruelty endured by the Saints in Missouri, and at the next your heart will swell with GRATITUDE unbounded for the kindness shown them in Quincy, the same GRATITUDE expressed in a most unusual way more than 160 years later in the summer of 2002."
( The above quotes are about a compilation of true stories featuring Susan Easton Black(Durrant), as General Editor of the book, The Quincy Miracle, A Rescue Never To Be Forgotten. We purchased this book while we were in Quincy and it is excellent!)
The History Museum in Quincy, originally the Public Library when it was constructed in 1888, houses a special display room in tribute to the city of Quincy and their rescue of the Mormon Pioneer refugees. We will include several pictures which tell their story and express the feelings of both those who were rescued and those who rescued them.. There were about 5,500 Mormon Pioneers who were literally saved by the city of Quincy, a city of 1,500 residents at the time! They fed them, took them into their homes, provided bedding and clothing for them, etc. They even allowed them to set up a tent city in Washington Park, which is located diagonally across the street from where the History Museum stands today. This all took place while the Prophet Joseph Smith was being held captive in Liberty Jail. Upon his release, he also went to Quincy and remained until the Saints moved to Nauvoo and started all over again.
All those Mormon Pioneers who were part of this miracle are individually listed in the book mentioned above. Among the names are James Allred and Elizabeth Warren, Pete's 3rd great grandparents! Our hearts swelled with GRATITUDE and awe over this amazing rescue! The subsequent act of reciprocated GRATITUDE 160 years later referred to in 2002 came to the city of Quincy when President Gordon B. Hinckley provided a free concert in Quincy performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at the time of the Nauvoo Temple Dedication. There is a wonderful, sacred monument on the banks of the Mississippi River in tribute to Quincy and their never to be forgotten goodness to the Strangers whom they so generously took in! Seeing all of these marvelous remembrances helped us realize more fully why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has such a strong commitment to helping refugees everywhere who are lost, desperate, and driven out of their homes seeking refuge from their storms of life! We truly have felt great GRATITUDE though learning more fully the spirit of this sacred place.
These are the quotes engraved on the front and back of the monument of GRATITUDE along the Mississippi River as pictured below:
"The citizens of Quincy will be held in everlasting remembrance for their unparalled liberality and marked kindness to our people when in their greatest state of suffering and want."
The Prophet Joseph Smith
"Eternal will be our GRATITUDE for the people of Quincy who provided shelter to the homeless."
Gordon B. Hinckley,
President and Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
After our adventure while we were in Quincy, we went
with the Cordovas to Golden Corral where they treated
us to a delicious lunch. We are GRATEFUL for good
friends, good food, and Chocolate, too!
We send our love to all of you and do so with very GRATEFUL hearts!
Elder and Sister Peterson in Nauvoo
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