184: along the way to nauvoo

 Day 2:

Left Kansas City but first, stopped at Union Station to find a pressed penny machine. I'm a little obsessed with those things. Silly, I know, but I love collecting them and looking back at our travels. I even found one in Italy. 

As if finding a pressed penny machine wasn't exciting enough, while in Union Station, Jayden and I were front and center for an impromptu flash mob. What a thrill!

 Our first stop of the day was Liberty Jail. Ryder's comment, "Why are we going to jail? It's vacation, I don't want to go to jail! This is dumb!" Gotta love Ryder..he doesn't hold back. He let's you and anyone else know exactly how he feels. Despite Ryder's feelings, it was an amazing experience. It was cause for deep reflections on what our prophet really sacrificed and the trials and persecution he faced in the name of bringing forth the restoration of the gospel. 

How anyone could stand to be in such cramped quarters with little to no supplies, baring all the elements they had to deal with, is beyond me. And never did he complain or wonder why.

After leaving a rainy Liberty, we drove another 60 miles to Far West..a site that a temple was to be erected on but the only thing to make it was the 4 cornerstones. It was a very calm and peaceful place, it is a consecrated and holy land.

 Next, we drove to Adam ondi Ohman. Nothing there but a sign, a beautiful feeling and gorgeous landscape. 

   

Rare, but dear, brotherly kindness!

All my boys standing next to a man I can only hope they try and emulate!

A few miscellaneous shots..we drove through 4 states, visited lots of church sites, passed the world's largest freestanding cross {or so it claims to be}, and Jayden and Ryder were carried away with beautiful emotion over the significance of the places we visited. {that sounded better than having complete meltdowns}