Day 5- Nauvoo Temple, Exploring the City, and the Nauvoo Pageant

We began the day beautifully by going to the Nauvoo Temple to do baptisms for the dead.  Everyone did names for their own families or helped someone in the group do their family names.  The Spirit was there in abundance, and it was a very special and sacred experience to partake in the work of salvation for our own family members. A member of the temple presidency shared how, if every active youth in the world did the work for 100 family members this year, 200,000,000 of those who have died would have that work done. Then he asked us to imagine if ALL active members did just 100 names a year what a number that would be. He shared the story of a family from Arizona who had come to the Nauvoo Temple to do baptisms together. When he asked them if they had brought family names with them, they all immediately looked at the girl sitting to their left at the end of the bench. Their 17 year old daughter had been researching and preparing their family names to bring to the temple for 1 ½ years. When she was asked how many names she had found, the answer was unbelievable. Take a guess before you read the answer. Are you ready? She found three thousand names. She said it had become somewhat of an addiction, and the member of the temple presidency said that was a good kind of addiction—much better than just “hanging out.”

After completing the baptisms and confirmations, the temple workers allowed us to peek at the beautiful spiral staircase, and it was amazing. One temple worker also shared some interesting facts about the font in the original Nauvoo temple.

After leaving the temple grounds, everyone was on their own to explore the city and get some lunch.

We all met back together again to get some pizza in Keokuk, Iowa, across the Mississippi River.

Then, we came back to Nauvoo to go to the Country Fair, where some played games like hoops and graces, walked on stilts, and danced.

The last event of the day was the Nauvoo Pageant, an amazing portrayal of events that occurred in this area during the time of Joseph Smith. The closing scene was spectacular, and the picture I have doesn't do it justice. The Spirit was there in abundance

Pictures:

At breakfast before going to the temple, Noah was presented with a gift that represents his new DJ nickname, Toaster.

Christain, Kai, Joseph V., and Jayden hanging out on the balcony at breakfast

The remains of breakfast

Walking to the temple

Looking to the west towards the Mississippi River from the front steps of the temple

The south wall of the temple

 (I don't have any pictures of the time between the temple and dinner. This was free time, and I chose to get some rest! I will update this section if I can get some pictures from others that were out and about.)

Dinner in Keokuk, Iowa

The asphalt has worn down a bit to reveal the brick on the street

After dinner, we stopped at a scenic pullout named Davids Chamber.

Beautiful waterfall at Davids Chamber

At the Country Fair playing hoops and graces

Fun on stilts- it is not easy to get on these and walk

Waiting for the Nauvoo Pageant to start

The stage area- what a backdrop!

Here are our seats for the pageant- don't worry, the caution tape was just to mark off our chairs so we could all sit together.

The Nauvoo Pageant began with a parade marching from behind the audience

We sang the Star Spangled Banner

The final scene was so beautiful because up to this point, the temple remained unlit, and then the lights came up, and WOW!