Nauvoo Vacation: Liberty Jail

After the water park we went shopping at a grocery store to get dinner/breakfast and lunch supplies.  We only had a small amount of room in our car, so we had to shop as we went along.  Besides, we bought food for three meals for 37 dollars; that's just about how much it would cost us all to eat out at McDonalds-- Once!  After a snack, we drove out of Independence and headed toward Liberty, Mo.  As you can see from above, the kids were worn out!  They took a quick snooze as we drove.  Elias had the setting sun on his face, so he covered his head with his little blanky. 

Sun and Fun: Yup, she's tired!

I printed directions from Independence to Liberty Jail

off of Map Quest before we left on our trip. 

We had a nice drive and found ourselves in the little Town of Liberty

without too much confusion; only one junction in

the rural roads gave us a little confusion. 

 We were surprised, however, to end our trip

not at the Mormon Visitors Center for Liberty Jail,

 but at the actual modern-day court house and jail in Liberty! 

 I guess when you do a Map Quest for Liberty Jail,

you get sent to the real deal. 

Wes wanted to know who I was sending to jail! 

We found our way, thanks to city signs,

and went into one of Wes' favorite parts of our trip: 

The "Prison Temple." 

 Reconstruction of the original Liberty Jail.  The main door locked from the outside--once the guards were in there, they were locked in until another guard came to relieve them.  The prison attic and walls had loose rocks in them.  Large rocks.  If prisoners or guards tried to get out, the rocks would tumble down and crush them. 
 

The kids each had their own disposable cameras.  Some of them took pictures of the funniest things! At Liberty Jail, Elias and Leah took pictures of the pictures!  They were each touched by the artwork they saw and wanted to be able to remember the pictures and their feelings.  The photos aren't that great, but that's okay, you can buy the artwork and enjoy it!
This is the one that Elais liked.  It is a picture of Emma fleeing with her children across the mississippi river.  She has the manuscript in a pocket under her skirts. 

The one that Leah was moved by is the painting of Joseph Smith praying in Liberty Jail:

 Waiting for the presentation to start.  Wes is really super-excited to be here. 

He loves the sections of the Doctrine and Covenants

that were revealed to the Prophet while he was entombed in Liberty Jail. 

 Mannequin of Joseph Smith writing revelations in the dungeon.
Mckay said, "We learned that one of the men
who stayed withJoseph Smith, one of the prisoners,
had a hunchback forever after he was in Liberty Jail.
He was tall and couldn't stand up all the way in there.
He was always hunched over. But he stayed with Joseph."

 Here is Wes in front of the jail.  Behind him is the lower "dungeon" level

and the mannequins representing the men who stayed

with Joseph Smith during his incarceration. 

After the tour, Leah said, "The dark and the gun shots scared me.  I think the church should make a playroom in this building like they had in Independence!"

Elias said, " I liked using my own little camera to take pictures of things that were special.  I felt sad about the Joseph being in jail of course, and he was a prophet, of course!"

Ryanne said, "I just don't understand how people like Lyman Wight could desert the church after Joseph died and Brigham Young was sustained.  It's amazing that people could be that close and then leave."  Ryanne really liked the key they had that went to the door of liberty jail.  She took a picture of it. 

Wes's thoughts:  "This was one of the most defining moments of the Prophet's life--and growth.  It was here he may have been most justified in his feelings of frustration and exasperation at the unfair treatment of not only himself and closest friends, but of the Saints collectively.  This was the culmination of 7 1/2 years of pesecution and brutality.  It was here he began to call upon God for justice--for deliverance, for retribution upon the enemies of righteousness.  And in the midst of asking for what he was so convinced was 'right', the Lord taught him the greatest lessons on the Priesthood--long suffering, patience, and love:  the things he felt least inclined to give.  I think life is like that on occasion.  We feel as if we are wronged--and we may have been--we are frustrated, hurt, and possibly even hoping a bit for 'justice' toward those who have hurt us.  And it is within those sacred moments we are offered the opportunity to face and defeat the natural man, and give place for the Saint to surface."

 The sister missionary, "Sister F.", who gave us our tour was from Australia. 

Her accent was fun.  More importantly, she brought the spirit with her. 

Leah fell in love with her and asked her a lot of questions. 

I felt impressed to ask Sister F why she came on a mission

and she shared her feelings and a beautiful testimony of the gospel. 

The children were touched by this and by her

encouragements to be friends as a family--to

strengthen each other. 

Thank you to all those missionaries who serve us and

 strengthen our tetimonies.  We love you all!