19 - Monday, August 25, 2025 -- Random

 Once completed, the temple tower was a favorite lookout for Nauvoo residents who climbed the winding stairs to the lofty perch.  We were blessed this week to be able to climb those very (reconstructed) stairs to the top of the bell tower.  We were not directly under the bell, but just a level below when it struck eleven bongs!  It is a picturesque view on all four sides -- of Nauvoo, countryside,  and the mighty Mississippi River.  

The original bell was contributed by British Saints.  Wilford Woodruff, then in England, put out an appeal and some ten thousand saints contributed to a bell and clock.  The bell was cast in bronze in England and brought by Wilford Woodruff to Nauvoo.  

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Stone Arch Bridge - used in the kissing scene of the LDS movie, Prophet of the Restoration.

This bridge was actually built in 1850 by a German man, but it covers a drainage ditch that was originally used when the Saints built drainage ditches to drain the swamps to the Mississippi.

Fat Jimmy's Smokhouse 

We've heard about Fat Jimmy's for months and finally went to Montrose to eat--meeting friends Zach and LeAnn Eyring, who live in Carthage.  We were joined by missionary friends, Dave and LouAnn Hodson.  Fat Jimmy's is rather famous for their BBQ meats.  We both had turkey and it was wonderful.  We tasted Zach's brisket, and were not impressed, however.  The ambiance outside was wonderful, and of course the company was great.  We even found that all six of us were related at some level. Small world. 

Afterwards we drove through the small village of Montrose to the dock where the Saints crossed the Mississippi River and not far from this place, set up their Sugar Creek camp, where they stayed for quite a while--too destitute to move on.

Zach and LeAnn Eyring with Sharon and Stan.  Zach is the son of Sharon''s high school friend, Brenda Sherwood and Zach went to the National BSA Jamboree with Stan when he was a teenager.

LouAnn and Dave Hodson with Stan and Stan.  We discovered Dave and Sharon are 5th cousins. If you look carefully in the background, you can see the Nauvoo Temple across the water.

Sunday morning we were just arriving at our church meeting (which is a drive of 80 miles) and were back in our chapel for the first time in 5 weeks, and Sharon saw a couple walking into the building.  She said, "There's a couple I don't recognize, except it looks like Stan's sister and her husband.  But they are no where close.  

Surprise!! It was Becky and Fred Slade, who had sleuthed where we attended Church and had come for quick trip to Nauvoo -- and to surprise us!.   That they did.!  So fun to see them.  They joined us for dinner with two other missionary couples and we had an enjoyable evening.