Adventurous Bird: If you follow your heart and the Mississippi river...

...you'll end up in Nauvoo.

The Houston Texas East Stake Youth Conference in June 2012 is a conference I will always hold close to my heart. It was the adventure of a life time, adorned by many tears, hugs, and laughs that should never be forgotten and will be cherished by me and so many others. It was a product of ambition, a peaceful escape and no doubt a highlight in my life.

Mormon church history has been a passion of mine since I was little. Last year I spent 7 hours sewing an 1800s style dress, and prior to my trip to Nauvoo with the youth in my stake, I read countless hours worth of information to prepare for the trip. I learned all about the persecution, the sacrifice, the miracles and the blessings; the treks, the tears, the buildings and the people. I looked at pictures of the Nauvoo Temple every day, and daydreamed of someday getting married there. The feeding of my passion for the history of my church only added to the sweetness of my experience in Nauvoo.

Picking up 100 youth and their leaders and getting them 929 miles to "middle of nowhere", Illinois was not an easy task, even for me, and I will never understand how the adults in charge handled everything. Long before we even thought about making the journey, the youth worked their fingers to the bone to get the money. I know adults (including my dad) who stayed up countless nights getting everything in order. I really didn't understand why everyone was sacrificing so much for a trip we didn't even have to take until the adventure began.

I stood wearing my favorite pajamas in a circle of dear friends--Rachel (who has been dear to me since I was four), Daniel, Cassi, Alex, and Alex's cousin, Brayden. I hadn't met Brayden until that day, and I may or may not have been super excited to see him, since I'd kinda sorta known him through online classes and through Alex. Meeting a Williamsburger in real life is always exciting. Anyway. We had all our junk (meaning luggage) on our backs, and I, as usual, had more crap than I could carry because I fail at packing efficiently. We were beyond pumped, staring a 20 hour bus drive in the face. Before we knew it, we were checked in, divided into groups and sitting in a very, very cramped bus.

Rachel and I were pre-established bus/cuddle buddies (because the person you're sitting next to in a vehicle for 20 hours kinda has to mean enough to you to fall asleep ~~and potentially drool~~ on). We were pretty terrible at the cramped-space thing. We were comfortable and had a great time...but there were M&Ms all over the place, and people had to tell us to shut up more than once. Both of those things were pretty much my fault. Hah. Alex and I also passed notes back and forth with Brayden and Joshua (the guys were confined to the front of the bus and the girls to the back). I still have the notes, and reading them makes my day. We quoted Nacho Libre and Johnny Lingo and our science mentor. Good times.

Our little section of the bus. Alex was known through the week as "the girl who wouldn't sit down"...

Part of the journey that I find comical (and I don't know why) was brushing my teeth in the middle of a convenience store at midnight. This was an exciting and adventurous thing to me at the time for some reason.

Waking up on the floor of a hot, disgusting bus with an M&M stuck to my face is kinda what I would imagine being drunk feels like to a less-intense degree. We all felt gross. But I loved it. I was traveling. In my element. Seeing new places. I was...me.

After the first night on the bus. I looked blah. But we all did. It was perfect. :)

Adam-ondi-ahman and Liberty Jail

We made two stops on the way there--one at Adam-ondi-ahman and the other at Liberty jail, both in Missouri. I don't want to spend too much time on either of these, but I will say that Liberty Jail was especially meaningful to me. My favorite scripture (Doctrine and Covenants 121:7) was written there by Joseph Smith when as the Lord comforted him during his unjust imprisonment.

"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversities and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt the on high." - D&C 121:7

Arrival - finally

Along the side of the Mississippi we drove until we turned the corner, and the Temple up on the bluff came into view. I never want to forget that moment, seeing that Temple for the first time. Instant peace rushed over my soul when I beheld its pure beauty.

We found the hotel, ate our first real meal in over 24 hours, and the guys carried our luggage upstairs for my friends and I (mine may or may not have taken two trips. Just kidding). Super awesome. I knew I'd have a wonderful week.

I'll share a secret with you: I suck at being friendly around girls my age. True story. I don't know if it's my more introverted personality, lack of ability to talk about shoes and One Direction, or hatred of squealing, but I just...don't do well with teenagers, especially the girl kind. I'm not exaggerating when I say the people I'm closest to are either dudes, old, or babies. I like it that way. And now that you know that, I can tell you that my hotel room arrangement wasn't my favorite ever. Most of the people in my room squealed about shoes and One Direction and I didn't handle it well. "Are you okay?" and "You're not mad, are you?" were questions I got asked, because I just couldn't figure out how to engage in the other's conversations. But it was okay, because Rachel was in my room too, and after everyone fell asleep we'd whisper about the guys in our group and establish new inside jokes. We also got told to shut up by one of the others. That was funny.

Touring

The Temple could literally be seen from practically anywhere we walked.

There are no words for the freedom of walking the streets of Nauvoo. Not only are you physically free to roam around a beautiful historic town, your soul is free from all worry. Nauvoo is so sacred.

Rachel, Daniel and Brayden were the people in my group I stuck closest to. We walked together, and as we walked, we sang our most treasured hymns, and talked about the church and our favorite things. I loved every moment.

Our guys.

And we did a handcart trek! I've always wanted to do one. Loved every minute of it. It gave me a whole new perspective on the Saint's trek west--pushing those things is much harder than it looks.

The best run of my life

One night, Alex and I put together plans to get up at 4:30 a.m. and go running around Nauvoo. The next morning, we got a poor leader to get up with us and go. Several other kids joined us, but I separated myself from them and ran alone. It was thinking time. Meditation time, even though my feet were moving. It was dark, foggy and kind of rainy; beautiful conditions for a run. I ran to the Temple and beheld its shining glory in the dark morning. Such a spiritual moment for me.

Carthage

On a summer day in 1844, Joseph Smith and his beloved brother and dearest friend Hyrum were unjustly arrested and taken to a jail in Carthage for what they believed in. There they were martyred; they sealed their testimonies of Heavenly Father and the Savior with their blood. And they did so willingly. I marvel at their faith.

I got to go to Carthage. I sat in the room of the Martyrdom, and I peered out the window Joseph fell from when he was shot. The sadness and loss felt there is real. So real. The men who died there were righteous men, and the world owes them thanks for the services they gave and the goodness they brought to the people around them. I can say that with absolute confidence.

When we were there, I could not contain my emotions. Tears seriously poured from my eyes. The spirit of the Lord was so strong. My testimony of God and Christ and every holy thing was strengthened. After the tour of the jail, Rachel, Alex, Daniel, Brayden, I, and others sat on the ground and choked on our own tears. It was such a special moment, when we all saw how blessed and precious and fragile and beautiful life really is. We sang. We sang with all our hearts. Praise to the Man was sung between tears and crying breaths, but there was power in every word.

"Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven; earth must atone for the blood of that man; WAKE UP THE WORLD FOR THE CONFLICT OF JUSTICE; Millions shall know 'Brother Joseph' again." - Praise to the Man, verse 4 (my favorite hymn verse ever written)

Visiting Nauvoo was a profound testimony-building experience. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and I know with every fiber in my being that it is the church of God, restored on the earth today, and that is was restored by Joseph Smith, a Prophet, who was called of God. I owe everything to my Father in Heaven and my Savior; every moment of joy I have ever experienced, every warm light that has ever washed over my spirit, and every smile I've ever smiled is because of His grace. I was reminded of these special things upon visiting that sacred little town. My heart longs to walk its streets again.

Photos