After an early
morning and full day of driving and exploring Nauvoo, we took a late afternoon
drive to Carthage. About thirty miles from Nauvoo, and a little out of our way,
but well worth it. We got there as planned, just in time to join the last tour
group of the day at 4:30 p.m. We were surprised to see two giant tour busses
filled with Mormon tourists on a church history trip from Great Britain. In
true Brandt fashion he struck up a conversation with some of the tourists.
Within a few minutes he came to find out that an elderly couple on the trip
were the grandparents of one of his mission companions. While serving in
Scotland he served with many missionaries from England and with the church
being relatively small, many people know each other.
The
tour group was split into two groups and we joined one of the two. Had the tour
group not been there, we would have been on the tour alone. It was pretty
obvious that we stuck out. One nice lady asked me if I was American, I said yes
and asked her if it was my accent that gave me away.
We
talked with several other couples, and Brandt continued to find and make
connections between people he knew in Britain and these nice people. One of the
individuals was in the same ward as one of Brandt's more famous companions
Elder Bathe-Taylor. Another couple had a son that served in Brandt's mission
who he knew by name, but not personally. Within a few minutes this certain
couple told Brandt that their son had been married, divorced, and left the
church since his mission in Scotland. Brandt gave them his sincere attention
and the couple started asking Brandt questions about some situations which
occurred at the latter part of Brandt's mission. The couple felt that some
things that had happened on the mission contributed to some of the struggles
their son had been plagued with in his adult life. Brandt was able to shed some
light and give some insight into the situation and the mother began to cry. She
asked Brandt why he was at Carthage on this day. He told her that he and I were
on a trip across the country and had planned our day to be here on this day and
time. She said that she had prayed for some understanding and that Brandt was
there to provide the understanding she had been desperate to obtain.
It
was a very interesting situation and confirmed my previously held belief that
there really are no coincidences.
It
was also a very special experience to be on the tour with many individuals
who's ancestors were direct descendants of Dan Jones missionary efforts in
England. Dan Jones had been at Carthage with Joseph and Hyrum Smith, but after
receiving a blessing from Joseph the night before his martyrdom in
which he was promised that his missionary efforts would bring many to the
gospel. To be in the room with some of those many, was a very wonderful
experience.
Hearing
the story of the prophet's martyrdom all my life, and then seeing
the actual room where the story and event unfolded was a very special
experience and one that I will treasure forever. Hopefully Christian
and I can take our kids here in the very near future.
The
bed where the prophet slept and where John Taylor rolled under.
The hole in the door caused by the bullet that ended Hyrum's life.
A view from outside of the two-story window that Joseph jumped out of and the well near where he landed.
A statue of the prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum.
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