Christmas Season in Missouri

 Sitting in front of the Christmas tree on the main level of the Independence Visitor's Center.

Michelle's clothing colors match the tree beautifully.

Standing by one of the trees and part of the Nativity Scene Exhibit in the exit room at the Historic Liberty Jail.

A photo of another section of the nativity exhibit at the Historic Liberty Jail.

Standing by the tree in the front lobby of the Historic Liberty Jail.

In a Christmas store in the Country Club Plaza of Kansas City, Missouri.

Standing on the sidewalk outside the Christmas store, with the impressive exterior lighting of the Country Club Plaza in the background.

At the Cheesecake Factory in the Country Club Plaza, with some of the magical street lighting in the background.

A photo of the Mormon Chorale of the Heartland of America singing at one of the many musical programs hosted by the Independence Visitor's Center throughout the Christmas season.

There was large attendance at the various musical programs hosted by the Independence Visitor's Center.

A dinner was sponsored for all the full-time missionaries in the Independence Missouri Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Sister Missionaries who serve at the Independence Visitor's Center are very musically talented.  They performed both chorale arrangements and played hand bells.

Elder Pyne had the privilege of baptizing Sonya Shamow into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  This photo includes Sister Heylen, Sister Lettig, Sonya, Sister Erikson, Sister Altier, and Elder Pyne.

Sonya and Elder Pyne.

Sister Wood, who is from California, with the Pyne's.

Sister Harding and Sister Call, from Utah and California, respectively, with the Pyne's.

Sister Jacob, from Cedar Hills, Utah, with the Pyne's.

Sister Harward, Sister Erikson, Sister Smith, Sister Luening, and Sister Altier following a breakfast at the Independence Visitor's Center.

Nauvoo and More - Nov 2013

Last week we made a quick trip to Nauvoo, Illinois, where the early Latter-day Saints settled after being driven from Missouri in 1838.  The pioneer village of Nauvoo has been restored in a Williamsburg, Virginia-like fashion.  This is a photo of Sister Pyne standing in front of the John Taylor home in Nauvoo.  John Taylor was the 3rd President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and an ancestor of Sister Pyne.

Buildings across the street from the John Taylor home.

 Elder Pyne standing in the streets of Nauvoo.

The Brigham Young home in Nauvoo, where plans were made for the future of the Latter-day Saints after the martyrdom of Joseph Smith.  Brigham Young became the 2nd President of the Church.

A colorful autumn tree in Nauvoo.

One of the shops in Nauvoo.

The Heber C. Kimball home in Nauvoo. 

We loved the bright fall colors!

A log cabin in Nauvoo.

 A quiet grove of tree in Nauvoo.

Did we tell you that we enjoyed the beautiful fall colors on this trip?!

The Nauvoo Temple, which has been restored to much of its original character, and dedicated in 2002.  It sits on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River.

The Catholic Cathedral on the left and the Nauvoo Temple on the Right.

A photo of Sister Pyne from the backside of the Nauvoo Temple.

The mighty Mississippi River, which miraculously froze over for the first company of Saints that left Nauvoo in February 1846, toward their westward migration to the Great Salt Lake valley.

The staircase that the mob rushed up to kill the Prophet Joseph Smith in Carthage, Illinois on June 27, 1844..

The door through which rifle bullets were fired to kill Hyrum Smith, the brother of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

The floor upon which Hyrum Smith died.

Joseph Smith fell to his death from the far window after receiving multiple rifle shots from the mob.

 

Sister Moon and Sister Jacobs on Halloween evening 2013, dressed in their orange attire.

Sister Stobbe, Sister Heylen, and Sister Ray on "Dress like an Elder" day.  This was part of a fun week when the Sister Missionaries dressed alike throughout the week in Rainbow, Polk-a-dot, Stripes, Retro, Twin, Fall, and Like an Elder, on respective days.

Sister Stobbe and Sister Ray.

A group of Sister Missionaries on "Dress like an Elder" day.

President and Sister Keyes.  President Keyes serves as the Mission President for the Missouri Independence Mission.  We enjoy our friendship with President and Sister Keyes, and appreciate their leadership as we serve our 18-month mission in Missouri.

The Beautiful Fall in Missouri

The Historic Liberty Jail Sister Missionaries, from left to right, Sister Jacobs, Sister S Wilson, Sister Wood, Sister Raymer, Sister Jorgenson, Sister Rachem, Sister White, Sister Call.

Lunch at the Jack Stack restaurant in Country Club Plaza, KC, from left to right, Sister Allen, Sister Luening, Sister Grange, and Sister Perez, prior to visiting the Kansas City Zoo.

Elder and Sister Pyne, with Elder and Sister Brenchley, at the Jack Stack restaurant.

A series of photos at the Polar Bear Exhibit of the Kansas City Zoo.  This photo shows the polar bear swimming under water, approaching us and the glass barrier.

Here the polar bear is moving up the glass, preparing to shove off the glass with his padded feet for a back flip onto the surface of the water.

The polar bear's back flip off of the glass onto the water's surface.

 Sister Perez in front of the Warthog Exhibit.

 Two cheetahs at the Cheetah Exhibit.

The sign outside of the Historic Liberty Jail, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the Historic Liberty Jail visitor center.

 The main level of the jail set-up for speakers, musical performers, and a reader's theater.

A fun breakfast with the sister missionaries at the Brenchley's home, from left to right, Sister Ray, Sister Vance, Sister Smith, Sister C Wilson, Sister Lettig, Sister Heylen, Sister Luening, and Sister Anderson.

Sister Altier, Sister Moody, and Sister Jones at the same breakfast.  Sister Ray and Sister Vance are to the far right.

Sister Erikson, Sister Raymer, and Sister Borges.

 Sister Aldous, Sister Hayward, Sister Grange, and Sister S Wilson.

 Sister Wong, Sister Pyne, Sister Brenchley, Sister Sobbe, and Sister Godfrey.

Elder Pyne by the sign for Haun's Mill, where a massacre of 17 Mormon men and boys occurred in October 30, 1838.  14 additional individuals were also seriously wounded by the Missouri mobs.

Sister Pyne at the Haun's Mill site.

 The Haun's Mill site.

 The Haun's Mill site.

Sister Moody and Sister Vance at the World War I Museum.

Sister Altier and Sister Luening at the World War I Museum.

Sisters Grange, Lettig, Erickson (sitting), C Wilson, Altier, S Wilson.