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.

It's October in Missouri!

During the weekend of September 29th, we were able to return to Georgia for Maddy Eileen's baby blessing.  The blessing by Adam was beautiful; the time with family was outstanding; the weather was ideal; and the flights to and from Georgia were smooth and uneventful.  We are so grateful we were able to participate in this wonderful occasion!  What a beautiful addition to our family!

Grandpa and Grandma reunited with our good little buddy, Alec Joshua Pyne.  Alec is being a kind and loving big brother to his new little sister.

 Grandpa and Grandma with Maddy, Jessie, and Adam.  Proud new parents and grandparents.

 Maddy surrounded by the Evanson Family to her left and the Pyne Family to her right.

The Coleman Family with Grandma and Grandpa, while Mike is working at the Emergency Department at Northside Hospital in Atlanta.  What handsome grandsons!

Grandpa and Grandma with the Goulding Family.  What gorgeous granddaughters!

Jessi and Audra at Kyle's football game on Saturday, September 28th.  Jordan was unable to play because he broke his arm playing football earlier in the season.

 Chloe and Josh at Kyle's football game.

McKenna, Lydia and Tanner at Kyle's football game.

Elder and Sister Bollinger with Elder and Sister Pyne.  We were able to rendezvous with the Bollinger's at the Independence Visitors Center and then go to Square Pizza in downtown Independence for dinner.  The Bollinger's were on their way home from their 12-month mission to Louisville, Kentucky.  Katherine Bollinger is Michelle's cousin once removed.

  

 Michelle at Powell Gardens, which is located 30 minutes southeast of Independence on Highway 50.

 Mel at beautiful Powell Gardens.

Elder Pyne surrounded by Sister Missionaries.  The Sister Missionaries had seen in our photo album that I had worn a mustache prior to my mission, so they requested this shot.  From left to right the missionaries are:  Sister Vance from Utah, Sister Reyes from Colorado, Sister Allen from Utah, Sister Lettig from Utah, Sister Luening from British Columbia, and Sister Heylen from California.

 Sister Pyne surrounded by lovely Sister Missionaries.

 Sister Heylen, Sister Lettig, Sister Allen, and Sister Luening.

Upon completing a very successful mission, Sister Allen is returning home to Utah on October 4, 2014.  We will miss her!

Sister Grange and Sister Luening convalescing from ankle and foot injuries.

September 2013 in Missouri

Posing with Claron Twitchell who walked from Salt Lake City, UT to Independence, MO, crossing over a thousand miles of Utah, Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri.  To learn more about his experience, go to his blog, follow.claront.com

Claron Twitchell, upon his arrival, received a nice reception from the missionaries who were on shift at the Independence Visitor's Center.

Sister Dodd previously served in the Missouri Independence Mission, and visited for the marriage of a man she taught while she was on her mission.  The man is a physician specializing in neonatology and met our daughter, Abbi, and talked to her husband, Chad, who is a pediatrician, while attending the wedding reception for Maddy in Salt Lake City.  Maddy Dodd is a cousin of our son-in-law, Chad Cox.

 Mark Pope, a man we are helping teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, with Sister Matta.

Sister Wood is one of the lovely sister missionaries serving at the Historic Liberty Jail, from Southern California.

 Sister Rackam, another lovely missionary at the Historic Liberty Jail, from Wisconsin.

 Sister Jorgenson, another lovely missionary at the Historic Liberty Jail, from Las Vegas, Nevada.

Sister Raymer, still another lovely missionary at the Historic Liberty Jail, from Mapleton, Utah.