My Time as a Young Ambassador

2007

YA

Sweden | Nauvoo Finland | Illinois Nevada | Iowa New Mexico Denmark

s

Australia Utah | Norway Montana | Idaho California | Arizona Brigham Young University

Young Ambassadors Stage Manager

2010

For three years I had the great opportunity to be stage manager for the BYU Young Ambassadors, a song and dance troupe from Brigham Young University.

I am grateful for that experience. With the YAs I traveled the world and the country. I met amazing people all over and had memorable experiences I will never forget that shaped me for the rest of my life.

While touring Southern California we stopped at a home for children that came from abusive homes. After a short performance we spent a couple of hours playing with them. We played sports, a few performers taught some dancing and we helped them forget their troubles. It was awesome even after I superman-ed off the scooter I was riding and sprained my wrist. I wasn’t able to do a lot of heavy lifting the rest of the tour, but I had a blast helping a kid feel loved.

Through Scandinavia, we traveled by bus under and boats over magnificent fjords. We had performances in centuries-old opera houses and schools of rock ‘n roll. I loved the sites but more so the people like the youngest daughter of one of my host families in Norway. The night we got to their home after a performance we had a jam session with all the kids and she danced. The next morning she held her mp3 player to her mouth as she sang every word to the ABBA songs she was listening to even though she couldn’t speak English.

When we went to Australia, we had the chance to explore cities like Canberra, Sydney and Launceston. I’ve always had a thing for the country and even spent six months there when I was 15. I enjoyed every second even when we were working everyday all day to get ready for our shows.

I’m grateful for my time as a Young Ambassador. I’ll never forget the lessons learned and experience gained.

BYU Young Ambassadors

Southern California Feb. 2008

Redlands, California

Orange County

When the YAs don’t have an outreach planned or a sightseeing excursion scheduled and need to kill time, they generally head for the nearest mall. After the mall, we went to the Orangewood Children’s Home where we did a short outreach show and then played with the kids for a while. These kids come from broken homes and were abused, so it was a treat for us to share a little time with them to take their minds off of their grown-up problems. While playing with one of the boys on scooters, I supermanned off the scooter on a sharp turn and had a hurt wrist the rest of the week.

Newport Beach California

Our second Saturday we held a youth conference for a local stake. There were a few workshops and a short fireside.

The mandatory California trip to the beach.

2008

BYU Young Ambassadors in Australia

Gold Coast | Brisbane | Newcastle | Sydney | Canberra | Albury | Hobart | Launceston | Melbourne

Traveling to Australia

On the way there, we had a couple of layovers and had rehearsal in the airport. This wasn’t like the last minute rehearsal we had before we left of two new songs with complete choreography for the show. Instead these rehearsals were for our Australian medley. In the L.A. airport all the Aussies around loved it.

Australia

2008

Gold Coast, Queensland

The crew went straight to the theater in the morning and met a great Aussie crew who welcomed us to the land down under. Someone from the government came to check all of our electrical equipment, and fortunately, all of our stuff passed the inspection except our cross-over lights, which was a blessing because we hated setting them up. It was a good start in a beautiful venue. One awesome thing about Australia is the wildlife that is everywhere like the loorikeets - only seen in zoos and pet stores in America. Understand though that kangaroos do not just wander the streets. They are basically the deer of Australia.

Australia

2008

In Queensland, we did something everyone who visits Australia does - visit a wildlife park to experience the unique animals of the outback. We saw kangaroos and koalas and wallabies and crocodiles and so much more like the ancient looking casawary.

I was even eaten by a large carpet python : ) We watched the crocs being fed and a couple of shows. At one of the shows, they asked for a volunteer, and I was chosen.

I got to go up and toss a dead mouse into the air for a bird to catch. It was pretty cool. Have I said how much I love Australia?

If I weren’t American, I would want to be an Australian.

Australia

2008

Australia

2008

Australia

2008

Australia

2008

Brisbane, Queensland While we were in

the theater all day the cast got to see the city so that night after the show our host family took us downtown to see the temple and other sites like the river walk.

Australia

2008

On the drive to Newcastle we drove by the Big Bannana and had to stop.

Australia

2008

Australia

2008

Newcastle, New South Wales

What do a bunch of Young Ambassadors do when they have to sit around for a few hours because the bus got a flat tire?

Some of them learn how to play Australian Rules Football - a ridiculously awesome sport, and others just sit around or pretend they are characters from Harry Potter, hence the wands.

Australia

2008

Australia

2008

Sydney Must Sees: The Rocks, Opera House (inside and out), Harbour Bridge, Darling Harbour, Manly Beach, Royal Botanical Gardens

Australia

2008

Sydney, New South Wales

Australia

2008

Canberra,

Australian

Capitol

Territory

2008

Australia

Wall of Honor with poppies

In Canberra, we had the awesome opportunity to visit the beautiful National War Memorial and museum and the Parliament House like our National Capitol Building.

Australia

2008

^ Rotunda of Tomb ^ Tomb of Unknown Soldier

The National War Memorial is a grand complex built to honor the Australians who served in their armed services.

Australia

2008

The Australian Parliament House

The Parliament House is in-line with the National War Memorial, sort of like a national mall.

Australia

Canberra was built for the captitol city like Washington, D.C. and was a completely planned city as far as the streets and government buildings go. There was an old parliament building now used as government offices but this new building was opened in 1988. The building was specifically designed with Australia in mind with the colors and design completely inspired by the land down under. They have a bicameral government like we do but they are part of the Commonwealth so technically the Queen or monarch is the head of state.

2008

In Canberra, the performers did a couple of workshops at local schools that we had to go to with them. They taught dancing, acting and singing. The band also had a workshop at the schools.

We also visited an Aboriginal preschool.

Australia

2008

Our next stop was in the very small town of Albury. We stayed in a motel there and had dinner in the resturant where there was a little entertainment, so a few YAs got up for some dancing. After Albury, on the way to Melbourne for a flight to Tasmania, we stopped in the small town where Australian outlaw and legend, Ned Kelly, had his last stand. This is a small tourist town with little attractions including some that are scary. Our biggest attraction, however, were the Magnum Bars. These delicious ice cream bars are so good and need to come to America.

Australia

2008

Australia

2008

Our next stops were on the island of Tasmania, home of the infamous Tasmanian devil. We first visited Hobart, the island state’s capitol city. We got a great birdseye view of the city from the top of Mount Wellington with a beautiful vista. In Launceston we were in a theater at the Earl Performing Arts Center on Earl Street. Launceston is a great little city with beautiful Victorian buildings.

Australia

2008

Australia

2008

Launceston, Tasmania In Launceston there is great natural beauty as well. It is home to the Cataract Gorge. This is a beautiful place with a path first constructed in 1890. There is a chairlift, considered the longest single span chairlift in the world, which takes you across the lake. At the mouth of the gorge is the King’s Bridge built more than 100 years ago. We took a walk along the gorge and enjoyed the peaceful setting with birds singing and no unnatural sounds. The chance to walk around the city was fun. I enjoyed seeing the old buildings and learning more about the history of this wonderful people, culture and city.

Australia

2008

Cataract Gorge

Australia

2008

Melbourne, Victoria

After Tasmania, we went back to Melbourne where we went to Victoria Market and an Aussie Rules Football game. This is an intense sport and was a great night with half of our group cheering for St. Kilda and the other cheering the Magpies. This is why I got my blue and white striped knee socks that I wore to show BYU pride over the next two years.

Australia

2008

We had a great bus driver named Ian. He was with us everywhere except Tasmania. We loved Ian and had a great time with him. He was very moved by spending time with us for nearly a month. He and many of the YAs broke down to tears when we said goodbye.

We loved Australia. I loved Australia. I want to go back again and again to explore this intriguing land.

Australia

2008

BYU Young Ambassadors

Arizona Tour march 2010

Thatcher / Gila Valley

Our mid-semester tour began in St. Johns. Then we went to the Gila Valley, home of Spencer W. Kimball. Our show was in Thatcher. We stayed there on Sunday too and did a fireside near the soon-to-be dedicated temple

Az tour

mar 2010

Tombstone

This small tourist town all because of the most famous shoot out in Wild West history at the OK Corral. A fun diversion on the way to Tuscon.

Az tour

mar 2010

Az tour

mar 2010

Schnepf Fa r m s Queen Creek

Az tour

One of our hosts owned this delightful little farm in Queen Creek. Bro. Schnepf was mayor of this small city and turned it from a dying farm community to a thriving, fast-growing suburb. We enjoyed their hospitality and seeing what they have done with their farm.

mar 2010

arizona t e m p l e m e s a

Az tour

mar 2010

Az tour

mar 2010

BYU Young Ambassadors Nordic Countries Tour

May 2010 Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland Me as Stage Manager

The culmination of our year was our tour to Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland.

This was the first tour to the Nordic countries for the Young Ambassadors since the early 1980s. During winter semester we took a culture class that taught us a little about the places we would be visiting.

Copenhagen, Denmark

After our day of travel with a layover in London, we flew into Copenhagen. We went right to the Copenhagen stake center where we had dinner and a fireside. The next day when we met up, the crew unloaded and began set up then we took a little tour of downtown Copenhagen during our lunch break. The main thing I wanted to see was the original Christus statue. I got to see that then off to the theater to finish set up. It was a nice venue. That day the performers and band also went to the Copenhagen Temple and to see the famed Little Mermaid statue. A small group also went to the Royal Ballet Academy to do a workshop. That night we had the minister of eduacation join us in our green room meeting.

The next morning as we gathered to head out to Odense, Tomas Kofod, the actor who played Jesus in Finding Faith in Christ, shared his testimony of the power of performing to make a difference as long as you are living right and put God first.

Thorvaldsen’s Christus

at the Copenhagen Cathedral - The Church of Our Lady with statues of 12 Apostles

“This is My Beloved Son, hear Him.” “Come unto Me.”

Jelling, denmark

The birthplace of Denmark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here there are two viking burial mounds and two runestones carved in the 10th century. The older of the two Jelling stones was raised by King Gorm the Old in memory of his wife Thyra.

King Gorm was the first king of all of Denmark. The larger of the two stones was raised by King Gorm’s son, Harald Bluetooth in memory of his parents, celebrating his conquest of Denmark and Norway, and his conversion of the Danes to Christianity.

Danish Host Families - Throughout our journey we had the opportunity to stay with

host families. These pictures are of my host family in Aalborg, Denmark where we stayed after our show in Arhus. They had three young kids. The next day we went to the coast and caught a ferry to Norway. My host dad in Copenhagen was the graphic designer who prepared all of the collateral material for the Copenhagen Temple.

Journey to Norway -

After four shows, one fireside and five cities in Denmark, we headed across to Norway on the first of many ferries of this tour. This trip also took us into the beautiful land of western Norway, in vast contrast to Denmark with the average elevation 102 ft.

LDS

Chapel

in

Odense,

Denmark

NORWAY The Tech Crew Norway is beautiful! It is the land of fjords and mountains, at least the western half. Our first day in the country consisted mostly of travel through grand vistas, under, around and over fjords. Norwegians are master tunnel diggers with tunnels going under fjords that are several thousand feet deep and wide. I kept seeing little houses on rocks in the middle of the fjords that could only be reached by boat and thought how nice that would be to get away for a little while on your own island in the tranquility of Norway’s mountains.

We took many ferries including the boat from Denmark to Norway and the boat from Sweden to Finland. Some of the trips were just 15 minutes while others were an hour or more. One of the greatest things on the ferries were the treats like chocolate covered Bugles.

Stavanger, Norway

Our first stop in Norway was Stavanger for a fireside. That night I stayed with a great host family with four very musically talented kids. My favorite was the youngest. She would listen to Abba on her mp3 player and sing along even though see didn’t speak or understand English.

Bergen, Norway Bergen is a beautiful city surrounded by seven mountains. I loved it. Our first adventure in Bergen was an excursion to the home of Edvard Grieg, the composer of In the Hall of the Mountain King. His estate has grand views over the fjord and a little workshop with perfect views. By the way, he was short.

b e r g e n

Panorama

In Bergen, we also visited an old stave church. These churches were built in medieval times as some of the first churches in northern Europe. It is believed that they were built to help the people convert from the old Norse religious traditions to Christianity. There were more than 1,000 built back in the day but only about 50 remain in the world most of them in Norway. This one is only a few blocks up the hill from the church where we had our fireside. We saw two other stave churches while in Norway. The panorama on both of these pages was taken from the top of one of the mountains surrounding beautiful Bergen.

Historic Bryggen

An UNESCO World Heritage Site and cool little wharf area with crooked buildings and narrow walkways with many buildings dating back to the 1700s while a few cellars and buildings date back to the 15th century

Floi b a n en On the hill pictured below is an overlook. To get to this overlook you must ride a funicular railroad called the Floibanen. Basically that means there are two trains on a cable that pull each other up and down the mountain. It was a fun ride with a great view of Bergen and the fjord. Also at the top is a gift shop, restraunt and troll garden. The troll above I named elder troll because he looks like an awkward missionary.

Hardangervidda national

park

and

more

To get from Bergen to the eastern part of Norway we drove over Hardangervidda, basically the high plateau in the middle of Norway. Because of the elevation, there is an artic climate year round.

Our next stop was Skien, Norway where we were welcomed and treated like rock stars. We first went to the home of the author of A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen. There we were met by a film crew from the school we were performing at. They had a whole day of workshops and activities planned for the performers.

We were introduced by a Norwegian opera star and had a great show.

Oslo norway Viking Ship M u s e u m Norwegian Pa r l i a m e n t

Borlange and Dalarna Region of Sweden Our first stop in Sweden was Borlange in the Dalarna region of the country. This was the most interesting part of the tour. Our venue in Borlange was at a “school of rock.” We were in their club area with a very small oddly shaped stage, no stage masking, a DJ booth, bar/cafe and really interesting wall mural. This was sort of the last straw as far as our venues go. On this tour most of the venues were not ideal for our show and I had to create wings or legs, find creative storage solutions and put the band in odd locations. I was also very sick with my face oozing gooey stuff, a fever, nautia, etc. We did two shows here that went relatively well.

We also visited the sites in the region.

It was at my host family’s house where I was first introduced to the Eurovision, a continent-wide songwriting and performing contest,which is really amazing. I followed the competition the rest of my time in Europe. It was a great thing to talk to host families about.

Falun Copper Mine

World Heritage Site

An Unesco World Heritage Site and a mine that has been harvested from for nearly a millenium. This mine was the largest producer of copper globally for several hundred years and helped fund many wars through the 17th and 18th centuries. As I was sick, I did not go down into the mine but waited up top while everyone else was on the tour. Besides copper, another major product from the mine was red paint. This red paint has been exported all over the world and helped color the iconic red barns of America.

The mine also has a little village with artisans around it for the tourist season.

The Iconic Swedish

Dala Horse or chicken or cow or moose

We visited the home the Dala Horse, the iconic Swedish folkart. This toy has been made since the early 1800s and was introduced to the world in the 1930s at two world’s fairs and has since represented Sweden. The most prolific and popular design is the red horse.

After visiting the Dalarna region with a couple of shows and a fireside, we traveled south to Jonkoping for a show and fireside. The interesting part of this city was that all the guys stayed at a dude ranch in the middle of nowhere.

It was beautiful, and I saw the only moose on the tour, and it wasn’t in the country with moose crossing signs everywhere - Norway. Not only did I see a wild moose, but I also ate moose and reindeer while on this tour in addition to all of the wonderful Swedish meatballs, open-faced sandwiches with European cheese and so many other amazing foods.

(The bottom three pics are from the ranch.)

Jonkoping

S w e d e n

Stockholm

I love Stockholm! This was my favorite city on the tour.

Our first day in town, we had a little bit of time to explore the wonderful architecture, people and history. that day the performers also did a performance as part of the U.N. Family Day celebration in the main square of Stockholm. We had our performance at the university. The next day we had two firesides at the same time, so the performers went to an old church building and performed as part of the U.N. Family Day multi-faith service. While they did that, the band and crew held our own fireside for the young single adults.

Before we left Sweden for Finland, we went into town with the young single adults to the palace to watch the changing of the guards and walk around Old Town. The changing of the guard was impressive with a full band on horseback. I loved the buildings including the Stockholm City Hall where they hold the Nobel Peace Prize banquet and the church where the monarchs of Sweden are coronated with the coolest church spire of spiraled metal.

We also walked the narrowest street in Sweden.

Our final stop in Sweden was the Stockholm Temple, a beautiful version of the six-spire design with a Swedish influence. Even though it was Sunday, it was great to visit the grounds and feel the wonderful Spirit at the House of the Lord. We also took this opportunity to say thank you to our bus driver who took us across three beautiful countries. Hopefully he felt the Spirit at some point on the tour. He was a great bus driver and friend.

We took an overnight ferry from Stockholm to Finland, the land of lakes and saunas.

Finland feels like another home to me.

I don’t know why but it did.

We visited the Helsinki Temple, a beautiful building. We also visited the Sebelius monument, a really cool abstract sculpture of an organ, and the Church of the Rock built in a single rock with a beautiful copper ceiling made of 13 miles of tubing. I just loved Finland and would love to go back. The saunas weren’t half bad either, especially with one at each host family’s house.

YA Retreat Fall 2009

Sundance Resort

St. George

Utah

BYU Young Ambassadors

Nauvoo 2010

Winter Quarters Omaha, Nebraska

On the way to Nauvoo, us van drivers made a Sunday stop at the Winter Quarters historic sites.

A small group of us left Provo a few days early to drive vans out to Nauvoo that would stay there all summer. The rest of the group flew into Saint Louis the next Monday and that’s where we picked them up. It was a long drive but fun. The highlight of the trip besides good food was our stop at Winter Quarters. It was great to see this historic spot on the Pioneers’ journey. The cememtery is a special place, especially with the temple right next door. I also liked the large pin marking this site as a place to see in Omaha.

One of the first things we did, as far as sightseeing goes, was take the wagon ride through Historic Nauvoo. This was a great way to see the sites and decide what you want to do later. Besides this, most of the first week was spent setting up and striking because we couldn’t keep our stuff set-up on stage because of Sunset by the Mississippi. We also had two shows away from Nauvoo that first week that required most of the equipment we brought with us.

A must do in Nauvoo is a walk down the Trail of Hope.

President Hinckley even encouraged this during the dedication of the Nauvoo Temple in 2002. This is the trip down Parley Street starting just next to the 70’s Hall down the street from the blacksmith shop. Along the path there are plaques with quotes from those early saints’ journals who made that first trek down Parley Street in February 1846. On February 6 that year, wagons lined this street waiting to cross the wide Mississippi.

One of the plaques is a statement from Wilford Woodruff mentioning turning back and seeing the temple on the bluff. The trail also passes by the oxen pasture and rides where visitors can experience what it was like for the pioneers to use ox-pulled wagons.

Carthage,Illinois Carthage Jail and Hancock County Courthouse

Joseph Smith Historic Sites The sites onced owned by Joseph Smith and family are now owned and operated the Community of Christ, once the Reorganized LDS Church. The buildings were owned and occupied by the Smith family for many decades after the saints left Nauvoo. They have the Mansion House, Nauvoo House, Smith homes and cememtery and Red Brick Store.

I enjoyed their tour and insights into the history of Nauvoo. They share a lot of great information about the Smith family while Joseph was alive and after the martyrdom. They also share information about the history before and after the Church settled there. It is particularly cool to go into these buildings that were occupied by the prophet and built because of prophecy. The Red Brick Store is also great because of what happened there and the root beer they sell.

Springfield, Illinois

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

Abraham Lincoln Tomb Historic Union Station

Quincy, Illinois John Wood Mansion

Where the saints camped after leaving Missouri.

One of our last activites in Nauvoo was a handcart trek. Even though I had done many before as trail boss at This is the Place, this was different because of all the mud and humidity. Some parts of the trail go through five or six inches of much.

In Nauvoo, our shows were held on the Outdoor Stage. Let’s just say there were lots of bugs and it was hot and humid.

Nauvoo is a wonderful place. I have always enjoyed visiting this small town to experience the rich history and heritage of faith. During the first week we were there, I spent much of my time setting up for shows in the heat and humidity. That first week we also had two shows outside of Nauvoo, one in Carthage, Illinois and one in Fairfield, Iowa.

Carthage Carthage is also a very special city. It is a must see whenever anyone visits Nauvoo. It is only thirty minutes away and is a very important piece of the Nauvoo story. In this small town, is the old Hancock County Jail where Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, were killed by a mob while waiting for a fair trial. The site is preserved by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is staffed by missionaries who give tours and tell the story of Joseph Smith and his martyrdom. The Jail has been restored to its 1844 floor plan, style and décor. While on the tour, you visit the debtors’ cell, dungeon cell and the room now called the martyrdom room. This last room has the original door with two bullet holes in it through which Hyrum was shot.

Many people who visit the jail don’t realize that this jail was also visited by Abraham Lincoln a few times as a lawyer visiting clients. It is one of the many stops on the Looking for Lincoln tour. Another stop on this tour in Carthage is the Hancock County Courthouse.

The building there now is not the building Lincoln visited but he did speak in the square and defend clients in the original building. The current building was built just after the turn of the century, completed in 1908. It is a beautiful building with amazing stainedglass especially in the central rotunda with its stained-glass domed ceiling.

That night the Young Ambassadors performed in the newly rebuilt Charger Community Center. It was so new, there weren’t even curtains in the stage house or any technical support like lighting or sound gear. It has the potential to be a great venue with good infrastructure in place. The show went well and was well received.

If you visit Nauvoo, be sure to take the time to visit Carthage and other surrounding communities.

Fairfield I didn’t get a chance to see much of Fairfield but I did get to see and work in their great theater and convention center. It is a well designed theater and I was surprised to see such a great facility in such a small town. The show went well there too.

On the way to Fairfield, we drove through a very heavy thunderstorm. It was wonderful.

I hadn’t been in that kind of thunderstorm in more than seven years. Utah just doesn’t experience rain and thunder like that. I loved it. It happened a couple more times on this tour, with one of those times cutting our show short. That night when I got back to the condos we were staying in I just stood out in the downpour. I loved it. Take the weather into consideration when you are planning a trip to the Midwest. Be prepared for sudden changes of weather that could be severe in nature. Don’t let this get you down but make a backup plan so you are ready if this happens to you.

At night when we were in Nauvoo we put our show on at the outdoor stage for more than 500 people each day. On Sunday night we put on the Sunday Sociable in the local

LDS chapel for more than 1,000 people. We also did short performances in the beautiful Women’s Garden behind the visitors center and several outreach performances in surrounding communities like Keokuk, Iowa, Quincy, Illinois, and Macomb, Illinois.

Women’s Garden When you need a few quiet moments in Nauvoo or just want to visit a retreat, go to the Women’s Garden. It is located directly behind the visitors center and features several statues honoring women and their various roles in the family and society. It is a beautiful place that definitely pays a dignified tribute to God’s crowning creation, women.

Quincy, Illinois This small city was once a refuge to the saints who later settled and built Nauvoo into a grand city. As they fled from the mobs in Missouri during the dead of winter, the early saints were led by Brigham Young, as Joseph Smith was in jail, across the Mississippi into Quincy. The more than 5,000 people were welcomed by the 1,000 residents led by John Wood who would one day be Illinois’ governor. When we visited Quincy we visited his beautiful mansion.

It is so well preserved. The historical society, which cares for it, does an excellent job. Our tour guide was so extremely knowledgeable of John Wood’s history and family. I enjoyed touring his house and seeing the table that Abraham Lincoln sat at when he visited, the sideboard that was in the Jackson Whitehouse, or the room that was made especially for the boy servant so he didn’t have to enter through the girl servant rooms. I loved the furnishings original to the home and time period. Also at the historical society was a small exhibit that included original keys to the Nauvoo Temple.

This was another place where we found Lincoln on the Looking for Lincoln tour. In Quincy, we also did a short show for a local family resource center. I don’t know why but every time there is a tribute to America and our veterans I get all teary eyed. This was one of the few times on this tour.

We didn’t see much of Keokuk or Macomb where we did outreach and promotional performances, but we did visit Springfield and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

Our first week, we spent some time visiting the historic sites in Nauvoo. We took the wagon ride that takes you through Historic Nauvoo and walked down Parley Street, a must-do while in Nauvoo.

Trail of Hope When President Gordon B. Hinckley of the LDS Church was in Nauvoo in 2002 for the dedication of the rebuilt Nauvoo Temple, he said that everyone needs to walk down Parley Street or the Trail of Hope just as almost 10,000 people did as they left their beautiful city beginning February 6, 1846. Along the walk there are placards with statements from those early pioneer’s journals about the exodus, trek and the City of Joseph. My favorite is an entry from Bathsheba W. Smith: “My last act in that precious spot was to tidy the rooms, sweep up the floor, and set the broom in its accustomed place behind the door. Then with emotions in my heart…I gently closed the door and faced an unknown future, faced it with

faith in God and with no less assurance of the ultimate establishment of the Gospel in the West and of its true, enduring principles, than I had felt in those trying scenes in Missouri.�

I told this story to nearly 5,000 youth over three summers as I led handcart treks at This is the Place Heritage Park. Bathsheba shared her faith with thousands of others who crossed the Mississippi leaving Nauvoo.

The Trail of Hope begins just west of the blacksmith shop and 70s Hall on Parley Street and goes to the river passing by the oxen pasture and a place where you can ride in oxpulled carts. At the end of the trail is a replica of the barges they used to cross the river when it was not frozen, a statue of Joseph Smith with Brigham Young giving him a map to the place they were to settle in the West, and a monument to the many Mormon Pioneers who lost their lives while crossing the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains to present day Utah.

Wagons, Carriages and Handcarts If it is your first time to Nauvoo, be sure to get tickets for the wagon ride through Historic Nauvoo. The guides share a basic history of the city and point out the historic homes, sites and adventures you will want to take part in later. Tickets are available in the visitors center. Be sure to get tickets for a morning ride in the summer, if it gets too hot they may shut them down early for the horses. You can also get tickets for the carriage ride and oxen cart rides at the same place. We also took the carriage ride while there and did a handcart trek.

The carriage ride goes through the countryside and shares stories about individuals who once lived in Nauvoo as well as a bit about the natural side of Nauvoo. The handcart trek goes through the countryside as well cutting through horse and cow pastures, over creeks and streams, and up and down hills. Along the way are plaques giving information about the trek west as well as stories from diaries of those who made the journey.

These are just a few of the great little adventures that make for a grand adventure when you visit Nauvoo, Illinois.

One of my adventures on this trip was our excursion to Springfield, Illinois. We went to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, ALPLM. This is one of the best museums I have ever visited. They have extraordinary permanent exhibits and shows.

When you enter the museum you go into the Plaza, which is the rotunda in the middle of the museum. All of the exhibits and shows begin off of this plaza.

Their two permanent exhibits have extreme entrances. For Journey One: The PrePresidential Years exhibit that covers Lincoln’s life from childhood to his election as President, you enter through a replica of his childhood log cabin with full-size trees surrounding it. To make the atmosphere more real, they have a recording of birds singing and bugs chirping. This exhibit is well put together and organized. There are full-size replicas of one of his stores, a slave auction platform and his Springfield law office. At the end of the exhibit there is a section about the election and campaigning as if it were a modern campaign. They put it together with the help of the late Tim Russert of Meet the Press.

The other main exhibition is Journey Two: The White House Years. You enter this exhibit through a replicated portico of the White House with wax figures of people in the President’s life. I did not have a chance to get to this exhibit but will definitely make the journey back to the ALPLM.

They also have an artifacts exhibit with rare and special items on display. When we were there, they had one of his surviving three top hats, lots of memorabilia from the Ford Theater and the fateful night the Lincolns attended and so much more.

There are two special effects theaters at the museum with shows starting every fifteen minutes. They are pretty cool productions. One, my favorite, tells visitors why a museum will collect historic artifacts and their importance. It is called Ghosts of the Library. The other show focused on Lincoln’s eyes that tell the stories of his presidency. This was what they called a 4-D show with smoke, strobes and vibrations.

While we were there, the performers sang a short set of patriotic songs in the Plaza. They sang “My Country Tis of Thee” with the Gettysburg Address being read in the middle, “America the Beautiful”/”God Bless America” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The band joined them for the latter two. We also had one performer sing “Tell My Father” from “The Civil War” by Frank Wildhorn.

On the way out of town, we stopped at the Abraham Lincoln tomb. This is a beautiful monument to a great man. Does anyone know how many Presidential tombs there are? I know of Lincoln’s, Grant’s and Washington’s.

I did get a patch at this museum. It is basically the library’s seal. I wish we had been in the museum and Springfield longer to visit more of the sites like the Lincoln Home National Historic Site.

Toward the end of our time in Nauvoo I got to see more of the historic sites when my parents came to town. We made a point of seeing a handful of buildings that we had not been inside before including the Brigham Young Home and Wilford Woodruff Home. We made a visit to some of the favorite, must-see sites in Nauvoo like the brickyard and the Family Living Center.

We also stopped by two sites my parents didn’t know were there or that you could tour, the Old Burial Ground and the Willard Richards Inn.

Brigham Young and Wilford Woodruff Homes These two brick homes have been lived in since the Saints left in 1846 keeping them in very good condition. There are senior missionaries in each building to give tours. They tell you about the buildings, their furnishings and most importantly the people who lived there and those who visited them. There are the anecdotes you hear in almost all historic American homes about tightening the bed ropes and making sure you don’t have bed bugs, but there are also more specific stories.

In the Brigham Young Home you visit the room that he used for the office of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In that room they planned the epic journey across the continent. In some ways it is humbling to be in the same room that ‘America’s Moses’ and the second prophet for the Mormon Church used to conduct business and plan such a massive exodus.

The Wilford Woodruff Home is the iconic Nauvoo brick house with the double chimneys.

He had a fireplace built in each room because of his experience in England. This is the home that he left many times in the service of God as he went to preach overseas and then finally to cross the Great Plains and serve as a counselor to Brigham Young. This home has many wonderful furnishings, some original to the home and family but almost all original to the period.

Family Living Center and Brickyard The Brickyard is one of many sites where trades are practiced or demonstrated in Nauvoo.

There were more than ten brickyards in Nauvoo’s heyday with dozens of brickhomes being built throughout the city. Brick was used for many reasons, one being its symbolism of permanence and security. Unfortunately, many of the brick homes in the city were only lived in for a short time, some just months or weeks, before the mass exodus.

There are many other trade shops in Nauvoo that demonstrate or showcase trades of the 1840s such as the Blacksmith Shop, the Stoddard Tin Shop, the Browning Home and Gunsmith Shop, and the Times and Seasons Printing Office. Also, the Family Living Center highlights several skills and trades of the mid-1800s. The demonstrations include barrel making, pottery, rope making, weaving, carding and spinning, candle making, and bread baking. The rope making is hands on and you get to take the rope home you made. Each family can also get a candle from the candle making demonstration and try freshly baked bread from the bustle oven that morning.

Old Burial Ground This site is not right in town. In fact, I didn’t even know it existed and this was my third visit to Nauvoo. It is east up Parley Street. This secluded cemetery is a place of reflection and tranquility. The graves are from the Mormon era and a little after with many original markers still in place and new monuments erected in place of crumbling stone. If you have not been to this site in Nauvoo, I highly recommend it.

If you continue up this road to the farms further out of town, you eventually drive past the site of Joseph Smith’s farm and the Nauvoo Legion Parade Ground. There are other beautiful, historic buildings along this road but many are on private property so be sure you are not trespassing if you decide to stop and check out some of the history. One really cool building was built by the group of people who settled in Nauvoo right after the Saints left, the Icarians. In front of the house, there is a large case with news articles about the Icarians and their architecture in Nauvoo.

Willard Richards Inn This is a private inn in Nauvoo that many people have driven past but few have been in.

Since we are related the Willard, we thought we would take a chance and see if we could get a tour inside. As luck would have it, we were greeted by one of the summer staff members who took us on a brief tour into the cellar and up to the attic level telling us a bit about the house and its uses. It looked like there were four or five rooms for let. The building is beautiful and well-preserved. Maybe someday I can book a room there and stay in my ancestor’s home.

I had many wonderful adventures on this tour and am very grateful for the opportunity I had to go with the Young Ambassadors once again.

Over all, our tour to Nauvoo was successful and a great adventure. If you haven’t been to Nauvoo or are planning to return, here are a few tips/observations for you as you plan.

• Be sure to research the sites before you come so you know what is most important for you to see if you have limited time. The visitors center is a great place to make this plan if you have plenty of time on your trip.

• Don’t count the surrounding areas out of you trip. Some are essential to the Nauvoo experience like Carthage while others give you a better understanding and appreciation for the area, its history and our country.

• Visit the Joseph Smith Historic Sites and take the tour. This is a must for a Nauvoo visit. Tours are only a few dollars a person. The tour takes you into the homes Joseph and Emma lived and entertained in and so much more.

• Schedule your historic home visits around show and ride reservations. Make sure you call ahead or visit the ticket desks early in your visit to ensure you get reservations for shows and rides in Historic Nauvoo.

• Try to learn about the area’s history besides just the Mormon time period before you go.

• Find out what ancestors you may have had with connections to Nauvoo or Western Illinois. If you don’t know, visit the Land and Records Office and they can help you find your ancestors and where they lived. There is also a Family History Center.

• Read the sections of the Doctrine and Covenants that were recorded or written in Nauvoo. Section 124 is the revelation about the Nauvoo House and Nauvoo Temple while 127 and 128 are epistles written from Joseph to the Saints in Nauvoo concerning baptisms for the dead.

• If you want to perform temple work while in Nauvoo, call far in advance to make reservations. You can only do work if you have a reservation.

• If you can schedule your visit to Nauvoo during the Pageant, DO IT!

Above all, have fun! Make each day of your trip an adventure by trying something new, learning something new and doing something out of your comfort zone. Nauvoo is a wonderful place with a strong history and spirit about it. If you let it, Nauvoo can affect you in ways you didn’t think possible.

Toward the end of the two weeks, my parents and grandma joined me in Nauvoo.

We spent some time visiting a few sites then after the tour was done went to Branson for a few days. We saw the Brigham Young home, Wilford Woodruff home, Willard Richards Inn, Old Nauvoo Burial Ground, went on the carriage ride to Inspiration Point, and visited the Family Living Center. We had not been to some of these sites before and had a great time exploring both the pioneer history and our family history.

This house is on the outskirts of Nauvoo up Parley Street on the way to the burial ground. It was built a few years after the saints left by the next group of people who occupied Nauvoo, the French Icarians.

During the two weeks, in addition to our stage shows, we did a full fireside or Sunday Sociable and two short fireside performances in the Women’s Garden. There were more than 1,000 people at the Sunday Sociable and the garden perforances were well accepted.

At one point a group of historic cars came through town stopping to see the sights. Of all of the sights in Nauvoo, the temple is the grandest and is my favorite place to visit.

The Randy Awards

An Annual Young Ambassador Tradition

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