Winter Quarters--Temple #9 and more....

We decided today that we either lead a charmed life, or we are just incredibly lucky.  We decided to go back to Independence today (only 20 minute backtrack) to see if we could get a tour of Harry and Bess Truman's home.  We were in luck.  They had 2 spots left for the 10:30 tour.  So, we decided to go straight there and just take some pictures outside while we waited the 20 minutes for our tour time.  As luck would have it, there was another couple there and an eager tour guide.  So, he decided to just take the 4 of us on a semi private tour.  He was very knowledgable about the house as he has worked there since 1999.  This house is a treasure.  After Harry and Bess left the White House, they returned home to this house.  It was painted white by the town.  Apparently, all former presidents live in white houses.  Bess and Harry were packrats and she insisted that everything be left as it was.  Harry's topcoat and hat are still hung on the rack in the hallway.  She left the home and all the contents to the people of America and designated in her will that it become a national monument.  Unlike most other homes that are national monuments, this home does not have barriers and glass over the artifacts.  Everything in the home is an artifact!  Nothing has been disturbed.  There are even marbles in a sterling silver decoration in the formal dining room that had been taken from the grandsons when they were dropping them down the furnace grates.  Unfortunately, no pictures are allowed in the home.  But, the ranger was kind enough to take a picture of us on the front porch.

Then, we set off for Council Bluffs, which was known as Kanesville in pioneer times.

It was in Kanesville that several important events took place.  Not the least of which was the mustering of the Mormon Battalion.  Here is a sample of the uniform and supplies they were to take.  Most of the Battalion members did not purchase the full uniform, but instead gave the money to their families to buy supplies to cross the plains.  They all wore the white sashes, however.  They were promised by Brigham Young that if they answered the call of the United States to send 500 men to the army, none of them would see any fighting.  That came to pass.  They did have to deal with sickness but none of them had to fight in the war, as it was over by the time they marched to Santa Fe.  So, they were sent to San Diego to help the settlers in that area build.  The Mormons built cabins, made bricks, dug wells and worked in San Diego until they were dismissed by the army after their year enlistment.  Most of them went to Sacramento where many were hired by John Sutter to build the mill and other businesses.  Although they panned for gold after it was discovered, their hearts were with their families in Salt Lake City and as soon as it was possible, they left for Utah.  They built the road that many other pioneers used to come to California.

Also in Kanesville, the First Presidency was reorganized with Brigham Young as president and 2 councilors.  Brigham Young had led the first company of pioneers to Salt Lake City and then he returned to Winter Quarters and the surrounding settlements to organize the rest of the saints for their trip west.  

This is a replica of the Kanesville Tabernacle where the meeting was held and Brigham Young was sustained by the membership of the church.

We then drove into Winter Quarters and visited the Pioneer Museum and Visitor's Center there.  

This is us with Sister Robertson.  She is a remarkable missionary and we had a wonderful time sharing our visitor's center experience with her.  We took our picture in front of a replica of the Nauvoo Temple that is in the VC.

If you look on the left side of this wagon wheel, you will see a rag tied to the wheel.  The pioneers would count 364 turns of the wagon wheel/mile.  As you can imagine, that became incredibly tedious in a short amount of time.  So, they came up with an odometer that was a much better solution.  A pin on the wheel would turn a cog that would turn a counter.  

Across from the Visitor's Center, next to the temple, is the Mormon Pioneer Cemetary where those who died in Winter Quarters were buried.  There was a terrible malaria epidemic as well as scurvy that ran through the pioneer families camped here.  Lots and lots of children were buried and left behind.  

One original headstone was able to be preserved.  It is in the Visitor's Center but a replica is in the cemetary.  Her name was Amy and she had 5 children when she and her husband left Nauvoo.  She died in her wagon after giving birth to twins.  It was too cold for the twins, too, and they also died.  

This is the Winter Quarters temple.  It is about the same size as the Palmyra Temple.  It reminds me of the Anchorage Alaska temple as it is built on a hill so there are stairs at the entrance.

The front door was absolutely stunning.  

There are stained glass windows throughout the interior and exterior of the temple.  Really vivid colors that don't come through the computer as well as I would hope.  It was a lovely day.