Saturday Touring

On Saturday we took a tour with a group of other couples of some of the area sites.  First and foremost this corn is the tallest I've ever seen.

Our first stop was the Little Mound Cemetery.

We had a pretty good group of friends who all came.  The Dixons, for some reason I don't know, were our tour guides.  I guess they have done some research and are sharing their knowledge.

This cemetery is an ancient native American burial ground.  The interesting thing is that there is a modern cemetery on top of it.

The mound used to be in the shape of a turtle.  The  head of the turtle is straight forward.  It is covered in a bunch of gravel-like substance.

Looking from the turtle head, the body is easily seen.  I wonder why a modern cemetery on top of an existing mound.  This certainly keeps it protected. The other interesting thing is the cedar trees planted on top and all around.

Most of the grave stones are quite old.  Some are more modern but the bulk of them were older.

A picture of the group.  Elders Jensen, Warner and Ballard all took photos so they're not in it.

Our next stop was a few miles down the road to Sugar Creek.  This is the place seven miles from Nauvoo where the saints first stopped after leaving.

This particular stopping place had good water and lots of firewood.  Think of how cold they must have been!

Crossing the Mississippi and then trudging their way to this spot.  You would be tired and probably wet, if you worked up any kind of a sweat, and then cold as it was February.

This is also the spot where the poorest of the poor were stuck when Brigham Young sent wagons back for these people.  This is where the miracle of the quail occurred.

We drove a few more miles to a place identified as Zerahemla.  Actually, according to some, the exact Zarahemla from the Book of Mormon. We were standing on the spot of the Nephite temple.

As you stand on the ancient temple site, you see the Nauvoo temple straight across the river.  Apparently there is archaeological evidence that there was some type of building here that fits the narrative in the Book of Mormon.
I found it all very interesting.  I don't know for certain if the people of the Book of Mormon were here in the heartland of the United States or in Central America or both.  It really doesn't matter to me.  What does matter if that the words are true.  These people existed and their prophets wrote to us.  They wrote about Jesus Christ who would come and save us through His atonement.  That's what matters to me.