Saturday, February 04, 2017 – FLC Welcome & Continental B’fast, Nauvoo Exodus Re-enactment

The morning started with a short program in the FLC (Family Living Center) preceding the Nauvoo Exodus Re-enactment, followed by a continental Breakfast. Then we lined up outside in the wind and chill for the walk down main street, a right turn on Parley St. then down the trail of hope to the Mississippi River and the Memorial to the Exodus pioneers that lost their lives on the trek. 

Exactly 171 years ago today the faithful pioneers in Old Nauvoo responded to a Prophet’s call to gather their meager possession in a wagon, leave their homes, their shops, their farms, their beloved temple and flee their beautiful city.  Today in honor or those historic events, members of the church, the community and the missionaries re-enacted the first footstep of those faithful pioneers as they walked down the “Trail of Hope” to the water’s edge of the Mississippi River.

 

On February 4, 1846 the temperature was sub-zero and the river was completely frozen over.  Today for our re-enactment the morning temperature was only 33 degrees and very little of the river had ice on it. A sharp contrast to those early pioneers who had so little, struggled so much, suffered immensely, and gave up everything to worship according to the dictates of their consciences and escape terrible persecution.

Sis. Johnson and I honored the memory of my Great-Great Grandfather Orville Sutherland Cox and his wife my Great-Great Grandmother Elvira Pamela Mills Cox. We wore name tags with their names on them in reverence, knowing that 171 years ago they were there and walked down Parley Street like we did today.