Monday, October 30, 2017 – Leaving Nauvoo, Passed Our Final Home Inspection, Four States in One Day, Wenda & Tyson Johnson

Well, the day of our departure has arrived. We were up and packed by 8:30 and ready for our home inspection which we passed. I made a last trip to the mail room to check one last time for mail. While I was out running my errands our resident herd of deer stopped to let me take their picture one last time. It was very considerate of them. I never get tired of seeing that herd of deer or taking their pictures.

As we started our drive home to Arizona we drove past the picturesque Nauvoo Temple on the hill one last time. As we drove by Sis. Johnson and I spontaneously broke into song. We began to sing one of our favorite numbers from our “Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo” show. It’s from the “Thomas & Elizabeth” vignette titled, “Farewell Nauvoo.”

And so Nauvoo, we say Farwell to you
With numb and aching hearts, one last Adieu

As through our tears we look to homes beyond

Could ever we be fond of one as you?

One cardinal’s song, one sunset’s glow

One Nauvoo dawn, one silhouette of woods on snow

From templed hill faint echoes ring

Where prophets walked and talked with God

Their memories linger

And so we go and hide our aching hearts

No one will see our tears when we depart

This home we leave will shelter memories clear

Of all that we hold dear in Old Nauvoo

Farewell Nauvoo – Farewell Nauvoo

Next we sang another favorite song from the conclusion of “Rendezvous” titled “Little Town.”  This song too is very touching that concludes with these two lines:

“Where time cannot erase

Our days in Old Nauvoo with you.”

We had to choke back tears as we sang. A fitting way to leave Nauvoo, the place we loved to work and serve. Where the spirit testifies of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Where those early pioneers worked so hard, sacrificed so much and set such wonderful examples for generations to come. 

We headed south down a very familiar stretch of highway beside the Mississippi River enjoying the scenery, the fall leaves and the wild life. And then, almost like it had been scripted, a majestic Bald Eagle did a “Fly by.” He paralleled our car flying beside us just a few yards away in a final tribute. He was so close we felt like we could have reached out the car window and touched him. Then he peeled away and was gone. How beautiful, how majestic and how fitting on our last drive down the Mississippi River.

 Our first day of driving we went through four states, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. We stopped for the night at the home of our niece, Wenda Johnson, and her family in Pawhuska, OK. Her husband, Tyson is the manager of the Church’s 70,000 acre cattle ranch in Pawhuska. We didn’t arrive at their home until 9:00pm. In spite of the lateness, we stayed up very late visiting and enjoying their company. Thank you Wenda & Tyson, we really enjoyed your hospitality.