i just got back from nauvoo, illinois. it's a historic place for my church, but it's more that just monuments and old houses. my friend jack was so excited to get to nauvoo, i honestly just thought it was obsession, but by the end of the weekend, i got the hype.
i was there for youth conference: a short camp run by my church. and unsurprisingly, it was some of the happiest days i've had all year. nauvoo used to be one of the biggest cities in the state, built and run mainly by members of my church back in the 1840s. people gathered from all around, even immigrating from europe to gather with other saints, or members of their faith. now, besides the historic tourism, the town is tiny. why is that?
the saints in nauvoo were persecuted terribly. it wasn't the first time, and it wasn't the last, but the hate got to the point where the people knew they all had to leave, or war might break out, which was not an option. that is why they decided to travel in wagons and handcarts thousands of miles to the west, ultimately settling in utah. but leaving was not an easy choice, as the city had just been built, and it was bustling & beautiful! the saints had even built a temple, sacrificing personal savings and time to complete the sacred building. why leave this all, to travel by foot through wilderness to an unknown destination?
the answer to this all, was faith. despite all their fears, saints chose to have faith and trust in their God. this sounds basic, but go to nauvoo and i promise that you will feel it. nauvoo has ghosts of the people who once loved and lived there, but more than that, remnants of the strong faith they had to be able to leave. at each historic site, performance, and story shared, i was moved by the intensity of this faith. the saints were happy, and the city feels so happy because of it. happy not because of their circumstances, but because of their trust in God.
this description really doesn't capture the conviction you feel of it all as you stand in nauvoo. the happiness and energy on the perfoming missionaries faces, the sunshine, and the gorgeous temple are just a part of why nauvoo is so special. more than that, nauvoo is sacred ground. there is so much faith now and then, and you can feel it.
bonnie h. cordon said that "God's size depends on how close you are to Him," and this thought was stuck in my head during my time in nauvoo, because it's true. when you look back at the lives of the saints, they were close to God, and they were happy and faithful because they were close to Him. and just pondering that makes me want to prioritize my spirituality and relationship with heaven, because it works the same today as it did two hundred years ago. ☺️
there were lots of things that made nauvoo happy, like friends, hugs, music, and dance. but i hope i never forget the intensity of the spirit i felt there. it was so precious. i wish everyone could feel that kind of happy. ♡
xo, kate
ps: i'm going to post more soon so just you wait :))
Comments