Week 49--July 26-Aug 1, 2020


We have had these walking stick insects on the door to our apartment building for a few days. They are very different from the ones we see in Idaho. The eyes are about 1/3 of the way back from the right end.  Interestingly, they look very much like a native weed that grows here.

On Tuesday we had the opportunity to visit the burial site for the members of the Camp of Israel that died from the cholera outbreak that attacked its ranks (June 1834) right after it was disbanded. The Camp of Israel was organized by Joseph Smith to go to Missouri  and help the Saints regain their land that they had been driven from by the mobs in Independence. The Camp of Israel was also to remain with the Saints for a year to keep them safe from their enemies.

This house is on the property where the burial site it located.  Of the 15 individuals that were reportedly buried there, only three have been removed and buried elsewhere.

We mowed the grass. Now time to start on the repairs of the house.  Maybe not!

This beautiful tree was in the front yard of the house.

 On the other side of this mound is where the burial site is located.  The burial site is on private ground owned by a member of the Church and not accessible to the public at this time.  Three skeletons were found and were removed because the bank had been eroded away by a storm and the skeletons were exposed. the three bodies were buried at Mound Grove Cemetery in Independence. A monument was also erected there with the names of all those died from the cholera attack.

The burial site for those from the Camp of Israel who died from cholera. The bodies were wrapped in blankets by Heber Kimball, Brigham Young, and others and buried. More than a dozen Saints died.

 The sisters and Elder and Sister Brown listen as Elder and Sister Larsen tell about the Camp of Israel.

The thorns on a thorny locust tree are poisonous.  Locals call it a "Devil Tree."  The property owner has been removing them one by one.  He had a horse brush up against one and it died in spite of a veterinarian's attempts to save it.  He said there are only a couple of trees left on his 18 acres.

 We have been doing virtual tours from the various Historic Sites. On Thursday we did the Priesthood Restoration Site (Harmony, Pennsylvania) and the Sacred Grove (Palmyra, New York). This house is the house that Emma Hale Smith grew up located at the Priesthood Restoration Site. It is called a 5-4 and a door. It has five upper windows, four lower windows, and a door. It was a a common style of the day.













The swimming pool at the cemetery. We had a lot of rain on Wednesday and Thursday. We had to find a different path at the cemetery.

 Sister Kinikini is teaching the sisters the Prayer Dance. She is of Tongan ancestry.

Pictured: Sister Anderson, Sister Randall, and Sister Kinne.

Pictured: Front: Sister Bates.
Back: Sister Brock, Sister Martin, Sister Greenwood, Sister Galbraith, Sister Burdge, and Sister Wilson.

The sisters were watching "Out of Liberty" on Friday afterward, so Garnalee had the opportunity to give a tour at Liberty Jail.  Our tours are outdoors with pictures of the jail and other items  on the iPad.

We planted these Elephant Ear Hostas on May 11 at the Independence Visitors' Center. On August 1, they are five feet tall! (and still growing). We call this our "Garden of Eden" picture.

These times prompt ingenuity, so for our Sacrament meeting we had to improvise.  Two of the sisters' apartments had plans to have Sacrament with their districts.  But the other two didn't, so Garnalee initiated a Zoom call.  We stayed in our apartment while Tom blessed and broke the bread.  The sisters watched and listened from their apartment below us.  Tom carried the saucer with bread down to the door of the apartment and they passed it among themselves. Next, the water was offered in the same way.  Young missionaries and old ones aren't to mix for the old ones' protection, so this was a perfect solution.
Tom has been doing tours of the VC and Jail using Zoom in Spanish.  This week, the seminary class was in Puebla, Mexico.  Hopefully, after this pandemic has passed, they'll still be able to offer virtual tours to YM or YW groups all over the country.
Today, Sunday, August 2, 2020, the high temperature was 82 degrees.  It was 73 degrees at 8 PM.  It's perfect weather!