Trail of Hope

Although we as a band attended the Trail of Hope vignettes quite a while ago, I still wanted to share some of the sacred feelings I had. It was an incredible experience to walk the same path that the early Saints did at the time of their departure from Nauvoo, and consider their magnanimous faith. Though they left behind everything they had, they still trusted in their God to guide them to a better life. I have a greater desire to face my trials and unknowns with faith because of the experience: as I stared into the water of the river that they crossed, I could not help but feel gratitude for the trust which I can have in God, and renewed desire to go forward believing. I wrote a poem about the experience:

They walked here.

They left

lives and memories, homes and plans

In God's hands. They found strength

in the light which flowed

toward them from

the Temple

Where they had come to know God.

They left it

trusting they would come

to know Him

as He walked with them

down that old, old path

of Parley Street.

They didn't leave

behind all they had;

they embraced it.

All they had was hope

for peace through Christ.

Their hope

pulled their burdened handcarts,

lifted their weary feet,

and made the air with music ring

as they faced

the obsidian river.

Their hope

flowed from the Temple

to light the trail.

Their hope

flows from the temple still

to touch the hearts of present saints

who make the opposite journey:

toward the Temple;

who face obsidian rivers

hand in hand with Him

who walks with us

on Parley Street.

The gospel was and still is worth the sacrifice.

Back Again

This is a long time in coming, but I want to share the miracle of how I came to be here in Nauvoo. My story is a story of simple, but powerful miracles that shows that our Heavenly Father has a plan, and that it encompasses every single thing that happens to every one of us. It is story that begins, with a common cold.

My story of how and why i'm here begins one Sunday, In a Sunday around November 2010. During the cold winter months, many of us get get to suffer through a cold or other illness, and my little brother Sam, was doing just that. Because of this, my mom had to stay home to care for him. Being a great mom, she decided that since they weren't going to have a sharing time at church, she was going to go on the church website and have their own at home. Well, she opened up the page, and to her surprise, she saw this announcement that read something like "families wanted to be in the Nauvoo pageant." My wonderful mother was so thrilled with this, that she decided to apply to be in it, and see what happened. Well a few months later we got a call back, and we were accepted to be in the Nauvoo pageant.

So, that next summer, we  went to Nauvoo for the two weeks we were in the pageant, and let me tell you, Nauvoo has a special spirit to it. From the first minute I got there, to now, I have felt it, and i know  now that it is because of the saints who sacrificed so much when they left, so we all could have that we do. I have felt that spirit whenever i have been here since. 

Well, we were in the pageant for that year, and we loved it so much, that we decided to apply for it again. By this time we knew that out of around 800 families that applied, only around 250 were accepted, so we figured that it probably wouldn't be our turn again to be in it, but we went for it anyway. I guess that is where we were meant to be, because we were called back again. Because we had already experienced it once, we were able to enjoy a lot more of the sites to see around Nauvoo, and I was able to go to the family living center and talk to one of the band sisters that was giving tours there at that time, and I had seen the band on the streets, and thought it would be something really fun to do, so when we got home from Nauvoo, I decided to audition. I sent in my video, and was called back, but I Live in Missouri, so they just had me send in another video, and I was accepted, and called to be a missionary out here in Nauvoo.

There's more back-story to it though. When I was younger, i actually played the violin in school orchestra, and i never considered learning a brass instrument. Only when my parents moved us to a small school in Missouri that had no orchestra program did i consider playing a brass instrument. I actually decided to play the trombone, and i learned that. Well, our band was missing an extremely important instrument, the Tuba, so I took it upon myself to learn it, and. Without that intricately mastered plan, I wouldn't be serving here today, and again, just goes to show the power, but also the love, god has towards us.

While I've been serving here, I am reminded again and again of our Heavenly Father's eternal plan for us, and I hope my story helps you all as well.

Pass it Along...

On May 24th, the Band Wagon stopped for our daily break at the end of Parley street over looking the Mississippi river. Elder Foster and I spoke with a family that were stopped at the spot with us. Elder Foster and I had a very wonderful experience with them and we spoke about why they were here in Nauvoo, that was the first time they had stopped in that spot in Nauvoo. They passed Nauvoo many a times driving from Ohio, and they admired our temple but that was the first day they stopped to really look at the temple and the beautiful site of the Mississippi river. They were a part of the Lutheran religion but didn't quite feel apart of that church and they loved how we the people of Nauvoo smiled and had a glow about us. In the middle of the conversation there Elder Brague called us to board the Wagon again. I quickly ran to the wagon and grabbed 4 reference cards to give the family; 2 Nauvoo Brass Band cards, 1 Mormon.org card, and 1 with Jesus and the children on front and the Articles of Faith on back. They happily took them and got pictures with us afterwards. I then boarded the Wagon and left with a smile and a wave with Elder Foster and the rest of the Band.

I didn't think much about that day until I was told 2 days later by our teamster, Elder Nun, about what happened after we left. The family decided to look around Nauvoo and see the sites. They viewed some places and later that day ended up in the Lands and Records building where Elder Nun was serving after the Wagon Ride. They were interested in learning more about the church and the gospel "light" that we all had. So, they received the Missionary's numbers and planned a meeting with them that week. That was wonderful news and I smiled deeply. Then I was told that during the meeting and others, they received a Book of Mormon and they were deeply into the discussions now and interested in the conversion process. The man of the family made the joke "Now I can convert my whole congregation to this gospel truth and light".

Elder Nun bore his testimony about this experience today in Sacrament meeting after his talk. How Beautiful a Truth this Gospel is. I have no doubt in my mind that the Family will be immensely blessed from accepting this gospel into their lives. I love this Gospel with all my Heart.