The Exodus

Isn't this a neat picture? No, I didn't take it! This is actually a "pre-exodus" picture. We chose a couple to represent Brigham Young and his wife and this is the carriage they rode in. This picture is of the teamsters driving the carriage to the Family Living Center to pick up 'Brigham'. Traditionally, the teamsters would come to the mission home and pick up the Mission President and his wife to take them to the Family Living Center, but it would have required the teamsters to start their day an hour earlier and would have set us apart--so we just told them to do what was easiest and we could get ourselves to the Family Living Center.

And here we are! We made it, all by ourselves! Doesn't he look good as a pioneer?

Everyone gathered at the Family Living center for all sorts of pastries and rolls and milk and juice. Those who didn't already have a name tag (an ancestor they were representing on the walk) picked one up here, so that everyone who walked represented someone who had lived in Nauvoo.

You can see the name tag, here. I walked for my Great Great Grandmother, Eliza Collins Hunsaker. She was in her early 30s when they crossed the river on the ice--in late February. They had 6 children, the oldest, Mary, was 10. She had the responsibility of all their livestock! The youngest was a baby. Our ancestor, Allen Collins Hunsaker, was about 6.

This Sister with me is Sister Daybell. She is in charge of the sewing room and everything that goes with it. She made my pioneer dress that I'm wearing.

After the eating and greeting, the program began with all of us singing "I'll go where you want me to go". That was followed by a reading. Then we got on our coats and rain gear and headed out!