THE Exodus--February 4th 2012

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.

Here we are, at the Family Living Center--we didn't even get lost! 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 Breakfast we sang "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go", had a short program and then went outside to line up. The "Nauvoo Legion was first. I think Rus is the third one you can see from the right. As you can see it was a wet day--luckily it wasn't too cold and the rain was just a mist until the very end.

After the Legion came the flags. There was a flag being held from each of the nations that the saints, who left Nauvoo, were originally from. I'm on the far left, carrying the Swiss flag. The rest of the "walking" company came after the flags--there were about 300 participants this year. Each of them with a name around their necks, representing one of the Nauvoo Pioneers.

Following the "walkers" were the carriages and wagons. This front one carried the couple representing Brigham Young and his wife. The wagons just had teamsters in them and at the end was a big wagon/carriage with all the people in it who couldn't walk that far.

When we got to the end of Parley Street the Legion turned to face the Kiosk that has listed on it those who died on the trail to SLC. There is a flag poll there as well. There was then a closing program and we all pledged allegiance to the Flag.

And here we are--at the end of the trail. Wet, but happy!