Road Trip Day 3 - Missouri

Today was a day for Church history. Missouri is beautiful. It was also a little emotional. I didn't cry, but my heart was touched as I thought of everything my ancestors went through in this place. Missouri was not kind to the Mormons. In fact, until 1976, it was still technically legal to kill a Mormon in Missouri. It was called the Extermination Order. People were driven from their homes, killed, raped, and robbed. Definitely not a high point in the "land of the free." I am proud of my ancestry. I am proud to come from people who stood by their religious beliefs in the face of extreme persecution. They were strong. They crossed the plains in handcarts. They never gave up. As I looked at the beauty all around today, I was struck by how hard it must have been to end up in the dessert of Utah. But they made it beautiful too.

I was also struck today as I thought about the fact that my children are descended from people who were also strong. Who also survived through incredible adversity. Through biology and adoption, my children have an amazing heritage. Lots of thoughts today.

Normally I would doctor these pictures. Make sure the lighting is right and they're all straight, but I'm exhausted so they are what they are.

Pretty country road

I love old houses

And dead trees

And old buildings (I'm sensing a pattern.)

Traffic jam

Cooling off - my kids thought seeing cows in the ponds was awesome.

Country road

Road kill (Last night the bugs were so bad it sounded like rain.)

Far West was a place where the saints settled and had planned to build a temple. As always happened, they were driven away. All that remains are four cornerstones that had been laid for the temple. (Notice our awesome Graceland shirts.)

The Community of Christ - a splinter group from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a church across the street.

Loved the basketball hoop on the barn.

Fields for miles.

Wild flowers (We have these in our backyard and I had no idea they would grow like this.)

The Hawn's Mill Massacre is a tragic story of the murder of innocents. This plot of land is not easy to get too and the roads are often impassible. I was really grateful we were able to see it.

Next we went to Adam Ondi Ahman, which is a sacred spot for people of my faith. It was a beautiful and peaceful place to visit. 

View from Tower Hill

I am officially the worst selfie taker ever. I never know where to look.

Check out Baylie's face! The sun was in her eyes.

We decided we needed a redo (or 8!).

View from the other side.

Our final stop was the Kansas City temple. It is so wonderful to know that despite being driven out and forced to leave everything behind, a beautiful temple has now been built and stands for everyone to see. It makes me proud.

Then we hit the road and headed for Kansas. Kansas rest stops are not as cool as the other ones we used. I think Eastern and Southern rest stops are definitely the best.

Kansas is also VERY flat. It was nothing but farms and cows. Pretty, but much the same scenery for about eight hours. I would have liked to make a quick side trip to Dodge, but we just didn't have time for that.

Lots of wind turbines

It had never really hit me that Colorado and Kansas share a border. My dad spent his childhood in Colorado and we always go back there, but that's western Colorado, which is very different from the eastern part of the state. There was no welcome sign for Colorado so it kind of ruined our streak, but maybe there will be one when we cross over into Utah and we can get a picture then. 

Tomorrow we will drive across Colorado. I'm sad that we won't stop because it's a beautiful state, but we are ready to get to Vegas and be with my sister's family. We have an 11-hour drive ahead of us (after a 10-hour drive today), but then we'll get to stay put for a couple of weeks.