We walked around the entire weekend on a sort of spiritual cloud.  As we missed our boys, we were grateful we came just the two of us so we could fully embrace all Nauvoo had to offer without the little boys in tow.  

Friday afternoon I donned a dress (any and all clothing was so disgustingly wretched due to the humidity) and we went across the street from our room and went to an endowment session at the temple. It was so beautiful I can't find the words.  Just to be in the temple, built just as the Saints had built it, gave me an overwhelming feeling of "this is where I belong"...

From the steps of the temple looking out over the river.

The sunstones that were all around the temple were exclusive of the Nauvoo temple.   Brigham left a detailed description: "There are thirty capitals around the temple, each composed of five stones, viz., one base stone, one large stone representing the sun rising above the clouds, the lower part obscured; the third stone represents two hands each holding a trumpet; and the last two stones form a cap over the trumpet stones, and all these form a capital".  Each sun had a face carved into its disk.

One of the most prominent features of the pilasters were the base-stones.  The base-stones included deeply carved relief crescent moon facing downward.  The personification of the moonstones was perhaps meant to also represent those who dwell in the Terrestrial Kingdom, because the moon represents the glory of that kingdom on the Vision.

This building is the Zion Mercantile, and the only good place in town to eat.  We ate at the deli both days, and I ate the delicious bread pudding both days. Mmmmm mmmmmm good!

This was the Cultural Hall, where they held a few plays and vignettes that were so fun and informative to watch!  The sign below reads:  "Used in the 1840's as a Masonic Building Headquarters for the Nauvoo Legion, Police Force and Community Theater."

Across from the Cultural Hall.  Where this open land is now, back when they Saints were here, this was divided equally into lots for the homes of the members of the church.  So, this area was covered with homes.   In 1839 when the Mormons arrived and bought the small town of Commerce, Joseph Smith renamed it Nauvoo, meaning "beautiful place".  Nauvoo grew rapidly and for a few years was one of the most populous cities in Illinois, with a population of approximately 12,000 in 1845, rivaling Chicago's population of about 15,000!  There were over 6000 structures, homes and businesses.  

This was a very fun comedic play put on by the senior missionaries of Nauvoo about the last days in Nauvoo...

Young people, out of high school and in college, were on 'missions' there to perform.  They are actually set apart as missionaries for the 3-6 months they are there.  We met a guy who had gone to Nauvoo on a performance mission (it is extremely difficult to get one-you have to be really really good!), then served a normal 2 year mission, and then went back to Nauvoo on another performing mission.  So cool.
We met sister missionaries that work in Nauvoo and also cover Carthage.  They go to Nauvoo for 6 months (there actually is no prosciliting allowed in Nauvoo per the law), then they go on a regular mission for 6 months somewhere else in the country, then they all come back together in Nauvoo for the next spring/summer season of 6 months.  This is the only mission like it.

Tim thought this was funny.  After the Mormons left, the French Icarians, then Germans came to Nauvoo and with them came the ways of the world...hahaha.  This was painted on the side of a big red brick original building.

Downtown Nauvoo (there really is only 1 main street, and the rest are residence streets).

After dark the 1st night, we got a Dole Pineapple Whip (soft frozen pineapple super yummy ice cream) and walked over to the temple.  Stunning at night too.