Starr Road Trip: Day Eleven.

I woke up the next morning to giggling and chatter in the breakfast nook. I loved walking in on a scene of two loving grandmas playing cards with and enjoying their grandchildren. This trip was such a memorable and unique time to have both sets of grandparents all to ourselves for a few days.

After breakfast we drove to Carthage, Illinois to visit Carthage Jail. This spot is a very solemn and sacred place where the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother were killed in 1844.

 The tour began inside the visitor center where we watched a short video describing the events of Joseph being taken with Hyrum and others to the jail and his stay and death. There is a beautiful statue of Joseph and Hyrum outside that really depicts the love and loyalty each had for each other: in life and in death. I love the pictures we got of our own children there with their brothers and sisters.

The tour guide then took us through the old jail and described where the prisoners were held the first night and then where they went for the rest of their week-long stay. They became friends with the prison warden and his family and even sat at the same table during meals. He described when the mob came and tried to get through the door to their room and how they shot through the door and killed Hyrum and then through the window and killed Joseph. He also described the miraculous survival of John Taylor and Willard Richards.

It was a solemn and humbling day, but gave us so much gratitude for the sacrifice of these men and all they did to help restore the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth again.

After this it was time to say good-bye to Grandma and Grandpa Starr. It was very bitter-sweet, but we were so grateful for our time with them in Nauvoo. Jane has always been such a sensitive girl and seemed to understand the significance of the moment. She ran into Grandpa's arms as they were leaving and gave him one last hug.