Our Trek West

The Missouri Period, from 1831-1839, was a harrowing moment in Mormon history. Mormons were pushed north from Independence to Far West and were eventually chased from the state in the middle of winter. We relived that history with the Flindt kids. Here is a map of Missouri and surrounding states, showing Mormon sites we visited on the trip (and a couple, like Lamoni, that we have yet to explore).

Our first stop was Liberty Jail, in Independence, Missouri.

Joseph was penned in an underground jail there for nine months, after he was arrested in Far West in November 1838. The jail was barely high enough for him to stand up.

We then drove north to Far West, where the pioneers built up a community of several thousand people from 1836 to 1838. They also laid the foundation for a temple.

A stake in Kansas was doing its YMYW pioneer trek, with the odd juxtaposition of handcarts, bonnets, long skirts, and plastic tubs!

We stopped by Gallatin, where Mormons and Gentiles brawled on election day in August, 1838, inciting the final struggle at Far West in November, 1838.

And we drove to Adam-ondi-Ahman, where Mormons believe that Father Adam will some day convene his people. It was a beautiful, green, serene valley.

We circled back to Richmond and stood by the monument to the Three Witnesses, Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, and David Whitmer. All three left the Church either for a while (Oliver and Martin) or forever (David), but they never denied their testimony of the Book of Mormon.

We searched through a nearby graveyard for David Whitmer's grave stone.

And we stopped by the Richmond Courthouse, with its huge statue of General Doniphan, who saved Joseph Smith's life. When the general who captured Joseph Smith at Far West said he would execute Joseph at dawn, Doniphan threatened to bring the general to justice if he did that.

We visited the Community of Christ (RLDS) temple in Independence.

We also visited the Temple Lot, where Mormons believe a temple will be built someday. We stopped, as the light was fading, at the beautifully landscaped and very informative LDS Visitors Center.

Next day, we ate beignets and shrimp etoufee at a cafe run by a New Orleans ex-pat living in Laramie, Wyoming. We then toured our last pioneer sites--Independence Rock and Martin's Cove. At Independence Rock the pioneers paused to rest and carve their name on the huge dome rising out of the prairie. They were doing well on their journey if they reached this monument by Independence Day, July 4. Most of the carved names have worn away, but the pictures from Google Images still preserve them!

A company of handcart pioneers were stranded in Martin's Cove by early winter storms in 1856 and many froze to death before being rescued by teams sent from Salt Lake City by Brigham Young.

Alyssa checked out the replica of William Clayton's odometer.

We identified ancestors who were part of the rescue team sent from SLC, including Noah Brimhall and Martin Crandall from Dave's family, and Sam Bennion, from mine.

We hiked near the area where the pioneers had huddled in the snow.