Last night I went & saw the movie Emma Smith: My Story. It was fantastic and I highly recommend it. So often I feel like Emma Smith gets the short end of the stick because she didn't head west to Salt Lake, but she truly was a miraculous women. It was wonderful to see the love story of she & Joseph Smith & also realize they were just people like you & I trying to do the Lord's will under incredibly difficult circumstances. I think she deserves so much more credit than is given & thus she is the picture for my first, Flashback Friday.
While I was watching the movie I couldn't help but be taken back to the semester I spent in Nauvoo. So many of the sites & stories in the movie were so familiar to me due to the time I spent there. I was there from Jan 2002 - April 2002. It was during the height of the construction of the Nauvoo temple which was dedicated June 2002. I lived across the street from it in the Joseph Smith Building where we took our classes, ate our meals & laid our heads to sleep.It was a fun time to be submersed in Church History. Everyone was excited about the new temple being built & there was always a flurry of activity going on. On top of that, I met some fantastic friends & together we had a blast.
Amy, Elle & Taya -- Rachel...where were you???I think the four of us (Amy, Elle, Taya & Rachel) had more fun together than we knew what to do with. We were all so different, which is probably what made it so fun.
Elle was definitely the comedian of the group -- she had me pegged for a spoiled brat on day one & to hear her tell the story is priceless. On the first day the bus had to come & pick me up at a different terminal than everyone else flew into. Mind you, I had to wait in an unfamiliar St. Louis terminal for hours because the flight from Salt Lake was delayed. So everyone from Salt Lake had flown over to St. Louis together, loaded the bus & then came to pick me up. Slightly intimidating for me? Most definitely. I get my luggage loaded & board a bus full of people I don't know to head to Nauvoo. Now of course, I am wearing what I think is my cutest outfit at the time -- which included a red purse (pictured above...from Ann Taylor, naturally). I board the bus, trying to act like I'm not nervous & Elle says, watching me walk on that bus, that made a special trip to pick me up with my little boots & jeans & red purse...she just had to roll her eyes in my direction. I remember Elle telling me later that she was really nervous about finding friends when she heard Taya & I laughing in my room -- the door was open so she walked in & the rest is history.
Taya & I were probably the most similar -- although she was a daddy's girl & I was more of a momma's girl. That about sums up our differences. We lived across the hall from each other & there was an unspoken truce or agreement of friendship on day one. She was one of those people that you just knew without ever talking to that you'd be friends. Simple as that. She did bring along some boy drama which was always fun too. But I will stop all talk of boy drama there - as I may have brought some of my own! Taya was always the "good girl." She was always kind -- I remember writing about that in my journal. It was an attribute I wanted to be better at & she was a good example of always being kind to others.
Rachel...now Rachel I never thought in a million years I'd be friends with. Taya & I were both slightly frightened of her -- which Elle of course thought was hilarious! Rachel was several years older than us & wore shirts that said "I love Rock & Roll" and they weren't the cute little girly ones that are popular now...she was serious. I did not think she'd put up with my stupid girly ways. AND I do think there were times she gave me the look of death, which is maybe why I was scared of her!! haha...love you Rach. Anyway, somewhere along the way in the beginning we became friends & Rachel was always the voice of reason for us all. A returned missionary that knew her stuff & prodded us all along.
We did all sorts of dumb things together -- living in a town the size of Nauvoo for 4 months really requires you to use your imagination as far as things to do. Sometimes, it was dance parties, other times practical jokes & other times sneaking onto the roof of buildings to get the perfect picture of the temple -- we were later chewed out for doing such thing!
Watching the movie last night took me back to all these fun memories I have of Nauvoo & caused me to be grateful for all the sacrifices the early saints made on our behalf. I cannot imagine the strength & courage necessary to endure such times. For Emma Smith & all the other saints that paved the way for the fullness of the gospel I am truly grateful.
Elle was definitely the comedian of the group -- she had me pegged for a spoiled brat on day one & to hear her tell the story is priceless. On the first day the bus had to come & pick me up at a different terminal than everyone else flew into. Mind you, I had to wait in an unfamiliar St. Louis terminal for hours because the flight from Salt Lake was delayed. So everyone from Salt Lake had flown over to St. Louis together, loaded the bus & then came to pick me up. Slightly intimidating for me? Most definitely. I get my luggage loaded & board a bus full of people I don't know to head to Nauvoo. Now of course, I am wearing what I think is my cutest outfit at the time -- which included a red purse (pictured above...from Ann Taylor, naturally). I board the bus, trying to act like I'm not nervous & Elle says, watching me walk on that bus, that made a special trip to pick me up with my little boots & jeans & red purse...she just had to roll her eyes in my direction. I remember Elle telling me later that she was really nervous about finding friends when she heard Taya & I laughing in my room -- the door was open so she walked in & the rest is history.
Taya & I were probably the most similar -- although she was a daddy's girl & I was more of a momma's girl. That about sums up our differences. We lived across the hall from each other & there was an unspoken truce or agreement of friendship on day one. She was one of those people that you just knew without ever talking to that you'd be friends. Simple as that. She did bring along some boy drama which was always fun too. But I will stop all talk of boy drama there - as I may have brought some of my own! Taya was always the "good girl." She was always kind -- I remember writing about that in my journal. It was an attribute I wanted to be better at & she was a good example of always being kind to others.
Rachel...now Rachel I never thought in a million years I'd be friends with. Taya & I were both slightly frightened of her -- which Elle of course thought was hilarious! Rachel was several years older than us & wore shirts that said "I love Rock & Roll" and they weren't the cute little girly ones that are popular now...she was serious. I did not think she'd put up with my stupid girly ways. AND I do think there were times she gave me the look of death, which is maybe why I was scared of her!! haha...love you Rach. Anyway, somewhere along the way in the beginning we became friends & Rachel was always the voice of reason for us all. A returned missionary that knew her stuff & prodded us all along.
We did all sorts of dumb things together -- living in a town the size of Nauvoo for 4 months really requires you to use your imagination as far as things to do. Sometimes, it was dance parties, other times practical jokes & other times sneaking onto the roof of buildings to get the perfect picture of the temple -- we were later chewed out for doing such thing!
Watching the movie last night took me back to all these fun memories I have of Nauvoo & caused me to be grateful for all the sacrifices the early saints made on our behalf. I cannot imagine the strength & courage necessary to endure such times. For Emma Smith & all the other saints that paved the way for the fullness of the gospel I am truly grateful.
4 comments:
Oh Amy...now that was a nice little post. I hate to remember the time that Dad got CHEWED out by the executives (he he he) for climbing up on the roof. That was hideous. The rest of us ignored dad like we didn't even know him. That was painful!!! Dad hates to be reminded of that!
Amy, I love times like those. It reminds me of my semester abroad. I think you form a really special relationship with those people when you are having those experiences together.
You crack me up!! We were an odd group, but we had so so so much fun together. I always felt like Elle and I were more alike and you and Taya were alike, but together it didn't matter that we were different and we were fun and funny.
Plus remember all those great "Mansfield Family Outings" we had w/ Ty? You in your adorable overalls....so cute! Thanks for bringing back some good memories and reminding me how OLD I am!
Rock On!!
Oh I LOVE flashback Friday! I am cracking up at that picture!! I love the Mansfield Family Outings what a cute little family you made. And the inside jokes could go on forever. I believe we did have the most fun of anyone there.
And the boy drama...mmmm...like I said we did have the most fun =)
PS. I call Ezra "bubba" I can't help it with his chubby cheeks and his chubby legs nothing else is appropriate but it would be unfortunate if it stuck past the age of 5.
Post a Comment