This was my cabin for the time in Nauvoo. I shared it with 7 other girls and we had a great time!
We were able to go on a hand cart trek one morning and it was a great experience. I loved this part of the trip. I couldn't help but think about my own ancestors and all of the things they endured during their journeys. Even though it was only 3 miles, it gave me a slight taste of their lives and I am grateful for it.
Here is my group of youth that I had during the conference. They were such a wonderful group!
I was worried that the trek might be a little "touristy" and just be an easy trail that wouldn't give the youth any real feeling for what a hand cart trek would be like...not so much!
Honestly, I was shocked at what we pushed and pulled the cart through...
And where we had to go up and down!!!
It was awesome that it was so hard. It made it so much better. We were forced to stop and rest, we had to switch people often and there were times where we were panicking to keep the cart in control - and from getting anyone hurt.
I loved that our boys all got tired out...and I mean really tired out!
I love this picture. I feel like it captures a specific feeling that I had during the trek. I was in awe of the land, the kids, and the experience.
This is Kyle...he is one of the youth who served on the youth conference committee this year. I just love this kid.
The Nauvoo temple was amazing. I had a wonderful time with the youth during the baptisms and then had an opportunity to go to the Celestial Room. It was a very unique moment and the Spirit was so incredibly strong. I was literally overcome and just so grateful to be there. 
This is the statue of Joseph and Hyrum outside of the temple, with the view of Nauvoo below.
On the night of the pageant, we had a wonderful sunset.
I wasn't sure how the pageant would be, but it was amazing. I loved it.
The set was simple at most times, but it was so neat when they started to raise the temple.
I really did love it!
Okay...party bus!!!
The visitor's center was really great too. I loved the original pieces of the temple that they had displayed. We were able to bring home a small piece of the original temple...it's a really fun memento.
I thought this statue was beautiful.
Here is my group again...
While we were touring, we went into the hall where the dances and events were held. I had my group pretend to dance and the missionary who was in charge of the hall let me go upstairs (where you can't normally go) and take a picture from the area where the orchestra or band would have played. So fun!
This is one of the pictures at the Carthage visitor's center. I couldn't believe how much I loved some of the artwork. This picture is capturing the moment when Joseph left Nauvoo - with the temple uncompleted - to head to Carthage - knowing he would not return.
Here is another. I loved the story that went with this picture. The artist is in the painting and so is the man that converted him to the gospel.
Outside of Carthage.
My cute group!
This is the door in the jail that led into the room where Joseph and Hyrum were killed. Carthage felt very sacred and I was glad to have had the chance to be there.
This is the Mansion House where Joseph and Emma lived and where so many other people stayed. It was great to tour it and the other historical sites.
The dance. So, so fun! We had dance cards with assigned people for 3 of the dances and it really gave all of the kids a great chance to have fun dancing without the pressure of who to ask etc. I loved this dance.
Getting ready for Nauvoo was an unbelievable amount of work. We had 9 months of meetings, countless hours of scheduling, hundreds of hours of research to assign real saints' names to each of the youth so they could be there "as" someone who really lived there, and I really felt an enormous amount of responsibility and sometimes stress during the preparations. Every single moment was completely worth it. Nauvoo was everything we could have ever wanted and the Spirit was so strong the entire time. I have never felt the Spirit so strongly for such a consistent amount of time. The youth were amazing and everyone's testimonies were strengthened. It was a beautiful experience. I should have named this post 'crying my way through Nauvoo'. That was what I kept telling the rest of the Stake YW presidency...spiritual moment after spiritual moment...I cried my way through Nauvoo. I am so grateful for the time we had there as leaders and for the wonderful opportunity we had to be with the youth and to watch their testimonies grow.
