Entry 13 – Come, Come Ye Saints. Council Bluffs, Iowa & Winter Quarters, Omaha, Nebraska. 17th April, 2007.

Council Bluffs and Winter Quarters were our last official stop on our trip. Realising this, we really wanted to savour the last of it for as long as we could. This area was the area I had the least knowledge about. So it came as a surprise to me that Winter Quarters was not just one small area where the saints found refuge over the winter months. But it spanned from the west side of the Missouri River (Winter Quarters) to the east side of the river (Kanesville – or known to day as Council Bluffs), with the bulk of the pioneers concentrated around Kanesville. In fact there were literally 100’s of settlements dotting the countryside.

The Winter Quarter's Settlement. The aspect would be taken from about where the Winter Quarter's Temple stands today.

In the 1840’s everything up to the Missouri River on the east side was American territory, and everything west of the river was Indian Territory – this was literally the frontier! The Indians liked the Mormon’s, so they were able to forge an agreement with them to set up camp on the west side for a period of 3 years. Because of the temporary nature of this agreement the bulk of the pioneers were actually located on the American side in Kanesville and not in Winter Quarters.

It always amazes me how industrious these pioneer’s were. Despite the huge amount of persecution that had been heaped on them, they were able to organise themselves such that there were small houses, farms and businesses established. As each group of pioneers came through they would take these over from the previous group and continue to build, farm and trade until they moved on and the next group arrived.

Arriving at the Kanesville Tabernacle in Council Bluffs.

So the first place we visited was the Kanesville Tabernacle in Council Bluffs. Wayne found this to be a particularly interesting place. It was built by the pioneer’s, under the guidance of Brigham Young. It was here, also, that he was first sustained as the second Prophet of this dispensation. And it was here that he worked with Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards ( his counsellors) on the plan to immigrate to the land of promise.

The children join Brigham and his counsellors in consultation on which would be the best way to go.

Ashleigh is invited to play 'Choose The Right' on the original 1890's organ within the Kanesville Tabernacle

It really hits home just how entrenched the LDS church is within the history of this country. As we drove from Council Bluffs, over the Missouri River, the bridge we took was named ‘The Mormon Bridge’. It was actually built by the Church originally, but later sold back to Iowa and Nebraska for the high sum of $1. This sale benefited the Church down the track when they were looking for land to build the Winter Quarter’s Temple. The State of Nebraska sold a tract of land to the Church (which is right across the road from the Winter Quarter’s Visitor Centre, and which sits next to the Pioneer Cemetery) for the sum of $1.

The 'Mormon Bridge' that crosses the Missouri River and joins Council Bluffs, Iowa with Winter Quarter's, Nebraska.

The Winter Quarter’s Visitor’s Centre was the perfect place to end our Church History tour. The Missionary’s there were wonderful, and even though we arrived there fairly late, they gave us a great run-down of all that occurred in this area. They even had us dress up for the occasion. We were very sad to leave.

The tour could not go on until we were properly dressed for the occasion.

Sister Dahl, the missionary sister who gave us a guided tour of the Winter Quarter's Visitor's Centre. As a thankyou we gave her our last block of Cadbury's Triple-deck chocolate.

This brings us to the end of our big adventure. It was a solemn drive back across Iowa and Illinois to Chicago and a flight or two home. We have learnt so much that we can take back with us and build on for the rest of our lives. We have gained a stronger testimony of the work that has gone on before us and find strength to continue that work. We are so very grateful for the sacrifices that were made by these sacred people, and acknowledge the blessings that have come to us in these latter-day’s because of them. This is our testimony, that their struggles and efforts were not in vain, that they laid the foundation for the Lord’s work to go forth with courage, love and faith. The truth has been established on this earth through a living Prophet and it continues to go forth today through the authority of the Lord’s Priesthood. That the Lord directs this work through a living Prophet and we are blessed to be a part of it.