Picking up Matt Part 7

On Monday we went to visit the Karthage Jail.
this is one of the Jail cells.


The dungeon cell joseph and others were put in on theis first night in this jail. It is on the second floor of the house.

The dungeon jail cell that they stayed in the first night.


The room there the marter of Joseph Smith happened and behind us is the window that he fell out of

This is the hole from the bullet that killed Hyrum Smith.


Memorial outside of the Jail dedicated to Joseph and Hyrum smith.
The feeling at the jail was so strong and calming I am so glad that we had the opportunity to visit this historic site.

Picking up Matt Part 6

Joplin MO

this is the stake president and his family of the stake that was destroyed in the Joplin tornado.

This is one of the shelters that we saw there. In the middle of it all these are what survived the best.


This is Matts apartment slab where his apartment used to be, they have cleared out most of the debris here.
His apartment sign.



Crazy tree.

This is the family that Matt was having dinner with when the tornado hit, and the up stairs hall that they were in which protected them all. All the windows of the house were blown out and a few branches flew through the walls but compared to most of the houses it survived pretty well.

The tornado was heading straight toward this home one street down it turned for about a block and headed up the next street. It is amazing the great things the Lord does to protect his missionaries.



One of the few homes still standing that was in the middle of the storm. they are taking off the second floor because it is too damaged and converting it to a one story home.


The hospital that many saw on the news.

A collapsed house that is the second floor on the top.

One of my most favorite things that Matt told us is his experience during the tornado.

Picking up Matt Part 5

Sorry for the blog over load but it just occurred to me yesterday that I should have been blogging everyday. Haha I am now playing catch up.

This entry has lots of pic that won't really have description but I really enjoyed this cave.

We were in the town of Noel.
I really like this stone house I think that the owners also own the caves but I am not 100% sure.

This part of the cave was designated a bomb shelter for the town. At that time they didn't realize that the water flowing through the cave would be contaminated if a nuclear bomb went off.


Above Matt's head are calcium deposits from the dripping water.


On the left of me is a balanced rock that you can rock with 1 finger.

The formations were so cool.


Matt and mom in a tunnel.

In the cave.

Aren't the calcium build ups so cool?


Mini Family pic.

Prickly pear cactious with fruit on the end.


Monkey tail Cactus it was so cool.


This is a petrified birds nest with 3 eggs in it apparently there are only 2 known of in the world one their museum and one in the Smithsonian.
From there we drove to Joplin where we stayed the night, that is the end of Friday.

Picking up Matt Part 4

While in prairie grove on Friday we went to a couple of attractions.

This is the bishop of the ward where he served.

He owns a lolliepop factory! He gave us an amazing tour of the facility along with some treats to take home! it was really cool.


This is the church building that is being build for the town because of the growing numbers of LDS members in the area. Many of which Matt introduced to the church while he was there.


Next we went to a civil war battlefield where we drove around and took some good pics.

Of each one of us.


We really enjoyed this town. onward to some caves...

Picking up Matt Part 3

Bright and early at 7am on Friday is when we finally picked up Matt. these are pics infront of the mission home.


And here I am we are really excited to see each other!


We are in Matt's second area here at a members home. she gave him this lovely snout to model in the pics.


This is the family that we were visiting. Right before we came they were looking at old missionary photos and wondering what Matt was up to and then we knocked on the door.

This was a really fun fun area and family to visit I could tell how much they cared about Matthew. They told us that it took Matt a while to come out of his shell and open up there. this was news to my mom and me since we have never known Matt to be shy.

Picking up Matt Part 2

On Thursday we went to a Salt Mine in Hutchenson KA.


We had to wear hard hats and rebreathers. The rebreathers were in case there was a fire in the mine. It takes carbon monoxide and turns it into carbon dioxide so it is not poisonous and we can make it out of the mine.


The funny thing about the rebreathers is that salt is a flame retardant and there are no pockets of gases in that area, so there is not anything in the mine that is combustible so they have never had to use them.

Ok there are two things that are combustible in the mine. The big piles of garbage left there in the 50's and the fire extinguisher stands that are made of wood. hahaha.


We went on the underground train tour it was exciting, the tracks are so narrow that you have to sit in the middle of the car so it is better balanced.


We were 650 feet under ground!

We also went on a dark tour where we were able to take a little baggie of salt rocks from the mine.

Picking up Matt Part 1

Well My journeys began last Monday at the Eastern Idaho State Fair in Blackfoot ID. It Has been a couple of years since I have been to the fair. It is always fun to go back and see all of the stands and remember all the fun times I have had with family and friends there. Terrance was actually at the fair a few years ago doing a show while I was working the front gate.

Tuesday we drove up to SLC and stayed with my Aunt and family over night, their girls are so cute and annimated it is always fun talking to them.

Wednesday they took us to the SLC airport where we got on to a plane (which we almost missed because we waited until a little bit before we had to be there and out of no where a huge line formed in front of the metal detectors which made us last ones on the plane) to Denver and then on another one to Kansas City, MO. We got our rental car and headed to Ottawa MO where we got a hotel room to stay the night.


This is our first hotel room.