It rained all day. But it was nice to watch the Missouri river flow by outside our hotel window. Once we got out the door, we enjoyed a visit to the Kanesville Tabernacle. Kanesville is the pioneer name for what is now Council Bluff, Iowa. After Brigham Young went to Salt Lake City, he only stayed for a few months, then turned around and came back to Iowa. He and the apostles that were here prayed about what to do about the church leadership and received the revelation that they should reorganize the First Presidency, with Brigham Young as President. They decided they needed to have an assembly with as many of the saints as they could fit into a hall. Problem is, they didn't have a hall. So they built the tabernacle, a 40 x 60 log structure in just a few weeks, then packed 1000 or so people into it. There President Young was sustained.

When we visited the tabernacle and its visitors center, we also learned more about the Mormon battalion. My great-great grandfather, William C. McClellan joined up with the battalion. He didn't make the entire journey to California, but got assigned to help care for the sick and hurt, and spent the winter in Pueblo, CO. Eventually, they head north and met up with the Mormon trail and followed the saints to Salt Lake City. Then he turned around and went back to "home" to Iowa to help his family and earn money for them to travel to SLC. We learned other things about in a film about the battalion. We grew up in Sacramento and learned all about Sutter's mill and Mormons and so forth. What we learned that no one ever told us before is that the members of the Mormon battalion that started the work on the mill stuck with it and finished the job even when all the other workers went off in the search for more gold. When the contract was done, they turned their backs on the search for wealth and headed back to join their families. Finally, when touring the tabernacle itself, the senior missionary asked if anyone could play the organ. They had a restored 150 year old (or so) organ and offered to let someone play it. So I took him up on it. Another couple that was there was so touched by the playing, they told other people in the visitors center about it, and said it was the best part of their visit. Those people then requested I play a hymn for them. It was kind of awkward, but if it helped them get into the spirit of the place, okay.

Later we went to the Winter Quarters temple and did an endowment session. Strangely enough, we were asked to be the witness couple. And I ended up sitting next to that senior missionary we met at the tabernacle. The temple has a similar layout to other small temples, including Medford. But what stood out with this temple was all the amazing stained glass. The picture here is one example.

For dinner, we went to a Mongolian barbecue. It was fairly good, and a nice change. Now, it's off to bed, because we have a big drive ahead of us tomorrow.