I carried on today from where I left off yesterday, spending about 6 hours in book “C” which begins on 17 Aug 1844 and ends 1 Aug 1845.

Yesterday I started jotting down interesting items that were donated, and I filled several pages with notes. Today I added prices to many of those items, filling columns and columns with things and services and items from their daily lives. I can’t think of anything I’ve read that has given me a better feel for what day to day life was like for my family members in Nauvoo. Today I found Theodore in 4 more entries, Martin Bushman in 3 entries, James Holt in one entry, and the Barker family–Frederick, George, Ann, Mary Ann and James, each in an entry. All are my 3rd great grandparents. It was thrilling to see them all there. It’s hard to describe how it felt to read that one of Martin Bushman’s tithing offerings was 3 pecks of carrots, for which he was credited 25 cents. In other entries he gave 4 bushels of buckwheat for $1.25, 2 bushels of rye for 80 cents and 2 bushels of wheat for $1.00.   I smiled when I read that on 26 Nov 1844 Theodore gave 2 Hogs with a value of $1.25 each, totaling $2.50.

The Barker family members gave a $16 rifle credited to Frederick (father) and George (his brother) at $8 each, Ann (wife) gave 1 pair of white socks worth 38 cents and 1 pair of cotton socks worth 25 cents, Mary Ann (daughter) gave 1 shirt worth 51 cents and James (son) gave cash amounting to 75 cents. Maybe Theodore made the rifle. I wish I knew if they knew each other then, they certainly do now because I can feel them watching me. “There’s that Ann girl, who keeps trying to find us!”

I worked today until they asked me to go home at their 5:00 closing, I barely finished the 2nd book. Again, I felt odd as I walked out into my present day world, filled with high rise buildings and traffic and beautiful landscaping with a river running along a busy city street. It struck me that they probably had little time or means to beautify their lives–their efforts were directed towards the temple and sustaining life. It made me happy, however to occasionally read about small donations like a lace collar or even some extravagant ones like a silk shawl. I am going to type up all my notes and will include them as soon as I do. I don’t want to forget what I’ve seen and felt here this week.