One of the restored homes you can tour in Nauvoo is the home of John Taylor, the third Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. His home is next door to the printing press and both the printing press and John Taylors home are on the same tour.
The home of John Taylor is historically important, to members of the Church, because it where John Taylor was brought after being shot, in Carthage Jail. When the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother were murdered in Carthage Illinois, John Taylor had been shot also but miraculously survived. The members were shocked and grieving the loss of their dear prophet, and a weight had been added on the apostles of the Church to know what to do next. The apostles gathered around John Taylor while he was nursing the gunshot wounds, and planned and prayed to know what the Lord would direct them to do.
The persecution of the Saints was not lessoning after the death of the prophet, but intensified. This is when the battle of Nauvoo took place. The Saints were being run out of their homes once again, and the apostles were trying to figure out the best way to get all the people out safely, and in an organized manner.
John Taylor was not able to get the bullet from the attack removed and lived his whole life with a bullet inside him.
During the tour through John Taylor's home they take you into the parlor room, and it was in this room where John Taylor laid, after the Carthage attack, to try to recover. You can imagine what it would have been like for the twelve apostles, and how all of their meetings would have been supplications to Heavenly Father with faith to know what needs to happen next. Even though the times were some of the darkest the Church had ever gone through, it was also through faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ, that the Apostles knew what was needed to save the Saints, spiritually and physically.
More Blog Posts on John Taylor
Prophet’s Graves at the Salt Lake City Cemetery
More things to do in Nauvoo
Pageants in Nauvoo: The Nauvoo Pageant and British Pageant
Lucy Mack Smith’s Home, Nauvoo Illinois
Joseph Smith Property Tours in Nauvoo, Illinois