We didn't realize before coming that we were going to be so close to a lot of sites that are significant in Mormon history. We knew about events that took place in Independence and Liberty, but didn't realize that these are now basically suburbs of Kansas City. So today we took a field trip to see Liberty Jail (oxymoron?) where Joseph Smith was incarcerated on trumped up charges for a number of cold winter months. The jail itself is a recreation from some original materials inside a big rotunda visitors center. It was interesting to see the actual dimensions- the ceiling not high enough for a tall man (which Joseph Smith was) to stand straight, straw on the floor, and tiny slits of a window. The revelations received in this setting are some of the most searching in Joseph's output and are particularly meaningful in light of the dire circumstances. One thing I didn't know was that Joseph's son came and spent the night with him once during his incarceration. The son later said he was quite scared after dark fell, but that one of Joseph's friends who was also present sang some silly songs and he felt better.

After the jail, we went and wandered around the very charming town square in Liberty and Colin enjoyed some municipal water fountain time.

We went to a fun Mexican restaurant on the square where Colin displayed his highly developed chip and salsa technique- dodecatuple dipping (he doesn't actually eat the chip until it's soggy).