http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulLvUw-c96o
This move tells the Mormon story. It is based on historical happenings,
but is told through the eyes of a fictional family, the Williams. This
is the story of Eliza Williams, who is presented as a contemporary of
Joseph Smith. She embraces the gospel as a young girl of 13. Following her life and that of her family, it presents many church historical happenings. It sets as its theme, finding Zion. It shows the family leaving New York, to Kirtland and on to Missouri. Eliza is present
at the Missouri persecutions, Independence and Haun's Mill. Her brother is killed at Haun's Mill. She gets to Far West in time to see the militia arresting the church leaders, and the Mormons being expelled from Missouri. The back track to Illinois, and many of the Mormons contract malaria from the swamps in the area. She
receives a blessing from Joseph Smith's hand in Commerce (later to
become Nauvoo.) She participates in the construction of the Nauvoo
Temple. Her boyfriend, husband is a stone cutter recently arrived from
England. He works on the temple. They overcome the shock when Joseph Smith is murdered. There family is part of the trek across Iowa to Winter Quarters. This movie gets me every time when Eliza's father falls in the mud
crossing Iowa. The Tabernacle Choir is singing "Come Come Ye Saints"
and that part makes me cry every time. The muddy walk across Iowa was a trial for the Saints, followed by the miserable conditions at Winter's Quarters. Her
husband, David Walker, joins the Nauvoo Legion as part of the Mexican War. Eliza is left to get the family across the plains. She takes the
part of Mary Fielding Smith in blessing her ox. Her husband returns to her on the plains.
There is a rich historical heritage which is based on sacrifice and blessing. This movie portrays this well. I wish however they had used historical characters rather than fictional to tell the story. This movie was first presented at the Joseph Smith Building in Salt Lake City.
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