Last Week in Salt Lake City October 25 - 28

 On Monday, October 25th, we attended the weekly Tabernacle Organ Recital at noon.  My favorite song was Come, Come Ye Saints! 

 We met Chris and Polly for dinner at a steakhouse in Draper - so much fun!  We will miss our family but know they will be taken care of !  

On Tuesday, the 26th - we drove to South Jordan and turned in our Covid test tubes ... we heard a few hours later that we were not infected and could go ahead to South Africa - yay! 

On Wednesday, we drove to Provo for my eye doctors appointment and Hospital bone scan - plus Harold got his hair cut one last time with his favorite barber!  We stopped in Pleasant Grove and saw Polly one last time for 18 months!!  

Thursday morning we arrived at Bountiful just in time to see the Girls in their Halloween costumes - headed to school and parties!

Then Stan facetimed us and we got to see Silas in his Halloween onesie!  He was just kicking and moving his arms, so cute!  

 Lindsey helped at the school at nine - we stayed with the boys. We left Polly's car at her house so she and Chris could come and get it later that day.  When Lindsey got back she drove us to the airport - a little hard to say goodbye but we did!  

We thought it was great that Delta has a special Check-In counter for Missionaries!!  Nice to be really going on our mission!!!  Turned out the plane had mechanical problems and we were three plus hours late in leaving - missing our connections in Amsterdam!  

These fresh tulips were in the airport in Amsterdam!  We waited there for about 5 hours before boarding another flight to Paris!  

In the airport in Paris, France!  See the Eiffel tower picture behind us?  We had to wait about 6 hours for the flight to Johannesburg, South Africa.  We meet Elder Sampson from CA going to the Durban Mission and it was fun to hang out with him.  He watched our luggage when we got food, and we watched his when he did!  

South Africa at last!  We had two nights trying to sleep on airplanes - but we made it!!  The next 18 months will be recorded on another blog - SmithsAfricanAdventures!  

Sunday October 24th, 2021

 On Sunday, October 24th - we were so happy to view three of the grandchildren's Primary Programs!  First we linked into Green Bay 2nd Wards - Emilee is the Primary President!  Baden looked so good and did his part so well.  I hope I can get the picture I took of the computer screen to post here!

Next we drove to Bountiful, Val Verde 5th Ward - Lindsey is the Primary President!  Tait, Millie, Georgia and Sadie did their parts so well!  Loved the last song when the Primary Children sang ..."Heavenly Father are you really there?" and the congregation answered: :Yes He is there, He hears the children..." Very powerful and many tears for the spirit was so strong.  Reid and I went into the hall to see if we could link into our CO Smith's program...we did just as Faye was doing her part at the pulpit - and saw Sheffield in the choir seats.  Such a wonderful Sunday!  Our Savior loves little children, and so do I!  Polly and Chris came up and enjoyed the Sacrament meeting with us - and also a yummy dinner at Fairbanks afterward.

The handsome and dashing Fairbanks boys -- Reid, Zain and Tait!  

Around Salt Lake

 

There are so many pretty flowers still in bloom around Salt Lake ... We walk in the morning and enjoy them!

Holly Hocks at the end of October!  We have enjoyed reading the Historical Plaques about buildings also near the sidewalks downtown.

We met Polly and Chris for dinner at a fun Mexican Seafood place in American Fork - always delightful to spend time with family.

Great picture from the Church Museum - also the one below.  It has been nice to have time to play tourist in the big city!!

From the Church Library - Joseph Smith's License  to Preach - below both of ours for this mission!!

Hike to Ensign Peak October 21

 

Thursday morning we hiked up to Ensign Peak. This is our lame attempt at a selfie!

It is a pretty short hike - about a mile round trip - but 400 feet up!  Pretty steep in places.  Nice marked trail and lots of still blooming wild flowers.  It was around 60 degrees and sunny - beautiful fall day.

Me, pointing to George A. Smith's name on the plaque - famous great - great grandfather!

The Salt Lake Valley - see what a pretty day?

Harold looking toward the west - Great Salt Lake is really low, can hardly be seen from the top of the Peak.

Monument built in 1934, several flag poles have been vandalized so now there isn't one - sad.

More Church History

 

We visited the Church Library and they had a display called Foundations of Faith - amazing articles from the earliest times of the restored Church.  Quote inside the front cover: "Behold,  there shall be a record kept among you."  Doc. & Cov. 21:1

The account of the First Vision in Joseph's own handwriting - 1832.

A page from Joseph Smith's journal - he began in 1832  after some interruptions, he eventually produced 10 journals with over 1,500 manuscript pages, about 2% in his own handwriting.

Pearl of Great Price First Edition - 1851.

Orson Pratt Pamphlet  1840 - titled: An Interesting Account of Several Remarkable Visions - 

Orson Hyde Pamphlet - 1842 - published in Frankfort Germany,  "A Cry out of the Wilderness".

Book of Mormon Printer's Manuscript - 1829

Book of Mormon - First Edition. There were 5,000 printed and about 700 survive now. 

Church Library Visit

The Church Library has some remarkable items!  We visited there on Wednesday and the good senior Elder gave us a tour.  These are in the wrong order but that is how the blog posts them - sorry!  President Hinckley's design for the smaller temples!

Page from Wilford Woodruff's Journal - 1893.  John Henry Smith offered a prayer in a meeting!

The Relief Society began storing wheat in response to Brigham Young's assignment - great project!  They sold to the US Gov, China, etc.

First Hymnal complied by Emma Smith, wife of the Prophet.  The Articles of the Young Ladies' Retrenchment Association, now YW.

After three and a half months of unjust imprisonment in Liberty Jail, Joseph Smith wrote this letter to Emma. This is one of about 2 dozen letters surviving in Joseph's handwriting.

First Book of Commandments  1833 and Doctrine and Covenants First Edition - 1835

 Book of Mormon - Liverpool Edition - 1841.  They saints and missionaries in England could not get enough Books from the states so they printed their own!!

Last of the MTC and our first transfer!

 

We did not receive our South African visas in time to fly out on the 18th as originally planned.  We were transferred to the Utah Salt Lake Headquarters Mission - to wait for our travel papers. Here are our suitcases in the Provo MTC senior living residents hall - a couple of young elders helped us get them to Polly's car in the parking lot.

This awesome stone and story from President David O. McKay is also in that lobby - love it!

Our senior housing is in the Garden Apartments - across the street and down a half block from my Smith Grandparents house!!  See the small black car in the middle of the picture - Nana and Grandpappy's house is right behind it - leaves on the trees hiding the house. 

I walked down the half block to take a better picture - we came here to visit my whole childhood.  

The Church has ten buildings in the whole complex - uses a Management Company to run them.  We were in Building 149 Apartment 3. 

Sister Clifford from the Mission brought these cute decorations for our door, plus a care package of TP, dish soap and chocolate!  Nice to be noticed - even if we aren't going to be here long!

Inside our living room - very nice apartment - we will be here from Oct. 18 - 28 - ten days.  We are very grateful to have a place to be!