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!