temple square pictures

The "Clay Glad" Gang

                                                             Temple Inscription

                                                                    Fall Flowers

                                                            Mums by Joseph Smith Building

                                      Rose in the Garden south of the Relief Society building

                                              Center pipes in the Tabernacle Organ

                                 New Pansy just planted last week as part of the fall flowers

                                             Fountain just East of the Reflecting Pond

                                               The Cristus in the North Visiter Center

                                             The Three Witnesses, South of the Temple

                                        Lion Head at the base or the Joseph Smith Building

                                          Demolation of the "ZCMI  Food Court"

These are some of the sights that we see every day on Temple Square.

                                              What a Great Life !!

Beehive House

We have been working in the Beehive House on Sundays from 5:oo pm to 9:00 pm.  It has been slow the last few weeks now that the tourist season is over.  The picture above is from Brigham Young's Bedroom with his hat and cane on the bed.  His Daughter Chrissa Young Spencer wrote a book about life in the Beehive house.  She was to inherit the house and live most of her life there.  She tells about going to fathers room to have breakfast with him.  How that He had a bell that he rang for all the family to come to Prayers.  Meals were prepared and eaten in the Lion House next door.  The Beehive House and the Lion House were attached to each other by an area that served as the office for his clerks.  Brigham Young was the Prophet, Governor and Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs  so it was a very busy office.

  
                                     Brigham Young's Bedroom with his scriptures 

Brigham young had three homes in the area of the Beehive house.  The White House which was East of the Lion house and was the home of his first wife.  The Beehive house which served as his office and reception area, where all of the official business was conducted.  There was one wife living there.  The Lion House west of the Beehive House.  There were twelve wives and their families living there.  It was all of very loving and supportive group of people.  

Brigham Young did not make much of his Birthdays.  The Family wanted to give him a gift for one of his Birthdays that would show the love and respect they all felt for him.  It was a popular fad at that time to have "Hair Sculptures" made.  They wanted to give him a gift that would be part of all of them.  They had all of the family give some hair  and had the the bouquet of flowers made for him from some hair from each of them.

The Beehive House served as the office of the President of the Church for many years after the death of Brigham Young until the church administration offices were constructed just to the west of the complex.  

It is really fun to work on the Beehive House and to tell the stories of this great Prophet and Father. 

Snow, Snow, and Singing

The first snow storm of the year came Sunday, all of the Sisters were out in their winter coats scarves and hats. We were at the South Gate on Friday night, because of construction around the Seagull Monument, the heated booths were shut down. We stood in the cold and yucky weather and visited with the folks as they came in the gate. It got really cold so we went in to the Visitors Center or stood next to the Building.

We went to Park City on Tuesday to work in the Family Tree Center, where people can come to access the genealogy programs of the Church. We will be there every Tuesday for the next two weeks.

We were at the West Gate on Saturday, when we were overwhelmed with High School kids. We found out from the schedule for the day that the Tabernacle was to have Allstate Choir Festival. Brian Bentley walked by. He is still at Hillcrest High School. He wanted to know how Angel was doing. We told him that She was doing a Musical in her stake. Mom had to go and listen to the practice.

Sunday was a very busy day. We went to our regular meetings, Sacrament, "Music and the Spoken Word" and Couples Meeting. We drove two Spanish speaking Sister Missionaries to a Spanish Branch. It was the same spirit and feeling even though we could not understand what was being said. Mom was very good in singing the hymns in Spanish with out understanding what she was singing.

We got home just in time to grab a quick snack before we went to our normal assignment , 5 to 9 , at the Beehive House. It was pretty slow so we had a great time visiting with all of the Sisters. The old style hot water radiators started to bang. We had to assure the Sisters that the noise was not from the Ghosts of the Beehive House. Halloween is just around the corner. It was a "Great Week on the Square".

Conference and Rain

Conference weekend was busy and great.  We worked extra long to help all who came have an opportunity to visit the Square.  The Sister Missionaries started one hour early and took only 15 minutes to eat lunch.  We all had a special meeting Sunday after the square was closed.  We were then able to share any special spiritual experiences.  We had a Sister from Tonga who told about a special girl.   The girl was from out of town.  She said that She was looking for our Sister from Tonga to tell her that She took a Tour with her six months ago.  She has joined the Church and had brought some friends with her to Salt Lake who are scheduled to be baptized soon.

We were able to go to the Sunday afternoon Session of Conference.  We had a pretty good seat if you want to see the sides of all the speakers.  Mom was trying to keep notes but was falling asleep all of the time.  We got to see most of the sessions.  They set up the computer at West Gate so we could watch on streaming video.  While we greeted guests.  I was standing in the rain most of the time.  

Sunday Evening from 5 pm to 9 pm we were taking care of the Beehive House. There was a lot of people coming to learn about Brigham Young.  The tours the Sisters take need to be spaced ten minutes apart.  My job is to tell about Brigham to keep the peoples interest while they are waiting for the tours.  So I was talking non stop for four hours.  My voice was just about given out.   Elder Holland told a story about Blyn Barrus who in Moms second cousin.  

It rained and rained and was very cold.  The Sister Missionaries all have matching umbrellas to use as they stand in the Rain.  We have several who are from Tropical Countries and this was their first time in the cold rain.  President Hinkley told the Mission that the Church doesn't want them to look like Nuns.  They are to wear as bright of colors as they have.  They look very good in their matching umbrellas and bright colors.
People who came were not prepared for the cold and rain.  We had a lot who were in white short sleeved shirts or summer dresses.  We have a overhead heater by the gate where people can get out of the rain and get warm.  We had a lot of people who needed to take advantage of our location.  

I went to the Priesthood session. It was so neat so be surrounded by priesthood holders from all over the world.  Ever third man had a translator head set on. 

It was great to be involved in helping many people from all over the world become  acquainted with Temple Square.

Sister Missonaries

Sunday is a great day for the Sisters on the Square.  Sister Wilson, one of our favorite Sisters is leaving for home.  This Sunday is her last day here.  She had permission to hug some of the Senior Elders.  Elder Glad was so thrilled to be able to hug her.  One of the Rules is that the Elders only get to shake the hands of the Sisters.  The Elder Sisters get to hug a lot. 

 
When Music and the Spoken Word is over the Sisters Temple Square Choir stands out side of the Tabernacle to share some of their favorite hymns.  It is really special to hear them every Sunday.  They are really great.  

Once a Month the Sisters put a special program, "Come unto Christ" where they sing and share their testimonies.  We are going to attend tonight again.  Next week the Spanish Sisters will also put on the same program in their language.

 
The Sisters meet the Guests out side of the Tabernacle to give them a opportunity to attend a Tour.  They hold signs up and greet the guests in the language they speak, and invite them to go on Tours with that language.  The Sisters are able to speak up to thirty five different languages. Their are many Sisters that can speak many languages.  We have a new Sister from Mongolia who can speak English, French, Russian, Japanese and of course Mongolian.  There is a Sister from Switzerland who can speak English, French, and Italian.  Most of the Sister Missionaries have to learn a new language when they come here, English.  
We have made a new friend on the Square, Jamone Pili.  He has received a Mission call to serve in Somoa.  The the original land of his family.  He had been a Member of the Church for only a year.  His Father is a Minister of another Christian Church and is opposed to his son going on this mission.  When he submitted his papers for the mission he received a reply that he was too over weight to go, that he needed to loose a least forty five pounds to be able to go on a mission.   This special young man met the mark, lost forty five pounds and is going next week.

Mom was thrilled to get a yellow Rose yesterday.  The was a group of young people on the square who were going to a dance at their High School that night.  They were on the Square as a part of a group to do some thing special before the dance.  They all brought Roses here and gave they out to some one who had a special experience that they would share.  We told them about the Nauvoo Mission.  We got a Rose.  The young people then spent time sharing with each other the stories they heard.  Our young people are very special.

Wedding Bells and Birthday Parties

Saturday was our son, Todd, and our new daughter-in-law, Shelly's Wedding.  We had all of the family here so it was not only a great event to have a new member of our family but also to be able to  see Roy and Angel and her family. 

We had a Wedding luncheon at our Condo Social room.  Todd and Shelly were having a great time "eating".  Shelly is a good sport and will add so much to our family. 

 
The reception was later that night with every one there.  Shelly was beautiful In Her gown .  The girls had great time.

While every one was here for the Wedding we had a "Big Birthday Party" for Bruce, Todd, Allison, Angel, Mom, Aaron, Nathan and Megan.  We have a lot of Birthdays that come close to the same time of the year. Roy and Angel were  here for the Wedding we decided to have a party while they were here in Utah.  Todd helped to pass our the Gifts.

Roy and Angel spent some time with us on the Square seeing the sights.   It was so nice to introduce our Grand kids to the Sister Missionaries.  
Grandma and Grandpa took the grand kids around the square.  We stopped at the Seagull Monument where Grandpa got to tell the story of how the Gulls saved the Saints.  

It was a really good week doing really important things like being with our Family

September on the Square

The Church has started a new program of inviting members of the church to come to Temple Square and see the sights and hear the testimony of the Sister Missionaries.  The first day of this program was Thursday the 11th.  There was more than 200 members of the Church that came to be involved  in the program.  We had some nonmember guests that thought the tours were the normal tours and followed them.   They came in to the testimony meeting that was held in the North Visitors Center after the tours were completed.  It was a error for them to be there but several came up to the Sisters to thank them for the special experience of being able to be there and see how important the Church was in their lives.   Some times we don't know what we do to touch others lives if even by accident.

We had a Missionary reunion on September the 8th for all of our friends that served with us in the Nauvoo Temple Mission.  It was held in the Lion House, in our back yard.  It was a very special event to see all of them.  It was also a great way to celebrate our 47th wedding anniversary.   We had a great day serving on the Square and then being with our friends on our special day.