Week 34 - December 17-24

Thursday for lunch we enjoyed a concert.  We had planned on attend the tabernacle organ concert at noon and then have a quick lunch.  We were to slow leaving B1/International Floor of the library and made it to the tabernacle just as the doors closed.  Disappointingly we started to return to the Family History Library.  I wanted to go shopping at the Church History Library on the way back.  We were pleasantly surprised by a wonderful children's violin ensemble playing there.

We enjoyed good music, soft seats and I was able to go shopping as well in one of my favorite places.  It was a delightful 30 minute break.  We have had many of these live musical shows this week on Temple Square.

Friday was our full day temple/research day.  We attended "Countdown to Kickoff" with Susan and Nathan in Provo and watched the "2018 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl" played in Boise, Idaho. 

"Countdown to Kickoff" was filmed in Studio C on the Brigham Young University Campus.

Part of the post game was recorded before the game starts so that the program could start while the studio was being setup (big screen retracted and cameras positioned) following the game for the post game show.

At half time free pizza from Pizza Pie Cafe and cookies were provide for all guests. 

Watching the football game was done in nice soft seats with backs and we had a front row view of the game.

It was fun to watch BYU play so good and win the game.

We stayed for most of the Post Game broadcast.

Saturday morning we woke up early and went to the Family History Library for morning prayer meeting and the 10 minute in-service.  We got there an hour early.  We forgot Saturday is a late day, the library opens at 9 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. as it does Monday though Friday.  It was good we were there as the assistant zone leader had an emergency come up and was not able to get to the library on time to conduct prayer meeting.  Elder Koberstein conducted and I lead the ten minute in-service. 

After we were finished at the Family History Library we were able to make the 10 a,m. session at the Salt Lake Temple before returning to Bountiful for research and regular p-day activities.

Sunday we had a beautiful Sacrament Meeting program with President and Sister Fenn as the keynote speakers.  Elder and Sister Moore from B1/International Floor of the Family History Library with some of their children who live in the area provided two musical numbers - "In the Bleak Midwinter" and "O Holy Night".  The Young Elders in City Creek Branch from the Elijah Choir sang "Mary Did You Know".

Christmas stockings were provided by the City Creek Branch Relief Society of the Utah Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission.  It was an amazing project to provide some Christmas from the mission for each young missionary.

After sacrament meeting was over the stockings were presented to the Young Elders.  Each missionary chose his own stocking.

A THOUGHT FOR YOU  

 And now, I Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.  - Ether 12:6

For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; therefore he showed not himself until after their faith.  - Ether 12:12

Week 33 - December 10-16

Sunday Elder Koberstein and I took a walk on Temple Square before Sacrament Meeting to take pictures of the beautiful nativities they have here.  This looks Native American to me.

I think this one is Japanese because of the torii (Japanese gate), the kimonos (Japanese traditional clothing) the figures are wearing and Kokeshi doll style (Wooden dolls) the pieces are made to look like.

This nativity reminds me of Mexico with the donkey cart, sombrero Joseph is holding and the dress style.

This Joseph and Mary are floating on the pond looking toward the Salt Lake Temple where brides and grooms take picture with the temple as a background.

Not sure where this is from.  What do you think?

I see animals from Africa.  

Elder Koberstein and I thought this one could be from the islands of the sea (Tonga, Samoa etc.).

The manger scene between the tabernacle and visitors center is very life like, see the wise men.

There are shepherds with their sheep.

This is the manger with Joseph, Mary; baby Jesus.

Sister Lee will be going home this coming week.  She is the one who creates this beautiful bulletin board for our break room.

The mission provided us with a budget for a Christmas party.  We chose to have a catered luncheon following our recognition meeting on Wednesday.  Elder and Sister Ch'en helped us order the menu from King Buffet.  Having it during our day at the library include more of our Church Service Missionaries.

Thursday for lunch we went to the JSMB
and listened to Dan Wilson.

 He was commissioned to paint a painting of Christ in Gethsemane that will be hung in the Oakland Temple chapel.  It was advertised that he would bring it but it turned out the 7 foot high painting was going to be picked up so it was not shown.  He did bring this  painting of Christ.  The boy model is his oldest son.

On Thursday night our MTC group visited "This Is The Place Park" together.  Heritage Village has many fun activities for the holidays.  We visited the Hickman Cabin.  This is an original two room log cabin moved here. The entrance to the attic where the children sleep was outside.  This cabin was much like the home my father lived in the first few years of his life.  This was a poor family house.

The next house was Gardiner Cabin.  It had four rooms which included an  inside entrance  to the attic where the children would sleep.

 We were shown how to make cloth garland here.

This is a replica of the ZCMI store in the early 1900's.

We enjoyed the replica of the Dessert News Printing Shop.  Elder Koberstein bought a copy of the old German script words and music for "Silent Night".  It was originally printed in Germany on a press much like this one.

This tree had many white lights on it and reminded us of the Tree of Life.

Susan and Nathan were in charge of their Wards Christmas Party Friday evening.  They had a fun program.  This is the Primary acting out the manger scene while the Christmas story is being read form the Bible.

They had a choir from one of the high school sing.  One of their grand daughters was part of the group.  The choir provided beautiful Christmas music to go along with a wonderful ham dinner.  It was a fun evening.

Elder Koberstein and I went Christmas tree shopping Saturday.  We have a two foot high tree that makes our place feel like Christmas.

A THOUGHT FOR YOU

"We may...find that a specific verse of scripture that was spoken for quite a different purpose in an entirely different age will, under the interpretive influence of the Holy Ghost, give us a very personal message adapted to our personal needs today....If we seek to liken the scriptures to our own circumstances, 'that it might be for our profit and learning' (1 Nephi 19:23), a loving Father in heaven can use them to bless us in highly individual ways" -President Dallin H. Oaks

Week 32 - December 2-9

We enjoyed to beauty of the snow as it clung to the trees on Temple Square on Monday morning.

For lunch on Monday we drove to Sage.  We had Tonkatsu (Pork) Ramon and bought a bottle of Okonomi Sauce and made Okonomiyaki from dinner.  We treated Susan and Nathan to a fun meal from Japan.

We even had fish flakes to go on top and wiggle.  It was a fun evening together.  Okonomiyaki means what you want.  We had a variety of cheeses, shrimp and ham to choose from.  We each cooked our own dinner and visited.  It is a great activity for a group if the grill can be placed in the middle of the table.

These two cute little snowmen were greeting us as we returned to the Family History Library after lunch.

Friday morning I had the opportunity to drive our Granddaughter to high school. The GPS brought me back to temple square by the Sea Gull Gate.  It was fun to look down the street and see the Utah Capital building though the gate.

On the same corner can be seen Brigham Young's homes (Beehive house and Lion House).  What an amazing opportunity to serve in the "Utah Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission."

Saturday morning Elder Koberstein and I visited the Church History Museum.  It has on display watercolors by President Eyring and a station that allows one to try their hand at watercolors.  Some of my favorite paintings are pictured.

This is a "Fishing Village in New England".

These two watercolors are titled 

"Wyoming Scenery" and "Summer Camp" in Idaho.

These pictures are titled "Trail Ride (Mexican

 Colonies...)", "Father, Son, Mexico" 

and "Horse Riding (Border Patrol)".

Watercolors must be hard to capture people.  

What do you think of "Trudy and Kathleen"?

A THOUGHT FOR YOU

"Each of us is an innkeeper
Who decides if there is room for Jesus."
-Elder Neal A. Maxwell

Week 30 - November 17-25

Christmas is coming to temple square.  This week early in the morning as we walked to the Family History Library we saw the grounds crew putting up lanterns around the little log home we pass.

 

My brother-in-law's sister made 

this wooden children's Christmas puzzle.

The puzzle is fun in two ways:  

1. as a puzzle and 2.  to setup as a manger.

We took our four day holiday to return to California to spend Thanksgiving with two sons and their families and do doctor appointments.  When we arrive in Oakland on Wednesday morning the sun was just rising.  It was beautiful.

Elder Koberstein treated me to a beautiful Thanksgiving bouquet of flowers for our Thanksgiving table.  I have enjoyed them all weekend.

Friday we hiked in Black Diamond Mines and stayed dry most of the hike.  This picture is looking down Markley Canyon at the San Joaquin River.  California has not yet had enough rain to make the hills green.

This is Rose Hill Cemetery used for burial when Black Diamond coal mine was open.  The area was a bustling community between 1850-1910.  It was part of the town of Sommersville where coal and then white sand were mined.  Many of the Atlas canning jars were made from the sand mined here.  Today this graveyard is one of the few reminders of another time.

Hiking up to one of the mine openings.

An opening to one of the sand mines.  The tracks 

were used to carry the sand out of the mine in carts.

Saturday Weston and Myra treated us to a breakfast from Golden Bakery in Pittsburg.  These buns are:  l to r barbecue beef, curry and pineapple.  They pineapple buns do not have pineapple in them.  They are called pineapple because of the look of the topping which make them look like the outside of a pineapple.  Myra says they are the least expensive in China and her family had then often.  They are very much like some of the buns we found in Japan.

 

 Saturday the family went to "The Musical Scrooge" based on Dickens' well-known "A Christmas Carol" on Temple Hill.  We were able to attend the matinee and watch Lynn dance.  He was in many scenes but listed as a phantom dancer in the program.

The Oakland Temple Hill is ready for Christmas.  

The manger is up in its usual place.

One of the two fountains was running. 

 

Another shot at the new look of the fountain

 as we left the Interstake Center.

The rain cleared up the smoke from the Paradise fire.
The city of San Francisco was visible from Temple Hill.

THOUGHT FOR YOU

Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again.

For that which ye do sent out shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all.  Alma 41: 14-15