Week 13 - July 23-29, 2018

This week, as zone leaders, Elder Koberstein took the opportunity to share an experience he had before receiving the call.  It is amazing how our Heavenly Father helps us prepare for what he needs us to do.  Here is his account as published in the International Express which is our zones newsletter.

  

On Friday evening Elder Koberstein and I took the opportunity to go to the Payson, Utah temple.  The drive reminded us of the days past when we drove to Payson to visit our daughters family.  Payson now has a beautiful temple.  Elder Koberstein and I had an enjoyable evening together there.

The Payson Utah Temple is the 15th temple built in Utah.  It was dedicated by President Henry B. Eyring 7 June 2015.  "One of the motivation factors in building the Payson Temple  was to alleviate pressure on the Provo Temple, the world's busiest, which was running at maximum capacity." -The Utah Temple Passport, Tour Guide

Saturday was spent working on our Orem Duplex.  It is always good to get inside the units and see what needs to be done when they are empty.  Sunday we drove to Smithfield and visited with our son's family there.  A busy fun weekend!

THOUGHT FOR YOU
"I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day you will make better decisions every day.  I promise that as you ponder...you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life.  I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon you can be immunized against the evils of the day...including addictions."  -President Russell M. Nelson, October 2017

Week 12 - July 16-23, 2018

This week started out doing sealings at the Bountiful temple with our social group from the MTC.  It was a fun hour of service.

The week has been a week of learning our new responsibilities.  Friday morning we had the opportunity of going to the Going Forth Meeting and receive three new missionaries for our zone.  They all had Chinese back ground, two from China and one served a mission in Taiwan many years ago and the married a sister from there.  We are so happy to welcome them to B1 in the Family History Library.  They will be wonderful as we have many tour buses from China stop and visit the library at lease during the summer months.

We arrived at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building for the Going Forth Meeting early.  Elder Koberstein enjoyed the beautiful morning watching people and I walked in the gardens.

This beautiful life size statue of a mother and son is between the temple and the Joseph Smith Memorial building.

After the reflecting pool at the temple are two smaller statues, one of Joseph Smith and

his counter part is Brigham Young.  They are on each side of the reflecting pool and are small,  Maybe about 36 inches tall.

A view of the Salt Lake Temple from the gardens.

The next life size statue is a mother dancing/playing with children.

 The last statue I found in the garden was the prophet Joseph Smith and Emma.

Friday evening there was a Pioneer Fair put on by the Church History Museum.  We were going to the  Pioneer Concert so walked through the fair for a few minutes enjoying the exhibits there.

We watched the black smith for a few minutes busy at work.

We enjoyed watching a gold coin(brass) being made using the same type of equipment used in 1849 to make gold coins from gold brought back from California.  The abbreviation "G.S.L.C.P.G. stands for "Great Salt Lake City Pure Gold".  The coins were made of a low quality of gold and were sold for 75% of their value outside the Mormon area.  Most were melted down.

 This replica of the coin is sold at the Family History Library for $2.

After the fair we walked over to the Conference Center for the Pioneer Concert "Music For a Summer Evening".

The concert featured Matthew Morrison and Laura Michelle Kelly performing the songs of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II with insight and narration provided by Oscar "Andy" Hammerstein III, grandson of the famed lyricist with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra.  We listened to music from "State Fair", Oklahoma!", ""Carousel", "South Pacific", "The King and I", and "The Sound of Music".  The evening was a real treat.

Saturday we had the opportunity to visit Nita Harris in Saratoga Springs before we attended a zone leader barbecue in the evening.

Had an opportunity to get to know zone leaders in our part of the mission and enjoyed a wonderful barbecue of chicken and pork. 

THOUGHT FOR YOU

However late you think you are, 

However many chances you think you have missed, 

However many mistakes you feel you have made

Or talents you think you don't have, 

Or however far from home and family and God 

You feel you have traveled, 

I testify that you have not traveled 

Beyond the reach of divine love.

 -Jeffrey R. Holland

Week 11 - July 9-15

For Elder Koberstein's seventieth birthday he wanted to take a tour of the Conference Center.  I was not so sure because it was a very hot Salt Lake City afternoon.  I decided that I could do it for him for his birthday.  After our service in the Family History Library we walked over to the Conference Center and asked for a tour.  I took this picture as we walked across the street between the Conference Center and the Family History Library.

The tour started by showing us the Conference Center auditorium.  It was interesting to learn that it currently is the largest theater style auditorium ever built seating 21,000 people.  A 747 jet could fit comfortably inside.  There are 7667 pipes in the organ.  What a vision of growth our leaders have.  It is an amazing and beautiful place.

 I was not aware of all the original art work that is on display here.  I love this stained glass window of the "Tree of Life".

The original paintings by Arnold Friburg that we all love from the Book of Mormon are in the art gallery.

Elder Koberstein and our tour guide looking at the Arnold Friburg paintings from the Book of Mormon.

There is a bust of each of the latter-day prophets.  This is the Joseph Smith's bust.

 This is the first vision in bronze.

We then went to the roof of the conference center.  Can you believe that there is a fountain on the roof.

A view from the roof of the conference center looking toward the state capital.

Elder Koberstein looking at one of the dome lights which allow the sunlight into the conference center.  These windows can be covered if darkness is needed inside the auditorium.

A second fountain on the roof.

This is an interesting granite picture that reflects those looking at it.  They become part of the people in the picture.  It was fun to be part of it.

Looking at the Salt Lake Temple from the Conference Center roof.

I am saddened that I did not take pictures of some of the hundreds of native trees planted on the north side of the roof.  The south side of the roof has been planted with 21 native grasses and wild flower to conserve water.  These environments echo the mountains and meadows of Utah.  One does not feel like they are on a roof.  City Creek is the water that flows through the conference center.  It was a wonderful tour and if you have the opportunity, I recommend you take it.  It is worth your time.

We then enjoyed a short ride on the Trax and a hike but decided to drive instead  to Elder Koberstein's birthday dinner.

We enjoyed Japanese Ramon at Ko Ko Ramon in Salt Lake City.  It was a fun reminder of our time in Japan.

For fun this week, Elder Koberstein and I went to the Discovery Floor of the Family History Library and took "...a virtual tour of the Great Wall of China, running as fast as we can from the Mongols" as Elder Koberstein states on his Facebook posting.  There are many fun things to share with family and friends on the Discovery Floor.  Don't miss the learning opportunity when you visit Temple Square.

Tuesday, Elder Koberstein and I drove to the Jordan River Temple and did a session there in the afternoon.  The Jordan River Temple is the seventh dedicated temple in Utah.  It was dedicated in 1981.  Hard to believe it was that long ago.

This is the beautiful view on the mountains as we exited the temple.

On Wednesday, Elder and Sister Buffington visited our Prayer meeting on B1.  Elder and Sister Seiter, who have been serving in the Salt Lake Headquarters Mission for all most 30 months and as co-zone leaders for much of that time are going home in a few days.  Elder Koberstein and I had an assignment change and will now be serving as co-zone leaders.  You never know what opportunities and/or challenges lay ahead.  This week we have been trying to learn our new responsibilities.

Some of the Johnson's grandchildren selected Terry an angle food cake and ice cream.  They lite the candles and sang "Happy Birthday" to him.

As Elder Koberstein and I walked to the Church Office Building on Friday for lunch, we ran into someone who recognized and shared our name, Greg Koberstein and his family.  Greg and Elder Koberstein are 3 cousins 1 time removed.  A tender mercy to have been able to met them.

Saturday morning I went and cut hair for the young missionaries in our mission.  They have barbers there while exercising.  Elder Koberstein biked from Bountiful to Salt Lake and took this picture as I was finishing up the hair cuts.

A THOUGHT FOR YOU

Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains or the waves of the sea.
Jacob 4:6 - Book of Mormon

Week 10 - July 2-8

The 3rd of July was my sister's birthday.  We enjoyed helping her celebrate.  I have not been able to do that for many years.  A very special day!

West Bountiful does fireworks on the night of July 3rd to celebrate the 4th of July.  It was an enjoyable evening with the Johnson family. 

The 4th of July found us enjoying a pancake breakfast with the Bountiful 28th Ward.  Lots of good food and company.

 

We enjoyed a 4th of July parade in West Bountiful.  It is known

for all the candy thrown to the crowd from those in the parade.  I love the patriotic horses and the candy.

On July 5, before going into the Family History Library (FHC), Terry and I rode our bikes about five miles.  He took this picture of me biking down Davis Blvd. in Bountiful.  We are really enjoying going in to the FHC at 1pm.  Working nights have been great!

On the sixth the Johnson's got new windows.  Fun day and lots of work.

July birthdays were celebrated. 

 This patriotic cake was made with home grown raspberries and black raspberries. 

 This is the ice cream cake.  Two cakes for all the July birthdays!

THOUGHT FOR YOU

"...the most important day in the history of mankind was the day when Jesus Christ, the living Son of God, won the victory over death and sin for all of God's children.  And the most important day in your life and mine is the day when we learn to "behold the man"; when we see Him for who He truly is; when we partake with all our heart and mind of His atoning power; when with renewed enthusiasm and strength, we commit to follow Him." -Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf April 2018 General Conference