Week 39 - January 21-27

Sunday night we were able to almost see totality of the total lunar eclipse but the clouds became too thick right after this picture was taken.  It was fun to see what we could here in Bountiful.  Elder Koberstein took this picture with his new hand held Cannon camera.

The weather man predicted a nice snow storm on Monday.  The roads had no white lines visible when we drove to the Family History Library.  It was snowing big snowflakes.  We were glad to be in one place for the day.

 As we left the Family History Library at five on 

Monday evening.  The outside world was

 a winter wonderland.

Sizable snow piles from snow removal 

equipment were visible.

 Our car had a long wait in the snow storm and 

greeted us with a blanket of snow on it.

Saturday found us in Seattle.  

We went to the beach for a hike.   

It was a very cold and windy day.

We visited J's work site at google.

We went on a short hiked at Gas Works Park

 and enjoyed playing on the playground equipment. 

We ended the day with a seafood dinner at RAYS.

Elder Koberstein and I ate Alaskan King Crab Legs.

Sunday we enjoyed being part of L's ordination to the office of deacon and attending D's New Beginnings dinner and program.  It a wonderful weekend with our family.

A THOUGHT FOR YOU

Our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, has....described a way we might build; upon that rock and put the Lord's name upon our hearts to guide us though out trials.

He said:  "You who may be momentarily disheartened, remember, life is not meant to be easy.  Trials must be borne and grief endured along the way.  As you remember that 'with God nothing shall be impossible' (Luke 1:37), know that He is your Father.  You are a son or daughter created in His image, entitled through your worthiness to receive revelation to help with your righteous endeavors.  You may take upon you the holy name of the Lord.  You can qualify to speak in the sacred name of God (see D&C 1:20).  -President Henry B. Eyring

Week 38 - January 14-20

A sign on the wall by the desk that Elder Koberstein works from at the Family History Library.

We attended Zone Conference Thursday afternoon.  On the walk to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building we saw a crew taking down the Christmas lights.  It was amazing to see.

When the conference was over it was raining as we walked back to the Family History Library.  We forgot our umbrellas but many others had been insightful enough to be prepared for the wet weather.

Saturday Elder Koberstein and I went to Sage Market (Japanese Market) in Salt Lake City.  We ran into an Elder Blackburn.  He served with us in Kumamoto, Japan five years ago.  He was visiting a friend from the area.  It was a fun chance meeting.  He was amazed we were still wearing missionary name tags. 

We took my sister and her husband to Sage Market for Ramen.  They ordered Miso (soy broth) Ramen and Soba with shrimp.

Elder Koberstein and I enjoyed Tonkatsu (pork broth) Ramen.  This market appears to be owned and operated by Japanese.  It is very authentic even to the bumper to bumper parking lot situation.  A fun reminder of the past.

This week has been hard on our snowman.  The weather thinks spring is on its way.  It has been very warm and even rained.  We see snow on the mountains around Bountiful but it is mostly melted in the valley.  I am told these are designer storms.  Snow in the mountains is good for water next summer.

THOUGHT FOR YOU

President Dallin H. Oaks taught: “Our Savior gave Himself in unselfish service. He taught that each of us should follow Him by denying ourselves of selfish interests in order to serve others.” 

Week 37 - January 7-13

Elder Koberstein and I had our pictures taken at the FHL in Andora.  It was a quick visit during our lunch time hour break.  It is always fun to visit the different place around the world that we learn about on B1.

The next place we visited was the country side in Denmark.  It is beautiful and green but does not look like prime farming land.  We learned this week in our Scandinavian class on B1 that as the population grew because of small pox vaccination, better food (potatoes from America), hygiene and religious freedom more of the children lived and farms became crowded.  Many sought homes in other parts of the world.  My ancestors came to America from Denmark after joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Johan Laurits Nielsen joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and immigrated to Salt Lake City as a teenager with his widow mother and other family members in 1852.

Elder Koberstein and I received our 2019 family calendar that Lynn coordinated with the help of all his siblings.  It is wonderful to have family pictures of those we love to look at each month with the bonus of birthday reminders.  

Wednesday was not nearly as fun as the beginning of the week.  I spent Wednesday and Thursday at the LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City.

The good things are, I had a window with a wonderful view of the Utah Capital building and was able to go home on Thursday afternoon.

Elder Koberstein bought Costco Pizza at noon on Friday for a bunch of hard working grandchildren of the Johnson's.  They had come to help carry all the many nativities from the upstairs showroom to the storage area in the basement.  What a blessing to have many young legs willing to do all those steps for grandparents.

Our friendly snowman, left from our grand children's holiday visit, still has arms.  It lost it's nose and eyes this week.  It has been a reminder of the fun we enjoyed.

More information on the William Hawk Cabin at 458 North 3rd West, Salt Lake City.  It is a "Pennsylvania style" log cabin that was build between 1848 and 1852.  Hawk lived in the cabin from 1852 until his death in 1883.  William Hawk was sent by Mormon, Samuel Brannan to carry news from California to Independence, Missouri via Salt Lake City, that gold had been discovered at Sutter's Creek.  The cabin was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

In 2017 it was moved some 100 feet in order to place it closer to the original location.  It has since been restored.  This is what it looks like today.

THOUGHT FOR YOU
by Sister Koberstein

Life is wonderful,

Life is good,

With you by my side.

Seven children, what a test!

Careers completed, for the best.

Japan Fukuoka Mission dear to our hearts.

Utah Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission now on our carts.

Ancestors waiting on the other side

Saving ordinances to provide.

Thank you for being by my side.

Week 36 - December 31-January 6

For New Years day we decided go see the "Maya Hidden Worlds Revealed" exhibit at the Natural History Museum of Utah.

This is a picture of my Maya name.  I chose princess flower in English and the display wrote it in Maya picture graphs.  There was a limited number of name choices available but it was a fun interesting activity.

This is my birthday date in the Maya writing according to the tools in the exhibit.

This display had part of it that showed the picture in color and then also without color.  The color made the picture stick out.

This pillar had writing on it too.  The words were easier to see when highlighted with light.  Most of the Maya writing we have today tells about the kings.

I believe this was a Maya dwelling.  It was found with a body, bowls, pots and other artifacts.

I personally like these Lacandon god pots from Chiapas, Mexico.  They were made to represent different gods  The striped pot is made for a male deity.  The unpainted pot is a ceremonial vessel but not linked to a particular god.

We enjoyed our last day together with Lynn before he headed back to California.  This picture is over looking the Salt Lake Valley from the museum.

Elder Koberstein received a very thoughtful package from Arizona.  He now has warm ears and neck.  We walked up to Dicks Grocery Store to try it out and I had to get a picture.

Sunday we had a grandson ordained at teacher.  We debated driving to Smithfield through Sardine Canyon because of the winter weather conditions but by the time Sacrament Meeting was over we decided to give it a try.  Roads were reasonable.

There is a lot more snow in Logan than Salt Lake City. One could hardly see the stores behind the snow scooped off the parking lots.

A beautiful snow hill in Smithfield to play "King of Bunkers Hill", a favorite game in the winter time when I was growing up.  The person on top of the snow hill would yell/sing "I am king of bunkers hill.  I can fight and I can kill."  Everyone would try and push the one of top off.  When they were the top they would sing "I am king of bunkers hill.  I can fight and I can kill."

A THOUGHT FOR YOU

"...God's love is stronger than the cords of death-temporal or spiritual.  Our Savior's Atonement is infinite and eternal.  Each of us tries and falls short.  We may, for a time. lose our way.  God lovingly assures us, no matter where we are or what we have done, There is no point of no return.  He waits ready to embrace us." -"Our Campfire of Faith" by Elder Gerrit W. Gong

Week 35 - December 25-30

On Monday the 24 we called Jeff and the drove to

 his home in Syracuse.  We enjoyed a nice visit and

 lunch at Olive Garden together. 

Wednesday we were so glad to be parking in the garage.  As we were stopped at a stop light on the way in to the FHL this snow covered car pulled up beside us.  It reminded us of the blessing we have received from the Johnson to be able to  park in their garage this winter.

The line was a little shorter at the Giving Machine 

after Christmas so we decided to donate.  We

bought a pair of chickens (a rooster and a hen).   

Thursday we enjoyed a visit from family.    This
picture was taken after spending the afternoon
 in the Family History Library.  

We looked at lights while waiting for dinner at

"The Garden" in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. 

I enjoyed an appetizer of a fried dill pickle.

Cousins went sledding at Mueller Park Junior High 

School on Friday.  It has a beautiful hill
and just enough snow.

It was fun for everyone.

Cousins went skiing at Cherry Peak on Saturday.

 Arizona and New Mexico kids even had the opportunity to build a snowman Sunday evening before heading home.  The snow was perfect for all three snow activities (skiing, sledding and building a snowman) this holiday season.

Here is Daisy that brought more cousins 

together.  Daisy's new home is in New Mexico.

 

This is a log cabin on highway 89 between Bountiful and Salt Lake City.  It looks lived in with lights, Christmas wreath on the front door and tracks to the door.  I wonder what it is like on the inside.  Do you think they would invite me in if I knocked on the door?

A THOUGHT FOR YOU

1 Nephi 15:24

And I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.