Play Ball

The Whites came down to Morgan, Utah for Caden to play baseball. We were able to go and watch him play.

Visit to the Zoo with Houk Family

We were able to visit with the Houk family and go to the zoo on our P-day. We also went to the Jazz game and watched Taylor's Cheerteam perform in the pregame show.

What a Finish

We served at Welfare Square this transfer with Sister Lee (California/Korea) and Sister Shea (Zambia). We decided to stop on the way home from our last evening of serving there this transfer and treat the sisters to ice cream. They were so excited ~ needless to say their eyes were bigger than their tummys.

Golling Family

Andy and Kim Golling and family also came to greet return missionary, Dustin, and visit with old friends. They looked great and are very busy with their young family. They live in Pleasant Grove and now have eight adorable children. Tiffany is now nineteen, going to school to become a nurse and has a boyfriend. It was so fun to see all of them. Everyone said to say "hi" to our girls.

Old Friends from Livermore

Ray and Tammy Glenn and family, Haley, Dustin and Jared

We received a surprise phone call from Tammy Glenn last week. She said she heard that we were serving a mission on Temple Square and they would like to come see us. They were coming down from Logan to pick up Dustin at the airport, he is just returning from his mission. He and Jared hadn't seen each other for almost four years because Dustin left before Jared returned from his mission. It was great to see them and amazing to see such grown up kids. Thanks for thinking of us!

BomB tHREaT!!!#@?

Sister Keller serves in Guest Services on the days Elder Keller does Priesthood Support. In Guest Services we answer all incoming calls for Temple Square. We get all kinds of questions regarding the Square and site tours etc. We are the first contact for some guests and are to be friendly and courteous no matter how difficult they may be. Following are eight questions we are instructed to ask if somone calls and says they have planted a bomb. Personally, all I might be able to ask is where? and when? Here are the eight questions and recently someone anonymously added question number nine which is optional:

1. When is bomb going to explode?
2. Where is it right now?
3. What does is look like?
4. What kind of bomb is it?
5. What will cause it to explode?
6. Did you place the bomb? Why?
7. What is your address?
8. What is your name?
9. Would you like to have missionaries visit you in your home?

Priesthood Support

Elder Keller serves as Priesthood Support on three of our shifts during the week this transfer. He makes sure all the centers have the supplies they need and in his words is a general gofer. He also helps to relieve other couples while they go for lunch break. One of the things he did recently was to replace the curtain rod for the OA's cubicle. The old one kept falling down on them. He used his creativity with pvc pipe and glue then came up with the idea of the new colorful curtain and the flowers. (My love for decorating must be rubbing off on him!) Sister Slaughter and Sister Gasper loved it!!!

How Long is Eternity?

Sister Tofinga (Republic of Kiribati-Gilbert Islands) and Sister Gabut (Phillipines) asked Elder Keller to explain how long eternity is. He quickly held up one hand and said, "This long...........". They began to laugh and exclaimed, "Oh! I get it." After the sisters told me about this experience I asked them all to demonstrate - so I could take the picture.

THE CHRISTUS

In Copenhagen, Denmark, there is a church, the Vor Frue Kirke (the Church of Our Lady), which holds "Christ's Hall", where stands Bertel Thorvaldsen's famed statue of Christ. For many the Christus is Thorvaldsen's greatest work. The tall...marble figure of the risen Christ appears before his...disciples with the salutation, 'Peace be with you'. The Man of Galilee stands with his head slightly inclined, his rich, full hair falling gently over his shoulders. His face is sublime. His outstretched arms, hands peirced,draw men toward him. Feelings of awe and reverence stir within the beholder.

One of the most inspirational sites in the Church is the statue of the Savior in the Rotunda of the North Visitors' Center on Temple Square. Millions of visitors have appreciated the work of sculptor Bertel Thorvfaldsen in this, his most famous rendering--The Christus. The background of how this work came to be on Temple Square is interesting. In the late 1950's Elder Stephen L. Richards, then first counselor to President David O. McKay, was on a Church assignment to Denmark where he saw The Christus in Copenhagen. Elder and Sister Richards were inspired by the beauty and feeling of this great work. Through Herbert Eaton, the owner of Forest Lawn Cemetery in California, which contains many great art treasures, Elder Richards was able to order a reproduction of The Christus to present to the Church. Four years elapsed between the passing of Elder Richards and the placing of his gift in the Visitors Center on Temple Square. President David O. McKay dedicated the building in 1963. The Christus on Temple Square, a full-size copy of the original, is carved from "Statuary White" marble, quarried in Carrara, Italy.

There is a recorded audio presentation at The Christus that can be played in many languages to accomodate guests. After the audio plays the Sister missionaries bear their testimony. Last conference Elder Keller was asssigned to serve there in the rotunda and had the opportunity to bear his testimony. He said it was a wonderful and spiritual experience.

Sister Li from Mainland China

Sister Li came to serve her mission at the risk of her life when she returns to China. The Chinese government has an agreement with the Church that we will not solicit referrals from the people visiting Temple Square from China. All missionaries here are not allowed to invite them to receive the Book of Mormon or missionaries. However, the visitors can ask for a copy of the Book of Mormon but may not be allowed by the Chinese government to take it back into China.

Sister Li was so excited when she received her call to serve in the Utah Salt Lake City Mission. When she arrived in Salt Lake City she was so happy to be here. She was shocked when people did not smile and greet her, because this is Salt Lake City and we are all brothers and sisters. Also, she could not speak or understand English. She is an amazing young women. She took many tours of Chinese people, one tour had 90 people and 53 of them referred after her tour.

All the sisters on Temple Square receive a second mission call, sometime around their fifth transfer, to serve for three transfers somewhere in the United States. They always joke about being called to the Idaho, Boise Mission. However, Sister Li was called to serve in the Utah Salt Lake Mission (separate from Temple Square). Seventeen people she taught while outbound were baptized.

She recently completed her mission and we received an email from her.This is in her own words and spelling:

"This is Sister LI...i miss you! how are you both doing? i went to give talks as soon as my feet stepped on my own land and 6 callings was waiting there even before i arrieved. i was so happy! but beside the sunday time be with the church members, other time is so hard for me...unspiritul things are everywhere. and i am the only young adult here in my area, no church member adult can hung out with me, i feel so lonely sometime. and my grandma want me to get marride as soon as i can, even not be with the brother in church....but in my heart, i am still planning to come back to school before Sep, i pray so hard that it can happen."

Sister LI is a beautiful girl inside and out!