Monday we left Sparks, NV, continued to travel on Tuesday until we got to Salt Lake City, Utah. The drive was marked with mountains in a distance which were interesting but not close enough to the road to make driving difficult. We had purposely made Salt Lake City a destination we wanted to stay at for a few days so we could spend time at the Genealogy Library. It must have been close to 20 years since we had been at the library but our memory of it was still keen - a goldmine for those who like to dig up information on their family tree. We were not disappointed in what we found, we filled some empty spots on our charts and expanded our chart in other areas. We spent Wednesday and Thursday and most of Friday "digging in the dust." One of you kids said they would rather be put in time out in a corner than hunt up genealogy, good thing we are all different. I can appreciate that feeling but I must admit the hunting and finding intrigues us. It is kind of like a puzzle when you are looking for a particular piece. you know the color and size but need to find just the right piece. Same with genealogy. We try various "trails" before we find the right one. When we do it is fun.
As you followed us in our travels the past year you know that we have worshipped in churches of various denominations. This week we spent time on Temple Square which is the center for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The reason we spent time there is that the Genealogy Library is on the Square. The Square is beautiful as you will see in the pictures coming up. This morning, Sunday morning, we went to the Music and The Spoken Word service. The Service is mostly the Morman Tabernacle Choir with a very short 
inspirational story. We had been taking a shuttle to the Square each day. This Church really operates mostly on volunteers so volunteers run a shuttle from the KOA where we are staying and the Square. We went to the 9:30 service but were shuttled already at 8:10. That gave us the opportunity of listening to the choir rehearse for 30 minutes and then heard them for 30 minutes at the service. The program is broadcast in 100's of stations across the world. The Choir was fabulous, we have several CD's of them and always like their music. It is non-denominational and many aspects of it are very Calvinistic. Of course we go in different directions at some point in our doctrine.
inspirational story. We had been taking a shuttle to the Square each day. This Church really operates mostly on volunteers so volunteers run a shuttle from the KOA where we are staying and the Square. We went to the 9:30 service but were shuttled already at 8:10. That gave us the opportunity of listening to the choir rehearse for 30 minutes and then heard them for 30 minutes at the service. The program is broadcast in 100's of stations across the world. The Choir was fabulous, we have several CD's of them and always like their music. It is non-denominational and many aspects of it are very Calvinistic. Of course we go in different directions at some point in our doctrine.The photo above is the one where the service was held this morning. It is beautiful. The choir is volunteer but it is a long process to get in. Must be 25 years old or older, must go through various training programs and then hope you get invited to join the choir. You can be in 20 years and must retire at 60. Once in it is a tremendous commitment but their music is indeed professional sounding. The choir has 260 members. The Conference Center seats 21,000. Seven thousand on the main floor, 7,000 on t
he next level and then 7,000 in the balcony. The services use to be in the Tabernacle but that only holds 4,000 so that was not adequate for their conferences, etc. The picture to the left shows the Tabernacle. It is a oval dome. The story is that the then-president was wondering how to make a unique but beautiful building and while he was having breakfast he looked at his boiled egg and thought "that is the shape for the tabernacle". The grounds are just beautiful with flowers.
he next level and then 7,000 in the balcony. The services use to be in the Tabernacle but that only holds 4,000 so that was not adequate for their conferences, etc. The picture to the left shows the Tabernacle. It is a oval dome. The story is that the then-president was wondering how to make a unique but beautiful building and while he was having breakfast he looked at his boiled egg and thought "that is the shape for the tabernacle". The grounds are just beautiful with flowers. We had a tour guide who showed us around, she is doing this as part of her missionary service that most members of the church do for 1 or 2 years. She took us to the roof of the conference Center to show us the gardens on the roof. Plants and trees grow in artificial ground, a substance that is lighter than ground. The one side of the gardens is suppose to look like the view of the land for the benefit of the settlers who lived in the East. The other side has greenery that would look like the other side of t
he state. Seems this was to give the people a sense of belonging and having their background memorialized . It was interesting.
he state. Seems this was to give the people a sense of belonging and having their background memorialized . It was interesting.This is the Temple (Holy of Holies, my title). We remember from the past that only certain people (apostles) were allowed to worship there, they actually did say it was open to all today but we did not go.
No, I am not making a statement about the Church of Latter Day Saints but wanted to share some of the beauty and devotion the members of the church have for the present generation but also for those who have gone on before. The reason the genealogy library was started was for the members to find relatives that might be "lost" and this way they can find them and pray for them. (into a higher level) I think it evolved far beyond their wildest imagination and now is open and free to all. They have people who annually come from foreign countries to search the library records. They have a volunteer staff that is very friendly and helpful. If the country you are researching is in the Netherlands they find a person who speaks dutch so that when you find something they will read what you "found". the Netherlands was very good at keeping records and that helps. Now if they wouldn't have insisted in writing in such a scrolling manner it would be easier but it would not be nearly as fancy looking.
Everyone at the library will agree this searching is addictive. I knew that the last time we were there and now when both of us were there we had a hard time leaving before we had found just one more piece to the puzzle. Many of you remember hearing about the 3 Rensink brothers who came to the US. It always puzzled me that the father was 40 before he fathered
his first child and after having been married for 15 at least. Well we found out he had 4 other children before the 3 mentioned, they just didn't come to the US. Another puzzle piece.
his first child and after having been married for 15 at least. Well we found out he had 4 other children before the 3 mentioned, they just didn't come to the US. Another puzzle piece. Just to think we know nothing else than 'digging" I took this picture to show that all RV parking spots are not tight and hard to get in. This was in Sparks, NV and a fairly new park so the trees were all small. I do recall we did have to back up just once to get on the exact spot we wanted even though it was a pull through site.
We will be here yet tomorrow and will see some new developments downtown. Then on to Jackson, WY to see the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone.
Hope you are all doing well. Love to you all,
Dad and Mom/Wilmer and Marilyn
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