Missionary Fireside

Last Sunday night, March 17th, the ward youth had a youth fireside on missionary work.  Members of the Bishopric, YM and YW leaders who had served missions showed pictures and memorabilia from their missions and spent just a few minutes giving some highlights of their missionary service.  It was a delightful evening!

Here is the display I put together from my mission in Mexico - there are now 10 missions in my old mission

 One of our YW leaders served in Holland and Belgium

 Another of our YM leaders served in Costa Rica!

 Isabella and Jesse model my poncho and a sweater brought back from Mexico nearly 40 years ago!  We had to take the poncho to the cleaners because it had been outside for many years.  The cleaners didn't have a category for poncho's so they categorized it as a horse blanket!

Mom and Chelsea

Scott had the chance to travel to Utah last week to visit with his mother dear and also attend the wedding of a dear friend, Chelsea Warren.

As you can see, the weather was perfect at the Salt Lake Temple.

 Took a picture of the temple from the reflecting pool near by

 Chelsea and Garrett coming out of the temple

 Scott and Craig, Chelsea's big brother...

 and with the beautiful bride herself!

After attending the wedding reception, Scott and his Mom joined the "ladies of AF 4th ward" for their Thursday night game of Mormon Bridge!  Scott's Mom looking good  in the purple sweater on the right.

 Mom and Scott took a tour of the BYU athletic headquarters building - here's the practice field with Mt. Timpanogos in the background.  We ran into AD Tom Holmoe, former star Chad Lewis, and current star Kyle Van Noy

 We also visited the Jensen's - they were the faculty advisor's when Scott went semester abroad in Spain in 1974 - here is a photo from their historical book - Scott standing in the back

 We were a little surprised to see this picture of the BYU Football team with the 13th article of faith quoted around it.  

 We drove south to Payson to see the new temple being built!

 Couldn't help but taking this picture of Mt. Nebo - one of the most prominent peaks in Utah.

Tabernacle Organist

February 15 we had the treat of going to St. Mark's Cathedral in Seattle to hear an organ solo performance.  The guest artist is the Principal Organist for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Richard Elliott.  What a treat for us - it was a wonderful evening.  The program lasted about 90 minutes with a brief intermission - he played the last 30 minutes or so without any music!  We were so glad he included in the program his own arrangement of Swing Low Sweet Chariot, which he wrote for the 2009 Central States tour by the choir.  The opening section of that number is all played on the feet pedals and it's pretty impressive.  Since the organ is in the balcony at the back of the hall they had a camera on the organ and showed that on a big screen in the sanctuary so we could see his fabulous playing.  The organ at St. Mark's is well known - it's a Flentrop Organ installed in 1965.  It contains 3,944 pipes ranging in size from 32 feet to less than one inch!  The pipes are made of either a tin and lead alloy, cured copper, and African and/or Brazilian mahogany.  St. Mark's Flentrop is one of the largest 20th century organs employing mechanical key action and remains a landmark instrument of international note.  St. Mark's Cathedral sits on Capitol Hill in Seattle overlooking Lake Union and the Space Needle area - sorry the picture really didn't capture the great view.  We stayed the night in Seattle and enjoyed the Seattle Temple the next day - what a great 24 hours!!

 

St Mark's Cathedral at night - had a big dome on top but we were too close to capture it!

Several pictures of the famous Flentrop Organ

Four massive pillars are highlighted in the sanctuary at St. Mark's

Dr. Elliott steps around from the organ to receive acknowledgement from the crowd sitting below

An reception was held afterwards, co-sponsored by St. Mark's and members of the LDS Church

The great view from the back of the Cathedral property across Seattle

Oftentimes after going to the temple we'll stop at Deseret Bookstore to see if there's anything we might want to pick up.  Around Christmas time we discovered there's a real reason to stop by every time we're in the neighborhood!

 

A Springfield Thanksgiving 2012!!

This Thanksgiving we enjoyed the holiday more than we could imagine! Megan and Jeremy had invited Brigg & Havalah to come to Missouri some time ago and as the year progressed she invited us and Zac & Joy and we were all able to make it - and what a wonderful time we had. It was a real blessing because Zac and Joy announced they were being sent to Germany for 2 years starting next summer so it may be a while before we are all together again. We are so grateful for Megan and Jeremy hosting the Thanksgiving reunion and for the other two families making the sacrifice of driving long distances to be with us! We indeed have much to be thankful for:)
We are posting many pictures: playing outside, playing inside, eating and visiting. Wonderful memories were created - thanks so much!!

Though I don't think I look too much like my Dad, this picture of me from the back looks eerily like the return of the Silver Fox!

Love this picture taking us down memory lane looking for the football pass:)

It was quite nice most days but we still had plenty of inside fun time

We kept the 'hungry hippos' well fed!

Uncle Brigg was a well-used horsey

We ate lots and had some great visits

Silly girls

With our 10 wonderful grandchildren! 

All of us together

What a wonderful few days we spent together!

Disneyland 2012!!

For our 36th wedding anniversary which we celebrated in August, we decided to treat ourselves to a trip to Disneyland!  So we waited until the summer crowds were gone and went the 1st week of November and had an absolutely marvelous time.  We took tons of pictures and will highlight a few here.

We did first what most tourists do - get our picture taken in front of the castle!

First ride was Thunder Mountain railroad - we could have ridden it over and over again the line was so short - but we limited ourselves to twice.

Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer island

Walt and Mickey(can you find Scott?)

Went on Matterhorn 3 times



Any difference from 1977??

 

These birds had one spoken line:  Mine, mine mine!

Mouse ears everywhere:)

Pixar Parade at California Adventure

We came upon an impromtu act by Mickey and some "newsies" singing great songs

At Downtown Disney we found a wonderful lego store and a store featuring older clothing, like this sweatshirt each of our children used to have!

For FHE we met Marcie's brother Jim and his wife Marietta and their 3 girls Heather, Lindsey, and Holly with her husband Steven at the Rain Forrest at Downtown Disney for dinner - what a delightful time we had together.  Sorry Joel and his family couldn't make it.

Marcie and the famous horses along Main Street

 Couldn't miss the show at the Tiki Room

While Marcie doesn't particularly enjoy getting wet she was very supportive of Scott doing so, both at Splash Mountain at Disneyland and the Grizzly River Run at CA Adventure

Lunch at the Carnation Cafe - we met the most tenured employee at Disneyland: Oscar Martinez, he started working at Disneyland the year after it opened in 1955.

Love this view of Matterhorn from the Peter Pan clocktower

 Each day at CA Adventure we paid a visit to Radiator Springs - home of Cars Land!  A delightful place!

It looks exactly like it does in the film

(notice the Hollywood Tower hotel in the background - home of the Tower of Terror which we enjoyed twice during our stay!!)

Tons of great memories - we think we'll do it again:)