Utah Vacation July 2011 - DAY TWO

Sunday was an absolutely amazing day.  We started the day by going to the LDS Conference Center building in Salt Lake City to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir do "Music and the Spoken Word".  They perform Sunday mornings almost every week and it gets broadcast around the world.  This performance was special though, because it was a patriotic theme in honor of Independence Day.  What an amazing feeling our whole family had as we sat on the 8th row, right in front of this spectacular choir, and heard them sing and honor our beautiful and uniquely amazing country!  The amazement continued when after we sat down we realized that four rows behind us was the 2nd counselor in the First Presidency of our church - Dieter F. Uchtdorf!  We were all turning around taking snapshots of this amazing man.  He is one of my favorite people to listen to when we watch General Conference.  I love his aviation analogies and how he speaks so poignantly, especially to the youth.  My pictures were not great in the Conference Center because they were taken with my camera phone.  I also included a video - also not super quality with my phone...

After listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir we walked across the street to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.  There is a ward that meets there that is the one the prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, attends.  We decided that would be a fun ward to attend while we were visiting, and maybe we might even get to see the prophet!  Alas, he is one busy man and was probably visiting his grandkids or on Church business elsewhere.  Maybe next time.  When we walked outside after church we were greeted with this wonderful view of the Salt Lake Temple.  Our kids all wanted pictures of themselves in front of it so we could make prints to hang on their bedroom walls...

Chase was a good sport putting up with my picture-taking habit...

After church we walked over to the Church History Museum.  There were some beautiful art exhibits there and some hands on exhibits for our kids.


Following that we walked across the street to Temple Square.  I LOVE Temple Square.  The grounds are absolutely gorgeous and the temple is magnificent.  It was an absolutely picture perfect beautiful day and we had so much fun strolling around the grounds taking pictures.

We wandered into the Visitor's Center where there is this beautiful statue of Christ.  As you sit and look at this statue surrounded by the beautiful painting on the walls of the universe, it is natural to think about the gift of our Savior and all he has done for us.  We are looking at a statue, but someday we will see him face to face.  What a magnificent time that will be!

I'm not sure if I like the color or the black & white version better...respond and let me know what you think!

I have three different finishes on the picture below.  I think my favorite is the third.  I love the dark sky.  I would love to know which you prefer?

After leaving Temple Square we went back to the Hamel's to hang out with my aunt and uncle.  They invited their son, Donny, over with his family.  I hadn't seen my cousin in a lot of years.  It was so fun to meet up with him and his beautiful family.  My sister, Jamie, who also lives in Salt Lake, came over.  We have missed her since she left Arizona!  That night we went outside to set off some fireworks.  My kids had fun meeting some of their 2nd cousins!