 |
Jared is really good about sending an email each Wednesday (hasn't missed one yet). It is interesting to hear about his experiences. This week he and Elder Lee met "The Jesus Man". This man travels all over the world evangelizing. He wears no shoes and only his white robe. He carries a Bible with him. They ended up having almost a 2 hours conversation him. After that they met a couple of Catholic Nuns and had a conversation with them also (where are all the baptists). It sounds as if they have some more promising people in their teaching pool. They are hoping to have a baptism soon. I hope that are able to have a baptism before Elder Lee goes home (which must be in just a couple of weeks). Jared and Elder Lee did a special musical number in their Ward Sunday. Elder Lee played the violin and Jared the piano. Sherrie had sent Jared several duet books. I guess everybody in the Ward was impressed. They helped one of the families they are teaching put up their Halloween decorations and counted it as service hours (maybe I could get the Elders to come over and put up our Christmas lights). Well, enjoy the pictures - I do.
There is a fairly substantial spring that bubbles up from the ground and flows into a good sized stream. A couple of men came down to get a drink out of the spring while we were there. We opted not to since it was apparent that at least one cow had visited the spring and left a reminder behind. I don't think the men saw the cows pie on the spring. A went up and over the pass and down into SKULL VALLEY. It is really quite a pretty valley with not much in it. We went through the Town of Terra, but only saw one house (I think there might be more). We took the road out to the entrace of the Dugway Proving Grounds. There is a good-sized LDS chapel situated just outside the Dugway gate. That was kind of weird seeing a large church building sitting out in a desolate valley with no signs of community anywhere around it except a gate to a military (weapons research) facility. We drove north up the valley to Iosepa and stopped to see what was left of the community. There is a cemetary and a pavilion. It I had come from Hawaii and settle in Iosepa I would have been anxious to return to Hawaii! The kids fell asleep about the time we left Iosepa and started the "are we there yet?" just outside of Grantsville. We did manage to make it home before anybody got to agitated. I enjoy the drive and seeing the sights, but when you are younger it just seems boring. I guess I should finish up and spend some quality time with my family this afternoon (I don't think they consider the time in the car "quality"). Until my next adventure.....
After the family reunion Sherrie and I rushed home to get ready for the Gift of Music Concert at the Conference Center. Sarah and Jonathan decided against going since they weren't sure they would like the style of music. Sarah opted to hang out with her friend, Carly and Jonathan decided to stay home and play video games (can you believe that a 13 year old boy choosing video games over a music recital). We were assigned to park at the Triad Center parking garage, so it was a 4 block walk. I wasn't sure Sherrie was going to make it. Her feet were bothering her and there were alot of people walking up to the Conference Center. We eventually made it there and up enough escalators that I lost count. I'm not sure why we were given tickets at the top of the nosebleed section when there were many unclaimed seats down in the lower concourses, but it really didn't matter because the music filled the hall and it was beautiful. They had the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Utah Symphony, guests artists Brian Stokes Mitchell (Tony Award Winning Broadway singer) and Denyce Graves(a critically acclaimed opera mezzo soprano), along with guest conductor Erich Kunzel (director of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra). The theme was "An American Songbook". One of the great moments of the evening was when the choir and orchestra performed all five the armed services anthems. They had all members of the audience stand who had served in the military when their respective anthem was played. We got to see President Monson solemnly stand when the Navy anthem was played. I was very impressed with his graciousness and solemnity so that his high profile status did not detract from the other members of the audience who had also served in the Navy. At the end of the concert, Maestro Kunzel had the entire audience join in singing "God Bless America" with Ms. Graves, Mr. Mitchell and the choir. It was probably one of the best concerts I have ever attended. I look forward to attending next year.
My Aunt Nita (Mom's sister) and Uncle Bob hosted the annual Elmo Taylor Family Reunion at their home in Murray, Utah. It was fun to attend again this year. All my Aunt's and Uncles were there along with my cousins Wendy (Nita & Bob) with her husband and three children (little Annie is just too cute for words!), Krista (Kay and Lynn) with her husband and children, Portia with 2 of her daughters, Laura and her beau, and Sammie and his wife (Dan & Sandra). Val (Kay & Lynn) and his family didn't make it because they had a baby a couple of days ago (that is an adequate excuse). We also heard that Mark (Allen & Beth) and his wife has just had a baby (in fact it came so fast it was delivered at home - good thing Mark is a physician!). My brother, Eric, and his wife, Natalie, brought their new baby, Tateym (hope I spelled that right). That was the first time I saw her. What a beautiful little girl. Holding her got me all ready to be a grandpa (well, actually I can wait a few years, but maybe we will have to babysit a few times). There was plenty of good food. Nita had plenty of fried chicken. I ended up just grabbing some food at Macey's on the way out of town. Too may things happening and I didn't have time to make anything homemade. I was glad that Mom had time to make her oatmeal cake. I think that is the only time we have that is at the annual family reunion (a very difficult, time-consuming dessert to make). We were glad to see Sione's mom there. It is difficult for her to attend these kinds of activities because she doesn't speak English very well. But it was nice to have her there with the rest of the family. This was the 20th anniversary of the death of Grandpa Taylor. It is hard to believe, but he did pass away the first year Sherrie and I were married. Time has really gone by fast. Now I have 2 children flown from the nest and only a couple of good years left before they stick me in a nursing home (they'd probably like to do that now since my clean the kitchen obsession becomes worse every year). I've posted a slide show of the reunion pictures below. Enjoy - I did.
Jared is doing great. I always look forward to his Wednesday email and pictures. It is so nice to have the technology to communicate so readily. As a missionary, I had to send things through the Guatemalan mail system, wondering if they would ever arrive. I don't remember ever sending pictures home unless they were postcards. Jared continues to maintain his positive attitude. He says they have a "golden contact". This lady is a friend of a member of the ward. She had attended Church and believes the things she has been taught so far. She told Jared and his companion that she wanted to be baptized (wow, that's big in the South). I hope that they are able to baptize her before Elder Lee goes home. They went to a parade (as seen in one of the pictures). I'm not sure what was being celebrated. Jared was impressed with the High School marching bands. He said bands are big in the South. I seem to remember that from Tennessee. He said one of the bands was bigger than BYU's. Ya gotta have good music while yer eatin yer fried foods. As of today, Jared has been out for 134 days which is 18.4%. We are just about at the 1/5 mark. That is hard to believe. I continue to be proud of his service and that manner in which he is rendering it. (Just popped a button and don't know whether it is pride or all the weight I've gained.)
I'm sitting here watching a UFO show on ABC. Do I believe in UFOs? Well, of course I do - they are UNIDENTIFIED flying objects. Actually, shortly after moving to Tooele, I experienced my first UFO sighting. One evening I was standing out in the front yard near the street. Looking down to the West I saw a strange object moving slowing through the sky, from my perspective near the top of Deseret Peak. I looked almost like it was on fire. I thought when I first saw it that it was a plane on fire, except that it was moving so slow. I stood there watching waiting for the object to fall down from the sky. It moved into a small cloud and I waited for it to come back out (it should have only been in there less than a minute at the rate it was moving). It never came back out. It just disappeared into the cloud. It was moving too slow to be an asteroid. It was definitely large enough that I know I saw it. However, I don't know what it was. So do I believe in UFOs? I have to because I saw one. Do I know if it was an "alien" craft? No. I don't know that. But I know that it was flying and was unidentifiable. Do I believe that there is life and even intelligent life other places in the universe. That is a resounding YES. Given the number of planets that would have to exist around the almost innumerable stars, life would have to exist. This TV show is very convincing. It has to be a government conspiracy to coverup UFOs.... If life is out there, it is out there. If it is visiting our plant, it is visiting. Does it have a direct impact on our lives here on earth? In my view it doesn't. Oh well, the show is over, so I guess I should leave the world of the unknown and return to my own less eventful life.
Two days into my 47th year and I am still trying to finish up the 46th. I celebrated my over-the-hill (if I live to 90) birthday Saturday with my parents, Sherrie, Jonathan and Sarah and my sister, Kimberly (yes, I am probably the only person besides my parents that still calls her Kimberly) and my nephew Viliami. It was a nice celebration. My dad took us all out to eat at our favorite little Mexican hole-in-the wall restaurant in Grantsville (yes, we have to travel all the way to Grantsville to find a good restaurant). Sherrie had a cheesecake for my birthday cake which gratefully she only put a 4 and a 6 candle on (I wouldn't have the wind power to blow out 46 candles before the smoke alarms went off). 
We also worked at finishing off Jonathan's icecream cake. The highlight of the afternoon was watching Vili ride on the mini-motorcycle around the cul-de-sac. He really enjoyed that. He also followed Jonathan around everywhere he went (his new BFF). Sherrie gave me a gift card for Home Depot (it doesn't get much better than that). Combined with the gift from Mom and Dad I should be able to get the tile I want for the hot tub revamp in our bathroom. They have a really nice Italian tile at Home Depot now and I think that it is what I have been looking for. Kimberly loaned me her collection of "scary" documentaries to watch. I have been watching them at every chance I get since Sunday afternoon (everybody is enjoying them). Sarah made me the beautiful card that is at the top of this blog. She is really talented with her scrap booking equipment. I am now rushing headlong into this next year and it will be another birthday before I know it.
Today we took a trip up Middle Canyon to the top of the mountain. This was my first time up to the top. It wasn't a bad road, although it is steep with switchbacks and some sheer drop-offs. At one point I slowed to go around a switchback corner and the car started to stall so I pushed in the clutch and brake. When I tried to start moving again the car started to roll back toward the edge of the cliff(scaring all of us). I had to use an emergency brake start to get going forward again. The drive up was well worth it. The view from the top is spectacular. We could see all the Salt Lake Valley from north of Bountiful to Provo at the south. We saw the "Y" and the Salt Lake Temple. On the west side we could see southern Tooele. We also saw the exploratory rigs that are looking for a gold mine up Middle Canyon. Maybe if they find it Tooele will become a mining boom town. We could tell that Fall isn't far away. We were seeing colors start to turn in the high elevations. It was really a nice trip. I've posted a slide show of the trip below.
It's not quite Vegas, but it does have a good buffet. For my birthday dinner, Sherrie graciously consented to go to the seafood buffet at Montego Bay in Wendover. You have to endure a passage through the Casino (very cheesy by Vegas standards) to get to the restaurant, but the trip is well worth it. We had a nice trip out with a stop at the Bonneville Salt Flats. There were a lot of people there taking pictures of the salt flats (wow, way exciting, white salt covered dirt). Sherrie raced out on the flats and begged me to take her picture (really now, I had to beg her to let me take a picture, but look how cute she is!).
We enjoyed our dinner. We both ate king crab legs until we couldn't put another one down. I had a nice slab of prime rib (so tender you could cut it with a fork) and a couple of Ahi Tuna steaks (just slightly seared - melted in your mouth). After one too many desserts for me (Sherrie exhibited much more control in the dessert department - of course it is my birthday so I can eat what I want) we got in the car and headed back to reality. It is really a nice drive over there. You get to see mountains, hazardous waste incinerators and disposal facilities, and air force bombing range and the salt flats. There is also this large piece of modern art, some sort of metal tree, that rises up from the salt flats. Really, the mountain view are worth the trip, especially as the sun is setting in the west. They take on a surreal look. We really enjoyed the trip over and the food (at least I know I did and Sherrie says she did). She is really a trooper. She didn't feel well with her eye infection and the bright setting sun bothered it on the way over, but we had a really nice time together.
Jared sent Jonathan a special birthday letter and gift. I thought that was so cool. On a mission you don't have very much time to yourself. So to find a gift, write a letter and then package it and take time to get to the post office - that was quite an effort. It meant so much to Jonathan. He called Sherrie as soon as he received it to let her know. I'm so proud of Jared, as with all my children, what great adults they are becoming. I'm finally starting to think that I may have succeeded at life.
Posts
All Comments
