Church history

One day of our vacation was dedicated to visiting the wonderful things at Temple Square in Salt Lake City.  Our first stop was the Church History Museum, which had some really fascinating things inside.  We had a wonderful tour guide who, seeing we had five kids and knowing their capacity for withstanding museums and history, gave us the "quick kid tour."  I was grateful for her accommodation and delighted that she kept the kids captivated with good questions and factual tidbits that were interesting to them.  She told us toward the end of our tour she is the wife of the recently released LDS Church Historian, Marlin K. Jensen.  How's that for service?!

I love Dallin's face in the picture below.  He's aghast (we all were) at the death masks of Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, in the display.  The idea, today, of a death mask is kind of creepy--especially since we have photographs available of people.  But, I'm grateful they did this sort of thing before we had a lot of photographs so we can know what people looked like.  It's especially important with historical figures.

Can you fit your household belongings and food in this wagon?  Nope.  Not me.  I have too much junk.

The kids loved learning about the bunks in the ships that crossed the Atlantic to bring immigrants to the US.  The conditions were not ideal, by any means, and I found myself feeling grateful I didn't live during a time when travel was so difficult.

Some people didn't have it so difficult, though.  A woman who traveled across the plains brought this piano with her.  I'm sure it was a serious luxury to have once she lived here in the valley where so many brought only what could fit in a wagon or handcart.  I envisioned large groups of people gathering in her home to enjoy the beautiful music played and to sing along with an instrument.  I would have befriended her for sure, just to tinkle the ivories with my fingers.

Is it real gold, Mom?  Solid gold?  I think I heard that question a hundred times.  

Mariah practiced her General Conference talk behind the podium.  Grant might have to wait a few years until we can see his neck.

After nearly strangling the kids a thousand times by the end of our museum visit, we headed outside so they could wiggle.  We ate lunch at the City Creek Center and then visited some more buildings on Temple Square--the Assembly Hall, the Tabernacle, and the Conference Center.  Jason and I both agreed that the Conference Center is a place we'd like to spend more time in and explore sin hijos (without kids).  There is a lot of artwork that would be nice to enjoy at a leisurely pace in that building.  

 

It was great to spend the day in Salt Lake City.  Every time I go to Temple Square I learn something new, and this time was no exception.