Salt Lake City

Jacob in front of the store, 10 minutes before it opened.

Yesterday we began our day with a free, hot breakfast at our hotel (and today, as well).  After we had our fill, we headed out to finish our missionary shopping at Missionary Mall, less than a mile from our hotel.

After purchasing a backpack and rain jacket, Jacob chooses a free tie.

Once we had the last of the items on Jacob's shopping list, we drove north to Salt Lake City (about 45 minutes away) and we spent the rest of the day at Temple Square.  I hope you enjoy this pictorial of our tour.

Jacob inside the old Tabernacle

The Assembly Hall, where the early saints attended their Sunday church meetings

Ed, Mary, and Jacob outside between the Assembly Hall and the Salt Lake Temple

Inside the Assembly Hall: the interior decor, including amazing stained glass, was gorgeous!

Jacob, Ed, and the sister missionaries who led our tour

This replica "doll house" version of the Salt Lake Temple was impressive!

The replica had cutaways depicting actual rooms inside the temple.  It was one of my favorite sights!

The replica with the actual temple outside the window behind it (Jacob and Ed with one of the sister missionaries).

Inside the new Conference Center, where general conference has been held since April 2000.

It seats 21,000 people and it is HUGE!

We couldn't go out to the Conference Center's rooftop gardens, so I took this shot through the window.

View of the temple and the dome of the Tabernacle from the top floor of the Conference Center.

Many new skyscrapers have been built near the temple.  I think they ruin the view.

After the Conference Center we returned to the Visitors' Center and went through a special presentation on families. 

It was incredible.  This statue of Adam and Eve outside the presentation is beautiful.

We saw the awesome Christus at the Visitors' Center.

Next, we walked a few blocks to the Lion House, where the prophet Brigham Young once lived.

Around the side of the Lion House is the entrance to the restaurant now housed there.

We stopped in to enjoy brownies and hot chocolate.

Next door to the Lion House is the Beehive House.  Brigham Young's family once lived here, too.

We took a tour of the house, which was filled with period furniture.

It was in this room in the Beehive House where our former prophet Joseph F. Smith saw a vision in 1918 of

the Redemption of the Dead, now found in section 138 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

We ended the day by attending a live session inside the Salt Lake Temple.  All I can say is, wow!

It was about 8:30 when we came out of the temple, and the grounds were ablaze with Christmas lights.

The reflecting pool featured a nativity and floating bubble lights.

It was a little after 9:00 when we left Salt Lake City and returned to our hotel in Provo.  What a wonderful final day with my son the missionary! 

And now, in just 2 hours, we'll head to the Mission Training Center, a 5 minute drive from here.  The big day has finally come, and we are filled with anticipation and excitement!