Salt Lake City Trip

For Jeff's 30th birthday I surprised him with round trip plane tickets to Salt Lake City and tickets to the Saturday afternoon session of General Conference. This was a BIG deal for Jeff as he had never been outside of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho and had never been on a plane before. I've had this idea brewing in my head for about a year now and I'm so glad I was able to pull it off.

 Inside the plane on our way to Salt Lake.

 A statue of Joseph and Hyrum Smith right outside of the Legacy Theater in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Joseph Smith was the first Prophet of the latter-days and first President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

 Salt Lake City Temple. This building took 40 years to construct. Though not the first temple constructed, it is one of the largest. Temples are sacred places of worship where Latter-Day Saints gather to perform saving ordinances and make personal covenants to live their lives in accordance with the teachings of Jesus Christ.

 A view of the angel Moroni on top of the temple. Moroni visited with Joseph Smith to relate to him wear the golden plates (the Book of Mormon) were hidden. Moroni also prepared Joseph for the work of translating the ancient plates.

A bronze statue of Joseph Smith inside the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Joseph grew up on a farm in Palmyra, in upstate New York and worked with his father and brothers to support the family.

Another Picture of the angel Moroni.

Church Headquarters

Outside of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

Us in front of the temple. (Thank you Janel for coming and watching Kinley during conference and taking this picture.)

 One of the carts used to haul stone to the temple.

 Side view of the temple.

The Apostles Peter, James and John conferring the Melchizedek Priesthood on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdry.

 John the Baptism conferring the Aaronic Priesthood on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdry.

There is a lot of misunderstanding about this statue. Many believe it represents our worship of seagulls. But this monument depicts how seagulls saved the crops of the early saints from a swarm of locusts. This monument was to commemorate how god works miracles and watches over his children.

This statue is a depiction of one of the handcart companies that crossed the plains after being driven from their homes. The Latter-Saints were the only religious group in the history of the United States to be issued an extermination order.

The assembly hall

Inside the assembly hall

I wonder where these stairs go to inside the assembly hall?

The tabernacle

Inside the tabernacle

A model of what Jerusalem looked like when Jesus was on the earth.

The next three pictures are in the North Visitor's Center. The walls are covered in beautiful art work of Jesus.

The sermon on the mount

The Garden of Gethsemane

The Christus

Replica of the gold plates. 

An 1830's edition of the Book Of Mormon.

Joseph Smith

The Conference Center (where we watched the Saturday afternoon session of conference.

Stained glass depiction of the first Vision. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appearing to Joseph Smith.

A replica of one of the sun stones on the Salt Lake Temple. 

Death masks of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. Both martyrs.

n overhead replica of the layout of Salt Lake City

Replica of a baptismal font. The oxen represent the twelve tribes of Israel

Display of what a Sealing Room would look like. (Where you get married in the temple.) 

Joseph Smith's journal

A replica of the Angel Moroni statue that adorns the temples. (Moroni visited Joseph Smith to tell him where to find the golden plates with the record of the Nephites.)

                                 Crystyne behind a replica of the podium at the conference center.

A cool statue of Paul Revere.

A cool stained glass relief of Christ. 

                       We saw this on the way back to our hotel room and couldn't help but take a picture.

New Testament Class, Week 6, Student Choice Assignment

Choice 1: Luke 10:1–24. “The Lord Appointed Other Seventy Also”

1. Review Luke 10:1–24. Based on these verses, write a summary of the Lord’s counsel and instructions He gave the seventy.

He sent them out by twos to every city and place to preach the gospel.

He told them to not carry a purse (personal belongings), a scrip, or shoes.

Eat in homes the homes where you are received.

Heal the sick.

If you are not received, go your way.

Those who receive them, also receive Christ. Those who do not receive them, do not receive Christ.

He gave them power over Satan as well as other enemies.

Rejoice not because you have power over your enemies; rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

2. Articles of Faith 1:6 states, “We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church.” Using the principles taught from Luke 10:1–2, 8–9, 17–20, write a paragraph that supports this Article of Faith.

Our church is patterned after the church Christ organized when he was on earth. Christ was a prophet and led and guided the church. We have a prophet today who leads and guides us, and who can receive revelation for our whole church. Christ called twelve apostles who served with him. We have twelve apostles who serve with our prophet. Christ called seventy men to preach the gospel. We have several quorum of seventy who preach the gospel. We also have missionaries who go out into the world by twos to preach and teach. I am so thankful to be a part of a church that has been organized just as Christ organized his church when he was on this earth.

3. Go to the Church’s scripture website and read the topic of “Seventy” in the Guide to the Scriptures. Describe in one or two sentences how the scriptures show the existence of this office in the priesthood.

The seventy has been given the power to heal the sick and cast out devils just as the seventy in Jesus’ day was given that same power.

New Testament Class, Week 5, Student Choice Assignment

Choice 2: Matthew 17:14–21. The Savior Healed a Young Man 

1.    Review Matthew 17:14–21, and list three things the Savior said were needed for the disciples to heal the man.
 The three things needed were faith, prayer, and fasting.

2.    Read each of the following references. Next to the reference, write what it teaches about what is needed for miracles to happen.

-3 Nephi 18:20 If we pray to the Father, in Jesus' name, and believe (have faith) that it will happen, it will.

-Doctrine and Covenants 50:29 We need to be purified and cleansed from all sin.

-Doctrine and Covenants 42:48 We need to have faith.

New Testament Class, Week 4, Student Choice Assignment

     Choice #3 Walking on the Sea

      1.      Review Matthew 14:22-33. Identify in writing what the reaction of the Apostles was when they first saw the Savior walking on the water toward them.

When the Apostles first saw the Savior walking on the water, they were troubled, thought it was a spirit and they cried out in fear.

      2.      What did Peter’s response indicate about him?

Peter said, “Lord, if it be thou, bid me to come unto thee on the water.” The Lord responded, “Come”. This would indicate that Peter had faith in the Lord and knew that the Lord had power to allow Peter to walk on water.

 

      3.      According to Matthew 14:30, why did Peter begin to sink?

Peter became afraid of the “boisterous wind” and began to sink. Peter allowed outside forces influence his faith in the Lord, his faith waivered.

      4.      What did Peter do when he began to sink? What word in the verses describes the expediency or the timing when Jesus responded to Peter’s request?

Peter cried out to the Lord to save him. Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and caught Peter.

      5.      Read Doctrine and Covenants 88:67. Write a paragraph describing what principle from this verse relates to what Peter did to successfully walk on the water. How can this same principle be applied to your life to assist you in walking over the storms of life?

When Peter kept his eye on Christ and had faith that Christ had power to allow him to walk on water, he was able to walk on the water. When Peter allowed outside forces to affect his faith, he could not walk on the water. I can apply this same principle to my life by continually striving to have an eye single to the glory of Christ and have faith in Him. Trials will come, that is one guarantee in this life. I will be able to overcome my trials easier if I have faith in the Lord and have an eye single to His glory.

New Testament class, Week 3, Student Choice Assignment

Choice 2: Matthew13:24-48. The Lord Often Taught with Parables

      1.       In the Bible Dictionary read the first three paragraphs under the entry “Parables”. In your own words, write a definition of a parable.

Parables veil the meaning of what the person is saying so that only those who have faith can understand the meaning. As a person’s faith increases, their ability to understand the parable increases.

      2.       Read the following parables: parable of the tares (Matthew 13:24-30); parables of the mustard seed and the leaven (Matthew 13:31-33); parables of the treasure and the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44-46); parable of the gospel net (Matthew 13:47-50). Next to each of the following questions write the name of the parable that best answers that question.

·         What describes the future growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints? Parable of the leaven.

·         Why does the Church send out so many missionaries?  

      Parable of the gospel net.

·         How do you explain the remarkable growth of the Church, considering that it is fairly new compared to most world religions and started small in the American frontier? Parable of the mustard seed.

·         Why are some members of the Church willing to sacrifice so much worldly wealth and recognition in order to maintain membership in the Church?  

      Parable of the treasure and the pearl of great price.

·         Why do some Church members choose to leave the Church? 

      Parable of the tares.

         3.       Write answers to the following questions:

·         Considering the parables of the treasure and the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:47), what sacrifices would you be willing to make to obtain the treasure of the gospel? What sacrifices have you or those you know already made for the gospel?

Even since my husband and I got married, one or both of us have always been in leadership position. These leadership positions take a great deal of time to fulfill. We have both sacrificed time away from each other and our children. When one of us has the calling that takes us away from home more, the other is sacrificing by taking on more of our shared responsibilities in the home.

·         What does the net represent in the parable of the net cast into the sea? (Matthew 13:47) What does it mean to be gathered into the net? What is represented by the action of gathering the good into vessels and casting the bad away? (Matthew 13:48-50).

The net in the parable represents missionary work, sharing the gospel with others. I think being gathered into the net means being gathered into the gospel by being baptized. The thing that is represented by the action of gathering the good into vessels and casting the bad away is holding onto our good habits and attributes and letting go of the bad ones.

Kinley's blessing

 We were able to bless Kinley this last Sunday at church. Jeff gave her a beautiful blessing. I am so grateful he holds the priesthood and is worthy to exercise that power to bless our children and our lives. Most of our family was able to come. We are so grateful to those who were there and missed those who could not come.

 Everyone who came. We took up three huge pews! I'm not even going to try to write everyone's names, sorry.

 This is my friend Jessica with her little guy Evan who is 6 days older than Kinley and who was also blessed on Sunday.

Random pictures from the last week

Shiloh wondering where Kinley is.

 One great big brother

 Why has everyone forgotten about me?!

Mason wrapped himself up in the Moby Wrap to keep warm.