Pocatello and Utah

I had work travel to Pocatello, ID this week. We arrived in SLC and the plane to Pocatello was delayed making our layover 4 hours. Since we could drive in 2.5 hours, we decided to rent a car and drive. We came to Brigham City and I took my co-workers on a quick tour through town. They were really excited about it. I was surprised. They took pictures of the house I grew up in, the temple, and the BC sign.

We had 2 full days of meetings in Pocatello and flew back the next day. We had a 7 hr layover in SLC before the Tucson flight. I had planned to visit Janet and Mom during the layover and I convinced my co-workers to go to Temple Square and eat at 'The Garden' restaurant while I was visiting my family. One of my co-workers, Trevor Ashby, was a member who grew up in Mesa and he agreed to guide the rest of them. Some were wary at first but they went. When we met up later before the flight, they were excited to tell me all about it and sent me all the pictures they took.

They said the restaurant was great, the views were terrific, they enjoyed seeing the fish at City Creek Mall, they got to hear organ practice at the tabernacle, and they really enjoyed visiting the family history library.

My Co-workers visit Temple Square

Man Sculpting Designs in Sculpted Carpet (S Visitor's Center)

The library had a feature where you could take a picture and superimpose your face on period costumes from your country of origin.  They seemed to have a great time. More good will about the church was spread.

I visited Janet. It is so hard to see her like that. Her eyes are very open now but she still can't respond and didn't seem to be able to look at me. She still would squeeze my hand. I told her about Haley's mission. They had a TV on for her but she didn't seem to be looking at it. There is still a long ways to go for her but Terry says the neurologist is positive.

I next visited Mom at River Meadows. She was doing well and wanted to know about how Haley, Eric and Krystal, and Gordon, Alison, and the little boys were doing. I showed her pictures from my phone. She says she can't write anymore because her hands are so shaky. I learned that Gage is doing another musical play. He really likes singing and dancing and would like to be in a Broadway show. Mom said Neal told him that was a very hard thing to accomplish but, clearly, he really likes performing. McKenna is back from BYUI. I think she is off track now but will be returning in the summer. She apparently did well this past semester.

Eric and Krystal had lunch yesterday with the James's. We are continuing to pray for Haley on her mission and for Eric to get accepted to school.

Mom and I took a drive up Old Spanish Trail to Colossal Cave. It was raining and cold.

Tommy Cold

I got a cold from Tommy and I am still suffering 2 weeks later. During the holidays, I took John and Gordon to Saguaro Nat'l Park West to see the petroglyphs. John was more impressed by the cactus.

Mission Memories:

On New Year's Eve 1977 we spent the day moving to our new high rise apartment  on Sonnegstrasse (Sunny St.) - as discussed, we were evicted from our previous place.  It snowed that day. We watched fireworks light up the snow covered roofs through our window in the apartment and played with the Wunderkerzen (wonder candles or sparklers) on the balcony. In the morning we woke up with circles from the coil springs imprinted on our backs because we didn't have mattresses yet. New Years Day 1978 was a Sunday, I think, and the Elder's Quorum president told us he could bring some mattresses over on Wednesday. The same day the mattresses arrived, I was transferred to Olten.

Out the Window New Year's Eve 1977

Olten on the Aare River

Walking Bridge

Olten is on the Aare River. It has a very quaint downtown with a wooden covered walking bridge across the river. Olten was Elder Nguyen's first area so he drew me a map of how to get to the apartment from the train station in case of a mix-up. Good thing because the other Elders thought that they would just let me sit at the train station for 2 hrs. I arrived at 12:00 and they left at 2PM (both of these goofballs were being transferred out). It was cold and the train station didn't really have an inside place to wait. I locked my suitcases in some coin-operated lockers and started walking to the apartment per Elder Nguyen's map. He had remembered things a little wrong. The apartment was 2 blocks further than he had said. The apartment was in an older two story building that had no buzzer on the outside door. I decided to throw snowballs at the windows until I could get someone's attention. I didn't know which window was theirs. Luckily, the 3rd window I tried was theirs. 

Outside Olten Apartment with Elder Pyper (Spring Time)

I reviewed the investigator list with them...very short...and helped them haul their stuff to the train station and they helped me haul my stuff back. About then, the district leader, Elder Noorda {from Las Vegas) and his companion, Elder Seawright, showed up to be with me until my companion arrived. The district leader and his companion were very good elders and I'm sure they were happy to have us replace the goofballs.