Bugs, Hearts, Grandkids, Singing and Dancing

This has been a very full week.  It started off with Bob being sick and staying home Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.  He had the yucky crud that seems to be going through the training zone like a wild fire.  It is a good thing that this week was not one with new missionaries.  This is what is known as enrichment week and capstone week.  We do classes for missionaries that are already serving here and want to delve deeper into Family Search, Research, External Sources and what ever they want.  We are not super comfortable with this aspect of our assignment, but each day with the Lord's help, it is getting better.  The demolition continues.

There is a lot of debris haul off going on this week.

Scaffolding going up the side of the temple.  February 2020.

Wednesday was our granddaughter, Shaylin Mayhew, 18th birthday.  How do our grandkids get so old.  It was a good week for her as she got her acceptance letter to BYU for next year.  She now has several choices as to where she will be going.  We will wait and see.  It was a busy week for their family as Shaylin was competing in California (Nationals for Cheer) and Kyen was competing in Orlando, Florida for Gymnastics.  They both did very well.  Our grandson, Joshua Barton is at the MTC in Provo learning Spanish in preparation for his mission to Dallas Texas.  It is so good to read his emails.  He looks happy in his pictures and his words reveal his growth in understanding the gospel.

Mayhew family, Jacob, Shaylin, Heather, Kyen February 2020

Joshua Barton at the MTC second from the right.  February 2020

Thursday our Training Zone had a special tour of the Beehive house.  It has been years since I had been there.  It is beautiful and the stories around it were so interesting.  Since our mission in Nauvoo, Handcarts and now Salt Lake I have a special love for anything "pioneer".  We have truly been so blessed.  After the tour a quick trip to Bountiful to the temple to do sealings.  Bob stayed home from that afraid he would start coughing.

At the Beehive House February 13, 2020

Beehive house checking out some of the displays.

Pianos in almost every room.  Notice the harp.  Music was important to the Young family.

In front of the Beehive house Bob and Debra, Sis Laura Christensen, Sis Vickie Davis, Sis Emily Olsen and Elder Olsen, Elder Richard Wells

Friday was Valentines day and we started it out with a trip to the Ogden Temple.  No better place to be with your sweetheart than in the temple.  It is beautiful and has some special memories for us as it is the temple where we received our endowment (the old original Ogden Temple).  Bob ran into one of the missionaries we served with at Deseret Land and Livestock, Butch Morreti.  He was one of our favorite, sadly I didn't get to see him.

At the Ogden Temple on Valentines Day Feb 14, 2020

We came home and went to the Garden Restaurant on the 10th floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.  We had heard of their amazing Fish and Chips and had to try them out.  They were good but not as good as the Fish and Chips in Payson Arizona at Mikes.  That night we went to the Utah Symphony to listen to "Women Rock"  It was amazing as they had three singers and did songs from the women rockers from the 60's to the 80's  Bob loved it.  He has the music in him.

Bob with his so so fish and chips.  The "chips" were really good.

At the Garden Restaurant on the 10th floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

Saturday we saw the BYU Folk Dancers at the little theater in the Conference Center.  The fog machine set off the alarms and a security guard came running in yelling for everyone to get out of the theater.  About 1 minute later they announced it was a false alarm and to return to our seats. For about 15 minute we were hearing the alarm to evacuate the building and do not use the elevators.  It took a bit to shut it off and so the show was delayed, but it was worth the wait.  We also ran into Grant and Trisha Madsen, friends and missionaries from Nauvoo.


Today was a rainy walk to Music and The Spoken Word, but it is always worth it!!  The message was great about mistakes and responding to them with respect, patience, and resilience not only to others but to ourselves.  A quote from the program, "Mistakes, large and small, are part of life--we all make them.  So instead of being surprised by mistakes, expect them."  A timely message for us as we are learning and making mistakes.

February Deep Freeze and Family

This week has been so busy but rewarding.  We have both learned so much, and the more you learn the more you know how much there is to learn, and how little we really know.  We have both learned that teaching is the best way to learn.  I just pray as I am walking up to a missionary who has their hand raised that I will be able to help.  Most of the time we can and if we can't we know who is in the training zone that has the answers.  Family Search is constantly changing so sometimes what is there yesterday has changed today.  The demolition continues and it is fun to watch the process.

Bob on a frosty Monday morning.  February 3, 2020

The demo continues

More demo pictures.  February 4, 2020

Monday night we had our second Family Home Evening with our MTC group.  It was very fun and very nice to get together with the people we came to this mission with.

Sister LoyAnn Bennett and Sister Carolyn Mildenhall, running the Jeopardy game.

Sis. Kerslake, Sis Gilbert, Elder Gilbert, Sister Carver, Sister Huff, Sister Kleiner, Elder Briggs.  Some of our FHE group.

Monday also brought the deep freeze.  Sunday we had a high of 53 and Monday our high we 22.  Burrr!  We have to be at the Joseph Smith Chapel at 6:15 am for choir practice for our weekly mission devotional.  It was a cold but beautiful walk.

Beautiful but cold.  Monday February 3, 2020

It snowed Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.  Tuesday was the big snow, the most we have had so far.  It was very slick!  They keep the sidewalks around the square very clear but with those low temperatures, it still freezes.  Many missionaries fell on the ice, luckily both of us were able to get through without hitting the pavement.

David and Miriam Higginson were a couple in this class from Idaho.  Higginson is my maiden name so of course we made the connection.  He is my 2nd cousin ounce removed.  We had some great talks sharing family stories.  His great-great grandfather, and my great grandfather is William Thomas Higginson.  He is from his second wife, Christina Young, and I am from his third wife, Hattie Jane Taylor. His first wife died three months after they were married with Tuberculosis

Miriam and David Higginson on the Mezzanine.  Cousins!

.Wednesday I (Debra) taught my first class for the new missionaries.  It was on Writing our Story.  It went very well.  The hardest part is running the technology and making the power point to put up on the screen.  Somehow I got through it without a glitch!  That was a blessing and a miracle.   There are tree monitors to run and a flash drive.  Each day gets a bit better.

Not a work day, but this is the "control center" for teaching out classes.

Bob was home Thursday and Friday because of a cold.  He got cabin fever so we went over to the conference center and on to the roof.  It was probably a mistake because today ( Sunday) he was down and out again.  We also went to BYU Winterfest at the Conference Center little theater to watch Swan Lake Ballet Saturday night.  I enjoyed it, Bob, not so much.

David and Sandy Briggs and Bartons on the roof of the Conference Center looking toward Temple Square.  February 8, 2020

Heidi, Wynn, and Weston came for a short visit on Friday- Sunday. They are here because Wynn's parents are entering the MTC to serve a mission in Peru on Monday.  They spoke in church today and were set apart tonight.  They did sleep here and took a quick tour of our workplace and to see the demolition. It is so fun to have family and friends come and visit.

Bob, Debra, Wynn, Heidi, Weston on the 10th floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.  February 8, 2020

Heidi and Weston visiting our work area on the third floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.  Training Zone.

Weston was being the hero as he carried the orange flag across the street to keep us safe.  Such a fun and great young man

Sunday, Music and the Spoken Word was back in the Tabernacle for the first time since we got here.  It will stay there until May when the crowds return.  There still seems to be a lot of people on the square, but not as much as at Christmas.  Big news------I wore mascara today for the first time in three weeks.  I have been dealing with a couple of sty's in my eye.  I think I am through with them!

Music and The Spoken Word.  February 9, 2020.

Heidi, Wynn and Weston came for dinner today, and if I must admit, it was the first time I really cooked a meal.  Roast, potatoes, salad, veggies, and rolls.  It was yummy, but I probably won't make it a habit unless we have company.  They brought us a new game, Cover Your Assets, that is really fun.
We Continue to learn and love the work we doing serving the Lord here, all around the square.

Good bye Mild Weather Hello New Missionaries

These last two days have been amazing for the weather. It has been in the upper 40's and even got to 53 degrees!  Unbelievable for this time of year. I believe the Lord did not want to shock us too quickly.  I have my heavier coat and am ready for the freezing weather to come starting tonight.

Last Monday we had 24 Church Service Missionaries arrive for training.  As is always the case, we had several 3rd to 8th cousins in the group.  If you have not tried "relatives around me" on the family search app try it, it is so fun.  Bob taught his lesson on Discover, Gather, Connect for the first time and did a great job.  He is pretty handy to have around when trying to make a power point.  He has helped me a lot this week as I will be teaching my first class this week.  More on that in next weeks blog.  We were both fully engaged this class in mentoring and doing one on one practice with the new missionaries.  There is nothing like teaching that forces you to learn the material.

The construction, or should I say demolition continues to progress at an amazing speed.  I often think of the Mesa Temple and hope it is continuing to move quickly forward.  We look forward to being able to return as ordinance workers at the end of this mission.

Nothing left of the South Visitors Center January 31, 2020

One of several dumpsters loading up for removal.  January 31, 2020

One of the huge backhoes moving dirt and debris . The Cedar of Lebanon still stands.  January 31, 2020

Thursdays are our days to do sealings at the Bountiful temple.  We love the Bountiful temple and are now feeling at home there as we are learning our way around.  This mission has "turned our hearts" like nothing else I can imagine.  We have both been finding relatives and connections like never before.

Friday we had our Go Forth Meeting with the mission Presidency as they announced the assignments for the 24 new missionaries.  Our Training Zone received one, Sister Walker will be joining the zone as of tomorrow.  Our zone provides the "Honey Butter Social" after that meeting.  We provide, bagels, bread, juice, and bobs favorite, chocolate milk.  They then meet with their new zone leaders to get a taste of what they will be doing on their missions.

This is the Relief Society Room in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building at the Honey Butter Social.  Our Zone Leaders are front Elder Mike and Sister Susan Parker.

Friday also brings in the new full time missionaries from the MTC.  They have the weekend to move in and we start their training on Monday.  We are so excited to have a friend from Mesa, Faye Shoemaker, join our mission.  She will be a great addition.  At the swap meet we met a couple from Idaho with a last name of Higginson!  Can't wait to see how we are related.

Saturday I put together my class that I will be teaching on Wednesday.  It is about writing your life stories. We then went for a couple of long walks with our friends, Dave and Sandy Biggs.  The Boehme's joined us for a long hike down and through Memory Grove and back to the State Capital.  It was a beautiful day...…….perfect for hiking even if there were a lot of big dogs.  Yikes!

By a pretty waterfall in Memory Grove.  February 1, 2020

Saturday night we went to the Vocal Point concert at the little theater at the conference center.  They were amazing.  It is an a cappella men's group from BYU.  You know you are getting old when you don't know the songs they are singing till they do a flash back to the 60's?  They did a Beachboys medley that had us senior missionaries dancing in our seats.

Vocal Point February 1, 2020

Vocal Point February 1, 2020

Sunday found us at Music and The Spoken Word with our Mesa friends and fellow missionaries.  At Church Elder Dave Briggs was put in as a councilor to our branch presidency.  He will be amazing there.  The walk home from church was 10 degrees colder than when we went to church 3 hours earlier.  Here comes the cold and snow!

Sis Brooks, Keri Sue Kleiner, Faye Shoemaker, Debra and Bob Barton