Fathers Day, Flowers, Farwells, and Friends

This has been a week of ups and downs.  Many good things are happening and yet some tough things too.  Our mission president, Jerry Fenn is leaving the end of this month, and many of the missionaries who we have gotten close to are leaving also.  Laura Christensen, who has run our game nights and is one of our great teachers in the training zone, ended her mission on the 19th.  We will miss her.  We had a mission devotional Wednesday with President and Sister Fenn.  Of course all of this is by way of WebEx so we don't get to actually be together in person.  There were over 300 missionaries on line for the devotional.  We also loose all our young Elders on June 30.  Many changes are coming!

Bob and I are walking with Dave and Sandy Briggs, our fellow missionaries, Monday Wednesday, and Friday.  We do 3-4 mile walks through City Creek Canyon up Memory Grove to the Capitol and then down the hills.  It has been very good for both Bob and I.  For the first time in MANY years I can now wear a size 8 pant.  That's amazing for me.

Walking toward the capitol on one of our morning walks.  It was a cool morning, 55 degrees

We continue to do our classes each day on line with more and more fellow missionaries joining in.  We have over 100 in every class.  Bob and I did 45-50 emails yesterday informing the outgoing missionaries of how Capstone (our baby) will be handled going forward until COVID is over.  On Friday June 19 (Juneteenth?  I had never heard of it until this year) we had an in-service WebEx with Bob Taylor and Bob Ives.  The are the creators and directors of The Family History Guide.  It was so good.  I had no idea what all is in FHG.  I will definitely spend more time there, and have now added my Amazon charity donation to be Family History Guide.  It is a great site to learn about everything Family History.  It is not part of the church, but has amazing information.

The construction, or should I say demolition continues full steam ahead.  In the midst of the construction site the flowers continue to bloom!

Looking West.  This is the building attached to the north side of the temple.

This is where the recommend desk used to be.

All the tall spires are loosing their points.

Some of the stones they are removing from the spires.

Close up of the removed stones.  The crane is delivering another load.

Close up of spires.

Looking North. You can see some of the lockers inside.  So much rebar.

North west side of the temple.  They have removed 12-16 feet of stone.

Beautiful flowers around Temple Square.  They have lilies of every color, I especially love the orange ones.

We continue to love our game nights with family, friends, and missionaries.  Thank goodness for technology.  Qwirkle has become a new favorite game for Bob and I.

Zoom games and family time.

The demonstrations continue in Salt Lake and since we are in the very middle of it all, we stay in when they are going on.  They actually send the missionaries and workers (not the construction workers) home and close off the plaza and temple square while they are happening.  It is a crazy world.  COVID-19 continues to rage and all the consequences of it.

Today is Fathers Day and what a great blessing both of us have of having great Fathers and having Warren too.

Clyde Taylor Higginson gang.  

Blayne Barton, Bob's Dad in heaven

Warren Steffey with Evelyn and Heidi, our other Dad.

Kyen had her Gymnastics banquet and was awarded best floor exercise for 2020 and hardest worker voted by her teammates.  She is amazing as well as are all of my super grand children..I love them all twice as much as the last thing they ever say!

Kyen Mayhew with her awards and her new Invisalign braces!