Many Firsts, Idaho, Pioneer Day

It has been 2 weeks since our last post and it has flown by.  We taught our first class of full time missionaries the 13-16.  We were in class from 8 AM to 3:00 PM so it made for a long week.  The missionaries had done their MTC training the week before on line.  They got their assignments and are, like us, working from home.  This has certainly not been the kind of mission any of us signed on for, but we have learned way more because of this COVID mess.  We now have to wear masks everywhere and there is COVID in West Temple apartments, Garden apartments, Brigham apartments and in the Church Office Building.  I don't know anyone here in Salt Lake that has it, but the church has really cracked down on restrictions.  I did the handouts for the new missionaries and it was fun to get to know them, even if they were just pictures on the computer. 

The demolition continues on the Temple grounds and everything is mostly down now around the Temple.  They even have every side except the East side dug down about 20-30 feet around the foundation of the temple.  It truly looks like a bombed out war zone.  There is still so much debris to haul off.

North side of the Temple

Chapel gone and piles of rubble to be removed.

Huge beams that are cemented into the ground about 20 feet deep.

Looking West from the plaza.

Notice the back hoe down about 20 feet below ground level.

West side of the temple.

Looking West where the Chapel used to be?

The Summer flowers abloom on the Church grounds.

 Thursday the 16th, right after class, Bob and I went up to Idaho to visit Linda and Josh.  There is a lot of construction along I-15 so it was a long tedious drive.  Sherry was also at Linda's so we had a fun 2 day sisters trip.  Friday the 17th we took Josh to breakfast and then to Linda's so he could play the piano for us.  He is living and working in Menan until school starts in Rexburg. He is such an amazing piano player and you can tell he loves it.  He was getting new tires for his new red GMC truck in Idaho Falls.   It was quite the machine and Bob rode with him.

Joshua Barton with Grandma and Grandpa at Aunt Linda's

Sisters, Debra, Linda, and Sherry at Warm River, Idaho.

Notice the red blanket.  We watched many a fireworks shows by the river on the Fourth of July on this blanket!

Sherry, Linda and I went to Warm River to reminisce and lay on "the red blanket" by the river.  The weather was so nice and we had some good laughs walking down memory lane.  It was so busy with so many people.  I was glad we were not camping.  We went through boxes of amazing letters Dad wrote in 1935-1945.  High School and War letters.  I now have to find a way to get them digitized.  If only the Church Family History Library was open I could do it all there free, but alas.........

We left early Saturday to get back for the matinee showing at Hale Theater of Bright Star.  It was a very cute musical.  We all had to wear masks and distance, but it was worth it.

Bob and audience masked for the performance.

Even the Jester outside the Hale Theater was wearing a mask.

July 20-23 was a regular enrichment week with the exception of a Mission Devotional with President and Sister Randall.  They are so amazing, I am just sorry we will not get to actually work with them. 
Pioneer Day was sad too, no parade, rodeo, or fireworks display.  No concerts, but a rerun on TV of past Tabernacle Choir Pioneer concerts.