Salt Lake Temple

My dear friend Brenda and her daughter Aelora are here visiting Utah right now.  I've so enjoyed getting to spend time with them.  On Tuesday, we headed to the Salt Lake Temple.  Annie, Max, Michelle and Ella went inside with Aly to do baptisms for the dead.  I stayed with Brenda, Aelora, Gabby, and Sofie to walk around the grounds.  We walked around the beautiful grounds, went inside the south visitor's center and looked at the displays, went to Nauvoo Cafe for a snack, went inside the Tabernacle and Assembly Hall to look around and then relaxed in the shade and admired the flowers.  It's so beautiful and peaceful at the temple. 

Shortly after arriving, a man walked up and started talking to the kids.  He told them that his name was Paul and that he was a Ute and had a feather tattoo...which he showed them.  He said he was from Flagstaff, Arizona.  Then he said that he doesn't believe in the Mormon faith, that they stole his lands (the way he said it was as if these children had stolen his lands) and again reiterated that he didn't believe in their faith, the Mormon Church.  Brenda and I were sitting next to them but missed the first couple of sentences because we were talking, but we caught the end.  Brenda was really surprised and troubled that he would come up to children and say such things.  I've seen enough protesters and anti-Mormons that it doesn't surprise me...but it was a bit odd.  But other than that short experience, it was a really lovely morning.  We talked with a couple of sister missionaries and talked together and just enjoyed our time there.