Temple Square

A good friend of Alfredo's came to visit from California. They arrived on Christmas evening and then spent the day with us on Wednesday. Alfredo has known Adrian for nearly 20 years, although they haven't seen each other in many years. Adrian and his wife Alex have two daughters, Giselle and Tanya. Their girls quickly became friends with our girls and played happily all day long. (I envy my children's ability to make friends with everyone they meet and to play with and talk to strangers. I don't think I was like that as a child...I remember being quite shy and cautious. And although I would like to be like that now, I am not. I find it difficult to talk to people I don't know well. I feel tongue tied and unable to think of things to say. In that regard, my children take after their dad. Especially Michelle.)

Giselle and Tanya had never played in the snow, so everyone went outside and made snow angels and a snow man and had a great time. I was a party pooper and stayed inside cooking dinner. I did take a few photos from inside the house.

After dinner, we headed downtown to City Creek and Temple Square. I had felt sad that we just didn't have time to take the girls to see the lights at Temple Square this year. But it ended up working out beautifully to go the day after Christmas. It was snowing lightly but it wasn't that cold, and our visitors had never been. They wanted to see everything and we ended up spending over 3 hours there. We saw the window displays at Macy's.

Then we walked over to Temple Square. We admired the Nativity and I had a few moments to reflect again on how grateful I am for my Savior. Adrian's family was very impressed by the lights and the beauty of the temple.

We went inside the South Visitor's Center and saw the displays there. My heart was touched as I read about the building of the Salt Lake Temple. I don't think I read anything that I hadn't heard before, but still I am so touched by the sacrifices the early saints made to build a temple. I am grateful for the temple. Alfredo and I answered questions that Adrian and his wife had (although mostly Alfredo, because they are most comfortable in Spanish and I am not fluent.)

We also went in the North Visitor's Center to see the Christus. The Spirit was strong as we listened to the Savior's words... "Learn of me. Listen to my words. Walk in the meekness of my spirit.... For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent...."

Adrian had heard about the Conference Center and really wanted to see it. So we headed over there and got a tour of the Conference Center. It was the first time anyone in my family had gone on a tour besides me.

Years ago, before Alfredo and I married, I had a dear friend named Diane. She served as a church service missionary at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. She was a teacher at my school, and we became dear friends. We traveled around Europe together and went on several trips here in the US as well. She loved serving at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and so I looked into it and was able to be called on a church service mission at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building as well. We served one night a week, on different nights. I served with wonderful older couples and two single women. They were amazing people and it was an amazing experience. It was while I served there that I began to date Alfredo and we got engaged and married. I was released just a few months before my three years of service were up because I was very pregnant with Michelle. Anyway, while serving there, the Conference Center was dedicated and they had each of us take a turn going on a tour. I have been on another tour, but I can't recall for certain who it was with...perhaps my parents? Anyway, this was my third tour...but everyone else's first. Michelle and I had been there just a few weeks ago for the Savior of the World performance and the girls and I had been there a couple of years ago for stake/regional conference. Alfredo and I have had tickets to conference there a couple of times. But on each of these occasions we saw just a small part of the conference center. We had a wonderful tour guide who showed us the assembly hall which was beautifully decorated for Christmas. She told the children about President Hinckley's black walnut tree in his back yard that had died and how he asked a carpenter if there was any possible use for it and how it had been carved and made into the podium.

She told us about the number of seats and how every seat is a good one and how the building is supported. She showed us pictures of the gardens on the roof (which was closed due to the snow) and she explained about Utah's symbol, the beehive. It stands for industry (working hard...doing your chores), thrift (not spending money you don't have) and cooperation (working together...minding your mommy). I loved that she spoke in a way that the kids could understand and she really kept their attention nearly the whole time despite us being on the tour for 45 minutes. She showed us the Book of Mormon hall and asked if the children had favorite paintings there. She talked about the importance of keeping a journal and how Lehi took the plates which was a journal or a record and how that helped his family and his posterity.

She showed us the paintings of the prophets and apostles and explained how our church is organized just like the ancient church at the time of Christ. I am reading/listening to President Monson's biography and I felt such an outpouring of love for him (as well as President Hinckley) as she talked about them and we saw their busts and their paintings.


One thing that I didn't know (or at least I don't think I had ever heard this) was that years ago, Brigham Young saw a huge building near the temple. It had trees on the top and fish ponds. It seated thousands of people. He wrote about his dream in his journal. Then in the 1950's the apostles thought they should build a bigger meeting place. But it was so difficult, so they put it aside and didn't. Then when President Hinckley was prophet, he set out to build the conference center. He didn't know about Brigham Young's dream. It wasn't until construction was underway that someone showed him the journal that described Brigham Young's dream. It is so amazing to be reminded that we have living prophets on the Earth today. They truly are inspired by God and cause prophecies to be fulfilled. I am so grateful for my testimony of the gospel. It is such a blessing.

The spirit was strong and she patiently answered questions, showed us as much of the building as we had time for (tours are supposed to end at 9, and we didn't finish until about 9:15). She said as we were leaving that one of the prophets or apostles (I can't remember now who) said that everyone who comes there is meant to be there at that time, and that the spirit had led us there to be there that night. I believe that is true. I am not sure whether Adrian's family felt the spirit as I did, but they were at least favorably impressed with what they saw and heard. Perhaps some small seed was planted that may take root later. If nothing else, I am grateful that my family was able to not just see the lights at Temple Square but to have such a spiritual experience.

After our tour, we headed back to City Creek to get some hot chocolate and then headed home. What a wonderful night!

Sears Photos

Here are some photos we recently had taken of the girls at Sears. I was quite happy with how they turned out.

Christmas Day

The girls slept until around 8 AM. They were allowed to look in their stockings, but nothing else until everyone was up. But within about 10 minutes, everyone was up and ready to open gifts.

Aunt Suzy had spent the night at our house and was able to participate in our gift opening and spend the day with us. We were so glad she was part of the festivities.

There were several things that were really for both Michelle and Ella to share or for all 3 girls. They were especially excited to get Just Dance Disney. Ella was thrilled to get boots with heels. She has been asking for them for months. They also got clothing, several books, Bible puzzle books, Ella got a webkinz, and they got lots of earrings from Aunt Suzy. Gabby got a couple of Barbie movies which she loves.

I gave Suzy a pretty watch and a pillow I'd made at Super Saturday. She gave me Elder Holland's new book For Times of Trouble. I've just started reading it, but I can tell it will be wonderful.
For Alfredo, I bought a new comforter for our bed. He really likes to change comforters regularly, and he has been asking for a new one for a couple of months. We have about 5, and every couple of months we put the current one away in the attic and pull out one we haven't used for awhile. This one is brown. I also bought him a cordless speaker that works with his Ipad or Ipod. We can use it outside for barbecues in the summer as well as around the house. He's really enjoyed it so far.

Alfredo bought me two pairs of pants and a Blendtec blender. Because my sister works for Blendtec, we were able to get a discount. I got my blender about 3 weeks ago and I asked Alfredo if I should save it for Christmas or open it right away. He said to open it and so I did. I've used it 18 times already, and I love it!!! I've made lots of smoothies and whole juices and a milkshake and a sorbet and a soup. The soup wasn't a big hit but we've loved everything else. I love it and can't wait to try even more things. In the summer, my kids are very excited that I can use it to make snow cones. :)

After all of the gifts were opened, Michelle said, "We haven't gotten our gifts from Santa yet. But they are down by the fire place. I already saw them." She had remembered that Santa put their gifts by the fireplace downstairs last year, so she had gone there first before she woke us up. So we headed downstairs to see what they got. They were all thrilled... Michelle and Ella had new bikes and Gabby had a Barbie Mermaid set that has 3 mermaids, a dolphin and a swing and slide set. They are all for the bathroom, and the mermaids' hair changes color.

We had a nice breakfast and the girls enjoyed their gifts for awhile. They played Just Dance. Then Michelle went for a short bike ride, despite the snow.

Around noon, we headed to my Aunt Elaine and Uncle Phil's house. We opened more gifts and visited with my grandpa, my Aunt Elaine and Uncle Phil, my Aunt Diane and Uncle Brent and their kids, as well as Phil's children and grandchildren. It was great to see so many family members. The girls got darling blankets that they have loved.

That afternoon, Suzy and I talked to our grandma on the phone. We also Skyped Rebecca and her family and talked to my mom and Mike. It was great to talk to all of them and to be able to see them even though we couldn't be with them. I felt so blessed to be able to see or talk to those that I love most. What a truly blessed Christmas this was!

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, we went to dinner with my dad and sister. My dad took us all out to Chilis. We had a delicious dinner and a nice visit. It was wonderful to spend time together.

The girls opened their Christmas jammies.

We read Luke 2 and we did luminaries. It was very cold this year, so we only did 6...one for each of us, including my sister Suzy. I included photos of them in my post about our Christmas books.

Then we headed to Alfredo's aunt's house for our annual Christmas Eve dinner. We got there before most everyone else, so we watched a movie. I took a nap which was lovely. I haven't had enough sleep in weeks, so a nap was just what I needed. Then Alfredo's cousins arrived and we visited and the kids played and I napped a little bit more.

At midnight, we ate our annual Christmas Eve dinner. For Americans like me, this seems a little strange, but it is pretty customary in many hispanic countries to gather together on Christmas Eve, have dinner around midnight and open gifts after dinner. Most/all of the celebration is on Christmas Eve. And it has worked nicely for us, because we are able to spend Christmas Eve with Alfredo's family and Christmas Day together and then with my extended family.

Alfredo's cousin Irene has a darling little girl, Ileen. The girls loved holding her and playing with her.

After dinner, it was time to open gifts. By this time, it was one in the morning, but don't let that fool you. No one is tired when there are presents to open!

Look at this cute little guy, Elias. He kept falling over on top of presents and he liked the foam from one box as much as the gifts.

The girls got robes, pajamas, slippers and sweatshirts. They were thrilled. They had asked for slippers, and I'd only bought one of them slippers, so now they all have darling slippers.

Alfredo's family has always been so kind and welcoming. His cousin Patty has two girls that are the same ages as Michelle and Ella (in fact, Michelle and Daya were born two days apart.) She also has a 1 1/2 year old son, Elias. So the girls love seeing Patty and her family.

The women always kiss me on the cheek when we come and when we leave, and it is something that seemed very foreign to me at first, but that I have become accustomed to now. Usually I shake hands with Nelson, Miguel and Oswaldo, but this year I hugged each of them and felt such tenderness for each of them. They are not religious like I am, but they are good men and they have been kind to me and to my family. I felt truly grateful that we were able to spend the evening with both my dad and sister and with Alfredo's family.

We arrived home around 2:30 A.M. and the kids went straight to bed. I had a few things left to get ready, so it was nearly an hour before I made it to bed. Good thing Santa knows not to visit our house until the wee hours of the morning!