Temple Training in Salt Lake City

After leaving Texas we went to Sant George, Utah and spent a week with Lisa's family and had a wonderful time.  We went to the Saint George temple while there since we are going on a temple mission.  We then went to Provo to see other family and especially my brother, Stacy, who has thyroid cancer and is going to start radiation and chemo.  I was able to go to Salt Lake with he and Esther to visit with the Radiation Oncologist.  It is hard to see family getting older and our bodies start to break down.  It is especially hard when Stacy is one of "The Uncles" and we go skiing with the nieces and nephews.  It was good to spend a few hours with him and just visit even if it really was about nothing.  It is the people in our lives that make the best memories and I am grateful to have such wonderful family and friends in my life.
While in Utah we also went to the Saint George, Manti, Logan, Ogden and Salt Lake temples.  That means we went to 5 temples total which was wonderful.  We had our training in the Salt Lake Temple which was special too.  Most of our training was in the chapel which is the small building just to the north or right of the temple.

Our trainers were President M. Richard and Sister Kathleen Hinkley Walker,  They are such spiritual giants and yet so personal and uplifting.  They shared personal stories and experiences not only from when he was the Salt Lake Temple President (2005-2008) but also some experiences with President Hinkley who was her father.  One was President Walker had been a mission president in England and had always told him missionaries that the first thing they needed to do when they were going to propose to marry a girl was call their father and get permission.  Both Pres and Sister Walker had been married for about 43 years prior and their spouses had died.  Neither had any intention of getting married again but it was just the right thing.  He was going to ask her and remembered his counsel to his missionaries.  He said it was rather akward calling the President of the church to ask if he could marry his daughter.  President Hinkley gave his approval but also asked if he knew she was stubborn.  He said he did but didn't realize just how stubborn she was.....and then he quickly added as he shot her a smile, and I wouldn't have it any other way.  They truly do love each other and it showed.  A highlight for me of our training was the last day we took a "walk through" of the temple.  It ended in the Assembly room which is the 5-6th floors.  It has just been refinished and is beautiful.  We got to go into the Talmadge Room where James Talmadge "lived" to write most of the book "Jesus The Christ".  We closed with them sharing a few more temple experiences and then bearing their testimonies.  Lis and I were on the front row of the stands (at both end of the assembly room are the 4 stands of the Melchesdik and Aaronic Priesthood) and President asked if I would say the closing prayer.  I told him I wouild be honored to give a closing cry to end our training.  I got through it fairly well and after we just mingled for a while.  None of us wanted it to end but it needed to.  We had to get back to our rooms and get packed to leave the next AM.  They shook our hands as we parted but of course I gave them a hug.  I just felt like they needed to know we loved them more than a hand shake could say.  It was an amazing experience and great way to start a mission.
   That evening (18 March) Jana and Keith came to the hotel and picked up the CTS.  We sold it to them and hope they enjoy it as much as we have.  Jana seemed to be excited to have a new car and I know we were glad that they bought it.  It was hard getting our bags to 50 pounds each (glad another couple had a digital hand held scale to weigh them with) but after leaving some clothes and other things we made it.......  When we got to the airport Thursday AM we had a very pleasant man help us and the bags were 49, 50, 49 and 51 pounds....it was all good!   Next post is South Africa!!1