This week it has been the weather that has been the major event.  Our first day of training was supposed to be today but was delayed until tomorrow because of a snowstorm.  This snowstorm, however, was greatly anticipated and enjoyed by most of the people in this valley!  Let me explain - Since we have been here, there has been record-breaking or near record-breaking weather and weather caused events.  First, it was freezing, both day and night, very, very cold!  Then the inversion came in.  For days, there was very little sun, but lots of gray and brown clouds and disgusting smog.  We had the distinction of having the worst air in the country by last Friday.  The snowstorm, which happened on Sunday, was also record-breaking in the amount of snow that fell - 10 inches in a few hours.  But the best thing is that it broke up the inversion and we can now breath fresh air!  I had to take a picture of it in case the inversion comes in again!!

So proof that there really is still a blue sky up there! 

We are ready to get started on our mission.  It's been fun to get our apartment all organized and decorated and explore our new city but it's time to get busy and do what we came here to do.  We continue to meet new people and and are starting to feel a little more comfortable here.  I'm (meaning Lynne) still kind of homesick and try not to spend time counting the months, weeks, days until we are done.  Dale says that is pretty normal for new missionaries to do the counting of time left, so I guess I'm not too awful! It will certainly help to get busy!

We're in for more snow tonight so we may get to use our brand new snow boots as we walk to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building to start our new adventure in the morning.  Can't wait!!

Beginning Post

This is a time of a lot of firsts - first time on a mission away from home, first time in a downtown apartment, and first time on a blog!  We decided this is a good way to record some of our experiences that we would like to remember and also to tell our family and friends about.  So bear with us as we get ourselves into the 21st Century and learn the world of blogging!

We've been in Salt Lake for almost 2 weeks now but it sure does seem longer!  Yes, Lynne is pretty homesick right now but as we get busy on our mission, that will pass.  We live on the top floor of our apartment building on South Temple.  We are a block away from the Beehive House, Church Headquarters, and let's not forget City Creek Mall!  We look out over the Brigham Young Memorial Park.  It has his grave, I believe, in the corner.  It looks like a small, peaceful park but we've only seen it covered in snow so we can't really tell! When we have gone on walks (few because of the sub-artic temperatures and snow!) we go to City Creek Mall or Temple Square.  There's a lot of areas left to explore.  We hope to get to a couple of museums this week.

We have an interesting ward here.  We meet in the Joseph Smith Memorial Bldg. in the renovated ballroom.  It's beautiful!  Our ward's nickname evidently is "Newly Married and Nearly Dead"- that gives you an idea of the demographics!  But we get to sit in Relief Society and Sunday School and look out the window at the Salt Lake Temple.  That tends to get you in the mood to listen.  There is no Primary or Youth programs.  But lots of sisters - 2/3 of the ward are sisters.  Today, we were in the chapel with Sacrament Meeting almost starting and in walks Elder Oaks and Elder Ballard from the Council of the Twelve!  They live in our ward.  It was a great experience to see them sitting on the podium all during the meeting.  Hope I never have to give a talk here when they are attending - how intimidating that would be!

We are just trying to get settled in our little apartment and create some kind of order.  It's amazing how much stuff you get into closets with a little bit of organization!  We still haven't gotten the food storage routine down though.  We walk to the store, a block away, every few days with our backpack and reusable bags and pick up what we need.  Feeling very metropolitan! We made the mistake of find the Godiva Chocolate store at City Creek!  I may be a triple wide before we get back home!!!

We start our Training for the Family History Mission on January 28th.  We are ready to get going on this.  We go through training for the first week and then on Friday, the mission president will give us our assignment.  We will be assigned to one of 18 different zones, which all have a different purpose.  So we have no idea what we will be assigned to.

We'll keep you posted!