Salt Lake City, UT - 10.21.2020This trip is quickly coming to a close. That dang Covid 19 kicked us around again today!!! Anxious to see the tremendously famous Mormon Temple and Tabernacle, we headed there about mid-morning. The temple, tabernacle and 10 other modern, stately buildings including a conference center sit on about 5 square city blocks called Temple Square just down the hill from the Utah State Capitol building. The grounds of the Square are park-like and landscaped in a way to create a quiet, peaceful atmosphere. Due to the pandemic, every single building was closed. As we explored the Square we were greeted frequently with cheerful hellos from young missionary women. Two of them struck up a conversation with us. Stan asked the significance of the Sea Gull Monument standing in the plaza. Excitedly they told us this story:

Mormon pioneers had a long, difficult journey to Utah. When they arrived and settled even though the land was dry, they learned to grow crops for their survival. With the crops growing, they thanked God. Then as the crops were maturing, a great swam of locusts landed on the fields and began to eat their crops. They tried to rid the fields of the locusts but could make no progress. They prayed to God for help. A great flock of gulls came down which initially made the Mormon settlers even more afraid. They felt doomed. When they realized the gulls were eating the locusts, they were immensely grateful. Their crops were saved and they survived thanks not to the gulls, but for God's answer to their prayers in sending the gulls.

I give thanks to God for leading us to meet these two delightful missionaries, Sister Fiu, from Australia and Sister Kim from Korea. We took selfies together! Talking with them was the highlight of our day! They promised to check out my blog, so I once again say hello to these beautiful young women.

Yes, all the buildings on the Square are closed due to the pandemic but the temple itself is closed for the next four years!!!! Salt Lake City suffered a 5.7 earthquake in March this year. It caused damage to the famous brass Angel Moroni figure on top of the tallest spire. After the quake, a great crane removed the angel for repair and work was initiated to retrofit the Temple to make it earthquake proof. The entire plaza around the Temple has been removed and enormous excavation and pier-work is being done to make the building able to withstand the next quake. The work was fascinating to watch! Stan and I spent 30 or so minutes watching tremendous augers drill 3 feet wide columns deep into the earth and watching concrete trucks pump reinforcing concrete into the pier forms. Meanwhile multiple pieces of huge construction machinery were busy in this corner and that . . . like a hive of worker bees, each knowing what to do and more importantly, when and how.

We walked to the State Capitol building. Built in the neoclassical architectural style the Utah Capitol closely resembles our US Capitol building and those in Arkansas and Georgia as well. Its dome is copper, which gives credit to the fact Utah is the largest producer of copper in the USA. We saw the Kennecott Copper Mine yesterday, still operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and learned it is the world's largest man-made excavation, 2.7 miles across and ¾ mile deep. This mine has produced more copper than any other mine in history . . . 19 million tons. Impurities in the smelting process include gold and silver which is produced in significant amounts too.

Finally, since leaving California 10 days ago, we decided to have a civilized lunch. Sitting outside on a pleasant patio we had fancy tenderloin sandwiches on ciabatta bread and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc each. I just don't know how this happens, but our waiter, Dax, was another gift to our day. The lunch rush was over so he had time to chat with us a bit. Plus he knew we were well-pleased with our lunch and wine. He told us about his startling experience when the earthquake hit last March. His description made hair on my arms stand. We chatted in great detail about our mutual visits to Zion. And he also told us that if we have time, we should visit Salt Lake City's International Peace Garden.We did, of course. We love hints from locals on sights and activities not readily found via Google and TripAdvisor. The Peace Garden was indeed peaceful and lovely. There were exhibits from all over Europe and Asia. Every city should have an International Peace Garden. It's such an expression of love, acceptance and world-wide peaceful co-existence. It reminds us that we are all brothers and sisters of earth's communities. Let us strive to share the peace.