Day 4: Salt Lake City

Because everyone was so pooped from Day 3, it was an earlier night to bed and everyone slept pretty well. A. Honey, Joe and Pete went out for an 8AM walk to get Starbucks for the group. When we got back, we all had some breakfast and then we were off to Salt Lake City (SLC) around 10:30.

It was a little rainy and overcast but it was a short and easy drive to SLC and we arrived ~11:15 am. Our goal in SLC was to tour the Church of the Latter Day Saints (LDS))/Mormon complex called Temple Square (Temple Square is to Mormons what the Vatican is to Catholics), listen to the organ concert, see one or two Osmonds, maybe see the lake. We get to main gate with zero problems and go to the visitor center and then it starts. Women standing in pairs, in long skirts and a shirt and vest holding their Book Of Mormon and other notes welcoming you with a very pleasant smile and asking you if you would like a tour, do you have any questions or if you knew anyone who might have some questions. Now maybe I am too cynical but it really freaked me out. We were able to fend off the first wave because we said we wanted to hear the organ concert at noon and there was not time for the tour. And so we walked around the visitor center, saw a 40 foot tall Jesus and some sort of presentation were going on. Pete was totally mesmerized by the mega Jesus but the women there said we have a movie for families. Jen thought it was good to have a place for the kids to not bother other people. We were then ushered into a room and we thought this was not so bad since we have few minutes. Well here is lesson learned #4. When someone in Utah asks you if you want to see a movie. You say NO.

The “movie” was in 5 or 6 parts and you moved into different rooms where there was a set. You listened to the vignette and then moved to the next room. Bop escaped because we realized that we did not put any money in the meter. The rest of us stayed and we learned how a family has to stay together for all of eternity. I was thinking I like the "til death do us part" feature of our religion. I mean it gives you the option. Anyway,after the movie, they made us fill out comment cards and asked for names of friends who may have questions. So we gave some of them your names and numbers so you know, be ready.

We were not allowed in the Temple and there were no Osmonds and so after the organ concert in the Tabernacle, we were approached by more pairs of women and I had just had to get out of there. I want to say everyone was very nice and this was not threatening or too awful, it was just weird.