It has been an awesome week in the library and out. We celebrated our country's birthday this past week and we are so blessed to be Americans! We love our country and all it stands for and the freedom and blessings we receive every day because we live here. I love our flag and all the patriotic songs of this holiday. I love the pledge of allegiance and the Star Spangled Banner. Seeing the American flag waving in the wind always brings a smile to my face.
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| (Picture from Google Images) |
Hannah, Chase and Violet came over to our place for pizza and so everyone could meet little Violet!
Several of us library workers had an amazing experience last week when a tour bus stopped and the travelers came in to do some research for one hour! There were about 30 people and they were all of the Jewish faith from New York/New Jersey. They wanted to see if they could find records for their ancestors from all over Eastern Europe. We were able to find experts to help most of them, but there were two gentlemen left with no helper available for them. I suggested to them that I could get them started and show them a few things in general. They were happy with that idea. They each sat down at a computer and I showed them how to search for some records in Hungary and Poland!
They knew enough names and dates to get started and though we didn't find their ancestors in the countries they were searching, we found some in the 1940 U.S. Census! They were thrilled to see names that they hadn't known before along with relatives that they did recognize. We were able to print some records for them to take with them. The coolest thing though was when I was able to give one of them the addresses for the family history library closest to their homes. One of them lived in Lower Manhattan, New York, and when I put in his address, two libraries showed up just a few blocks from where he lives. One of them was located in the National Jewish History Center. I just found that to be an incredible thing--a Mormon Family History Library right inside a National Jewish History Center. The man was thrilled and looked forward to visiting the library and finding out more about his ancestors!
The 4th of July:
All the kids had plans today, so it was just the two of us. We had a lovely day. We took a drive up to Brighton ski resort and took a hike around the lake there. It was a beautiful day to be in the mountains enjoying nature.
On the way back down, we stopped and had lunch on the back patio of this wonderful little restaurant. We have been trying to lose a few of the pounds we found in Brazil, so we shared a sandwich and a salad! We've been doing a low carb, low sugar diet and have seen some good results so far.
Since it was a holiday and summer, we broke our diet for a wonderful (mini) chocolate, coconut, pecan frozen custard from Neilsen's in Holladay. I took this picture because as always, there wasn't a soul around when we got there, but within a few minutes of our arrival the place was packed! We really should be paid some sort of commission for the business we bring in to every place we go!
We also took a drive around one of our favorite neighborhoods in Salt Lake, the Harvard-Yale neighborhood. We are absolutely in love with these homes and the tree-lined streets!
We had to work early the next day at the library, so we decided to opt out of going to the fireworks with Eric. He promised he would be able to find alternate plans! First year in forever, we completely missed the fireworks, but we did get a good night's sleep and had a good day the next day because of it!
Saturday morning, Mike was cooking bacon for our breakfast and he accidentally spilled the bacon grease on his hand. He has a nasty burn from it that we have been faithfully treating and hoping and praying it doesn't become infected. (He won't let me take a picture of the wound itself.)
On Saturday night, we invited another couple from our floor at the library, Bob and Becky Lathen to go to dinner and to a concert at the Tabernacle. We ate at the Pizzeria Limone (delicious pizza and salad). The concert was a National Guard Army Band and it was very patriotic and moving! Perfect end to the week of July 4th!
Sunday was a very busy and special day. We got to attend the homecoming Sacrament Meeting for Paulo and JaLayne Bangerter in American Fork. They just returned from being mission president (and wife) in the Salvador Sul Mission in Brazil. We got to know them while we were in Brazil and they are good friends with our good friends, Cindi and Jeff Ingersoll. Paulo is the son of Mike's mission president, Grant Bangerter. His brother, Howard and wife, Leesa, are also mission president and wife of the Piracicaba Mission in Brazil.
They had several returned missionaries from their mission there as well as a lot of their family members. They asked all of them and us to come up and sing "Called to Serve" for the special musical number. It meant so much to us to be included in that! They are amazing people and we were so glad to be able to be there to hear their wonderful talks!
Geri Bangerter (Mike's mission president's wife) is 94 years old and was there also. He loves the Bangerter family so much. A lot of President and Sister Bangerter's children were there and remember Mike from when he was their dad's assistant and lived in their home when they were little kids living in the mission home in Sao Paulo. Very special times and memories for Mike.
After that meeting, we hurried back to Salt Lake for our sacrament meeting. Mike had been asked to put together a musical number of male voices. They sang "Because I Have Been Given Much" and were accompanied by Sister Sharon Seiter. It was beautiful!
After church, we had a wonderful visit with two of our very best friends, Kim and Kimbal Hancock. We have know them from our very beginning during our whole courtship and marriage! They were two of our best supporters when we were dating and have been good friends for nearly 30 years! It was so fun to visit with them and catch up on their family and their lives in Loveland, Colorado.
On Monday, during our trainer's meeting, we had to say goodbye to our wonderful leader, Sister Sharon Seiter. She and her husband, Mike, have been our zone leaders and their mission is ending in a couple of weeks. They have been so great and we will miss them very much!
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| From left to right: Sisters Lemon, Vogeler, Austin, Seiter, me, Wing, Lathen, and Day |
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| Livi with Violet at Easter |
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| Claire with the mermaid Barbie gift we sent her |
Whenever I get depressed and want to give up, I think about these brave missionaries and all they went through and the amazing success they had because the Lord blessed them for hanging in there and bearing their afflictions with patience! I love the Lord with all my heart! I know God hears and answers all of our righteous prayers! I know that there are angels helping us through life! I am grateful for every blessing and every tender mercy!
And finally, how cool is this?
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