Layton Temple Open House with the Vances

This letter was meant to be published May 19, 2024

I was thinking this morning that I didn't have much to share this week, but after looking at my pictures and talking to Roy, I realized I would have a reason to sit down and write after all.

As school is wrapping up for all of our grandchildren, we are getting word of concerts, ball games, graduations, awards, etc.  We can't make it to everything, but we attempt to go to some of these activities.  

Max made the honor roll this year.  His principal told Elise that Max had
shown the most growth of all the students in the school this year.  We're proud of him.

This is another picture of Beverly graduating from kindergarten
 and one of her in her costume for her dance recital.

I had the wonderful opportunity to meet the Vance family in Layton to go through the Layton temple for the open house.  The Spirit was strong even though it hasn't been dedicated yet.  It's a beautiful temple with beautiful artwork.  Most of the artwork is not signed and I wondered if that might be because the artists wanted to consecrate their work to the Lord and not take recognition.  The picture at the bottom of this letter is one of the paintings exhibited there.  It's by Minerva Teichert.  Note the angels in the picture at the right of the wagon.  I know that the pioneers experienced miracles in their journey to the Salt Lake Valley.   You can see in the pictures below one of the outside features of the temple.  This may have been the kids favorite part.

Speaking of miracles: Roy and I saw the movie, Escape from Germany, last night.  Right before the war started, Heber J. Grant sent a message to the German mission president and told him to evacuate the missionaries.  He said that Hitler was planning to attack Poland in three days.  The mission president immediately began to send missionaries home.  However there were many missionaries that he couldn't reach by phone.  He looked over his list of missionaries and chose one to go and find all the others.  He felt inspired to send him alone, without a companion. This young man (Siebert), had been on his mission for 26 months and was eagerly awaiting his release.  He asked the president how he could possibly do this.  The president said, "Do what is right."  So Siebert went out "not knowing beforehand the things which he should do."  I recommend you all go and see the movie and see the miracles that took place as he helped 29 missionaries escape Germany before the beginning of the war.

We have a man in our ward who works for the Church in the Church History department.  He had a lot to do with the purchase of the Kirtland temple and the various artifacts that came with it. He took our young men (and Roy) on a tour to the church history museum and showed them many of the artifacts and shared his experiences with them.  Roy was going to write about the rest of the pictures (which is why this blog wasn't published in time).  Well,  you can just look at his pictures. 😂 [He's since come back to finish]

The photo above is the last original letter that Joseph Smith wrote to Emma.  I could really feel the spirit while we were experiencing the events of these artifacts.  

The pictures above are of the Liberty Jail and the original door of the jail.

The above are pictures of original paintings of Joseph and Emma Smith that were painted during their time.  So, I would imagine that they are pretty accurate as to what they looked like.

The pulpit of the Kirkland Temple.  I think that it is a great blessing that we have control of the temple and the associated artifacts from this important period of time in the early church. 

On another topic, I was visiting a Behavioral Client facility on the east bench of Heber.  Wasatch County is so beautiful.  I have spent alot of time in the area, especially when I was a teenager.  Basically the Rasband side of our family helped settle Heber City and started a lot of the businesses on the main street.  My mom's side of the family Watkins and Casper's settled the Midway area.  All of the red brick homes from the 1800's with the white corners were designed and built by my great-great grandfather John Watkins.  I know that progress is inevitable but it makes me sad that the area has grown so much with many apartments, condos and luxury homes on the east and north-east sides.

I took a few memory pictures after my work visit.  Above is the original Heber Train Station

This is my grandparents home Reed and Teeney Rasband.  I spent alot of time there when I was younger.

Next door is my Uncle Sylvans house, the brother to Reed.  I don't know who owns it now but it looks pretty much the same as I remember it.

This was the 15 acre pasture that grandpa Reed owned and that we did ranching on in the north fields.  Most of the north fields are the same because they are wetlands so they are difficult to build on.

This is part of the other 20-acre property that Grandpa Reed owned.  This is the coral where we branded cattle, castrated steers, de-horned them, etc.  Grandpa Reed had a bull named "Prince" that resided in the coral most of the time.  We used to climb on the coral fence and tease the bull.  He'd come from across the coral, snorting, trying to get us.  Of course we would hop off the fence where the bull couldn't reach us.

This is another photo the the 20 acre property.  Again, pretty much the same as it was other than some has built a luxury home on it.

 

 There is a copy of this painting in the new Layton Temple.  Notice the angels to the right supporting the pioneers in their journey.

I am so grateful for my pioneer ancestors and the sacrifices that they made in their dedication to the gospel.  I will forever be grateful.  Love, Dad