Snowflake / Taylor Cucumbers X 2

Pickling Cucumbers & Yellow Crookneck Squash

I love cucumbers! When I was growing up in Snowflake, my parents raised pickling cucumbers commercially for Arnold Pickle and Olive Co in Arizona. Pickling cucumbers are different than the longer dark green variety you normally find in the vegetable aisle at the grocery store as can be seen in the picture. This week I received a call from my Brother, Blake, and he said his son was driving to Salt Lake and he was sending me cucumbers and squash - YEAH. The next day I got a call from my sister, Kathy, and she told me her granddaughter, Allee, was returning to Provo after a family reunion and she was sending me (drum roll please) cucumbers (as well as some peppers and chili).  I feel doubly loved and am so grateful for family who goes out of their way to serve us. (These were actually grown in Taylor).

Allee and Pam

It's been a great week at the library! We have the opportunity to have a devotional/prayer meeting every day before we start our work. It is such a treat to get to know the other missionaries that we serve with as they share their thoughts and experiences with us. We love the things we continue to learn and the associations that we have.  We have made some really special friends.

Translator Byde with our friends, the Shios

Monday night we had the rare privilege of a tour of the LDS Church's translation department with our "Social Group." (Missionaries are assigned to a social group when they enter the mission and are encouraged to do an activity monthly). I was flabbergasted at the vastness of the process of what goes on there.

There is a scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants 90:11 which states, "For it shall come to pass in that day, that every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own language, through those who are ordained unto this power, by the administration of the Comforter, shed forth upon them for the revelation of Jesus Christ." This scripture is literally being fulfilled by the huge effort that is undertaken by this special department. 

We learned that  the United Nations translates into 7 languages.  The LDS Church translates into 94 languages.  When the UN delegates came for a tour of the department, they were duly impressed. In addition to the 58 booths that are housed in the conference center there are additional translations that occur in the country itself.  For General Conference the assigned speakers are required to turn the talks in 2 weeks in advance and the translators are given a copy to study.  When they have the headset on they hear the talk coming in one ear and their own voice translating in the other.  According to Sister Roberts it is a real talent and that women make especially good translators. Women by nature are multi-taskers and hence extra talented. When the speaker varies from their prepared text it can make some tense moments for the translators. Our friends, the Shios have a son who works in this department.

Diagram of the 58 Translation Booths

Section of the Mother Board

Sister Carole Roberts, our tour guide

58 of the 94 languages that are translated in the department

On Tuesday we went to the Brigham Young Historic Park to hear a jazz group called "New Hot 5" who played New Orleans-style Dixieland jazz music.  For one of the numbers the trumpet player placed his horn against the rim of the tuba, as you can see in the picture below, to create the sound of a mandoline. We enjoyed not only the concert, but the nice cool evening sitting on the grass (on lawn chairs). We would be unable to do that in Mesa at this time of year! We really appreciate the cool mornings and evenings.

"New Hot 5"

Friday night we attended the wedding reception of our son's sister-in-law, Maria Tenney. They were married in the Snowflake, Arizona Temple on July 27 and had one reception in Woodruff, Arizona and then a second one here in SLC.  It was a treat for us to get to visit with the Tenney's.

Saturday night we attended a concert in the Assembly Hall performed by Linda Margetts Family

Strings. Linda has been a Temple Square organist since 1984 and holds a PhD in music composition

Linda Margetts Family Strings

from the University of Utah. In addition to the many other things that she does, is an adjunct assistant professor at the "U" where she teaches organ. If you look closely on the front row of the picture you will see a little girl in a black dress with a mini violin (she didn't play much but she sure was cute).

On Saturday we finally made it to walk through the downtown SLC Farmer's Market.  This is a large market held every Saturday from June through October.

SLC Farmer's Market

There are fruits and vegetables a plenty along with many vendors of all kinds.  There are also different small musical groups that perform throughout the Park. These 2 small boys were playing there with their violin case open to receive donations.  The little one on the right was all smiles but the one on the left was pretty sober!

And last but not least some of the many beautiful flowers that are in bloom on Temple Square.