Temple Square

This morning, we visited Temple Square, the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (LDS). When the Mormon pioneers migrated to the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, this property was selected by Brigham Young as to where their temple would be built. The main buildings in the square are the Salt Lake Mormon Temple, shown in the photo, the Assembly Hall, and the Mormon Tabernacle. The temple was built from 1853 to 1893. It is the largest of all the Mormon temples.

Sacred ordinances such as “eternal” marriages are performed in the temple. Only Mormons are allowed inside the temple and only those in good standing with the church.

Temple Square

The Assembly Hall, completed in 1882.

Temple Square

The Mormon Tabernacle, where the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra perform. In heavy tourist months, they perform in a larger building outside the square.

You can take a tour of Temple Square. Additionally, if you have a long–enough layover at the Salt Lake City airport, there is a tour that leaves from there.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir–MOVIE

Visitors can listen to both the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s rehearsal and its actual live radio broadcast. You can take photos and movies during the rehearsal, but not during the broadcast and you have to remain completely quiet during it.

The 360–member choir is all–volunteer and members must be Mormons in good standing. They are allowed to sing in the choir for a total of 20 years, retirement mandatory at age 65.

The choir was founded in August 1847, just one month after the Mormon pioneers came to the Salt Lake Valley. Since 1929, a weekly radio broadcast called “Music and the Spoken World” has aired. We were told that the broadcast is not a religious one, but, rather, an inspirational one.

On Our Way to West Yellowstone, Montana

After the broadcast, we started our 320–mile drive to West Yellowstone, Montana, first through Utah, then through Idaho, to Montana. The scenery was part of the way of snow–covered mountains, farm land, ranches, and cows.

On Our Way to West Yellowstone, Montana

Then, the scenery was one of snow–covered fields and also more cows.

West Yellowstone, Montana

We spent the night in West Yellowstone. Tomorrow, we would visit the Yellowstone National Park.

I was dressed in several very warm layers and was not cold on the trip. In fact, sometimes I had to take off a layer as I was too warm. There was no wind, so that also helped and often the sun was shining. However, there was much ice on the road and walkways and I walked on it very slowly and with a walking stick so I would not slip. The ice is the only thing I didn’t like on the trip.

I have put my photos of Day 2 on a slide show. Go to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/day–2–slc–to–montana/

(Slide Shows, United States, Yellowstone in Winter, “Day 2: SLC to Montana”).