FRIENDS MAKE IT FUN

Did you see the General Women’s Conference in Salt Lake City last night?   Wow, what a wonderful experience!   I particularly liked the first song, when the Primary girls sang one line, then the Young Women sang the next, and the Women sang the third – all pointing to ways our Father in Heaven loves us.   Feel the spirit.

Also noted a comment by the YW General President, Sr Oscarson; something like this …  ‘It’s a sociological fact, women need the friendship and love of other women to function properly’.   I am so very appreciative of all my old friends at home, who have helped me so much, and are still interested and inclusive.

Also grateful for the many new friends I have made since coming here:

January 20^th was set aside to honour the wonderful leadership of Martin Luther King jr.   Taking advantage of the holiday, we from the Garden Apartments, filled up several cars and drove to Brigham Young University’s Museum of Art.   On show was a unique collection of religious paintings by 19^th century European artists Carl Bloch, Heinrich Hofmann and Frans Schwartz. 

In the display the curators pointed to the variety of gifts that had led to the realization of the free showing of 20 sacred masterpieces from churches and museums in Denmark, Sweden, Germany and New York.   As well as the artistic talents of the gifted painters who created the works, there were remarkable gifts from individual, community and institutional owners of the paintings.   These were willing to share the works from alters and some that had been built into walls and other building features.   Through their art work, the painters shared the gift of their insights into character and personality of the various biblical figures from the life of Christ.   Then, as the curator explained, “The ultimate sacred gift is, of course, centred in the notion that Christ is the source of all creation and all creativity, and that he paid the ultimate price for our salvation.”

To see the wonderful paintings and hear stories of their creation was inspirational.   The skill and perception shown in the character studies, and slight inflections of the images was astounding to me, and greatly increased my appreciation of the gospel stories.

On a more light-hearted note, after the exhibition some of us took full advantage of the ‘all you can eat’ menu at the BYU Student Cafeteria, with its delicious and varied choices of foods from many different cultures and backgrounds.

    

Our Australia Day was rather a hoot!   Celebration took the form of a group ‘home evening’, with some play-acting, film clips and songs from the old country.   Pictured is Governor Phillip lording it over the poor miserable convicts again!   Reevie played the mouth-organ, and everyone was co-opted into dipping and rolling the lamingtons, before eating them for supper.

Remembering the days when Australians had to travel all the way to New Zealand to visit the temple, it is a continual wonder to now to be only five minutes’ walk from the magnificent Salt Lake Temple.     But when our temple was closed for maintenance, we took every opportunity to visit another house of the Lord.    The Bountiful Temple is nearest, about 15 minutes’ drive, then Jordan River and some others.   At one point you can see three temples at the same time, while driving down the highway, and this is particularly lovely with all the lights at night.   Pictured is our group dressed up in the snow, after visiting the lovely, more intimate sized Oquirrh Mountain Temple, and you can just see the angel Moroni on top. 

Ensign Stake Conference was held on one of the sunniest spring days since I’ve been in Utah, and with the meetings over by 3pm, a few of us decided to walk to the Utah Capitol building.   This design appears to be more-or-less standard for all the States, and we were delighted to find most of it freely open.    At the lower level we found portraits of all the Governors, and a series of historical displays.   On the balconies and higher levels we found murals of the pioneers, sculptures of Indian leaders, important industries, buffalo and many other important elements of the State’s historical and political development.   Outside we also found a variety of plazas and memorials to the fallen service men and women, and other important figures.   Some also saw our first squirrel, and made a mental note to return when the trees are in blossom and leaf.

 

Most recently, a few of us have started a Saturday morning walk to City Creek canyon.   On March 16^th we came across another rather large group with a similar idea, and noticed many in fancy dress, and most in one or other shade of green.   They told us they were the loony Limericks, beginning their St Patrick’s Day celebrations.   Looking back on the pictures I would have to say it may be difficult to decide which group appeared madder!

“Friendship is born at that moment when one man says to another: “What!  You too?  I thought that no one but myself …” 

“We need others physically, emotionally, intellectually; we need them if we are to know anything – even ourselves.”   

C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves