Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is the capitol of Utah.  This capitol building was voted the 2nd most beautiful after Wisconsin's.

 

 

 Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City.  Within the square is the Mormon Temple shown above, which is not open to the public.

 Above is the Lion House, the original home of Brigham Young, the founder of the Mormon church.

 

Above right is a replica of the temple.  Since it is not open to the public they have a model in the visitor center displaying the various rooms.  The room above is where the 12 current apostles of the church have their meetings.  Below is a baptismal supported by oxen.  When we were there on Saturday, there were many weddings taking place inside the temple.  The Mormons believe if you're married in the temple, then your marriage will last into eternity.

 Below is the tabernacle where the choir usually does their broadcasts.  During the summer, they move to the conference  center across the street that holds 21,000 people. 

 Our guides were two young girls from Italy and Germany. They are required to serve in a mission for 1 1/2 years.  These two got to come to Salt Lake City to lead tours around the temple square.

 Inside the Tabernacle.  There are over 11,000 pipes in this organ.  The acoustics were remarkable.  One young girl stood on the podium and dropped a small straight pin onto a board.  You could hear clearly in every part of the building.

 We got to attend a live performance of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  Choir members can be in the choir for 20 years.  They have to be between 25 and 60.  There is a long waiting list to be chosen. 

Standing in front of the great Salt Lake.  What a useless body of water.  Fish can't even live in it.  I'll take the Georgia lakes any day.