Here it is, another Sabbath day.  I just got home from attending "Music and the Spoken Word" broadcast.  It was a very special performance for me.  The orchestra was present for the first time since I arrived and their arrangement of "How Firm a Foundation" brought tears to my eyes.  The choir also sang "A Child's Prayer" that was so beautiful.  

Given the fact that today is the first day of daylight savings time the Tabernacle was full.  Even in the balcony.  Every week, before the actual broadcast, an announcer introduces special people - or groups of people who were visiting today.  There was a group from Afghanistan and another military group that were doctors serving on the Hospital Ship that serves 3rd world countries.  Another group were high school students from Alpine, Utah.  That caught my attention because Dylan and Emily Henry, my nephew and niece go to school in Alpine.  They weren't among the students and it seems the youth were honored there today because they had put their papers in for missions.  Dylan and Emily aren't old enough for missions yet.

Sister Winkie standing outside the Bountiful Temple

Last Wednesday I attending a session at the Salt Lake Temple and yesterday Sister McKnight and I drove to Bountiful to attend a session there.  It is a beautiful temple.  It was really busy with a full parking lot and lots of people everywhere.  There was a wedding party taking pictures when we came outside. As you can see it was fairly warm but still lots of snow to melt. 

Back to highlights of today.  After hearing the Tabernacle Choir we went home for a few hours then  walked back for our church meeting.  Of course everything was inspirational.  The Relief Society had an excellent teacher.  Church finished at four and we went home but at 5:30 Sister McKnight and I met to walk over to the Tabernacle for the Salt Lake Interfaith Round table.  It was a interfaith Musical Tribute by many groups of adults and children that performed..There were Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Catholic, Christian, Balinese Hinduism and Scots playing Amazing Grace on the bagpipes.  It was an excellent program that I enjoyed very much.  At the end all the children lined up across the stage and they and the audience sang "Let There be Peace on Earth."  It ends with "To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally.  Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me."  Good words for us all to live!

To the left is the Salt Lake Children's Choir and at the bottom is the grand finale.  To the right is the Balinese Hinduism special guest dancer.  It was so good.

I thought I would walk you all through my week day.  I leave my apartment about 7:15 AM to walk to the Joseph Smith Memorial building.  On Mondays we begin the work week with a mission wide devotional.  It is in the chapel on the mezzanine floor of the building.  It is a very beautiful chapel and I enjoy just sitting there and partaking of the spirit of so many senior missionaries and young elders who are serving in our mission.  There is music with a sisters choir that perform some special pieces.  We then have 8-10 speakers each Monday.  All the missionaries are informed when they first come out that they will eventually be called upon to give a 3 minute presentation on their life.  It is hard to condense your life in 3 minutes so all the talks are well prepared and moving.  They are given plenty of notice for when they will speak.  I will get my turn in a few months.  The devotional lasts for one hour and then everyone goes on to the various buildings on Temple Square.   Missionaries are assigned to the The Church History Library, The Church Office Building, The Family History Library, The Vaults in the Granite Mountain and the Joseph Smith Memorial Building (JSMB).  I work on the 6th floor so I don't have to bundle up to go outside to walk to my work place.  Everyone is excited and happy to be in the mission and to have meaningful work to do.  I know I am!

So for the rest of my week (Tuesday through Friday) I just go up to the 6th floor and enter a security door to the side of the building where I will spend my day.  I go to my desk and open my computer and the various programs I will use during the day.  At 8:00 AM we all gather in a conference room for a prayer meeting.  We (being the missionaries and staff of the Data Quality Zone) have a nickname as being the "happiest zone
in the world."  I think we have about 50 missionaries in our zone.  One of the senior sisters wrote a poem about our zone.  Perhaps I will put it on my blog sometime.  In the prayer meeting we all take turns giving an inspirational thought and prayer.  We sing a hymn with a sister playing a little table top keyboard.  Announcements are given and a light thought is given that always makes everyone laugh.  That is a wonderful way to start the day.  When we are dismissed it is off to work we go...

View of the mountains standing at the Bountiful Temple

I have an hour for lunch and I usually take mine from home and eat in the lower level of the JSMB where there are a lot of tables/chairs and lively conversation.  There are some vending machines, 2 microwaves and other helpful supplies for those eating there.  Occasionally I go to the Church Office Building (COB) and eat in the cafeteria.  It is very nicely laid out with many choices.  Much like a cafeteria in a large hospital.  There is a grand piano in the cafeteria and President Klopfer (my branch president) plays the piano EVERY day during the lunch hour.  He plays a huge variety of music including oldies, show tunes, movie sound tracks and everything that is good and wholesome.  I love to hear him play.  The ground floor of the JSMB also has a grand piano and there are always a variety of people playing it during lunch time and at the close of the day.  The atmosphere it creates is peaceful and comforting.  I have always loved to hear the piano so this is a added bonus for me.  You are all probably wondering what I do at the computer all day. It is confidential work so I can't talk about any part of it.  Temple Square always has a lot of activity going on.  The spring flowers are beginning to peep through the soil.  We saw some purple crocuses braving the winter and lots more leaves popping through.  Today is a beautiful day with blue skies and bright sunshine.  It was cool walking to the Tabernacle but it is fore casted to be in the 50s before the end of the day.  My friend said it was supposed to be in the 60s all next week.  Well that is all for now.  I pray for you all and miss you but I would not want to be anywhere else on earth.  I love you.  Thanks for the letters and cards.  I especially loved the drawings of Reanna and her girls.  Thank you so much!