Temple Square

Thur - Temple Square
After having a really nice 'hot' breakfast we decided our first adventure would be to Temple Square. 
Since SLC has a population of approx. 190,000 people we decided rather than take 1-15 into the city we would take the 'back roads' to avoid some of the traffic.  That only took maybe 5 extra minutes and proved to be a good idea.  Then came the parking!  That proved to be interesting as we drove around the block a few times trying to figure out how to get to the underground parking.  Once we got underground and parked the car we had visions of never finding it again.  I even took pics.  But it all ended well.
For those of you who have been to Disney Land and were impressed with the total cleanliness of the area, well all of Temple Square is far nicer and far cleaner.  The grounds were beyond description they were so beautiful.  I remember reading someplace that it would be impossible to photograph the beauty of Temple Square and that was totally true today.   We were all so glad we decided to start our trip there.

The grounds were fantastic

Jim reading

Jim and Mike reading (me in the background)

Mike and Judy enjoying the view

Tabernacle

Organ

Everywhere we went we were met by volunteers asking us if we needed any information or if they could help in any way.  They were so kind and so pleasant.  We walked all over the place and at 12pm we were honored to listen to an organ performance that was fantastic.  The organist even did the straight pen test to show us how the sound conducts throughout the tabernacle.  It was just amazing.
All the buildings were huge and so well cared for and once again taking pics just did not do justice to this beautiful area at all. 
One of the plaques had this written on it:
The Lord showed Brigham Young in vision the basic design of the Salt Lake Temple.  After sketching the body of the temple and it's six spires on a slate Brigham Young had Truman Angell, an architect, take his concepts of the temple and create actual drawings. 

The Mormons decided to build the temple out of granite and found it 20 miles away up in little cottonwood canyon. Huge blocks were cut and transported down to the site by carts & oxen. Blocks were then cut to size lifted up to scaffolds and put in place.  Despite poverty and dangerous working conditions the latter-day saint pioneers dedicated their time, strength, talents and funds to build this temple  It took 40 years from the actual drawings until the temple was completed in 1893.   It is as beautiful today as I imagine it was when first constructed.

SLC Temple

SLC Temple

Angel Moroni stands on top of the tallest spire.

According to legend the Angel Moroni visited Joseph Smith a number of times beginning on Sept. 21, 1823.  It was believed the angel was the guardian of the golden plates which were the source material for the Book of Mormon.  This angel appears prominently in Mormon architecture.

We've been benched