Week 17--December 15-22, 2019

We have two Christmas trees at the Independence Visitors' Center. This one is located on the upper level.

Transfers happened this week so the missionaries could be home to celebrate Christmas with their families. Many of the sisters gather for a group photo.

Sister and Elder Larsen visit with Elder Harrington on the cool morning.

 A photo of some of the elders. The short elder in the middle is Elder Bailey who was lovingly referred to in the mission as Elder Smiles. He always had a smile on his face. He went home and we will miss him.

These sisters all went home. We had the opportunity to serve with most of them at the Visitors' Centers.
Pictured: Sisters Horman, Barney, Dance, Taylor, Ireland, Spencer, and Ells.

 A sister in the Liberty area made these cute candy cane Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer for the sisters at the Jail.

A photo of the sisters with their Rudolphs.

Picture: Sisters Mickelson, Villegas, Nabhan, Jones, Coronado, and Heiner. (Sister Heiner is a Visa-waiter going to Hong Kong.)

 We went to Union Station this week. The station was built in 1914.  Since the decline of the rail industry, the building has become a hub for many activities including a restaurant, gift shops, a science center, an escape room, a museum, and is currently hosting the Gengis Khan exhibit.

The Holiday Express Train had arrived at Union Station and will be here for a few days. The train takes short runs and they invite kids to ride.  {They also serve hot chocolate.)  The idea is a takeoff from the Polar Express.

The 40 foot Christmas Tree in the main lobby was gorgeous.

There were dozens of model trains set up throughout Union Station. The kids (and adults too), spent hours watching in fascination. The trains are privately owned and maintained by hobbyists who, dressed in engineer overalls, maintain the equipment. 

The detail for the villages, towns, shrubbery, and people shows the love and attention from many individuals who only care to share their love of trains with others.

Rather than set the trains up against a wall, here can be seen the detail of the miniature mountains.

There are a few of the original wooden benches throughout Union Station that would have been utilized by the many travelers who passed though the station.

 There was an exhibit of Genghis Khan at Union Station when we went. He was a very interesting individual. The exhibit explored the culture, conquests, and heritage of the world's greatest conqueror...the man Time Magazine and The Washington Post names "The Most Important Person of the Last Millennium."

 A  model yurt that he would have lived in and is still the home for many Mongolians today.  We saw hundreds of these yurts when we were in Mongolia.

 Stringed instruments played by the Mongolians.

There was a show put on by a man who travels with the exhibit that played the instruments and performed throat singing, an art that hasn't been embraced by any other culture.

This mask of an Old White Man is worn during a dance to fight off curses.  He dances with his eight children who wear the masks like the one below.

This mask features three eyes, one looking into the Past, Present, and Future. The five skulls are meant to protect us form the Human Sins: War, Greed, Gossip, Adultery, and Theft.

Masks and art work were available for purchase.

After the Genghis Khan exhibit we went to Jack Stack for dinner. Our dessert was warm carrot cake with a warm cream cheese sauce and pecans. Very yummy! We had to share this one as we were so full from the wonderful barbecue dinners we had just eaten.

We ended our day by going to see the Piano Guys. A wonderful concert filled with Christmas songs and humor.  The sold out auditorium which seats 3000, was built in 1927 and is as elegant as we've seen.