Picture Niagara Falls . . .

. . . and picture yourself standing at the bottom of the torrent, trying to get a drink of water. That's what us poor trainees feel like as we finish our third week of training. There is so much information to give us, and it's coming at us so quickly, that we all feel half-drowned and not very knowledgeable. Fatigue is our watchword -- you can usually spot the trainees by their appearance (red eyes, lots of material, a sort of confused expression) -- or maybe that's just the poor Zorneses. In fact, Matt had a very good description of our early morning attitude. We keep plugging along with these two encouraging factors in mind: Our setting apart blessings, and the fact that every single person we've talked to has been through the same thing, with the same feelings. But they all "got it" and a lot of our trainers have been here a relatively short time. I should put in a third factor -- the Elijah Choirs; Men's, Women's and Mixed. It makes getting up at 4:45 a.m. worthwhile (I can't believe I just wrote that), and I mean that. So I know we'll make it, and we hope that by the end of our 4th and last week of training we'll know enough to be turned loose on the poor patrons. I know that a lot of the patrons know much, much more than I ever will, but there are constantly folks coming in who have never been to the Library before, nor have they ever done a lick of genealogy research. My comfort is that perhaps we can learn together, under the gun, as it were. As long as they don't want their lines traced back to Adam before the end of the shift. (That's a joke, I think.)

Does that sound whiney? I don't mean it to! We really are having a wonderful time and are so very glad to be here. It's beautiful here right now, and we have a great group. I'm even learning some of their names -- we've had to introduce ourselves about eleventy-eleven times, before every class and training exercise. We've begun saying "We are still Elder and Sister Zornes, from Dallas," and everyone sympathizes. Also this was a very good waker-upper: I had been feeling rather smug about my first four generations, and then I discovered how much wasn't done, how poorly it was sourced, and how much work there is still to do. I'm really glad I'm learning all this stuff -- it's been very helpful. Now if I could just learn the other 99.75 %!!

We've Got Your Bach

I'm still a little emotional as I write this, so I may not be too coherent. I used to wonder why this church, the one church actually presided over and directed by our Savior, has had such a lack of music worthy of its Eternal nature. There have, of course, been many very talented and capable members who have contributed enormously to our literature, but we have never had one with truly global stature, who whose works are going to be part of classical choral literature for many years to come. We have one now, Mack Wilberg, an awesome individual indeed. I have always loved his hymn arrangements, both LDS and early American, but I never realized the depth of the man until I heard a recording of his Requiem, and went straight to heaven.

We were unable to attend the broadcast this morning because Bob is fighting off a cold and hadn't had a comfortable or restful night. So to compensate I put on my headphones and put in a new CD we bought yesterday, the aforementioned Requiem, and was rewarded beyond words to express. If you don't have a good, even great, sound system you need to hear it on headphones, so it comes straight into your head. It's a personal revelation and speaks so strongly to your spirit that God lives and that he loves us.

The church finally has the composer and the music it deserves. This is a great time to be alive. (Note to Cameron: if B&N doesn't have it, I'll send you one.)

We're assigned!

We had our last bit of training today, followed by an inspiring "Go Forth" meeting, followed by a trip to the temple. That was followed by lunch in the cafeteria, wherein the mission presidency bussed our tables. Neat! I'm glad they didn't offer to wash our feet -- I felt funny enough giving them my dirty dishes and used napkin.

Our assignment is the stuff of Bob's fondest dreams -- we're assigned to the Family History Library, in the U.S./Canada reference zone. So now we go back into training for two more weeks, and I hope that I can learn enough to be able to help other people. Our trainers assure us that we can, and everyone who knows anything about that zone says that it's really wonderful and that we will love it. I'm including photos of our trainers, Sister Wallace (Bob's) and Sister Bettinson (mine). I've already uncovered some new information during training and I am pretty jazzed about being turned loose in the "candy store."

We got home early today, but will start in again on Monday with an early call for choir, so right now I am going to take a nap! How lovely to have an apartment with two matching recliners. The housing team was inspired, for sure.

The suspense builds . . .

. . . as we approach our final 2 1/2 days of training. Where will we be assigned? Our fellow trainees are beginning to cautiously ask one another, "Do you have any preference? Where do you think you may wind up?" Some are having to struggle to learn computer skills, and some are there mainly because their spouses are genealogy addicts and are having to learn research skills. Some have definite preferences, which I believe the presidency takes into consideration but doesn't let it take precedence over their own inspiration.

We've had over a week in the training center, have been taken on a tour of the Church History Library, an awesome place, and have experience in the big Family History Library, so by now I feel so strongly about the inspired guidance of this whole enterprise (and it's a huge and magnificent organization) that I'm pretty sure I'll be happy with whatever decision they make for me. I haven't stated that I had a preference, so it will be up to them. I suppose they get some input from my trainer, a patient and capable woman. They seem rather interested in Bob's professional photography career, but I don't have anything exceptional to offer. Of course, should they choose to put me in the Walker's office, where there are two computers and a midi keyboard -- hey! I'm all over it!

Friday is almost here . . . tick, tick, tick.

"Awe" is a very inadequate word

There are really no adequate words to describe the feeling one gets attending a Mormon Tabernacle Choir broadcast, or even just a rehearsal. The music is sublime and it covers the complete spectrum from playful to majestic, from tender and soft to overpoweringly loud. The spirit there is intense and we have yet to sit through a session without weeping. I've discovered another gifted arranger besides Mack Wilberg, and that is this morning's organist, Andrew Unsworth. Besides being a bionic organist (he played some exit music this morning that nearly blasted the pipes off the wall and was absolutely stunning), he performed this morning his own arrangement of one of my favorite folk tunes "Down by the Salley Gardens." If you can catch one of the re-broadcasts you'll sure be glad you did. The choir also did a Harry Belafonte number with a small combo (harmonica, guitar, and string bass) which was eventually joined by the orchestra. It was very touching, with the background of photos they shared -- a perfect Father's Day tribute. And the closer! -- the final chorus of Mendelssohn's "Elijah," And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth, with a 90 decibel AMEN at the end. I was six inches off my seat by that time, still weeping from the previous number and feeling absolutely exalted.

I think it must be a small foretaste of what it will be like to be in the presence of the Lord -- feelings of love, of gratitude, of awe at His power and strength, and of humble appreciation for His love.

I wish you all could have been there.

What a difference a week makes!

Okay -- a couple of weeks. I have to confess that I did not like Salt Lake City when we arrived here. In the first place, we were barely into the city limits when a rock kicked up from a truck tire near us and cracked our windshield. Also it was raining and rather cold and I think there was only a day or two where it was what you could call warm. The street in front of our apartment clear down to the south corner is a mess because of the new Church History Library they're building. The sidewalk on our side is torn up as well, from our apartment down to the corner. This necessitates two rather lengthy detours to walk to the Joseph Smith building, where we spend the bulk of our time until our training is over. But on our first walk over there we fell in love with the plaza. It's so gorgeous! And today we walked through Temple Square to get to the FH library and that is even more beautiful. I don't know who the master gardener is around here -- I've never seen anyone actually working -- but the flowers are exquisite and on a beautiful day like today it makes your heart sing.

We were worried about the apartment. It didn't look like much from the outside and I knew that we were going to be on the 3rd floor. But we love it, and it's very convenient. Very roomy and well laid out. And we can practice our instruments here! Also I can testify from cruel experience that the smoke alarms work. The unfortunate thing is that when they go off, they register at the fire station. Very embarrassing. At least I didn't set off the sprinkler system!

I was scared to death of beginning, not being terribly brave or confident either, and the training has been delightful and even fun. I have a lovely trainer, as does Bob, both very patient and knowledgeable women. I'm finally getting a handle on the computer programs the church deals with in family history and one of these days may even be capable enough to do it on my own.

I was afraid that I'd be without music for the whole time we're here, but I've played piano for the pre-class devotional a couple of times, will probably be playing for Relief Society, and we've been singing with both the big Elijah Choir and the men's and women's choruses. I'll be playing flute on one of the numbers for the women's choir. The directors are fabulous musicians and arrangers and marvellous choir directors and teachers. I hate to see them leave. I'll get plenty of music on this mission.

I thought I'd be among strangers, but I've already run into 2 women I knew before, one from California and one from Texas, and today in choir I sat next to a woman who recognized me from the Dallas Temple. One couple here was in a ward with some other friends of ours, so we have mutual acquaintances and we feel like friends already.

We thought there was no place to eat close to the JS building and instead there are so many choices for lunch that we have trouble making up our mind. Right across the street is not only the Deseret Book Store, but a food court as well -- with a Schlotzky's, one of our favorite places. We're trying not to get too big for our britches, but I dunno . . .

I'm beginning to love Salt Lake City.

And here's some more things I've learned

I've learned that the body is more adaptable than I thought, and on the other hand, I've learned that the expectation here is that it takes about a month to become acclimated. So we're adapting to being always short of sleep and always tired, but the training has been so much fun and the people so wonderful that we're still going fairly strong.

I say "fairly" because we got up at 4:45 this morning so we could go and practice with the big Elijah Choir, and I must say that it was worth the extremely daunting journey over there. It was daunting because we're suddenly in a cold snap and it rained this morning, so it was only in the high 40's or very low 50's when we left, and then all the doors to the hotel were locked (we don't have our security badges yet). But we saw someone go in the west door, so we went back around there and Bob hauled my scooter up 6 stairs, only to discover that door was locked as well. Fortunately one of the presidency came along at that time and let us in, so we did get to the rehearsal on time, but just barely, and we were frozen through. I'm happy to say that it was well worth it -- the conductors are wonderful and the music very nice. We'll be very happy there.

And I've learned that you run into people you know everywhere you turn here in SLC. At rehearsal this mornng I ran into a fellow alto from the Southern California Mormon Choir, serving on the same floor where we're being trained. We are invited to dinner Sunday by a fellow missionary whom I used to visit teach in Texas who is also in the choir, and we're looking forward to that. The day before that (Saturday) we're invited to a barbecue by a cousin-by-first-marriage, whom I dearly love, and I'm looking forward to that. And I've learned that even with all this exercise, we've been eating so well here that we are going to have to start being a lot more careful or we won't have anything to wear.

And I've learned that I sure do love my family and friends, and would love to hear from them! Thank you, Debby, for calling so often! We love this work and are excited about being part of it.

Some things I've learned in Salt Lake City

1. The absolute very best way to begin the Sabbath is to walk to the Conference Center for the choir broadcast.

2. The absolute very best way to conclude the Sabbath is to walk to the Joseph Smith Building for a sacrament meeting -- through the celestially beautiful Plaza, and into the most beautiful chapel I've ever been in; and then to walk back home through the celestially beautiful Plaza.

(When I say walk, what I mean is that Bob does the walking and I ride the scooter and try not to run over anyone I'm not personally acquainted with.)

Here's some other things I've learned in Salt Lake City:

1. There is no humidity here, and Texas noses have a little problem with that. Okay, a big problem.

2. Everyone in our apartment building is nice. Everyone in our mission is nice. The temple Square sister missionaries are all cute, without exception, and nice.

3. It's a small world -- serving in my mission is a sister I used to visit teach in Texas, and also another couple who are mutual acquaintances with some dear friends of ours from Simi Valley as well as some other friends in Newbury Park. We all were once in California, and now we're all in Utah.

4. My refrigerator looks beautiful adorned by the Woodyettes art work!

5. The monthly missionary Swap Meet is a hoot.

6. There is no place to park anywhere in Salt Lake City without driving down to Murray and hitch-hiking back to town. And yet, oddly enough, everywhere I go I see cars parked on the streets. How do they do that?!

7. I have so many pictures to share that I need to find out from Amy, my blogger Guru, how to post them on Flickr or some such place.

8. Setting up housekeeping from scratch is no joke. It's amazing the things you forget to buy or bring (hence the enthusiastic attendance at the Swap Meets). We'll be donating an awful lot of things back when we leave, or else we'll have to hire a moving company to get us back to Texas.

9. I miss my family an awful lot, but I'm handling it much better than I expected to. But I see folks who have given up a lot more than I have, and are back here for their 4th, 5th, and even 6th mission, so I try not to whine too much.

10. I miss my little Frisco 4th ward choir and all my friends in it!!

11. I'm a little nervous about beginning training tomorrow. Plus, I've been home from church for over an hour and still have my pantyhose on. This can't be right! But I feel too righteous to get into my grubbies, so I'm soldiering on.

12. I have the best missionary companion in the entire world. I'll repeat that -- IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!! I am so fortunate, and love him so much.

And I love you all as well. God bless!

We're official . . .

. . . with badges and everything. This is my third attempt to attach photos so you can see how saintly we look all duded up as missionaries. And I have to stick in a photo that shows you how effectively we get around. It's a 15 minute walk over to the Joseph Smith building -- uphill both ways, or so it seems, and lots and lots of construction and missing sidewalks to detour around. Bob is getting a workout, but I'm sitting "pretty," at least if you consider Maxine pretty. I love my little Go-Go scooter and it sure is a life-saver in this neck of the woods.

We had a lovely luncheon today and got lots of information, with much more to come when we start training on Monday. My brain will probably explode, but it will be all good stuff that leaks out. At the end of the 2-week training period we'll get our assignments. We'll get trained on PAF, NewFamilySearch, and lots of other neat stuff, even if we get assigned to Church history or administration. We also get 4 hours every week and one whole day each month to do our own research, and our free time is pretty much ours to do with as we wish. We're already going to a picnic Monday at Heritage Park (we'll probably freeze, but it will be fun). Utah weather is interesting, to say the least. For me one of the most exciting things is the choir. The Elijah Choir is huge and sings all over the place around here, but we have to start with the Men's and Women's choruses and work our way up. The problem (for Bob, anyway) is the 6:15 a.m. choir rehearsal. I personally can't think of a better way to start the day, but Bob will likely have to work up to it. Hopefully his love of singing will save the day.

Finally -- on line!

As it turns out, my last post was my last day online for more than a week. The technicians just left a little over an hour ago, but now we have a landline, TV hookup, and wireless internet service. I can't even remember all that happened this last week, but I can say that we were treated beautifully by Bob's brother-and-sister-in-law and were in such beautiful surroundings that it was hard to leave, except that we were so excited to finally get a look at our new apartment and discover to our delight that it was perfect for us. It should only take one or two more shopping trips to get what we need to set up housekeeping comfortably. We're very happy with our apartment, and Bob got me a scooter for the walk between here and the buildings we'll be working in, and that will be a huge help. I wish I could have used it for the unpacking and putting away, because right now the only parts of me that don't hurt are my head, shoulders, and arms.

We had a lovely experience meeting with the housing coordinator when we signed our lease, and know that we're going to love all the folks we work with in this mission. We officially start tomorrow at a luncheon and orientation, and then training begins in earnest Monday. I don't think we'll ever achieve the status of "highly trained staff" that they brag about in their leaflets, but we'll certainly know a lot more than we do now!

I'll be posting some pictures as soon as I can coordinate with Bob. The house where we were staying was up on Ensign Peak, behind the Capital building, and they had a spectacular view from their kitchen window and front porch. Bob got some wonderful pictures and I'd like to share them with everyone. This last week was like a dream vacation, as Bob's relatives had both a Mason & Hamblin grand piano in their living room, but a full Allen organ as well. I was in heaven and tried to get in all the playing I could before the long drought begins.

AND -- we got to sing in a ward choir last Sunday that was directed by Vanja Watkins, who, as anyone involved in church music knows, is terrific. She's sweet as a peach and isn't a bit weird, like some composers I know.