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!