Taking The Train To The Temple

Thursday, June 13th, 2013 is a date that my children will always cherish. Why?

Because they got to ride a train!!

Last year in Colorado, we took the light rail from Aurora to downtown Denver. It was also a lot of fun, but this Utah trip was different. It wasn't a small commuter rail-car, it was a full-sized passenger train...two stories high (as the girls breathlessly noted)! And it ran on real tracks!

Their excitement was contagious; they were almost screaming with joy as it pulled to a stop!

 The Front Runner commuter line is a relatively recent addition to the transportation options in Salt Lake/Utah counties, so there aren't a whole lot of trains (they run every half-hour during peak hours, and every hour in the daytime). Nevertheless, it was great fun to buy our tickets, kick back, and relax on the way to downtown Salt Lake City.

We wanted to take the kids to Temple Square, and enjoy all the Mormon-related sights roundabout. The only catch; the train actually dropped us off several blocks from Temple Square...and it was a hot day...and we didn't have a stroller so the girls actually had to use their feet and walk the whole way there.

So...far...away...

As you can imagine, this made our girls a little unhappy, particularly our younger ones. They grumbled and mumbled and murmured much of the way to Temple Square, and they never quite recovered from that. Oh well; here are some highlights anyway:

Lorelai enjoying the Christus statue in the Visitor's Center

This quote was in the Welfare Square section of the Visitor's Center...wise words!

Celeste, with Abby and Elaine, inside the Assembly Hall

We got to sit in on a free organ recital in the Tabernacle! I was excited by this development...the girls less so. After the whining became too much to bear, we quietly exited early.

Goofing off in the Reflecting Pool outside Temple Square

We also took a ride to the top of the Church Office Building...

...but Nathan took all these pictures, because I am too chicken to spend much time out on the observation deck!

The girls loved this beautiful fountain in the Conference Center

The awesome skylights above that fountain

The Conference Center...EES BEEG (translation: "it's big")

Luckily, the weather had cooled off a bit by the time we made it to the Conference Center roof

Enjoying a fountain on the roof of the Conference Center

This "empty field" is actually an exhibit of sorts, showcasing the native UT wilderness vegetation. And yes, we're still on the roof of the Conference Center. This building is a little weird.

I am somewhat ashamed to admit that my kids' grumpiness rubbed off on me a bit on this day. I really love Temple Square and love to feel the spirit there, but it just isn't possible to do that when your little angels get complain-y. There were moments when I regretted taking the trip, and wished we'd stayed back at the Carlins' house that day. But Nathan reminded me that our children are still young, and over the years, these special buildings will start to mean more to them. It was a good reminder to me to increase my patience, and be thankful for the opportunity to be there in the first place. I already have many great blessings in my life; the blessing of having older, tougher, more patient kids is a blessing that is on the way!

I'm also glad I kept it together enough that we were able to get these cute family photos there. See, we love each other still!

 

After the conference center, we began the slow, trudging walk back to the train station. Luckily, we timed our journey well so we were able to board the train and relax soon after arriving.

Some of us "relaxed" a little more than others...like Charlotte here.

So long, Front Runner! It was a great ride, and the kids will always remember their awesome seats on the top story. By the day's end, I was also really thankful for Grandpa Nash, who accompanied us and provided invaluable assistance in keeping up with all the kids. He was pretty tired by the end of the day, but he'd earned the rest on the train. Maybe, if the family is willing, we'll do a Front Runner ride again in a few years!