These seven temples I’ve seen in the past week. The temples with asterisks are the temples I’ll be going to while the Salt Lake Temple is closed. Not included in the list is Provo, but I’ll be going there as well.
  1. Jordan River*
  2. Oquirrh Mountain
  3. Draper
  4. Salt Lake City
  5. Bountiful
  6. Ogden
  7. Brigham City

On Monday morning, I attended a session at the Jordan River Utah Temple and returned home to be invited by Karl and his father to join them on a drive to Brigham City. While we were there, we stopped at the Deseret Industries and I bought a couple of ties and saw a clarinet there (I would have bought it if I had $30, a set of reeds, and a strong desire to learn how to play the instrument) and after that we went to the temple grounds and I took a walk around the temple to get some photographs. This Friday, I have volunteered to substitute for someone at the Conference Center, so I will not be attending any temple this week.

I met Elders Christofferson and Andersen (both are Apostles) this past Thursday in the tunnels as they walked to the temple. The temple is currently open only to construction workers, volunteer cleaners, and General Authorities. It was so cool as I was following them, they were having a casual conversation about how they worry about the youth of the church. They truly do care! To any doubters, it’s not just an act that they put on at the pulpit!

It is getting back to slow season at the Conference Center. This both a good & a bad thing. It’s great when we’re able to actually spend time with our guests and get to know them and strengthen their spirits while in the building, and bad when we don’t get too many tours. On Wednesday I had a tour and a sitting post, so there really was no way I was going to be able to do anything else except sit in the break room and eat, so I crashed the organ demonstration that was taking place on stage. It was quite enjoyable, especially since Richard Elliott was playing. I even got to go up into the organ chambers and see how the air enters the pipes. Fascinating! After, I got a ride home from him and he’s loaning me a book about organ building.

At Global Service Center, the work rolls on. I have a slight change in my schedule as I’m now serving at the front desk on Monday afternoons in addition to Wednesday afternoons.

The Tabernacle Choir is preparing actively for their upcoming performances for the ACDA (American Choir Directors Association?? – which will be attended by Dr. Kevin Meidl, Allen’s high school chorus teacher) conference in the last week of February. It has just been announced that Santino Fontana, the voice of Prince Hans in Disney’s hit animated film Frozen and the guest star of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at this past year’s Christmas and Pioneer day concerts, is returning for an unprecedented THIRD time this year to perform at the concert.

I am still not able to donate because of my protein levels being too low. My retest from last week came back with it just a bit low, so the medical supervisor at the plasma center suggested I try and eat as much protein as I can today, tomorrow, and Monday and come back in Monday afternoon and get retested again. He suggested that in addition to eating lots of protein, I should also have plenty of water for the next three days.

I saw your email from a few days ago, I didn’t actually spend $23 on music, but rather it was completely free. I bought it from my online store on my website and applied my 100% discount code (music arranged by Allen which he sells on his website). Also, I know I spent a little bit more than I was hoping to today for food, but I needed to get some very high protein foods to boost the levels up.

Today, I went to the plasma place where I found out the above information. Then, I got groceries, took them home, and went to the organ recital of Linda Margetts.

I love you!

Elder Blodgett