We spent a brief couple of days at Willard Bay State Park, a freshwater basin near Ogden, Utah. Separated from the Great Salt Lake, it is freshwater, and plenty of people boat and fish in the area. We enjoyed an evening at the beach, which offers boats, kayaks, water inflatables, and paddle boards for rent. We all four had a great time playing in the cool water. With the temperature nearing 100, it was a great way to spend a few hours after getting into town.
While staying at Willard Bay, we also ventured over to Salt Lake City to Temple Square, which is a huge complex owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Mormon pioneers arrived in Salt Lake Valley in 1847. Brigham Young, church president and prophet, chose the place to build a temple to God. Now, this square (and surrounding buildings) is the most popular tourist attraction in the state of Utah (more than the National Parks). It is estimated that 3 million plus visit yearly, and we were in that number this past weekend.
Aside from the interesting history that we learned, we also spoke with several missionaries who have devoted 18 months of their lives to help spread the word about their beliefs. We met a young woman from Thailand, who has only been in the country for a brief time. A member of the LDS church, she was raised Buddhist and still has upset family members over her new religion. We also took a tour of Brigham Young’s home and the first church offices, called the Beehive House. There are beehives carved in various places in the house, including a staircase banister. The idea is that one bee alone cannot do much, but a hive of bees can do so much. The same is true of human beings.
We saw the Salt Lake Temple, which took 40 years to build, where members of the church perform sacred ordinances, such as baptisms and weddings. We also went inside the Tabernacle, which is home to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra at Temple Square, and Bells on Temple Square. We saw the Assembly Hall and other architecturally beautiful buildings in the square, as well. The visitor centers alone were very informative, as well as full of exhibits, art, and films for the public to view.
While in the Salt Lake area, we also took a detour to Antelope Island State Park, which is home to herds of American Bison, Pronghorn, Bighorn Sheep, and lots of birds. We didn’t see any bison or sheep, but we did spot some Pronghorn and plenty of birds. We also took a short tour of the Fielding Garr Ranch; the ranch home, which was built in 1848, is the oldest Mormon-built home that is still on its original foundation, in Utah.
We then took a walk out to the beach to walk around in the Great Salt Lake, check out the saltiness and look at the bazillions of brine shrimp that call that water home. Nothing else can live in that high level of salt concentration. It is also said that most people can very easily float in the lake because of the higher density of water, though we didn’t try it.
4ina5 