Our new Call Center at the North Visitors' Center. Eventually we will have 12 computers and phones for outgoing and incoming calls. The Referral Center at South Visitors' Center will still handle all the Temple Square on-site referrals.
(3205)


Elder and Sister Millet hard at work. Last Tuesday we got 31 invites and 19 referrals in about 3 hours. What fun!
(3193)


Elder Millet is having too much fun.
(3194)


It's great to be left handed. I work the mouse with my right hand - the phone and pencil with the left.
(3195)

Our Senior Referral Center team: E/S Millet, E/S Estes, E/S Bingham, E/S Rock, E/S Sintay, E/S Ownby. E/S Alger. Each couple works in the Referral and Call Centers one day a week.
(3199)

We attended "Savior of the World". What a great performance held in the Conference Center Theater. The remarkable part was the stage. It rose up in many configurations to create places to stand or sit. For the shepherd scene it was like a rock outcrop and later it became a boat with mist all around like it was on water. The stage also opened up to create a well and also a fire pit.

The arches were drapped to create different home settings and above the arches the angels watched the scene below. The music was great and the acting superb.

The Christmas season offerings at Temple Square are so numerous. They happen throughout every day from Thanksgiving thru New Year's. The performance guide is 12 pages. This will be a wonderful part of our mission.

Joette reports that Austin's Pee Wee football team won the NorCalFed Division II championship for the second year in a row defeating Yreka 30-6. Austin passed for 2 touchdowns, ran one in himself, and his buddy intercepted for the 4th. Great game, Austin! Great season! We are very proud of you!

We had a delightful lunch at the Lion House Pantry with Elder Millet's sister, Jane Bryson, their friends visiting from Scotland, Rhona and Jonny Moran, and Mike Bryson. Rhona was an exchange student who lived with Jane and Mike for several years. We were thankful for the opportunity to meet and break bread together.
(3191)

Our lunch half-hour goes quite quickly, but, we would like to have lunch with YOU too. Please call when you are in Salt Lake City. (801) 355-9063

Another fun day of quilting with the second transfer sisters and their Zone Leaders. They did a great job. The wonderful part is that strong men bring the tables, put them up and take them away. Organization and cooperation on Temple Square is terrific.
(3190)

Thanks to Phil Wasden for sending this letter.

“In the aftermath of the recent election, we may find ourselves oddly on the defensive regarding our support for the Yes on Proposition 8 cause. Our young people have been especially subject to mean spirited comments by high school friends and teachers. We have nothing to be ashamed of. We did nothing wrong. In fact, we did everything that a civic minded American can and should do. I have put together a few facts that help me to appreciate our position better. For example:

Latter-Day Saints make up less than 2% of the population of California. There are approximately 800,000 LDS out of a total population of approximately 34 million.

Latter-Day Saints voters were less than 5% of the yes vote. If one estimates that 250,000 LDS are registered voters (the rest being children), then LDS voters made up 4.6% of the Yes vote and 2.4% of the total Proposition 8 vote.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) donated no money to the Yes on 8 campaign. Individual members of the Church were encouraged to support the Yes on 8 efforts and, exercising their constitutional right to free speech, donated whatever they felt like donating.

The No on 8 campaign raised more money than the Yes on 8 campaign. Unofficial estimates put No on 8 at $38 million and Yes on 8 at $32 million, making it the most expensive non-presidential election in the country.

Advertising messages for the Yes on 8 campaign are based on case law and real-life situations. The No on 8 supporters have insisted that the Yes on 8 messaging is based on lies. Every Yes on 8 claim is supported.

The majority of our friends and neighbors voted Yes on 8. Los Angeles County voted in favor of Yes on 8. Ventura County voted in favor of Yes on 8.

African Americans overwhelmingly supported Yes on 8. Exit polls show that 70% of Black voters chose Yes on 8. This was interesting because the majority of these voters voted for President-elect Obama. No on 8 supporters had assumed that Obama voters would vote No on 8.

The majority of Latino voters voted Yes on 8. Exit polls show that the majority of Latinos supported Yes on 8 and cited religious beliefs (assumed to be primarily Catholic).

The Yes on 8 coalition was a broad spectrum of religious organizations. Catholics, Evangelicals, Protestants, Orthodox Jews, and Muslims – all supported Yes on 8. It is estimated that there are 10 million Catholics and 10 million Protestants in California. Latter-Day Saints were a tiny fraction of the population represented by Yes on 8 coalition members.

Not all Latter-Day Saints voted in favor of Proposition 8. Our faith accords that each person be allowed to choose for him or herself. Church leaders have asked members to treat other members with "civility, respect and love," despite their differing views.

The Church did not violate the principal of separation of church and state. This principle is derived from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . ." The phrase "separation of church and state", which does not appear in the Constitution itself, is generally traced to an 1802 letter by Thomas Jefferson, although it has since been quoted in several opinions handed down by the United States Supreme Court in recent years. The LDS Church is under no obligation to refrain from participating in the political process, to the extent permitted by law. U.S. election law is very clear that Churches may not endorse candidates, but may support issues. The Church has always been very careful on this matter and occasionally (not often) chooses to support causes that it feels to be of a moral nature.

Supporters of Proposition 8 did exactly what the Constitution provides for all citizens: they exercised their First Amendment rights to speak out on an issue that concerned them, make contributions to a cause that they support, and then vote in the regular electoral process. For the most part, this seems to have been done in an open, fair, and civil way. Opponents of 8 have accused supporters of being bigots, liars, and worse. The fact is, we simply did what Americans do – we spoke up, we campaigned, and we voted.

Hold your heads up high – you did a great job on this most important cause. We will have more opportunities in the future to participate in our democratic process. Let's remember the lessons learned and do an even better job next time.

These are my personal opinions and thoughts; any errors are mine and in no way reflect official Church policy or doctrine.”

Thanks,
Kevin Hamilton

The protest started right at 6:00 with about 100 people and grew to over 1000. The crowds could be heard from our apartment. It sounded like a football game - people yelling, horns honking. We were glad to be safe at home. The Sisters were sent home underground and missed the whole affair. The seniors left to man the Square said it was awful. The noise continued until about midnight.

Do you think the tomatoes will survive? We have box after box of green tomatoes ripening in the Kitchen. This has been a wonderful year for cottage cheese and tomatoes, cherry tomatoes for lunch every day, plus many to share. However, I do not like fried green tomatoes, I do not like them, Sam I am.
(3180)

Temple Square in its first full winter dress. It snowed all day.

Christmas has already come to the Beehive House. The tree and decorations are beautiful - and so is Elder Millet.
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The decorators left the gate to the balcony unlocked and, yes, Sister Millet went up for this quick picture.
(3149)

We took an exciting tour of the basement of the tabernacle. We walk through the tunnels all the time but have never gone into the rooms that are always locked.


The Mormon Tabernacle Choir offices are located in the basement. It is a virtual city down there especially for the musical events on Temple Square.

Our male guide said the ladies dressing room were just like the mens. Yeah! All the Sisters wanted to see the dresses, etc. but we ran out of time.
(3135,3138)

If one can see he can wear the correct tie. Ties were hanging everywhere.
(3136)

The music library would be a great place to work. Music is stored here for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Temple Square Chorale, and Orchestra at Temple Square.
(3141)

There were rows, rows, and more rows of shelves holding music scores - over 20,000 numbers to draw from.
(3142)


There are about 400 copies of each number for the choir and smaller numbers for each part of the orchestra.
(3143)

Along the halls are cubbies for each member of the MTC or orchestra.
(3139)


The librarians put the music needed for the next practice in each cubbie just like the post office.
(3144)

A larage practice room for the MTC or orchestra.
(3140)


A recording room.
(3145)

Joette sent us some cute pictures of her family.


Austin was the starting quarterback for his football team. They were undefeated for the season. Good work, Austin!


Madison high in the air in a cheerleading routine.


Savannah.

We attended a marvelous concert presented by "We Also Sing" a group of 364 women directed by Merilee Webb. The music was great. Liz Jameson has sung with the choir for 3 years.


The setting was not too great but the company sure was. Scott and Liz with 3 of their 5 children: Natalie, Brandon, and Eric.
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