Time to Head to Provo and BYU Women's Conference

 Time to say goodbye to SLC and head south to Provo, but first we had to head north to Bountiful and meet Elder McSwain at his office. Silly me had left my phone at their place last night, so we called into his office to pick up my phone. Turns out his office is like a Natural History Museum- we got to see his collection of exotic animals. He and his sons and his brother and nephews go hunting and the walls of their offices are adorned with a collection of various animals.

We then headed south to the This is the Place Monument, which is where the Mormon Pioneers first came into the Salt Lake Valley, after fleeing persecution in the eastern states. It was a cold, wet day, but we were mainly travelling , but the rain stopped when we to to the Monument area.

You see the yellow school buses everywhere!

Lots of them parked together

This is the Place Monument

Close up of those school buses-they are multiplying.

We then headed to Archibald's where we caught up with Bindi's friend Margaret for lunch.

Then it was onto Brigham Young University- BYU

We got a lot of steps up, walking around the campus, finding out where to register, where our accommodation was, then back to the car to move it to where we were staying, so got a good look around the campus. It was a trip down memory lane for Bindi, she spent a year or two here.

Our student accommodation in Heritage Halls, it was basic, but cheap and good to just to be on campus and walk everywhere. 

Then we headed out for a wander before the Women's Conference began later that night.

Found the BYU shop and picked up some bargains

Long sleeved T-shirt for $15- BYU Surf Club!

Bindi took me across to Swig

 Fancy sodas and a pink sugar cookie- I think the sugar cookie tipped me over into sugar overload- nice but way to sweet!

 The grounds of BYU are lovely and the weather was clear and warmer down here

BYU Women's Conference began that night with some excellent key note speakers. Sister Annette Dennis of the General RS Presidency, Shima Baughman, Lisa Valentine Clark and Brad Wilcox. We were two of about 10,000 sisters gathered in the Marriot Centre 

Brad Wilcox was such a great speaker. He spoke about the House of Israel, the covenant people, our birth right to look after others. He was so engaging and entertaining but really got his message across.

He had used Donny Osmond's family ( without us knowing who they were) to explain Israel, Jacob, Joseph etc, and brought Donny Osmond on as his special guest at the end of his presentation and had him sing the song from the musical "Joseph and the Technicolour Coat" it brought the house down.

I had been quite sceptical about BYU Women's Conference, wondering if I could sit through all sessions but ended up thoroughly enjoying it and getting so much out of it.