Backstage Tour

We had the neatest experience last Saturday. We got a backstage tour of the LDS Conference Center. It was awesome to see the inner workings of this amazing building. Thank you Mom and Dad for arranging this for all of us; it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. (Here is a picture of the missionaries on the roof of the Conference Center followed by a picture of my entire family that could make the tour at the same location.)

We got to go in places that I never could have imagined going and hope to never go again. Since I don't sing well, I'm sure that will be my only experience in the choir seats. Also, I NEVER want to speak in that huge building...so intimidating. But, we got to see some special things (all the thousands of pipes - more than 7,000 -behind the organ, and the view from the pulpit). Here we are in the choir seats, the GA seats, and behind the Black Walnut pulpit.


The technology of how they keep the huge building working was also fascinating. We saw the huge pipes that help heat and cool the place as well as duct work that was so huge in places that I think you could drive a Mini inside. We saw the underside of the balcony seats and we saw a 10-storey high wall that supports the back of the organ.

Finally, we saw some places that we had no idea existed like storage areas, food places, etc. But, one of the most amazing places was the translation room. This is the room that is used by the translators during general conference. Here is Laura and Grandma in one of the many aisles of translators and a picture of all the languages they do on site. (These are only some of the languages conference is translated into, 58 there on site and more than 90 total.) Laura's favorite part was pushing the buttons on the elevator. Trust kids to be thrilled with something like that. Sara, thankfully slept through almost the entire tour. Laura also loved the pink fish (salmon) on the yummy dinner that Mom and Dad treated us all to at the Lion House Pantry afterwards. She also enjoyed tossing a coin into the fountain on the roof.
Thanks again Mom and Dad for this amazing experience. But, most of all, thank you for serving the Lord and being such a great example of the importance of missionary service to us and our girls! We love you!