Portland Oregon Temple

 We visited the Portland temple during Covid.  Consequently it was closed so we just got pictures outside the temple.  It was right off the freeway if you look at the exact right time.  It is very pretty with six steeples

Mesa Arizona Temple

 We went to the open house of the Mesa Temple; ran into Aunt Guneve.  The tour inside showed many pioneer era murals, especially in th baptistry.  We also went back over Christmas a couple years ago and so the Christmas lights.  Sheri and i have also gone to do work in the temple when the Las Vegas Temple had a long closure.

Kingman is Having a Strange Stretch with Shootings and Fire.

 Over the past week and a half there have been three shootings, and a major fire that involved five structures.  This seems a lot for our community of about 50,000 (including New Kingman and Butler).

First incident happened by the Grace Lutheran Church where I go for choir rehearsal.  Apparently a man was holding a woman and her kids hostage.  When she escaped he fired a few shots at here before stealing a vehicle and heading to Golden Valley.  In Golden Valley he shot and killed a 61 year old woman.  He then lead a chase back to Kingman.  He finally crashed his car at the corner of Harrison and Airway (where we often drive and is a few miles from where he started shooting in the morning). There he engaged officers in a gun battle and was shot several times.  He has since been taken to Las Vegas area hospital.  I have never heard of the connection between the man and the woman he murdered.

Next shooting involved a road rage incident up Hualapai.  Apparently the followed each other down from the mountain until stopping at Walgreens on the corner of Hualapai, Beale and Stockton Hill.  There they confronted each other and one driver pulled a gun and shot the other.  He was quickly identified and arrested by police with no incident.  

The last shooting involved a man holing up in his house after having poured gasoline in the house.  He had an argument with his room mate.  Swat was involved.  After three hours of negotiation they finally convinced him to come out.  However he pointed his gun at police at which point he was shot and later died of his injuries.  

Finally this past Tuesday there was a large fire.  You could see smoke from our house and they say you could see flames from a couple blocks away.  This was the street behind ACE Hardware.  It involved four homes (one frame and three mobile) as well as a sand alone garage.  Newspaper said no injuries but four families, including seven people, were displaced.  There has been no cause of the fire given.

fire through the windshield on our way to volleyball party

San Diego Temple

 When we took a trip to San Diego a couple years ago I insisted on doing a session in San Diego.  I think the San Diego Temple is extremely beautifu, inside and out.  I especially like the celestial room.  But I also like the shape, and the sea shore plants that grow outside.  I also like how it is so close to the freeway.  

Nauvoo Temple

 Nauvoo is very much an historical town.  It is appropriate that the Nauvoo Temple has been rebuilt.  And even though Moroni was put vertical rather than horizontal as in the original temple, it looks very much like the original temple which was burned as the Saints were leaving Nauvoo.  This temple is unique with a large assembly hall on the bottom floor and then the dressing room and endowment rooms are upstairs.

Gilbert Arizona Temple

 We visited Gilbert Temple during a time it was closed for cleaning.  Consequently I have only seen the temple from the outside.  We went with Eliza McNeil who lives in the area.

Flood Prevention Work East of our Home.

 Last ear they did some flood prevention work on the wash just east of our housing subdivision, Vista Valle in east Kingman.  I am wondering if this was in preparation for the new freeway exit and road to the airport (most recently to be called Flying Fortress Parkway).  I have still to notice any water flowing down the was.  They cleared out the channel and made it larger, and added gravel periodically.

Pictures in and Around Kingman

 There are some unusual things about Kingman.  One of these is the monkey holding a flag pole which is north of Kingman in the dirt roads.

I also really like the saw tooth mountains behind Dolan Springs which you see on the way to Las Vegas.  They seem very unique to me and ery beautiful.

Last we saw a horny toad, which is actually a lizard.

Fresno Temple

 This is a smaller temple.  You had to schedule everything there even before Covid.  When the Oakland temple was being remodeled, Sacramento became our temple.  When Sacramento closed for cleaning, Fresno was the next closest.

Las Vegas Temple

 This is our current temple living in Northwest Arizona, Kingman.  It is also the only temple where I have worked as a temple worker.  I recently resigned as we are looking at moving this summer which takes lots of work.  You can see the temple in the distance from certain spots on the freeway which I love.  

Christmas display at the temple

Phoenix Temple

 I have been to the Phoenix temple a couple times when the Las Vegas has been closed.  It is very beautiful and is close to a conservation park and a golf course.  It is actually in Glendale, just north of Phoenix.  It is the next closest temple to me here in Kingman at about three hours.  It has one steeple with Moroni and a nice fountain/pool in front.

A Visiting Road Runner at our Camp: Boulder Beach Camp Ground

 A road runner visited our camp twice while we were camping at Boulder Beach.  I assume it was the same one.  Pretty views of Lake Mead as well.