Temple in Bismarck, North Dakota

Lauren and Joe came to visit on their way to Sycamore, Illinois. We traveled an hour north to Bismarck and walked around the Temple grounds.




The Temple in Bismarck is one of the smaller models. Roger and I have been there a few times and the most we have been with in a session is 16 people. The great thing about temples, it does not matter what size they are....the same peaceful spirit is there.
The Temple is near a huge water tower, so that helps me find it everytime I travel there. It is also nextdoor to the Bismarck Stake Center Building. I love how all Temple grounds are maintained and always have such beautiful flowers.

It is a good thing they have an Angel Moroni facing east on top of the temple, because I can not yet tell East From West, or North from South. There are no mountain ranges near Bismarck like there are in Utah to orient yourself with to determine the direction. The Missouri River does not help with directions either, It takes a turn from a West to East direction onto a North to South Direction near Bismarck somewhere.









We had lunch at this quaint Restaurant "Fiesta Villa". It was once the Train Station on Main street, downtown Bismarck, North Dakota.

Goodwill of Good neighbors.

View of Lake Oahe, which is a bloated Missouri River area due to a Dam that was built downstream. This is the view from the Standing Rock Tower facing north.

Today Roger and I were chauffered to Bismarck, North Dakota by our sweet neighbor Johna. She is a Psychologist with a PHD working on the Indian Reservation. She is also the animal rescuer on the Island. She has three dogs and a couple of cats she has rescued and rehabilitated. It was very generous of her to spend the day with us in Bismarck.

Our trip to Bismarck was fun. It only takes 50 minutes to get there traveling on a two lane highway through farm land. The highway travels within a 100 yards of the Missouri River most of the way to Bismarck. It is green here, like it is red in St.George. Everywhere you look it is green grass. I have never seen so many fat cows in my life. They have so much land for grazing that is so lush with grass. I can't help but ask Denice Hughes what he is thinking of .....raising cattle on the Arizona Strip. His cattle would think that they had "died and had gone to heaven" if they saw this land and all the grass feed!

We checked out all the great shopping spots, and even found a fruit stand to buy pickling cucumbers. (I have even put up seven bottles already of pickling cucumbers. I don't know what I was thinking because I have no place to put them now that they are bottled.)

There is a LDS Temple in Bismarck that is only open on Thursday and Friday evenings, and all day Saturday. The Bismarck Stake takes in most of the State of Bismarck. In a couple of weeks is Stake Conference. More people will travel from long distances to attend, than live right in the Bismarck area itself. They are reorganizing their stake presidency.

Interesting side note: The Stake Presidency is having a change in a couple of weeks. The Stake President has been out of work for a few months and just moved his family to Shawnee, Kansas for work. (Just in case any of you think Stake Presidents are exempt from trials and challenges....proof that everyone has opportunities to increase their faith!) Our son Ryan, lives in Shawnee Kansas with his Wife Hannah. We will not be in town for the changes in the Stake Presidency. We will head to Chicago for Lauren and Joe's open house.