A strange thing happens outside of Utah in the summer.
The wards downsize by nearly half as everyone goes on vacation.
Even more amazing, we all go to the same place: Utah.
You can hear the chatter in the halls between classes. \"Yes, we're headed up to Utah this summer … really, you, too?\"
Utah is the beating heart of Mormondom, home to family reunions and beloved alma maters, Temple Square and mountains. If you're Mormon, chances are half your family members live in Utah. So when you plan a gathering spot, Utah just always makes sense.
Even if you don't have family who live in Utah, there is still that magnetic pull to head west. They build large cabins and campgrounds to hold big Mormon families. They have Cafe Rio. They know how to do grass right so it's soft underfoot. There is so much history there. Going to Utah is visiting the focal point of our faith.
When we make this annual trek from the oppressive heat of a Texas summer up to the cool, desert air of Utah, I'm always grateful that the church settled in Salt Lake and not Phoenix. Utah really is the perfect gathering place in the summer. There is so much to do in the great outdoors. The mountains and rivers offer so many options for hiking, biking, rafting and fishing. The air cools off at night. The rivers are cold and clear.
Get me going and I begin to sound like a travel brochure. Plan your dream vacation! Hike Utah! Listen to the heavenly sounds of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir! Eat a basketful of famous rolls at the Lion House Pantry Restaurant! Visit the spot where Brigham Young declared, \"This is the place!\" Gather family and friends under a canopy of silvery stars and sing about the old Mountain West!
I get giddy about showing my kids where Seth and I met, writing for our college paper. We love touring Temple Square, no matter how many times we've done it before. We plan intricate schedules to accommodate all the hikes, sites, former roommates and relatives we want to visit while we're there.
This is why, every year, when we plan our trip to Utah, we stretch out the days just a little bit longer. Sure, we could come back to Texas, where it's 100 degrees at eight in the morning and the fire ants swarm at your feet. Or we could stay just a few more weeks in Utah and go for a second round of horehound candy at the Beehive House.
So I apologize to all Utahns who actually live in Utah. I'm sorry we clog up your state in the summer, eat your ice cream, hike your mountains and fill your congregations full to the back.
You're welcome to come visit our state in the winter, when the weather is still balmy here and we're all reminded why we live in the South.
Or you can just stay put in your lovely state and watch us parade in and out. In any case, we'll see you again next summer.