Landslide (Current Event)

https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/standard.net/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/2d/92df2346-7067-5cc3-b167-bece0bbee2bd/5b49b68a5a358.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C674

Riverdale, Utah, is right up the road from where I graduated high school. In 2017, a landslide started and caused the evacuation of several homes. The landslide was active for several months. This picture shows the scene, where mud and debris has fallen down the slope.
https://www.standard.net/news/environment/new-aerial-video-shows-riverdale-landslide-s-alarming-progress/article_84b32243-a94b-59ba-9733-4934abbf2f9e.html
I found a second article stating that one of the landowners is suing the city. Though the landslide has basically ceased, the resident insists that the city is to blame for it. The lawsuit claims that its pipe leaks that are behind the damages. Meanwhile, geologists say that the landslide is due to natural springs.
https://www.standard.net/news/government/riverdale-property-owners-sue-blame-cities-for-landslide-threatening-homes/article_81b2da8d-1e07-54c7-aa86-96dfb937e2dc.html
In our reading this week, we read about landslides and what can cause them. Figure 9.21 gives a perfect diagram of what Riverdale's landslide looks like. Water collects in the soil, and without drains and sufficient vegetation, the water turns the land into a soggy mass.
The articles and reading helped me to ask myself, is this slide one that could have been prevented by the city by placing drains? Is the city to blame? Or was vegetation cleared by residents, thus weakening the soil's hold? What do you think?

Science vs. Religion

In his talked titled The Creation, Russell M. Nelson said the following:
 "The physical Creation [of the Earth] itself was staged through ordered periods of time. In Genesis²² and Moses,²³ those periods are called days. But in the book of Abraham, each period is referred to as a time.²⁴ Whether termed a day, a time, or an age, each phase was a period between two identifiable events—a division of eternity."
This quote articulates, very well, how I would say I "reconcile the apparent conflict" Between the age of the earth according to science (4.5 billion years) and according to the scriptures (6 days). I don't believe that God's way of seeing and describing time is the same as ours. A day to Him is probably not 24 hours. He is eternal, has created many worlds, and the way he measures time isn't something we can fathom. Therefore, I agree with President Nelson that the periods of time called "days" in the scriptures are divisions of time on separate terms than mortal mankind's. 

wk05 Metamorphic Rock

I did some research and found that most temples are constructed with marble, usually on the inside. For example, the Ogden temple's outside is granite (not metamorphic) but the inside stone is, "Sunny Vinato marble, Tiberias Gold and Gallala marble—all from Egypt" according to https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/church/news/ogden-utah-temple-facts?lang=eng. This shows how important the temples are to the Church, and to God. Metamorphic rock is valuable. Our reading said that this is because it is easily polished and reflects light in a shimmering pattern. Marble is beautiful, and is thus a wonderful choice as the interior of a House of the Lord. 
Here are some pictures of me at the Ogden temple before I served my mission. So sorry for the poor quality of the first one!

Wk 04 Sedimentary Rocks

This rock is an example of sedimentary rock. You can see what spaces were once pores between different rocks, which were then filled with cement.  At one point, the overburden moved all the rocks close enough together to be lithified with the cement. The rock is decorated with different colors an textures. Some appear to be quartz.
I found this rock while walking to work. It was in a rock yard by a electric facility. It seems like the place was filled with rocks delivered by a landscaping company. I would assume that they were mined up specifically for landscaping. Sedimentary rocks aren't deep in the ground compared to metamorphic rocks.

W03 Volcanic Eruptions

https://youtu.be/e8hvc0gMUYU

This BBC episode is about the Legend of Atlantis as told by Plato. I watched it on Amazon Prime originally, but thankfully found it on YouTube as well!

Instead of interviewing someone who’s first hand experienced volcanoes, I hope it’s okay I share a photo I took, personally while visiting Pompeii. My dad was stationed in Germany while serving in the Air Force, so we went on a family trip to this historic site.

I also lived in Hawaii for almost 4 years while growing up, so I was able to witness active flows there. This picture is of some still-cooling lava that had actually flowed over the road we were supposed to take. It was strange to me that I could still feel the heat radiating off of it even though it didn’t appear red or orange anymore.