Mérida, Mexico

On Friday and Saturday we traveled to the Mérida Mexico Temple and back.  This was our third trip to the Mérida Temple and as always, it was a trip to be treasured.  

On Friday, our bus left Belize City at 5:00 pm.  As we went north along the highway, members were picked up on the way in Belize City, and the towns of Ladyville, Sandhill, Orange Walk, and Corozal.  After an hour and a half experience of going through Belize and Mexican immigration at the border, we transferred to a Mexican bus. There was a brief stop at a diner for a little 2:00 am snack. We arrived at the temple at 4:30 am.  We did it under 12 hours this time.  

This was our lunch stop in Morelos, Mexico returning from the temple on Saturday. 

When we resided in Duarte, California, we lived one hour away from three temples --Los Angeles to the west, Redlands to the east, and Newport Beach to the south.  When we moved to South Jordan, Utah, we were only a mile and a half from the Oquirrh Mountain Temple.  I will never complain again about traveling through Los Angeles freeway traffic to worship in the Lord's house.    

A view of the temple spire when we arrived in the pre-dawn. 

This is the temple spire as we left the temple. Why is the angel with a trumpet on the top of most all of the temples?  The angel is not an object of worship for us, rather... well, it's best to read this link to find out!  

After our temple service we enjoyed seeing sights in downtown Mérida.  This sign is at the town plaza. As we approached the sign, we asked a tourist couple if they could take our picture. The kind man (bottom right) immediately told us that his daughter and her family in Minnesota are active members of our faith.  We became fast friends and he even invited us to visit them at Playa del Carmen if we ever were in the area.  

Across the street from the town plaza was the imposing cathedral of Mérida, built in 1598 on the site of Mayan ruins. It was the first cathedral to be finished by the Spaniards on the mainland of the Americas. We entered and learned more of religious devotion. 

The youth on our trip paused for refreshments and shade before we departed for home.

If you want to know why we attend our temples, you can watch this informative video. 

You can also see the video by clicking here.  

Elder Andreason arrived from El Salvador this week and is assigned to Dangriga, two hours south of us on the coast. With most of the missionaries who we pick up at the airport, we stop by this site by the sea, near our house, for this photo for them to send home.

Elder McDonald (far left) and Elders Livingston and Reyes (right) welcomed Elder Andreason at the office. Paul Woods (center) is the employee for the Church in Belize City who handles all the administrative functions in the country.

Later, we and the missionaries happened to meet up with our friend Rodney on the street.  Usually we're in our car, but it also feels good to walk sometimes, too, between appointments.

For district council this week we skyped from home with the missionaries since we happened to be all in different towns. Elder Magnusson volunteered to construct the outdoor showers for the youth camps to be held in August.  Here I'm trying it out...without the hose, and, oops, the all-important tarp to go around it! Read more on the finished product in a future blog.

When it rains it pours at this time of year in the Caribbean.  This was an afternoon downpour, looking out from our front door.