We are having the time of our lives here at the Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple. The dedication with President Uchtdorf and Elder Holland was marvelous. Virginia and I were honored to be able to speak at the second of the three dedicatory sessions. Days since the temple opened have sometimes been long (typically 14-16 hours the first week), but we are starting to get a feel for what we are supposed to be doing, and after Easter week things have settled down significantly. Photos with some commentary follow:
President Uchtdorf at the cornerstone ceremony during the first dedicatory session. Behind him is President Luis Amado, 2nd counselor in the temple presidency, with a less photogenic first counselor behind him, with his lovely wife.
Here is a view of the temple from our apartment balcony. It's wonderful to be able to just walk across the parking lot and be there--especially early in the morning or at night.
A view from down the hill
A view from the adjacent chapel
Another view from down the hill a bit
Interview of the first floor of the temple. Ordinance rooms and lockers are upstairs. The brethren reportedly said, after touring this temple, that this is the best temple so far in terms of the quality of the workmanship. They didn't find one thing that needed to be redone or improved.
Here is the chapel, just west of the temple on the same grounds, as seen from our apartment. It's also great to be able to walk to church so conveniently.
A scene from the cultural celebration of March 16, the night before the dedication
Scene from the cultural celebration
A shot of the Talanga chapel, a little over an hour north of Tegucigalpa, where we visited and spoke at a district conference on March 24.
View looking away from the Talanga chapel. Note lovely flowers on the tree.
Virginia with an 85 year old lady at Talanga who had left home on foot from the surrounding hillside at 7 a.m. to get to the conference early.
