Monticello Temple

Temple # 22

Monticello, Utah

November 18, 2014

 

    

     Here starts one of our favorite trips. It all started with some conversation Vera had with her mom, Grandma Ivy. She had never done any of the Arizona Temples, and really wanted to. Vera, Darcy, Ivy and I also wanted to really do them as well, of course, so we made plans, and we went on a trip to Arizona! I planned out the route, Darcy drove Grandma Ivys car, Vera got the treats, and off we went. 

     Ivy's parents, Vera and Darcy, also have the goal, as we do, to go to every temple in the world. They had this goal since they were first married, and started off good, with their honeymoon focused on going to all the California temples. There were only twenty-one temples built when they first went, and so that was a fairly simple goal. But today there are over 150, and more are being built every year, making the goal a little harder. 

     Because of this goal which Vera and Darcy, and Ivy and I share, we have been to many temples together. They have also been kind enough to go to many temples with us, even if they've already been. So this brings us to the Monticello Temple, first in our trip. 

     We first started our trip out by driving to Moab, the beautifully red colored land of rock. We hiked to the famous delicate arch, and then went and stayed at a hotel. Moab is a fun city and area, and I enjoy it every time we go. 

 

     The Monticello Temple is a smaller temple, the smallest in Utah. We drove through the small town of Monticello, and then went to the temple. A random fact about this Temple is that the Angel Moroni statue used to be white when it was first built. Eventually it was replaced by a gold one so it could be seen more easily. 

     It was a fun little temple to start off our journey, and we were both glad we were able to go with Ivy's parents and her grandma. 

     After the Monticello Temple we headed south, towards the desert of Arizona. We drove past Mexican Hat Rock, and through Monument Valley. It was a neat drive with a lot of unique and amazing landscapes. We eventually got to Flagstaff Arizona, where we had some delicious Thai food, and then went on to Phoenix where we stayed the night. 

     The Monticello Temple, although small and remote, was still a great way to start the our trip. It's in a pretty area of Utah, and is a blessing for those who live in the area.