Panama City Temple

Temple #97

Panama City, Panama

May 15, 2018

     Flying into Panama was beautiful as we flew over the city. The airport was about an hour and a half away from the temple, and about an hour to our hotel. We asked about a taxi but it was way expensive so we decided to take a bus. The buses were confusing at first and we couldn't figure out which one to take. Finally a guy began talking to us and decided to help us find the right bus. Apparently we had to take two different buses to get where we were going.

     After waiting for the bus for a while and talking to this man named Berto he paused and looked at us and then asked, “Are you Mormons?” We were surprised but said “yes.” He was pretty happy about it and told us he was a member too! He then got on the right bus with us and rode it to the next transfer and made sure we got on the correct bus. He was a kind man and member and a great example of how we should all serve. 

     Got to our hotel and it was a little different, pretty much a home, and our room was just barely bigger than the bed, but it was good enough. In the morning we got a typical breakfast of eggs and beans and then we went to the old town Panama and hiked Cerro Ancón, a hill that overlooked the city and the canal. It was a pretty hike with a great view of the city. It rained on us a little but it only cooled us down in the humid jungle of the hill. We could even see the temple from the top a distance away in what seemed like the middle of the jungle. 

     We hiked off the hill and eventually found a bus that got us to the temple after asking a few people. It was a long ride but it went through pretty neighborhoods. Eventually we were dropped off at the end of a long road. We walked up the road, picking a mango on the way up. The entire walk up the road we could see the temple. It was magnificent and we couldn't wait to get there. Eventually after about half a mile we made it to the temple and were so excited to finally get their! 

     The temple was larger than we expected. It was on a hill and surrounded by grass, flowers and a jungle. For how big Panama City was it was surprising that the temple was in the middle of a jungle with no other buildings close to it. 

     It was Monday and so we weren't able to go into the temple that day so we went to temple housing which was right next to it. We had called a month before and somehow we were able to stay at temple housing although it's always closed mondays. The Elder in charge didn't mind though and was happy that we were so diligent in going to the temple. We went into our room and it was one of the best rooms we had had so far on our trip. The great rooms are partially why we love temple housing so much. 

     Another reason why we love temple housing so much is because of the people there. The Elder in charge then invited us to a dinner/family home evening with all the senior missionaries there. We ended up going and really enjoyed it! They were really kind people and we played games with them and ate a great dinner. We felt out of place but it was a fun evening. 

     There were four couple temple missionaries, the temple president and his first councilor. One couple was even from Park City and knew Ivy's brother and sister-in-law. It was a fun evening and of course we met someone who knew our family. 

     In the morning we finally went to the temple. We were so excited, and although the layout was nearly the same as El Salvador’s and Honduras’ temples, there were still some differences that were unique and pretty. In the first endowment room there was a mural of the Panama jungles and there was an ocelot cat, a tucán, monkeys, and other jungle animals in the mural. It was beautiful to say the least. 

     After the temple we said goodbye to the friends we had made there and one of the sisters decided to help us and get us an Uber. She called a friend of hers and found us a really good deal to take us all the way to the airport. It was about an hour away but was only about $20. We felt blessed and lucky to have met such nice people and were so glad we had the taxi because we got there in good time where a bus may have taken too long. 

     As we flew out of Panama to our next destination we were sad to leave such a pretty country with such kind people. The people there are what really made it great for us because of their generosity and kindness. That showed us good examples of how we should be and now make us want to be more kind to others and help people out who are traveling if we can.