The Puerto Rico temple

I had the wonderful assignment to cover the dedication of the new San Juan Puerto Rico Temple on Sunday, January 15. What an incredible blessing for La Isla del Encanto! 

I traveled there on Thursday with our photographer and my boss so she could train me on temple dedication coverage. JB found a cheap flight and met us there. He was quite patient with the long days of working, then we both stayed afterward for a couple days to soak up the Caribbean sun before coming back to snowy Utah.

On Friday, I had arranged to get interviews about some of the humanitarian work the Church has supported, funded or carried out on the island after the major hurricanes and earthquakes of the past few years.

We met Gustavo from Project Hope and he led us into the mountains an hour and 15 minutes to Aibonito, where we went to a senior center and met the wonderful Gloria, then to the city offices, then to the home of a wonderful lady named Margarita, and from there to meet the manager of the Church's welfare and self-reliance department on the island. 

Gloria is 92 and just started learning the guitar at the senior center. (JB is so nice to catch pictures of me! I did put video of her playing on my Instagram account).

This is a street in Aibonito. They change the flags every so often.

Meeting Margarita.

Sarah, Ivalisse from the city, me, and Kristin the photographer

We met Edgardo at the Aibonito chapel. What a beautiful building.

The story from the whole day's efforts is this one: Not forgotten: Church service and support help Puerto Rico find hope

After the interviews, Gustavo and Edgardo recommended Catinflas restaurant in Aibonito and eating on the deck. This is the view.

Couldn't resist clocking out for some shenanigans.

That night, Sarah, Kirstin and I drove to the Bayamon chapel, where a woman had told me they were having a get-together of pioneer members in Puerto Rico. This was a lovely meeting, full of joy and tears and memories and hugs. By the way, I thought I was getting much better at my Spanish, but Puerto Ricans speak so fast!

This is the story I wrote about that meeting; Puerto Rican pioneers hold joyful reunion ahead of temple dedication

Saturday was a long day but a beautiful day at the temple and on the grounds, where we did a lot of the prep work and main interviews for the dedication story. 

JB took this photo as I chatted with Church security while the official portrait was taken of the Church leaders by our photographer in front of the temple.. He's the same man who helped me so much in Haiti in 2019. 

We took this photo together near the end of the day, when the bright blue sky was starting to fade into a beautiful golden hour.

Eating at El Platanel that night. Service was super slow but the food was super good. 

A famous dish in Puerto Rico is mofongo - mashed plantains. There's a bit of it on this plate.

Sunday was wonderful. Very busy, another 12-hour day in a row, but wonderful. I did more interviews with members and youth and I attended the noon dedicatory session. This is a photo I took.

I found this photo on the Caribbean Area Church facebook page. Zoom in over the shoulder of the girl in blue, and I am in the background. I was always trying to jump out of sight of the photographer but missed this one!

Elder Christofferson spoke in fluent, beautiful Spanish any chance he got. It was amazing. The people heard the dedicatory prayer in their own language. At the end of the third dedicatory session, it started to rain. But someone told me they saw it as a blessing on the day. I loved that idea.

Here's my story about the dedication: A prophetic promise fulfilled: San Juan Puerto Rico Temple is dedicated

I felt so grateful for the Lord's help as I worked to share the messages and feelings of the day in the article. I know He helped me meet my deadlines. I was also quite grateful for Sarah's help! She has done so many temple dedications — often all by herself — all around the world, and her confidence and skills are unmatched. 

On Monday, we all went to tour El Morro (the fort) before Sarah and Kristin's flight back to SLC.

JB and I have been there before, on the Richards cruise of 2014. 

We also walked a little around old town.

We ate at El Metropol restaurant and had these chichirrones and yucca and yellow rice and it was very good.

Tuesday, we went to Escambron Beach. JB took a picture of me face-timing the kids before they left for school.

What a beautiful day. I just wanted to soak in the skies and sun into my bones.

Wednesday was a long day of travel back home. But waiting at the airport was fun, because this little girl came right over and became my new friend. She and I played with her toys and chatted away in Spanish and English.

JB's flight landed first and then he came back to pick me up. I was so anxious to see the kids again.

I was incredibly proud of these kids. They did dishes, they fed themselves, they did their homework, they got themselves off to school. Max and Ben stepped up big time and I think it was a great learning experience for them.  But they were really ready to take a break! 

My friend Heather took this picture on Sunday for me of James helping Millie with the hymn while the three older boys were helping with the sacrament. 

Almost every day, I work flexible hours at home (in PJs if I want) and send the kids off with a kiss and hug before school and welcome them when they come back. But when I was considering taking the job at Church News, I was nervous about leaving my children for occasional travel. My colleague who had traveled with the Church leaders himself told me, "Your stories will become their stories." The increased faith and testimony of the restored gospel that I am receiving from these experiences I am sharing with my family. 

Rose Bowl 2023

JB, Max and Ben went with Papa to see the Utes in the Rose Bowl again this year. John invited JB's brothers to go as well but I understand they could not make it. It's hard to leave work and family for a long drive. And it would have been nicer for them to see the Utes win — but they still had a good season. 

Breakfast in CA.

At the Rose Parade.

At the stadium (JB is 6'2, look how tall these boys are!)

The stadium was full of red. A lot of people I know went. 

JB sent me some pictures of Max and Ben sleeping in the car on the long drive back home. Our two first babies!

Cabin vacation week

Monday after Christmas, we drove five hours to the Richards cabin in Escalante. 

The first part of the week we had Jeff and Kim with their boys, Carver and Conrad, and also Bart and Collette with Emily, Jane, Aaron and Spencer. 

By the end of the week Bart and Collette's family had to head home, and Joe and Sarah's family came with Kate, Harvey, Rachel and Jack. Before we arrived, Seth and Suzanne had been there. 

We ate very well, with good food and treats every day, and lots of games and movies and football and reading and puzzling.

Here's JB holding Conrad and Jack.

Here's Papa and Andrew playing chess.

The chess board has other games inside, too. Andrew and Millie playing with Carver and Conrad.

Millie and Rachel were thick as thieves.

Lots of rounds of Goat Lords were played with Emily and Jane.

Sarah brought Legos -- genius!

One time, the boys tried bouncing ping pong balls into muffin tins.

Sarah brought some tough puzzles but they were fun to work on.

Ben got to try driving the side-by-side. He's going to learn to drive fully this year!

Millie slept in a cot by my side of the bed. She brought lots of toys.

There was some snow, and the kids did try their best to play in it.

Andrew played with Jack a lot.

We didn't stay up late and do much for a New Year's Eve celebration because John, JB and Max and Ben left from the cabin to go to California for the Rose Bowl early the next morning. Then Pauline drove home with me on Jan. 2 (I really appreciate her driving through the canyons) and I took this picture of the red rocks and snow.