I am afraid the Ross household are temple tourists. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a couple of quirks. One of which, I like to drive by temples. The more distant a location, the greater likelihood I will plan visiting a temple. Even if it is just to drive past and snap a picture. Now that my children are old enough to attend the temple, my unwritten goal is to attend varying temples. In visiting with Aliza and Hiram, they have not been keeping much of a record. Here I am, trying to re-create a list of temples they both have attended 2022 to present. I can cheat because we often take a picture while there.
Aliza could start attending the temple in January 2022. We did not have any goals for attendance, usually just whenever our Burley 11 Ward would go to the temple.
16 April 2022 – Pocatello Idaho Temple – Bill Teal, Mary Lou Teal, Amanda Ross, Aliza Ross, Paul Ross, Eliza Hales, Brad Hales, Aleah Hales
14 May 2022 – Logan Utah Temple – Paul and Aliza Ross with Aleah, Brad, and Eliza Hales
31 December 2022 – Brigham City Utah Temple – Paul Ross, Aleah Hales, Eliza Hales, Brad Hales, Aliza Ross, Amanda Ross
28 April 2023 – Ogden Utah Temple
27 May 2023 – Bountiful Utah Temple – Paul and Aliza Ross, Brad, Aleah, and Eliza Hales, Marianne Christensen
19 August 2023 – Twin Falls Idaho Temple – Paul Ross, Brad Hales, Aliza Ross, Aleah Hales, Eliza Hales
Hiram could start attending the temple in January 2024. That year the Burley 8 Ward (we moved houses) asked that we set a goal of attending monthly in 2024. We fulfilled that goal.
12 January 2024 – Pocatello Idaho Temple – Amanda, Aliza, Milo, Hiram, and Paul Ross
23 March 2024 – Manti Utah Temple – Amanda, Paul, Hiram, James, Lillie, and Aliza Ross with Jill Hemsley
17 May 2024 – Layton Utah Temple – Lillian Ross, Paul Ross, Amanda Ross, Aliza Ross, Bryan Hemsley, Jill Hemsley, James Ross, Hiram Ross
18 May 2024 – Taylorsville Utah Temple – Bryan Hemsley, James Ross, Jill Hemsley, Aliza Ross, Lillian Ross, Hiram Ross, Amanda Ross, Paul Ross
11 October 2024 – Deseret Peak Utah Temple – Paul Ross, James Ross, Amanda Ross, Hiram Ross, Aliza Ross, Jill Hemsley, Lillie Ross, Bryan Hemsley, Shanna Thompson
16 May 2025 – Syracuse Utah Temple
30 August 2025 – Elko Nevada Temple – Brad and Rachel Hales Family with Ross Family with Lea Pierucci Izama (exchange student from Germany, staying with Hales family)
8 November 2025 – Burley Idaho Temple, Amanda Ross, Brad Hales, Anson Hales, Aleah Hales, James Ross (front), Lea Pierucci Izama (back), Paul Ross, Audra Hales, Aliza Ross
This was a fun visit. Some of the kids commented about where under the temple, in the foundations, might their rocks be found? We all submitted rocks with thoughts and our names on them that were placed before the foundations were poured.
14 November 2025 – Burley Idaho Temple – Hiram Ross, Amanda Ross, Lillie Ross, Rowan Hemsley (arm around), Margo Hemsley, Bryan Hemsley, Olivia Hemsley, Jill Hemsley, Jack Hemsley, James Ross, Paul Ross, Aliza Ross, Jordan Hemsley, Derek Hemsley
And other drive by shootings related to temples in 2022-2025.
29 November 2025 – Provo City Utah Temple – Paul, Aliza, and Hiram Ross with Jill Hemsley
23 December 2025 – Laie Hawaii Temple – Amanda and Paul Ross
This is only a record of attending the temple for Aliza and Hiram. Many know I have had my own personal goal for monthly attending the temple from September 1998 to the present.
Last week was the Idaho Republican Party’s Winter Meeting in Boise, Idaho at the Riverside Hotel. Fortunately, the whole family could go and enjoy the swimming pool and other activities in Boise.
I appeared in one of the official photos of the Winter Meeting. It is my better side.
I serve as the Cassia County Republican Central Commitee Chairman. As such, I serve on the Idaho Republican State Central Committee. I have also been appointed to serve on the Idaho Republican Rules Committee. Mr. Regan is the Rules Committee Chairman.
Brent Regan and Paul Ross in Boise, Idaho
We made sure to stop and take the kids to the Idaho Capitol.
Wandering near the rotunda, we stumbled upon a fellow Cassia County citizen, Scott Bedke. Mr. Bedke also serves at Idaho’s Lieutenant Governor. He brings honor to Cassia County.
Scott Bedke, Hiram Ross, James Ross, Paul Ross, Aliza Ross, and Lillie Ross on the floor of the Idaho Senate Chamber.
We also paid a visit on a friend in his office.
Lillie Ross, Hiram Ross, Paul Ross, Phil McGrane, James Ross, and Aliza Ross in the Secretary of State’s office in the Idaho State Capitol
We also made a visit to the Meridian Idaho Temple while in town.
Ross Family at the Pocatello Idaho Temple Open House 25 September 2021
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints built another temple in Idaho! This makes it the 6th temple in Idaho behind Idaho Falls, Boise, Rexburg, Twin Falls, and Meridian.
We made a trek over to see the open house on 25 September. We met Amanda’s parents and siblings there as well. We enjoyed the tour, some ice cream afterward, and made our way home. It was a memorable experience and the kids had a number of questions afterward.
Jeremy Pittard and I also made the trek over again on 8 October with some of our dedicated staff. We treated them to the temple open house and some Himalayan food afterward. Bree, Erica, and Esbeidy also had questions afterward.
We are excited to have a new temple in Idaho! I attended my first endowment session in the new temple on its second day open, 17 November.
Paul Ross, Esbeidy Cruz, Bree Olsen, Erica Izaguirre, and Jeremy Pittard at the Pocatello Idaho Temple Open House 8 October 2021
Sagacity 