Teal

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Aliza and Hiram at the Temple

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.

12 February 2022 – Twin Falls Idaho Temple
6 March 2022 – Twin Falls Idaho 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

17 February 2024 – Twin Falls Temple – Burley 8 Ward Temple Trip

8 March 2024 – Bountiful Utah Temple – Bryan Hemsley, Amanda Ross, Aliza Ross, Jill Hemsley, Hiram Ross, Paul Ross
27 March 2024 – Vernal Utah Temple

5 April 2024 – Twin Falls Idaho Temple – Burley 8 Ward Temple Trip

17 May 2024 – Ogden Utah Temple
5 July 2024 – Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple
17 August 2024 – Logan Utah Temple
23 August 2024 – Meridian Idaho Temple – Aliza only
22 September 2024 – Layton Utah Temple – Amanda Ross, Aliza Ross, Hiram Ross, Brad Hales, Aleah Hales, Elise Hales, Rachel Hales, Eliza Hales, Paul Ross

Funny story, Layton was the first time I actually took a dead person to the temple. My Great Aunt June Streeter Stout. Ask me for the story.

4 October 2024 – Boise Idaho Temple

9 November 2024 – Twin Falls Temple – Burley 8 Ward Temple Trip

28 December 2024 – Bountiful Utah Temple – Burley 8 Ward Temple Trip

The Ward did not ask us to continue the monthly attendance for 2025, but as a family we have continued the monthly attendance goal.

4 January 2025 – Meridian Idaho Temple

1 February 2025 – Twin Falls Temple

26 March 2025 – Newport Beach California Temple
19 April 2025 – Pocatello Idaho Temple – Brad Hales, Janet Hales, Eliza Hales, Aliza Ross, Aleah Hales, Elise Hales, Paul Ross, Hiram Ross
19 April 2025 – Idaho Falls Idaho Temple
16 May 2025 – Brigham City Utah Temple
17 June 2025 – Twin Falls Idaho Temple
6 July 2025 – Twin Falls Idaho Temple – Derek Hemsley, Paul Ross, Hiram Ross, Aliza Ross, Olivia Hemsley
16 August 2025 – Logan Utah Temple – Paul, Aliza, and Hiram Ross
6 September 2025 – Twin Falls Temple – Paul, Aliza, and Hiram Ross
24 October 2025 – Twin Falls Temple – Paul, Aliza, and Hiram Ross
29 November 2025 – Orem Utah Temple – Paul Ross, Hiram Ross, Derek Hemsley, Olivia Hemsley, Jill Hemsley, Aliza Ross
19 December 2025 – Syracuse Utah Temple – Paul, Aliza, and Hiram Ross

In addition to attending the temple for ordinances for 2024-2025, we also attended some temple open houses.

26 May 2023 – Saratoga Springs Utah Temple – Front (l-r): Jordan Hemsley, Hiram Ross, Jill Hemsley; Standing: Amanda Ross, Aliza Ross, Rowan Hemsley, Derek Hemsley, Olivia Hemsley, Lillian Ross, Paul Ross, James Ross, Jack Hemsley, Bryan Hemsley
6 August 2023 – Moses Lake Washington Temple
3 November 2023 – St George Utah Temple
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.

4 June 2022 – Burley Idaho Temple Groundbreaking
6 August 2023 – Columbia River Washington Temple
28 August 2023 – Los Angeles California Temple
1 September 2023 – San Diego California Temple
26 March 2025 – Los Angeles California Temple
29 March 2025 – Oakland California Temple
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.

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Alaska Jonas Cousins

Caitlin, Brook, Linda, and Doug Jonas with Paul and Amanda Ross

In July 2021 Amanda found some airplane tickets to Alaska for $117 per ticket. They were a red eye flight to Fairbanks. We jumped on the opportunity. I will share some of the photos and other exploits later, but one of the highlights was seeing my Uncle Doug and Aunt Linda Jonas at their home in Anchorage, Alaska. We also got to spend some time with my cousin, their son, Brook and his wife, Caitlin, at their home as well. The above photo is from Brook and Caitlin’s home on 23 July. It is not a great photo, but it is the best we have of the occasion.

Hiram, Aliza, and James Ross with Elle and Blye Jonas, and last with Lillie Ross

We stayed with my Uncle and Aunt for several days. Another highlight of the trip was watching the kids play with their second cousins they had never met. Elle and Blye loved playing with our kids, and our kids had fun at their house!

Doug Jonas, Paul Ross, Linda Jonas at their home in Anchorage

This photo is from our last day when we left. Doug, Linda, and Blye sent us off with love.

Doug, Blye, and Linda Jonas

Our red eye flight was in and out of Fairbanks, a 6.5 hour trip if that was direct. We were taking the long road through Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, so it was a much longer trip that included Glennallen, Paxson, Delta Junction, and North Pole.

The trip to Alaska was so successful, Doug came back that same summer to celebrate his 50th Class Reunion from Burley High School. It was supposed to be celebrated in 2020, but COVID-19 killed that, so they joined up with the 1971 group to celebrate their 50th in 2021.

Paul Ross, Mary Lou Teal, Bill Teal, Jackie Melycher, Doug Jonas, James Ross, Linda Jonas

We celebrated by throwing on a little party for Doug and Linda while they were in town. Jackie and Mary Lou are two other cousins that came to celebrate with us.

Aliza and Lillie Ross, Doug and Linda Jonas, James Ross, and Jackie Melycher

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Attending the Temple in the Past Year

Amanda and Aliza Ross on 12 February 2022 at the Twin Falls Temple

Our daughter Aliza turns 12 this year. That means that in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints she is of sufficient age that she may attend the holy temple and perform work on behalf of the deceased. The year that a youth turns 12, starting in January, they may enter and do that work.

Our Ward, the Burley 11th Ward, took various youth on 12 February 2022 to the Twin Falls Temple. Amanda was able to go with her.

We returned to the Twin Falls Temple on 6 March 2022. I met my former mission companion in the England Manchester Mission and former roommate at Utah State University Brad Hales there at the temple with his daughter Eliza. Another great opportunity for our family. My Dad also arranged his schedule while he was working at the temple so that he could also watch and participate in some of the vicarious confirmations as temple recorder.

Paul, Aliza, and Amanda Ross on 6 March 2022 at the Twin Falls Temple

Yesterday, we attended the Pocatello Idaho Temple for baptisms. We took Aliza and my cousin Mary Lou and her husband Bill Teal. We also met Brad and Eliza Hales, this time joined by Aleah, who can also now attend since she turns 12 this year.

Bill and Mary Lou Teal, Amanda, Aliza, and Paul Ross, and Aleah, Brad, and Eliza Hales on 16 April 2022 at the Pocatello Idaho Temple

It was fun to visit with Bill and Mary Lou on the way there and back. Bill had never performed baptisms for the dead, either as the proxy or as the priesthood holder performing the ordinance. He was baptized when a child, but only received the Melchizedek Priesthood and was endowed in the holy temple in 2021. It was the first time Mary Lou had returned to the temple in over 25 years. Here is a picture from that occasion.

Bill and Mary Lou Teal on 20 February 2021 at the Twin Falls Temple

There was a good little crowd there to support Bill and Mary Lou going to the temple on this occasion. Especially with the limited COVID-19 restrictions that were still in place.

Matt and Carrie DeTemple, Becky and Curtis Smith, Ryan Yee, Brandon Clegg, Corinne Carter, Linda Hosteen, Paul and Amanda Ross on 20 February 2021 at Twin Falls Temple

Bill and Mary Lou continued to work and were sealed to each other for time and all eternity in the Twin Falls Temple on 29 September 2021. Which also happened to be the wedding anniversary for Norvel and Karen Christenson.

Bill and Mary Lou Teal on 29 September 2021 at the Twin Falls Temple

Another fun crowd there to support Bill and Mary Lou going to the temple on this occasion. It was a joyous occasion!

(l-r) Linda Hosteen, Corinne Carter, Candi Wells, Denise Olsen, Dave Wells, Denise Olsen, Ryan Yee, Karen and Norvel Christenson, Mary Lou Teal, Paul Ross, Bill Teal, Matt and Trista Cook, Brandon Clegg, Marilyn Felt, and Katie Clegg on 29 September 2021 at Twin Falls Temple

Miracles continue to happen in the lives of those around us. The holy temple is not only a gathering place for the saints spiritually and in the covenant, but for families and friends in this world.

Mary Lou told the story of her attending the Idaho Falls Temple to do baptisms as a youth in the 1960s, just like Aliza is now. Mary Lou grew up on a farm at Hunt, which was part of the Jerome Idaho Stake.

Mary Lou is my first cousin once removed. Bill and Mary Andra are her Grandparents and my Great Grandparents. Her mother, June, and my Grandmother, Colleen, are sisters.

Denise Olsen in one of the photos is the same, but through my Grandpa. Joseph and Lillian Jonas are her Grandparents and my Great Grandparents. Her mother, LeReta, and my Grandfather, Norwood, are siblings. On that occasion in September, I was with two separate relatives of my Mom. How small is the world and the church?