Monterrey Temple at Christmas

110th Operating Temple

Announcement:  21 December 1995 
Groundbreaking and Site Dedication:  4 November 2000 by Lynn A. Mickelsen
Public Open House:  8–20 April 2002 
Dedication:  28 April 2002 by Gordon B. Hinckley

Site:  31,466 square meters.
Exterior Finish:  White granite from Vermont.
Ordinance Rooms:  Two ordinance rooms (two-stage progressive) and two sealing.
Total Floor Area:  16,498 square feet.

Temple Locale

Aggrandized by a backdrop of beautiful mountains and hills, the Monterrey México Temple stands in Valle Alto—located in the southeastern section of Monterrey—along the National Highway near the famous Cerro de la Silla. Sharing the grounds, and built at the same time as the temple, is a lovely stake center open to any visitors wishing to join Sunday worship services. The lush grounds around the temple are also open to the public for reverent walks.

Temple Facts

The Monterrey México Temple was the twelfth temple built in Mexico, though it was the second temple announced for Mexico.

The Church originally selected a site for the Monterrey México Temple adjacent to Colegio Labastida on Avenida Vasconcelos in San Pedro. The Church won an ensuing three-year legal dispute initiated by opposing neighbors but, in the end, opted to select another site.

The site of the Monterrey México Temple was chosen in March 2000. A building permit was issued on June 27, 2000, and ground was broken for the temple a few months later on November 4—nearly 5 years after the temple was announced.

The design created for the Monterrey México Temple was substituted with a smaller standard design when the location changed to Valle Alto. The change allowed for more green area and necessary parking.

The Plumber

Hola!

Winter is here or that's what the people are telling me.. The weather is just crazy different one day like yesterday is like 95 and then theres days like today where its probably a good 60. So basically everyday is completely different! That's always nice because the food here doesn't vary much. Basically beans rice tortillas and some weird kind of meat for every meal. 

We finally got out boiler hooked up this week! I guess the added cold weather gave us a little more of an incentive! Hot showers are pretty amazing. After 2 months of risking hypothermia every time I get into the shower it was pretty weird taking my time and just relaxing. 

This Sunday was daylight savings.We knew it was daylight savings and we thought we were so on top of it until Sunday morning we knocked on a nonactive members door to bring them to church at what we thought was 930. We were a little surprised when she came out grumbling why we came at 730. Yeah we changed our clocks the wrong way. So we woke up at 4 instead of 6. Since walking to our house and back would have taken a good hour we decided to study in a nearby park for two hours as we waited for the rest of the world to wake up. We felt pretty stupid after that. Luckily she wasn't too mad at us! 

Later on that Sunday at about 7 we went to the church to go to the bathroom. Nobody was there but us. When I went to flush the yurnal all the sudden the pipe started shooting water straight up into the ceiling! I honestly felt like I was in a movie like that never happens! I tried to fix it but then the whole pipe just fell off and the water started shooting straight out and into the other wall! We had no idea what to do! We panicked a bit and ran around the building to find the main shutoff valve. We had no idea where it was so we ended up calling the bishop and he said he had to shut it off and he was on his way. We ran around a little more and tried to fix it again. I grabbed the pipe and somehow managed to put it back into the wall and the water stopped. Just about this time the bishop pulled up to two soaking wet missionaries and water soaked bathroom. We shut off the water main and mopped up as best as we could. Luckily in Mexico everything is cement so nothing got ruined. The bishop told us that it had happened earlier that week as well but hadn't had the time to fix it yet so that made me feel a little better that it wasn't really my fault! But I don't think Ill forget that 20 minutes of panic for a couple years! It was a solid movie moment!

It was Elder Robinson's birthday this week so that was pretty exciting! Well as exciting as it can be on your mission! We went to go pick up a member to bring to a lesson named Juan Pablo. Hes 21 and served in Tampico Mexico for 6 months but came home early. So he knows a little English but not much. When he found out it was Elder Robinson's birthday he wanted to go out to a restaurant and celebrate when we told he we cant we need to work he looked up at elder Robinson and said with really strong accent Grow some balls Elder. It was pretty funny hearing that in his accent. But later on that night we bought some steaks and they were crazy good!

This week we were meeting with a lot of part member families and met with a really cool girl named Frida. Shes 18 and he brother was baptized a few years ago. She has a kid and sometimes its a little difficult for her to focus but she has been reading everything we ask her so we cant complain too much. She couldn't come to church this week because she went to visit the father to her baby   in some other part of Monterrey but I'm hoping she will be able to come this week! We also met this man named Jesus and have been talking to him. He told us that he lived in the states for 2 years but was deported because of his drinking problem. But he has been turning his life around so that hopefully one day he can return. He has a wife and a baby boy now so he feels more of a responsibility but hes still pretty new were deciding in our lesson with him today if were going to keep or drop him. 

Well thats all for this week. How are the States?

Elder Ahlmer

Having a Sick Day for the Fence Climbing Elder

Hey everyone!

Sorry I didn't write Monday we got a call Sunday night at 10:30 that Monday isn't pray because were going to the temple again on Wednesday. That news shocked me a bit because I needed a Pday pretty bad! But it just made the first week of this change seem like forever! This week should go by quickly though! 

Last Tuesday we had changes. I was pretty nervous to see if I would be sent somewhere else or if I would have a new companion but we both ended up staying the same probably because I still have another 6 weeks of training. But that was still a pretty exciting phone call. 

This past Wednesday Elder Robinson and I finally got lost. We were going to a Hermanas house that we had never been to and we were already late we are supposed to eat at 2 and it was already 2:15. Conveniently Elder Robinson forgot the map... We kinda knew the general area but yeah it was a bad idea. The second bad decision we made was trying to cut through the university. The schools here are like legit prison! There completely fenced in and have bars on every window. We found and entrance and decided to cut across thinking there has to be another exit somewhere close. We were pretty wrong. We wondered around the University for a good 25 minutes before we found a little hole in the fence we squeezed through. We ended up on the side of this crazy busy street and just decided to walk along the sidewalk in the direction we thought it was. As we walked we started to recognize more and more things so we figured we were on the right path. But the street we were following went up and over another street and the sidewalk ended and there was no way we could walk along the side of the road because people drive crazy here. We found this tiny trail that went into these trees and decided it was better to take it. We  followed the path through all this tall grass it was basically like walking through a jungle. At the end of the path a big fence blocked us from getting to the other side but we knew her house was on the other side so we jumped the fence. When we got on the other side we just managed to time it perfectly so that a big group of like 20 people got to watch two crazy Americans in white shirts and ties hop a fence that led to this jungle thing. We got some weird looks. But at least we finally found the hermanas house and we were only an hour an a half late! 

This week I must have gotten some bad food because I was sick for a good 4 days. And being a sick missionary is just awful! Walking around in the hot sun all day when you aren't feeling good just isn't pleasant for some reason but luckily that only lasted for a few days and I'm better now! 

Sunday was a pretty rough day. I woke up to Elder Robinson telling me that I was supposed to speak in church this morning I don't think Ive ever woke up so fast in my life! I jumped up and tried to put something together before we had to leave at 9. When I finally finished most of my talk we left to go pick up Maria Guadalupe. The night before we talked with her about the importance of prophets and talked about Joseph Smith. We showed up to her house and she told us that she just wants to stick to her catholic background. That was like a punch to the gut. After 8 weeks of teaching her it was hard seeing her turn away from the gospel. Were planning on talking to her tomorrow to see whats going on but who knows. Then I had to go to the church and give my talk that I was crazy nervous about. Luckily because the bishopric was being changed they all gave their testimonies so there wasn't time for me to speak. I was kind enough to tell them that I didn't mind too much that I didn't get to give my life changing talk. But the rest of the day was just kinda blue. But things are better now! 

Elder Ahlmer

Birthday Mom

Mom!!

Happy, happy, happy, happy, birthday!!!!  I wish so much I could be there to give you one giant hug, but when Im back, I'll just make sure and give you one twice as big!  I honestly could never be more blessed than having a mom as amazing as you!  To put it simply you taught me right.  I know that I would be nowhere near the person I am now without you!  I'm so glad that we are so close and you always put up with my selfish self!  I'll never forget at night coming home and no matter what time it was you were always willing to put up with all my silly stories that were soooo important back then!  I'm so glad that things are going so well at home tell Sam and Savannah.  I'm so proud of them for swimming!  I'm going to come back to house of swimmers!  I'm about ready to fill up the church font and try and swim a little bit!  Congrats on being a half grandma!!  Did you know that Greg Greenwood is going to be baptized!!  I cant believe it!  I love you so much and cant believe that I am blessed enough to have a mom like you!!

          Two years isn't that long, we can do this!

Love

Elder Ahlmer

The Two Gingers!

The two Gingers in all of Mexicooo

Just Like Home...

Nacho Libre Cart!

Maria, Blanka and the Temple

The teaching is coming along well! One day I just kinda told myself to get over the fact that I cant speak perfect yet that I wont ever get perfect if I don't try and so I talked! And it made teaching so much easier!

As for baptisms, We have two investigators that are probably going to be baptized hopefully by the end of this change! Maria Guatilupe is one of our investigators. Her 16 year old son was baptized like two years ago but now is having problems with drugs and stuff so were trying to help them out. And another named Blanka Neli. She has been progressing really well but the only problem is she left for Texas for a couple weeks because she had to deal with some papers because her husband died there. But when she gets back she still has to attend church another 4 times!

This Wednesday in the temple was honestly the most spiritual experience in my life. Ive never felt so amazing. It was pretty much impossible to leave the room. With that one feeling that I had in the celestial room instantly every single doubt, question or anything like that instantly melted away. I know that this church is the only church that has the authority to help others return to live with God and their families again. I hope that I get the opportunity to walk through with an Investigator once day!

I love you all like crazy!

Elder Ahlmer

Head Rubbing

Hey everyone!   

So this past few days have been pretty interesting. This wednesday I got my first haircut in Mexico and I was pretty nervous because if someone wants to cut hair here basically all they have to do is write Astetica on the door. It wasn't too bad though! My hair has never been as short as it is right now but where it's so hot here I really don't mind too much!

I thought I would just add that the guy next to me is basically singing at the top of his lungs some song in spanish. Different culture.

 

They have some really weird traditions here. And people here like believe them to be 100% fact. Whenever we leave someones house we always have to touch the head of the baby or it'll get a headache or sick. And even sometimes they've told me that they need to touch my head before I leave or ill get sick. Thats always a pretty awkward because they don't just pat your head and your done it takes a good half a minute per person. That may not seem like to long but you try having some old lady that you've never really talked to much start feeling your head for that long. Its weird! On Friday we met this old woman named Lucia and we spent a good 15 minutes talking to her about what we believe in when she like suddenly stopped my companion from talking and asked if she could feel my arm. She did and then asked me if I was sick or something. Nope just crazy white. I don't think she was all that interested in our message...

 

Our investigators are moving along. We just have to wait till they attend church 5 times before they can be baptized. It kinda sucks because one of our investigators went to Texas for a couple of weeks. We gave her the address to a church there but who knows if she's going to go. I hope so. It's amazing hearing all these stories of these peoples lives that I talk to. You truly can learn something form everyone you talk to.

 

I hope all is well,

 

Elder Ahlmer

Gracie Naylor 10/05/2013

Güero Companion

This week has been so awesome! Tuesday I went to the offices to receive some training and I got to see some of the missionaries that were with me in the MTC. It was awesome getting to share experiences and talk about how we are adjusting to missionary life. My Spanish has been really improving Im starting to not have to concentrate so hard on translating and starting to just understand. 

Some of the best things about a guero companionship is that we never run out of people to talk to us but also we never really know for sure if people just want to talk with us because were white or if they really are interested in the gospel. And even though me and my companion are both white whenever we ask someone to pick who they want to say the prayer they always say the guero.... Yeah even I guess I'm so white that Im starting to make my comp look Mexican. So many people here are clowns! Their everywhere! I don't know who came up with clowns being a fun thing for kids birthdays but its just wrong!

Mexico makes everything 6 feet tall. And because I'm just over 6 feet my head gets to meet quite a few door frames, roofs, and swamp coolers. I probably hit my head a good three times a day. I've got a permanent goose egg and it grows more and more each day. I need to learn to duck. 

I hope you all watched conference! If you think watching 4 hours of conference in english is hard you should really try spanish. It was pretty awful! I knew most of what they were saying but it just wasn't the same when they didn't have the same voices and their mouths were out of sync. Luckily for the Sunday sessions I got to watch it in English! 

Today we got to go to the temple. I was a little nervous because it was all in Spanish but it was awesome. I never wanted to leave! It's so peaceful and relaxing. I hope that sometime during my mission I'll be able to go through with someone for the first time.

Elder Ahlmer

Dad,

This week was absolutely amazing! Read the talk the fourth missionary. I read it and set goals of who I am going to become. It has literally changed the way that I think about everything. I am going to do everything that I can to become the fourth missionary. I am going to the temple today and feeling the love of God. I know that God wants and know the very best for us and once I know that the only logical thing to do is completely submit myself to his will. I know its going to be hard and not everything will go perfectly but I'll tell you this from now on I truly am completely 100% dedicated to him. Thank you so much for you're amazing example that you have set for me. I can't tell you enough how much it helps to know that you've done this and how much it has helped you.

Dad watching priesthood on Saturday made me miss you so much. All of those times that you basically forced me to go. And the time you sneaked us into that priesthood session without tickets, I wouldn't trade those memories for anything. One of my biggest regrets so far is the night before I left when you came into the room and tried to talk with me but I just couldn't stay awake. I wish so badly that I could go back to that time and slap myself awake! 

I love you like crazy!!

Elder Ahlmer