Winnipeg Manitoba Temple
I’ve just boarded a plane in Toronto operated by Flair Airlines. I’m in 4E and hoping nobody sits in 4F!
The flight to Winnipeg is going to be about 2 1/2 hours. I didn’t get my wish! A gentleman sat down in 4F and it was a little bit of a cramped flight, but I made it!
Upon arrival, I booked a room at the Days Inn, which is only a mile away but after calling three times and not getting an answer to get their airport shuttle, I just decided to walk. That was a good idea. Walking is good!
I checked into the hotel, and they gave me a free bottled water and a free bottle of Sprite to compensate me for having to walk a mile. I checked the temple schedule for tomorrow. I had signed up for the 9 AM session. My flight is not until later Saturday night and there was a Spanish session available at 1 PM so I switched to that joyfully! That means I have some 12+ hours to just sleep, which I am very ready to do!
My favorite temple sessions right now are endowment sessions in Spanish because I know what they’re trying to tell me, I just don’t know the Spanish words for it. It’s a great way to learn more Spanish!
Right now it’s Saturday morning at 11:41 AM. I just gave out a Come to Church card to my Ethiopian Uber driver. He had a heart-shaped medallion, hanging from his rearview mirror that had a depiction of Mary on one side and Jesus on the other. I asked him about that, and that started our religious conversation.
it’s always fun to approach a new temple. I always look for the spires first! This one did not disappoint.
By the way, I’m riding this while relaxing in the mother’s lounge rocking chair in the stake center across the parking lot from the temple. The mothers lounge is now my favorite room in a stake center because of their rocking chairs!
Last night I also ordered a Hawaiian pizza from Pizza Pizza! It went well with the complementary sprite the hotel gave me.
I also watched a little bit of the Masters golf tournament. There’s a kid named Connors—who is doing well at the tournament and is also Canadian—who is getting a lot of attention and support from up here! 🇨🇦⛳️
Once inside the temple, I met President Englot, who said he’s been serving about seven months. He asked where I was from and I said Washington DC. He mentioned he’d been to training with about 70 new temple presidents recently. I asked him if he knew Peter Christensen, President of the Washington DC, Temple, and a good friend of mine? He said yes! “In fact, his cousin is a temple worker here, and is here this morning!”
Meet Mike Christensen, who drives about 2 1/2 hours one way to get to the Winnipeg Temple once a month to serve as an ordinance worker. He took me to A&W afterwards, and to BDI ice cream, which stands for Bridge Drive Ice cream, one of his favorite places!
I went with the hot caramel shake, which was fabulous, especially because they give you a BIG straw to suck it through.
I loved the Spanish endowment session! It’s a great way to learn Spanish. 
The Winnipeg Manitoba Temple was constructed with only 5000 church members in the area! That’s basically two stakes. Amazing!
At A&W, we went with the Uncle Burger combo, which was fabulous! The stake center also had something I hadn’t seen before: an automatic refill of water bottles machine! Are we cool or what in this church?
As of this point, I have now been to all of the operating temples in Canada, except the one in Regina. It is closed until October and I know the best way to get there is through Orlando!
In a few minutes, I’ll board a Flair Airlines flight back to Toronto. I paid the extra $20 to get the exit row seat so I wouldn’t be cramped in the middle somewhere! I’ll spend the night tonight in the Toronto airport then around 6:00 AM I fly back to Washington. I’ll be home by about 8 AM. What a fabulous trip to Canada! 🇨🇦 🙏