Calgary Alberta Temple
It all started last night as I approached the Calgary Alberta Temple from the east, having done an endowment session in the Cardston Temple a few hours earlier. I love to look for a temple on the skyline, and this one did not disappoint!
Calgary Alberta Temple
The Calgary Alberta Temple is the 140th dedicated temple. It was dedicated in 2012 by Thomas S Monson. It was announced in 2008 by President Monson as well. The Calgary Alberta Temple is the eighth temple in Canada and the third temple in Alberta, preceded by the Cardston and Edmonton temples.
I was fascinated to drive past the Calgary Olympic sports complex on my way to the Days Inn hotel (stayed for free, using my Wyndham points) where I stayed last night. This morning when I returned towards the temple, I had to stop and get photos of the Olympic complex. What a great place to put this facility!
I’m really enjoying driving my Ford F150 rental truck around the province of Alberta. I’m getting used to 110 km/h, which is approximately 70 miles an hour. What’s particularly nice is that there is very little if any traffic on the highways. It’s about 2 1/2 hours from Cardston to Calgary and from Calgary to Edmonton. Thank heavens for cruise control!
Upon arrival at the Calgary Alberta Temple, I was asked in the lobby where I’m from. When I said Washington DC, people immediately commented about President and sister Keung, who are good friends of mine from the Washington DC 3rd Ward. The Keungs were Mission Presidents in the Calgary Mission and were much loved! So was Scott Parker, Ezra Taft Benson’s grandson, who is a member of our stake and is now the temple recorder in the Washington DC temple. In fact, the people who took my photo outside of the temple are the Medvins, who served under the Keung’s a few years ago in the Banff Springs area. Can you imagine serving a full-time mission in Banff Canada? That’s about as good as it gets!
One of the things that stood out at the Calgary Alberta Temple were the incredible murals inside the endowment room. These murals are very large and take up the entire wall area surrounding the large room. The murals are of the landscape in the Calgary area, including numerous trees, forest, elk, deer, antelope, birds, etc. I was amazed at the intricate detail even on the smallest deer that were painted in the landscape. One of the finest examples of painted murals in any temple that I’ve seen!
I’ve also decided that the Calgary Alberta Temple is probably the only temple where you can stand in the parking lot and watch the Olympic Games live on the horizon. Now that’s unique!
I wanted to go out and see the Banff Springs Hotel, a place I stayed at about 20 years ago, but the Medvins alerted me that would be about an hour and a half one-way to get there, and I just didn’t have time given the need to be up in the Edmonton Temple by 5:30. I am writing this right now from the parking lot of the Edmonton temple. I have about an hour before I need to be inside. I’m hoping to meet a young lady named Marcy, who I found on a dating website, who lives in Edmonton and knows that I’ll be here tonight. She said she would love to meet me, but I have not heard from her in a couple of days so I’m not optimistic. If she shows up, that will be an added benefit!
The Calgary Alberta Temple is built in a beautiful residential neighborhood with very expensive homes. I’m quite impressed with Calgary particularly the area in and around the temple.