The Guayaquil Ecuador Temple

When things settled down a bit, and we had a chance to actually look out the window of our hotel, we noticed a large stone building about 2/3 of a mile away, with a golden statue of an angel crowning its spire.  Indeed, we were quite close to the Guayaquil Ecuador Temple.

The temple was dedicated in August of 1999 by President Hinckley.  Speaking of the site selection, he said that several years earlier, he was taken to another site under consideration for the temple, but he "didn't feel well about the site that had been chosen. We visited the site and…the trucks that came up the hill had to gun their engines to make it up and the noise was just terrible. It just would not do. So we looked around…and then drove up a little two-track road to this spot. There was a guard here cooking over a little fire. I looked out over the city and had a feeling…as clear as anything that this was the site for the temple. We checked to see if the property was for sale. We found that it might be, and so we negotiated the purchase."

Like all temples, it is beautiful and serene, consistent with the sacred work therein.  Many members that worship there are from more than 10 hours away by bus, and so there is housing available on the site for short stays and for those called to serve in the temple.

Our time there was a welcome respite from the concerns of the trip, and the hustle/bustle of Guayaquil.  

Dave & Paula