Alma's LDS Tours Blog

Cody Mural Chapel. Cody, Wyoming

According to the official site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there are several sites that played an important role in the history and development of the Church.

As is known, from the time of Joseph Smith, the migration of pioneers across America was a full day that although he had many tests it turned out full of blessings for the courage of the faithful members.

The following will list some of the most important historical sites located in the United States:

• John Johnson Home (Hiram, Ohio). It is known that the Johnson family gave shelter to the family of Joseph Smith during the years 1831 to 1832. Here Joseph Smith received important revelations and courageously faced opposition and trials. You can find more information at the visitor center of Kirtland.
• Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial (S. Royalton, Vermont). It has dedicated this place to honor the first president and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This beautiful granite monument has the height of 38 feet and a half, a curiosity since each foot represents a year of age of the prophet.
• Chapel Mural Cody (Cody, Wyoming). Inside the chapel you can admire a beautiful dome 36 feet in diameter that is decorated with selected scenes from the first 70 years of church history.
• Far West (Far West Missouri). In July 1838 he tried to start construction of a temple on this site and although it was not possible to do, we can find the foundations that serve as a reminder of the strong testimony, faith and devotion of church members.
• Kanesville Tabernacle (Council Bluffs, Iowa). It was built by about 200 pioneers in just two weeks. In this tent, Brigham Young was sustained as prophet and president of the Church after the death of Joseph Smith. Today this building serves as a visitor center where tours are given and information about the migration of pioneers is provided.
• Liberty Jail Historic Site (Liberty, Missouri). The Prophet Joseph Smith spent five months waiting for his trial. During his imprisonment he received three important disclosures that can be found in the Doctrine and Covenants.
• Mormon Handcart Historic Site (Alcova, Wyoming). More than 150 years ago the first pioneers traveled many places before settling in the Salt Lake Valley, Utah. They endured bad weather and all kinds of adversity. At this historic site you can relive these experiences with a handcart trek.
• Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters (Omaha, Nebraska). As part of the Mormon migration, Nebraska was temporary home to dozens of families of pioneers who migrated after the expulsion of Nauvoo, Illinois.
• Nauvoo Carthage Jail (Nauvoo, Illinois). Surrounded by beautiful gardens and restored Carthage Jail where Joseph and Hyrum Smith were martyred. In the gardens statues are actual size of these characters as a tribute to them.
• Book of Mormon Publication Site (Palmyra, New York). Located in the business side of Palmyra, this site offers a look at what was the press which was held the first printing of the Book of Mormon.
• Priesthood Restoration Site (Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. Place where Joseph and Emma Smith lived during the years 1827-1837. In addition was a key location for major events during the restoration of the Church.

These are some of the places that have survived over the years and have stood out for their rich history.

Alma’s LDS Tours invites you to keep learning about the church and its historical places. We have the best LDS Tours in Mexico with official tour guides. Let us share with you and your family an unforgettable experience in Merida, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Uxmal, Chichen Itza and more! We will be pleased to guide you trough one of our tours.

The most popular tours are:

LDS tours in Cancun • LDS tours in Yucatan Peninsula • LDS tours in Chichen Itza • LDS tours in Tulum • LDS tours in Coba • LDS tours in Ek Balam • LDS tours in Uxmal • LDS tours in Progreso • LDS tours in Merida • LDS tours in Cozumel • LDS tours in Palenque •LDS tours in Teotihuacan • LDS tours in Mexico City • LDS tours in Chiapas • LDS tours in Playa del Carmen • LDS tours in Dzibanche • LDS tours in Riviera Maya and many more…

The Assembly Hall. Salt Lake, Utah

Utah, in addition to being a state characterized by its beautiful scenery and imposing mountains is famous for being the birthplace for the establishment of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which makes it even richer in history and allegorical places.

The historic places that stand out in this beautiful state is evidently Temple Square in Salt Lake City, home of the majestic Salt Lake City Temple; The Tabernacle, home to the Mormon choir and organ; the Assembly hall; several monuments that can be seen in the gardens and the visitor center which has a sufficient explanation of events related to the arrival of the pioneers to Utah and the Church in general.

The following will list some of the most representative sites:

• The Brigham Young Monument- Located at the intersection of Main and South Temple streets in Salt Lake City, this monument was built in honor of the Prophet of the Church and Utah Indians who inhabited the valley long before the arrival of the pioneers.
• The Mormon Pioneer Memorial- A cemetery where the remaining’s of the Prophet Brigham Young and other members of the Church pioneers.
• The Brigham Young Historic Park- This park is located at the corner of State and North Temple Street; this park covers what was originally a farm that belonged to Brigham Young’s family for which also pays tribute to him.
• Cove Fort Historic site- Located in Beaver, Utah this site was built in 1867 as a shelter where travelers could find food and shelter to rest.
• The Beehive House- This house belonged to the Prophet Brigham Young who then also served as governor of Utah Territory.

These are some of the places that have survived over the years and have stood out for their rich history.

Alma’s LDS Tours invites you to keep learning about the church and its historical places. We have the best LDS Tours in Mexico with official tour guides. Let us share with you and your family an unforgettable experience in Merida, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Uxmal, Chichen Itza and more! We will be pleased to guide you trough one of our tours.

The most popular tours are:

LDS tours in Cancun • LDS tours in Yucatan Peninsula • LDS tours in Chichen Itza • LDS tours in Tulum • LDS tours in Coba • LDS tours in Ek Balam • LDS tours in Uxmal • LDS tours in Progreso • LDS tours in Merida • LDS tours in Cozumel • LDS tours in Palenque •LDS tours in Teotihuacan • LDS tours in Mexico City • LDS tours in Chiapas • LDS tours in Playa del Carmen • LDS tours in Dzibanche • LDS tours in Riviera Maya and many more…

Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gather twice a year for what they call “general conference”, this in order to hear the messages of general authorities. General conferences are held in April and October and are composed of five meetings of two hours over a period of two days. These conferences have been held since 1830, when the Prophet Joseph Smith organized the church.

The sessions of the Saturday morning and afternoon, and Sunday morning and evening are open to the general public, while the session Saturday night is for men and young Latter days to hold the priesthood.

The Latter-day Saints travel from all over the world to attend the general conference, which was held in the Conference Center with a capacity of 21,000 people, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Free tickets are distributed for each session, and there are waiting lines for those who do not have tickets. Adjacent facilities in Temple Square make room for those who do not make it into the Conference Center. Despite the large number, most church members unable to attend the Salt Lake City, is why is transmitted via satellite to more than 7,400 facilities in 102 countries and translated into more than 92 languages .

Alma’s LDS Tours invites you to not miss the Annual General Conference No. 185 of the Church, to which all members are invited, will be held in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October 2015.

We also would like to invite you to keep learning about the church and its historical places. We have the best LDS Tours in Mexico with official tour guides. Let us share with you and your family an unforgettable experience in Merida, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Uxmal, Chichen Itza and more! We will be pleased to guide you trough one of our tours.

The most popular tours are:

LDS tours in Cancun • LDS tours in Yucatan Peninsula • LDS tours in Chichen Itza • LDS tours in Tulum • LDS tours in Coba • LDS tours in Ek Balam • LDS tours in Uxmal • LDS tours in Progreso • LDS tours in Merida • LDS tours in Cozumel • LDS tours in Palenque • LDS tours in Teotihuacan • LDS tours in Mexico City • LDS tours in Chiapas • LDS tours in Playa del Carmen • LDS tours in Dzibanche • LDS tours in Riviera Maya and many more…

Payson Temple

The temples are very different constructions from those of Sunday meeting center buildings. Temples are considered the “House of God” and are built to reaffirm the beautiful teachings of Christ through sacred ordinances such as marriage, baptism for the dead and others that bind families together for time and eternity. In the temple, members make covenants with God and learn more about its origin and purpose in life.

The construction of the Payson Temple, was announced on January 25, 2010 and its groundbreaking and site dedication was in October 8th 2011 by President Dallin H. Oaks. Finally dedicated by President Henry B. Eyring last June 7 of this year. Note that a day earlier, a cultural celebration was held in Lavell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah, where more than 12,000 church members gathered to enjoy this event.

This beautiful temple is located southwest of Payson, Utah. It is situated on a gently sloped landscape that covers 43,000 square meters including a new center for reunions aside. It has calculated that this temple will benefit more than 75 thousands church members belonging to the area of ​​Mapleton to Delta, Utah.

Alma’s LDS Tours invites you to keep learning about the church and its historical places. We have the best LDS Tours in Mexico with official tour guides. Let us share with you and your family an unforgettable experience in Merida, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Uxmal, Chichen Itza and more! We will be pleased to guide you trough one of our tours.

The most popular tours are:

LDS tours in Cancun • LDS tours in Yucatan Peninsula • LDS tours in Chichen Itza • LDS tours in Tulum • LDS tours in Coba • LDS tours in Ek Balam • LDS tours in Uxmal • LDS tours in Progreso • LDS tours in Merida • LDS tours in Cozumel • LDS tours in Palenque •LDS tours in Teotihuacan • LDS tours in Mexico City • LDS tours in Chiapas • LDS tours in Playa del Carmen • LDS tours in Dzibanche • LDS tours in Riviera Maya and many more…

The Provo Tabernacle began it’s construction in 1883 in the city of Provo, Utah, thanks to the suggestions of President Brigham Young and was finished and dedicated on April 17th, 1898 by George Q. Cannon member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Originally used as a meeting center, this building has been historical and cultural heritage of the city for over 100 years, not only for religious events but also for concerts and cultural events for the whole community.

In December 2010 this wonderful building suffered a terrible fire as a result of a power failure, destroying everything inside except the brick structure. Less than a year after the tragedy, the current President of the Church Thomas S. Monson announced the reconstruction of the building to make it into the second Temple in the city of Provo, which rejoiced the hearts of the LDS members. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the Provo temple in question, on May 12, 2012.

Today, engineers in charge of the project have said it is a miracle that the structure remained intact after such a serious fire and has been a great privilege to rebuild this magnificent building.

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced that the open house of the City Center Provo Temple to begin Friday, January 15th, 2016 and will run until Saturday March 5th, 2016. The temple will be dedicated in three sessions on Sunday, March 20th, 2016, with a cultural celebration that will take place on Saturday March 19th.

Alma’s LDS Tours invites you to keep learning about the church and its historical places. We have the best LDS Tours in Mexico with official tour guides. Let us share with you and your family an unforgettable experience in Merida, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Uxmal, Chichen Itza and more! We will be pleased to guide you trough one of our tours.

The most popular tours are:

LDS tours in Cancun • LDS tours in Yucatan Peninsula • LDS tours in Chichen Itza • LDS tours in Tulum • LDS tours in Coba • LDS tours in Ek Balam • LDS tours in Uxmal • LDS tours in Progreso • LDS tours in Merida • LDS tours in Cozumel • LDS tours in Palenque •LDS tours in Teotihuacan • LDS tours in Mexico City • LDS tours in Chiapas • LDS tours in Playa del Carmen • LDS tours in Dzibanche • LDS tours in Riviera Maya and many more…

Cancun is well known for being a paradisiac Caribbean destination for tourists from all around the world, but also is the perfect place to be where the modern and ancient meet.

Cancun is located northwest of the Yucatan Peninsula and was built four decades ago in the year of 1967 when the Mexican government recognized the importance of creating new touristic sites as strategy to improve country’s economy.

Nowadays the famous ” Hotel Zone” of Cancun, has more than 180 first class hotels and resorts, hosting about 3.3 million visitors a year. In addition to its beautiful beaches, museums, night attractions, theme parks and restaurants. The cosmopolitan city of Cancun is located near to most of the magnificent archaeological sites of the Mayan civilization in the Yucatan Peninsula.

Alma’s LDS Tours invites you to visit this wonderful destination with a team of professionals who will be in charge of showing the best attractions and above all create unforgettable memories for each of our LDS customer.

Our mission is to show our visitors from all over the world the spiritual and historical “Mayan lands that relate to the Book of Mormon”. Our specialty is visiting some of the most intriguing, captivating, and spiritually uplifting sights in the surroundings of Cancun and the Riviera Maya.

Come and learn about the Mesoamerican cultures and their lands near to Cancun like: Cozumel, Chichen Itza, Tulum, Ek Balam, Coba, Uxmal, Chacchoben, Dzibanche, Merida Yucatan, Palenque, Teotihuacan and Mexico City. We offer you an unforgettable spiritual experience in Mesoamerican archaeology, history tying with insights of the Book of Mormon.

The most popular tours are:

LDS tours in Cancun • LDS tours in Yucatan Peninsula • LDS tours in Chichen Itza • LDS tours in Tulum • LDS tours in Coba • LDS tours in Ek Balam • LDS tours in Uxmal • LDS tours in Progreso • LDS tours in Merida • LDS tours in Cozumel • LDS tours in Palenque • LDS tours in Teotihuacan • LDS tours in Mexico City • LDS tours in Chiapas • LDS tours in Playa del Carmen • LDS tours in Dzibanche • LDS tours in Riviera Maya and many more…

Salt Lake City Temple

Salt Lake City is located in the state of Utah. This city was founded in 1847 by Brigham Young, president of the LDS church, who claimed: “This is the right place, drive on” upon arrival at the Salt lake Valley, becoming in the home of dozens of LDS immigrant families.

Salt Lake City is also famous for being the headquarters of the church and its majestic temple square, where you can find Conference Center, Salt Lake Tabernacle, LDS Church Office Building, and of course the great Salt Lake Temple.

Around the year there are LDS events that take place in Salt Lake City such as General Conference, Concerts in the park, Utah All-State Choir (UMEA Grand Festival), Fall Church Music Festival and more. Today we are going to talk about Pioneer Day, that not only is a celebration in SLC but all the state and the surrounding areas established by LDS members.

This holiday is celebrated on July 24th and was established to commemorate the entry of Brigham Young and the first group of LDS pioneers to the Valley. Salt Lake City celebrates with Fireworks and the “Days of ’47 parade”; Bountiful, Utah celebrates with Fireworks and a parade at “Handcart Days”; Spanish Fork, Utah, celebrates with “Fiesta Days”.

Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Idaho and Canada also celebrate “Mormon Pioneer Day” on the closest weekend to July 24 with a parade, rodeo or fireworks and pioneer activities.

Alma’s LDS Tours invites you to keep learning about the church and its historical places. We have the best LDS Tours in Mexico with official tour guides. Let us share with you and your family an unforgettable experience in Merida, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Uxmal, Chichen Itza and more! We will be pleased to guide you trough one of our tours.

The most popular tours are:

LDS tours in Cancun • LDS tours in Yucatan Peninsula • LDS tours in Chichen Itza • LDS tours in Tulum • LDS tours in Coba • LDS tours in Ek Balam • LDS tours in Uxmal • LDS tours in Progreso • LDS tours in Merida • LDS tours in Cozumel • LDS tours in Palenque • LDS tours in Teotihuacan • LDS tours in Mexico City • LDS tours in Chiapas • LDS tours in Playa del Carmen • LDS tours in Dzibanche • LDS tours in Riviera Maya and many more…

Use of color pigments in Mayan cultures

Since ancient times, we have found several examples of the use of color pigments or dyes in paintings. Over the centuries there are still examples of different civilizations like the Olmecs, Aztecs, Mayas and Teotihuacan. You can see the use of colored dyes in vases, murals, instruments, ceremonial objects and even special clothing.

Upon the arrival of the Spaniards, they were so astonished by the wealth of natural resources. In particular, the use of dye plants for the production of pigments, which at some point became even more precious and valuable than silver and gold.

The most common colors were red, blue, yellow and green. These dyes can be found in all parts of the plant (depending on the species) in the roots, stems, flowers, seeds, etc. They hardly dye naturally, it is usually necessary to mix or combine them with other ingredients. (Rossignon; 1859)

Mayan artists had a palette of over 30 different colors used in the creation of several murals, especially during the Classic and Post Classic periods. Among the most fascinating colors we appreciate blue and green. The manufacture of these colors represents one of the most outstanding technical contributions of the Maya to the world of traditional painting (Magaloni; 2001: 176, 178).

One color that represents a technological breakthrough in the cultures of Mesoamerica is blue. Blue called ” Mayan blue ” are obtained by mixing the organic dye indigo and clay minerals such as ” attapulgite ” and saponite resulting in a stable organic-inorganic complex and not a naturally occurring mineral. These clays are found only in the Yucatan and Guatemala, hence the reference to the great Mayan culture.

The ” Mayan blue ” is known as the color of the gods, specifically the great Chaac God and is associated with large ceremonial rituals. In the Mayan paintings there has been identified six distinct ” Mayan blue ” hues, however the representative hue is the tone ” blue Caribbean Sea ” or turquoise has caught the attention of many archaeologists for their resistance through the passage of centuries.

If you would like to see the magnificent murals and astonishing colors created by the Mayan culture, be sure to visit the Riviera Maya with Alma’s LDS Tours.

The White Bearded God

According to the Popol Vuh, the sacred book that contains one of the most prominent theories about the creation of man we read the following:

“There was only one man, one animal, bird, fish, crab, wood, stone, cave, cliff, grass, forest. Only the sky existed. The face of the earth did not appear; there were only limited seas, the entire space of the sky. There was nothing gathered together. Everything was invisible; everything was still in the sky.

… Then came the Word; came here from the Dominators, the Mighty Sky, in darkness, in the night, it was told by the Dominators, the Powers of Heaven; They spoke: then they took counsel, there was an understanding and joined their words, their wisdom. Then they meditated at the time of dawn; they decided to build the man, while celebrating advice of the production. “[Fray Francisco Ximenes,” Popol Vuh “, Editorial Porrua, Mexico 1978]

Suggesting that the creation was conducted by supreme beings, but who were these supreme beings?

When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the coasts of Mexico and South America they encountered different tribes of native Indians who shared rumors about the visit of a “Bearded White God”. The same case occurred when English colonists touched Canadian and American territory.

The legends are not accurate, however it is believed that this “White bearded God” came down and taught them many things that allowed the development of their civilization. In other cases it could be considered as the maker and creator of all that exists on the planet.

Mesoamerican cultures worshiped gods like Quetzalcoatl or Kukulkan that means “feathered serpent” whose legend has it that he descended to teach wonders of the universe to the natives, marvels that allowed the flourishing of science as mathematics, astronomy, astrology and other technologies. Leaving his departure a promise to return to visit his people.

An intriguing mystery is the arrival of Hernan Cortez in Mexican lands; the Aztec emperor Moctezuma, and his subjects were peacefully and confidently thrown to his feet even though they were known to be a vicious and warlike people. Could it be that the Europeans majestic armor and strange weapons intimidated them despite the small number of soldiers? Or was it because they believed that this was the fulfillment of the promise of God Quetzalcoatl who would return to continue teaching and ministering and the appearance of Hernan Cortez was outstandingly similar.

But the mystery remains, who were these white and bearded gods? Find out more about these legends visiting Alma’s LDS Tours in Cancun.

LDS in Orlando Florida

The Orlando Florida Temple is the 48th constructed and 46th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Located near Windermere, it was built with a modern single-spire design. It is the second largest LDS temple in the Eastern United States, after theWashington D.C. Temple.

The LDS temple in Orlando, Florida was announced on April 6, 1991, with groundbreaking on June 20, 1992, and dedicated on October 9, 1994 by LDS Church president Howard W. Hunter. The temple was built on a 13-acre (53,000 m²) plot, has 4 ordinance rooms and 5 sealing rooms, and has a total floor area of 70,000 square feet (6,500 m²).

The temple is characterized by its white exterior, graceful columns, arched windows, and delightful water features. Palms trees and shrubs are planted generously across the temple grounds that are open to the public. The Orlando Florida Temple sits on a knoll overlooking a chain of lakes on the edge of the Orlando suburb of Windermere in an area described as one of Florida’s most beautiful locations. Across the street from the temple is the Orlando Florida South Stake Center.

Some interesting facts about the temple of Orlando Florida could be that this was the first temple built in Florida, the second one will be built in the city of Fort Lauderdale and as of Octobr 3^rd of 2009 is now under construction. The Orlando Florida Temple is one of only two temples dedicated by President Howard W. Hunter during his brief time as president of the Church. (The other is the Bountiful Utah Temple.)

In its official announcement of the Orlando Florida Temple as Florida’s first temple, the First Presidency stated, “We have selected Orlando because it is a central location with good highways from all parts of the state.”