The following is excerpted from the Deseret News. To read the full article, CLICK HERE

The way George and Mary Glass tell it, God led them to Utah, then welcomed them with a flood.

The Oregon natives had just completed their four-year stint in Portugal, where George served as U.S. ambassador under the Trump administration. Grateful for time spent in a country that cherished their Catholic faith — and weary from the ceaseless workload and a close call with COVID-19 — the two were looking for a new home far from Portland where they could slow down, indulge their passion for skiing, and contribute to their religious community.

They found such a place in Red Ledges, an affluent gated neighborhood overlooking Heber Valley and the Wasatch Back. Despite the inundated basement they discovered on arrival — a pipe had burst just hours before closing on the sale — the Glasses were immediately drawn to the town for reasons other than its proximity to Deer Valley.

“We love to ski,” George explained, “but it’s the lifestyle here; to be able to drive home from Mass on Sunday and have families walking to church. … It warms our hearts.”

The Glass family rejoiced along with their Latter-day Saint neighbors when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced last year that the Heber Valley Utah Temple would be built just down the road.

“We were absolutely delighted,” George said. “It shows the strength and the viability of your spirituality. And it shows the strength of that spirituality in a community to go out and build a (temple).”

Such an event warranted celebration regardless of religious affiliation, George thought. He was surprised when the enthusiasm wasn’t shared in equal measure by other residents in the area surrounding the proposed temple site.

“They said, ‘No, you’ve got to come over to our side,’” George recounted. “And I said ‘There isn’t a side.’ If the Mormon church wants to build a church in this community, and especially a temple, then they have every right to do so.”

To read the full article, CLICK HERE