December 31 2023

 Wow this has been a great holiday season!! Very different from any ever but so grateful on Christmas we talked to all of our children!!  This season has probably been focused more on Christ than any so it’s a goal I have for the future!  Busy is not always good!!  Only when we are busy doing his work and good better best is a real concept!  Easy to justify good when just a bit of  a tweek would get to better or best!!  

We have our first mission call for our next generation as Kaley, Joshua and Crystals daughter , got her call on Christmas but opened next day. She is going to Tucson Arizona may 13. Thrilled for her!!!!  We enjoyed joining them on FaceTime for the open!!

We have had an organization week to get back together after a very busy month!  I got called Wednesday morning while at the temple to be an ordinance worker. Gary wasn’t there cause woke up not well but we went back later for me to get set apart by Pres. Metcalf.  Kind of ironic!  The old stake Pres. here was Gary Cox too! His wife was Joyce!!  Guess we are supposed to be here!!

I got a new Temple dress and got it hemmed so I am ready to start Wednesday morning on a regular shift!!  I c also got last of quilting supplies back to owners. It was a good project!!

We have a good association with senior missionaries and got together Christmas, for a movie,Boys in the Boat and and 52 anniversay dinner for Kuerths yesterday!!  We always enjoy being together and we laugh a lot.  Newman’s come from Palmer and it’s a fun group! Badgers came home from Utah and we picked them up at the airport last night!  Glad they are back for new years festivities tomorrow!!

We got advertising out and flyers up for our Waffle night Wednesday night at the institute!!  WE have a couple of weeks before institute starts back up so hoping to get a council in place before!!

We have been enjoying this beautiful place and take short rides in daylight and dark to gaze at the hoar frost and Christmas lights!  It has been spectacular!! We were -12 one morning so the trees are covered in snow and frost. We decided it feels like Narnia. A magical frozen world!! 

Then last night we came home and had butter cookies and hot chocolate and played like we were with family at Island Park!!  It’s wonderful!!!! I even did a puzzle over the month!!

We walked at the mall a couple of times this week! It’s been too cold to be outside for walking but I still can do elyptical in the garage!!  We hope to stay well! Chalaes family have been coviding and Jarilyn’s everything else so hope they all get better for a new years start.  With a lot of challenges. But more blessings and miracles we say goodbye to 2023 and look forward to an amazing 2024!!

December 28, 2023

 

Sunrise 10:13 am  Sunset  3:41 PM        5 hrs. 27 minutes day length

This is downtown Anchorage.  The Roads and streets all over Anchorage will be like this till the breakup in late April or May. Another storm of 8-12 inches hit Anchorage a week before this picture.

 

It’s been very interesting week. A week of contrasts, a week of divine interventions, a week of appreciating circumstances, a week of culture and a week of learning., A lot of which came by going to Christmas parties. Monday night was The Cook Inlet YSA Ward Christmas party. They advertised it as a prime rib dinner and a program and fun evening. We went and we brought two homemade desserts, and it was a decently attended dinner. There were seven tables with about seven on each table, and the food was excellent. We have several men in the stake who are just the known cooks and so they prepared the prime rib and it was awesome. Our High Council rep, Brother Hogan and Bishop Brandau and their spouses put on the spread. The activity person Kamryn had decorated with some balloons and things in the hall  to make it Christmasy, but she was not able to be there because she was headed home to Florida to visit her family. When dinner was over, the party broke up tables were put away, and the people went home and Bro & Sister Hogan were left to the final kitchen cleanup. It was a nice dinner, but we really didn’t get a chance to visit with anyone, except for those who are on our table , which was good. But it was not really a Christmas party type thing and it was pretty flat as parties go.  especially with YSA age people.  But at least they did it and it was good to have a pretty good turnout.

On Wednesday afternoon we had a good visit with our daughters which is every Wednesday so it’s a fun hour to look forward to each week. It’s on zoom, so we get to see them and get a chance to talk. We went to the temple that night with the YSA board and only, two were there the relief Society president and the Elders Quorum President. It was the STP, same two people. Thursday we were able to complete the Institute service project of quilts as we delivered the quilts to the Fisher house on base. Sister Prentice and Jordan were able to accompany us  as we delivered the quilts for the children. They were very appreciative and impressed with the quilts and the young people who who did them and they’re going to make a special delivery to the children on Christmas day of the quilts. There ended up being seven done and Carolee did an amazing job  of finishing them and and putting the whole project together. She was pretty amazing, connecting all the dots and all things that needed to happen to pull it off. It was a great learning experience for us, as we evaluated the project and the things that we have been learning from the handbook  And from our training.  We realized that how we are contacting the YSAs and how we're conducting activities and stuff is not sustainable.  We will go home and the next couple has to start over doing it how they want or think they ought to help.  Carolee ended up doing the vast majority of the work and I organized and ordered and picked up all the food and treats.  Then we were there till 10:30 cleaning up. 

On Friday we had a fun miracle as we were returning the quilting frames & tying up (notice the play on words tying up--like the quilts...get it?) loose ends from the project. We were heading south to the two homes to return the frames and Carolee was navigating. As she put the address into her Google maps it did not allow her to get to the address for whatever reason. So as we were on the highway, she just typed in the next address and it allowed her to go to that one.  So they were in the same general area so we didn't think it mattered.  So we decided to just go to that one instead of trying to figure out the other one first. As we pulled into the subdivision we saw Elder, Stein, and Elder Hall, our YSA zone leaders, standing on the side of the road, looking at their phones, like they were lost. We pulled up to them and asked them if they were lost or if they needed a ride. They kind of looked at each other and said yes, we would love a ride.  Their car was in the shop and they were walking and tracting. Since we had quilting frames in the backseat and sticking  through the seats, we said we would deliver them first and then take them to their car. They explained to us when they got in that they had been calling everybody in their district and trying to get a ride back and no one was answering their phones. They figured it would’ve taken them about four or five hours to walk back to the service where their car was being repaired. Then, we just showed up. A coincidence? Hardly we love these divine interventions that just happened so often it’s just undeniable. Our district of Young missionaries , have a chat group on  Messenger, or each night one of the companionships records, a miracle that happened to them that day. And it’s so amazing how when you’re looking for them, they just always happen. I was listening to a podcast with Sister Joy Jones, former general President of the relief of the primary, who said that we need to record these miracles daily and then reread them often so that we don’t forget that they happen and how it made us feel. Because when they happen, you feel that God is in the details of our lives, and sometimes we forget, or doubt that . That is why I want to make sure I am journaling daily.  But, that is a tough deal because we are so busy and at night when we get home we are so exhausted and it’s really hard to do anything that takes effort.

Thursday night was the Maplewood North stake  YSA group Christmas party. It was at the Institute.  Rachel Morgan the relief President had things mostly set up but she had to work until 6:30. So we planned on going a little early to make sure everything was set up and ready to go. We got there just after 6:30 and the parking lot was full. We go in, and it was full of Polynesian YSAs and they were playing games and doing stuff.   I asked Bishop Afatia how he got everybody there so early and he told me it started at six,! So we were late and none of the food was set up so me and Carolee just got the food out fixed salad arrange it on the table and then somebody brought some fried chicken and so we got everything set up and by the time next game was over. They were ready to eat at 7 o’clock on the dot. We realized that with these young people that they only bring store items, which is OK since they are YSA probably not position to cook. But it was a great meal and then after we ate , we played more games. And boy these guys party hard. We had so much fun playing games and was probably 20 or 25 of us and Bishop Afatia just had us in stitches all night. When we left around 930 or 915, they were still going  and Mark Fanene, told us not to worry that they would clean everything up. Wow what a contrast to the Cook in that YSA Christmas party quite different.  It was really fun. They are just so fun, loving and laugh so easy, and just seem to enjoy life no matter their circumstances.

 Thursday was also the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year.  We had 5 hrs and 27 minutes of daylight and 19 hours of darkness.  It is weird but I don't think the darkness is affecting me mentally, but more physical.  I just feel more tired, maybe because my body thinks it is bedtime when its not.  When its dark at 4pm, my body thinks its time to slow down, when in reality we don't even start our activities till 7pm.  its already been dark for 3 hours! 

On Friday night, we went to the take Tikishlla Park Christmas party. They are a Samoan speaking Ward. Most times when meeting with the Polynesian people they are on island time, which means they start things late and so we were accustomed to that, but were warned that at the parties they start on time. So we showed up about 6:55 and the parking lot was completely full, but there were no people walking in. When we walked into the cultural hall, all the tables were completely full and people patiently waiting the start of the party. We weren’t sure if we were going to stay late or the whole time, so we were going to seek out a table at the rear. However, the people  saw that differently and several of the Polynesian women and brethren told us to go sit up front. We told them no, but they insisted until finally someone came and took our arms and took us to the head table at the very front and center. There were two seats there for us next to the member of the state presidency and the high counselor and their wives.  At promptly  7 PM, the master of ceremony turned on his mic and began the party.  It was all in Samoan, so we did not understand anything. Every once in a while, he would translate into English, but it was very minimal and only essential information. He introduced the opening prayer, and then acknowledged the dignitaries, who were president Aliki from Stake Presidency and the high councilor and their wives and Elder and sister Cox. The Bishop, Bishop Afatia was the DJ and had an incredible sound system and music and it was loud. After a spiritual thought by the young missionaries who serve in the Tikishlla  park Ward he instructed us how to go about getting food at this humongous feast.  Of course our table was first and then the MC would direct all the other tables to the various food items. All the people serving were the senior Samoan elders (elderly people) if you will and we put things on our plate that normally we wouldn’t eat. We both ate fish that were cooked whole , and we’re glad they were gutted first, we think. Carolee had the whole fish head and all and they cut mine in half and they told me the tail was the best portion so that’s what I took. It was really good. We ate as much as we could  And some of it was weird but while we were eating and people were getting served, the music played loud and clear, and we recognized none of it.  It was definitely Samoan and younger generation music. For a Christmas party we only heard one Christmas song or hymn , and that was where a sister performed a hula dance to interpret Silent Night. 

The noise level in the cultural hall was very high with not only the music, but with the level of conversation and happiness it was going on with these people. It was really awesome to view, and be part of it. They all had heaping plates of food, and once everyone was served, they started the floor show.

The floor show was basically a talent show and consisted  of people who signed up. There were individuals dancing, a cello, and families or extended families, dancing, senior couples, singing, and dancing, and everything in between it. It was amazing. We’re not talking world class talent, but dancing and singing that was so fun.  It was amazing to see the families that participated.  

The crowd was appreciative of every act and cheered and congratulated with hugs and high-fives for those that performed. We were thoroughly entertained and amazed  at this party. 

When the floor show was done at about 9:15 PM, they said it’s time to dance!  In the white wards, or any ward that I’ve ever been in, we were used to when they said time to dance that everybody sat down and shrunk to the walls. 

But not here, almost everybody in the congregation went right up to the front and started dancing. It was line dancing, or designated dances that they all knew they were from seniors in their 80s to two-year-olds out there dancing their hearts out and smiling, and just enjoying themselves . We finally left at about 930 or so and the party was still going they had announced previously and we were thinking it was a joke, but they said it would go till 11 o’clock. And no doubt it did. There were people dressed in casual Island ware, some in their formal island attire, some in their sequins, and their American dress.  

So as we found out with the YSA group, and now with a completely Samoan Ward, these people love to be together, to talk, to socialize, to eat, to dance and enjoy life. The area where the Samoans and Tongans live is not the most affluent, they can to be less affluent & have their children live at home for longer.  And many times, a whole family with six or eight kids only has one car, so there are financial and social challenges that they face. But they are definitely happy.

 

The only thing that I felt was missing, which they very well could have added, especially at the beginning of the program, was a more Christ centered message. I think they knew they were there to celebrate, and that the celebration was Christmas, but besides, the people dressed like Santa and having traditional Christmas type stuff,  like lightbulb necklaces, it didn’t seem much like a Christmas party.

Sunday was Christmas Eve, and we had decided that we would like to invite the elders of our district to a Christmas luncheon at the Institute. They were planning on going there and fixing some rice crispy treats, and then going caroling. So we had our Christmas luncheon before they made the treats. We provided it all and we spent most of our preparation day Saturday getting ready for that luncheon. We did baked potatoes and homemade rolls and ham and salad and dessert for them. I even made the lime and raspberry sherbet drink that is so traditional from our family. We set up and decorated tables. We had lights around the windows, and everything was all prepared and done on Saturday. We went over to the Institute Sunday morning before church and baked rolls and potatoes.

 This is our district, which includes the ZLs, DL, and the Sister APs, a trio.  The Kuerth’s other SR.s

Then we went to our sacrament meeting at the YSA ward. It was mostly a musical program with the YSA members performing. Our patriarch, brother Light and his wife spoke, and it was excellent.  17 years ago, he was in a mountain biking accident with the Young Men and broke his neck.  He is a quadriplegic now.  He can move and use his hands somewhat now, so he is making some progress.  He was given a blessing by President Oaks that he would walk again, so they are still waiting on the Lord's timing. 

The musical numbers were “courageous” because most of them took a lot of courage get up and do what they did.

We spent most of Christmas Eve, sending out our Christmas card and posting it on social media. We watched Mr. Krueger‘s Christmas that we haven’t seen for a long time and had a quiet relaxing evening.

Christmas day was as usual a busy day for us. We were here until about noon, Talking with some of our kids and after opening the few little gifts that we had for each other, we headed to the Institute and hosted a small get together with Elder and Sister, Kuerth, Elder and Sister Neuman, and Elder and Sister White. We all brought food and snacks and mostly just sat around and visited till about 430.

Its really enjoyable to get with the other senior missionaries.  We have become good friends and enjoy being together. 

Then we came home and spent the rest of the day on the phone with the rest of our children and their families. It was a good day.

December 26 felt like a recovery day and that’s mostly what we did. Since there is no Institute until January 18, we will be working on getting an institute council up and going, having a couple of Institute activities, like a waffle night and an opening social .

Christmas in the mission field, without family here was a little different.  without all of the traditional sights, sounds, decorations, family activities that we are used to, it almost didn't feel like Christmas.  But on the other hand, the snowy winter wonderland we are living in and with the Christmas lights (albeit fewer than we are used to) it has been a spectacular scenic Christmas.  Many people put up lights on these huge tall Christmas trees...scattered all over the city. they need lift trucks to do it and a lot of lights.  It's way cool and with all the snow and hoar frost, the lights are spectacular. 

 And even without Christmas lights, it is a a dazzling visual display, day or night.  The unbelievable number of street lights cast beautiful hue on the trees that are decorated by Mother Nature with a stunning frosting of white.  It's such a treat. 

Sacrament meeting on Sunday, Christmas Eve gave me time for reflection on Christmas and what we are celebrating.  I know of the tremendous commercialization of the holiday and all the elements that try to distract us from the real reason we are celebrating.  there are also a lot of efforts to keep Christ  at the forefront and I'm grateful for that,  The Church is doing a wonderful job of confronting the challenges by its Light the World Campaign.  But as I thought about the 2-month effort (now) of most people to be able to pull off all of the Christmas traditions and activities, means that Christmas is a big deal!  and it is!  I pondered the condescension of Christ and where he descended from--from the very throne of God--to being born outside in a shelter with a bed used as a feeding station for animals.  And then even further throughout his 33 years of life. It is truly a Big deal, and I'm so glad we make it so, even if some of the celebrating is different, maybe mis-guided or even pagan.  The reason for the Season is so very big and worth everything we put into it.  I think of the celebrations and feasts of the Jews.  The Passover celebration is the crown jewel where they remember and celebrate when their deliverance.  Christmas too is a crown jewel where we celebrate our deliverance from death and sin because of His  birth.  I'm so grateful we celebrate Christmas!!

December19 2023

 We were both going to write last night or the night before but last night we were both exhausted and Sunday was our craziest day ever so I feel like today we will finally have a catch up day!!

Last Monday we had our Institute service project!! It took all day to set up with6 quilts and pizza from Moose Tooth’s and root beer and donuts! The young missionaries came early to help so they could help teach kids as they came! It worked well ! It was Sister Young’s And Elder Magers last activity before transfer and leaving for home.  Change is hard on me I think!  Anyway we had around 50 young adults come!  They cleaned up the pizza(ten large) and pretty much did 6 quilts! I just had to bind and fix a few things.  It was a success from my eyes! We will deliver them this week!  We were at the institute 10-10 with 1 1/2 hours off for district council!  We took pumpkin brownies and said goodbye to elder Whitaker sister Seal, elder. Pine and Barleson. Transfers came that night so really didn’t know!

Tuesday we woke up dead and hoped to recover but we got an emergency call to sub in seminary at the Strawberry building!  Gary did a great job of punting!  The teach actually lost her house to a fire during the class!  Pretty awful!  Good kids to meet!  On Monday we had stopped in at great Harvest bread and ran into Isaac Kingsley and invited him to the service project. He came and brought a girl!  

So a lot of the week we ended up back at the institute to clean up and bind quilts etc. so Tuesday afternoon we did that!  

Wed was my Birthday!! We were joined by Kuerths and Badgers at the temple that morning for an endowment session then sister Currier and Pruit joined us for lunch at Moose's Tooth’s. We had a great time!  We got home intime for calls from all of the kids! Then we watched a Christmas movie!  It was a great day!! Started with a call from Dawnie! So it was complete!! Got message s from our siblings too!

The Iditarod Cafe Entrance

Friday we met the Senior missionaries for a Christmas dinner at the Iditorod Cafe on Base. Lynn and sister Neumann baled due to not feeling well but it was nice!  I really like going on base and seeing their conditions. This was set in the woods across a bridge and gorgeous setting!  We had prime rib.  We also got to meet with both stake presidencies!  It was really good to talk out our vision and see theirs!   We talked about sustainability and service missionaries and institute council!  I think it will help our situation!  I made sugar cookies for institute because I had to make 7 dozen for new missionary orientation for Friday!  Gary helped frost those Friday morning at office so we could get to our lunch .

From inside the Iditarod Cafe

Saturday we tried to stay outside during day light!  We drove down to find the tree tour for Sunday and visited Kuerths to return quilt frames and pick up stuff they had for us!  She gets hamburger at the commissary for us!  They we feel like it is the middle of the night by 4:30 cause it is dark!  On my birthday we went for a walk at Taku park at 9 pm.

 The glow in the distance us the lighted portion of the trail across the lake. 

  This is

on the trail around Taku Lake--No lights, just bright snow at night.  

It was so beautiful in the snow! Saturday we just went down our road in the street lights and it started snowing!  It is magnificent out there!

Sunday we tried to go to both young adult sacrament meetings! Which means leaving early and being late! Then ended up with an impromptu meeting with newly called YSA reps from North Stake. The Couriers!  They are going to be great to work with!!  So way late for our plans we drove down to Kinkaid park hopped a shuttle and did the walking tree tour.  It was beautiful where trees were lit in the forest on a cross country ski trail but we walked it.  We had to go fast but it was beautiful and I was glad we went! 

Then hopped back on the shuttle  changed our clothes in the car again and hustled to the Temple fireside! It was a musical readers theatre and very sweet of the. Christmas story!  Had a good visit with lots of temple workers.  Last ones out of the building!  We started a call with Chalae in the way home and chatted until 11:30pm. Good to chat but exhausted!

Monday we made muddy buddies for District council and are getting t
o know new missionaries there! It was really good then came home and made lemon bars and pumpkin bars for Cook Inlet’s Christmas party! We went and helped set up.  A good group and arranged kids to go drop off quilts to the Fisher House on Thursday!  Lots of kids home from school for the holidays!  We came home exhausted!  But good exhausted!! We are grateful to be here at this special time of year! To be a part of Gods Army is a privledge! So grateful for all we serve with and their commitment to this cause!  Especially my companion.  Love him dearly!!  His vision is amazing! These young people love him!  Always upward and onward!!!  We love Our Father in Heaven and his Son!

    

    People around Anchorage are into big trees and now at Christmas they light up a lot of them.  they are all over town and are so fun.  especially with  the 

snow  on them.   

This is Gary...I just added pictures to Carolee's post.  She said it all for the week.  When we weren't running around, i spent a lot of time in trying to figure out a lot of our strategy going forward. I spent a lot of time in the General Handbook, which gave me a lot of great insight.  We need to make the work that we do sustainable.  We could just make treats, make friends, touch some peoples lives, but then when we leave and whoever comes in just repeats the process.  The purpose of Institute and the activities etc are to elevate these YSAs, to help them grow and deepen their testimonies of Christ.  So, we met with Justin today and I think we now have the vision for what the Anchorage Institute can be.  It may be a 3-5 year plan, but if we set the course correctly and have some foundational pieces in place, I believe it can happen.  That might not make sense to you, but i think we have crossed an incredible hurdle in making things happen that can be sustainable.  Our meeting with the Stake presidencies were so critical and so amazing the they happened on the same day.   

Its been snowing all day and we are getting consistent snow all through the weeks.  I told Carolee that I was goring to tell everyone that we lived through a terrible and powerful winter in Alaska, whether it happened or not.  Well, there has been record snowfall.  The most since they started keeping records.  

And our daylight is getting shorter and shorter.  I feel like its daylight savings time every week.  This darkness just seems to mess with me physically as much as mentally.  It's actually kind of fun to watch it happen.  almost everything we do happens at night.  But Anchorage has invested heavily in street lighting, so with all the snow on the ground and the streetlights, its pretty bright out all the time.  But there are dark places, mostly in residential areas.  They have lit trails all through the city.  I  have heard that Anchorage is called the city of lights, but i think its  really the city of Street lights. 

We are looking forward to this Christmas week and participating in a lot of Activities with our new friends here in Alaska.  We are grateful to be in the service of Him whose birth we celebrate.  

Love to you all.

December 10, 2023

Sunrise is at 10:02 AM         Sunset is at 3:44 PM        That is 5 hours and 41 minutes of daylight.

It is certainly an adjustment, both physically and emotionally. I didn’t realize the impact it would have on my brain. The morning isn’t as hard for me because I don't really get going too fast in the morning. But the afternoon when it is dark at 3:30 and we have to get ready to go to our meetings at 7 PM, it seems like it is midnight that we are starting the activities. Seriously, by  4:30 PM it is like its time to get ready for bed and get in our pajamas. So it is taking some adjustment to be productive and get out in the afternoons.

I think we will adjust to it, but then you throw the darkness in with the snowfall and low temperatures and it’s an interesting combination.  This whole week I think the high temperature has been 19°. But this is what we signed up for in Alaska and I’m thrilled we’re getting a full exposure of the Alaskan experience, with darkness, cold, snow, culture. It is so great.

Our work this week has proven that the same principal that has been so hard for me to accept is the same here-- and that is it always takes longer to do something than you possibly can imagine. Especially when you’re depending on other people to do what they say they’re going to do and do it in a way that is satisfactory to you. It manifests itself everywhere! AAAArrrggggg!

Yup, the Russians were here first!  Some even stayed.  Beautiful building!

We did apartment checks this week, which are fun, mostly because we get to talk and interact with the young missionaries. They are so good and we really enjoy being with them.  While Carolee is actually inspecting the apartment, I am usually talking to the elders and sisters, laughing, and having a good time. I’ve also been able to share lot of my young missionary experiences with these elders and sisters, and share some of the things that I’ve learned over my life. At a church activity, we ran into two or three companionships of missionaries, whose apartments we inspected previously, and who had been reassigned to another senior couple. They all came up to us and expressed sadness that we were not the ones inspecting their apartments. One of them said it was so fun to have us over and have some , interesting and entertaining discussions with adults.

At the Christmas social for all the senior missionaries in the mission on Friday night, President and Sister LARSEN gave us a gift and a card. In our card, Sister LARSEN, who talks with the missionaries before their interviews with the President, wrote us a note and in it she said, “you have to know that these young missionaries love you two immensely.”   I think it also help the bonds we have because Carolee feeds them treats when we come to inspect. No one else does that. 😋

We  feel a strong desire to help strengthen these young Missionaries, who have left their nets for two years to follow and serve their Master.  We are grateful to be involved in their lives, and hopefully share our example and any wisdom they are willing to accept.

Tomorrow, Monday,  the Institute is sponsoring the family home evening for all of Anchorage YSA. Which include both stakes.  As I mentioned before, Carolee is heading up the activity which is quilting quilts for the Fisher house, which is the equivalent of the Ronald McDonald house, but it’s located on the joint Air Force Army base here. They are in need of quilts for the children that can give them comfort after undergoing treatments or surgery or whatever the situation is. So it’s a great opportunity for her to use her talents. She has spent a great deal of time, tracking down quilting, frames, repairing them, buying fabric, and so forth to be able to have this ready for the young people to do the tying of the quilts. We have been doing a lot of coordinating for this activity this week, and, it’s a lot of work. We are ordering pizza to feed 40 or 50 people on Monday night and we are getting 10 large pizzas. It’s from a place called Moose Tooth pizza and it is famous here in Anchorage or in Alaska. When Tricia brought her family up here last year, they ate at Moose Tooth pizza  so we know it’s fame is spread wide. The challenges is that a large large pizza is about $36. So we are looking at about a $350 tab. Man, at home we could get 10 pizzas from Little Caesars and it would cost us about 50 or 60 bucks. The cost of living is quite a bit higher up here, especially for food, not only because they have to ship everything in, but they don’t have an over abundance of labor force. But anyway, Carolee has done a huge amount of work! I have done a lot of promotional work, getting it out on Facebook and Instagram, and announced in church and activities so  It’s a big deal here at the Institute. The weather is going to be a little dicey with 4 to 6 inches of snow forecast for tomorrow & the high of 19°, so we hope the weather won’t have an impact. But heck, we’re in Alaska they just deal with the weather .  It will be a great relief for Carolee when this is over. Of course they ask her to give a five minute talk in district council meeting tomorrow afternoon, when she is in the middle of a lot of the preparation still. Our morning tomorrow will be getting everything set up at the Institute.

But this week we also did a family home evening with the Cook Inlet Ward, 

we did apartment checks, we did a district brunch at a restaurant the city diner, we met with our Institute Director, JUSTIN REEDER, and talked about some future plans we're trying to get moving, we substituted in seminary for him for a half of a period too. The tracting afternoon I had scheduled on Wednesday got canceled because Ikaika could not do it, so we went to the temple instead. On Thursday afternoon we went to the JBER base to a service project where we stuffed bags with goodies and different assorted items to give to the single soldiers who are living in the barracks . We gave them Red Bull and carbonated water and treats and gadgets and games and toilet articles and all kinds of stuff. A group of missionaries, young and seniors stuffed about 3000 bags with all of these things. It was a great afternoon of service . Then on Friday, we hosted the seniors Christmas dinner at the Institute. President Larson brought in all of the senior missionaries from Alaska to come together for a dinner. There are 12 senior couples in the mission and several of them had to fly in because of where they are stationed, not being able to drive . So we spent the afternoon setting up the Institute and getting everything ready. Carolee baked rolls there, and President LARSEN, and the first counselor in the mission, presidency, steamed crab legs and provided ham as well for the dinner. The rest was sign-up with the senior missionaries that lived here in Anchorage . It was a wonderful evening. There are some great people serving here as senior missionaries and we thoroughly enjoyed being with all of them. There is no question we have developed lifelong friendships with many of these missionaries. 

All of the Older Missionaries in  Alaska! 😊

 On Saturday, which is our prep day, after spending the morning working on the quilting activity, we went up to Palmer, Alaska in a snowstorm about an hour away , and went to famous for Alaska burger joint...Burger Jim's, and then to an interfaith nativity display where they transformed a state center into multiple rooms with hundreds of nativity scenes and quilts from different cultures from different areas of the world and Alaska. The creativity was insane. It was pretty cool. Then we came back to Anchorage and went to an interfaith concert at our Stake Center. Some wonderful talent in the Christian world here in Alaska as well as in our church. Tonight we went to the JBER base and watched the army band give a Christmas concert. It was pretty fun except for the middle section where they turned all of the Christmas songs into a hard rock  Jesus  concert.   They had a hard time looking part with their short haircuts and their dress uniforms but the sound was definitely twangy electric guitar sounds. But it was a fun cultural experience.

As I’ve also mentioned before, there are no coincidences, but divine interventions, especially when you’re involved in the work of the Lord.

So this week we have been pondering the direction that we are going with our activities and making sure that we are online, staying in our lane, and doing things that will move forward, the overall picture or goal that we have for our mission here in Alaska. One of the things that is always concerning, especially with senior missionaries is that we can’t just always be doing all of the work and the plan needs to be sustainable because the missionaries go home. So we know that we have to make sure that what we do can be managed and maintained by local people to make that sustainability. And one of our plans has been to get a an institute council that Will be able to make decisions, plan, activities, carry out processes that will keep the Institute and YSA afloat.

There is a great communication deficit here and as I have expressed before with 1200 YSA is on the rolls there is not a lot of communication and or other things in play. So one day as me and my compo were talking, we had the idea that we needed to get posters to the churches With President Nelson‘s message to the YSAs that they need to go to Institute. It was prophetic council that no one here heard and we need to make sure it gets heard. Hence, making posters with his message to put in the buildings. Another portion of the plan would be to get with the Bishops and  have us talk in church with President Nelson's message.  As we started, looking at everything that we are trying to do, we are recognizing that we are getting overloaded and not getting the kind of help we need. The Institute council will be critical and so we will move forward with that next week. We were talking to Elder and Sister, Kuerth, the military relations couple we are friends with, and they could tell that we were getting in really deep. They suggested that we talk to the Stake Presidents and see if we could get a senior couple in each stake to serve a service mission to the YSA and help us do the things that we’re trying to get done . If we could do that when we leave they could continue the work and then when new senior couples come in to oversee things, the processes would still be in place by local people, and the seniors would be there to encourage and support and train.

We were thrilled with that concept and so we’ve been putting together some plans on how we can propose these things to our supervisor, JUSTIN REEDER, and to then stake presidents. So, today at church, we decide to go in the front door of the chapel for some reason, and as we did, we happen to go into the doors, exact same time as the first counselor in the state presidency, who was coming to the meeting. He happens to be in charge of the YSA in the stake. So we were able to set up a meeting with him on Tuesday to go over things. That was divine intervention.

I’ve been doing a lot of work on the list of YSA to make them more efficient for us and those who go visiting. The way we are going about. It requires more communication that I anticipated so again it makes things slow down and that kind of frustrates me, so I’m having to learn, more patience than I thought I had.

Life is never boring, and with all the stuff that we have going, I am just a little disillusioned (perhaps that is too strong of a word) but I was hoping to have more study time, more personal preparation, time, or whatever, but as usual with me, we are always in a hurry, trying to do more than we possibly can get done, and worrying if we have done enough. I say we, but I mean me. Carolee is always, it seems trying to talk me down off the edge. So far so good.

Carolee and some of the other senior sisters are getting together trying to make plans for Christmas and the holidays for us older missionaries.

Do, through it all we are loving it, the experience of the place is magical, and the work is voluminous, demanding, and fulfilling. There is no question in my mind that we are where we need to be, to touch people specifically that we can touch and I believe that our call here was Divinely inspired.

Nope, I didn't take this picture, but I want to!!!😆😆

December10,2023

 Every week brings new adventures!  More snow this week which we love!  Alls beautiful again! We started Christmas partying with the senior missionary dinner Friday. The president was the host but we host the institute where it was held so we worked our tails off setting up and making rolls. We did have a good time! First time to meet some of the seniors because some went straight to assignment and can only come here flying. A couple from Fairbanks and one from Whitehorse Canada. We had crab cooked by our  pres smith. And lots of good food and fun gift game!  After a lot left but a few off us stayed and visited until our Whitehorse missionaries had to leave for the airport for a flight!  We had a great visit and laughed a lot!

We taught seminary Wednesday.  We went to the temple. We judged the gingerbread houses at FHE. We made aunt Shirleen’s desert for institute(everyone always loves that!  I made raspberry jam again for that and roll for party!  We’ve been getting prepped for our service activity tomorrow night for all YSAs. We are making quilts for the Fischer House on base.  We also went and volunteered at the USO on base helping fill bags for the single soldiers!  3000 of them!  Our military missionaries let us help them!!

We have had our tender mercies just about every day!  One this week was Isaac Kingsley showed to institute! He is someone Jordan Hirschi told us about and we left 2 invitations at his place and he came!  We were sooo excited! He was one of Jordan young men in his ward!  Also I have been trying to find quilting frames and all the stuff to make these quilts and a sister gave me hers to use but she had never used them!! Her husband bought them at an auction for her.  There were pieces missing and I was trying to still be able to use them. I was at Joann’s h getting fabric and as I pulled in there I saw good will across the street and thought I should go in there.  There is one closer to our house and I’ve been in that one!  Anyway as I left I turned the other way and then turned around and went back to goodwill!  Gary was home working on other stuff!  Anyway I went in the store and walked down one isle and tapped together were these three pieces of wood to the quilting frames!  Like no one would have even known what they were!  So can use them with the other three I’ve collected to out on quilts.  We also ordered Pizza and root beer from this famous place so hopefully we have a great turnout!! And get lots of quilts made!!  The young missionaries are going to help me organize!!

Yesterday besides putting institute back together and getting quilt stuff readier we went with Kuerths and Newmans to Palmer for lunch and to the Nativity display at our church up there!  The display was so be amazing in every room and so beautiful we felt reverent!! We saw sister Hogan too. It was stormy and the roads scarey but it was worth it for sure. We came back to a Christmas music program at Breton building which was nice.

Today we had an especially good sacrament meeting! The wives of stake presidency spoke!! Our missionaries sang! It was all beautiful!  Then we went to the military band concert on base.  It started and ended great!  The heavy rock was too wierd for Christmas!!  Still glad we went with Kuerths and sis.Pruit and Currier!  Two  weeks until Christmas!! Unbelievable!!!

Tracting

 

December 3, 2023 

We are down to less than six hours of daylight, and I think it will go down to about three hours by 20^th of December. And even the daylight time feels like very late afternoon. The sun comes up over the mountain in the southeast and it just rises short distance before it dips into the southwestern sky.  Each day seems different, depending on cloud cover and the eventide comes earlier and earlier. We knew it was coming, but it still kind of catches you off guard because you haven’t experienced it before. We use our happy lights almost every day so that we can make sure that we are getting the sunlight to help us deal with the constant long periods of darkness. We take our vitamin D, vitamins and fish oil as well to help. We can feel ourselves getting a little grumpy. The awareness of how we are feeling, helps us to try to stay cheerful.

 

This week on Friday, I took a recently returned missionary from the Uruguay Montevideo mission, and we went out tracting or knocking on doors of young single adults who have not been with us for a while. It was quite cold 14°, but the sun was out when we did it so it wasn’t too bad.  And we made some successful contacts and hopefully brighten some lives as we talked to some people. Our purpose is to invite these YSAs to Institute and to give them the information on where to attend church and other activities. I’ve made a 4 x 6 postcard invitation, which we personalize with their name and it has QR codes, that link them to the various Facebook sites of these different groups. The three groups are the anchorage Institute of Religion, the Cook Inlet YSA Ward, and the Maplewood YSA group, which consist mostly of the Polynesian youth in the city.

 

 There are approximately 1200 YSA names on our rolls in the two stakes. We know many of them have moved or married or not here because they were temporary.  Either way, unless we know they are here, they are lost sheep and need to be found and invited back.  That number is unmanageable for the Ward Leaders to deal with.

So, our goal for the year that we are here is to contact one-by-one all 1200 YSAs. We are engaging some of the young people to go with us which is the best way we have found. Carolee and I have gone out many evenings, and contacted many people.   We are not as efficient as when there is a young returned, missionary with us. Felt like I was in Uruguay again when we knocked on the door and then knocked on other doors in the apartment complex to find out if they knew who we were looking for, and then came upon someone who needed to be minister to. Some of our faith, and some not. Everyone we talked to were kind and very friendly.  It was so invigorating to me, don’t know why, but it was.

We are working on getting an institute council together and are making progress there. They will be able to give us input, feedback, and ideas for activities, and ways that we can interact with the YSA’s and inspire them to come to Institute.

Carolee is heading up an Institute sponsored service activity for our family home evening on December 11. I’ll bet you can’t guess what it is. Yes, you are correct, we are making quilts of all sizes to donate to the Fisher house, which is like the Ronald McDonald house, but it serves those on the military base and the families that come there need housing and help while loved ones are in the hospital with very severe challenges and diseases. She has tracked down quilting frames and the Institute has told us they will purchase all the fabric she needs and supplies to tie the quilts. We will do it at the Institute building and will serve popcorn, donuts and drinks and have a great evening. We’re pretty sure we can get a good turnout.

Seems like there is just not a single pattern for any day or any week, because as we move our feet and are actively looking for ways to serve, it seems they just come, and they are the right thing for us to be doing.

 On a fun note, on Thursday night, we went chasing the northern lights again. This time, instead of going up to the mountain, we went down to the coast, and went down to the very point of Anchorage, which is at the end of the runway at the Anchorage international airport. That way we could look out over the water looking north of the channel and be able to see them.

You can see the whole big dipper in this one with a plane in the distance coming in for a landing.  Apparently, there was a lot of solar activity which is going to cause great activity with the lights. We went right after Institute and it was really cold 15°.  But we got down to the parking lot and we did see them, not as spectacular as the first time, but still were able to see them with the naked eye.  However, with my camera, the iPhone 14 pro max, the pictures were pretty phenomenal. It picks up things that you can’t see, so we saw a completely different show through the camera than through our natural eyes.  It was fun and the Badgers and the Kuerth’s came with us.   Here’s a couple more.