Aug 26 2024

Both Carolee & Gary contributed to this post.  

Still no doubt, Alaska is still awesome.  We are not trying to say it’s better than anywhere else.  It’s awesome because it is still so undiscovered by the world really.  It’s may have been visited by many, but very few stay because of the cold, snowy winters and the extreme long time of darkness and equally long daytime hours and short summertime.  The population of Anchorage is actually contracting slowly.  Because of our adventurous nature, I think we would have found stuff to be amazed about even if we were in Southern Georgia, Ohio or Wichita, Kansas. (ok, well maybe not Wichita).  But because Alaska is so over the top everything, it’s hard not to be excited about it.  And besides, we had no control over where we were assigned, so we are grateful, not boastful about being here.  If you were to ask me what the best thing about Alaska is, I would say the people.  We love them to death even when everything is not hunky dory.  (btw, what the heck does hunky dory mean and why???)

With time running thin till we return home, we have tried to keep moving all the time.  That means that D.A.N.** keeps getting pushed off the schedule or becomes DEN which is not good for healthy sleeping habits.  Of course its been years since I had anywhere near healthy sleeping habits. ☹**Daily Afternoon Nap 

 Well today we thought maybe we were subbing in seminary for Justin due to emergency at home! Ended up a false alarm so instead we helped process caribou at Michael Metcalf's house.  He is our elders quorum pres. in YSA.

Sister Cox Grinding Caribou

Great Man and a serious hunter and fisherman. He went hunting with friends and ended up with everyone’s meat cause they couldn’t afford to ship it home!  So Dad and I and his dad spent the day making caribou burger and jerky!  We were glad to help he has been so good to us taking Gary fishing and tutoring us on Alaska!! For a mid day break we went to district council and had a great activity getting to know each other! We have two greenies! A sister Rasmussen from Hubbard Idaho. And Elder Davis from Phoenix. We had a great time and I took them pumpkin brownies! They were happy about that!!  We left Michael's at 6:50 pm after he fed us caribou burgers( which were good).  

Arctic Valley Area Chugach Mountains

Then headed to Eagle River to hike with YSA for family night! We didn’t find the kids but found the ski resort and another gorgeous place!  Autumn is coming!  It was cold and the leaves are changing!!

We had a great Sabbath! We both spoke in church, sort of our farewell I guess! It went well and there were lots of new kids and almost 100 there! Surprised cause a lot of kids have gone back down to school!  Patti and Darrel Kincaid came over for dinner and we very much enjoy being with them!  Also I got to talk to Lynn Kuerth ( my bestie missionary buddy). She was diagnosed with  cancer this week. She went home early for health but this was shocking!  We have really missed them! We pray all will go well with her as she starts treatment. We will see them soon as they are in Clinton Utah!

Barn Quilt in Talkeetna

Saturday morning we took our YSA missionaries to breakfast!  Sort of a planning meeting! Sisters Clement and Richins, Elders Bailey, Bell, and Rasmussen.  That was great and then we went on an adventure to Talketna!  A little tourist town a couple hours north!  

Quilt & Fabric Shop in Talkeetna 

We just did lunch and walked down to the river and I got some Alaska fabric I wanted!!  

It was an all day adventure cause we also stopped at La da sa the church owned camp up here!  The missionaries that live and work there, gave a great tour. Sister Lee a service missionary and Elder Henry the one that he and his wife run the camp!  It was amazing! Loved seeing that! They have a big lake on the property, small cabins and a lodge with covered eating area and inside area too.  It is open for all members of the church and is open everyday of the year but Sundays. 

Lake & Waterfront at LaDaSa

It is really impressive with archery, air rifle ranges, full cement basketball court, RV hook up pads, tent camping sites, stocked wood shed for tenant usage, sports activity area and more.  It is way cool 

Cabins at the camp

This is where Tricia & Ken stayed with their family when they came up a few years ago.  We did not comprehend how great it was, but it still is camping with no toilets in the small cabins.  here is a shower house too.  

As we wind down to the end here we are appreciating a lot of lasts like Badgers had us to dinner Friday night! It will be sad to say goodbye to them! They are such great friends and we have shared a lot of adventures with them.   

Also Thursday Patti’s class is The amazing gift of forgiveness! A book by Elder Anderson. I did Banana bread for that!  Small classes that we hope will grow!

Thursday looked like the last day with sunshine for the next 14 days, so I decided I’d better pull the trigger on one of my Alaska bucket list items—fly in a bush plane that takes off and lands on the lake.  We have watched them all summer and so I got into a plane at 3 in the afternoon. 

Lookin' good, actin' cc&c

 I got in the co-pilot chair (or I wouldn’t have gone) so I could have a  good view of everything.  It was only 30 minutes, of which 10 was taxiing.

Coming in for the Landing

  But it was so smooth and so quick of a takeoff and landing was really soft.  Could hardly tell we were on the water and not in the air.  We went west over Cook Inlet and saw the forest, mountains and tundra and many, many lakes accessible only by air.  It was worth the $100!

We also went to the Temple with a lot of changes. One is that there are two session in a row every morning and evening! It’s great.  So Wednesday when I worked I did two veils in a row!  The shortened ceremony allows for that change!

Wednesday (gary) Carolee’s day at the temple on Wednesday was eventful with the new adjustments still being worked through.  Afterwards we drove up to Palmer to go to dinner with Newman’s, our good senior missionary friends serving up there.  They got transferred up to the Sulcha Branch in the North Pole Stake.  They are on a 23 month mission and this is their 2^nd transfer!  Usually you don’t get transferred at all.   So we may not see them again so we went to say goodbye.  They will come home in February and are building a house in Idaho Falls.  

Tuesday--We got to the Temple on Tuesday morning and were able to get in on the newest adjustments to the endowment.  Absolutely inspired and awesome.  IMHO. 

But we again had no one show up to hang out at the Institute but the missionaries from all N. Anchorage.  It was transfer day so it was kind of a madhouse.  

Institute fall semester started with Tuesday Book of Revelation ,Justin’s class. Carolee baked bread, which is always the favorite of everyone.  They love it so much.  (Thanks Diane, you get all the credit) She times it coming out of the oven 15 minutes before class gets out and the smell of it throughout the building drives everyone crazy.  And it tastes better than it smells—I know, how can that possibly be true, but true it is.

Jenna off to college and Carolee

Steal the Flag warriors 

FHE at Sand dunes where we told kids who were heading out to BYU & BYUI goodbye! We love this place! We did have a long visit with our replacements and I’m sure they will be great!!  We were smart this time and brought our lawn chairs and watched them play.  When anyone got tired or subbed out, they came over and sat by us and chatted.  It’s a fun group and they had a lot of fun together.  We left before they were done so we wouldn’t get locked in the parking lot.  They have an awful lot of energy, they do…

I also had a good visit with my roommates! They are the best! Love sharing our lives still! Every week has been a great one. We do get worn out in a good way!  

Last Fireweed Blossom of the Season  Means snow is 4 weeks away

We love serving here and acknowledge the blessings and miracles we see daily! We love our Heavenly Father and his Son.  We are grateful to serve them in anyway we can! We love you all!!

 

Wow, what a busy two weeks.  I think we have finally landed, but now we head into the last 3 ½  weeks of our mission, which we know will be crazy busy.    Carolee covered most of what happened that week of the 11^th.  But left out some exciting times for me.

Salmon Fishing Story:   On Tuesday night the 6^th, Elder Newman said the President Smith counselor in Mission Presidency (he of bear mauling fame and 50 year resident of Alaska and Master Salmon fisherman) invited us to go Salmon fishing with him at the confluence of the Russian river and Kenai River.  It was an offer that we could not resist.  The reds (Sockeye) were running up the rivers.  

I still didn’t have my power-point presentation for my Institute lesson done, but since we were leaving so early I figured we would be home by 3pm and give me plenty of time to finish preparing. 

The turquoise color is the Kenai, the brown is the Russian, but it is  really clear

Kenai & Russian Rivers Confluence

So Elder Newman came down from Palmer (45 min NE of Anchorage)  and slept at our apt till 2:30 AM, when we left with Pres. Smith at 3am.  We got to the parking lot at the campground at 5 AM and met some of his friends who had come up from Utah.  We put on our chest waders (I borrowed from one of the Stake Presidents here), rain gear (it was raining pretty hard and did so till we got out of the river) and headed out for a mile walk to the river.  I kinda looked the part of a veteran fisherman with my chest waders, but my rented fishing pole was way out-classed by everyone there. ☹  At the confluence, we waded across the Russian in thigh deep water and moved down the bank to get to the  “best spot”.  The water was moving very fast and I was a little nervous with my footing in that deep and fast-moving water.  There were only about 10 other people there when we got there at 5:30am, .  By the time we left at 2pm, it was almost elbow to elbow fishing for almost as far as I could see, up and down the river.  It was insane.  Pres. Smith had caught his limit of 3 Reds or Sockeye Salmon, not Kings (Kings are endangered and so you can’t harvest them if there are any).  Anyway, he was helping me and I finally got one by around 1pm.  That was 7 freaking hours in this freezing cold river leaning into the current to keep my balance.  My glutes quads, calves’, hamstrings and ankles were burning. 😩 

The chest waders were like a dry suit, so I wasn’t wet or too cold.  Pretty amazing.  The boots weren’t too good so my feet got a little wet and cold.  I only got out for about 30 minutes total to relax my muscles.  And I did sit on the bank for a while.  I am just a bad fisherman…I would change out where I was fishing to another in our group and as soon as I did, they would catch one.  It kept happening over and over.  It drove me crazy.  The Sockeye is about 2-3 feet long and weighs about 5-10 lbs and fights like a demon. 

This was our whole catch for the group.  Mine is the one in front.  

The one that I got was using Pres Smith’s $1,000 fly rod.  As I was pulling it in, it had the pole bent in half.  Pres. Smith kept saying let the pole do the work, walk up-stream, then “don’t break my $1,000 dollar pole!”  So I decided I won’t borrow a pole anymore.  But that one fish fed us and Tanner’s family for two dinners and still had a little left-over!  It is really good.  So, after lally-gagging around the river and talking to other fisherman in the river and the parking lot, we finally left at 3pm!   So, that would still get me home by 5:00 so I was still feeling ok about finishing my lesson in time.  But then, on the way home Pres Smith wanted to know who was buying ice cream at Wild Mike’s ice cream shop in Cooper Landing.  Apparently, that is kind of the gesture one makes when someone takes you fishing on the Kenai.  So I bought ice cream for the 3 of us--$22.  The scoops were big, but…  So the line was long and now it was 5:30 ETA.  As we were driving home I could tell Pres Smith was getting way tired so I wanted to make it home alive, so I offered to drive for him.  So we pulled over and I started driving after the pit stop (10 minute exchange) and we were almost to the outskirts of Anchorage when he told me to pull over.  I could tell something was wrong so I pulled off into a pullout almost immediately.  He had a Charlie-horse in his leg with no where to stretch it! I know what that’s like…ouch! He jumped out of the truck fast. Another 10 minutes.  By now I was just hoping  to be able to shower before going to teach, because we still had to go to his house and unload and load our stuff into the other car and drive to my place.  It was a little hairy, but I did get a real quick shower and showed up to teach a little unprepared for my comfort.  But, good students and good questions help us learn together, which is what we did. Sorry, but the fish story doesn’t end there.  Michael Metcalf our YSA EQ President had invited me to go fishing for Pink Salmon or Humpies on Friday night at 7:00pm.  This is the next run after the Reds.  The color is based on the color of the meat.  The pinks are more undesirable meat, and is used mostly for canning and dips and stuff.  So, sports fishermen usually catch and release.  So, we drove 45 minutes to Ingram Creek down at the end of Turnagain Arm.  It was raining solid again, the whole time we were in the water and quit when we got out at about 10:30 pm.  Of course it’s still not dark at 10:30 pm, but we all had caught one so we headed out and I got home about 11:45 pm and it was almost totally dark by then.  But I am now a certified Salmon fisherman (unofficial of course) but recognized by all the locals.  😊 I would still like to catch a Silver or Coho Salmon which are bigger than the Sockeye, but my fishing time may be over.  We’ll have to see.  I missed out on catching a Chinook or King Salmon 35 years ago when I came up here with Seldon (my boss).  We came up to set up the books for a friend, Mike Babcock, and we got skunked due to commercial fishermen netting the river the day we were there.  So that ship has sailed…

Tanner and Family visit:

Saturday morning after my last fishing escapade, we went to our Seminary training meeting from 9-12 at the Institute building.  We came home and headed to the airport to pick up Tanner, Kassy, Zoey & Nate.  It was so good to see them and get such good hugs.  We loved having them here and had a pretty magical week.  We saw the majesty and beauty of Alaska with and abundant intersection with wild life.  For those of you who have been here before you may recognize some of the places we visited and things we did.  So here is kind of a highlight of things we did and saw.  I made a more thorough itinerary of what we did and saw for Zoey and Nate and I’ll include it at the end for the record. 

We saw documentary movies about bears and the Earthquake of 1964.  We then visited Earthquake Park where you can see how far the land dropped into the ocean. We walked to a salmon estuary 3

blocks from our house and discovered an amazing, colorful forest of mushrooms.  I knew Tanner & Kassy were into mushrooms, but they are the King & Queen of mushrooms. 

They can spot and identify them all over the place.  We drove to Seward, the epicenter of the earthquake, visited the Sealife Center where there were rescued sea life like seals, sea lions, octopus, sea birds and a touch tank of starfish, urchins and other cool stuff; visited a massively powerful waterfall and followed it into the ocean; skipped rocks in the gorgeous turquoise waters of Kenai Lake—twice. 

        
Back in Anchorage we rented bikes and rode on the coastal trail and over to the 2^nd busiest Seaplane seaport in the country, Lake Hood and

watched planes take off and land on the lake.  We even saw 4 “moosen” as we traveled the trail.  E-bikes I think will become a necessity when we get home.  They are amazing.   This is a moose--no, Nate is not                                                                                             a moose!

We went up to the Glen Alps Flat Top trailhead to get a view of the whole city and Cook Inlet.  And we picked wild blueberries and raspberries with many people from Anchorage.  We rode the tram to the top of Alyeska ski resort, hiked even higher, saw 7 glaciers before coming down.  

Then to Virgin Creek Falls which is the furthest north Coastal rain forest in the world.  They get over 70 inches of rain a year, just down the road from the ski resort! The falls were breath taking. 

We skipped rocks in Portage Lake, the glacier lake filled by the Portage glacier but could only see it by going on a boat cruise.  We saw the Byron glacier from there and headed to Whittier through a 2.7 mile tunnel through the mountain.  The longest auto tunnel in America—we’ve been told.  It is one way only and carries traffic from trains, busses, and automobiles.  It’s pretty cool.  Saw some cool glaciers there too.

Driving on the road by the Turnagain Arm (an arm of water off to the south of Cook Inlet) we saw rare Beluga Whales.  They are white and rather small—15-20 ft.  We had never seen one, so we thought they were mythical 😊, But now we have video proof they exist!  (i can't get the video to work, so you just have to take it on the 6 witnesses who saw them) 

We went to the Zoo and saw all the Alaskan animals in one place, including a pair of polar bears that were very entertaining. 

We finished with a picnic, hiking in the rain and then watching a movie “The Great Alaskan Sled Dog Race” starring Togo the hero dog who led the team to Nome to get a DPT serum to save the children of the remote city.  It was early 1900s and the Iditarod Dog Sled Race is held each year to commemorate that run.  I’d recommend the movie. 

So, all in all, it was just an awesome week.  It didn’t matter where we went, those kids were off and running to see everything they possible could.  A lot of the places didn’t have protective fencing and keeping them off the very edge of disaster was difficult at best.  I think I’ll quote Tanner here that I think you will all agree with “Parenting is impossible”. 😊 

We loved the week with Tanner and we loved the week with Chalae’s family.  It would have been awesome if all of you could come for a week, but we know it was not possible. 

On Friday after they left, we went to dinner with the North Anchorage Stake President and his wife.  We have become friends with him because he has an office here in the Institute Building and Carolee feeds them a lot.  That’s a good way to make friends, ha-ha.  He is part of the unique cultural diversity here in Anchorage.  He is Persian, born and raised in Iran.  His mother joined the church there and they escaped to America.  They took us to the highest class, expensive restaurant in Anchorage and told me that if we ordered the cheapest thing on the menu that he would be deeply offended.  Wow…did you all know that halibut have cheeks?  Not buns, but cheeks.  Well, we had them as a starter and wow!  As you know all 5-star restaurants are big into presentation and sauces and dips.  I’d forgotten food could taste that good.  It was a wonderful evening. 

Then on Saturday, we rented e-bikes again and went on a bike ride with the Badgers, our good friends who we’ve had many adventures with. 

They are the temple construction missionaries who came out with us but will be here for 2 more years.  We explored the city green space creek trails for over 3 hours.  It was really awesome.  It’s like you are way out in the woods and suddenly you go through a tunnel under a major roadway.  Lakes dot the length of the trails and the water in the creeks is really high from all the rain up here this month, but it’s still so clear!

Sunday, we went to 3 Sacrament meetings trying to cover all our bases before we leave.  And Monday we start the Institute and Seminary semesters all over again and we hit all the night time activities.   We love being busy and involved and making relationships with so many YSAs, young missionaries and other senior couples here in Alaska.  We hope that what we have done here will have made a difference in someone’s life. 

3 weeks is not very long and I’m getting a little panicked that we will run out of time with what we want to still do as missionaries.  We made a list on Saturday of the things and also the personal things.  I think we’ve hit almost all of our Alaska bucket list, so that is fun. 

We do look forward to seeing all of you, but I am feeling a little melancholy about leaving.

But life is good, the gospel is true and God loves all of us as His children! 

Missed August 11 2024

 So Sunday August 11 Tanner and his family were with us and as usual the brain drops things when distracted!  We had a very full week previous to him coming!  Monday we had district council and I took treats for the group! Realizing time is running out!  They continue to amaze us as we have gospel discussions and they council together over challenges!  Later we held family night at the institute.  We were in charge and we had ice cream Sundays.  Justin Reeder led a great discussion! We had about 45 kids.  An end of summer activity before the YSA’s head back to school!  Justin and Patti and Darrell were there with us. 

I finished altering Cherishes wedding dress and Tuesday she came to get it!   She gave. Me a Thankyou card with a very generous gift! I told her I couldn’t take pay but she said it was a gift!  So sweet of her!  I later used it to take Tanners family on the Alyeska tram!  A regift!! Pay it forward. 😇

I was able to work at the temple for one of my last times! I will miss this!  Also able to come back Wednesday night and do a session.  Really enjoy Wednesdays. Temple so close I can take two trips. Also a zoom call with my girls is a highlight. Don’t usually get all but some!! Gary was working on his institute lesson for Thursday night. The last of the summer!  It was a good one on our relationship with our Heavenly Father and his Son!  I made bread and we had a small but good group!  I held back three slices and the Stake Presidency were happy to have those!  We are good friends now!

We ended the week with a nice meal with Badgers at the Rustic Goat!!

Only in Alaska!!  We enjoy our time with them.  Had seminary training sat morning that took us right up to Tanner and Family arrival!!  No dull moments here!

August 4,2024

 That is a little shocking to write that it is August! We had missionaries departing testimonies tonight. Some greats going home but it just points out how time passed as if in a dream! Hard to believe!  Even the sun is starting to set again!  It does about 10:30! But that means it actually get dark during the night!  Summer institute ends this week and fall starts in two weeks !

We had our miracle today at the YSA ward where we were having a fish cook off for "break the fast"!  They just invited everyone to bring fish to share!  You have to know many have been fishing or dip netting recently so plenty with fish!  Only four kids brought a bit! A few more brought salmon spread and bishop brought salmon pasta.  Now we did have 100 in meeting. !  We did serve 75 kids dinner! All that wanted got fish!  We had baked potatoes and salad and cakes for desert! But I think everyone got full!  It was pretty amazing!  Sister Brandau( bishops wife and I did it so miracles never cease!  Reeders had us to dinner so the fact we weren’t eating was good!

We have learned to really appreciate Justin and his lessons and personality!  Being on the same cruise helped connect us to the kids!  Very enjoyable afternoon with them and delicious food! Love Ashley! She is amazing!

We have had a busy week and slowly Gary’s cough has calmed down. Not gone, but better. He maybe held his breath a lot!!  He was good to go to the temple and it’s been a while for him so glad to be with him.  I met Jarilyn and David’s niece in law at the temple  which was great also! We had a couple of sessions with young adults counseling them this week! He is good at that! The kids trust him and we talk easy!  It’s good !  We also made bread and delivered it to the office and Kincade's and Badgers! I made it for institute too and it was a hit as always!  We ended up having a great visit with Kincade's. They gave us a bunch of Salmon!!so nice.  Badgers have had kids here so we needed a catch up and we had a great meal at the Rustic Goat!  Also a great visit! Both great friends!

I finished the wedding dress I’ve been altering. Two hooks and she will take it Tuesday . I always meet her at the institute. It’s a good friend place!  We always have good visits.  We were educated about Dip Net fishing this week with President Morgan!

We also went on bear hunt twice this week! Tuesday morning at Eagle River nature center!  Sat up McHugh falls.  No bears but some very good walks!?     Most of P-day was cooking!! CES!! Cooking every second!!!

A highlight of the week was zone council on Wednesday afternoon. I came straight from the temple! Gary said it so well!  Where in the world would you find 20 young adults sitting around on a summer afternoon counseling about things of eternity. Kids barely out of high school or at most two years out . They plan and discuss important things and help each other as they strive to help build Gods kingdom! That was our miracle to share with them!!

We were able to have two baptisms in our district this week! It was wonderful! Two Men in thirties or so with families! So excited to see potential priesthood holders joining!  Also been a dry spell for baptisms so this was wonderful!  Our elders and sisters are working really hard right now and seems to be paying dividends!! We love serving  here with these young people gathering Israel

! We are so blessed!!