Isaiah

Members of the Young Single Adult branch continue to come and go, even outside of the tourist season.  We have met a wonderful young woman by the name of Corina Sandoval.  Life has been hard for Corina in Mexico.  She came to Sitka to visit friends with whom she had graduated from high school with.  She had some life altering thinking to do.  While living her life to the fullest one day, she was helping clean a boat for an upcoming fishing trip.  Not having complete control of her faculties she tumbled into the engine room and hurt herself with a concussion and some stitches.  She had an epiphany of sorts and decided she would like to clean her life up. 

The Sisters in Sitka made contact with her shortly thereafter and quickly she understood the principles of the gospel, and she accepted the challenge to be baptized.  Within a couple of weeks she left Sitka and came to Juneau to be with an older friend who had also been in Sitka.  Her name is Hilda and she also hails from Mexico.  Hilda is now a care keeper for an 80 year old man in a very nice home.  Hilda is also a member of the church but has been inactive most of her life.  Unexpectedly they showed up at institute.  At the conclusion of the evening they were excited about the church, the lesson and the prospects of living the gospel.  Corina has attended two times since.  This past week Diane and I gave her a ride home as no other YSA lived near her.  We had a nice chat and learned that she was married and planned to return to Mexico.  Her intent is to try and work out a marriage that was not working well when she made the decision to go to Alaska.  I asked her if she would like a priesthood blessing before returning home.  She said she would like that.

She did come to church yesterday with a plan to delay her return to Mexico until Friday.   I introduced her to President Sakona and he invited me to assist him with the priesthood blessing.  We had a wonderful visit with Corina where she expressed fear at returning to a husband who is now loving another and living very differently from the teachings of the gospel.  President Sakona gave her a beautiful blessing and we taught her about the priesthood and the strength and support it can be in our lives.  She will leave this week having only been with us about 5 weeks.  But she allowed us an opportunity to serve her and teach her. 

Scott Beames setting up the 'Go To Meeting' technology.  While he was doing that I am getting the my computer into "Go To Meeting' and getting the Polycom up so the outlying branches can join us and see us.

Scott Beames, the Alaska coordinator for the CES, visited last week.  He conducted an in-service for our stake seminary teachers in preparation for the coming Book of Mormon chapters which include Isaiah.  He brought his wife Tricia.  Their children are old enough to get themselves off to school.  They live in Palmer.  We met with them, the Schlechters and Bob and Sowa Francis at our favorite Thai food place.  I'd call it a restaurant, but that might be stretching it some.  It's just a dig.

This is how our early morning In-Service looks.   Our early morning seminary teachers have made arrangements for substitute teachers while they are in training.

Elder Call of the Seventy and President John Beesley, our mission president met with us in our chapel yesterday.  The meeting was for each ward and branch council in our stake.  The theme was to help these councils be effective in hastening the work.  It took a tremendous amount of technology to connect each of our 13 units to sound and most of them to video.  Some responded to questions by texting in answers and others used the polycom and some were able to respond directly with the vidyo system used by the church. 

President Josh Sakona and his wife Lovinia

I am finding myself immersed in the chapters of the Book of Mormon that quote Isaiah.  He wrote with the intent of making the meaning of his writings understandable to a covenant people.  He knew the world would grow weary of his poetry and not seek the meaning.  But he also knew that in our day we would read it and understand it.  With the assistance of a wonderful book called 'Understanding Isaiah' and the BYU tv gospel discussion broadcasts that I watch, I believe I am understanding it more than ever before.  I am not totally comfortable teaching it, but feel better about it than I would have a year ago.  These writings help establish the credibility of the Savior and also the church, sometimes described as that on Mount Zion and the New Jerusalem.  They give great insight into the future of the house of Israel on Mount Zion and the House of Israel in Jerusalem. 

After our YSA Family Home Evening everyone went to a Tae Kwan Do studio for some self defense training.

I am trying to do as Nephi as suggested when he introduced the first of the Isaiah chapters in First Nephi.  He told us that in reading Isaiah we should liken his writings as unto ourselves. 

We met a senior couple at the ferry dock this morning at 4:00 a.m.  They are Elder and Sister Brinkerhoff from Fairview, Utah.  They will be doing records preservation while they are here.  They are without an apartment for a couple of weeks and will be staying in a motel until the apartment above us becomes available the first of November. 

Aubrey Welling, President Welling's daughter, and Dara, one of our YSA as they prepare to learn the art of self-defense.

Conference was so meaningful and uplifting.  I think the most poignant message was that we should not be doubting our religion, but doubting our doubts.  Elder Uchtdorf acknowledged the church is and has been led by men.  They are God's chosen Prophets, but they are still men.  And sometimes men make mistakes.  I'm grateful that I've been able to understand that and hold on to the faith that offers so many blessings.  In spite of the inadequacies of man, the church has been organized in its fulness once again.  We are led by a chosen Prophet, chosen by God himself.  And he spoke to us Gods will once again from the pulpit just two Sunday's ago.