Mt. Roberts

We have been going to a little gym up in the valley after breakfast this week.  They have a very nice facility and even a swimming tank where you swim against the flow of the water.  That's a bit tough to get used to, but very effective.  I enjoy the hot tub and the steam room after a good workout. 

[This is the Gastineau Channel.  Many ships come up the inside passage on this route into Juneau.  The island on the right is Douglas Island.  About 1/10 of the population around here is on Douglas.]

Today as we were leaving the gym, one of the managers stopped us as we were backing out.  He asked what we were going to do with our sunny day.  The sun was shinning like we have only seen one other time.  We told him we were waiting for this sunny day to go up the tram onto Mt. Roberts. 

"Would you like a pass?" he asks.

[This is another view of Douglas Island across Gastineau Channel from Juneau.]  

He gave us a pass that saved us each $29.  We will return his corporate pass to him tomorrow with a big plage of cookies. 

[At the top of the tram the views were wonderful.  The tram and development at the top was developed by the Tlingit Indian Tribe at a cost of $17 million.  The film on the Tlingits inside the theater at the top was very informative.]

[As you look at Diane you are looking North West.  Douglas Island is 17 miles long.  It is one of the 1000 or so Islands along the Inland Passage.] 

I give an assignment sheet to the Institute students each Wednesday.  It usually challenges them to answer the questions I ponder long and hard to come up with.  I also allow them a place at the bottom of the page they can ask me a question about the gospel.  They are very insightful in asking their questions.  One wanted to know the difference between the two genealogies of Jesus in the Gospels.  The first week I tried to write an answer on the papers and give them back.  But I have found it is easier, and I can type a more meaningful answer, if I just answer the quesiton on word perfect, run it off on the printer and give it to them.  I am enjoying the challenge. 

I have been studying very hard to prepare for tonight's first in-service lesson.  All of the seminary teachers in the stake will call in for a polycom conference.  We will be discussing the first part of the new manual "Gospel Teaching and Learning."  I can see Friday's are not going to work.  We will be at half strength.  We have to move it to another time if expect any greater participation.