Missionary Preparation

We had our first Missionary Preparation class last evening,  Three young Tongans showed up.  Nia is the sweetest young woman you could meet.  She attends everything.  She has begun to fill out her forms on the internet.  Sean came here from Los Angeles four years ago.  He came to escape the gang culture.  He joined the church two years ago.  He has a smile that will take him where ever he wants to go.  Aaron is Nia's cousin.  I'm not sure if he attends another ward or what.  Last evening was the first we had ever met him.  But he had all of the answers and a good knowledge base.  Nia came with her scriptures ready to go.  Sean and Aaron did not so we got them some from the library. 

The committment to go on a mission is such a big one for a young man or woman.  There is so much to accomplish.  Those who have had the advantage of the gospel in their home have an easier time of it.  We had a wonderful time with these three anxious young people. 

Here are more pictures from our trip last week-end.  These are from Skagway up to Whitehorse, Canada.

The weather was rainy and the clouds hung over the mountains like frosting hangs to cake.  We came across numerous places where the standing water created beautiful pools. The trees were stunted in their growth because of the elevation.  The lower we got, the higher they became.

 For several miles it was one pool after another.  The dirty look to the water was due to the color of the clouds and the reflection off of them.  They were actually clean water pools.

This branch building is beautiful tongue and groove woodwork throughout.  The chapel is on the diagonal and very attractive.

Vic Lecheminant is the recently called seminary teacher.  He is so anxious to do the job right.  He is a computer techie for the city of Juneau.  He hasn't been as active in the church recently.  This call will be wonderful for him.  I understand from the members the 5 seminary kids in the branch adore him.

This home of Tom and Patti Hirsch's is about 12-15 miles outside of the city center.  Tom built it himself.  It has absolutely everything you could want except for a dishwasher.  We spent the night with them and visited until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer.  They are wonderful people and if we were to live near them I know we could become fast friends.

This is Patti and Tom Hirsch with Sister Waldron.  We had just finished Sacrament meeting.  We looked at our clocks and realized that if we left we could make the Skagway ferry that afternoon.  It was about a 125 mile drive.  It would save the church some money and so we scampered on our way to Skagway. 


Diane had attended the Relief Society general meeting.  We had attended a baptism of the Garcias.  I had a wonderful time working with the four young elders assigned to Whitehorse.  We had discussed the Beatitudes during R.S. meeting.  We had gone to the Little's home to practice a piece to sing in Sacrament meeting.  We had spoken in Sacrament meeting and left them with our testimonies.  It is wonderful to be so far away from home, walk into an LDS meeting house, and feel at home.