Yakutat

12 November 2012

Diane and I have come to Yakutat, Alaska.  Our purpose is twofold; 1) The Burt Adams family, and 2) the Yakutat Seminary program.

I received an inquiry from CES about a Stephen Adams.  He is a returned missionary from Yakutat.  CES wanted to make sure he was on the CES rolls where ever he was.  I found out from the stake high council that Burt Adams Sr. was very active in the Yakutat branch.  I called him.  He verified that Stephen was his grandson, that he had been on a mission to New Hampshire (I think that is what he told me), and that he is now registered in school at the Church college of Hawaii. 

After getting the above information from him Burt Adams Sr. said to me, “When are the missionaries going to come up to Yakutat and teach my grand children, Cassia, age 16, and Christian age 10?  The stake promised me missionaries so they could be ready to be baptized when Stephen comes home from Hawaii for Christmas?” 

Of course I knew nothing of this promise from the stake.  In talking with him I find out the Stephen is the son of Burt’s son, Burt Jr.  (He doesn’t like to be called Jr.  So I got the telephone number of Burt Jr. and called him to confirm some things.  He told me that he did want the missionaries to come and teach his kids the missionary lessons.  I told him I would look into it. 

I called President Beesley and asked him if he would be ok with Diane and me being those missionaries.  There are none assigned to the Yakutat branch.  He said he would like that if I could make it work.  I then called Don Huntsman, our Stake 1^st Councilor and asked what he thought.  He said it sounded good to him and to see if I could make it work.  I then sent a proposal to CES in Seattle for permission for funds to fly us to Yakutat round trip and stay in a bed and Breakfast for 3 nights.  Finances for our travel can be a problem.  Sometimes we travel on the CES dime, and sometimes we travel on the stake dime. We told CES Seattle we would be visiting Penny James’ home school seminary class.  She teaches her three children, twin girls Geneva and Julia, and a son Josh. 

We arrived in Yakutat about noon.  Penny drove us around Yakutat and gave us the grand tour.  It originally was a Tlinget village and the Tlinget tribe is very prominent here.  Penny’s husband, Darrel James, is a Tlinget.  The Adams family are Tlinget.  Burt Jr’s wife is actually from a Pacific Island between Samoa and Fiji.  It is a small Island where the highest point on the Island is only 16 ft. above sea level.  That height is smaller by the year because of the rising ocean levels. 

The drive around the area proved to be a beautiful fishing mecca.  There are rivers and inlets and ocean fronts everywhere.  The rivers have cut throat trout in them right now and chum, or dog fish.  These are the final salmon to migrate.  The Bald Eagles hover over the river waiting for the chum to arrive.  They are slow this year.  We did see a lone Trumpeter Swan and a singlet in the river. 

A drive around the shore was beautiful.  The waves are great for surfing.  There were three young men in our bed and breakfast visiting for two days of surfing.  The snow was falling.  The snow was turning into slush and there was about 4 inches of it.  But they were dressed head to toe in neoprene and spent literally two full days in the surf. 

Penny took us to the local market, which reminded me of Anderson’s store in Thatcher.  Only it was much bigger.  We picked up some juices, fruit and snacks to get us from one meal to the next.  She then dropped us off at the Red Roof Inn.  Don’t picture in your mind a modern inn.  It isn’t.  It reminds me of Uncle Johnnie’s lodge in Buckhorn.  The owner lives alone and so there is absolutely no woman’s touch.  It is rustic.  And is a definitely a man cave situation for sports fishermen who come here to fish during the season.  In the winter he gets a few missionaries and surfers it appears.  John is his name.  There was no breakfast waiting for us Sunday morning so our fruit and juices got us through until Sunday afternoon late.  The surfers said you have to let him know if you expect breakfast.  Silly me.  What was I thinking?

We met Burt Adams Sr. at the airport when we arrived.  He has a vested interest in our visit.  He is counting on our visit to wake up Burt Jr. and his family to be more involved in the church.  Saturday evening at 6:00 he picked us up and along with Cassia and Christian we drove a few miles to the LDS church where the five of us found a comfortable room in this small church and taught the first discussion. 

It became very apparent as we taught that even though the kids attended church now and then, they were quite uninformed as to what the church is.  They were receptive though and seemed pleased to be learning the things they were.  When we gave the Moroni 10:4 challenge, Burt asked if he could tell the kids about his experience with the Holy Ghost.  He had been testifying throughout the hour to the truthfulness of the things we were teaching his grand children.  He told the kids that when he put this to test, praying to know if the things the missionaries were telling him were true, this happened to him.  He felt a whoosh over his head.  It seemed to call him to attention and he felt he was literally being told that the Book of Mormon was true, and that what the missionaries were teaching him was true.  And after he submitted to those feelings, he felt another swoosh as if the spirit had finished and left him. 

We explained prayer to them and then asked Cassia if she would be the mouthpiece for us this night.  She was reluctant.  So I got on my knees.  Shortly all of us were on our knees and she began the sweetest rookie prayer.  She asked that she might know these things for herself.  When she was through there were tears streaming down her sixteen year old cheeks and she was very humble and sweet.  Christian seemed happy. 

Burt Sr. then took us to his son’s home where we met Mina, Burt’s wife and the kids little brother Arthur.  I think he is eight.  Christian is 10 but is tall.  He is about 5 foot 5.  The whole thing reminded me of being in the mission field again.  Here we were among Native Americans again.  Burt is the local high school basket ball coach, girls and boys.  Cassia wrestles.  Christian is basketball crazy as is Arthur.  Burt didn’t want to join us in teaching his kids because he didn’t want to miss the BYU vs Idaho game.  When we walked in the home he was cooking some beautiful steaks he had his brother bring in from Anchorage on the plane with him.  The served us a wonderful meal.  It was kind of buffet style and we watched the kids fill their plates and return to the table and dig right in.  Diane and I took just a moment to pray silently over our food.  I tried to take long enough they would notice what I was doing.  We had a wonderful visit getting to know them.  Burt is the Tlingit tribe representative for the Yakutat region.  It is his paid job. 

After eating and watching the first half of the football game with them, Burt brought us back to the Red Roof.  Our room was around 85 degrees.  I figured out the thermostat and cracked the window for some fresh air.  I heard the rain and snow falling throughout the night.  In the morning, the slush had frozen into solid ice.  It was treacherous to walk on. 

At a little before 10:00 a.m. Penny James picked us up and took us to the church.  They had Sunday School first.  Penny’s sister Laura taught the lesson.  Her son, Elisha was there as were Penny and her two daughters.  Another sister, Becky was visiting from California.  She had a son and his wife deliver a baby in Anchorage and she came to see her new granddaughter.  Having never been to Yakutat, she decided to visit her sisters here.  After was Priesthood.  Burt Sr. came along with his wife Lorraine.  He suggested we all meet together as we were small in number.  The branch president, Penny’s husband Darrell, had to fly to Anchorage. 

We then had Sacrament meeting.  Darrell’s brother is the second councilor in the Branch.  He came with a granddaughter.  A few others arrived as well.  There were probably 20 of us all together.  And they were all related to one another.  Burt Jr. brought his family to Sacrament meeting.  Darrell had invited Becky to give a short testimony.  It ended up being a bit longer than that and Diane cut her talk quite a bit to make up for it.  I cut back on mine as well. 

The members had a pot luck dinner at 3:30 p.m.  They do this when they have special guests as a token of respect for the guests and for a good family get together.  The meal was unbelievable.  Penny brought a moose roast.  Lorraine brought a baked salmon.  Burt Jr. brought some turkey.  There was rice and mashed potatoes and salad and pie for desert. 

We sat around and visited.  As I was visiting with Laura she mentioned that she and her sisters had attended Brighton high school.  I told her that I had taught a Rebecca Burnham.  She said oh that wouldn’t have been Becky as she had graduated the year before I started at Brighton, 1981.  I got more curious.  I approached Becky and said, “Did you happen to attend Butler Middle School?  I taught a girl there named Rebecca Burnham.” 

She replied, “I kind of thought your voice sounded familiar as you spoke today.  And I wondered if you could be the same Waldron that taught me choir.” 

It is such a coincidence.  She just happened to visit this same week that we did.  The sister’s father worked for the church building temples.  They lived in Honeyville when they were young and then in Cottonwood Heights.  Their Father has an Indian heritage.  Now her sisters are married to Tlingits here in Yakutat.  We had a wonderful visit together.

After cleaning up the dinner, we had our second discussion with the Adams family.  I had asked Burt and Mina if they would please attend with us.  We discussed the Plan of Salvation and Joseph Smith some more.  Their Grandfather Burt added bits of Testimony and explanation.  At one point I couldn’t remember the second tree in the Garden of Eden.  Burt helped us with the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge.  (Getting Older can be embarrassing.)  I had warned Christian that he would be asked to say the closing prayer this time.  We again got on our knees and we joined that family as Christian offered his prayer.  He addressed our Father In Heaven and then paused.  After a lengthy pause I reminded him, “What are you thankful for?”  He then named each family member by name and included us. 

There was another lengthy pause so I helped him again.  “What would you like to ask your Father-In-Heaven?”  He then asked that they might know for themselves if what they were learning was true.

At the close of the prayer, both kids had tears on their cheeks.  It was beautiful to see how they had been affected by the spirit of the Holy Ghost.  Arthur went prone to the floor in tears.  And his tears were mixed with little spurts of laughter.  He couldn’t explain what was happening, but he had been touched with the spirit of love and didn’t know how to act. 

I had been a bit forward in the lesson.  I challenged Burt to take a more active role in leading his family with the Priesthood, and to also lead his family in family prayers.  I also challenged the family to become regular attendees at their Sunday meetings with the rest of their family.  I explained to him that with his Priesthood, he could be a great influence for good on the Tribe here in Yakutat.  He could be a great tool for his Father In Heaven if would honor his Priesthood.

We have one more lesson tonight before we must go back to Juneau.  Hopefully we can give them what they need to be ready for a baptism interview.  This is wonderful to me.  I love teaching as a missionary.  I enjoy administrating, but I love teaching. 

Monday and Tuesday morning Penny James picked us up from the B & B at 6:00 a.m. and drove us to her home where we joined them for early morning seminary.  The kids are pretty sleepy and lethargic but by the time the 50 minute lesson is over they are thawed out pretty good.  Everyone warms their home with Franklin stoves or wood boilers.

We spent Monday preparing for this week’s seminary and Institute lessons.  Penny’s sister, Laura, picked us up and took us back to Penny’s for lunch.  We had a nice visit and returned to the B & B to spend the afternoon.  In the evening we were again picked up by Penny and taken to the church for dinner.  Again we had a nice visit with Becky, Laura and Penny. 

They left a bit before 8:00 p.m.  At 8:00 p.m. the Adams family came for our final discussions with them before we have to leave.  We talked about the commandments and the commitments we make when joining the church, i.e. the fast offerings, the tithing, word of wisdom, taking callings and the like.  I then challenged them to consider letting Cassia again attend early morning seminary.  When I had visited with Burt on the phone about seminary he said Cassia didn’t go.  They had decided to keep her home.  They have had some sort of a disagreement with Penny over something she said one morning.  I promised the family that if their children would attend seminary their home would be blessed in some way. 

The B & B was quite pricey.  I had been told the rate would be $50 a night instead of $110 which is the usual price.  He likes to give church people a break.  What I didn’t realize was it was $50 a night per person.  When the fishing season is going he charges $120 a night per bed or person to stay here.

We came home to snow.

After posting this, I notice I don't have a picture of Penny James.  I'm so sad about that as she was so instrumental in making all of this happen.