Weekends Can Be Full

The Saturday morning Missionary Prep class was very well attended and these young people are on fire with enthusiasm for their calls.  Nia is waiting for her Stake President to push the send button.  Matt needed his picture placed on the application and then the Branch President can send it on to his Stake President in Valdez.  Heather is not sure she even will be going on a mission but wants to be as prepared as possible in case that does become an option.  Her father is hoping to get a good job in Anchorage and that would mean some changes for her.  Diane had some bran muffins and apple slices for them afterwards.  Heather stayed for a while after the others had left and had a pleasant visit with us. 

Sunday was our branch council meeting.  We have a newly returned missionary, Colt Franklin, recently called as our Elders Quorum President.  We will miss the association we have enjoyed with A. J. Collins who has had that call.  He is mostly Choctaw Indian and his family is in Ely, Nevada.  We have a newly called branch mission leader, Nick Tracy.  Now here is a story.  He returned from the Indianapolis mission the first week of January.  He spent a week in Utah prior to returning home to Juneau.  He ran across a returned sister missionary who worked within a zone where Nick was the zone leader.  They went out one time.  There was a very strong connection, as Nick explained it to me while we talked yesterday.  Nick told her that he was leaving for Juneau and he regretted not being able to continue the relationship.  She expressed a very strong interest in continuing the relationship.  Well one thing lead to another and before they said good night, they were engaged to be married.  This will take place in May in the Timpanogos temple.  When the Spirit moves you, huh?  I have to say, if she is as spiritually prepared as he is, they will make a great couple.  This young man is a catch for sure.
Diane and I talked in church for the 2nd ward yesterday.  Diane's talk on commitment seemed to strike home to many who heard it.  It was a wonderful talk.  I spoke on Joy in our lives and the difference between Happiness and Joy.  By chance, our mission president and his wife were in attendance.  After the sacrament meeting we met with President and Sister Beesley for about 30 minutes so they could get a feel for what we are doing and how we are faring. 

A situation has developed with our Sitka seminary class.  Our dear 73 year old teacher Alice Smith, has developed a heart issue and has asked to be relieved of at least two days each week.  The bishopric there called Diane and said there is no one else to do the job and wanted permission for the elders help.  Our stake presidency says there are others available.  The Beesley's say the elders can help.  It is now in the hands of the Stake Presidency and I know all will be well.  Diane and I will travel there as soon as the crisis is resolved. 

Yesterday at 4:15 p.m. we held our 2nd missionary preparation class for the young people of the 2nd and 3rd Juneau wards.  A young lady, Mikaela Schlechter, decided to attend as well.  She is a senior in high school and will probably be going to BYU Idaho if she gets an acceptance letter.  She has an acceptance letter from BYU Hawaii.  She is thinking of possibly going to one semester of school and then going on a mission.  She is in our seminary class and her church calling is the Sacrament Meeting Chorister.  She is so tiny and petite.  It is amazing what this new missionary announcement has done to our area.  Also attending are the Tongan twins, Josh and Vili Tupou.  Frankie Gonzalez also attends.  These three priests are also in the same seminary class with Mikaela.  Our mission president has been told to get ready for 100 additional missionaries, and they are starting to come immediately. 

The weather is cold today.  It is 11 degrees outside and the wind is swirling yesterday's snowfall around a bit.  Every now and then we will have a day like this, but last week we enjoyed temperatures in the high 30s.  But the snow never melts unless it is rained on. 

The Institute lessons are centered on the missionary activities of Paul.   I think I am starting to get a handle on him better.  I certainly enjoy the challenge of preparing these lessons.  When I get tired of my preparations I go to the back window of our apartment and count the bald eagles that are perched in the Sitka Spruce trees.  There are 7 resting above us now. 

A Very Busy Week

Sunday was our weekly ward council meeting.  It has been decided that there will be a YSA temple trip to Anchorage in April.  Some will be doing Endowment Sessions.  Others will be doing baptisms for the dead.  It appears there will be a good number going.  We have been in touch with Elder & Sister Hawkins who are the CES missionaries in Anchorage.  They are going to plan a combined activity with their YSA.  We have decided to go with them.  The YSA will be staying in the mission home.  I think we'll get a hotel rather than chance being assigned to the bed we slept in last time we were in Anchorage.  It took us a couple of weeks to recover from that E ticket ride.

We attended our usual block meetings and then returned home for a few hours.  After the final block session in the church we returned to the chapel to teach a missionary prep class for the 17 and 18 year olds in the 2nd and 3rd ward.  In the past, prospective missionaries had the chance to take an Institute Missionary Preparation class.  With the recently announced change in age requirements many will leave prior to having that opportunity in college.  Now the responsibility lies with the wards.  We had three young men show up and had a wonderful 1st lesson. 

I find myself feeling inadequate when it comes to preparing lessons from Acts and on.  I am having to study deeper than I've ever studied in order to understand just what is going on.  After teaching a lesson I have a hard time falling asleep as I go over in my mind what I should have said, or emphasized.  That was especially the case after our Wednesday evening Institute class.  The numbers were great and the students participated well.  We discussed the 2nd coming of Christ as Paul wrote to the Thessolonians. I enjoy discussing the travels of Paul.  I usually get to tell the fun stories as most do not bother to read the lesson.  It seems that the letters from Paul are not usually studied like the 4 gospels and the Book of Mormon.   I enjoy it when they participate in the teaching of one another.  Diane prepared a sausage tortellini with pine nuts and shredded parmesan cheese.  Her chocolate bunt cake was a piece of art and the kids really snarfed it up quickly. 

Our adult Institute class is going well.  We had 10 there.  I am only teaching one Institute chapter during the 1.5 hrs. rather than two as suggested by the CES.  In as much as no one is taking it for credit, we are able to get into a single chapter fully and those  attending are expressing themselves and adding a great deal to the discussions.  I enjoy the pot luck lunch afterwards and talking around the table together.  Our lesson was that which defileth a man does not always enter a man by the mouth.  But, that which defiles a man is that which proceeds forth from the mouth.  We got into some wonderful discussion.

Last evening was our first Temple Preparation class for four YSA members planning on going on missions, getting married and going with us to the Anchorage temple in April.  Diane taught the class and did a very good job.  And this morning she substituted for the Malins who wanted to observe another teacher teach.  The high school age kids were very well behaved and opened up for her.  Several of the students told some personal experiences that helped everyone with the feeling of being one together in gospel.  It always helps to know we are not alone in the crosses we bear. 

I took a few pictures trying out some different settings with my camera.  I still don't know what I'm doing, but I'm working on it.  The location is Auke Lake north and west of Downtown Juneau.  It is pronounced like 'hawk,' but without the h.

A Routine (Sort Of)

There really isn't a lot to tell that is different from any other week.  We get up at 5:00 a.m. and are at the church at 6:15 a.m. to open the doors of the church for the seminary teachers.  Diane did substitute one day this week.  She was filling in for Bernie Kirkpatrick who is going to get her music kinderskool going.  I'm not sure what it is called.  We have added 5 new seminary students and lost 2.  Our 7th Day Adventist boy was told by his grandfather he didn't want him coming any longer.  And one boy moved to Oregon.  Mya, a 15 year old girl was baptized in December.  She has been coming.  Cat, another 16 year old girl has decided to be active again.  Eddie Gomez has moved back home and is with the Freshmen class.  Conner has moved in from Virginia.  His father is in the Coast Guard.

Institute is a lot of fun with so many coming again.  Our young people that are working in the legislature and senate are sometimes kept at work and arrive late, but we are glad to have them any portion they can attend.  They add a lot to the discussions. 

Scott Beames, our Alaska CES coordinator, came to Juneau to be with us for the monthly in-service session.  Scott visited with us for a couple of hours prior to the in-service meeting and Diane fed him a good home cooked meal.  He asked Diane and I to teach from the "Training Videos" online; 'How to Ask Questions."  I changed the title a bit to call it "Crafting Questions."  Because it is a craft to be learned.  We spent about twenty minutes training our teachers to ask questions that: 1) cause them to search, 2) cause them to analyze, 3) cause them to express feelings and testimony, and 4) questions that would help them in their application of the principles being taught. 

Thursday mornings adult institute class was a bit small, but we had a wonderful discussion on John 6, "The Bread of Life."  We spent 90 minutes on it and could have kept going I think. 

I have finished reading Michner's book, "Alaska."  I have a greater appreciation for this wonderful state and what it has taken to be what it is.  I feel badly to learn that once again the Native Americans have gotten a raw deal.  Our government has done a better job of taking care of them than they did the Native Americans in the lower 48.  I am not advocating carrying them indefinitely by any means.  There needs to be a better job of integrating them into our American society and weening them from what seems to be an eternal future support for them. 

Our ability to run an effective missionary preparation class is pretty much an impossibility.  The future missionaries are under no pressure to attend classes and so they come when they can.  They miss often.  Matt Adamson from Valdez is very consistent.  He will make a very good missionary.  He was the only one in attendance this morning.  We had a very good lesson on "The Plan of Salvation."  He hung around for an hour afterwards just to be with us. 

Deep In the Heart of Winter White

I'm beginning to feel like a broken refrigerator.  For a few days we hover at 37 degrees and the snow melts and turns to ice in the night making walking treacherous for we of the greying persuasion.  And then for a few days the temperature hangs at 28 degrees and the snow just keeps coming.  It puts a beautiful layer of snow on everything.  The branches of the trees look as if they have frosting on them.  The mountains look refreshed with the promise of fresh water for the future.  The bald eagles stand out perched at the top of their favorite Sitka Spruces.
 

I usually get out to the car at 6:00 am to warm it up

I was asked by Elder Hartilius and Elder Norris to go on themto teach a lesson.  They even had me participate as taught about the importance of using prayer and pondering to achieve our goals of becoming a better person.  They had me say the opening prayer in the same sentence they advised Rachel that she would be giving the closing prayer after the lesson.  She said: "I don't think so."  After the lesson in which she did some of the reading from the scriptures, the missionaries asked her to be the spokesperson for the prayer.  She said: "I just don't think I can do it.  I'm uncomfortable praying for my needs in front of all of you."  It appeared to me that our two missionaries were going to accept that and waste the wonderful lesson they had just presented.  So I jumped in: "Rachel, your Heavenly Father loves you.  He wants you to be successful
in your desires to improve.  These missionaries love you and are eager and anxious to see you make advancements in your abilities to be Christlike.  All you have to do is say 'Dear Heavenly Father' and the words will then flow easily from you as you speak with him.'  I closed my eyes, folded my arms and bowed my head.  I noticed the two missionaries follow my lead.  There wasn't even a pause.  Rachel said, "Dear Heavenly Father;" and the words poured from her in a beautiful prayer as she asked for help in living the Word of Wisdom.  It was a great experience for me.

 

Colt Franklin recently returned

from his mission.  He is working to make

enough money to return to Rexburgh for

school.

 

President Olsen called and told me he had not called a Gospel Doctrine teacher as of yet.  Our past GD teacher has gone to Rexburgh for school.  He asked if I would teach again.  I appreciated having a bit of time to prepare a lesson.  Section 1 of the Doctrine and Covenants is an introduction to this, one of our Standard Works.  It is direct revelation from the Lord to His prophet in our dispensation.  He tells us of the world in these the Latter Days.  He tells us what he has spoken will come to pass.  He will bare his Mighty Arm and those who are of the world will feel of his wrath.  Well... let me just quote here what I'm getting at.

35 For I am no ^arespecter of persons, and will that all men shall know that the ^bday speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when ^cpeace shall be taken from the earth, and the ^ddevil shall have power over his own dominion.

36 And also the Lord shall have ^apower over his ^bsaints, and shall ^creign in their ^dmidst, and shall come down in ^ejudgment upon ^fIdumea, or the world.

 

It can be daunting as the Lord speaks of peace being taken from the earth.  But that is exactly the state of the world we now live in.  The Hope comes in verse 36, "the Lord shall have power over His saints, and shall reign in their midst." 

 

I find myself praying like we asked Rachel; that I can be better as a person, that I might be found among, and as His saints. 

 

Elijah VerHagen from Fairbanks.  He and his brother are contractors but the cold of the early year doesn't allow that.  So he is a page for the Alaskan Senate.

Institute was a booming success as far as numbers go.  The legislature has reconvened here in Juneau.  The VerHagen brothers, Josh and Elijah from Fairbanks, are here to work for those in session.  One is a page and the other does something else.  They are late 20s and returned missionaries and really solid in the gospel.  They add a great deal to the branch.  On a side note, Josh's fiance, Amie, seems to know my sister and her husband in Alpine, Utah.  I guess she goes to Clyde's YSA ward.  We have several others who are home from school now and working to get more money to return back to the books in the other 49 states.

 

 

On the left above is Joshua VerHagen from Fairbanks.

He is working in the state legislature.  On the right is

Jesse Adams.  He works at the Best Western and is an RM.  He

served in Mexico.



We discussed the first 12 chapters in Acts.  I really enjoyed preparing this lesson.  I've read it several times, but never with the eyes of one who will be leading a discussion on it.  There is so much there.  I am amazed to learn more fully that Jesus knows us not only as we are here, but who we were in our first estate before having been born.  He knows what we committed to and to how deep was our commitment.  It must be so or he never would have stopped Paul amid his persecuting the early church members.  Paul, who was so feared by the early Christians because of his merciless stalking and imprisoning Christians, became a most effective advocate of the principles of Christianity that those to whom he earlier belonged, now sought his life in a like manner. 

 

 

Thursday Institute was wonderful as well.  All seem to be home from their Christmas injections of sunshine.  We talked about the office of Apostleship.  I have not been feeling comfortable about covering two chapters from the manual in 90 minutes.  I decided that since no one was really registered as a CES student, (its more of a study group) it was more prudent to study all of the lesson blocks as intensely as the class wanted to before moving to the next gospel principle.  It was a much more relaxed situation and I feel I, and those attending, got more out of it. 

 We are at a crossroads in our feeding those after YSA Institute.  The stake says they are offering no money.  The branch president is not committed entirely yet either.  I know it will make it easier on Diane if she doesn't fix something to eat.  But I wonder if it is important to the program.  CES informed us before we arrived in Juneau the funds for food would not be coming forth any longer.  In reality I believe none come because of the food.  But it does create a social atmosphere that young people need afterwards.  They bond and they share.

 

We gained a couple of students in the seminary program.  One moved in from Virginia.  His father is in the Coast Guard.  Another decided to begin attending again. 

 

Diane continues to please with her culinary skills.  She taught a seminary lesson Wednesday on the trial of Jesus.  She did a great job. 

 

Nia Ma'ake is our recently called Relief Society President.  She attends our missionary preparation classes and should soon receive her call.  Marie Holden was baptized in September and is attending Portland University.  She will return around April.  Stacey Stores on

the right is our recently called councilor to Nia.  

 

 

 

 

A Whole Lot a Shakin' Goin' On

I took the garbage out yesterday morning.  I always gaze around at all of the wonderful views I have.  There were bald eagles in many of the trees around our apartment.  I counted over 40 perched on different limbs of trees.  They are so majestic.  They can live to be over 60 years old.  I was sent an e-mail fancy presentation explaining how they went through a rebirth.  I asked the Rosenbruch's about that rebirth and they said they thought it was false.  So I looked it up.  Sure enough, no rebirth.  Someone went to a lot work to perpetuate that myth.

 

We fed the missionaries dinner last evening...shepherd pie.  They had transfers and Elder Martinez and Elder Knudsen went to Anchorage.  Elder Norris came here.  He was here last year as well.

Diane has not been feeling well.  She now has the same type of cold that I have been dealing with since before Thanksgiving.  I struggled to get to sleep last night as she was coughing a bit.  The last I saw the clock it was 11:30 p.m.  I woke up at mid-night with the bed just shaking.  I thought she was kicking my bed and putting me in my place or something.  I realized we were moving about un-natural like, but thought nothing of it.  I went right back to sleep as I was very tired.  In the morning Diane asked, "Did we have an earthquake last night?"  I told her, "I don't think so.  You were having a fitful night and for some reason you were kicking my bed."  I then went to check my e-mail and there was a question from our daughter asking how we did through the earthquake.  Sure enough!  There was an earthquake of 7.5 magnitude 206 miles south of us not far from Craig, which is in our stake.  We haven't heard of any damage or injuries.  I did get a call from the CES office in Seattle. Greg Bishop, our Area Supervisor wanted to know if we were alright. 

Back In The Saddle

This is Carol Staack She attends our Adult Institute Class

Most of our YSA students have headed back to lower latitudes to attend school. We did gain a returned missionary that we hadn't known would be coming home, Nic Tracy. For two weeks we will have Marie Holden with us. She took the missionary lessons from the Juneau missionaries prior to leaving for the University of Portland. She was baptized the first or second week after arriving at her new school. She was in church Sunday and came to our Institute class last evening. She is so excited about the gospel and was anxious to see what Institute would be like as there is not one close to her in Portland. It was fun to see how excited she is about her new found religion.

Gary and Karen Kastenko who also attend our

Thursday Morning Insistute Class.

                   

 

There were seven for the lesson and then three others came in for the last 20 minutes. We also had Pres. and Sister Olsen in attendance.

Diane fixed up a chicken oriental coleslaw, crescents and a chocolate cake. I heard more than once someone say, “Sister Waldron, you are such a good cook.” And she is. 

We had a very good turnout for Institute last evening. 

 



This is Loren Bettridge.  He and
his wife both attend the Institute
Class.

I feel badly that she has picked up the Alaskan crud. I still have small effects after 7 weeks and she has been getting it for over a week.

This is Susan Miller, a member of our

Thursday Institute Class.

 





Had I taught the suggested material, I would have been cramming an introduction, and two lessons into the hour and a half. I just couldn’t do anything justice in that amount of time; so I gave an extensive account of the way of life around the Mediterranean countries around the meridian of time. We talked about the influence of the Romans and also the Greeks. We discussed ways in which each of these governments made it possible for the Apostles to Preach and why their teachings were rejected by some and accepted by others. We also reviewed the personalities of those mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles through and including John the Revelator. There were some real strong personalities among them, and there were some real characters. We even discussed Nero and how his mother campaigned for his appointment as Emperor at the young age of 17 and how later he had her killed because she was too controlling in his life. It was a fun lesson to teach.

Today we resumed our Thursday adult Institute class. I probably should have waited a week as some could not come because their kids were not in school yet. That was a mistake. Our numbers were low. We did have 7 come. And Jimmie Rosenbruch brought some deer sausage chili. He is quite the outdoorsman.