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.