Alaskan Residents

Dear Family & Friends,

July 11 at 10:09 p.m.

Kitty is writing this week:) It has been a wonderful summer here. Most days have been in the mid 60's. There has been lots of sun, occasional rain, amazing clouds, and everything is so green. The roads are lined with wildflowers. It looks like wild clover, daisies, alfalfa, sweet clover, red clover, and fireweed in wide swaths. The pink, purple, yellow, red, and white color combinations are beautiful. 

Heavenly smelling peonies

Our pansies, lettuce, spinach, and hanging baskets love this weather. The peonies finally bloomed and they smell heavenly. I picked some and brought them in the house. They always remind me of my Grandma Flikeid and her wonderful home on Wentworth Ave. in Minneapolis, MN. We lived with her for four years with my dad before she remarried, and I felt so safe and cared for there by her as a child. For the first three years after I planted them by our shop in Mapleton, when I smelled them I cried. I felt like I was eight years old again and I missed home and my Grandma. My sister, Dawn, came over and smelled them one year and we both cried. It's interesting how smells can evoke such strong memories.

We had hoped to get out on a bike ride or a long walk last week, but we never made it. It rained all day yesterday and today. That partly explains the green. The clouds and sunsets have just been amazing. The air smells so clean, fresh, and fragrant. I love this time of year here. 

View from Visitors' Center

We had the Meadow Creek Ward Primary from Eagle River come visit us last Tuesday morning. We think there were about 46 children, leaders, and parents in our trailer. We asked them to sing I Love to See the Temple accompanied by a video and music on our large screen. I think we understand a little bit better what it was like for the children to gather around the Savior at the Temple in the Americas after his resurrection. It was a special experience. After watching another short video about the Temple and answering questions, we gave them all souvenirs. Then they walked across the parking lot and had lunch on the manicured lot on the corner to the right of the Temple. 

An abandoned house used to be there, but local members of our church purchased it and donated it to the church. The house was torn down and the lot was landscaped. I walk across it now on my way over and back to the site. There are some very thorny but fragrant roses blooming. I stop everyday on my way back home to smell them. Farrell says we have some planted in our trail bed back home in Mapleton, Utah.

President & Sister Larsen with missionaries, many are leaving.

I had the opportunity to serve at the Temple Tuesday evening with the young missionaries that were leaving. I was in the Celestial room when they all started to gather. Many were standing, as it's not a very big room, and all twelve chairs and both sofas were filled. The Sisters were on one side and the Elders on the other. I heard later that after my rotation they had all started to cry. I'm assuming that she meant the sisters. 

Sky & mountains looking Northwest 

What a wonderful group of wholesome, precious young people. I gave all of the sisters hugs and once outside passed out Anchorage Alaska Temple souvenirs. One sister is going back to Utah and knew my son-in-law's brother, Ben Seelos, who she had an appointment with the next day to be released from her mission. He is a member of her Stake Presidency -- small world. After this picture was taken, I turned around and saw the most brilliant blue clouds I have ever seen. The picture here is without a filter. It was so inspiring.

Worker Appreciation Cookie Day is going well. While I was a the Temple Tuesday evening, Farrell was home making homemade fudgy brownies, along with baking frozen cookie dough balls. The workers always think I made the treats, but I am happy to give Farrell the credit. This week we have had two volunteers bring or ask to bring treats for next Tuesday. Sister Copping is well after two hip surgeries and she did Temple sealings with us Thursday. She asked if she could bring cupcakes for Cookie Day. We are not going to turn down any treats for the workers. Variety is the spice of life! We hope this opportunity will catch on in the wards and stakes here soon. Another Sister from Eagle River wanted to get the youth in her stake involved. Since they live rather far away I suggested notes, cards, or posters thanking the workers would be very much appreciated. We pray this will all work out.

Alaska license plate

We are officially Alaskan residents! At least for the next couple of years. The state requires us to register our car and change our driver's licenses. Since it was time to register our car anyway, we went ahead, changed over and renewed Farrell's driver's license at the same time. I still have to take the test before I get mine, but I want to study first. Farrell said it was harder than he thought. He didn't study and barely passed. Since we don't drink alcohol, we aren't up to speed on the limits and fines for DUI's, etc. Many of the Alaska venues offer resident discounts and next year we can dip net for salmon! Our license plate is white, blue, and yellow with a bear on it. The cool thing is the P in the upper right hand corner means Permanent. We don't ever have to register our car again in Alaska, ever. As an Alaskan resident 65 or older, we are exempt from fees and taxes when registering one vehicle. It was just $15 for the new plate and/or sticker combined. Sweet!  And ... no state income tax.

On Saturday we went to lunch with Elder & Sister Gailey from Farmington, Utah. They arrived about a month ago. They are so sweet! We look forward to getting to know them better. They are serving as Member Leader Support missionaries in Soldotna, about 3 hours away from Anchorage. They drove up to attend a sealing in the Temple of one of their friends to her deceased parents. She is a relatively new member who was sealed to her deceased husband a short time ago. They sat near us at lunch and we had a nice visit.

This morning, before church, Farrell picked up Brother Cox from the airport along with a car full of luggage. They drove to the Cox's apartment and traded cars. Their family had just arrived in Anchorage from an Alaskan cruise that started in Vancouver BC and ended in Whittier. They took a bus up to the airport. We traded cars with them so they could spend the day with their family. They have a mission car and it can only be used by missionaries. We drove up from Utah with our own car so we don't have the same rules and our car holds more people. 

We have a lot to look forward to this week. It's going to be very busy. We appreciate all your prayers. Most of the time we are very happy, but all missions have their challenges. We pray for inspiration, for the workers & their families, and to be in tune with the Spirit. You are also in our thoughts and prayers. Keep in touch and have an amazing week. #ThinkCelestial

Love, Elder & Sister Badger