Leaves Are Falling All Around

Dear Family and Friends,

Sunset from back deck.

Kitty writing this week:) Fall is in full swing here in Alaska. Lots of gold and yellow with just a touch of red. We have had a few sunny days lately. It is breathtakingly beautiful here, and the sunsets... but we are reluctant to see the warmer weather drift away. It is noticeably colder in the mornings now (upper 30s, days mid 50s). We are waiting for our first freeze. The locals refer to the dusting of snow on the mountains as "termination dust". The fushia on the front porch are so beautiful we ordered some plants stands from Amazon to over winter them inside. Until they arrive, we will start bringing the plants in at night and hanging them on a pull-up bar in the garage. Farrell wants to save the plants at the Visitors' Center, but we both know that won't last long. They haven't looked great for several weeks now. The water was turned off to the flowers at the Temple this week. We assume the existing flowers will be pulled and replaced with spring bulbs during the two week shut down which starts tomorrow.

Trees from deck.

It was the Anchorage Stake Conference this weekend. We went to an adult session last night and the regular conference this morning at the Arctic Stake Center. That session filled back about two-thirds of the cultural hall. Elder Takashi Wada of the Seventy spoke. He told us Takashi means "precious" and he didn't want his schoolmates calling him that as a child, so they called him something similar which meant "brush" instead -- matched his hair style at the time. It wasn't meant to be complimentary. We also enjoyed hearing from two members of the Temple View Ward. Sister Romi Taylor and Sister Melissa Wilson. Romi is 16 and Melissa and family went to the temple for the first time on their 14th wedding anniversary. They have been members for about a year and a half. Our dear Temple President and Matron, the Hobb's, and our amazing Mission President and his wife, the Larsen's, also spoke at both sessions.

Front yard.

I had something funny happen this morning. I took a shower, put on my makeup, watch, earrings, fixed my hair, and went to get dressed for Stake Conference. I had already set my clothes out and put on black slip, blouse, long sweater, and name badge. I went downstairs to put on my black dress shoes and looking down realized I had not put on my black skirt. Luckily I noticed before we left the house and we had a good laugh once we were in the car and on our way. Earlier that day we had just discussed checking each other out to make sure we remembered everything including our high vis vests, hard hats, work shoes, and name badges. Yeah, Farrell didn't even notice. Too funny:)

Cox's, Badger's, Kuerth's

As we were getting ready this morning we had the special opportunity to hear Sister (Carolee) & Elder (Gary) Cox speak at church in Malad, ID via their ward's Zoom link. Their talks were wonderful. I was teary-eyed missing them and remembering the special experiences we shared. Kuerth's were able to attend in person. Gary told the experience of running into Elder Halls who had finished his mission and was back visiting here with his family. He is the oldest son and they had been here all week. He had on a baseball cap, sunglasses, and had started to grow a short beard. They came to the Visitors' Center and we enjoyed a nice visit showing them the progress and an uplifting Temple video. We don't have a chance to interact a lot with the young missionaries so didn't know him that well. I was hoping he could have a closer connection with those he knew while he was here. His parents, along with his many siblings, wanted some pictures in front of the current Temple and asked us to take them. We were happy to oblige. As if on cue, Elder & Sister Cox show up in the otherwise empty parking lot. I called them over and asked Elder Cox if he recognized this young man. He did indeed! They knew this Elder very well. He went to Institute and the YSA ward they attended. With hugs all around his parents were glowing hearing from senior missionaries who knew and loved their son and had shared miraculous experiences with him. It was the reunion I had hoped for this young man and his family. I am so touched that Heavenly Father puts us in unique places and lets us experience tender mercies showing how much he loves us. We are all His children and he wants to bless our lives as we learn to be more like Him.

Drive to Eagle River AK.

During the Saturday evening session Elder Wada shared his experiences as a youngster. His mother was the daughter of a Buddhist monk. He father knelt at an altar in their home and prayed for a half hour twice a day, and clapped at another altar (Buddhist and Shinto). This morning he shared how he joined the church as a teenager after taking the discussions, hearing the missionaries praying for him, and feeling the Spirit. He shared a very honest tender testimony of the truthfulness and sacredness of the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

We had the opportunity to hear Elder Takashi Wada of the Seventy speak again this afternoon to all the Anchorage Alaska Temple workers. I met him Friday as I was leaving the Visitors' Center. The Temple recorder and his wife were stopped in the middle of the parking lot. I hugged her and she asked me if I would like to meet Elder Wada. I took off my gloves and shook his hand as I was introduced. They were all in church clothes, suit, tie, etc. Remember, I wear jeans and long sleeve button up shirts in my missionary calling. I felt underdressed. Regardless, Elder Wada wanted a quick look inside the Visitors' Center, so I unlocked the door, quickly turned on the lights, opened up the blinds, and escorted him inside. I showed him the viewing window, told him about the Temple videos we had available, and briefly explained the Temple overlay reconstruction on the wall. Of course afterward I felt like I should have said something more spiritual, but it was a very short spontaneous visit. We were blessed to have several days of sunny weather while he was here.

Drive to Eagle River AK.

There were so many people I did not recognize at the devotional this afternoon. We usually only attend the Temple on Tues. & Thurs. evenings, and we have never met many of them. It was great to see the Temple president and his wife that were just released, Pres. & Sister Metcalf. A beautiful sister gave the opening prayer in Samoan. Pres. & Sister Hobbs spoke again. Afterward, I was able to introduce Farrell to Elder Wada. I don't think he recognized me since my hair wasn't in a ponytail and I was wearing church clothes. Honestly, everyone there looked so different. I am used to seeing Temple workers in white clothing and wearing a name badge. What a great group of  people devoted to serving the Lord. I am so grateful to serve with them. Instead of being a two-week break, I am going to miss visiting the House of the Lord. It is always so peaceful and hopeful. Everyone is so kind, generous, and Christlike. Describing how he felt as he was at the Temple this week Elder Wada quoted 4 Nephi 1:15-16

15 And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.
16 And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.

That perfectly describes how I feel about the other senior missionaries and the wonderful people I work with at the Temple. This week we have a new member of the Mission Presidency. Elder Jenkins was called to be the Second Counselor. They are a relatively new Senior Missionary couple called to work in the  office. He will continue as the Finance Secretary for the mission as well. We met him and his wife several times and they are so kind. We look forward to getting to know them better. They put their picture wearing church clothes on Zoom calls, which is an excellent idea for our late evening Sunday call with the whole mission.

We had one day last week on the temple site that had to be coordinated to the last little detail to fit everyone and everything onsite. It was organized chaos. There was just no room at all to spare. In the middle of it, we received the first load of steel beams and columns from Vancouver Canada, immediately followed by another major load of rebar. That all took several hours to unload with long beams being manipulated around a front end loader, skidsteer, people erecting an ICF wall and another concrete crew pouring a couple of large walls with concrete trucks coming and going to access the pump truck. This description is about as convoluted as real life. With the Temple closed for cleaning for two weeks the parking lot will be used for worker and equipment activity. The plan is to level the large area between our trailer and the new Temple, grade, bring in gravel, compact, and put recycled asphalt on top. They want to have a surface that can be plowed and get rid of all the mud. This will become the new permanent parking lot. Next year they will add a layer of fresh asphalt. It will be a major advancement to have all that room for trade trailers and laydown of materials. It's going to be interesting. There is always something new to see and learn. We enjoy the people the most. Here is the latest picture.  

https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/anchorage-alaska-temple/photographs/

Have a wonderful week. Please keep in touch. We love hearing from you! #ThinkCelestial

Love always, Elder & Sister Badger