The Wilds of Alaska

Dear Family & Friends,

Walk at Kincaid Park.

Kitty writing this week. It's been a beautiful cool summer afternoon here in Alaska. Our three youngest children and an adorable grandson were here last week and left Monday night. We enjoyed their company and the beauties of nature. 

Campfire by the creek.

We started the week off with a senior missionary Family Home Evening at the Light's backyard nearby. We had pizza, salads, cupcakes, and homemade sweet rolls. The departing missionaries relayed their experience and testimonies. The incoming ones introduced themselves and expressed their thoughts on serving. The Elders and Sisters we serve with up here are the best. They have made our mission so wonderful. We will miss the ones leaving - the White's and Jenkin's. The Joseph's from Beaver left a couple of weeks ago. We picked up family from the airport late that night. It was a tight squeeze with luggage, a car seat and stroller, but we made it.

Plank position.

Our cute little grandson is learning to crawl. He entertained us with planks and downward dogs. He can say he was doing yoga before he could crawl. He has such a happy disposition and is the cutest combination of our youngest daughter and her husband. Grandbabies are the best. The last time we saw him was at Christmas at less than two months old. Daddy's planning on coming up again next year with them when he has more vacation time.

Day cruise on Kenai Fjords.

  We (minus Farrell who was left to tend to the missionary effort) had a great two hour drive down to Seward and a day cruise on the Kenai Fjords. Later in the week we walked around Kinkaid Park. We walked to where the planes are descending for a landing.

Path up to Flattop Overlook.

Then we drove up to Flattop Overlook and our daughter spotted two moose in the valley below. Our son went back to the car to get the binoculars. There were a lot of mosquitoes and I have my first two bites since arriving. They are big -- about double the size of a Utah mosquito. This place never disappoints.

Our son, daughter, & grandson.

Canadian geese.

          

Wild Siberian iris.

In the evening, we drove 6 minutes to Potter's Marsh and walked on the boardwalk. We saw cranes and Canadian geese and lots on Siberian iris. The weather was perfect. We met a Young Single Adult group as we were leaving and met Elder & Sister Kraut (the CES missionary couple) on the boardwalk. They had just seen a moose.

Bear paw print in bee frame.

Friday our neighbor, Sister Huffman, five doors down texted: "FYI there was a big black bear in the street early this morning around 1:30 a.m." Sunday at church I spoke with Sister Kiddle. She asked if I had heard about the bear and she told me more and showed me pictures. The bear climbed our neighbors fence and threw their beehives around destroying a few. Their fence backs the new Anchorage Alaska Temple site. Interestingly, the fence is being replaced this week with a new one. The hives were set back up with bees coming and going when we saw them this morning. We are reminded that Anchorage is a big city with suburbs and surrounded by 57 million acres of wilderness. Alaska is the last frontier.

20 June 2025 Courtesy of Jonathan Hughes

We have had a lot of visitors this week at the Visitors' Center. Farrell covered for
me part of the week, so I could spend more time with the children and grandbaby. There is lots of activity on the temple site. As we have said before, it is a challenge to keep up with all there is to do. The framing along with utilities continues on the inside. Granite installation using the Eclad system continues around the outside. The roofers are making progress up top. 

You can follow the progress online at: https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/anchorage-alaska-temple. 

The superintendent went home to St. George UT due to his wife's medical needs. She called yesterday to say goodbye and they will be in our prayers. The second, who has had time to get up to speed, is now taking care of things. His last assignment was the Toronto temple. He knows the Lord is in charge and we are grateful he is here. 

We pray you are all doing well. Keep in touch. #Think Celestial

Love, Elder & Sister Badger