Alaska Mission

                                                "HI" from Sister Emily Underlin at the MTC

                                           A view from the ferry on our way up the inside passage.

WE ARE HERE IN FAIRBANKS.   Our trip getting here was interesting indeed.  The ferry trip from Bellingham, Washington was mostly rainy, but we did have sun for part of the trip.  We even saw a pod of whales.  After docking in Haines, we traveled the rest of the way in our car.  Shortly after leaving Haines, we had snowy roads for the majority of our trip.  It was fun to see about 30 bald eagles sitting in the trees waiting for the salmon in the river.  (We also saw about 30 cars on our first day as we drove toward Fairbanks.)  When we left Beaver Creek on Thursday morning, it was -1 degree.  I guess that's nothing here.  After some navigating, we found our new home.

We have been learning much in the last day and a half about the Institute.  We met the mission president, Pres. Dance and his wife this morning at a missionary training meeting.  Tonight was Institute night.  We were able to meet two of the teachers and some of the students.  It will be a great experience working here.   It looks like we will be doing a lot of teaching next semester.  I am grateful that the secretary is staying an extra week to help us get going.  So much to learn.

We met Elder Matt Squires who is a zone leader for the singles branch here.  He remembered me from Park Lane.  It was fun to see him doing so well.  I was pleased that he remembered me.  Hey, Park Lane teachers, he remembered you, too.