Andrea and Trevor at the Mission home in Anchorage.

    Grandpa, Tanner, & Grandma at Exit Glacier in 1951 the glacier would have  been where we are standing

 

With the Lanham kids - Owen, Tanner, and Morgan at Denali.

 

A beautiful quilt of Mt. McKinley and 

the wildlife at Denali this is the Eilson visitor center 66 miles into the park

 

     This three-legged grisly or brown  bear came right up to our bus.  A strange sight indeed.

                      Mama musk oxen and their babies at the Large Animal Research Station at UAF.

                                    Andrea and her bunch at the Knotty Shop on the way to Delta.

                            A mama moose and her two babies on the Wrigley barley farm in Delta.

                                  Enjoying time on our last day together for a while at Pioneer Park.
 
This past week has been especially fun for us.  We started a week ago Friday to drive to Anchorage.  Pres. Beesley had offered to let us use the mission home to stay in.  However, when we arrived on Friday night, President and Sister Beesley were still at home.  Their plans had changed somewhat, and we were able to spend the evening with them and several other missionaries.  Saturday we were able to attend the temple in Anchorage.  We are always excited when we have the opportunity to attend the temple. Sunday morning we got up early for our drive to Seward to pick up Andrea and Trevor and the boys from their cruise.  We were just in time to attend Sacrament Meeting in Seward.  It was great for us to meet Elder and Sister Poulsen another senior couple who are serving in Seward.   We had only met them through a phone conference.

As we traveled back to Anchorage, we were able to stop at the Exit Glacier.  Alaska is an amazing place filled with beautiful scenery and wonderful people.  We were sorry that we had to take Trevor to the airport on Sunday to return to work, but we were glad to see him again for a while.  At least Trevor got to see a moose and calf up close as one crossed the freeway next to our suburban on the way to the airport in Anchorage.

The rest of the week was filled with fun Alaskan adventures.  We had a list of things to do and were able to see and do almost all of them.  It was a perfect time to have visitors since work was still going on in the institute.  Andrea and her family went with us to Delta for class although they spent most of the time at the Wrigley farm having wonderful farm adventures.  Late in the evening the moose came out in their fields with their little ones.  We were able to see around 12 moose that night.  Thursday, Andrea pretended to be a YSA and  attended institute class and I took the boys to ride the train and play miniature golf at Pioneer Park.  The boys were very glad that there were enough cinnamon rolls left for breakfast the next day.  It was hard to see them go, but we were so glad they had the chance to come "see us in action" and share time with them.  Families are such an important part of our lives.  We feel blessed beyond measure for the wonderful people who are part of our dear family including extended family!

Saturday brought great joy to us as missionaries as a wonderful young man was baptized.  Tyler White has been coming to the Branch for a few weeks and has been taught by the young Elders.   We know that he will grow and learn as he gains a greater understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ and of His plan of happiness for each of us.

Tuesday evening was a memorial service for Sister Marilyn Whitehead.  She has been helping at the branch for several years and was a stalwart in my Teachings of the Living Prophets class.  She only learned that she had cancer about three weeks before she passed away.  How quickly life can change.  We will miss her but know that we will see her again.

All our love,
JoAnn & Jim

We picked up the Lanham family (Andrea and Trevor and their boys) in Seward just in time to go to church at the branch there.  We are having so much fun showing them around Alaska.  We'll catch up on the blog next week.

Love to all,
JoAnn and Jim

 This is a panoramic view of the city of Fairbanks from above the hill on which we live. As you can see the forest is thick and blocks the view of much of the city except for the larger business and industrial areas in the distance. If it were a clear day you would be able to see the Alaska range 125 miles in the distance across the Tanana valley.

 We continue to notice the wildflowers that grow here in Alaska including the Monk's Hood variety seen here.

 This is a clump of what appears to be wild delphinium growing along side of the road.

We have also noticed a profusion of mushrooms in the forests here. This is a pretty red variety pushing itself up through the leaves. We have no idea as to whether they are poisonous or not and we do not plan to find out either. The are just an interesting part of the spectacular Alaskan environment

     We have now been excluded from the institute for two weeks and our office and work area is now in our apartment. We moved our desktop computer and a table from the institute into our living room to create another office area. We will be in this situation for another three weeks or so until the building is painted and re-carpeted. It makes us appreciate so much the facility here in Fairbanks and the blessing it is to the YSA as well. It will be nice to be back into our home away from home institute building. We will post pictures of the new updated look when it is finished.
     We are about midway in our summer schedule with two main institute classes, one on Thursday at the stake center and one on Wednesday down at Delta Junction. We are teaching the Pearl of Great Price at both locations which is a wonderful book of scripture that is a pleasure to teach. We have a faithful group of YSA who continue to attend class. Our classes are made up of returned missionaries, college students and recent converts as well as the occasional visiting investigator. We still have remote areas of our stake some of which are literally in the 'bush' of Alaska and so they are only accessible by aircraft. Occasionally we will have a YSA visit from one of those areas. We are working on plans with the stake to try and provide institute services to those areas via the Internet broadcast of classes. This will require some new technology that our director in Seattle has approved although it has currently no budget. It is a work in progress.
     We had a surprise visit today in our block of meetings from Pres. and Sister Beesley. They decided to drive up her to Fairbanks from Anchorage to just visit the missionaries and do a few interviews. We had a chance to be interviewed briefly  after meetings and meet with Sister Beesley.  The Beesleys are working hard to keep the missionary work going in Alaska. They are truly great people and will be a real asset to the mission. We love the work here especially with our association with the YSA and for the opportunity to teach them. We have come to know many of them and many of their struggles, however they are faithful to the church, and we know the Lord will bless them.

Jim and JoAnn

                                 Joshua Verhagen, a friend, Katie Oates, Shelby Solomon in Nenana.

After class in Delta Junction.

We saw this moose on the way home from Delta.

A beautiful point on the Tanana River on the way home from Delta.

                                            Getting ready for work on the Institute building.

                     What a mushroom.  We found so many varieties on our walk in the forest by our house.

It's been a wonderful week full of new an interesting things.  On the 4th of July we went to Healy to interview Cortnee Adams for baptism.  On the way there, we stopped in Nenana to see some of their small-town celebration.  It was a rainy day, but the weather cleared for most of their activities.  We have had a lot of rain for the past three weeks and the rivers are running almost to capacity.  While we were there we visited their cultural center and museum.  Joe Verhagen (one of our students on Thursday) invited us to come celebrate with them.  The Verhagen family is a stalwart family in the branch there.  Joshua is growing his beard and hair because he and his sister Mary are going to Utah in August to be in the new film the church is producing about the New Testament.  We are pretty excited for them.

It was a wonderful experience to interview Cortnee for baptism.  Jim thought that he had not given a baptismal interview since his mission in the Eastern States.  Cortnee is a lovely young lady who has been investigating the church for some time.  She is excited and anxious to become a member of the church. 

Wednesday was another trip to Delta.  The weather was much nicer on the way home and it gave us a chance to take some beautiful pictures of the scenic drive.  I think the moose was there just for us.  We usually see three or four moose on our trip to Delta.  After class, we enjoy visiting with the young people there with some treats that I make earlier in the day. We are grateful that the sun is still up when we arrive home late that night.

Thursday we had our last class at the Institute for a while.  After class the kids helped by taking down all the pictures and getting them ready to be stored, removing all the switch plates, bulletin boards, and whiteboards, and weeding the flowers in front of the building.  It was a great help.  We rewarded them with cinnamon rolls and milk afterwards.  On Friday we returned to the Institute to finish cleaning out our offices.  We now have an office at home with the Institute computer, etc. so that we can carry on. 

Sunday we had meetings in the Institute building.  I'm afraid the walls looked like we were in a war zone with all the carpet wall coverings removed.  However, the workman lived up to their promise to leave the building cleaned up enough that we could hold our meetings there.  We will be having Institute class in the Stake building until the redecorating is completed.   I love the spirit we have in our meetings.  These young people are happy to be there and love to share their testimonies of Jesus Christ with each other.  What a blessing.

With love,
JoAnn & Jim

                             This is our little garden in a greenhouse tomatoes fruiting. Sweet million cherry type.

                             This is the zucchini that we are growing in the raised within the green house.

There are a variety of wild flowers that bloom here in Alaska here are a few yellow clusters along the roadside.

President and Sister Beesley our new mission president from Texas. (originally both were from Idaho)


     We have had another busy week here in the great Alaska mission. We are continuing to teach institute classes at the institute building here in Fairbanks as well as the class down in Delta Junction. We drive down each Wednesday and it is about 100 miles.  It is a scenic drive with lakes, rivers and forest and also the occasional moose alongside of the road. We have a small but great group of students at the Delta Branch. The Delta Junction area is one of the few areas in Alaska that can be farmed and they grow mostly grain. There are farmers that came up years ago from Idaho. It is a growing and very faithful branch.
     The weather continues to be wet and rainy as well as being cool. The summers here is supposed to be dry and hot. It is just the way the interior of Alaska is. It is also technically a desert so the moisture is another weather anomaly. The conditions do not affect our work but the outdoor activities of the Alaskans are being curtailed. The whole interiors very green and the rivers are full. Also there are no fires that are normally common this time of year.
     Our new mission president arrived here in Alaska on the 28th of June and came up to Fairbanks on Saturday the 2nd of July. Pres. and Sister Beesley are from Texas, however they were both born and raised in Idaho. Pres. Beesley worked for thirty years as a test pilot  for the U.S. Air Force. He also aspired to be and astronaut. He spoke to us on Saturday and we realized what a great leader and teacher he is. He and his wife were originally scheduled to go to St. Petersburg , Russia. He told us that the Russians believe that the L.D.S. Church mission in Russia is just a front for the C.I.A. so it would not have been a good thing for him to go there, especially with his top secret military background.
     Also our long term investigator Trisha went back to Rochester N.Y. to a cousin's wedding, I called and made arrangements for two sister missionaries to meet her at the Palmyra-Hill Cumorah area for a tour while she is in the area. She really wanted to visit the historical sight in the area and asked if she could actually go into the sacred grove. I told her she most certainly could go there. We are hoping the visit there will help with her investigation and move her closer to baptism.
     This afternoon after meetings, we went to visit Marilyn Whitehead, who is affectionately called "Grandma Marilyn."  We have been meeting at her house for some time for home evening on Mondays.  She has been coming to the singles branch for some time to help with whatever is needed.  Everyone loves her.  Today we were informed that she has an aggressive cancer.  She is so much weaker than she was a couple of weeks ago.  We wish her well as she goes to Anchorage to stay with her son and meets with doctors to discuss her needs.   Life and health are great blessings.

Happy 4th of July.  
Elder and Sister Spens

Some wildflowers growing by the side of the road.

This is a view from the University of Alaska across the valley. 

A direction sign on campus telling how far you are from wherever.

                   Siberian iris grow along the sides of the roads and in big fields.  They are a beautiful sight.

We have had another wonderful week.  For home evening, we had a barbecue at Pres. Olsen's house (also our house.)  It was well attended.  Somehow food attracts the young adults.  We had more students at out class in Delta and a wonderful group for class on Thursday evening.  Another couple announced their engagement on Sunday.  Jared was sure he was going to be single the rest of his life and then Rachel came up to drive buses this summer.  I asked her if she had any idea that she would be engaged so soon.  Things have to happen quickly here because the influx of new people only lasts for the summer.  We are excited for them.

I love watching the wildflowers bloom.  Alaska is know for the abundance of fire weed that is just beginning to bloom.  We officially had the longest day last week.  In Alaska, they enjoy summer as much as they can because it is so short.  Then winter comes again.  Our little garden is producing a nice crop of cilantro.  I made white chicken chili for Institute on Thursday night to use up some of it.  I hope we get some tomatoes before too long, at least cherry tomatoes. 

I have been working hard on the library.  With the new program and the cataloging information from the Church Library in Salt Lake, it has made it so much easier.  It's still a big project.  We just found out that the institute recarpeting project will start on July 11.  Hopefully that means that it will be finished in time for seminary in the fall. 

President and Sister Dance leave on Tuesday and President and Sister Beesley will be arriving.  It's hard to see them go.  President and Sister Dance have been such a support and strength to the mission.  We all love them dearly.  Pres. Beesley is coming to Fairbanks on Saturday to visit the missionaries here.  We are anxious to be able to meet them, too.  We had a wonderful couples meeting with Pres. & Sis. Dance last Tuesday.  It was the first time the couples in the mission had met together.   Even though most of them were in Anchorage, we were able to join them by phone conference.  It was a good experience for us to be on the other end of things.  We now know how our teachers feel when they call in from far away for inservice meetings.  There are now 9 senior couples in our mission and one more coming soon.  We all have varied responsibilities, but all are needed so much.  We feel very blessed to be able to be a part of this great work. 

We pray for the Lord's blessings to be with all of our family and friends.  Helping the work along here  has been a great blessing for us.  We love you all.

JoAnn & Jim

                                              June 16, 2011 - Welcome Isabelle Emily Spens

                                                          Happy Fathers Day, Patrick.

                                It's the land of the midnight sun.  This was taken about 11:30 pm.

                                   This little lake is on our way to the institute on the UAF campus.

                                          The flag of Alaska was designed by a 13 year-old boy.

        Dandelions are in full bloom all over Fairbanks.  These long-stemmed dandelions are in our yard.  Many  areas are covered with them.  They are so colorful after a long winter that no one seems to care if they grow. There are also other wildflowers along the roadsides in colors of purple, blues, white and yellow.

     This week has been exciting with the birth of a new granddaughter Isabelle to join with Emily and Patrick's family and with our continued teaching of the Pearl of Great Price summer curriculum at the institute. Also now that we are teaching another class in Delta Junction we get to drive down and back each Wednesday and it is just a beautiful and scenic drive. Rivers in the area are now full and have boat traffic as well as derbies floating along . It is also great to meet with the YSA and teach them and of course JoAnn provides home made cookies and milk or something for their treats. We also continue to have investigators attend our institute classes to see what the church is about. They are usually brought by some of the YSA kids who know them.
     There have been some big thunderstorms here.  There was one while we were away and so much water surrounded the house that some came into our basement apartment. It is the second time that we have had water inside so we just mop it up and dry it out and life goes on. There are some things that could be done to the house to stop the entry of water, but at this point I am not sure our landlord is going to do anything.
     It is the summer solstice celebration season here in Fairbanks and so there are all "night" (there is no night in terms of darkness) activities like baseball games and 10K runs etc. Some people stay up all night to celebrate, however JoAnn and I just went down to the Pioneer Park and the UAF arboretum late on Saturday to see what was going on but did not stay up all night. The picture and history of the Alaska flag above was taken at the pioneer park museum. Pioneer park is filled with old but restored log and frame buildings from the Fairbanks area dating back to the late 1800's. They have entertainment , food rides and gift shops and it is mainly open during the summer tourist season.
     Summer is truly a great time to be here in Alaska. It is like living in the high mountains of Utah surrounded by forests (and animals). Wild flowers are blooming. The Tanana valley (that we live in ) is totally green and the moose are grazing on the long grasses by the roadside. Temperatures are mild and there  is lots of sunshine. It is truly wonderful to be here.


Happy Fathers Day to all you dads.
Love,
Jim and JoAnn