CHRISTMAS!

     MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ALASKA

This greeting comes from far up north, a land of snow and ice.
Some find the life here’s much too harsh; we think it’s rather nice. 
We like to share the streets with moose; the trails with wolf and bear.
In lofty pines fat ravens screech, and eagles skim the air.

We love the glow of northern lights and sunsets on the snow;

The jagged mountains rise in sight most any place you go.
The spirit here is bright and young; there’s energy and hope.
There’s faith all problems can be solved with duct tape, nails, and rope.

We think Alaska’s really cool; in fact, it’s downright cold.

But all the hearts and hugs are warm, and spirits shine like gold.
And we’ll survive for nine more months in this, “The Last Frontier”;
Then we’ll come home and see you all:  Our friends and family dear!

We felt honored to be able to spend Christmas morning at the Institute with these elders of the North Anchorage Zone.  They are faithful, resilient young men of "God's Army" who are eager to share the Gospel.  It is a joy to associate with them.  We fed them a big breakfast, watched the First Presidency Christmas Devotional, and then sent them on their way to members' homes where they could Skype with their families. 

We had a memorable Christmas Eve celebrated with a delightful dinner and visit in the home of Nick and Charity Manwaring.  They live in Chugiak, about 40 minutes north of Anchorage.  Elder Hawkins, show here as Herod, helped enact the Nativity with (Grandpa) Jan, Nick, and the Manwaring kids.  Jan is Charlotte's Uncle; Nick, her cousin. We felt blessed to share the special evening with them. 
  

 These are three of our Institute "regulars" celebrating the completion of our project to send Christmas letters to the 70 missionaries now serving from the three stakes in the Anchorage Bowl.  We continue to be blessed by these faithful young members of the Church who love Jesus Christ and want so much to follow Him.

Saturday night we attended the Hmong Branch Christmas party.   What a precious group of faithful Saints!  They are rightfully proud of their rich heritage and work to meld it with the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  In spite of the difficulties of making their way in the sometimes harsh foreign environment of Alaska, they continue to be gentle, generous, and gracious.

These girls enjoyed the party--especially the delicious traditional foods.  The two in costume were part of a group which danced for us.  We were charmed by the tinkling of the scores of coins which dangle from their costumes and their graceful hand movements.

 Here is most of our Pathway group on the last day of our first semester!  A couple were stranded at home by bad roads; almost half have to drive in from Wasilla/Palmer area, 45-60 minutes away.  (Sister Hawkins is standing at the back with the Ipad we use to Skype them into class.)  It is a joy to sense their feeling of accomplishment as they move ahead with their lives.

These kids have just jumped through a big hole in thick ice into Goose Lake on the UAA campus. They "risked their lives" as part of the "Polar Plunge" organized to raise money for the Alaska Special Olympics.  It is 9 degrees outside.  Three of them are our Pathway students. It was a beautiful setting for a very cold experience!

There is a strong military presence in Anchorage.  Here are some of our young single adults who serve in the Army or Air Force. (Both these services share the huge Elmendorf-Richardson Base north of Anchorage.)  They are all extra far from home and especially appreciate the spiritual support they feel at the Institute and in the Anchorage YSA Wards.

Every Friday we have "Soup and the Spirit" at the Institute.  Students and working young single adults come on their lunch hour for an inspirational presentation from an outstanding local Church speaker while they eat  homemade bread, soup, and brownies. Preparing the food for these gatherings is one of Sister Hawkins's favorite assignments.

One of our big projects this week was preparing Christmas letters for the 70 missionaries serving from the three stakes of the Anchorage Bowl.  We addressed the envelopes and then arranged for the Young Single Adults to fill the back page with messages of love and encouragement.  We sent off a batch today to missionaries all over the world, from India to Salt Lake City.  Surprisingly, of the 70 currently serving, 19 are in Brazil.

 One of our favorite Pathway/ Institute students is Mark, pictured here on the front row, second from the left.  He moved from American Samoa to Alaska as a teenager, finished high school, and served a mission to Chile. He currently lives in a house with extended family, sometimes amounting to 34 people! He sleeps on the sofa. Most of those in the photo with him are nieces and nephews he lives with. Mark has tremendous leadership skills and spiritual maturity.  We are excited that he is getting a taste of his possibilities through the Pathway program.

This is another Pathway/Institute student, Junior.  He is also a returned missionary.  Here he is acting as a "lead student" for one of our gatherings.  He is in charge of the class discussion and activities for the night. The BYUI learning model provides for the students to actively participate in their learning and teach each other.  Thus each students' presentation skills and confidence are enhanced.