Friday night we enjoyed attending a regional YSA Valentine Dance held in a church building in south Anchorage. The DJ, Abbi, on the left, is one of our Institute favorites. She does a great job selecting appropriate and fun music.
Alaska is a huge state two and a half times the size of Texas, but with a population of just 750,000. Outside of the Anchorage area, Juneau, Fairbanks, and Wasilla, most communities are small and remote. Alaska is covered by seven stakes. This dance was attended by YSAs from the three stakes of the "Anchorage Bowl": Chugach Stake, Anchorage Stake, and Anchorage North Stake; as well as YSAs from the Wasilla Stake, Fairbanks Stake, and Soldatna Stake. (The Fairbanks YSAs had to travel 7 hours each way on icy roads.)
The seventh stake, Juneau Stake, was just too far away, and transportation in and out is only by sea or air. The YSAs in the outlying areas often feel isolated and appreciate the
opportunity to get together with other young Church members. They all look forward to summer when Alaska's YSA numbers swell with students returning from universities in "the Lower 48" and others coming for seasonal tourism employment.
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