Robinson Alaska Mission

       So I thought it was a pretty routine week until yesterday when we had an earthquake. Elder Robinson was driving with the missionaries to help with a move while I was at home, cleaning the house on our     P-day. I heard a rumbling that got louder and louder and then the house started to groan, creak, snap and pop loudly. I heard dishes in the cupboard rattling but it wasn't shaking as much as I would have thought. The scary part was feeling the rattling getting more intense and wondering how long it would go on or how much worse would it get. I went to stand under a door jamb but then it was over. It lasted probably less than a minute but it seemed a long time. After the house stopped shaking, I felt shaky! Elder Robinson didn't feel anything while driving.  There had been a 7.1 earthquake in Nov 2018 in the same area as this one. It turned out it was a 5.3 aftershock of the previous earthquake. There have been 13,000 aftershocks from that ...

  We had a great time going dog sledding with Pres. and Sis. King and 2 other senior couples (the Smiths and Tracys) on Saturday. We went about 1.5 hours north of Anchorage to Willow. That is where the Iditarod race officially starts in 2 weeks on March 8. The Iditarod is a 1000-mile race from Anchorage to Nome that usually takes about 10 days. Dog mushing in the early 1900's was the only way to get mail, food and supplies to gold and coal miners in west coast Alaska from October to June when the seaports were frozen. Now it is a sport of endurance. If you want to learn more there are some good books and movies about the dogs and Klondike and Arctic life in Alaska. (Call of the Wild, Iron Will, Eight Below, White Fang, Togo and Balto). Because of Covid the race won't go to Nome but be a loop that will start and end in Willow.  The owner of the tour company used to race the Iditarod but retired 3 years ago and now works as a tour operator. He has a kennel with 57 dogs. They are...

It was a surprise to receive some valentines this week! Kate helped Annie, June and Jack send some valentines they had made while they were home with a snow day. We hung them in the office and enjoyed looking at them all week. We also received a nice note from one of the boys in our Primary class that we taught last year before the pandemic. And today the sister missionaries were handing out valentines to ward members in the church lobby to brighten the day. I think my favorite part of Valentines Day is to be surprised by  an unexpected love/appreciation note! We want family and friends to know how much we think of you and are grateful for the happiness you bring to us.  We think about fun times together and also the support and encouragement you give in hard or challenging times.  In the words of one of our valentines, "Celebrate being Wonderful". WE LOVE YOU! This week we received our 2nd Moderna Covid vaccine. I was surprised how bad I felt the next day. Fever, chills,...

 I didn't think I would post anymore moose pictures because it seems so common to see a moose every day now. But this is a picture on the news of a moose on a roof. Who would think that would happen! The house was next to a hillside and somehow the moose jumped onto the roof. No one had any idea how he would get down from the roof. It has really felt like winter this week. I think it has been that way through most of the country. I have been doing more driving this week. It is very slippery even with studded tires. I read a quote by Elder Wirthlin that I liked this week for life in general and for driving too.       "We don't have to be fast; we simply have to be steady and move in the right direction.       We have to do the best we can, one step after another. "  This was a slower week for me. Fewer Covid issues. Hurray! I did have a missionary that got a cut on his forehead when he bumped into the side of the garage door. It was 8 at ...