Monday, October 17, 2016

Hello Family & Friends....

We had our first full day going back and forth between duties at the Institute Building and the Mission Office.  We helped teach a new investigator lesson at the Institute...Set our office up there and worked on getting tech things worked out so we can utilize the various media resources such as videos and talks etc. to use in our lessons.  We teach a double class each Thursday evening.  In January, when the new semester begins, we will add a Tuesday night class as well.  The afternoon was spent at the Mission Office doing our medical clinic.

We had a busy yet fun weekend.  Friday night we were in charge of "Waffle Night" at the Institute...I think I already mentioned this..but we had a good time getting to know some of the kids....Sunday, we attended one of our YSA wards...We have a second YSA ward we will also participate in...they were having Stake Conference Sunday, so we only had the one ward to attend...thus 3 hours instead of the normal 6 hours that we will normally have.  Actually, I think we will trade back and forth on attending the 3 hour block and then perhaps just the last 2 hours at the second ward.

We've located our grocery store...A Fred Meyers set up just like the one I used at home...also the Costco.  We live near a main street much like Eagle road with lots of familiar eating places, movie theaters, shopping and grocery stores.  We live kinda in between the Mission Office and the Institute building.  Takes approximately 10 minutes or less to each of our buildings.

Currently, we spend about 1/2 of each day at the instiute with teaching and also with preparing snacks, sandwiches, etc.  Apparently, a Senior Missionary's main calling is to feed these young adults!!  Well, not really, however, there are many days we do a set up of food...Twice monthly on Fridays, we alternate Waffle night and also Soup & Spirit night.  This Friday, we are in charge of both having the soup and will do the "spirit" portion as we do a speaking introduction of ourselves...and testimonies etc.

Our apartment is really just right...the main challenge is sharing one very small bathroom...We have lots of windows which I can see will be a big plus with the short and darker days soon to set in.  The apartment is furnished and the kitchen has most things we will need.  Our cooking for the Institute will actually take place right at the Institute building...They have a great kitchen stocked very well...plus we will never have to cook and then transport food...so our space here is quite comfortable.

We have 2 moose that live in this little forest across from our parking lot...a VERY large Mama Moose and her smaller calf.  They were our welcoming committee as we unpacked our car last Wednesday evening!!  We had heard about all the wildlife we would see on our cross country drive here....Moose, buffalo, mountain goats and of course, my personal favorite, Bears!  We were anxiously waiting to see all these animals....I was totally prepared...Bear Spray cans poised and ready!  However, despite searching the fields, meadows and mountains as we drove, we didn't see anything...Well, nearly nothing.  We do claim to have seen 1 scrawny fox, 1 deer (in someone's yard..so I think if was probably a pet deer, and 2 little chipmunks...one of which we proceeded to run over and smash!  That was the extent of our "wildlife adventure" on our way here!  So you can imagine how excited we were to see the 2 moose after arriving here...Right there 20 yards from our parking lot!  We have seen them everyday since.  They don't seem to be bothered with people and cars coming and going!

It's rather cloudy and cold today...the wind has come up so it feels even colder.
We have this funny heating system in our apartment...Hot water going through the pipes...so it's rather tricky to control...either way too hot (imagine that in Alaska) or way too cold.

We are about to head over to one of the YSA wards for Family Home Evening.  They are playing toilet paper dodge ball...sounds just like home!

We hope this finds everyone doing well...we miss you all...miss seeing our little kids...it was fun yesterday being able to talk to most of the families and FaceTime with some of you...Brooklyn remembered how we loved it when she'd make us laugh during dinner; so she proceeded to make her silly faces and had us laughing so hard...she closed with her "wiggle bum" dance...it provided some laughs today and we reminded each other of her antics!  Too cute!

The front of our fridge is bare...so we'd love to get any and all pics of the kids!  Here is our mailing address here at the apartment:

Elder & Sister Moss
7211 Meadow Street  Apt. B
Anchorage, Alaska  99507

Our Mission Office Address is:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Mission Office
3250 Strawberry Rd.
Anchorage, Alaska  99522   (This would probably be a better address if sending any larger packages etc. as we have only a small box here)

Love,
Elder & Sister Moss (aka Mouse & Pops)