The salmon are in and all the locals are camped on the beach, casting out nets for their subsistence fishing. The harvest is bountiful. It’s an ancient, annual celebration for most native families.
Boy, have we been picking up momentum: Peder was baptized three weeks ago, followed last week by Novalee. Adriana’s baptism will be July 9. We got three new investigators within the past two weeks, one of whom has a July 23 baptismal date. We were invited to the Samoan community High Celebration to say a prayer on June 17. It’s a great honor. We’ve been praying for acceptance into that community since our arrival, believing it to be a key to unlock vast teaching opportunities, so we were elated by the invitation. Then, Friday morning our bubble burst when we read our email: THE LORD HAS CALLED YOU TO SERVE IN SITKA. We leave Tuesday, June 14, at noon. There are too many tears right now. To describe our feelings from Sacrament meeting today isn’t possible. Tommy Jones, 43, our baptism candidate for July 23, was asked to share his testimony. What a rock he will be in the gospel. He has seven sons. Kara Jones, his wife, was less active when she arrived here. Fua asked the branch president if she could give the closing prayer today. Before her prayer she bore her testimony. Another WOW for us. Fua would be baptized but will wait for Joshua. We don’t think it will be very long. When she prayed everyone felt close to heaven.
We are NOT being replaced here in Dutch. There aren’t enough missionaries.
Even though we’re tearful, we’re happy to be entrusted to help Sitka. President Dance has prayed and worried about Sitka since missionaries were pulled out of there several months ago. The reports of what we can expect are less than stellar. As we tearfully pack (relieved at some level that we won’t be enduring another winter here) we know that God has a purpose for us in Sitka. We don’t expect the same level of acceptance that we have enjoyed in Dutch Harbor, but we know it’s right for us to go there.
We love you and love this work.
Richard and Linda, Mom and Dad, Papa and Nana
 |
| Baptism in the Bering Sea |
 |
| Achievement Girls goofing off. Patient leader: Tami Davis |
 |
| The view from our walk up the hill by our house |
 |
| Dutch Harbor convertible |
 |
| Eagles are all in their nests. Two patrons going into the post office have been attacked. |
 |
| The beautiful Faailoga family |
 |
| Tommy Jones' boat: The Stimpson, a State Trooper vessel. Tommy is first mate. |
No comments:
Post a Comment