WHAT'S THAT SUIT YOUR WEARING UNDER YOUR SUIT????

We received a new mission president clear back in July of last year. I haven't really said much about him and his wife. His leadership and spiritual training includes being a Bishop for about six year and then being made a Stake President and serving in that position until shortly before he and his wife were called to preside over a mission. Both he and his wife have "light" shining from their faces and eyes. They are both attuned to the promptings of the Spirit and have deep and abiding testimonies of the Gospel.

Both of them are Idaho natives. I think that they met while they were at Ricks College (now BYU Idaho). Since marrying, they have lived several places, including in Europe. Their home for the last two or three decades has been Texas, where he was employed with a major manufacturing firm.

When you see him, he doesn't strike you as an overwhelming sort of personality. Actually, he's very low key and quiet (thank heavens) which makes him very enjoyable to be around. He's also very much aware of everyone around him and does a good job of letting people know that he's aware of them and wants to here what they have to say. He can make you forget that he presides over you because he doesn't come across as being power hungry in any way. He's an excellent leader but doesn't flaunt that fact. He's just what the Lord needed for our mission.

This is a picture of Elder and Sister B with Elder Walker and wife
of the First Quorum of the Seventy.

 This was almost a candid picture that I got of President B. at another mission conference. Looking at this friendly and smiling face, you'd never guess that he is actually a "super hero" of sorts. He has a secret life that people would never suspect.............

He's actually a modern "Darth Vader"!!!!
(TA DUMMMM!)

And, here is the photo proof whereof I speak!

And, who'd of thunk?!

Actually, this "mild mannered man" was a fighter/test pilot for a period of 40 years. (The above picture is of him in the cockpit of the F35, just before he took it up for it's maiden test flight.) He started out in the United States Air Force as a fighter pilot flying F4's. He then entered their test pilot training, where he flew a whole bunch more (!) fighters until he separated from the Air Force after about 14 years. He then went to work for General Dynamics as a test pilot. General Dynamics was "eaten up" by Lockheed Martin where President B. eventually became their Chief Test Pilot.

(The photo above really a picture of him wearing a "wrap around" helmet used in the new F35's. And, he was compared to Darth Vader on the Internet for a while.)

President B. actually was called to preside over a mission in Russia. Because of the fact that he knows more about stealth technology than just about any other person alive, the Brethern decided that Russia might not be the best place to put him. (A friend of his even said that he'd better wear a swim suit on the plane to Russia because kidnappers would be water-boarding him within an hour of arriving.) So, two weeks before they reported for their assignment in Russia, their assignment was changed here to Alaska. And,believe me, we are very glad and happy that the Brethern changed his and Sister B's assignment!

From a worldly/macho point of view he has all the reasons to be a very loud, proud, macho jock. The wonderful thing about it is that he's just the opposite. It is absolutely amazing what living the Gospel and being sanctified by the Spirit can do to a person! Jocks! Take note!

SURPRISE! SURPRISE! SUPRISE!

Even though we are missionaries, our main calling is not proselyting. We were called as "Office Specialists" to work in the mission office. We are also called as mission and leadership support. So, really, we don't proselyte. However, former mission president, Alan R. Dance, assigned us to work in the ward where we live and help with the "less actives" and part member families, which is what we have been doing for the last eleven months.

One of the part member families we have visited had a husband who has been married to a member for nearly fifty years. Because of circumstances created by the Lord, our non member decided that it was time to start living the word of wisdom and get baptized. He didn't want another pair of young missionaries to re-teach him the discussions, which he has heard a couple of hundred times. And, he didn't want young missionaries interviewing him for baptism. That's where we came in. We "old fud" missionaries did a gospel doctrine review with him, and the mission president interviewed him.

Then, on Saturday January 21, 2012, we filled up the baptismal font at the Baxter Chapel and he was baptized and confirmed a member by his two sons in law. Afterward, the Bishop interviewed him and Sunday morning he was presented to receive the Aaronic Priesthood and be ordained a priest. There is much celebrating and thanksgiving in the Chester Valley ward in Anchorage, Alaska right now. And, we now have the pleasure of teaching him the new member lessons.

I must tell you, I did not expect this to happen, even though we knew from the very first that the Lord wanted us here, specifically where we are. Brother and Sister R. even said in the middle of teaching him that the reason we were called and ended up in the Chester Valley Ward was so that we could teach him. We know that that was one of the reasons we are here in the Great White North. I hope that we find several more reasons for being here in the next 12 months.
 

Brother R. with his baby brother, who has been a

member of the Church for 30 years.

Brother R. with his son in law, Brother S.

Brother and Sister R.

Brother and Sister R. with their two daughters. Both

of whom went to Ricks, served a mission, and were

married in the temple.

The family with in laws and grand kids.

Beautiful family!

And, another shot.

This shot include Brother S's younger sister who is

also the R's "adopted daughter."

The happy couple with the happy mission couple.

Next  stop is the Anchorage Temple, endowments, marriage for eternity, and sealing their two beautiful daughter to themselves. I hope that we will still be here when that happens.And, lastly, thanks to Heavenly Father for letting us be a part of what has happened and will happen into the eternities with these brothers and sisters!