Our Journey to Forever - Private: October 2014

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Moving to Craig

Several months ago my cousin Jon, who is a Wells Fargo Store Manager in Bethel Alaska, called Andrew and told him that some openings for management would be coming up in his region as early as September. We had moved to Ketchikan with the idea that a promotion would come up in about a year and a half, give or take a few months. September was the one year mark from Andrew starting his personal banker training - we didn't even get to Alaska until October 8, 2013. This news from Jon certainly accelerated our expectations. Then, just after we arrived back in AK from our summer trip to Utah, Jon let Andrew know that there was an opening in King Salmon, AK. It was a single seller in a very remote area with a population of about 300 people. We really wrestled over whether or not we should apply for that position and ultimately we opted against it. We felt really good about just letting that one go. The day after we made that decision, Jon called Andrew to let him know that Nome was opening up. Nome was a different situation than King Salmon. It had bank housing, a huge differential, a strong LDS branch, and an awesome (Wells Fargo) District President who lived right there for great mentoring opportunities. Jon said it was too good a potential to pass up and the contrast between how we felt about Nome vs King Salmon was stark. We felt very good about trying for it and after Andrew got back from helping his dad move to Texas, he applied.

As it turned out, he didn't get the job. BUT he got some valuable feedback and good practice interviewing for a management position. Andrew put in a few other applications for some bigger stores in Fairbanks and Anchorage.

Then came the opening for Craig. While we wanted to stay in Ketchikan, staying in South East Alaska seemed like the next best option. Craig seemed about as good as it was going to get. We applied and tried to wait patiently for the interview to be scheduled. Once it was scheduled, we started investigating housing options. We couldn't find a thing! By this time school was starting and routines were starting to be developed. We were home schooling to try to make a potential move easier on us, but in the mean time there were things like swimming lessons, basketball leagues etc that I wasn't sure whether or not we should sign up for. I was starting to feel homesick, mostly because I was starting to feel like I didn't have a home. I didn't know how long I was going to be in Ketchikan, but I didn't know where I'd be going either. We were going on a second month of theoretically being asked to move within a two-four week time frame and I was getting worn out of living with that unknown. When we weren't getting any hits on housing in Craig we started to talk about the possibility of not taking the job even if we were offered it. Even more than that, we started talking about just taking a break from applications and give ourselves some stability - at least until after Christmas.

But on our wedding anniversary, Andrew received a job offer to become the store manager in Craig, Alaska. He was offered a 41% raise and a generous moving package. We called President Ericksen - the Branch President of the LDS church in Craig. He called back later that day with a perfect housing situation. Everything fell into place and we accepted the offer.

Originally they wanted Andrew to start three weeks later but then they scheduled a district training for that week up in Juneau. Everyone felt that it would be less ideal for Andrew to move here just in time to leave for that trip so we bumped his start date up a month and he started two weeks from the day he was offered the position.

It was a crazy move and I had moments where I felt pretty overwhelmed. In retrospect, though, it was like ripping off a bandaid and I'm glad we did it as quickly as we did.

So far we have loved Craig and are filled with gratitude for Heavenly Father's continued blessings and direction in our lives.

Family Proclamation

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children.All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God's eternal plan.Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. "Children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.