Isolation - March 31st 2020

Matt and Joan Thompson

Peter and Maggie Stokes

Doreen, Sister Jensen, Karen Larsen and Bardens

Lynn and Alma Don Shurtleff 

Doreen Taylor and Pat Fitzner

The last night altogether as missionaries in London March 12, 2020.

We have  decided to continue the “blog” as we had planned that it would be our means of keeping a record of these two years and if the virus and isolation back in our home is part of it - so be it and on we go.

Two weeks has now passed since our return from London and, other than our daily walks, we have been home bound. Cindy and Paul had initially stocked our home with food and have kindly replenished things as we have needed. We read, clean, phone or message people and stay in regular touch with the children and grandchildren. Their lives have also been altered by this pandemic and they too are mainly home bound. The men are largely working from home online or not at all in Brendon and Liza’s cases. The children and Cindy cannot go to school and are or will be doing online schooling and everyone is to limit their exposure to others and only go out for food our emergency needs. Leaders throughout the world are working to stop the spread of this disease and everyone’s lives are changed. Thousands of missionaries throughout the world have been brought home. In some countries the church has chartered numerous airline size planes to get not only the older missionaries but young missionaries out. All the Temples are closed. The world economy has been greatly affected as the main individuals still working are essential services such as medical people, grocery stores etc. Airlines have pretty well stopped flying internationally and are even limiting flights within countries. This situation is unprecedented in the history of the world.

Despite all that is happening many good things have happened as well. Everyone has had to slow down, spend more time with their families and really evaluate what is important. All public entertainment, sports events, large gatherings and even church services have  been cancelled but with President Nelson’s introduction of  the “Come Follow Me” home centered/church supported gospel study program just over a year ago, we all had the means of having home church. In homes where there are priesthood holders, we have also been told to have the sacrament and the sacrament to  be provided at least once a month to others. We have FaceTimed into each our our children’s homes on Sundays and given talks or brief thoughts to be part of their gospel study and meetings. Having our sacrament alone alone is a very touching experience and all of these things will hopefully leave us with some good memories during a difficult time. We are also in daily contact thru an “WhatsApp” with out London Temple family and we are pleased that the Fitzners, Davenports and Hoares all left England earlier than they had planned and are safely home. So far our family is well and the missionaries from our mission are well. Grateful!

The church had a worldwide “fast” on Sunday and prayers for relief from the affects of covid 19. We are so grateful for a Prophet, the gospel and for a Savior who is over all and as a church we are looking forward to General Conference next weekend and hearing from our leaders. That too will be broadcast from the Conference Center online to everyone. They will be in a small room and there will be no choir, congregation or even all the General Authorities at one time. This situation is disruptive to say the least but the Lord has our attention and hopefully we will “Hear Him”.