The Blacks' Mission Report

We left Houston on Tuesday morning in great haste, took care of our last-minute errands and then headed on the trail to St. George, UT.  But when we got to Wichita Falls, where we spent the night, I could not find my pill minder.  In it were all of my medicines dosed out until Sunday morning.  We unloaded the car, looked through each suitcase, bag and every other container we are using to no avail. Last night in my prayer I asked Heavenly Father's help in finding my pill minder.  I cannot afford to lose any of my meds because some of them are very expensive and are only partially covered by insurance.  I got an immediate response: "garbage can". I assumed He ment the waste baskets we are using for small stuff.  So, this morning I went through them again.  Nothing.  I was pretty disappointed,  but I examined everything else just in casr.  The thought came to me that it had fallen into the garbage sack that we threw in the dumpster just as...

We have been asked to return "home" due to COVID-19 fears. Church Missionary authorities have asked all Senior Missionaries to return home and be released.  We don't really have a "home" to which to go, but we have a plan. We are finishing the packing and loading process today.  Then we will get a good night's sleep tonight and set out on our travels tomorrow morning. We will stay the night in Wichita Falls, TX Tuesday night. Then we will stay the night in Moriarty, NM Wednesday night And then we will travel to Page, AZ and stay the night there. We will be in St. George for a few days while we re-design our trailer, drop off a few things in storage, pick up our piano and another few things. Then on to spend a week or so in Salt Lake City. "Home will ultimately be in Box Elder, SD. We are extremely grateful for the folks in the Jacinto City Ward and the Channelview Ward for the love and concern they have had for us during the past 14+ months ...

This has been a week of shock and awe.  I know we've all heard that before, but... I was assigned to teach the Book of Mormon Institute class on Thursday night.  I've been praying about it, studying the text and associated scriptures, reading appropriate conference talks, and I just couldn't seem to get the lesson under control.  I found a video that I thought I should use, but the inspiration that I generally get as I prepare just didn't come.  So...  I thought, well, I'll show the new Book of Mormon Video covering Jacob 1-4 and then we'll discuss what we saw and what Jacob taught.  I had no plan other than that.  Our young missionaries and we arrived at the church just as we got the word that the Institute classes are canceled until further notice.  No wonder I couldn't form any lesson plan that I felt would work.  I generally plan my lessons to exactly fit the time allowed, but this time I just couldn't get it together. So, we took...

Throughout my adult life I have been the patient with the mystery ailment.  From the time I was about 25 years old until finally receiving a diagnosis that made sense at the age of 62.  I have enjoyed many many trips to the emergency room.  Sometimes I took myself, but other times I was in so much pain I could not.  And other times I didn't go because I knew there would be no answers. In 2012 I was working at Andrus Transportation Services in a triple role.  I was Manager-International Freight, Manager-Equipment Control, and Dispatcher for the International Freight Business Unit.  I was also a Class A truck driver and I went on the road on the weekend occasionally.  At that time we had a dedicated USPS driver in Grand Junction, Colorado.  His truck needed to come to the shop in St. George, UT for mechanical repair.  This driver couldn't bring his truck because he had to haul mail every day.  I determined that it would be best if I sh...