What a whirlwind week!

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 the young missionaries back home.  Along the way we learned that Hermana Pindar, a missionary working in Pasadena, Texas (part of our mission) had passed away in her sleep sometime Wednesday night or Thursday morning.  No cause of death reported as yet.

On Friday, I picked up those same young missionaries to take them to District Training when I received a call from President Hewlett asking me if I was planning to attend the combined District Training meeting.  I said, "yes". 

He told me that he didn't think that was a good idea considering the COVID-19 and that we didn't know what caused Hermana Pindar's death.  He said that considering my lung condition he doesn't want me to come into contact with the young missionaries for a time.  It was, however, too late.  I had those two missionaries in the car with me at the time.  In the end, I dropped the two missionaries off at the church and went home. 

We also learned that all church meetings are suspended until further notice due to COVID-19.

On Sunday we held our own Sacrament service as instructed by our ward leaders.

We are staying home for the present except for necessary adventures to doctors, etc.

And then, this morning we learned that another one of our young Sister Missionaries had been seriously injured in an accident and had to undergo emergency spinal surgery today. 

Also today we received a letter from Salt Lake City Headquarters that Full-Time young Missionaries with health problems and Senior Missionaries may be released.  We are told that at least for now it is elective for us.  We want to stay if we can be of benefit.

All of this in just 5 days.  Whew, I'm exhausted just telling about it.


 

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