Evidently, there actually IS coronavirus here, the government has just been suppressing the information. The confirmed cases doubled the past two days, and we expect more. The Area sent another communication prohibiting fist bumps and elbow bumps -- NO physical contact of any kind with missionaries is allowed. President Hughes asked the missionaries to have the letter read in all sacrament meetings, but we noticed afterward people coming to us and extending their hand and then looking offended when we wouldn't shake it. Oh well! We just bow or wave our hand. But we are very thankful our missionaries are not confined to their apartments and that church meetings are still being held.
Maybe the coronavirus has raised the stress level of the missionaries, because we've had a lot of health problems lately, and I've found that at least 80% of all health problems are stress-related. Tuesday night we had three missionaries in three different ERs. Of course, there's always a chance that it's NOT stress, so we send them just in case. Saturday night after the baptisms, Stewart rushed to a hospital in Baliwag to visit our stroke victim, Sister Boyack, who went to ER for "not breathing and loss ability to control limbs." It turned out to be a panic attack--and she is seriously entitled the panic attacks--since she really DID go through a traumatic experience and could have PTSD. But an elder went to ER with his side paralyzed and was sure he was having a stroke (turned out to be nothing) later admitted to Stewart, "I just don't want to work this hard. I've never worked this hard--I don't think I'm cut out for this! Please just let me go home."
(Unsolicited advice to parents: don't make everything easy for your children. Through chores or sports or difficult circumstances, let them do hard things! And don't save them from the consequences of their decisions.)
We saw all our missionaries this week at zone conferences and I gave my longest presentation ever -- 40 minutes. And Stewart gave his shortest ever since we showed a webcast from the church and discussed and role played it afterward. Everyone's favorite part of the day is lunch, which usually includes a LOT of rice.
A highlight of our week was meeting Brandon's mom and her husband over Skype last Monday morning. She told us the story of her husband's brain cancer and death when Brandon was only nine years old, of taking over her husband's business and raising three children on her own (she has 78 Dominoes pizza stores), and of marrying again after many years. She introduced Brandon's dad to the gospel, and he was taught by Elder Brown. Years later Elder Brown checked on her and her family, knowing her husband had passed away, and she ended up marrying him! (We tell our missionaries they have a lifelong commitment to their companions--I'm not sure if I should tell them about Elder Brown's example or not!) Elder Jack Garard tells a story of Brandon's parents at the end of this BYUI devotional:
Stewart gave me a great gift this week. After the stress of zone conference and health issues (each of which cause a small panic attack in me) he let me stay home Saturday while he visited elders and attended three baptisms. It was so nice to have a day to relax, exercise, fix dinner for Sunday, and get caught up on pressing emails and mission business. And take a nap!
And congratulations to Fenton for being accepted to a masters program at Harvard! We will miss you in Utah.
Thanks for your love and prayers,
Mom
PHOTOS
12 missionaries for Sunday dinner. Their district leader made an impossible deal with Stewart that if they got an average of 10 people/companionship at church the first Sunday of month, they could come to the mission home for dinner. They told us how they found a family the very last day and invited them to church and they came--with relatives--and they made their goal!
Pomelos from our friends, the SOlanchos. My favorite Filipino fruit
A quartet of missionaries singing at zone conference
Lots of rice
Zone leaders brought this giant bamboo pole (their fishing rod) to zone conference for an object lesson.
One of our eight zones of missionaries
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