Uncharted waters

Viruses Are Contagious.

So is panic, fear, hysteria, calm, love, service, kindness, enthusiasm, joy.

Choose Wisely!

This mayhem all started for me last Saturday. My mom and dad flew in from the Cook Islands, their latest mission. Me and Ash, along with Natalie and Kurtis, were at the airport to welcome them home. It was a small gathering because they flew out again early Monday morning to Hawaii to catch a flight to the Marshall Islands to visit their first mission that they had to come home early from. Their "real" homecoming would be several weeks later.

As we waited for them at the baggage claim, two missionaries came through both wearing black masks over their faces. The only people there to greet them were mom and dad who quickly whisked them away. Kurtis overheard one say that he couldn't believe he was home after only 14 days. It then hit me that they were coming home from a mission that required a quarantine. My heart shattered for them. I know they will go back out. But how hard to come home to wait.

Monday was fairly uneventful, other than I had a birthday. I celebrated by getting up at 3:45 to take my parents to the airport. Then my awesome kids surprised me at school and kidnapped me for lunch. Nate arranged the whole thing with my teacher-friend across the hall. And it concluded with Ash's orchestra concert.

Tuesday I got a text from my sister that the Marshall Islands were restricting foreign passengers. My parents would be flying back the next day. And again, my heart shattered. Their first mission was cut short and they were going back to have a final closure. I know one day they'll get back.

Wednesday night we all settled in to watch a Jazz game. And this is when the world, our world, decided to shift into high gear. The players were getting ready for tip off when an emergency meeting of the refs forced all the players and staff to the locker room and the fans were ushered out of the arena. There would be no game that night or quite possibly for the rest of the season. Rudy Gobert, our center, had not been feeling well and tested positive for COVID-19. The NBA immediately suspended the season. March Madness followed suit and didn't just suspend, but cancelled the entire tournament. And from there it's been a domino effect.

Thursday afternoon Nate's tennis tournament in St. George was cancelled because the governor asked that we not hold gatherings of more than 100 people. This did not effect schools. As I was reading this to my class and thinking out loud, I said, "I wonder if they'll cancel church?" Many of my students cheered at that prospect except for one who was in tears because he loved church. I immediately told them I had not cancelled church and they were not to go home and tell their parents that Mrs. Leary had cancelled church. After I got home, the news broke that church had been cancelled for the next two weeks. Ash was ecstatic because she was supposed to give a talk today :) I also cancelled my sub for Friday. Hannah and I were supposed to go support our boys at that tennis tournament. Instead I went to work.

The library system announced they would be shutting down Friday. Priorities. When most of the world was stocking up on toilet paper and food, we were stocking up on books.

Friday the state board of education issued a soft close for all schools for the next two weeks. We have until Wednesday to figure out how to teach remotely. My principal sent an email yesterday with the expectation that we would be online. I'm still not sure how that is going to happen with eight year olds.

Saturday I was able to make it to one of my student's baptism. I initially told him I wouldn't be there because of that tennis tournament. Turns out the Lord had other plans for me that day.

And today we held our first home church. Nate conducted and did a fabulous job. We chose to listen to President Nelson's closing remarks again and then begin a study of the First Vision.

We are headed into uncharted waters. I am immensely grateful for a prophet, seer, and revelator who has prepared us for these times . . . if we only heed and follow what they say. This upcoming conference will definitely be "memorable and unforgettable."