April 4, 2020 Covid-19 changed our lives

All missionaries who can get home have gone home.   What a blessing to see them protected and escorted by angels back to their families.  Schedules and movement was made during lockdown!  We are now in Day #10 in lockdown/isolation/social distancing.  During the first days missionaries were still here, they entertained us with their videos and phone calls and pictures.  What a lively bunch! I'm keeping a record of daily activities.   Covid-19 has changed the way we live.

Day #1 was Niks bday.    March 26.   It was supposed to be our "Finding Fast" for missionary work.  Instead, we had a record # of baptisms for the week .... in only 3 days, totalling 17.   People are yearning for the gospel and aware of the changing world we live in.    How long will it last?    How long will we remain isolated?
Different places are initiating different directives.   In NZ, all restaurants and stores are closed except grocery stores.   Essential services includes:  Gas, groceries, healthcare.

Several small islands have completely closed their borders and no missionaries can return to Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Philippines or Tahiti.   So we get to keep 55 missionaries.   2 of those are missionaries are exceptions.  One is from a war torn country where it is unsafe to attempt returning to Ecuador.   The other elder has compromised health which puts him in danger of returning on a 24 hour flight far away.   So he is staying.    Our missionaries are a little restless.   I was initially restless, but have found video teaching, training, learning, lectures, family history, indexing and information to keep me focused and engaged.   I have loved preparing for a Church General conference that promises to be life changing and unforgettable. 

EVEN fishing is banned in NZ.  I have found time to make meals we have indulged in and enjoyed.  We have played games and sudoku, and Elder Despain has done some challenging puzzles donated by ward members.   He discovered Backwards Jigsaw puzzles called WASGIJ ..... They don't show the picture of the actual puzzle, the show what the person in the picture is seeing from their perspective.    It's a delight for us to find new activities. 
We love connecting with our children and grandchildren.   We're grateful for their diligence in staying connected with each other and protected from the virus.   Daily the number of people infected and the number of deaths escalate.   It's all consuming everywhere we go. 

But our testimonies remain strong.   We gave talks in church last week.   Many congregations no longer meet together.   Two of the wards we attend, meet together online in ZOOM meetings.   I'm grateful we can connect and learn from each other.  People everywhere are thinking more now of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ than ever before.   We are turning again to them in a time of need.  So as we go to rest tonight, we are thankful for our blessings and grateful for a living prophet who leads us and receives revelation for the world.   We are anxious to hear his words and will rise at 4am our time so we hear him live.

We love you.    The Despains