Have faith, be well, and wash your hands.

It has been a long, tragic, and challenging few weeks – even longer for countless other people around the world. The impact of COVID-19 starting really hitting Alaska as of a couple weeks ago – above and beyond the crazed shoppers buying up toilet paper and other supplies. I am grateful for the wisdom of many teachers while I was growing up (my parents, church leaders, schoolteachers, etc.) who taught me about being prepared and ready for unexpected circumstances. I am also very grateful for a loving husband whose outlook and perspective on many things line up with my own. He’s also great company for hunkering down and social isolation.

That being said, things aren’t perfect, but we’re doing OK. The organization I work for rolled out an official telecommuting policy as of January 1st this year which allowed me to work from home twice weekly starting then since I work behind the scenes in management. Thankfully, when leadership asked everyone who could work from home to do so in an effort to stay a step ahead of COVID-19 risks, the transition was pretty smooth. Rick hasn’t had such an easy time given that he works directly with clients, but his employer has been understanding and allowed him do alternative work tasks for a few days this last week. When he hasn’t been working for work, he’s been home working by rearranging and cleaning the garage (yippee!) and making fabric masks; yes, he’s cool like that.

Others aren’t so lucky right now, so we’re trying hard to count our blessings every day.

While reading for my religion class, I thought of all the missionaries around the globe from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints who were out serving the Lord, sharing His gospel, and now have been relocated and/or sent home from their missions amid this pandemic. They have worked diligently, prepared themselves for their missions, and I know this was a huge alteration of plans for everyone. Despite the change of plans, these wonderful men and women should hold their heads high and be proud of all the work they’ve done, the examples they’ve set, and the hearts they’ve softened. When they share about this time in history with their future children, grandchildren, friends, etc., I hope they are able to share a strong testimony (made only stronger by this experience). In Alma 36:24-26, a great missionary (Alma) said the following to his son:

Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors;

For because of the word which he has imparted unto me, behold, many have been born of God, and have tasted as I have tasted, and have seen eye to eye as I have seen; therefore they do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and the knowledge which I have is of God.

Something else I’m extremely impressed with is the inspiration shared by the prophet and other leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-ay Saints. The church has had programs in place for many years to help its members serve each other and have people to turn to if needs arise. Growing up, I was told that the programs were in place so that one day when the world got to a place where we couldn’t worship together anymore, we’d have a system already in place to ensure we remained united. Never did I think we’d see this in my lifetime, nor did I figure it would be due to a pandemic (I had imagined something more political myself). The ministering program (previously known as Home and Visiting Teaching) is a wonderful resource and strength right now as we’re socially distant, yet together in spirit.

In addition to the ministering program, a recent change reduced our well-known 3-hour church block to 2 hours with the advice to use the old 3rd hour worship at home. Who would have thought that so soon, we’d be worshiping, teaching, and learning at home full-time? Thankful for technology, it isn’t as challenging as it could be, but it is still new and different. Here we are in 2020, we are in a way teaching and learning in private, much like Alma taught people after his conversion in Mosiah 18:1-3:

And now, it came to pass that Alma, who had fled from the servants of king Noah, repented of his sins and iniquities, and went about privately among the people, and began to teach the words of Abinadi—

Yea, concerning that which was to come, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and the redemption of the people, which was to be brought to pass through the power, and sufferings, and death of Christ, and his resurrection and ascension into heaven.

And as many as would hear his word he did teach. And he taught them privately, that it might not come to the knowledge of the king. And many did believe his words.

Despite being prepared, finding ways to cope, having things in place to keep going through trials, it can still be tough. I know that I have started feeling the stress in different ways over the last 2 weeks. The tragedies that have affected people I know (not COVID-19 related) has worn me down – as one with a helper spirit, it’s hard to stand by with limitations of how I can support those I love. I’m impressed at their strength to keep going, and I found what I see as their strength spoken in Alma 26:6-7 by Ammon:

Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them.

But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest, and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day.

May we all remain gathered together in our places as the storm roars through. The storm cannot take us down, we shall stand firm because we are in the Lord’s hands. Have faith, be well, and wash your hands.