March 17, 2020 Update: Well today was not your average St Patty's Day around town...
So a ton has happened around the world in the last month...and all of the panic and need for alarm and frenzie has been caused from a VIRUS!! The virus is called the Corona Virus:
Definition:
Coronavirus: a type of common virus that infects humans, typically leading to an upper respiratory infection (URI.) Seven different types of human coronavirus have been identified. Most people will be infected with at least one type of coronavirus in their lifetime. The viruses are spread through the air by coughing and sneezing, close personal contact, touching an object or surface contaminated with the virus and rarely, by fecal contamination. The illness caused by most coronaviruses usually lasts a short time and is characterized by runny nose, sore throat, feeling unwell, cough, and fever.
The strand of the corona virus that is effecting the world at the present time is the COVID-19. This virus started in China and it is literally shutting down countries under quarantine. Airports are shutting down, the kids schools and colleges are shut down for over a month (talk about an extended Spring Break), the temples are closed for all sessions, gyms and sporting events are all cancelled, parades...concerts...recitals...even weddings all being cancelled, restaurants are limited to take out only, we are having our church sacrament meetings at home with our families, gatherings of people went from a limit of 250 down to 10 people (whew- our family just made it under the number limit, ha ha.) It is actually no laughing matter however, for the elderly who end up contracting this virus. Many elderly or people who have compromised immune systems or pre-existing health problems or underlined health issues have passed away from the Corona Virus and these measures are all being taken to slow the spread and to combat the virus. For most of the population who are young and/or mid-aged, they will be fine after being sick for the duration of the virus (which is said to be not as bad as the flu) but the scare is that they would spread the virus to the elderly which could result in many more deaths. That and the fact that the hospitals just flat out won't have the room and facilities or equipment (like ventilators) for aid for all of the sick if so many contract the virus all at once. So yes, we have been hearing a TON of wash, wash and WASH your hands and don't touch your face for sure! (Good luck with the face touching in public with the little ones, you tell them not to touch their face and the next minute they have an itch on their face, they are rubbing their eyes or their fingers in their mouth, uuugggh!)
At the grocery stores and Costco, many of the racks, aisles and frozen food departments looked like this picture I snapped on my phone...yeh, pretty BAREN! Toilet paper, hand sanitizer, bottled water, soap and bread are literally non-existent at the grocery store, everyone is in a state of panic! Everyone is stocking up and hoarding everything of need and of necessity because they are so uncertain of what is to come and if they won't be able to get the items they need tomorrow; then there are others who are nervous and unsure if there will be anything left for them since everything is flying off the shelves just as fast as they are being re-stocked...so in turn, at the grocery stores...the lines are LONG and the shelves are EMPTY. President Trump has assured that there will be plenty of food and supplies restocked daily at the grocery stores as long as everyone leaves some for their neighbors and doesn't try to buy three times as much as they typically do. Costco and Walmart have limited quantities that house-holds can purchase but still...the high commodity items are toilet paper, water, cleaning supplies (hand sanitizer, soap of any type: hand soap, laundry detergent, dish soap etc, bleach, rubbing alcohol), medical/health face masks and bread- good luck finding those items available anywhere. With all of the confusion, rumors, news, conspiracy theories and uproar, our prophet President Nelson has shared a message of hope with all of us below: So how many years have we been counseled through our modern day prophet and church leaders to plan for emergencies, to have a food storage and enough savings for three months worth of bills? This has been a wake up call to ask ourselves, wow...are we ready for the unknown? To see how fast a virus can flip the lives of the world upside down, many out of work temporarily, bound to their homes. "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear" rings a bit clearer for sure. The council and direction from our prophets can truly be a sheet of comfort in times like these. I love the fact that our prophet is a former heart surgeon, a doctor who fully understands and knows the impact of a virus like this and the importance of precautions and protocols first hand. Then the Heavenly inspiration of the world wide "Come Follow Me" home centered Gospel and Scripture Learning that he implemented this very year...sure makes having church at home a lot easier when we are home-ridden by law and knowing that all of the members of Christ's church world wide are still studying the same thing in their very own homes...pretty cool if you ask me!
My dear friends, our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ know us, love us, and are watching over us. Of that we can be certain.
These unique challenges will pass in due time. I remain optimistic for the future. I know the great and marvelous blessings that God has in store for those who love Him and serve Him. I see evidence of His hand in this holy work in so many ways.
So, during these uncertain times, be comforted by this promise from the Savior. He said, “I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say.” I promise you that joy is always within the reach of everyone who will hear Him and obey His laws. I love you. I pray for you. And I promise that you will receive comfort and peace as you continue to hear Him." With the council to "Hear Him" here's a bit of background: What Is #HearHim? "In both ancient and modern times, God introduced His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, and invited those seeking direction to “hear Him” (Matthew 17:5). In 1820, a young man’s willingness to follow that invitation ultimately led to the Restoration of Christ’s Church on the earth (see Joseph Smith—History 1:17). Two hundred years later, the invitation to hear Him is given to each of us. When we take time to listen with our hearts, the heavens open and He speaks. Jesus taught that He is “the light of the world” and those who follow Him “shall not walk in darkness” (John 8:12). God still speaks today, and the joyful call remains to hear Him. As you listen to Jesus Christ, you will feel His love for you. As you #HearHim and act on what you hear, you will feel the joy and fulfillment His words bring to all who seek Him." -thechurchofjesuschrist.orgWith all of us having more time at home to spend with our families and loved ones, it will give us a chance to slow down from our every day lives and to take it all in, time to reflect, to ponder, to search and to pray within our hearts and minds and in the scriptures both old and modern-day, time to look outside ourselves, to serve, to minister, to listen and act on promptings from the spirit and to just simply enjoy the little moments and memories made with our families. General Conference is coming up in a few short weeks and it's the 200th year since the Restoration of the Church. It will be aired through technology this year with no one in attendance (so strange) but honestly, it will be the same for us since we always watch it live streamed from our family room anyways. But yeh' no tabernacle choir and no physical congregation so that's a first! We have been counseled to study The Joseph Smith History so we might be prepared to hear the words and inspiration from our church leaders this special conference. The kids have gotten some school assignments on their google classroom so they can hopefully keep on top of their studies, the gym and sports have sent over apps to keep up to speed on those so they can stay active, church meetings are held over skyping/face-time and a zoom app, all in all this Spring through the end of the year is going to be like no other yet- that's to say the least. Our family, before this all got to be so big and out of hand...we actually booked a flight to Hawaii- Maui for a week since flight tickets had gone down so much, we were even able to book a home (that prob had a cancellation) since the rental home was booked for every other week out for an entire year, it was the only week available to rent but for half the price and the dates were ideal! We will see if we make the clear to flight, no clue what the future holds from day to day but Hawaii sounds pretty nice to me right now considering we live in Washington state which is one of the worst in the country for the outbreak. We will update soon! . Although, the virus is effecting the whole world, right now our Washington state sits 2nd in the total cases for the US for contracting the virus but the most deaths as of today...not good...(only the highest three states shown below.) Praying for good health for family, friends and loved ones and sending love, sympathy and support to everyone affected by the corona virus.
USA
State
Total
Cases
New
Cases
Total
Deaths
New
Deaths
Total
Recovered
Active
Cases
New York
1,708
+2
16
+3
1
1,691
Washington
1,013
+1
55
89
869
California
726
+19
13
+1
6
707
With the epicenter of the outbreak stemming from China, I thought it was amazing how the church came to do our part to help with aid given to help with supplies to help fight the Coronavirus!
29 January 2020-Salt Lake City
News Release
Church Distributes Medical Supplies in China to Combat Coronavirus
Latter-day Saints provide equipment to hospital in Shanghai
As concerns regarding the respiratory illness coronavirus continue to rise, Russell M. Nelson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, inquired of his longtime friends in China as to what might be needed.
Through these efforts, the Church learned of a need for protective equipment at the Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, where supplies have been depleted because of the outbreak in Wuhan. In partnering with Project HOPE, plans are being made to distribute the needed supplies.
Working with Project HOPE, a plane from Salt Lake City is being chartered to transport supplies from the Church’s Bishops' Central Storehouse in Salt Lake City. A second shipment will be sent from the Church’s storehouse in Atlanta. In all there will be 220,000 respirator masks, 870 pairs of protective goggles and more than 6,500 pairs of protective coveralls sent on 79 pallets of protective medical equipment.In Shanghai, Latter-day Saint volunteers hope to assist in the receipt and distribution of the supplies to those in need.
I have had associations with the good people of China for decades. These are our dear brothers and sisters, and we feel privileged to be able to offer some small measure of help. We pray for them and know God will bless them. —President Nelson
President Nelson, a world-renowned heart surgeon for much of his life until called as an apostle of the Church in 1984, is well-known for performing heart surgery, including in China, where his final operation was performed in 1985. Through his professional career and service to the Church he has made lasting and enduring friendships. “I have had associations with the good people of China for decades. These are our dear brothers and sisters,” President Nelson said, “and we feel privileged to be able to offer some small measure of help. We pray for them and know God will bless them.”
Coronavirus was first identified in the Hubei Province of China, where the number of infections has reached nearly 6,000, with dozens more confirmed cases outside of mainland China. Governments and citizens around the world are stepping up precautions to contain the spread of the virus.
Update: February 4, 2020
Two shipments of supplies arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday, February 4, 2020. One came on a plane from Salt Lake City; a second was sent from the Church’s storehouse in Atlanta. The shipments carried 220,000 respirator masks, 870 pairs of protective goggles and more than 6,500 pairs of protective coveralls sent on 79 pallets of protective medical equipment. Patrick and Maria Cheuk, two local volunteers with Latter-day Saint Charities, distributed both shipments of medical supplies Tuesday.
“What we have done is nothing compared with the medical personnel on the frontline risking their lives,” Patrick said.
Mr. Cheuk said he has been encouraged to see others in his community doing their part to combat coronavirus.
“There was one man who selflessly went extra miles to share surgical masks with his needy neighbors,” he said. “Some updated information in social media to make others aware of the coronavirus situation in the community daily. Many others share food and hand sanitizers with friends.”
Patrick said this pattern of helping others — the essence of the Latter-day Saint ideal of following Jesus Christ — is deeply motivating.
“Nothing is worth more than giving ourselves to others in times of need,” Mr. Cheuk said.
So a ton has happened around the world in the last month...and all of the panic and need for alarm and frenzie has been caused from a VIRUS!! The virus is called the Corona Virus:
At the grocery stores and Costco, many of the racks, aisles and frozen food departments looked like this picture I snapped on my phone...yeh, pretty BAREN!
“What we have done is nothing compared with the medical personnel on the frontline risking their lives,” Patrick said.
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