03/16/2020 Missionary work: Cancelled

This last week has been an interested unfolding of events and announcements. It's wonderful that just a year and half or so ago, we were introduced to a church curriculum that focuses studying the gospel in the home, and two years ago were introduced to a higher and holier way to minister to others. We are truly a living church lead by a prophet who receives revelation from God. Also, remember to take your vitamins haha. 

But the question remains, how is missionary work conducted amid this trying period of time. The answer for the ALRM: not much different than before. It has thrown in interesting twist into church attendance, that is it. Since church has been cancelled, members are now authorized to administer the sacrament in their homes under authorization at the bishop. So our goal to getting people to church has now shifted to trying to get people to a member's home for a short lesson and the sacrament, which counts for us in sacrament attendance. That switch has added a little more nuance to invitations. It can be easier because often there is a member that lives closer than the church building. But we don't want to pack a house full of missionaries + our friends, and some members might not want people whom they have never met in their house. So it adds a lot more preparation, but can also be a blessing, because a small group can sometimes be more comfortable than a chapel full of people you have never met. It's all very interesting, that's for sure. 

Other than that, there is no changes (yet? maybe) to our missionary work. We're still going out, visiting people, teaching lessons, and so on. There has only be a small handful of confirmed cases of the corona virus in our mission boundaries, so not even the people we see are particularly concerned. It comes up in most contacts that we have had in the last couple days, but no one we have run into has been in a terrified panic over it. 

In other news, the family we were working with during my last couple weeks in Benton got baptized this past week! That made my week. 

Pictures

1) for District P Day we went to the Zoo. It was my second time, but it was great because last time it was cold and a lot of the animals weren't out. This time most enclosures had animals in them. Here is us and a panda. Was really impressed at the speed at which this fluffy friend could devour shoots of bamboo. 

2) last time I went to the zoo I was super disappointed because the penguins weren't out. It was really cold that day too, so of all the animals, you'd think they would have the penguins out. 

3) squad pic featuring the painted guy in the back. 

4) this cute potato armadillo is a lot cuter than the ones I would see dead on the side of the road in Arkadelphia.