The War Is Not Just with COVID-19

Hong Kong was the first. Other countries soon followed. The Philippines, Mongolia, Singapore. Foreign missionaries were being sent home. Others had “shelter in place” orders. The war was with the COVID-19. But the other war was with ourselves – how to keep people full of faith, not fear. Full of hope, not worry.

All around us, missionaries were being sent home. Then the US State Department issued recommendations for many Americans abroad to go back to the States as soon as possible. Taiwan closed its borders to any foreigners flying in – only Taiwanese nationals were allowed in the country and they all had to undergo a mandatory 14 day quarantine. The world is getting very quiet. 

Paris empty streets - courtesy of flickr.com Charlievdb

The Mission President pulled the senior couples from the office together to give them the news. Shortly after, he sent the message out to all the missionaries. All missionaries from a country other than Taiwan must be prepared to leave to return to their home country within a day, or a week or maybe a month – or maybe never!  But prepare nonetheless. Things were changing at lightning speed and no one knew for sure what would happen next.

Meanwhile, the ticker for the number of cases worldwide kept ticking. 237,095, then 246,126, then 310,642.

In times such as these, people find humorous ways to dissipate the stress and level the playing field a little. Even if only for a brief chuckle, people reach out to find humor, or compassion, amidst the blackening skies.

Courtesy of flickr.com Nenad Stojkovic

Meanwhile, the death count ticker is also rising. It becomes no laughing matter. 12,056, then 16, 597, then 19,607. The number rise hourly. 

Soon nearly everyone knows someone who knows someone who has the COVID-19. Our daughter had it. She was blessed to have a lighter case and recovered at home, now her family is in quarantine.

The young missionaries began packing. We began packing. It was all a rush. We might be going home the next day.  No one knew for sure.

But the next day we were still here. And the day after that. News came that Taiwan would be, for now at least, an exception to the rules, since the virus cases in Taiwan are nearly all contained, and it was deemed more dangerous to return to the US than to stay here.

However, missionaries and their parents were given the choice. If they wanted their missionary to come home, or if the missionary wanted to return, that would be fine. They wanted the families to feel comfortable during this unsettled time.

Turn out, no one chose to leave.

One of our missionaries sharing his
 faith in Jesus Christ

With his permission, I share what one of our missionaries wrote:

"There might be some people out there asking, Elder, aren't you worried about this epidemic? I would respond and say I believe it is inconvenient, but I'm not worried or afraid. Some others might ask, well why are you still out there as a missionary? You have such little time left on your mission, isn't it better to just go home? My response: I'm staying as long as I can because I love the Lord Jesus Christ. I am trying to help all the ends of the earth prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. I'm staying as long as I can because I know the Book of Mormon is true. …. I'm happy I can continue to serve God and share His message with everyone. Remember, Jesus Christ has already overcome the world.”

Reminds me of some stripling warriors, a beloved people in the Book of Mormon:

 “Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.” (Alma 56: 47-48)

These modern day stripling warriors are firm and strong in their faith. A sister missionary shares: 

Sisters stop to share a message of hope

"Faith and fear cannot coexist. Through this virus we either choose fear...or faith. The faith I use to block out my worry and doubts is faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in a God who is greater than any sickness in the world. I rely on the fact that most often through our hardest trials He won't take the trial away but He stands by us and gives us the strength to endure."

So there you have it - the faith our missionaries have in Jesus Christ. Overcoming fear with faith. Uncertainty with hope.

How long we will be allowed to remain in Taiwan is unknown. Maybe missionaries will be allowed to continue here without interruption. But whatever happens, we are surrounded by miracles, by Heavenly Father's love, and by an army of young people who, wherever they go, will continue to share the message of Jesus Christ, a message of faith and hope, in preparation for His glorious return. 

Doing quarantine with smiles!