We arrived back in Taiwan on July 4th, having traveled with 6 sister missionaries also returning - some of the dear sisters we served with from before the world changed - all returning and ready for service.
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| Aren't these sister missionaries adorable? So faithful and ready to serve - again! |
Then we were sprayed with disinfectant, and each companionship was whisked off to our quarantine apartments.
Two whole weeks!
I could hardly believe it! It’ll be like the vacation I’ve always dreamed of - we can sleep in, nap when we want to, watch movies, read the book our daughter gave us - no responsibilities! I’ll have plenty of time to study Chinese and do my photography classes - why- it will be absolutely wonderful! I am SO looking forward to our two weeks of quarantine!
Day 1.....It was simply perfect! We slept off our jet lag, took inventory of the food that was stocked for us, and dove into Chinese studies . What a great day!
Day 3- Every day we follow the same routine as to not get too lazy - prayers, scripture study, both by ourselves and together, exercise, Chinese study. Then we we try to do something fun or different each day. Greg is learning to play songs on the piano. I did some yoga.
Day 5- Today we had a picnic on the roof. It was hot and very humid. It was a short picnic. The police called. Just wanted to follow up and make sure we were still here and doing our part to keep Taiwan healthy. Yup- we’re still here.........
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| Very short picnic on the very hot rooftop.... |
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| Watering plants left by the landlord. |
Day 7- Every day the CDC texts us to inquire about our health and symptoms. Today I have a cold. I’m afraid to tell them. Will they haul me off to the hospital?
Today I answered the CDC computer text message that I have a runny nose and stuffy nose. If you’re not honest you can get massively fined. Although I’m pretty sure it’s just a cold, they want to make sure. So they sent out a blaring ambulance to whisk me away to the hospital, ran an X-ray (which showed clear lungs), did a COVID test, (results in three days) and returned me back to my quarantine apartment, toting cold medicines. 95% of my experience today was outside the hospital so as to not potentially infect anyone. They have this whole process perfected. My local health authority person then called to follow up. Every neighborhood or area has its very own health authority.
In the back of the ambulance. Outside the hospital, in the COVID-testing tent.
Slept the rest of the day. So much for telling them I have a cold.....
Day 9 - We are a little over halfway through quarantine. The prison walls are not as exciting as they were a week ago. This is tougher than I thought!
Today I learned how to say “It seems we live in a jail”. 我們似乎住在監獄. Wǒmen sìhū zhù zài jiānyù.
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| Behind the first set of barred doors leading to our temporary quarantine apartment. |
“From the time we first ended our quarantine, and blinking stepped into the sun, there is more to see than can ever be seen, more to do than can ever be done! “
Can't wait!
But on the up side, where else can you have two weeks of uninterrupted time to study the scriptures, and prepare oneself for the upcoming service to the Lord's kingdom? What a great time to receive greater insights, power, understanding of the voice of the Spirit, and the knowledge of things to come! What a time for introspection, on pondering how we can improve, on seeking that sanctification through our Savior. There are so many resources at our fingertips - uplifting messages by the prophets to study and ponder and absorb. In these ways and more, this quarantine becomes a temple, a sacred place where heaven and earth combine.
Joseph Smith and several of his friends spent a little over 4 months in the Liberty, Missouri prison during the winter of 1838. Joseph Smith later wrote to Edward Partridge of that experience - saying it was "equal to that of Abraham." The food was scarce, the conditions were horrible, yet the Spirit of the Lord was powerfully manifest in their humble "prison-temple," where some of the most powerful revelations were received.
Ours is nothing in comparison to either Abraham or Joseph, but there is much to be learned as we patiently endure and seek the revelations of heaven while we kill baby cockroaches roaming all over the floors, in our "quarantine-temple." I wonder what week two will bring?!!