April 6- May 3, 2020 The month in review

This week would have been the week we returned home from our mission.  As we ponder and reflect upon the past 6 weeks, it is still surreal and hard to put closure on.  We reminded ourselves almost daily, what we "would have been doing" if we had still been in Vienna.  We had a lot planned for the final 6 weeks and yet, most of it does not seem really very important in the scheme of things.  We have been able to follow the missionaries we left behind and have been able to see miracles happening.  They have rallied and accepted the challenge to find new ways of contacting people and serving and helping others.  It is heartwarming to read and see what has been happening.
"The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done." Joseph Smith Jr

 They have worked on developing new talents and have shared them with others.  They have shared their testimonies on Facebook and Insta-gram and are reaching hundreds of people they would not have ever met.  They have stayed busy with lessons using technology and brought joy and comfort to many who are struggling with isolation and loneliness. They continue to teach English and German classes in a virtual classroom. It has not been easy for many of them as they are confined to their apartments, but they are making the best of it and more as they continue to serve and help the work move forward.  We have seen the gospel message shared to people from all over the world in ways we could never have imagined.  The Lord is in control and continues to triumph amid all of the turmoil.  Those who have gone home have found it a greater trial to be home bound and not with a companion or actively involved in the work they have been doing for the past months of their lives.  It has been a transition for thousands of missionaries as they have returned home and some relocated or reassigned.





So, one of the first things we did upon our return was for me to make Masks for our protection.

Logan with mask

Logan's original design

I have tried a few different styles and they are getting better.  With restrictions of stores being lifted, they are requiring us to wear masks when we are out in many stores.  I am glad I saved some of my fabric and did not give all of it away when we left on our mission.  I gave away about 5 large boxes of fabric.  I am grateful I have the  skill and sewing machine to make the masks.  I am down to my last machine needle as I broke a few in the process, but so far we are sewing what we need.



Spring in Texas means Bluebonnets along the highways, in the fields and in many parks.  We took a drive and enjoyed the beauty of the season. 

Oh, to be in Texas!

We stayed in the car and were about the only people on the back roads and enjoyed just getting out and seeing the old familiar sights.

Emily and her family decided to come from Utah and stay with us for awhile.  She has always loved the Bluebonnets and likes to take pictures in them.  This has been a tradition for many years.  With school out and her employer having her work from home, she wanted to be home in Texas.

The lone poppy

Preslee and Emily

Ring of Pink

Grandpa taking it all in!

We did not have to go far to get these pictures.  We just walked down the street to our neighborhood park and it was filled with flowers.  We like to walk to this park every day to get some exercise.

We have taken lots of walks and have enjoyed the time with Preslee and Logan.

Preslee with the Goats

Another favorite activity when they visit grandma is to walk to see the ducks and the goats.  They are always glad to have people come and visit.

We are glad we could enjoy this past week because the Texas summer is upon us. GLAD - we also watched the movie Pollyanna and remembered the Glad Game.  Life really is about perspective.  In the words of one of our missionaries, Elder Bryant, "We are here on this Earth to have joy! We are here to be happy! and unfortunately, during this probationary period, we will always h ave trials and hardships.  So what are you going to do? We can focus on our problems and let them cover up everything else in life, or we can choose to acknowledge them, and choose to be happy nonetheless, instead of trying to find a reason for why everything isn't going our way, we can look for all of the good that is present."
Ask yourself - What does the Good Life mean?  Has your perspective changed in the past 6 weeks?  What good has come from this time in your life?

A walk to downtown

As we look back on this past month, we are grateful for the time to get our home in order and to spend some time with family.  We have had good health.  We have found that it is hard work taking care of our yard and think the "mission life" has a lot of advantages. Life is definitely on a slower pace.  We sleep more, we study, read, watch TV again and keep in touch with family and missionaries.  We have been navigating the never ending flow of paperwork and phone calls for Medicare benefits and Insurance issues.  All in a days work.

So what have I learned during this time that can make a difference in the future.  We continue to have tender mercies and blessings in our everyday lives.  We are grateful most things in our home continued to work while we were gone.  Now that we are home, several things have just worn out and have needed to be replaced or repaired.  That's how life is, one big cycle.  I continue to be amazed and grateful for the inspiration, revelation and guidance I have received as I have acted with faith and asked Heavenly Father for help.  I have read two books this past two weeks that have enriched my understanding and relationship with Jesus Christ.  I highly recommend the reads:  Because of the Messiah in a Manger by Brad Wilcox and a book written for teenagers but very insightful as well, ALMIGHTY by David Butler.  It is one thing to read a book and another to actually put it in action and trust in faith.
 Lessons learned with plumbing:
With extra people in the house it can stress the plumbing pipes especially in the Spring in Texas with tree roots that seem to grow in the pipes.  We have a unique situation that there is no clean out drain and so we have to have a plumber get on the roof and go down through the vent pipe.  Many plumbers will not even do the job.  One plumber told me to take a high powered hose and put it in the pipe and it can unclog the pipe.  We have done that several times and it has worked.  If it is really bad, it does not work and a plumber has to come.  So, it has been two years since we have had to clean out the drain pipes.  We forgot a very critical part of the process.  Emily and I were on the roof with the hose and Russ was at the turn off valve to turn it on and off.  We gave him the go ahead and immediately realized that no one was inside to see what happened and to tell us when to turn it off.  We turned off the water and ran into the house to find it had erupted like a volcano inside of the bathroom - you guessed it, sewer water including lots of toilet paper was everywhere.  (I will spare the details) Before we could proceed, the mess had to be cleaned up.  With gloves and disinfectant I began the cleanup.  So, we are ready to try again, this time with Emily on the roof, Russ at the switch and me inside to bail water out of the toilet into 5 gallon buckets and to give the yell to turn off the water.  We hauled about 15 five gallon buckets of water and Russ said we are calling the plumber.  I really did not want to call the plumber when I could see we were making progress.  If I knew then what I know now, we should have called the plumber to save our bodies.  That was a lot of water to carry out and it is hard on our backs.  So I am standing in the bathroom ready for one more try and I paused and said a prayer.  I asked for Heavenly Father to accept the efforts that had already been made and to give us strength to finish the job so that the drain would be clear.  We started again and I just kept telling the drain to let go and to be clear.  Suddenly there was a swish and gurgle and the drain cleared and I did not have to bale anymore water and we let it run for about 5 minutes.  I was so thankful for the success.  Just as in life, that is not the end of the story.  There is still something (tree roots) blocking the drain so that it is not working at its full potential.  This journey of life is not a sprint or a one time event to accept Jesus Christ in our lives.  It is a marathon and we are given trials and tests and road blocks and tree roots along the way to help us grow and more importantly to turn to Christ for help.  It is in those times that true growth comes.  Those experiences prepare us for the next ones along the way.  I could not just ask and expect the clog to be gone.  After hours of work - dirty work - their was relief.  It did not mean there would not still be problems, but we would be more prepared to handle them and not in an emergency situation.

I have prayed to know how to help my Grandson.  He deals with mental health issues and can be calm and loving or angry and unmanageable.  I have been trying to help with his diet and environmental things.  He feels  like he has no rights as a child and that he is abused by others when they ask him to do something.  I was studying in Mosiah about King Benjamin and his advice to parents on their responsibility as parents.  I have talked with him and we have a good relationship.  I cook him breakfast every morning and again - food seems to be the way to his heart.  So it came to me to write him a letter and ask him to study some scripture passages and to write his feelings and then we would talk about it and share our thoughts.  He was not interested at first and then I read it with him and then I down loaded the LDS Library on his phone.  I left him to do what he wanted.  At the end of the day just he and I were up and we sat and had a nice talk about things he is interested in.  He has the same basic needs that we all have and just wants to be heard and listened to. Unfortunately, he never shuts down and can talk on and on and on.   At the end of our conversation he said, I will have the answers to your questions tomorrow.  He is at least thinking about it.  He still can choose what he wants to do and I am trying to help him see the consequences of the choices he makes and not to blame everyone else for his behaviors or actions.  I do feel that as I pray and ask for guidance I have received inspiration and help to navigate through each day.

I hope the World is learning from this experience and that "Normal" will have a whole new look.  I hope we do not return to all of the things we used to do. We look forward to seeing what the future brings and hope to be able to see the rest of our family soon. 

Today is Cinco de Mayo Taco Tuesday!  In Texas that is a big deal and we are looking forward to Tacos, salsa, rice and beans and all things Tex-Mex!  Enjoy your day!

Viel Liebe,
The Grimmett's

March 29-April 5, 2020 Texas Homecoming

The Good Life in Kansas comes to an end.  We have decided it is time to return to our Texas home and begin the process of getting our home in order.  We have been so blessed to be in Wichita Kansas with Brian and Beth and the comfort of their home. 

I was able to teach the Institute class on Wednesday on FaceBook Live for the students in Austria.  It was a new experience for me, but I really enjoyed preparing and having two students participate.  We will try this next week to use ZOOM so that they can participate more.  Oh, you have to love technology and how connected we can stay.  The nice thing is you can go back a listen to the lesson later if you could not participate.  We are reaching more people than ever with this stay at home order all over the world.

We had a little fun the last few days sharing with them some of the things we enjoyed in Germany and Austria.  Food of course!  I have already shared these things with you over the past 20 months, but I will share again just as a reminder of the goodness.

Wiener Schnitzel

flour, eggs, bread crumbs

1/4 inch thick chicken breast

Coat in flour

Dip in butter and then bread crumbs

Fry in oil

Finished schnitzel

The Finished Meal!
To finish it off you need to serve
Apple Strudel  -
You start with a dough of whipping cream, flour and salt.  Let sit in warm pan for 30 minutes.
This makes the lightest best crust ever!  I was taught how to make this from Sister Malzl a native Austrian who shared a family favorite.

 While the dough is warming in the pan, you prepare the apples. The secret in the apples is adding vanilla to the lemon juice, cinnamon and sugar.  You let them sit until ready to use.

4-5 apples

Roll thin until you can see the lines of the towel

Divide the dough into two portions.  Roll out on a floured dish towel with lines.  Roll thin until you can see the lines through the dough.

 Spread with melted butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs.  The bread crumbs soak up the extra liquid and really make a difference in how the strudel turns out.  Then you spread with apples using a slotted spoon so that you do not get the extra juices. Leave a 2 inch edge all around. ( I took the extra juice and heated it and added corn starch to make a cinnamon sauce to serve over it.  Yum!

Apples

Add caption

 Fold in the long sides using the two inch margin.  Roll starting at the short edge and make a jelly roll.  Seal the edges and place on cookie sheet.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar

 Bake in oven, cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar. 
Layers of flaky crust with cinnamon apples for a perfect pastry.  Serve with ice cream - I took the picture before we added the ice cream and cinnamon sauce.  If you want the full recipe, you can message me and I will send to you.

It is a tradition to make Cinnamon Rolls for General Conference Weekend.  The missionaries were really looking forward to coming over and having Cinnamon Rolls with us.  My grandson, Will asked if we could make them before we left to come home. 

 He got dressed for the occasion in his Austrian

Coronavirus Rolls

outfit.  He went online and looked at different kinds of cinnamon rolls.  He found a red one made with raspberries drizzled on top and wanted to make them except he doesn't like raspberries.  So we made red frosted cinnamon rolls and decided they looked like the Coronavirus.  Sure glad we got our cinnamon roll fix on Thursday and Friday morning.




We made preparations to come home and Beth took me shopping for
groceries on Friday morning.  We stocked up with the basics and  a two week supply of basic foods.  We made it from Wichita to Arlington on 1 tank of gas and did not have to make very many stops.  It was a good trip home and we arrived about 8 PM Friday night. 
It was amazing coming into our home and finding it all in order.  The furniture was all in place and it felt like home.  Our grandsons had even come over and installed the internet for us and had it working so we were connected to the world.  All was good until we opened the cupboards and drawers and realized the rest of our existence was in the shed outside and it would take days to get it organized back in the house.  I thought, I will make a pot of chili for Saturday.  I found the crock pot and soaked the beans overnight so they would be ready the next day to make the chili.  I had left 1 set of sheets out and they were clean and on the bed ready for us to sleep.  That was a welcome relief.  We woke up on Saturday and reality hit.  We could not shower because we had no towels.  There was 1/2 roll of toilet paper and things were getting real - real fast.  I decided to start the chili.  I drained the beans and went to cook the hamburger - Oh wait, I don't have any pans- I went out in the garage and found a stock pot.  I started to cook and realized I did not have a spoon.  I found a bag of teaspoons and proceeded to cook the meat.  I then went to open the can of tomatoes and you guessed it - no can opener.  My survival instincts kicked in and I found a screw driver and a hammer.  I got the can opened and the chili continued to be put together.  I was looking really good in spite of the adventure.  I wanted to go to the store early before others were out so I left early and went to Walgreens (did not want to go to a big store)  They DID NOT have TOILET PAPER.  They said they get it in on Thursdays and it is gone within the first hour.  The lady said people are waiting in line for the store to open and when they come in , THEY ARE NOT NICE.  That was another reality for the times we are living in.  Reality check again.  I had been living in a bubble in isolation in Kansas.  I got paper towels and kleenex and was on my way to find the toilet paper.  I went across the street to Dollar General where there were NO CARS.  They had plenty of toilet paper and even had it on sale.  They limited to 4 packages and with the sale they let me have 5.  They also had a great big jar of Nutella and coming from Austria - it was a must have item!

I returned home with the intent of getting a few boxes from the storage shed before the first session of General Conference started. 

This is the shed we  built a few years ago that stored most of our belongings.  We stored the key in the bird house hanging in the tree.  (I know, I can not longer do that now that I have let the world know where I kept the key)  We went out and checked and NO KEY.  What were we going to do.  We messaged our son who has a spare key and he was at work and could not remember where the spare key chain was.  We noticed bird seed in the feeder so we figured the birds or when it was filled the key fell out.  It was now time for conference and so we decided we would not worry about it until later.


We were asked last October to prepare for the April General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  These conferences are held every 6 months.  This April conference is the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the First Vision of Joseph Smith in Palmyra, New York on a beautiful Spring morning in 1820.  We were asked to study the accounts of the First Vision and also D&C 25, 84, 110 in preparation for the conference.  I spent a lot of time not only preparing myself but also teaching what I learned to others in Austria.  It has been a wonderful experience and i knew this weekend would be memorable and unforgettable as Pres. Russell M. Nelson promised.  I knew it would be different for each one of us relative to our preparations and willingness to learn, listen and hear. 
After listening to the Saturday morning Session of Conference I had my own spiritual experience I was not expecting.  Elder Neil A Anderson spoke about how God powerfully lets us know he knows us and blesses us individually.  He said to remember spiritual experiences in our life - to record them and share them with others and draw upon them to strengthen us.

He related the story of Beatrice and a group of friends in France.  He served there as a Mission President 25 years ago.  The group had gone to the beach for the day and one of the young men decided to take one last swim.  He jumped into the water with his glasses on and when he came up they were not on his head.  He was the driver and without his glasses they would not be able to get home.  He suggested they pray.  Beatrice did not believe that prayer would help find the glasses in the vast ocean and sand.  They proceeded to pray kneeling in the shallow water of the ocean.  When Beatrice got up she scooped her hands in the ocean and when they came out of the water the glasses were in her hand. 

When the morning session was finished, I felt prompted to go outside and offer a prayer.  It was very simple and I said, "If Beatrice can find a pair of glasses in the ocean on the coast of France, You can help me find a key in the grass."

 I opened my eyes and looked down and deep in the grass I could see a dirty white tag.  I parted the grass and pulled on the white tag and a clump of dirt was attached.  The dirt was covering the key.  I immediately stopped and thanked my Heavenly Father for blessing me and confirming to me once again that He knows me and is there for me individually just as Elder Anderson had said in his talk earlier in the day.  I washed the key and it worked! (Picture is after I washed the key)
I posted the story on my FaceBook page and Luis Astorga who lived in our home while we were away replied with the following comment, "Wow, what a wonderful miracle because the bird feeder was full of food and the squirrels destroyed it, and then I rebuilt it and put it back up again and I never knew there was a key inside nor saw one.  Even when I cut the grass!  Again, what a miracle from heaven!"

I know after more than a year in the dirt, it was a miracle that I found that key.  That is just one of the tender mercies that came this weekend.  It has been a powerful two days filled with the Spirit of the Lord.  I am so grateful for a Prophet of God on the earth today to guide and direct us in the good times and the times of trouble.  It was filled with hope for better days and a bright future.  8 new Temples were announced and some in places we would have never dreamed.  Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Shanghai, People's Republic of China are two of the eight. 
We have been asked by Pres. Nelson: "I invite all, including those not of our faith, to Fast and Pray on Good Friday, April 10, that the present pandemic may be controlled, caregivers be protected, the economy strengthened, and life normalized."  I invite all of my friends to join in on this special day.  Easter will be a day of renewal, restitution, rebirth of all things good as we remember the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  He died that we may live and return to our Father in Heaven. 

I knew it was going to be a lot of work coming home. Coming home in the middle of a pandemic and a stay at home order is very humbling.  It is quiet and time to get a lot done.  It is surreal.  It is lonely - I just want to drive by my friends houses and honk and wave and let them know I am thinking of them and look forward to seeing them soon.  Amid all of this I have to be creative and fix food - might have to support local take-out next week.  This is just one more experience to write down for the memory book.  We are strong and healthy and so grateful that Russ is recovered and we are even able to be at home.  We have everything that we need and more.  We will cherish this time as we acclimate back to life in Arlington Texas.  It has been an incredible journey.

Love,
The Grimmett's

March 28, 2020 Arriving home and 14 day isolation

"For I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions..." (Alma 36:3)

Today is Day 14 of isolation.  Yeah, we survived and more than survived, we thrived.  We can now join the rest of the world in the stay at home edict, but mentally we are currently free of the Covid-19 virus and now need to focus on staying healthy.  It is a very interesting time to be arriving home and setting up home again.  We are still in Wichita Kansas with Brian and Beth and so grateful for the time we have had here.  They made many sacrifices to have us in their home.  They are both working from home and taking care of all of our needs.  We have enjoyed our time with William and Nora and I have helped with the meal preparations.  We have not decided what day to return to Texas - we feel a little less vulnerable here in Kansas.  What we do know is that staying in and being responsible citizens will and is making a difference.  We know that obedience brings the blessings of Heaven.  So, we are trying to figure out how that obedience fits into our need to return home and take care of the needs there.

We have had the past 11 days to ponder and reflect on the past two weeks.  So much has been going through our minds of what we left behind and what lies ahead for us.  I will recap a few things to finish out our story.

Our last Friday, when we drove to Salzburg and picked up all of the mail and packages, we also received a new Mission tie and scarf for the Elders and Sisters respectively.  Elder Grimmett was especially glad to have this tie with the mission emblem on it.  The Elder's all wore them on Saturday to the train station when they sent Elder Kroes home to Germany.



Saturday was our flight home. This is what I saw of Paris France

 I was not happy at first that we would be flying through Paris.  It is not known for being the most safe place in the World.  It is a very large airport with a very interesting design of many buildings connected by underground walkways and trams.  It was actually a very nice airport and we especially were so appreciative of the service on Air France.  We thought it would be so crowded on the flights and not a very good experience.  To our surprise, the flight from Vienna to Paris was not full and we had an extra seat and the employees were very nice.  I was selected for extra security when we boarded the plane for Atlanta, but that is something I am used to.  The countryside around Paris was so different from Germany and Austria.  The buildings and houses are unique to France and it was neat to see the difference.  When we boarded the Air France 777, Russ was happy as it is one of his favorite planes.  Again, we were expecting to be at the very back of the plane and very crowded.  We were going on pure adrenaline at this point and hoping to get a few hours

of sleep.  We were given the whole row and there were a lot of extra seats in the very back where we were.  It was quiet and such a good flight.  They served really nice food and we enjoyed the tender mercy we were given under the circumstances.  The plane had the camera that we could watch of the flight and that was fun to watch as we took off and then landed.  I decided to photograph the landing in Atlanta.  Well - until we had the scariest landing ever.  Everyone in our section was getting anxious to be on US soil and you could feel the excitement.  I was filming and on touchdown something went wrong and we started sliding to the edge of the runway and then the pilot swerved the other way to offset the problem. We then went to the other side and he had to correct again.  It felt like going down a freeway and hitting a patch of black ice and having to correct the car to stay on the road until you could get traction (yes, I have experienced this).  I am thinking, this is not how I want to end this crazy experience.  Thankfully, they were able to get control and we arrived safely.  Needless to say, the recording of the event was cut short as I was holding on for dear life and had hurt my wrist on the seat in front of me. Again, always an adventure!

As I mentioned last week, we were picked up at DFW by our son, Joshua and went to his home to say hello to our 3 grandsons (they were OK with no hugging) and Julie had made some wonderful pie for Pi-day and then we went to the Sheraton Hotel in Arlington.  We were grateful for the time to just rest and have some quiet to plan the next few weeks.  We enjoyed the time there as it was like having the whole Hotel to ourselves - only a hand full of guests.  It was eerie looking out at the Six Flags Parking Lot and seeing it empty on a Spring Break weekend.  It was interesting being on the 16th floor and having a wonderful view of Arlington and just watching the emptiness and low traffic flow.  We were anxious to finalize the purchase of the car Josh had found for us on Monday morning and get on the road for Wichita Kansas.  After a lot of sleeping and catching up, we were up early, around 6 am and just stayed in bed and talked and planned for the day and week.

 I can only stay in bed so long and my body says, time to move.  I got up and Russ sat up on the side of the bed and went to get off the bed and felt something snap and suddenly he was seeing double and had to close his eyes to not feel the effects of what was happening.  He tried to stand up and had no balance.  He then tried to lay back down but that made it worse so I got him into the chair so he could sit.  I tried to do a few things that might help and nothing was working.  He said, just let me sit here for a little bit to see if it goes away.  I then decided I better get ready for the day, not knowing what was ahead.  I hurried and got dressed and then I called Josh and asked if he could come and help me. I went into the bathroom and said a prayer.  I prayed that I would know what to do and what I needed to do to make him comfortable.  I was calm and felt a peace come over me.   At this point Russ needed to go to the bathroom and I did not know how I would get him there.  Josh said he was 30 minutes away in Fort Worth and he would come as soon as he could.  I figured out there was an office chair on wheels that if I could get him on it I could roll him to the bathroom.  So I did that - not a pretty sight but we made it to the bathroom - thank heavens for wide doors.  Josh called back and said he had done some research and that  I needed to call 911.  He was very stern and said if I could not handle calling, he would. I assured him I would call.  I called and they asked all of the standard questions except they added, "have you traveled outside of the US in the last month?"  I told them yes, but that his symptoms were not that of the Covid-19 virus.  They said the ambulance was on the way and we hung up.  We waited and waited.  I heard them pull up outside and I looked out the window and saw the fire truck and the ambulance but no one was moving or coming in.  I finally got a phone call from them and they said they did not want to come up because we had just come from Europe.  I told them we were in a self  isolation and that we were not sick.  He hung up and we waited.  I received another phone call and more questions.  I could now hear my son Josh in the background.  He had arrived and they would not let him come up to the room.  Needless to say, I was now getting a little panicked as precious time was passing without Russ getting needed treatment.

  They finally got the OK from supervisors to come up to the room.  They came and did several tests including an EKG.  All of his vital signs were good, but he still could not open his eyes and did not have balance to walk.  They were trying to figure out how to get him on the stretcher and I told them about the office chair with wheels.  They put him in the chair and used it like a wheel chair as I had done and wheeled him out into the hall and put him on the gurney.  Josh was finally allowed up and helped me get all of our bags and things on a luggage cart and we left.  I checked out of the Hotel and they told me that Russ was stable and that they would load him in Josh's van and then I would take him to the hospital.  They said there was nothing more they could do but to call if anything happened on the way to the hospital.  Wow! I was feeling a big responsibility but knew I could do it.  Josh followed me in his car.  When we arrived at the hospital emergency room, before they would let anyone enter they asked the five questions, the first being, "have you been out of the country in the past month.  I told them yes and that my husband was in the car and needed immediate attention.  They gave me a mask and another to put on Russ.  I waited for them to get him and then the lady looked at me and said, "are you going to bring him in?"  I told her he could not walk and I needed help.  They finally acted quickly and took him right in.  Once inside they had him in for a Cat scan immediately and shortly after that an MRI.  Once the Doctor looked at him they started moving very quickly.  At this point Russ was getting sick from all of the movement and it was difficult for him having all of the tests.  They gave him some medicine to help and it did.  So after many hours in the ER and the diagnosis of a Stroke, he was admitted to the hospital.  It took awhile to get a room and we were very grateful when he finally could get a little rest and settled in.  I had not eaten since noon on Sunday and I was feeling it.  My daughter Emily contacted a dear friend, Janessa and asked if she would bring me a smoothie.  It was just what I needed to get me through the day.  The nurse was so nice when she brought it into me.  They did not let Janessa come into the room.

  I was not sure what I was going to do for the night, but when we got to the room it had a nice couch for sleeping.  Josh and Julie came to visit and then took me to their house so I could get some blankets and some dinner.  It was nice to get away for just about 30 minutes.  They bandaged one of his eyes and that helped him to be able to open the other eye and see.  He had a restful night and we were grateful.  Tuesday was an amazing day as he continued to recover and regain his eyesight and balance.  By noon they took off the eye bandage and he could see clearly.  He was able to get out of bed and walk to the bathroom with a little help.  By the afternoon he worked with the physical and occupational therapists and he was able to walk up the stairs faster than the therapist.  We were witnessing a miracle.  The Doctor said they wanted to keep him another day to make sure everything was OK and to make sure all of the medications were working.

Sister Brown, our Presidents wife sent a message she wanted us to call.  We were able to call her and it was so good to talk with her and feel their love for us.  Russ was feeling good by this time and we knew that it was a tender mercy that all of this was happening.  We know that many prayers were offered in his behalf and it was so appreciated.  One of the nice advantages of social media in getting the word out so others can pray for you.  We felt peace and comfort and love.

In the meantime, I still needed to sign the papers for our new car.  Josh had arranged for us to go at 1:00 and take care of it.  The nurses just told me to wear the mask when I went out of the room.  I did that and I left with Josh to go get the car.

Knowing I was in a 14 day isolation, I was trying to be very careful and do what I had been asked.  'We went and all went well.  I went to Josh's house and let the boys see the car, went through a drive-through to get some lunch and returned to the hospital.  When I got there they asked me the five questions again and said I could not go in the hospital.  I explained that I had been there for a day and a half and that my husband was in the hospital.  They said things had changed since yesterday and that I could not come in.  It took about 45 minutes of phone calls to several people and they finally let me in.  I fully understand their need for caution.  I had the mask on and had tried to take all of the precautions they had asked for.  I would not have left the hospital if I thought they would not let me back in.  It all worked out.  Later we found out that the first Covid-19 patient had been admitted that day and new protocols were in place.

Russ was released about 1:00 on Wednesday and we stopped to say good-bye to Josh and his family and to check on our house.  We then left for Wichita Kansas and arrived about 9:00 pm.  It took us a little longer to drive there, but Russ had been on IV's for 2 1/2 days and we had to stop a lot on the way there. 

We are so grateful we have been able to spend the remaining days of isolation with Brian and Beth in Kansas.  They purchased a home in November and we were glad to come and see it.  We have our own little place in the basement and it has been wonderful.

Alpine Puzzle 

William dancing

Robin

So, What do you do  when you are in isolation?

We spent 3 days building a 1000 piece Alpine puzzle.  We played a lot of Go Fish, Old Maid, board games, Lego Chess, four square outside, watched the grand kids sing and dance, went on walks around the block, watched the birds in the Spring, helped with yard work and installed a new bathroom floor.

We have had time to continue our scripture studies, Come Follow Me, and also continue studying and preparing for General Conference on April 4-5.  We are so grateful for the council from our Prophet, President Nelson in these past few weeks. He has asked us to pray and fast on this Sabbath day as a people united together to pray for relief from the physical, emotional and economic effects of this global pandemic.

Elder Ballard said, "Your home is a place you can kneel and pray.  You can feel Heavenly Father's Spirit and you can feel the hand of the Lord in your life on your knees in your bedroom or wherever you find peace to say your prayers.  It doesn't require you to be in the temple to 'be still and know that I am God' (Psalm 46:10)  He went on to say with encouragement from those on the other side of the veil awaiting temple work, it won't be long before the temples are up and operating."

He said they are doing what they have to do to protect the missionaries.  The steps that are being taken are wise and temporary.  We are asking every day, 'What are we going to do and when are we going to do it and how are we going to do it?" We are being led by revelation a step at a time.  Do we see the light at the end of the tunnel? Absolutely!

We have been so grateful for technology and to be able to keep in touch with the missionaries we have served with.  We look forward to P-day more than ever when they write and send messages.  We are thrilled to hear how the work is moving forward in new ways as they teach their friends and neighbors the gospel through technology.  More people are listening as we have been forced to "Be Still"  We have every reason to have hope and to be happy even during these difficult days.  Pres. Ballard said, "Let's be happy and keep going forward and do the best we can, and these circumstances will change."  The coming weeks will usher in a spiritual season with general conference, Palm Sunday and Easter.  The Lord Jesus Christ loves us with a love beyond our ability to comprehend. The kingdom of God will continue to roll forth. 

We do not know what is ahead for us in the coming weeks.  We are anxious to return to our home and move forward with whatever the Lord has in store for us.  We do not feel it is wise at this time to travel and then have to set up a new household.  We are praying for guidance and to know what is best for us at this time.  We are grateful for this time with family.  We are grateful for the hand of the Lord in our lives at this time.  We truly have witnessed miracles as we have exercised faith and through the power of many prayers offered in our behalf.  We look forward to the day when we can all gather together again - better for having endured through this trial. We hope to be able to report on our mission in a Church meeting and will let you know when that time comes.  Currently it is scheduled for May 31 in Arlington. 

This is our final picture of being missionaries before our release.  The best of times.

                    FRIENDS
One day, all of us will get separated
from each other.  we will miss our
conversations.  Days, months and years will
pass until we rarely see each other.
One day, our children will see our
photos and ask, Who are these people?"
And we will smile with invisible tears and
say, It was with them that I had the
best days of my life."

Until we meet again,
auf wiedersehn
Viel Liebe,
The Grimmett's