March 31, 2020
It
would appear that I am still in Australia despite the expectation that I would
be home by now, in the which I am quite grateful I am still here!
Quarantine
requirements keep getting tighter and tighter which is pretty cool:
Prime
Minister Scott Morrison has instructed all Australians as follows:
Stay at home unless you are:
--going to work or education (if you are unable to do so at home)
--shopping for essential supplies such as groceries, return home without delay
--going out for personal exercise in the neighborhood, on your own or with one
other (maximum of 30 minutes)
--attending medical appointments
In
addition this:
--Australia
has officially shut down ALL religious gatherings of any kind, which prohibits
any use of all church buildings. If there is a car in the parking lot, or a
person in the church, we're breaking the law. This includes using the chapel to
email, use the Wi-Fi, interviews with mission president, etc.
--
"gatherings" are limited to two individuals, unless you live together,
meaning no member visits, meals or drop offs.
--
Pacific Area Presidency has shut down the use of mission vehicles without
Mission President Approval.
And
just a week ago, missionary work was just normal! It sure makes for some
exciting times. Elder Violette and I wanted some Dominos pizza, but with all of
the restrictions, we weren't sure how to go about doing it. So we decided if we
can't drive...We will run! So we literally ran to the nearest dominos and ran
back with the pizza. The next day, the mission president told us no more fast
food, good thing we got it while we could!
We
had a Skype lesson with our Vietnamese friend, and she is so excited to be
baptized when she gets back to Adelaide! She thought that because the church is
shut down, she couldn't be baptized until everything is back to normal. We told
her that the only meeting that the Church is allowing is Baptisms (so long as
we can find a member with a pool because we can't use the church). When we told
her that, her face literally lit up, she was so happy to hear that! She has
such a strong testimony of prayer, and has more Faith than anybody I have met
on my mission. She is currently on date for May 16. She returns to Adelaide the
end of April, then she will have a 2 week quarantine (because she crosses a
state border) which SHOULD allow her to be baptized May 16!
Sadly
we aren't able to do any other lessons with people we are teaching. They would
all rather wait until the corona-storm passes by. We have had lots of time in
the flat for study and building relationships with each other. As I have had
lots of time to reflect on the perfect plan that God has for each of us. This
disease may stop the world, but it will not stop the great plan of our God (2
Nephi 9:13). In the words of Pacific Area President Ian S. Ardern: "the
work of the Lord is not frustrated; only tampered with for a brief
moment." With flights being coordinated and missionaries returning
home and who know what else, just as Limhi and his people desired to make
covenants with the Lord, but certain unique requirements required them to
"prolong the time" and to "wait upon the Spirit of the
Lord" (Mosiah 21:35).
This
is definitely a trying time for us all. But when we put our trust in Him who is
Eternal, that includes putting our trust in His Eternal perspective, and His
Eternal timing, for Endless and Eternal is His name (Doctrine and Covenants
19:10). Trust in Him, and He cannot, and will not fail you. I know that!
Perhaps next week I'll write again, perhaps not. Only the Lord knows.
Firm
in the Faith,
-Elder
Cozzens
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