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Wednesday, March 18, 2020

A lighthearted, virus-free story

I read a fun story about President Spencer W. Kimball and the late U.S. first lady Betty Ford while I was reading the history of the Washington D.C. Temple.

During the original open house for the temple in 1974, President Kimball hosted a tour for Ford. During the tour, U.S. Sen. Wallace F. Bennett, a Latter-day Saint from Utah, produced his temple recommend to show it to Ford. All the other church members on the tour quickly began to do the same.

President Kimball fumbled with his wallet, apparently struggling to find recommend. This went on for a moment or two. Finally, he was the last to locate his recommend and show it to the first lady.

She laughed.

“I’m so glad you’ve got one, too,” Ford said to the president of the church. “You had me worried.”

Church leaders still regularly show their temple recommends today to dignitaries who visit temple open houses. It’s a good visual aid for describing to people how temple attendance works.

You can read the story about President Kimball and Mrs. Ford in “History of The Mormons in the Greater Washington Area, 1839-1991.”

My Recent Stories

BYU-Idaho student tested positive for COVID-19 after traveling back to school from Utah (March 17, 2020)

Church reassigning nonnative missionaries from 23 missions in the Philippines (March 17, 2020) 

Sister missionary safe after Saturday kidnapping in Guatemala (March 16, 2020)

Coronavirus: Church announces multiple changes for missionaries; some in United States, Canada may go home early (March 16, 2020) 

President Nelson’s video message of hope amid COVID-19 trends on YouTube, draws 2.7 million views (March 15, 2020) 

Many churches stay dark, but Sunday devotion carries on around the world (March 15, 2020) 

‘I remain optimistic for the future’: President Nelson offers video message of hope during COVID-19 pandemic (March 14, 2020) 

Malaria causes death of Samoan man serving Latter-day Saint mission in Sierra Leone (March 14, 2020) 

Inside the remarkable life of Joseph Smith, from President Dallin H. Oaks (March 13, 2020) 

Coronavirus update: 12 church-owned buildings in and around Salt Lake’s Temple Square are closed ‘until further notice’ (March 13, 2020)

Latter-day Saint temples: Proxy ordinance work temporarily suspended, living ordinances will continue where permitted ‘by appointment only’ (March 13, 2020) 

First Presidency: All church meetings temporarily canceled worldwide (March 12, 2020) 

BYU classes canceled for three days, students encouraged to return home; all campus sporting events and performances canceled (March 12, 2020) 

Utah governor asks churches to limit gatherings to 100 or fewer (March 12, 2020) 

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pulling all senior missionaries out of Europe (March 12, 2020) 

More temples close. BYU Women’s Conference canceled. BYU, BYU-Idaho, to cancel or stream devotionals, graduations (March 11, 2020) 

What I’m Reading ...

I’ve joked on my Twitter and Facebook accounts that the ESPN app is really boring right now, since there are no games to watch or read about. ESPN wisely produced this story to show what is available. Some of these are things I intended to start but never have. I’ll definitely try “Peyton’s Places.” As for the movies listed, I highly recommend “Invincible,” “The Sandlot,” “Miracle,” “Remember the Titans,” “Free Solo” and “The Rookie.” I need to rewatch “The Greatest Game Ever Played,” too.

Yes, Tom Brady and the Patriots broke up. One of my sons said he hoped I had saved up some bereavement leave. Fortunately, the very readable and smart Bill Barnwell produced this analysis of how Brady’s skills are holding up and what may await him as he apparently joins the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (That was weird to type.)

So far, there are three major terms we’ve learned with the coronavirus, as I see it:

  • COVID-19, which stands for Coronavirus Disease 2019.
  • Social distancing, which means keeping yourself 6 feet or farther away from other people to reduce the chances of spreading or contracting COVID-19.
  • Flatten the curve, which means slowing the inevitable spread of COVID-19 enough that hospitals do not become overwhelmed.

A Washington Post article supplies four simulations of how quickly a virus can spread based on scenarios about how well the public practices social distancing. It’s fascinating.

Read how one leader helped a quorum of young priesthood holders follow President Russell M. Nelson’s invitation to “Hear Him,” by my friend and colleague Boyd Matheson.

Behind the Scenes

Sister Karsyn Rushing, center, poses with Elder David Blanchard and Sister Heidi Blanchard at the train station in Singen, Germany. All three learned last week they would leave the Alpine German-Speaking Mission early due to precautions regarding the coronavirus. Rushing is self-isolating at her home in Vancouver, Washington, after leaving Germany on Friday because she has asthma and the church has chosen to send home missionaries with comprised immune systems or respiratory conditions. The Blanchards left the next day because the church is sending home senior missionary couples as a standard precaution because the risks of COVID-19 increase with age.
The Angel Moroni atop the Salt Lake Temple lost its trumpet when a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit the Salt Lake Valley this morning.
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