Week of June 28 - July 4, 2020

Highlights:

Spiritual

We had a typical Covid19 Sunday. I took a short walk before it was blazing hot outside. After readying for church, we watched a Patriotic Music and the Spoken Word and then two BYU devotional talks. We studied our Come Follow Me lesson and read scriptures and Conference talks. Doran, Amber, Kelsie and Kooper stopped by and snacked on the pork dad had made. 

Dad called friends like Jeff Smith and Cliff Eccles. He also completed a meeting notice assignment for the Stake Sunday School. 

No temple continues.

I still listen to talks from General Conference daily and completed my fourth time through on Saturday. I also read in the Book of Mormon daily and enjoy my Come Follow Me study. 

I have indexed 11301 records and reviewed 54066 records so far this year. 

Family

The Wilkins Family

The Wilkins Family is keeping up with life, which is quite an accomplishment in these crazy and unsettling times. Mike is doing well and still working towards either a position at another employer or converting to permanent Amazon. That might require a shift change and hour reduction for a month. They are prayerfully going ahead each day. He works to paint and fix up the house in his spare time. Allison is in the final stages of preparation for the temple to have it's Phase 1 opening next week, which has meant longer hours. She does get to go to Planet Fitness and work out, and that has been much safer and good for her. Their washing machine broke last week, but Mike was able to get the new part and quickly repair it.  Adam continues to rest and recover. He is still off his leg for a few more weeks, and Josh has been such a great help with him. Adam was not encouraged about the return to school plan for the Fall, so he wrote to the School Board sharing his well thought out opinion. He has used is bed rest time to read and has completed 1984 and Animal Farm. Grace is well and has been sharing on her own personal blog. She has also been getting more excited about high school. Joshua is well and is enjoying his summertime. Sam is doing well. They got a Venus Fly Trap and he is enjoying watching it eat. He caught new Pokemon last week. He liked learning about Ammon chopping off arms in the Book of Mormon. He is also learning about France this week. 

The Ethan Rice Family

Ethan, Cameo, Kaylee and Wade had a good work week and then headed out on Thursday for a fun camping trip with their friends for the Fourth of July. 

The Doran Rice Family

Doran and Amber had a good week at work, and the kids are enjoying swimming and fun in the Summertime. On Friday night, Doran, Nathan and Dad headed to Bartlett Lake for some nightime fishing. No fish, but Doran and Nathan got quite a few bites. 

On Saturday, they headed to Wickenburg to visit the Trump Store, and then stopped by here for a visit. 

They enjoyed their own fireworks in the evening. 

Morgan

Morgan called on Saturday with birthday wishes. He is doing well.

Kayty

Kayty's work from home continues. She took Tuesday off to meet her new endocrinologist and really liked her. She got her new prescriptions and meds. Her current tv obsession is CSI. 

3 major saves this week. 

The Nathan Rice Family

Nathan and Jessica continued in their recovery this week, and by Friday were able to go out into the real world. We enjoyed their visit and the girls had some fun playdough time. Nathan is able to work a few hours online and attend some meetings. We are so thankful that they made it through their illnesses!

They spent Saturday up in Flagstaff. They took a picnic lunch and played in the forest, running and screaming to their hearts delight. They also went into the town and visited a railroad museum. They enjoyed their own fireworks at home. 

Dad's Garden

Still harvesting basil and Dad spent a lot of time tearing out old plants and working compost into the garden. 

Other highlights

Started up Christmas in July on Thursday. Ornament painting has begun.

I had a very nice birthday. Though I didn't get my annual hike in because of Kayty's situation, I did enjoy calls from Mom, Nathan's family

 

and Morgan

Marco Polo from Allison and family, 

and Facetiming with Ethan and family. 

and a visit from Dorrie. 

Not so highlights

Tuesday was a very sad day for Dad as many of his co-workers were let go. The wonderful lady who trained him was fired. His coworker shared this on Facebook. 

"Yesterday was I think the hardest day I ever had at work. Being at the company 35 years I never have seen anything like what I and my colleagues experienced over the last two (2) days. Massive reductions in force due to the decline in Aerospace. Many departments hit with 50% lay off. My department we lost 4 of 6 people. I was one of the 2 left standing. I don’t understand why or how other than God’s grace. No rime or reason on who got chosen. I don’t blame my employer for all this. This is all a result of COVID-19. Things still shut down, no one flying.
While I truly respect the differing views on the national crisis in all due respect no one is going to tell me that we had the proper balanced approach to this. The massive unemployment and loss of great paying Aerospace jobs far outweighs in my view the small numbers of those who actually die from COVID-19. Let me be clear, am NOT suggesting saving jobs over lives. I AM saying that the general approach we took to this has caused far greater pain to the rest of us that could ever have been expected. Poverty is a killer as well.
It is easy for politicians and TV commenters to justify what they did as they have guaranteed incomes. Come to my side of this equation and I bet you would think different.
To be really open and honest, I lost over 76 dear work friends I have known for years. I spend a good part of the last few days not working but consoling and praying for my friends who lost their jobs. I spend a lot of time crying.
My dear FB friends. Thank you for listening. If you are a praying Christian. Please pray for God to heal our land of COVID-19"