Welcome to the Hotel California

I often feel like I am an extra or cast member in one of those poorly made science fiction movies in which the government has ordered everyone into isolation.  I feel bad about those who have to go to the hospital as it feels like they will never return.  The only thing missing from this sf weirdness is the standard silver jumpsuit that seems to be the attire of the entire planet – though we never see the entire planet.  Nor do we really know for certain if the jumpsuit truly is silver as it is a black and white movie.

 We’re grounded to our houses for our own protection while a selected few get to be out in the public eye for “our protection” – and they end up being eaten by the monsters or disintegrated or whatever.  And those few who are left in their homes have absolutely no clue what is going on.

        There are truths and there are rumors, precautions and scare tactics, internet jokes and so forth.  After a while people are uncertain as what to believe.

        My phone seemed to be ringing off the hook on Thursday – lots of text messaging.  No hook, really.  That was just a figure of speech.

        We had had an activity planned for Saturday.  RS birthday party (which is today, by the way) and luncheon.  Should we cancel?  Should we continue?  Pray.  The activity was cancelled two hours before we received word from church headquarters to cancel all meetings.  ALL meetings.

        It generally takes the world a lot longer to catch up with what the prophets have already revealed.  But the schools announced that Friday would be the last day for a couple of weeks.  It is going to be more than two weeks.  Kids may not return to school until September when they are supposed to start a new year.

        I dialed several numbers after I returned home.  I left many messages and did not talk to anyone directly until about the fifth call.  I understand why the average person would not pick up the phone as my area code shows up differently than the one in Douglas County – but most of the people that I called have me in their system.  Only I felt like all phone communication was in an apocalypse. There was the start of that eerie science fiction.

        My nephew’s baptism was originally scheduled for the 14^th.  I thought that odd as my granddaughter’s was the week prior.  And then his was changed – at the last minute it sounds.  What a blessing that was as they were still holding meetings on the 7^th and having more than 25 in attendance was permitted.

        Yes.  We were told more than 200.  No more than 250 (it changed, conflicting messages – which was true?  Which is true now) and yesterday the governor of Oregon said no more than 25.  Actually 24.  Within 30 minutes we had heard 10 in some places.  Are you kidding me?

        I am so looking forward to general conference on the 4^th and 5^th.

I Received My Books! I am SOOO EXCITED!

       I am still considered to be a board member of the library and evidently have my own out box at the library.  Our board president LOVES to read and has committed to keeping the library open - even if she has to use her own personal books.  We've received a great deal of donations, and she has gone through various books to see which ones will be sold and which could be shelved.  Whenever she finds the word "Mormon" she automatically sets it aside and asks me if it is something I might be interested in.

            I finished a book just over two weeks ago.  She had left it in my box.  It took just two weeks for me to read "Rumors of War" from the Children of Promise series by Dean Hughes.  Though the initial publication of the books are over 20 years, I had never read any of them before, and after reading the first in the five book collection, I had to have more.

            If I was back in Salt Lake, I might be able to order these books through my library, but I don't have that option here.  When our library was part of the county system, I was actually quite limited in all book selections.  Now that we are not a county library anymore, I am even more limited.  So I purchased some used books from ThriftBooks here   I am so excited that they have arrived and I will be able to continue following the lives of the Thomas family and various friends.

             So let me get you started on my wonderful find . . . a book review by LaTiesha Cannon (which you may remember is not my actual name):

            "Children of the Promise" series is historical fiction.  It is said that Dean Hughes did some extensive research on the situations, circumstances  and even weather conditions.   The setting is 1938 and thereafter.  D. Alexander Thomas and wife, Bea have six children: Alex, Bobbi, Wally, Jean, LaRue and Beverly.  They live in Salt Lake. 

            The book starts with Alex (Elder Thomas) on his mission in Germany.  It's Christmas.  He and his companion.  They are visiting a member of the congregation who has not been to church for some time.  Though he has converted to Christianity, he is Jewish by birth and has been treated as an outcast to Germany.

            The missionaries had been told not to visit as it is dangerous - not only for them, but the man they are visiting as well.  The Gestapo have their eye on the American pair that teaches religion.

             We are then introduced to different family members back in Salt Lake.  Bobbi is interested in English literature and attending classes at the University of Utah.  She is dating a man whom her family thinks highly of and await the day that the two families will be joined. 

            When the book starts out, Wally is sixteen  and seems misguided somehow, having a strong desire to venture outside of his family - especially his overly domineering father, President Thomas, who is very devout to his calling - often losing the sight of his own family.  Wally tries to make light of the situation, but Pres. Thomas is never in the mood for Wally's taunting behavior.

            In his attempt to keep  Wally on the straight and narrow, Pres. Thomas arranges for him to gets a job on Mat Nasashima's farm.  Wally is comfortable with the Nasashinmas and develops a respect for them. Thus far the Nasashinmas characters are not well developed but I imagine will be in future books.  We are also introduced to the  Stoltz family while Elder Alex Thomas is there serving his mission, and continue even after Alex had returned home to Salt Lake.

            The Gestapo (well one thug in particular) become interested in Anna Stoltz who is very pretty and express unwholesome intentions toward her.  the missionaries are pulled out of Germany.  The Stoltz family go into hiding shortly after Alex had returned to Salt Lake.

             Eventually Wally graduates from East High School and joins the navy.  He is stationed in the Philippines and fighting with the Japanese.  In the past, whenever I have read a book about World War II, the primary focus seems to be on victims under German ruling or the American Japanese - I don't recall reading a book that has introduced both.  I also find it interesting to read the expectation of the woman's role and Bobbi's unwillingness to give up an opportunity of education and possible career by surrendering herself to that role - at least not yet.

            I am anxious to read more on the different characters and find out how their lives connected (or disconnected) and what strengths and weaknesses each of them have to overcome.