Sister Karina Blocker was called to the Sweden, Stockholm Mission. She entered the Provo MTC on March 4, 2020. She writes home this week and tells us what it is like for her there. Update: See below, but she is now serving in the Gilbert, Arizona Mission.
Is everyone still alive? No one has died from boredom yet, right? What a crazy week it has been! I hope everyone is in good health and are finding ways to be productive! The Missionary Training Center has been a little crazy. They have been super strict about staying 6 ft. apart. They closed the gym where we are usually allowed one hour to exercise a day. They don't want us using the same equipment or gear, so we are only allowed on the fields, which is nice because then, at the very least, we get to go outside. We can't play any contact sports like Ultimate Frisbee, football, soccer etc. On the bright side, we do, at least, get to play spikeball and that is a PARTY!
Because no missionaries are currently allowed in Europe right now, I will be reassigned to somewhere in the US for a little bit. Which I think is super cool because then I get to serve two missions in one! I'm hoping for somewhere in the south, but I will be happy to go wherever I am called.
I love learning Swedish! I think it's such a fun language! We study every day and try to practice as much as we can.
One thing that I heard this week that has really helped is that Heavenly Father knew the trials we would face on a mission and sent us out anyway. He knew the Coronavirus would break out and that we would be quarantined, but He called us anyway. Heavenly Father is not using his back-up plan. This is His plan! And, though, we might not know why, yet, I have faith that we were sent out at this particular time to serve and will be able to serve in ways that weren't possible before.
How has the Covid19 affected your mission experience?
I did not know so much could happen in a week! These past seven days have been hard, slow, happy, fast, confusing, full of surprises and pretty much every emotion in between! Haha. Almost everyday in the MTC we have been hit with different news that has truly humbled us.
So, a quick little update, if you don't already know. All missionaries serving in foreign lands are being sent back to their home country. If any missionary has asthma they are also being sent home. So, on Saturday, we lost two of our Sisters in our district and it was hard because your district literally becomes your family! On Sunday we found out that the entire MTC will be completely cleared out by this upcoming Friday and all missionaries will either be reassigned, if going foreign, or sent home. They told us that anytime between then and Wednesday we will know where we are going.
Fast forward to Monday and we learn that another two of our sisters are going home!! (We had 7 sisters in our district to start with.) It was a pretty harsh blow, but Heavenly Father has a plan we just need to have faith! Then Monday night at 9:14 I received an email that said, "Come to the travel office at 9:00 (you know like the 9pm that happened 14 minutes ago) to receive your travel itinerary. The travel office closes at 9:30. You will be leaving tomorrow!" And I turn to my companion and we run in our super attractive PJs to the travel office where everyone and their companions are and I receive my flight plans to go to Phoenix, AZ. But I still don't know where in AZ I am going!
So, I get on a plane and everyone else has received their calls but most are Spanish speaking and are going to Gilbert so I just assumed I was going to go there! But then I meet an Elder who is from California and was going to Phoenix for a lay over then headed into Ontario, California! And I was like well this is an adventure, isn't it? Haha
When we got off the plane the Gilbert, AZ Mission Presidents were there to greet us and they said that I was in the right place so Whoot whoot!
Anywho for now I am temporarily reassigned to the Gilbert, Az mission and will serve here until things start to clear up and I am sent to Sweden.
One of the many tender mercies that happened this week was being reassigned to the same mission Sister Starr is in! I grew up with Josie Starr and then we both roomed together at college!!
I was assigned to labor in Sweden, but I am called to be a missionary. And i am happy to serve wherever I am assigned! I am already falling in love with Arizona and even taught two lessons last night online!
To all the missionaries that were sent home... know that there is still plenty of work to be done. And hug your families again for me because I really miss mine!!
These past few days have been rough, but my faith and love for my Father in Heaven has never been stronger. I have depended on Him constantly for His guidance and I know I am here for a purpose, even if I don't know what it is yet. I'll be continuing to study swedish, but until I get there my work is in AZ! So for now, goodbye winter coats and hello [farmer] tan lines!
Prata med dig på måndag!
Syster Blocker
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