Update From the Mission President

 To the Missionaries and Parents of the England London Mission,


We write to you from London—in our mission flat right next to the Hyde Park Chapel on Exhibition Road. For over a year and a half, we have lived in this vibrant part of London with the world’s finest museums steps away and the famous Royal Albert Hall at the top of our street across from Hyde Park. Spring is close at hand, and we have had three glorious days of sunshine and blue skies. These have been most welcome after a long and grey winter with many rainy, cold days. The daffodils and camellias, surrounded by blossoming trees, all make for a place of breathless beauty. But much to our dismay, this glorious show does not occupy everyone’s attention as it should.



London is like a ghost town. In beautiful weather like we are having, Exhibition Road would usually be teeming with thousands—families, children, college young adults from everywhere on the globe. But now there is no one out. Empty busses drive past empty sidewalks. Oh, you may have heard of the folks who were dispersed by police yesterday for having a barbecue at the park a few miles away from us. This was people showing off—kind of a “come and get me” dare to the coronavirus. But far and away, the English are sensibly locked down and respectful of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s latest rules—which can be summed up as STAY HOME. We may be out, only in twos, to shop for essential items, seek urgent medical care, or go to a necessary job.



Public transportation is running, but we are not using it. We are obeying the prime minister’s guidance, and our missionaries are locked down, doing online proselyting through various technologies to reach people who may be interested in a message of HOPE. We encourage them as part of their day to go outside for a long exercise break in the afternoon—but no team sports with their districts. These breaks are companionship running or bicycling or kicking a soccer ball to each other. Lots of fresh air, lots of exercise (90 minutes!). They still have significant in-the-flat time, but we are trying to do things to give them a break.



Every night at 9:30, we have a mission-wide Zoom call with updates about the country and the latest policies we must live by. The call always ends with a report from our wonderful mission medical doctor, Elder Sumko, and his companion. And then we have a bedtime story. Under the direction of our office couple who were allowed to stay, the Hartvigsens (Kip Hartvigsen was the chairman of the English department at BYU-I for many years), our missionaries get to hear The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It is the perfect ending to what have been very long days.



The spirit of the mission is good. It is natural to fear, but we are trying to replace our fears with courage and FAITH. We are focused on isolating so we don’t have any chance to be exposed to the virus. All in-person meetings have been cancelled. No baptisms—even though we have many ready for baptism. No district councils/sacrament meetings, which we had the go-ahead to do just last week. The chapels are all locked tight. We will be able to go there eventually to do online work and exercise in the gyms—but not now.



Meanwhile, every flat has a two-week supply of food. Members are running food over and dropping it on missionaries’ front porches. The members have been amazing with us. We love and so appreciate them. It is fun to check in with missionaries through our technology. They are smiling, they are energetic. For those who have suffered the anxiety of street contacting, online proselyting is a dream!

Our mission motto for this historic time comes from the missionaries themselves (all 172 still here!):



IN THE ENGLAND LONDON MISSION—

WE THRIVE ON OPPOSITION—

BEHOLD, OUR WORK IS NOT FINISHED! (ALMA 14:13)



This does not replace our beloved mission purpose, which our missionaries can tell you about. But it is to help us through this challenging time. We are heartened by news coming out of Italy, where missionaries have been locked down for 35 days: first, no missionaries have been affected by the virus, and second, the number of diagnosed cases has dropped for the first time. What we are doing, the steps we are taking, will lead us safely through these precarious days. We will stay strong and isolated as companionships. Meanwhile, quite miraculously through technology, “the Truth will go forward boldly, nobly and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the great Jehovah shall say, THE WORK IS DONE.”



We love you and pray for the safety and health of all our ELM Missionaries and their families around the world.


Much love,

Deb and David Checketts