the germ

The germ.....where did it come from? It couldn't be from  the crazy temperatures here in Chicago. At the first of the week we were at 89 degrees and muggy. By Friday temps were 38 degrees and we were shivering again. I say--make up your mind. Is it Spring or not????

Could I have gotten it off of one of the 100 Ipads I checked this week? Indiana on Tues.,Buffalo Grove on Thurs., Chicago on Friday. Pres. Woodbury specifically asked Elder Taggart and I to show up before each Zone Training meeting to take possession of each Ipad, before they had time to extract any information. Then we sat in a cold church classroom while we checked their notes, photos, Imessaging, videos,Facebook and Area Book. Overall I was proud of the obedience most of our missionaries displayed. Some had been Imessaging family and friends from home and some were still following family and friends on Facebook but most were obedient with exactness. It was the screens I had to touch....smeared and not so clean. I could have caught any number of things. The owner of one of the Ipads I checked was hospitalized the following day---so maybe.......

Handshakes carry germs and I did shake hands with most every Elder this week and hugged a bunch of Sisters.

After inspecting Ipads, I went straight to my sewing maching to mend clothes of missionaries. "They couldn't hold germs. Pants, tie, shirt pockets. When did gray become an approved color for shirts for missionaries?

We could have worn my resistance down by the schedule we kept this week. Up by 5 AM two mornings so we could drive the distance to Indiana or up to Buffalo Grove near the Wisconsin border. Then each day we would rush back to the car and office so Bruce could sell his 3rd car one day and I could do the mail, referrals, and answer the phone as questions came rolling in. Can you have missionaries at this address to help a lady move today?
What language do people speak in Nigeria? Do we have a Book of Mormon in Igbo? (yes)
Could you have some books sent to a prisoner in Indiana?
How many times did I touch the elevator buttons, a door handle, the restroom door where germs could have been lurking?

Could letters have held a germ? I handled letters from El Salvador, England,Japan,Germany, Guatemala, Uganda, Canada, Samoa, New Zealand, Korea, Taiwan, Italy, and Romania this week. Not to just place blame outside the United States---I also handled letters from 30 states and 47 cities in Utah. No germs there!!!

And did I fail to mention the flash flood we were caught in Monday night? We left the office after 6 and made a dash for the car. Elder Taggart had the umbrella but when it rains inches and blows sideways--what good is an umbrella? We were soaked. We had lightening and thunder we could feel all around us. Stay in the car, right? We drove through Taco Time so dinner could be on schedule and decided to sit there and "wait it out." The heat was cranked because we were wet and freezing. It didn't let up. An hour later the flash flood warning started on both our phones.  They were serious. The road home had become a one foot deep river, coming over gutters and covering sidewalks. We were thankful for my SUV. Driving slowly, we made it to our parking lake....I mean lot. As the lightning subsided, we waded in ankle deep water to our apartment. We weren't flooded but one hour more of rain like that and we would have been Crazy Chicago....but no germs involved there, right?

Needless to say---I'm sick today. Elder Taggart is serving the Elders a wonderful meal while I have been banished to the bedroom. After putting in 60+ hours last week, it has felt good to stay in bed, drink lots and nap today. I'll be at it on Monday. The hastening work continues on, with or without us so hand on and enjoy the ride this week. Avoid germs??? Not possible if you are involved with life. I'll use more hand sanitizer this week and so should you.

Love,
Sicker Taggart