Two Years in Tahiti: Quarantine

We got to video chat with Jordan yesterday for a long time! I was so happy to get to just hang out and chat with him, and also see how he is doing with all of this Corona Virus craziness. We got word earlier this week from his Mission President that COVID-19 has officially made it to Tahiti. Darn. Apparently a French politician who unknowingly had it, was in Tahiti on business and started it there. There were 3 cases that Jordan knew of as of yesterday, but he said that it'll spread there in no time, because it's such a small island and Tahitians aren't naturally super sanitary people. He said earlier that day he was at the grocery store and there was a cake on a table and people were just going and taking slices of it with their hands and eating it right there, and licking their fingers and everything! He was offered some, but politely declined ;)

He got the call right as he was getting to a members home to use their computer to email and call us, that the missionaries there are to self-quarantine for two weeks! Luckily he was at a members home and could use their computer still, so he got to call us. He's not sure if he'll be able to call or write for the next two weeks or so, so we were so grateful to have an extra long call with him yesterday. He said they had just been to the grocery store, but may go back on their way home for a few more things before being home for two weeks. Luckily he had just received his birthday package and decided to open it early! So he got some snacks and some books and things to keep him busy for a while :) He's been mostly staying home since last Thursday, on the advice of his Bishop. He's been reading and writing songs and playing games with the Elders he lives with. He's taking this all in stride, but I could tell he is nervous. I could tell he wished he was safe at home with us, and not on a little island in the middle of the ocean with medical care that's not quite up to what he is used to. But he'll be okay. He told us how his last companion had a problem with eye infections, so they went to a doctor and the doctor literally used the flashlight feature on her cell phone and shined it in his eye, then said everything looks okay to her...!! So it's a little sketchy haha.

Since Jordan is new to his area, he hasn't gotten to know very many ward members yet, and he said that none of them have offered them dinner or even checked on him and his companion during all of this. Pretty different from his ward in Moorea that took such good care of him! He said they are fine though and don't need anything. And that honestly, he wouldn't want to eat food from other people right now anyway...probably smart! Tahiti is more of a city too, not as rural as Moorea, so there's not as much of an abundance of fruit growing everywhere. But he did find some pretty good apples finally at the grocery store there and he's super happy about that!

Jordan finally had the opportunity to go to the temple there! He said it was so neat to be inside and to see all of the beautiful Polynesian design. I'm so glad he got to go! This is a picture of the Papeete, Tahiti LDS temple:

Jordan didn't send a group email this week, but he did respond to an email I had sent him checking in on him:

I'm doing well! This has been a very long week haha we've stayed in the house since Thursday because our bishop told us to and we've been pretty worried and stressed about it. Tahitians are not the most sanitary people and they are not really doing anything about it, so I think it'll spread really quickly, but we'll see. President Fox just said to keep working like normal but be careful about not shaking hands with people and stuff. There are apparently 3 confirmed cases here, but the symptoms don't show up for 14 days usually so I think there are actually a lot more people who have it who just don't know that they have it. I guess we'll find out soon enough! Haha. The Stake here decided that we can't do the sacrament for now, so we just stayed at the house all day and played Monopoly haha. But it's going well, we're not exactly sure what's going to happen, but I think it's going to spread a lot and we'll be in quarantine pretty soon. Some people think we might get sent home after a while, an elder in our house has a girlfriend who was serving in South Korea and she just got sent home, and they were taking care of the problem much better than Tahiti is, so we'll see haha. I love you too and you have been in my prayers too.

He sent some pictures too:

Here is Jordan with his companion Elder Rogers