This week was supposed to be quiet. It was mostly quiet for me, but not for Stewart. With very few baptisms because of General Conference this weekend, we had a quiet Saturday and were about to begin watching the second session when he got a call from a sister who reported her companion was missing! Having just taught ten days ago at zone conference that you never leave your companion, she explained to Dad that they had an argument and her companion left and took the key to their apartment and she had no idea where she was. Her companion tried to take the phone, too, but the reporting sister, who is a big Tongan with very large, strong hands, hadn't given it up. To make a long, dramatic, and sad story short, the zone leaders found her at the church but she refused to return to the apartment until Dad threatened to send her home. He was about to leave the mission home to make the 1.5-2 hour drive (now dark) when the amazing STL's called and said they were there. The sisters counseled together and returned to the STL's apartment for the night. This morning Dad left early and picked them up, returned them to their apartment and counseled them to repent and repair their relationship. This is the ultra-short version, and when he left a few hours ago they agreed to do it. It will take a miracle, but it's possible -- the end of the transfer is only two weeks away.
A sweet Filipino missionary who just completed his training has been to the ER with "belly pain" in the past, and when the pain returned after moving his suitcases three weeks ago, he revealed that he's had a hernia since he was 12. It started to get better after a couple of weeks, then he played basketball Monday (note: basketball is an extremely dangerous sport here) and the pain returned, worse than ever. Since the condition is pre-existing, he would have to return home for a surgery he could not afford as his parents are both dead. Fortunately, a generous member offered to pay for his surgery and he went into the hospital Thursday, had the surgery Friday, and after waiting for him all night and all day, Dad took him to MRC (Mission Recovery Center) at the MTC to stay for a few days until he can return to work. He also took another missionary to meet his stake president at the temple, who is taking him home to be treated for mental health issues. And last weekend one of our trainees "sprained" her ankle, which turned out to actually be fractured. With serious surgery, six weeks in a cast and 3-6 months of rehab before her, she returned yesterday to Texas until she is strong enough to do missionary work here. Only the assistants drive a car--all other young missionaries are on foot and the roads are treacherous. Our subdivision has the more sidewalks than the rest of the mission combined.
We also have an elder with a boil on his buttock, one with a very sore hand (small fracture in wrist), a sister who may have irritable bowel (CT scan results tomorrow), a sister with a fever and yellow eyes, two sisters with serious sinus infections, an elder with a painful lump in his chest, and a couple with fevers who are throwing up. And our nurse is leaving in less than sixty days! There is an older couple (mid-70's) from Canada who are applying to come--we hope they pass their medical exams and get approved quickly!
But I'm counting my blessings. In a very poor area of the mission, Tonsuya, Dad interviewed a sister for baptism who's attended church for a year but has a hard time paying tithing. Her husband had a stroke and can't work, her son is losing his eye in an operation this week, and she supports all her four children. I hope she feels the Lord's blessing as she makes this step of great faith. And I'm thankful for my problems.
Saturday night after the Womens Session I got the kindest, most thoughtful text from a couple of sister missionaries, thanking me for my nurturing care, etc. It was so sweet I showed it to Dad. He was touched, too. This morning our mission nurse sent me an email with a copy of a thoughtful text she received from the same sisters, telling me how their gratitude touched her. It was the exact same text! Dad and I laughed so hard!
We had a huge Mission Leadership Conference with the district leaders in addition to ZLS AND STLS. We always have pizza for MLC because the missionaries really love it. And it's easy. Tonight we fed ten missionaries at the mission home. I'm always a little worried if the Filipinos will like the food I make. I was particularly concerned about an elder who catches snakes and frogs to eat at home. He had two giant servings of Hawaiin Haystacks (tastes like frog!)
We listened to general conference during the week and watched it this weekend. I loved it. One of my favorite quotes is from President Nelson:
Every woman is a mother by virtue of her eternal divine destiny.
Another from Joseph Smith via Elder Gay:
“While one portion of the human race is judging and condemning the other without mercy, the Great Parent of the universe looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard,” for “His love [is] unfathomable.”
I want to be more like the Great Parent.
Love,
Mom
Mostly same missionaries came to dinner today--they only live an hour away (which is very close)
Missionaries at district meeting
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