A few words from Mom- Last week Jamie's letter said there was a "bug" going around and that she wasn't feeling well. Apparently the "bug" was a mosquito carrying the virus "Dengue" and she got infected. It's tough to be so far away when your daughter is so ill but we know that the Lord has been watching over her and has surrounded her with people to care for her. Knowing Jamie, she won't be down too long. She is too anxious to continue the work she went there to do! We are confident that she will recover fully but we would appreciate you keeping her in your prayers. Bobbie Brittner
Dear Mom, Dad, Sisters, Family and Friends-
Another week has passed by and I can hardly believe it. I have been debating on whether I should tell you this, but I have been sick with Dengue. I figured I would tell you because I am doing a ton better now and you don’t have very much reason to worry anymore. The good news is I don’t have a parasite! So that’s it. I am sick with Dengue- which is an illness you get from mosquitoes and they are having an epidemic of it here. Basically what happens is you get a high fever, severe body aches and nausea, lose your appetite and spend the next 1-2 weeks in bed sleeping and recovering from being sick. You also get an itchy red rash. Welcome to Paraguay! Haha. I am so Paraguayan I even get their illnesses.
Mom, PLEASE do not worry about me. I am well taken care of here. I have been sick for about 11 days now. I am doing better now and hopefully by the end of this week I will be out working and get all of my energy back. The remedy was to drink 3 liters of fluids everyday and sleep a lot. I don’t know what it is with me and getting sick at the beginning of important life events. Apparently I am the 8th missionary either this month or this year to get Dengue- I’m not sure which and now that I have had it, my body is immune from it for a while. I don’t know how I got so lucky as to get it. Haha. I wore bug spray and took all the precautions...but it always makes you appreciate your health a whole lot more when you don’t have it!
The night I got sick the elders came over and gave me a Priesthood blessing and I knew I would be okay- promising a swift recovery and strength to fulfill my calling. The nurses, Presidente and Hermana Madariaga (my mission president and wife) have been great. They even had me stay over at their house one night and use the internet and watch movies (Mr. Krueger’s Christmas!) and the housekeeper made us food. The members from the branch have visited and brought over food and my companion has been like an angel, always taking care of me. As missionaries, my companion can’t leave, unless somehow she went on splits so she has just been hanging around the house and she is almost done reading “Jesus the Christ” now, an 800 page book. There isn’t much to do when you are sick as a missionary. I have read a lot of Ensigns and Liahonas and written a lot of letters. I am just grateful for all of the help I have gotten while I have been sick and for all the support of the branch and support from the missionaries and mission president.
We all have trials on our mission and I guess this was just one of mine. I am so glad it’s almost over! I hope that the President allows Hermana Astle and me to stay in Kokuere so we can continue working with our investigators because we haven’t been able to work at all since I have gotten sick. We have a lot to do!
If you want, you can send me a get well package but it will take 4 weeks to get here! Haha. I am in good spirits and I am doing fine. I am taking it easy and not overdoing it. I know that you will worry Mom, but please don’t. I just appreciate your prayers and support. I can’t wait until we talk about Dengue in my public health classes at BYU because I am going to stand up as a first-hand witness and say, “I got that on my mission in Paraguay!” This is one of those really good mission stories you like to brag about and talk about after it happens but you don’t actually want to live through it. Haha.
Mom, I was thinking about what you wrote about Elder Russell M. Nelson’s talk at Stake Conference about baptisms, and the question: how many other baptisms has your baptism resulted in? I’ve come to the conclusion that it is impossible to see where the influence of ONE righteous life begins and where it ends. Because every righteous life influences SO many people. I think of all the EFY kids I taught, of all the primary kids you have had an influence over, of all the callings one holds, of all the talks one gives...and there is no saying how we may have influenced someone’s testimony. And then they go on to serve a mission, etc., and it goes on and on. It’s amazing- the gospel in action. You just never know. Just think of all the people who have influenced your life for good and they don’t even know the full impact they have had. Of course, our influence in the family is the most powerful because those are the people who are most near and dear to us. That is why it’s so important to live what you believe because people are always watching and they can know through our example and actions our testimony of the Savior.
Christ lives and He can heal us of whatever infirmities, illnesses, sadness, depression, anything. I know this to be true!
Alma 7:11-12
“And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptation of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and sicknesses of his people.
And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.”
Much Love,
Hermana Brittner
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