¨For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.¨ Alma 34:32
Well hello again!!
Another week has passed here in Kokuere and I am still as healthy as can be, por suerte. My companion on the other hand, did not have this luck. She has been really tired and so we figured something must be wrong. We got to go to Asunción on Wednesday to see the area doctor. I love going to Asunción! It usually means letters, packages, seeing other missionaries and sometimes even Burger King! You never know how much you could love Burger King until you live in Paraguay for a few months. So we went to see Dr, Hollingsworth, who is actually from Cardston, Alberta. Go figure! So we had a little consultation, she got a few tests and they concluded that she had parasites!! How terrible. But the good news is that with a few little pills, those pinworms are now gone! Between she and I, we have had 5 trips to the hospital/clinic/doctor in the past 2 1/2 months. The cool thing is that I have been able to rub shoulders with the nurse and the doctor who are on missions here and see what they do. It makes me really want to go on a medical mission as a nurse when I am older! Or a humanitarian mission. It would be sweet. But anyhow, back to my current mission. We are both finally in good health and ready to rock and roll! For the past two changes, one of us has always been sick and so I still don’t feel like I have gotten the true mission experience of working day in and day out. But that is about to change. And I am so excited!!
So more health news. An elder in my zone got dengue again (Elder Balanzategui, who actually went to Deer Valley High School for a year- small world, right?) and had to be hospitalized for 6 days here. And now he has been reassigned to Argentina, so as to avoid the danger of getting dengue a third time, which is very, very serious. So please keep him in your prayers. Rumor has it that the problem with missionaries getting dengue is going to be reviewed by the First Presidency, as in what to do if a missionary gets dengue. Should they be reassigned somewhere else? It is kind of worrisome, because if they send missionaries who get dengue somewhere else...that would include me. But of course, that is just a rumor right now, but in the meantime, I am covering myself in bug spray every time I leave the house.
It’s got me thinking...what will I do with the time that is left? Every missionary knows that they have a time restraint- 18 months for hermanas and 2 years for elders- everyday that I am in the service of my Heavenly Father is truly a gift from him. Because nothing in this life is guaranteed. In fact, our very tomorrow isn’t even guaranteed. And so what will we do with the time that is left? My mom told me an interesting thought...that all of our days are numbered...it’s as though we each have a countdown or a timeline of our lives and we don’t ever know when it will be up. Not to sound morbid, but death is something that will come to each of us. Those are the only guarantees in life, right- death and taxes? I would like to add that the covenants we make here- baptism, the temple- those are permanent as well and the sealing power of families- that families can be together forever after this life- and these are covenants only found in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. D & C 124:93, ¨whatsoever he shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever he shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.¨ And so it makes one think...what do I want to do, what do I want to become.., as a missionary, as a person, in this period of my life? Because before we know it, this period, this stage, this time will be over. And we better have given it all we have in the time we were given. This situation of my fellow missionary was just another reminder to me to live more fully, laugh a little louder, love a little more and make the most of each day that God has given us as a gift to learn and to grow and to become more like Him.
Speaking of sealing ordinances, congrats, Leslie and Dano on your marriage!! I am SO happy for you and was thinking about you all day on Thursday...send pics soon!! And I was thinking...even though I couldn’t go to your sealing, I hope you can come to mine...but give me a few years. ;)
Con mucho amor,
Hermana Brittner
PS: I almost forgot...we found the little rat!! Por suerte, he died somewhere we could see him. We found his little tail sticking out from under our closet...he must have died on the way in. My brave companion pulled him out by the tail and we put a little RIP sign on his bag before we threw him away.
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