When the Weather Outside is Frightful

This past week has definitely been one for the books.  In one word... 

 

Usedamacheteanddidsomeservicevisittothehospitalwhatanexperienceweateagallonofice

creamtocelebratethanksgivingthezoneleaderwasjumpedforthesecondtimeinaweeksotheyareclosingtheirareaandgivingthemour´ssomycompanionandiarebothleavingtomorrow.

 

...Did you get all that?

 

Well, I´ll explain it in more than one breath I guess.

 

Tuesday morning, we did service for the elderly sister that lives across the street from us.  Sister Cordaba is a saint.  She makes us food ALL of the time and even will wash a little of our clothes for us.  Anyways, so she gave us two machetes and set us to work cutting and trimming things in her backyard. (-- I might add that machetes are very fun.  They definitely satisfy a man´s needs for power tools for two years).  Immediately, I remembered the movie ¨The Other Side of Heaven¨ and how the guy cut himself and got lockjaw and then died.  I decided to be careful, Mom.  

 

Well, I have some good news and some bad news.  I didn´t cut myself with the machete -- the bad news -- my finger found a piece of metal (very rusty I might add) in the middle of the objects I had been cutting.  Wonderful.  After calling Sister Heyman, we left for the Public Hospital.  When we entered the facility, I realized that I didn´t have my documents or anything.  And what did the hospital do about it me not having anything --- nothing.  What fun!  They then showed me to a room.  Before I knew what was happening, the nurse was stabbing me with some needle to prep my finger for stitches.  The doctor conveniently took that time to tell me my prescriptions.  (I definitely didn´t get a word of what he said.)  I think 2.5 minutes had elapsed from the time that we walked into the door of the hospital to when the second stitch was completed.  How´s that for service??  But, I think it´s a jinx, because my blood pressure was low so they had my companion escort me to a local room to lay down; I felt fine, but who would deny a free bed?  I thought all was fine and dandy until I figured out that I had to get a shot...if only I had had a brown bag for that panic attack..  But other than that,  the experience was rather lovely.  I felt very comfortable with everything -- including the 1940s, World War 2, decor.  What´s a real mission without a trip to the hospital?

 

Thanksgiving?  A lot of people are aware of it here, but nobody celebrates it.  So... We celebrated with a gallon of ice cream.  It was glorious.

 

Our Zone Leader, Elder Montanares, was doing divisions this week when somebody attempted to jump them.  This makes two times for them in one week.  The result? -- They are closing their area for the time being and giving them ours.  Meaning, my companion and I are leaving at the same time...for the second time in the mission.  Knowing that you are going to leave for several days is awful.  Saying ¨Goodbyes¨ are horrible, I tell ya.  My email next week will be from a different area.  Some elders go an entire mission in just three areas.  I will be in mine after just 4 and half months!

 

Well, like 4 Nephi says, ¨and there were no manner of -ites.¨  The Church was completely unified.  Let´s be unified.  And where does it start? --with ourselves, personally.  We can´t change others, just ourselves.

 

Love you all!

 

Elder McMurray

 

ps Dad, we received 10 Brazilian hot dogs in a package, but only a package of 6 buns.  Some Hot Shot that was...