Austin: 11/18/2013 - This was an interesting one...

Hola Familia!!

 

Como esta la familia? Really. Every week, the gringos in my zone ask how`s my family, and everytime I just say "Normal. All they tell me is life is crazy, there`s a lot of work, and a spritual thought. So I think it`s all good!" Haha. So you guys can throw in a bit of detail if yall want. (Elder Tanner would like my choice of words. That hick)

 

So this week was interesting! Probably the most eventful week of my mission! Really, everything started on Friday. The first part of my week was important, but there was little enough stuff that I don`t need to talk about it. My pictures that I`m trying to send explain it. My birthday was good, rich members and my pensionista are the best. That`s enough said. It was a good day on the mission like usual.

 

So friday. we woke up and went and played soccer at 6 in the morning at the stake center (they`ve got a cememt field). We were playing, it was all good and fun. So I kicked the ball to Elder Giacoboni and he ran after it to head it. And he tripped on his feet and smashed into the goalpost. He just dropped to the ground, and he just looked asleep. It was pretty hilarious if we`re being honest. So we ran over to check on him, and he was bleeding in his ear. and he didn`t hit his ear. That aint a good sign. we were with the ZL`s, so we went back to their apartment because it was closest, called the offices, and they told him to come to the offices because the mission doctor was coming. So he went. The only problem was the marriage of our family was at the same time. So I went with E` Gneiting (a ZL) to the wedding. E` Giacoboni was able to get there before it started so their wasn`t a problem. The doctor told him he`s got a tiny concusion, and he needs to rest for a week. A WEEK!!! I don`t know what I`m gonna do. We`re gonna have to do divisions a lot, but that`s really hard to set up. But we`re gonna try it. 

 

So Saturday. Saturday E` Huambo (the other ZL) did a work visit with Elder Giacoboni. How that worked with his concusion, I don`t know. but it did. So I was with Elder Gneiting in his ward. It was a lot of fun. I learned a lot from him. I was actually able to give him some advice with actually helped him, which is really surprising.  Also on saturday, we had our baptism! We baptized Giulanne Mendoza! There`s now one more member of the church in el barrio Amancaes (my ward). It was a really need experience. I honestly have a bit of a mind block for the whole thing, but I remember being happy. I might have forgotten a change of clothes and a towel, so it totally looked like I wet myself, but I really couldn`t care less because I was so happy to help bring her to Christ. 

 

So Sunday. We were in church, all was good, we confirmed Giulanne, it was good. In the middle of sacrament meeting, Elder Giacoboni turned to me and said he had to leave. He went into the bathroom and almost fell because he was in so much pain. We got a couple of members (one a taxi driver with a car) and started to take him out, he was in bad shape. And as we were helping him out, he passed out. So we called the ZL`s and told them. Since we`re in the mission, you can`t do anything without permission. He needed to go to the doctor, but we needed permission. So we waited in the guys car. As we waited, he was unconsious again. The ZL`s told us to wait and that they were coming. When they got here, it was in President Erickson`s car. We took him to the doctor. It was pretty sketchy, but alright. They just said he had worked to hard and he can`t do anything for at least a week. So that`s gonna be fun. He needs to just sleep.It was cool to know that our president cares enough about his missionaries to drop whatever he`s doing to go help them. It was a stressful day, but a really powerful one. As the members that were helping us were freaking out, I was calm. I knew everything would be fine. It was a powerful reminder that the lord blesses us through our obedience and faithfulness to him. Because the peace came only after I prayed. He`s there to comfort us always. 

 

Mom - is the music for the play really hard? Because you don`t normally have trouble learning anything. Wow. Your life sounds crazy. And I totally understand now how you were/are always tired...

 

Dad - How many sets are you building? just two? I`ve always wanted to learn how to weld...

 

John - see my emails...

 

Jordan - how`s the Y?

 

Tashie - that was a pretty good one. I love your jokes so much

 

Shaylee - How`s good 'ld centerville? 

 

I know this church is true! When I teach with the spirit, I feel the promise of the Lord in D&C about how great shall be your joy. I`m so tired, I`m stressed, I`m lost, but I`m so happy. The happiness that only comes from the Lord.

 

 

Love,

 

Elder Schouten