Monday, December 16, 2013

What a week....

Wow.... Where do I even begin with this week?

It was super crazy and super stressful and all of the above. Thursday morning, the very first day with my new companion (which happened to be the very first day of her mission here in Honduras), I received a phone call from a missionary who was having really bad stomach pains. From the sound of her voice she was not doing so well. I gave her my usual counsel, told her to rest, drink lots of fluids, and the works. A few hours later she called again. It was getting a lot worse and I could tell by the sound of her voice that she was NOT okay. We grabbed our bags as fast as we could, called our taxista friend, and headed to pick her up at her house to head to the emergency room. When we got to her house she was super weak, struggling to stand up straight and in a lot of pain. We went to the closest hospital to us - luckily it was a good one! This began a weekend full of lots of tests, doctors, nurses, pokes and prods as they tried to determine what was causing her pain. As the nurse, I stayed with her for the two days that she was there. First they thought it was kidney stones, then they thought it was appendicitis (although is wasn´t the typical symptoms of appendicitis), and then finally determined towards the end that it was just a really bad case of an intestinal infection. With me being in the hospital with Hermana M, my companion experienced lots of exchanges! First she went with Hermana C to San Juan, then with Hermana L to work in our area, and then back with Hermana C. Being cooped up in a hospital for 2 days with someone means getting to know them really well. I´m so grateful for the time that I was able to spend with Hermana M, I learned a lot from her example. It was a unique experience - sharing the gospel with nurses was a highlight :) There really aren´t words to describe the experience that I had with Hermana M. I´m really grateful to be the nurse of this mission. Though it´s hard to juggle the two, I wouldn´t have it any other way. I love the opportunity I have to use my skills to serve others, and I am learning soo much every opportunity that I get to do so. I´m learning just how much Heavenly Father is in control and how much he watches out for us. 

This week, more than any other week, I´ve learned just how imperfect I am. I´d have to say it´s been one of the most humbling weeks of my life. I learned that it´s okay not to be okay. That it´s okay to cry. It´s okay to get stressed and it´s okay to not have all the answers. I think it´s in my nature to try and hide how I´m feeling, but keeping things bottled up is not the answer! Because eventually it´s all going to come spilling over.... haha. I had a few personal breakdowns - one in an empty waiting room as hermana morales was getting a ct scan, another on the phone with my mission president, etc.... I learned that in the moments in which we feel the most alone, that´s when Heavenly Father is right there with us, waiting to give us a little reminder to trust Him - that everything is going to work out the way it needs to. I learned how much He blesses us through those around us. Someone to give you a hug, someone to run and get a copy of the keys that you somehow lost en route to the hospital, someone to sneak in the hospital late at night to bring you dinner because you didn´t get to eat much all day, someone who is willing to sift through garbage to try and find a miniature harddrive that you lost, someone to tell you not to worry, that you´re doing a good job. I´m grateful for my companion who is so patient! I can´t imagine how crazy this week must have been for her, considering it was her first moments of the mission. But I guess this means that from here on out we can take whatever comes our way.... haha 

Yesterday I got the opportunity to play the piano for the stake christmas chorus. They asked for my help last Sunday, and with the week I had I was unable to practice, but somehow it all worked out! I was able to play just fine for all the ward choirs and the missionaries. The primary sang as well. We had a member playing the flute with me as well with someone using the traingle as well as the twinkly bell sounding thingies (i can´t remember what they are called...). It´s amazing just how much music can fill the soul and make everything seem all better. It felt so good to play and the spirit of Christmas was strong. I´m grateful for the talents that Heavenly Father has blessed me with, especially being able to play the piano!
Things are a little rough with investigators in our area, so the next coming weeks we will be focusing our efforts on finding new people to teach. Time to get creative!
I love you all - I hope you are all enjoying the holiday season and that you have an opportunity to serve those around you. Sending lots of love from here in Honduras :)        
I can´t believe that next week is Christmas!! When did that happen?

Merry Christmas to all!!
Hermana Bennett

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