Miracles Really Do Happen!

Wow.

What a week.

I think it was Tuesday night,

Sister Castro started telling me that if this didn't get better, we

would have to start talking about maybe going home to get over it. It

wasn't anything I wasn't expecting, but it was still devastating. It

was a really rough night. She told me I could try going back to the

urgent care on Wednesday, and see if they could find any answers, but

if not, she would have to get in contact with missionary medical.

So then we go to Wednesday. I went to the urgent care with Hermana Ah

Mu, since we were on exchanges. (We have been doing a lot of those

lately, so Hermana Hardy can keep working.) Anyway, so we went, and

they ran a few more tests. They tested me for an ulcer, which

came back negative. She also explained more of my test results to me.

It is not an infection, or anything. All of my lab results from

everything came back normal. She was puzzled. You know it is not a

good sign when she says, "You should call me when you figure out what

this is, I would really love to know." Well at that point I was pretty

resigned to the fact that I was going home. The doctor told me I could

try getting an appointment with a GI specialist, but that might be a

challenge. I really thought they would send me home to get all of that

done. I talked to Sister Castro later that evening, and she told me I

could try getting an appointment, and that if I could get one by the

end of the week, then I could stay. I got off the phone with her and

just started crying. It was the most amazing thing to hear ever. I

really did not want to go home.

So then we get to Thursday morning. I called every single GI

specialist in San Louis Obispo County. None of them could get me in

before middle of July or August. At that point I gave up again. By

this point of the week I was trying to figure out how to best pack up

all of my stuff. I was in so much pain, and nothing was working, we

had no answers, and we were pretty much out of time. I talked to

Sister Castro (You starting to see a pattern yet? I don't know how she

hasn't gotten sick of me! Haha) and she said she was going to be in

meetings all day, but she was going to have Sister Truman in the

office make some phone calls. Sister Truman called me about an hour

later, and told me she had gotten me the appointment on Friday at 2:15

in Santa Barbara. I started crying on the phone with her. I have never

been part of a happier phone call. I was so resigned to going home.

She told me Sister Castro had told her that it didn't matter where the

appointment was, as long as it was in the mission, just to get me one.

I was beyond thrilled. Sister Castro had told me though that I would

still probably be going home if it was going to take time to get over.

Friday, we went to the appointment, the doctor looked at my tests, and

did some quick test things, and we found out that it is still the

mesenteric lymphadenitis. He said he didn't know why the er doctor had

told me only 3-4 days, and that he says it could easily take 3-4 weeks

to get over. I was so bummed. He gave me a prescription for Tramadol,

and got me more anti-nausea medicine, but that was about all he could

do. He said it would have been caused by a virus that I would have had

a week or two earlier, and sometimes it would do that. So the ride

home was awful, because at that point I knew I was going to have to go

home. I was a wreck. I knew I did not need to come home, but that at

this point we were out of options. I talked to Sister Castro, and she

told me that missionary medical was closed, that we had missed calling

them by like 5 minutes, so she would have to wait to call until

monday. That turned out to be my saving grace.

Saturday we had an activity that we went to. The stake had an activity

for all of the activity day age girls, and they asked us to come and

speak and teach a workshop. It was about four hours. It was good for

me, because I got a lot of time to sit down and rest in between

teaching, and was able to handle it. It was an amazing activity and I

loved it a lot.

Sunday was church, and that was all I was able to handle that day,

along with correlation, but again it was just a few hours.

Last night I talked to Sister Castro again, just so we could all be

updated before she called missionary medical today. I was kind of

stressed out. I just told her what I had done this weekend, and about

the new medicine, and how tired it makes me. Like seriously, it is

like nyquil. I don't know how I am writing this right now. I want to

pass out. But she said that that is enough. I have been eating a

little bit more, and she said as long as I can be eating a bit, and

working even a couple of hours a day, and do regular studies, than I

can stay! I am so beyond excited! I can not even tell you how happy I

am. The Lord's timing truly is perfect. If she had called me 10

minutes earlier on Friday, she would have called missionary medical,

and I would probably have been flying home today. Instead, because she

just waited a couple of days, I can stay. We will reevaluate at the

end of the transfer, but things are looking up. I am so grateful. It

isn't even funny. You don't understand. I DON'T HAVE TO COME HOME!!!!!

When I talked to Sister Castro last night, she was talking about what

a great attitude and determination I have.  Now I was never

thinking about coming home for good, but there were quite a few times

this week where I was so close to picking up the phone and telling her

to just send me home to get better, that I felt like I was wasting the

Lord's time, and that I could be a better missionary if I could just

go home for a few weeks, get better, and come back. For some reason I

never did though. Heavenly Father obviously had a different plan for

me.

Okay, so that's the week. 

All of the Leaders in the mission, mainly zone leaders, APs, and

Sister training Leaders have been praying for me this week. Sister

Castro asked them to at MLC on the first. I can feel the strength I am

getting from their prayers, and I know I wouldn't be here if it wasn't

for all of your prayers and fasting, and everyone else from back home.

I am so grateful for everyone's support and how much everyone cares.

It brings me to tears to even think about.

I know I wrote about it to Dad, but have you read the talk The

Ministry of Angels by Elder Holland? It has been my support this week.

I know that the three Hermanas I live with are my earthly angels right

now. As is Sister Castro. I would not be here without all of them. I

was also thinking a lot about Katie this week. Dawn told me it was her

birthday Friday. I have felt a lot of support from the other side of

the veil, and I would not be surprised if it is her being there to

help me through all of this. That talk has helped me realize it. It is

amazing. Read it. Also, D&C 84:88. That's your homework.

I love you lots.

Have a great week.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Court

Oh, here are two fun pictures I do have to share!

This is living outside of our apartment. This is the small one. There

is a bigger one with a huge red spot on it. It might be a black widow.

Management can't do anything about it. The zone leaders are coming up

to kill it today. Welcome to California!