It has been a hard week, probably the hardest week of the mission thus far, as I learn the trials of parasites and accompanied sickness. At home I seemed to always been sick over the weekends or at some point that didn't really affect school or sports or really anything in general and so it feels as though I was sick at very convenient times. However now I don't really know if there is a convenient time to be sick on the mission, for every day I can't work it literally hurts to have to sit here knowing that I am wasting time. Time that I will never be able to get back. There seems to be a much higher burden to everything that we can or can't do here. I guess in a way this is kinda how life might be at times later on and that right here right now we are being prepared for it. I'll send pictures next week of the lab reports so you can google and learn the technical aspects of the parasites and associated symptoms, side-effects etc. We can compare notes - although my in the field study will be much more accurate. There is a saying here that I am coming to understand. "Sometimes the jungle fights back!" This applies to many things related to trials in Guatemala.
There were some higher points of the week, though when my companion and I didn't have "the sick" holding us down.
Monday was a fun Pday in a different way. I was starting to feel sick and thinking back it probably when my parasites actually started to incubate or start to grow within me but it was still a good day. We had interviews with President Ruiz in the morning and then at 5pm there was a meeting with all of the district leaders in Concepcion - but because we had had interviews in the morning with the president our Pday was extended more or less to a full Pday. But we didn't know we would have this extended time and we had appointments planned that evening. Since Elder Goodman had his meeting that meant divisions for me. I ended up grabbing Elder Vega and then saw Elder Bastian from my CCM group and noticed that he needed somewhere to go as well and we all went over to the zone leaders house. It ended up that Elder Bastian and I went together to our appointments. Here you have two giant gringos who can't speak spanish going out to teach the world it was a great night though and it was absolutely amazing to be working with on of my brothers from the CCM! Somehow, someway everything went fine and we were able to do all that we needed to do for the night without much spanish barrier.
The Sick started strong after that and from Tuesday until Friday, I was more or less confined to bed and toilet rest. There were a few exceptions of a several lessons in the mornings and the District and Zone meetings, but for the most part I was just wiped of energy and had to do all I could just to stand and walk or just do the simple stuff. What was horrible about it all was that my mind was full of energy while my body simply could not do anything. I read and read and studied.
Friday was a better day and so we tried to go and do some work. We had a cita down in Las Pilas with the Branch President. Once ready we took the drive down the long dirt road in the back of a pickup all the way to Billy's ranch. There we had a lesson that was a total blessing. We walk in with President Celso and sit down over on a pile of rocks since the guy didn't have any seats and taught him a lesson there. We start to ask him a few questions to get to know him and realized after a few that he is talking to us in english he was a little rusty but after not using it for 10 years all of us would be as well. We ended up having a really nice easy lesson that was just relaxing and oh so easy with it being in english. Once finished we felt a little bad that President Celso probably didn't understand a word but it was a great lesson and it was great that he was there! On our way back from the lesson we were having trouble catching a ride and ended up riding with some water delivery men in a semi truck. It was pretty funny, but they couldn't take us the full way given that they had to stop and go into one of the farms so we got out, but they said they would be back real soon and we could catch a ride with them the rest of the way. As we walked on up the road and and waited we saw a guard there and started to talk to him, as missionaries do so well. He ended up being one of the most positive lessons we have had in a while and he has a nice big family too. He doesn't live in our area, but I'm glad'e at least we could give him some of the answers he has been looking for about his son who is special needs and disabled.
It is a blessing in and of itself to see moments like these and I honestly hope they keep on coming whether there is rain or shine, ride or no ride, sickness or in health.
Let everyone know that outside of "the sick" I am doing fine. I am so glad I have the opportunity to serve a mission, and I love the people of Guatemala. I am so grateful for those that write or even just keep me in their prayers.
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