Clavulanico! - July 23, 2012

Dear Family and Friends,

Thank the heavens for two nostrils and drugs called Amoxcilina/Clavulanico! That´s the name of the antibiotic the on-call area doctor prescribed me last night when we determined this was no regular flu and I have a legitimately evil little sinus infection.

To summarize, this week has been a lesson in weakness, humility and patience. It was truly humbling to feel so sick and at the same time so helpless to heal. I am generally a very healthy person (for which I am extremely grateful), so I am used to battling little colds and bugs with lots of orange juice, vitamin c, a little ibuprofen, a little rest--and chao! Healed! 3 or 4 days TOPS! On day 5 when I was still sick, and not even seeming to get a little better (and even possibly getting worse) I started feeling a bit discouraged. I received a priesthood blessing and was told that my body would be able to recover (yes!) and that it would only require a little time, rest and patience (nooooo!). It was funny how much I wanted to hear "You Shall Be HEALED!" and then I was told "time. rest. patience." but that´s just how life works and how God works with us sometimes. So I started praying for patience rather than healing and then last night (9 days in!) we finally figured out what was really going on with my body and with these new meds I can already feel myself healing. Finally! I am on the mend. I can breathe again! Sometimes even out of both nostrils!

The biggest blessing through it all, though, has been my companion. Hermana Griffeth has been a miracle companion. I seriously love her and am so grateful for her. She brought me fresh juice and hot homemade lemon tea, made me meals, loaned me medicines (I tried lots of stuff...), cleaned the house while I slept, woke up with me on many occasions in the middle of the night to my coughing/sniffling and went to get me things and even sometimes even stayed awake with me for a while just so I didn´t have to feel so miserable and sick and alone at 3 AM. On Wednesday she came into the room and grabbed my laundry basket and asked "are these all your dirty clothes?" and I said "Yeah, um, wait, what are you doing?" and she said "I'm washing clothes." Just like that, as if it were nothing (please note we do not have a washer or a dryer or anyone in the ward who does our clothes, so washing clothes can be a 3-4 hour long grueling process) and I actually started crying because I felt so grateful and I sort of pathetically whimpered (keep in mind that my voice is shot) "Noooo, Hermana! How will I ever repay you? How will I ever repay you?"

So that is a good summary of my week. But sick or no, we had a baptism to plan this weekend and no flu/monster-sinus-infection was going to stop us! So, although we did not accomplish much else, I managed to put on a skirt, drug myself up and drag myself outside in the cold several times so we could visit Maria and Silvana and finish teaching them all the lessons and prepare them for their baptism. As a last little tender mercy, we decided a few days before to combine baptisms with our zone leaders and do it all over in their chapel. Maria and Silvana have an aunt who attends the other ward and she wanted to go to both baptisms anyway and we didn´t have a lot of time to put together the baptismal service, plus we had to travel to Resistencia the day before for Hermana Griffeth´s visa and we didn´t know when we´d have time to fill the baptismal font (5 hour long process), and, as has been previously mentioned (probably over-mentioned), I was very sick, so it was definitely a blessing to just combine baptisms and let the elders plan everything (side-note: love them to death, but their planning involved asking me right before the service to give a talk about the Holy Ghost).

In spite of all of this, the baptism was lovely. Truly beautiful. How could it not be? The water was cold and a kind of murky green (we aren´t sure why...), but the girls acted like they didn´t even notice! In fact Silvana said something like: "the water was cold, but I didn´t feel cold! I had faith!" I loved that. Maria didn´t talk much (she is a little quieter) but she came out of the font with the biggest smile plastered all over her face. It was precious. On Sunday I dragged myself out of bed in time to go and watch their confirmations. Very special.

And now I am here, writing to you.

I am including a few pictures to close. One to show how pathetic I looked while I was sick in bed. But I still tried to keep smiling...

A few others to show the sweet corn-rows that Hna Griffeth gave me one day when I was sick. We had joked about doing them before and this week we figured was our big chance since we weren´t going out much. I think they suit me, don´t you?

Last, and most importantly, the baptism! Lovely day.

I love you all. Thank you for your prayers, letters and support.

Love, Hermana Parker