Jan 17: A change in pace

The climax of my mission so far: I took my first warm shower since leaving the MTC. Frankly, it was disappointment because I felt hot and sticky after. I guess they just don’t need it here. Besides this there is more so I will explain.

The story really started after getting of the shuttle last week from district meeting on Tuesday. As soon as we dismounted, the former 13-year-old girlfriend of Asher came running up to us, and began speaking to my companion. Because I had missed the first part, I did not bother listening into the rest, but the conversation seems serious so I asked Elder Batosin after. Asher, the 17-year-old son of the recent convert family Garano, has just died earlier that day because of heart problems. He has been having this problem for a couple of weeks now so the doctor told him not to do anything active. We told him to come to church so he could be baptized. Although he did not follow either of our council, he was facing the right direction when he die; towards repentance and baptism. God will be just and merciful.

Naturally, it was a bit of a blow. We when and talked to Pres. Bayaras, our branch president, for and bit. He joked with us I guess trying to cheer us up. We talked about the last conversation we had with someone that died. For Asher, this last conversation coincided of a priesthood blessing of comfort, and the admonition to try to come to church anyway in spite of the pain. We found the father, who is preparing for baptism, quite drunk on our way home and then visited the wake also. I guess I never have seen a lifeless body of someone that I so recently talked to because it was a bit weird. Fortunately, the spirit comforted my soul and I do not find it hard to imagine Asher becoming a missionary after his proxy work is done.

The next day was P-Day where we studied, talked, shopped, I wrote in my journal, and then when out early as we normally do here in Roxas. We have many investigators, maybe to many to keep up on all of them, so the next day was looking pretty busy, Thursday. However, it proved to not go as planned.

We awoke as usual in the morning, and my companion was going pretty slow. His stomach was bothering him. So maybe somewhat insensitively, I just continued getting ready doing what I needed to start the day. I did council him to rest if he needs to now, rather than pushing himself and feeling horrible all day. He tried to rest in between his trips to the bathroom the vomit. I study and felt it wise to at least text the zone leader to say he was vomiting so we may go work later that day if he feels better. The zone leader replied and asked if Batosin was well enough to travel. I understood this to mean reach the hospital. I figured I should get my companions permission so it was not like I was going behind his back. We just thought it was food poisoning so my companion was not in favor of informing the zone leader (which I had already done), but I felt confidence swell inside as I told him that it is wise to inform our leaders if even to keep them undated. He consented and I told Elder Bondad, our zone leader who was in Manila for zone leader conference, that he was well enough to travel, but only vomiting. The next text surprised me more because he told me to contact the Worleys, senior couple in Puerto, and take him down to the hospital. I told him that it may just be food poisoning, so his advice was for me to decide but to not be afraid to take him to the hospital. I studied a bit more, took at nap, ate a bit, and then at about three my companion got the chills. Someone mention Malaria earlier that day so now that it was more than just vomiting and a stomach ache, I began to worry. I began thinking of the blessing I received as I was sent apart as a missionary. I was told that I should heed the promptings of the Holy Ghost as I will be able to make wise decisions for the safety of my companionship. I knelt and took it before the Lord and felt an out pouring of love for my companion and his safety, and also that I should heed the advice of my leader. I arose and began to make the necessary preparations to take my companion to the hospital. Ask I gave him a blessing, I again felt the power of the spirit and my companion later told me that excluding the stomach and head ache, he did not vomit or fever until we completed our long trip to Puerto.

I had been praying for my companion a lot of the time and that blessing was answered. We arrived without any problem. When we got there and my companion was being check for Malaria and other problems. They took him to the bathroom to get a urine sample and apparently left him there. I was telling the Worleys the story when I hear my companion fairly cry out, “Elder”. I quickly rounded the corner to find him stagger into my arms still managing to told to his sample. The doctor also made it to help as he fainted. He got the chills again and that night we tried to sleep in a room with three other old sick people.

Long story short: my companion had acute appendicitis which normally is not green so we were truly bless that we found it in time. I spent the next couple days in Puerto with him and then Saturday night found out that Elder Lopez would be my new companion. So we left early Sunday morning with the Worleys to make it before church. Although we were absent for the last couple days the spirit was not and we still had about eight people come to church.

The story could go longer, needless to say we were extremely blessed and I now feel the weight of extra responsibility again which is good because it encourages growth. I have never been so grateful for your prayer as I really feel them working in my behalf.