I, Who Never Fall Ill, Succumbed

So here we are - only two more weeks left in this transfer. How can it be almost time for transfers again?? 

Well I know that time feels like it flew by especially fast this week - mostly because I slept for most of the week!

Yes friends, I, who never ever fall ill, succumbed to such a fate. 

Last Monday I started to feel a little under the weather as our preparation day ended and we went to begin our evening work. In our church when you aren't feeling well you can ask for a blessing - two Priesthood holders will anoint your head with oil and bless you to recover. There have been incredible miracles recorded with this Priesthood power over the years - many times people that have been knocking on deaths door were restored to perfect health in an instant. Until I became a missionary I have never needed a healing blessing because in the last 6 years I have only ever had a cold for a few days at a time and then recovered fully. 

But on Monday evening, even though it didn't feel like much more than a cold, I kept having the thought that I should ask for a blessing. Sister Haddock supported me and we asked the Elders (the boy missionaries) to come over that night. 

It was a good thing they did - I don't even want to think how sick I would have gotten if they HADN'T given me a blessing! 

In the blessing they told me that I would be restored to full health "after a few days of rest and plenty of fluids." Sister Haddock and I both noticed that bit of the blessing. Cool, so a little rest, a little fluids, and I'll be fine, right?

On Tuesday she let me sleep in - I think I rose around 9 and attempted to participate in a telephone conference with the senior missionaries serving in our stake. By the end of it I was exhausted - even though I was laying on the couch - and took some Tylenol and went back to sleep. Tuesday was the worst day. I had chills so bad that even with 5 blankets stacked on top of me I was freezing. Sister Haddock kept asking me if she could take my temperature, but I stubbornly refused saying, "No! I don't have a fever! I'm just a little under the weather..." Ha! Finally at some point that afternoon I agreed to her request, and my temperature was well over 102F. I don't think I've so much as had a 99F fever in the last 10 years! I seriously never get sick. 

Sister Haddock called the mission president's wife, Sister Hansen told us to come to Salt Lake the next morning (wednesday morning) because the mission doctor would be seeing missionaries who are all sick at that time. 

So on Wednesday I forced my exhausted self out of bed and showered for the first time in a few days - which used up all of my energy. And then my wonderful companion drove us down to SLC to see the doctor. I was the last one to see him, and after a short examination he said, "It appears that you have tonsillitis." 

I actually laughed at him! Who gets TONSILLITIS? And of course my next thought was, "Do I have to have them removed?" Nope. We caught it early enough. In fact, he said, it was a REALLY good thing that I went to see the doctor THAT DAY. He put me on antibiotics immediately and sent me on my way. 

But of course, while we were having the prescription filled, we indulged in some Ben and Jerry's ice cream. Because you can't very well be diagnosed with tonsillitis and NOT get ice cream! I'm feeling MUCH much better, but have still had to remember to pace myself and not overdo it - I still feel much more tired than is absolutely necessary, but that may just be part of being a missionary. :) 

So that's it. I spent the week sleeping, and Sister Haddock spent the week watching as many church movies as she could find. So, to compensate for the lack of info, I will share some funny quotes from this week. 

We had dinner with a family who gave us curry. When I commented on the fact that I like indian food spicy better than Mexican spicy because you can still TASTE the food with Indian spicy, the dad shared a quote from a friend he had awhile ago. Apparently Brother Davis was eating something hot hot spicy and the friend tried it and then shouted, "Dangit! Pain is not a flavor!!!" 

Then yesterday we were talking about missionary work with the 8th ward missionaries. The 8th ward is a mid-singles ward (age 31-45) and the ward mission leader was going over the rules with his missionaries. He said, "A brother and a sister cannot be alone together. Unless it's a date... but a date is not missionary work." 

And then the same Bishop who I spoke about last week texted us in the middle of the week when I was super sick. He asked if there was anything that we needed. Sister Haddock responded that we had plenty of soup and popsicles and jello from other members who had brought things by (seriously, this stake was SO GOOD to me while I was ill!) And he said, "Well yes, those are all good things for your companion, but what do YOU need?" (seriously, SUCH a good man!) She responded that she was still okay and didn't need anything. And he responded with, "Well, I think I'll break the rules and bring over a DVD player and Pirates of the Carribean - nothing like a little Orlando Bloom to make you feel better!" Hahahah!!! YES! 

Yesterday in church during the announcements the counselor said, "And we will excuse Brother Rice today. He's in Kansas... receiving another award." Ha! No idea what for, but his wife is an EXTREMELY talented violin player that plays for MoTab!! 

Oh! And one last thing! We had a meeting Friday night - I was still feeling really sickly, but we went. Our high counselor over missionary work - the same that is the KSL weather man - came to the meeting in-between segments. So he was wearing his news suit AND make-up!! I lost focus of the meeting after a bit and found myself admiring the professional make-up job on this man. It was probably the funniest thing ever to me at that moment. :) 

Life was good during our preparation week. Now we hope to go forth and do some good ole missionary work! I love hearing from you all! Hope you have a great week!

Sister Tipton