Appendicitis

Well… this was probably one of the weirdest weeks of my life. The week started out like every other week, but Wednesday night Elder Vèlez (one of the Elders in my ward) got super sick. And every day he got worse. Friday morning after our zone meeting, we went on transfers and I was with him. We got to the house and he had a fever of 104 and was forgetting the past week. I had to sign him in to the hospital, spending the night, to find out after 10 billion tests, that he needed his appendix out. So all this week I have either been taking shifts at the hospital, on the phone with the president's wife, or in other areas in Potosí. I spent the week outside my area working in other areas. I am just super exhausted of all the transfers and trips to the hospital. I hope that this week I can actually work in my area. This Sunday was a nice break to be in my area, and to teach those in my area. Talking with the Zone Leaders, it sounds like I could be in a different area tonight. Hahaha. Elder Vèlez is recovering really fast from his surgery, we are all praying that he can get out of the hospital and feel better. Sé que a veces la vida es difícil, pero con la fuerza del señor todos los cosas son posible. Tenemos pruebas pero la vida no es a vivir triste. Estamos aquí en la tierra para vivir feliz. Cuando tenemos pruebas en la vida podemos escoger a vivir feliz o no. Felicidad viene por medio de Jesucristo y por la obediencia de sus mandamientos, específicamente estos dos; Amáis su dios con todo su corazón y todo su mente, y el segundo; amáis so prójimo como su mismo. Si hay algo que he aprendido hasta esta punto es esta. Les quiero, y deseo que pueden encontrar esta felicidad que he encontrado.

(I know that at times life is difficult, but with the strength of the Lord all things are possible. We have trials but life is not meant to live sadly. We are here on earth to live happily. When we have trials in life we can choose to live happily or not. Happiness comes through Jesus Christ and by obedience to His commandments, specifically these two: To love God with all of your heart and all of your mind, and the second: To love your neighbor as yourself. If there is anything I have learned to this point it is this. I love you and desire that you can all find the happiness that I have found.)

(Dad edit: This following is from an email Nathan sent to Grace, his sister, this same day. Grace served her mission in Chile with the Elder he mentions below)

Guess who I just met:

We were going to our zone meeting this last Friday and five minutes there, an Elder walked in who nobody knew. I started to talk to him and found out that he was just getting home from his mission. Come to find out he not only served in your mission, but he served with you. And now he is in my ward. His name is Elder Alleluia.

(Dad edit: Grace does know Elder Alleluia, and had spoken of him and his unique last name (Hallelujah) and matching cheerful personality. It really is a small world so often in the Church!)

I hope you all have a wonderful week, Your friendly neighborhood Elder Heaps