Hola!
During my time here in Paraguay I have heard of certain diseases and infirmities that commonly plagued missionaries, and I have so far been lucky to avoid them. Unfortunately for Elder Reynolds Myers, his time as a sick-free missionary came to an end this week. On Wednesday he fell very ill, a lot of stomach pain, nausea, dizziness, migraine, and a very low fever. We were sitting in our warm apartment with the heater on and he was shivering. We told our medical coordinator, Hermana Faundez, and she told us to prepare to work online from our apartment and to buy some medicine for Elder Reynolds Myers. He improved progressively from Thursday to Friday, but on Saturday morning it was horrible. He could barely walk and get up due to his stomach being bloated and subjected to excruciating pain. He had to lay and rest in bed all day until the early evening where he finally started to feel better. Luckily he felt great on Sunday and today he only feels slight pressure in his stomach so we should be ready to get back to work outside this week!
Even though most of the week was spent inside, doing some online work and helping Elder Reynolds Myers improve his condition, we had a good time. On Tuesday we were able to visit a lot of members and contact a lot of people. It’s great to be outside and to strengthen the branch, and it was difficult to go back inside and do the work only through technology. The whole ordeal was really strange, as it left me in sort of a position where I was responsible for what happened next. If it got really bad I would have to get him to the hospital and have to inform our Zone Leaders, President Faundez, and it would be a big fiasco. Luckily it never got to that point, but it’s important to remember as a missionary that you always have to look out for your companion, and have unity so that you find, teach, and live in harmony with the Spirit.
On the subject of unity, it is important to be unified with the Lord in all things. The Lord himself said to the Prophet Joseph Smith,
“I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.”
In the world today it is easy to be separated from your brothers and sisters. Whether it be opinions, politics, personal desires, and other temporal things. It is important to remember that as saints, we have a duty to be unified in our efforts to gather Israel and be more like Christ every day. It’s not easy to avoid contention and to love those even when they are different from us, but I know that when we strive to have unity with our fellow men, we will feel the love of God in our lives and be able to have that love for others as well.
I hope you all have a good week!
Elder Watson
