I'm doing pretty well. We had a very sad experience this weekend, though. On Friday morning, we got a call asking us to come to the hospital quickly, so that we could be with a sister in the branch whose husband went into intensive care. We spent the entire day with her as her husband went through surgery and intensive care. He had an aneurism, and they had to take out a part of his skull to drain all the blood in it. After the first operation, the surgeon said the operation exceeded all their expectations- best case scenario. However, five hours later seeing him in intensive care, the only thing keeping him alive being all the machines he was hooked up to, we didn't feel all that confident anymore. He had one of those breathing tubes stuck down his throat. I remember grandpa had to have that done, and he says it is absolute torture and agony. We were able to keep this sister's spirits as high as we could, despite the possibility of losing her husband. I didn't eat anything that day except for a sandwich the nurses brought us and Taco Bell at seven at night, and it was so worth it. I can't imagine how distraught she would have been if she had had to wait there alone. At the end of our stay, the doctors told us this brother would have to be transferred to another hospital where more specialized neurological surgeons could care for him. That's never good- it means he was doing so poorly they had to get someone more skilled to take care of him.
Fast forward to Sunday, and we get word that his brain is dead, and they are waiting on his mom to disconnect the machines and let him pass out of this life. We went to take the family the sacrament, and to be there to help with the final blessing. It was SO sad to be there, and to just see how devastated his wife was. It was like she had been hit by a semi truck, as if she wasn't just emotionally devastated, but physically afflicted as well. We couldn't all fit at the head of his gurney, so we all rested our hands where we could- the branch presidency, us four missionaries, and a brother of his, to give the final blessing. Afterwards we gave a little sacrament meeting for the sisters who had been there at his side for the whole time.
Enough sad stuff, though. Mario's meeting with us again- thank goodness. He just felt overwhelmed that we were rooting for him to be baptized so soon, and he told us that he didn't actually know if Joseph Smith is a prophet, so we backed up and are going to be taking things at a little slower pace. The key is going to be getting him to read the Book of Mormon every night.
No contact with Lucy this week. She kinda vanished, again. We'll get her this next week though.
The temple was pretty good. This time was different from others, because all the other times I've gone with a question or two. This time I didn't really have any questions. It was still really good, though, because I left with the sense that the Lord is pleased with me and my work, and that He wants me to keep going, keep walking the path I'm on, take it one step at a time, and my future is bright. It was pretty good.
Time is passing super super quickly! I cannot believe that it's already almost July! Before you know it summer will be gone, and I'll be packing my bags and going home! Transfers are next week, and after
that I've only got four transfers left! Four! Four transfers is not a very long time at all! That's one more Megazone Conference, Four more Zone Conferences, 23 more District Meetings, and 24 more P days! I'm just scrambling to make sure things are getting done before they make me go home! Don't worry, dad, I'm working hard, trying to fit everything in before I have to take off the badge.
I made frosted graham crackers- and actually frosted the graham crackers this time. It was a pretty good batch- 23 sandwiches. They lasted all of two days.
Hmmm... That's pretty much it. Any questions?
Elder R Brandt Hull
Fast forward to Sunday, and we get word that his brain is dead, and they are waiting on his mom to disconnect the machines and let him pass out of this life. We went to take the family the sacrament, and to be there to help with the final blessing. It was SO sad to be there, and to just see how devastated his wife was. It was like she had been hit by a semi truck, as if she wasn't just emotionally devastated, but physically afflicted as well. We couldn't all fit at the head of his gurney, so we all rested our hands where we could- the branch presidency, us four missionaries, and a brother of his, to give the final blessing. Afterwards we gave a little sacrament meeting for the sisters who had been there at his side for the whole time.
Enough sad stuff, though. Mario's meeting with us again- thank goodness. He just felt overwhelmed that we were rooting for him to be baptized so soon, and he told us that he didn't actually know if Joseph Smith is a prophet, so we backed up and are going to be taking things at a little slower pace. The key is going to be getting him to read the Book of Mormon every night.
No contact with Lucy this week. She kinda vanished, again. We'll get her this next week though.
The temple was pretty good. This time was different from others, because all the other times I've gone with a question or two. This time I didn't really have any questions. It was still really good, though, because I left with the sense that the Lord is pleased with me and my work, and that He wants me to keep going, keep walking the path I'm on, take it one step at a time, and my future is bright. It was pretty good.
Time is passing super super quickly! I cannot believe that it's already almost July! Before you know it summer will be gone, and I'll be packing my bags and going home! Transfers are next week, and after
that I've only got four transfers left! Four! Four transfers is not a very long time at all! That's one more Megazone Conference, Four more Zone Conferences, 23 more District Meetings, and 24 more P days! I'm just scrambling to make sure things are getting done before they make me go home! Don't worry, dad, I'm working hard, trying to fit everything in before I have to take off the badge.
I made frosted graham crackers- and actually frosted the graham crackers this time. It was a pretty good batch- 23 sandwiches. They lasted all of two days.
Hmmm... That's pretty much it. Any questions?
Elder R Brandt Hull