Dear Mom,
So I just got
done sending Elder Smith, Littlefield, and Graff off to the mission home. I
would be lying if I said it wasn't a depressing thing to do. I have really
grown close to this guys and it really make me sad to see them leave, though
they have paid their time and have finished their course. I need to stop
becoming friends with all the older missionaries; they leave and make me feel
really sad and "trunky." :)
Well it has been quite
a week here though I really have done nothing except move from bed to bed and
sleep. Malaria is like nothing I could have ever imagined and is really a
horrible disease. It leaves your body aching and you are plagued by cold
flashes and then intense fevers. Bruce Springsteen said it well in his song
'I'm on Fire" when he said "At night I wake up with the sheets
soaking wet and a freight train running through the middle of my head.”
The headaches made sitting up nearly impossible.
The headaches made sitting up nearly impossible.
It all started last
Thursday night I had begun to feel sickish so I went to bed early. We had a
special interview in Accra for Sammy( the father of the family to be baptized.)
Friday morning. I felt like crap as we went to the mission home and when we got
home I collapsed in bed and slept until I forced myself to Bro Larbies that
night, but didn't eat. Saturday morning I felt even worse but we did the rest
of the interviews with Smith and by noon I was finished. I was really getting
sick that night, but Sunday was the baptism and I was to be the baptist for my
golden family. So I endured and went to church for all 3 hours as my condition
deteriorated.
The baptism was a
success though and I was so happy to see the entire family go into the water.
The daughter was not liking the water, but wouldn't leave the fount( her heart
was there.) So after her father and the ward coached her back in I said the
prayer and plugged her nose and kinda baptized us both. Everything else went
well and when it was done, so was
I and I suffered a horrible evening and night as the malaria really set
in.
Monday we were to roast
two pigs for Smith and Littlefield’s farewell but I could not roll over in my
bed. Calls were made and they sent me to nearby Odokro where Dr. Kissi has his
Deseret hospital. There I was tested and found positive for malaria. Since my
case was somehow severe they kept me over night and put me on an I.V. with a
nice shot to the butt. Good thing because I had a flare up Tuesday after
President Hill paid me a visit.
Tuesday evening everything
returned to normal and I spent some good time with my friend Elder Robertson,
my ZL from the UK. Wednesday Dr. Kissi's son Aaron went to Accra and brought pizza
before I was discharged. The rest of the week I really just spent sleeping and
drinking water (malaria really dehydrates you, which is why I think it can
kill.) Saturday the primary had an activity they invited us to and feed us,
just before we had ward coordination.
Sunday we were able to
confirm the Mansiah family (their last name's spelling is still a mystery to
me.) Also my ward wished me well during sacrament, which was something that I
was really grateful for. During my entire illness I had ward members and my
recent converts calling me at the hospital to check on me. I saw the love I had
given' returned back to me. I really do love these people her and I’ll cry the
day I'm transferred.
So hopefully if
everything goes as planned we will baptize 2 people on Saturday (Bree’s
birthday) and then on Sunday (your anniversary) confirm those good people. August
we will have lots of time to plan baptisms for September as we take care of
August ones earlier in the first few weeks. The work is going great here and
even in my absences people are continuing and doing their part to help. Kasoa
is a sweet place to be serving right now and as my health is restoring I can't
wait to go on out and keep it going. I'm doing really well now and lessons have
been learned from this so it shouldn't happen again. ;) I'm grateful for your
love, support and especially the prayers from home this last week and a half. I
really have felt their impact.
Restored with Love,
Elder Steven T Ray
PS- I have really been thinking on
what to send me. I have had intense urges for Italian food lately, so I don't
know what you can send me in that line. Basil? Pesto? or cheese? I have
seen some elders with like the cheese that comes with sausage holiday packages,
so if that could be sent it would be wonderful. Those Peanut-butter snickers
were golden and have a special place waiting for more! :) Also thank you for
those talks on the SD cards and missionary comics. I really enjoy Elder Marvin
J Ashton, he has a nice voice. So If you ever get time I would love another,
one with more by Spencer W Kimball and David O McKay. Oh and maybe a model
train, for display purposes.
Yeah I got both packages and I was
very grateful for both. I wonder what the oldest talks are they have on
recording....if you have the time you should see if you can get them. Spencer W
Kimball has a good one I think it’s called "Communication lines" I
really enjoyed it. I like to listen to his voice, it’s very intriguing. Also
Elder Haights and Maxwell’s final talks in 2004 and same with Elder Ashton’s
final talk. I really find these apostles interesting, how about you? Or what
are your favorites. Like I say I really like Elder's Petersen, Ashton, Tanner,
Maxwell, and Haight (strange how they passed just ten days from each other,
huh?)
Well I have got to get home now, but
we can talk about this next week, because this is the kind of stuff I really
like. President Kimball I know he said he was worried when he lost his voice
because he thought he would never dedicate a temple or talk in conference
again, well he did and later became prophet!
Well Thank you for everything and I hope you have a good week. Love you!
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