June 10, 2013 Dengue Fever week

Hello friends and family!  It's Sister Bean again!  Well, another week has gone by, and it has felt like the slowest, laziest week of my mission thus far, BECAUSE my poor munchkin-sized companion, Sister Flores, caught dengue fever Sunday, and we haven't been able to work ALL week.  It was hard to tell the District leader, ALL our numbers were zero.  :(  Here's more detail about each day.

Mon. June 3:  After many hours at Bishop's house, with Hna Flores at 100.3 degrees, we hurried over to Kmart to buy whatever food we could get quickly. I had time to grab 3 new shirts that cost $16 each. :)  Color, style, and fit are perfect and they make me happy.  Haha The thing is my clothes are getting too big, and not very presentable to wear.  And the missionary handbook says, wear clothes not too tight and not too loose.  I'm practically wearing tents, so I'm VERY happy with these 3 great shirts!  And they're MODEST!  uh huh!  : )

Tues. June 4:   It was a slow morning, but we got through our Weekly Planning, up until Sister Flores threw up and stumbled back into bed.  She's really SICK –very weak. :(    I then had hours and hours to organize my study desk and read and write.  Sis Flores kept throwing up, almost every hour.  So I called the mission nurse, Sister Visker, and she gave me instructions.  We were told not to go to our Ward Council meeting, so I had to write all of our information in Spanish, and complete our weekly form.  WHEW!  The Elders then came over to our apartment, and visited me in the drive way. We talked about Sis. Flores's condition, and they delivered the weekly mail (THANK YOU MOM FOR THE PICTURES, AND MELISSA FOR YOUR LETTER!), and discussed this week's up-coming interviews with Pres. Alvarado.  

Wed. June 5:  Hna. Flores seemed to be getting worse, so I called Sister Visker, and through her authorization, we were allowed to drive the 2.5 hour drive up to Guaynabo (her house) that very moment, without the Elders.  So we packed, I prepared our food, and closing down the house. We drove straight to Sister Visker's house with no problems in just about 2 hours.  :)  I felt like an ambulance! :)  Sis. Visker whisked Sis. Flores into bed and started serious medication.  The rest of the day was relaxed and easy (for me), with visits from other sister missionaries, and long hours of study.  

President Jorge Alvarado

Thurs. June 6:  We got to the office, and from 7am till 5pm, we were in Bayamon, reviewing basic missionary info and learning how to better ourselves as servants of the Lord.  During this time, Pres. Alvarado took each person, and had an interview with everyone, for only 10 minutes. This day was our last interview with President Alvarado.  I anxiously waited my turn, and prepared a novel of a thank you card to him, with my missionary picture.  Soon, around 3:15pm, AP Elder Peacock (everyone says we look alike), escorted me to President's office.  The 10 minutes whizzed by.  I couldn't believe it.  It was strange, yet spiritual, and emotional.  He talked, I listened, I smiled, we cried, and then he opened the door, shook my hand, I gave him my card, and that was that.  It wasn't what I expected.  But it was what it was.  :(  That evening back at Sister Visker's house, I had many questions and Sister Visker answered them with such simplicity and logical faith.  The day was good.

Fri. June 7:   I was spent the whole day in Sister Visker's house staying with my sickie companion, Hna. Flores. I feel so sorry for her. :/  I read and studied and wrote and ate.  That was it.  I also watched some Church videos.  Sister Visker let me watch "17Miracles," and may I just say:  a mission is NOT hard compared to what the pioneers went through traveling with handcarts.  WOW.  Anyway, that was my day.  No work.  Just study and a little media.  Feeling sluggish, and kinda stuck.  

Sat. June 8:  We had planned to leave for Mayaguez at 10am, but Sis. Flores threw up again and her body can't hold down any food, or even handle any movement, besides resting in bed. Dengue is a VERY sensitive disease, and the effects of it can last from a month, to 3 months.  It can kill, and there's NOTHING like it in the states.  And it's ALL from an infected mosquito.  It's horrific.  I'm terrified of getting it.  Those mosquitoes are out during the day.  Oh gosh I hope I don't get dengue.  Sister Visker said about 1/3 of the missionaries here in Puerto Rico have gotten it.  It's nasty, nasty stuff.  
Anyway, today was just another day in the Visker house: studying, watching, reading, writing, eating, and going a little nuts (stir crazy).  But at least I am well.  

Call out to Elder David Bean- if dengue's possible in Brazil, wear OFF and pray you don't get it.  It's worse than malaria.

Sun. June 9:   Sister Visker had me go to church with Sisters Parker and Dominguez (while she stayed home with Hna Flores).  We sisters attended both the English sacrament meeting and the Spanish one.  The APs (Elders Peacock and Mello) know how worried we are about Hna. Flores, so they went over to Sister Visker's house, gave them the sacrament, and also gave Hna. Flores a blessing.  I was with the other sisters at the time, so I wasn't there.  Anyway, we eventually got back, and ate a DELISH gluten-free dinner - thanks to Sister Visker. :)  Then it was ANOTHER day with hours and hours of free-time.  Same old, same old.  Think how tired of this Hna Flores must be! 

Sis Visker: a nurse, a cook and...
she carves wood, too!

Mon. June 10:  Sister Visker and Sister Flores went to the Lab to get some blood tests done for Sis. Flores.  Sister Visker gave me a fieldtrip!!  She let me go with Sisters Parker and Dominguez to their District meeting today at 7am!  :)  It was so nice to get out of the house and know that missionary work is still going on in Puerto Rico!  Haha  It was nice to be a part of it again.  After the meeting, we drove to a LEGIT, ENORMOUS 2 story Walmart and got some food/snacks. We then cleaned the house.  I'm now emailing from Sis. Visker's laptop.  :) 

Well, that's my week.  I certainly never know how my days are going to unfold.  I don't know when we'll drive back to Mayaguez this week.  We probably will soon.  Sis. Flores is getting slowly better.  But this MONTH is going to be very, very slow.  Our schedule will basically be morning studies, sleep.  Lunch, sleep.  Go out to give one lesson.  Back to the house to sleep/rest.  Maybe give a second  lesson, then back to the house for the rest of the afternoon.  That's what Sis. Visker says we have to do.  If we push Sis. Flores too hard, then she'll take longer to recover or even get worse, rather than better.  Sis. Flores doesn't like that, and isn't too patient with that thought.  Sometimes she doesn't obey when Sis. Visker isn't around.  This month may be hard, slow, long, and with little work.  I'm worried.  But it's been a HUGE blessing to have Sis. Visker to help us.  Her mission is done in 2 weeks.  She'll be back in Lehi, UT very, very soon.  So, I dunno what's going to happen after Sister Visker leaves (there's no nurse replacement).  PRAY that I don't get dengue.  It's dengue season, and that's always very, very bad.  OH and it's also hurricane season. The days are getting hotter.  :)  “FUN” stuff coming up right?  :)  Haha  ANYWAY, I'm still a missionary, trying to help my very sick (and sometimes confused) companion.  I will need to apply much patience this next month.  

I love you all, and can't wait to receive my mail for this week (I'll get it when I'm back in Mayaguez).  I LOVE YOU ALL!  HAVE A GREAT START OF YOUR SUMMER VACATION and I'll write again next week! :)  Love, Sister Emily Bean

My study desk