Typhoid or Malaria?

by mom

The blog is Kevin's deal but I just had to chime in on this one. Apparently Alex was quite sick last week when he emailed us but there is a separate email for dad with all upsetting information that must be kept from mom. I can't say I'm not grateful. What you don't know can't hurt you or cause you to bust a vein from worry. I think that's how the saying goes....

Since he is all better now, he decided to come clean on what went on:

Here is how my week was. Well. Monday night was.. well... hell. Yup. One of the worst nights ever. (up there with appendix about to burst and coughing till I throw up for hours and hours) I got home from emailing last week (already feeling crappy and well I just passed out on my bed onto of everything that was spread out from the packages. I had a nasty fever. I spent half the night with the fan full blast (as it always is), then the other half of the night was spent with the fan off and me shivering wrapped up in my sheet with the chills. Then you add running to the b-room (with runny tummy) every hour to hour and a half. I didn’t throw up and didn’t have body aches or a headache so I didn’t think it was malaria but it was no fun. I was HATING it. stunk. So morning time I called sister Sabey (our missionary mom) Elder Bahme suggested it. (I thought I would be better off calling my real mother but I guess that’s not allowed) so she said she wasn’t sure what I had but told me it would be best to be on the malaria meds. So I did. I explained that I took some Cipro antibiotics I brought from home for bad runny tummy and she said, Good, that covers typhoid. So I was taking both of those night and morning for 3 days. It was NOT fun. If that was malaria, trust me when I say be very grateful you are not at risk of it. If that wasn’t it, then I guess you are in for a REAL treat when I do get it.

So those of you who were mocking me for sending a pharmacy to Africa with my missionary, take it back!

Alex Still spent the week working. He had another baptism, many teaching opportunities and an incredible moment to share:

Yesterday was Rockson's baptism. It was so so sweet. He was working so we couldn’t do it on Tues so we did it after church. Another awesome day

This week we went to see Ebenezer. This was a guy who stopped us on the streets a while back and we gave a pamphlet (no biggie). He told us around where he stayed and we tried to find him a while back but never could. After some work, a member located this guy and took us to him. We opened and asked him to tell us about himself. He told small stuff then said religious-wise he had been to this church and that church and even Jehovah’s Witness for some time but said he knew none of them were true. He said he would give God another shot so he decided to stop us and ask. (BOO YA!!! love hearing stuff like that. he actually cares.) So we asked him about the pamphlet we gave him, about what he read and what he remembers. With the pamphlet closed he told us page for page what he read about the restoration and about how he can tell that THIS is the time of the apostasy and such. (BOO YA AGAIN!) He’s smart and cares and understands, so we then talked about God and the promise pattern and I read to him how God loves us so much and read from John 3:16 and really explained that to him and changed "world" to his name. After we asked him if he had any questions...

Well with glassy eyes he said that he has no questions. That right now he has SOMETHING in him that makes him want to cry. (Wow right?? trust me we felt that SOMETHING we know as the spirit) he then continued to thank us for finding him and how grateful he was for us. Wow was that a sweeet experience. :)

One of the best lessons taught yet.

Here's the part that makes me so proud that I don't even care that I'm bragging. Even after typhoid, malaria, or who knows what nasty African sickness he had most of the week, he loves his mission enough to write this:

I have done a lot of sweet things in my life. Had a lot of memories of being as happy as can be. Take all those, all the vacations, all the greens hit and golf played, all the amazing jazz games I've been too... (Jazz vs. warriors game 5, 6th row center with momma ). Take all of those and I wouldn't trade a single one for that night sitting with Ebenezer, hearing him thank us for finding him and seeing him touched by the spirit as he told us he wanted to cry he was so happy. THAT is what makes all the hard work worth it. LIFE CHANGING.

Love you all so very much. you’re in my prayers.

xoxox

elder darrow