Exchange of a Lifetime

Dearest Family, 

Who knew at the beginning of this week that I would go to the Emergency Room, to Cumbernauld, to Dundee, and to the mission home? Nobody did, that's for sure. 

No worries, I'm okay and these visits weren't for me. Explanation is below.

On Friday night, we started our exchange with the Dunfermline Sister Training Leaders. I was with Sister Cuff, and Sister Pugh and Sister Steed were together. Sister Cuff and I drove to Dunfermline and she has been pretty sick for about three months. She's had to stay in the flat loads and such. She has tonsillitis, and she has had strep throat just short of ten times in the last few months. Crazy stuff. 

In the evening, we got into bed and she seriously could not sleep. I rubbed her back and her feet and tried to help, but she was just in so much pain with her head and her tonsils and all sorts, so we tried watching a movie, but nothing was helping. Finally we called President Brown at 1:30 in the morning and he told us to go to the Emergency Room, which we promptly did. I drove the car because she was so sick (but don't tell anybody, because my license has expired here so that was really against the rules) and I felt like I was driving a pregnant lady to the hospital. It was seriously crazy. Then we got to the doctor and he basically told her that she needed to take a Paracetamol and a nap. Sometimes Scottish health care is really rubbish, or they just hate Americans. Not sure which, but it was a really terrible experience. So anyway we just went home and we got in bed by 3. Then the next morning we went to the Mission Home to speak to President Brown, and she's going to go home and get her tonsils out. She'll stay home, because she only has two months left on her mission. Sad stuff. :( She, and I, both felt really at peace about it. So it was seriously the craziest exchange ever! 

So. The rest of the week wasn't quite as exciting, so that was my story and the rest of the week was pretty regular. You know, buses, talking with people, teaching, all that good stuff. I can't think of anything exciting. 

Oh, we had Zone Development Day yesterday, which means you hang out with your zone and play games all day. It is so fun. But I am so sore. I am an old woman who can no longer play games and have fun without having creaking bones the next day. Maybe I should just learn how to knit and do that for exercise. 

I also felt pretty bad because we were playing Chair Football and I thought it would be a great idea to turn around and catch this elder off guard and kick it as hard as I could at his chair. Well, he was off guard, and when I kicked it as hard as I could at his chair it just hit him. And it wasn't a happy place that I hit; he had to leave the game and lay down for a while. I felt really bad. But also before when we were playing volleyball I went to block his spike and he smashed it into my face and made my earring come off. So maybe it was karma or something. Or probably just a bad decision from me. Whoops! I seriously felt so bad.

Last Monday we organized our flat. That felt good. We got rid of so much rubbish that has just been there for forever--including a yellowing white Christmas tree. Full-size Christmas tree. And a bunch of elders’ suits. Seriously, it was ridiculous how much was in our flat that was wholly unnecessary. Throwing away random things like that felt really good.

Tuesday we had District Meeting and then we accidentally got on the wrong bus, promptly fell asleep, and ended up in Glasgow Zone--Cumbernauld!! OOPS! It was pretty hilarious and one of the crazier things we've ever done . . . but what do you do? Get back on a bus to Kirkcaldy and travel through two zones to get there. We had fallen asleep so quickly because the buses that were there are more like airplanes: they are super loud and are comfortable and everybody just reads or listens to music. Plus Sister Pugh had just taken allergy medicine so she was tired. And for me? Well, I was just exhausted for no reason and woke up to Sister Pugh poking me and wondering why we were passing signs for Stirling. :)

Congratulations to Miss Olivia on her big performance! It sounded amazing! And good luck to Betsy on her piano recital tonight. And Happy Birthday to Mr. Atticus--the big 1 this year! Canny wait to meet you someday. :)

Well, that's all for this week. My brain is mince and I canny think of anything else. But I'm sure all is well, because Zion is a frame of mind that we can have--a peaceful place where persecution settles and righteousness always prevails. 

"Stick to your task 'til it sticks to you,

Bend at it, sweat at it, smile at it, too;

For out of the bend and the sweat and the smile

Will come life's victories after awhile."

--Author Unknown

Love you! 

Sister Ricks

xx