Sympathizing with Van Gogh

So I don't know how much sense this will make today, because I am SUPER duper tired and in pain. I have an ear infection. It started just in my right ear on Friday night, but now it is in my left ear too. So I am pretty much deaf and going crazy. I went to the doctor yesterday and she gave me some antibiotics, but they haven't kicked in yet. In fact, it got worse from yesterday to today. So, pray for me that my drugs will work quickly. 

But, here is one awkward moment for the week: I had a man nurse. 

Jk that isn't the end. But it was kind of awkward. I don't talk to men anymore unless they are Hispanic and interested in the Gospel, and even then I wish it was a woman. Just to dilute the awkwardness. Ps nothing against men nurses... It is just that I am a missionary. 

But anyways. So he asked me the normal questions and did the normal tests (Blood pressure, temperature, etc.) then he took me back into the other room to wait for the doctor. Then after a second he came back in and got a stick out of a drawer and was like, "Ok, we are just going to do a strep test." (Irony: Me and Hermana Gonzalez were just talking the day before about how much I hate strep tests and how bad I am at doing them. I am like a child that can't sit still and just let them do it). So that was unexpected and I was like, "I don't think I have strep," and he was like, "We just do it to all the patients that come in with sore throats.Open up!" I was like, "But my throat isn't even sore. My ear is," But I opened my mouth anyways, trying not to be such a nina. He pulled back and was like, "Wait. You don't have a sore throat?" and I was like, "Nope." Then he felt awkward and was embarrassed because apparently "sore throat" and "sore ear" were right next to each other on the computer screen and he'd checked the wrong one. So luckily I avoided the strep test, but it was kind of funny. And I was all alone, so I just giggled to myself about it. 

Then the doctor came in (I had a guy nurse and a girl doctor) and put a thing in my ear and told me that it was infected and gave me a prescription and such. Hopefully that works soon.

Yesterday we had Spanish Sacrament Meeting, which was interesting. There were only four Hispanics in there, but then 4 more (a family) came later. Mostly it was white members that served missions. But it was really good! I played the piano (horribly, but in my defense, it was an awful little electric keyboard that I was trying to play on, not a real piano.) V came, as usual. He is doing so good!

This week as a mission we are reading the Book of Mormon in one week to strengthen our testimonies. We will go to our set appointments, but all the rest of our time will be spent reading. So on Friday night we challenged V to do it with us. We knew he could do it because he read the whole thing in a month, so why not in a week? Well, when he came to church on Sunday, which was the day we started, he showed me where he was. Guess where? Mosiah 12! He is already like 1/3 of the way through! It is SO crazy! He is an amazing person. I am on like page 7 because I forgot to bring it to the doctors office and we didn't have a lot of time yesterday. 

This area is so good! I really love it here. A few of the leaves are just starting to change, so in like a week it will probably be the most gorgeous place of all time. And all the people here are really nice. All our investigators are great.

On Friday we had a really good lesson with A. He has been discouraged and has been tempted to stop meeting with us and go back to the person he was (drinking, bad temper, etc.) But he said that something inside always tells him to keep going, and he will be happy. We talked to him about opposition, and how it always precedes/surrounds miracles. I shared the example of how usually for me in missionary work, I go until I feel like if I have to do one more thing I am going to die, but I do 2 more things, and then the 3rd thing is the miracle. I feel like he is kind of coming to a climax. He is realizing that he needs to make a decision and the stakes are just getting higher and higher either way. I know that it is just Satan being a bum and trying to distract him and stuff. So we told him to beat Satan down when he comes and says you aren't good enough, or whatever he tries to say. It was good. We came at the perfect time for him. God really knows us. 

So a funny moment this week was that the Elders asked us to invite their investigator to go to the Women's broadcast with us, so we did and she said she would go. We called her right before and she had just gotten home from work but she said she should be there by 8 (when the actual broadcast started; there was a social with brownies and ice cream before) so we were like, sweet! but then at like 8:30 she texted and was like, "Oh sorry I couldn't make it, the Elders just came by." *forehead slap*

But the meeting was SO good! I got so many good notes. You should all go watch it, it doesn't matter if you are a woman or not, go watch/read/listen to it. It is amazing. I feel like the focus lately has definitely been temples and covenant-keeping. It is so important. I am SO excited to go to the temple! I get to go in less than one month! 

Have a wonderful week and don't forget to continue to share awkward moments!

Love, 

Hermana Emily Pratt

Ps Mom have you been praying for us to have food? If so it has been working. We have been getting fed way more than this area usually ever gets and it has been really nice. Thanks! That is the only reason we can think of, is our Moms praying for food.