Ankle Problems

This his report from Monday, November 14.

Hi Mom,

I have quite a few pictures to give you, but first I need to tell you something, Mom. So Wednesday I hurt my ankle jumping rope during our morning exercise.  We went to the doctor and they said in a week everything would be fine.  We went to him again Saturday and he sent us to another doctor that we saw today (Monday).  He told me that it has something to do with my ligament and that everything is fine.  I just have to wear a cast for two weeks and then everything will be fine.  So I have a cast on.  President talked to the mission doctor and he said if there is something wrong with my ligament it would be best that I went home for 4-6 weeks and return.  We don't really know if we should trust the doctor that gave me the cast. I really really don't want to go home.  I'm going to tell President that if I have to walk everywhere on crutches I will.  Rowley said he wants to help me stay.  He says if he has to push me in a wheelchair he will.  I really want to stay and I'm super super scared.  I know it would only be for a couple of weeks but I would rather suffer here. 

GROSS!!!

It doesn't hurt at all, but I can't move my foot back up far enough to walk on it.  It is still pretty swollen.  The doctor said the cast is on it just so I don't move it so that way in two weeks everything will be fine.  I'm not sure what to think or who to believe.  I will see President tomorrow and so we will talk and probably call you guys. 

I know everything will be ok if I do have to go home.  It is only for about 4-6 weeks so it's not too big of a deal but none the less I don't want to have to go home Mom.

I'm doing ok.  I was just super scared.  I went and cried at the G's house.  They are super cool. They told me "Don't worry.  Tonight for Family Home Evening we will say a super chido prayer.  They are being supportive and they said that they will help us if I have to stay here on crutches. 

The work is good.  We contacted a reference Tuesday of this lady who is having a really tough time. This is where we are just here to serve her and help her through whatever she needs.  Bring her the love of the Savior and bring her unto Christ.  I'm excited to teach her.

Everything will be ok.  I'll try my best to stay here and if I do have to come home, it's ok, I will come back real quick.  I know that God loves us and things happen for a reason.  Everything will be ok, don't worry about me mom. I love you so much.  I have got to go now.  We will probably be in contact tomorrow.

Elder Bush

As you can imagine we were quite concerned after this email chat.  Joe emailed Sister Williamson that night and expressed our concern.  She immediately called us and let us know they would be traveling to his area the next day (Tuesday) for Zone Conference and they would meet with Hayden and call us.  

Tuesday afternoon Hayden called Joe and then they called me so we were on a conference call and able to all be part of the conversation.  He was ok talking to Joe but once he heard my voice he started to cry.  It was so good to hear his voice.  He sounded great!  It was strange talking to him because he had an accent and he would at times talk really fast and I couldn't understand him.  He spoke with the mission doctor before he called us.  The mission doctor said there is a specialist in Queretaro he trusted that he wanted Hayden to see.  They set up an appointment for that Friday at 5:30 pm.  Hayden's area is outside of Queretaro so he and his companion had some members give them a ride.  They were to meet Sister Williamson and she would take them to the appointment.  

Zone Conference

The appointment went well.  The specialist didn't think there had been damage done to the ligament but had him return on Saturday for an MRI just to be sure.

This is the email chat from Monday, November 21.

Hi Mom,

Ya we have actually been working pretty hard.  The Ward Mission Leader is Hermano G so they have been helping us a lot. The days are better then before because we have someone to accompany us in dangerous places and a car to get around.  We are at a member's house who is close to ours to write so we didn't have to walk all the way down to the cyber.

Teaching is good.  Having Hermano G with us helps a ton.  F had a cool lesson.  We talked about getting our answers last lesson.  He said he prayed for like an hour just repenting for all his sins and he said he began to cry.  He began to cry in our prayer with him too.  He was whispering, "I want to know, I want to know."  Our new contact hasn't called us.  We are probably going to go meet her Wednesday just to check up on her.  

We went and talked to a menos activo the other day and it was super cool.  He invited us in and was super happy.  He gave us a Coke and we talked.  He said he was waiting for someone to invite him back. He said his best time was when he was in the church.  We asked him what was holding him back and he said nothing.  That's the thing, just worldly laziness.  His family was sealed in the Washington DC temple. 

Queretaro was fun.  Hermana Williamson is hilarious.  We drove around everywhere with her. We were two hours late meeting her for my appointment because the traffic here is insane.  (Remember his appointment was at 5:30.  The doctor waited.  Poor Sister Williamson had a really late night!)  J and J gave us a ride.  It should have taken us 30 minutes to get there but it took 3 hours.  It was a fun rode trip though.  It's pretty and J and J are funny.  Traffic here is crazy.  Everyone was trying to pass people by going on the shoulder.  It was so crazy.  The shoulder was just dirt. 

I haven't been struggling with Spanish, I just need to practice speaking.  I understand everything. My talk was actually really good.  If I have time to write it down my Spanish will be good.  Plus Elder Rowley went over it to fix some of the errors.  We just need to speak in Spanish together so it's better. 

Love you, Mom.  I have got to go now, I will talk to you tomorrow. 

They met with the doctor again the next day, Tuesday of this last week.  The MRI showed that there was no damage done to the ligament.  We were so relieved.  Had there been damage he would have had to come home to have surgery.  Hayden rode the bus back into Queretaro on Wednesday to the mission home.  He started physical therapy Wednesday and will continue to have it everyday for 10 days.  He meets with the doctor again this Friday to follow up.  Because it is too far and too expensive to travel back and forth into the city every day he is staying with the 4 Elders that are working in the mission home.  One of them will act as his companion and go to his appointments with him.  After he meets with the doctor on Friday the plan is for him to go back to his area in Celaya.

At the mission offices with one of the AP's.

Sister Williamson posted this picture on the mission FB page today.  He attended a baptism over the weekend while at the mission home.  We were pleased to see his foot down.  We think evidence the physical therapy is helping.  

The last couple of weeks have been filled with uncertainty and a lot of prayer.  We are anxious to hear from him tomorrow and know of his progress.

Wedding Planning and a Baptism

Hi Mom!

I got one of the packages.  The sweater is awesome!  Thanks for the candy!!!

We basically put together J's wedding reception ourselves with the help of the Relief Society.  It was awesome, Mom.  We have never seen the ward so close.  They decorated the chapel, brought cake and food.  It was just so awesome.  They brought a speaker and everyone was dancing.  It was seriously a really cool and special moment and I'm glad that I got to experience it. Elder Rowley is the one who basically made sure it all happened though. 

F and J are doing well.  Progressing super good.  They feel the spirit and they love church, but they still don't think they got their answer.  I think we need to tell them that they have, they just haven't realized it. 

Jessica got baptized.  I will send you pictures in the drive in a little bit.  The baptism was awesome and beautiful.  She really loves the gospel.  The next day she was confirmed and she bore her testimony. She shared the story about us finding the ID.  She said she knows that God lives.  It was super cool!  She's only 19!!!  We thought she was like 23.  This Sunday was amazing.  We have to be at church for 6 hours because we cover two wards.  Both testimony meetings were awesome.  Rowley said the best of his mission. I thought so too but that just might be because I understood everything for the first time.  hahaha  My Spanish is getting so much better!  It's awesome Mom.

We ate pozole yesterday so now Rowley is like dying, but I'm fine.  It's a type of soup.

Love you sooo much, Mom.  I've gotta go.

Elder Bush

Prayers are Answered

Hey Mom,

 So I have a really cool experience to share.  Je and Jo are going to get married and baptized this week!!  It was crazy, I think like Tuesday of last week they were going to go and set up their appointment for their marriage but they lost Jo's ID!!  They had been looking all over to find it and couldn't find it for basically all day.  It wasn't a coincidence we decided to stop by.  We showed up and we told them that we were going to say a prayer and look for it for five minutes and we would then find it because after we do all that we can do the lord gives it to us.  So we did exactly that. We looked all over the house and right as we were sitting down to give up Elder Rowley comes out and tells us he has a surprise for us.  It was so awesome.  Je started to cry.  Everyone was freaking out because the Lord had definitely helped.  Je and Jo have been tormented with challenges to get baptized by Satan.  But we found it now.  They are getting married tomorrow and baptized on Saturday.

J and F came to church on Sunday and it was the Primary Program.  We were a little nervous because they are both older guys but they seemed to enjoy it.  After church we went and taught them.  They know the gospel is true.  It's awesome to see their eyes just light up when we teach them.  The gospel has answers to all of their questions.

We are in one of the bigger wards but still not a lot of people.  Maybe around 100.  It's cool, we go to Sacrament Meeting and they call people to say the prayers from the stand lol then two people give talks.  After Sacrament Meeting we go to Gospel Principles with our investigators and recent converts.  The Bishop is awesome.  He always tries to help us.  He really cares for his ward, it's cool to see.

Mom, the G family is awesome.  I'm glad you got that picture of them.  They help us out so much. They call us their gringo sons. haha

 No pictures this week.  I need to get a new camera.  I should have some next week.  

I love you Mom.  I've got to go.  Love you sooo much Mom.

Elder Bush

In hearing about all of Hayden's hard work in the mission field and to tie in his love for basketball, this seemed appropriate. :)