OCT_23_17_MOM_LEW_From your mother who loves you

 Dear Mom,

So I'm feeling pretty dang sick today.... Like, really nauseous and kinda weak. I don't think its connected to my anxiety or normal headaches and jaw pressure. I think I've just caught a bug or something. I haven't thrown up yet, but I feel like it's only a matter of time. Either way, it just plain stinks because I had a lot I wanted to do for P-day today and I'm too sick and weak to do all of it. I wanted to send lots of emails out as well, but this email may be the only one I end up sending. Sorry about that.

Okay, in between writing the last paragraph and this paragraph, I have since gone outside to get money for laundry and picked up a letter from Sarah from the post office. Going outside really did me some good!! It's a beautiful overcast day outside, and helped me to feel a little bit more energized and less nauseous. So maybe I'll get around to doing something fun this P-day after all!! The Lewisberry Drive Elders just texted us and said that they have tons of meat to cook up, so we're planning on having a barbecue at Negley Park again this week. We cooked up some hot dogs last week and played some disc golf. It was really fun!! I'm looking forward to doing that again this week!! I sent some pictures of the view of Harrisburg from Negley Park, as well as a video of Elder Stratford and Elder Torgerson trying to knock down some water bottles with Frisbees. You've gotta be creative with your p-days, right?? I really like this group of Elders I serve with.

In terms of health, I'll go ahead and copy-paste a paragraph from my weekly email to President Bednar from yesterday. It basically sums up how I've been feeling.

" In terms of health, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were absolutely terrific. I had almost no headaches or jaw pressure at all. Each of those three mornings, I began the day with one 10 mg Lexapro pill and two .25 mg Xanax pills. Today, I did the same, but with one less Xanax pill, as I have no more left. I had a slight headache and some jaw pressure for a good part of the day. So perhaps seeing this dentist would help shine some light on the situation?? Either way, I am feeling extremely encouraged by the results I am seeing!!"

He emailed back and told me that I should start sending health reports only once a week from now on. So that will most likely happen on Thursday. That will probably be the next time you hear from me. I have not yet set up a dentists' appointment quite yet, as the doctor has not gotten back to me. But that will most likely happen soon as well. I will keep you updated.

That story that you told me about Brittany Odoi was awesome!! I never thought that I would receive a referral from my mother haha. As soon as I read your email, I obviously had to look at where the Delta Dental office was in Mechanicsburg, as Elder Payne and I have a little bit of Mechanicsburg in our area. I have enclosed a picture of our area boundraries, and where the Delta Dental Office is. As you can see, it's just out of our boundraries. Like literally by just a few blocks!! Gosh dang it!! I downloaded an app called White pages, (basically an online phone book) to try to see if I could find her, but no luck. I even tried looking her up on Facebook. Still no luck. Maybe she does live in my area and I'll run into her?? I'd love to meet her. I don't believe in coincidences anymore, especially after Elder Rasbands talk this last conference. I don't know how to find her, though. Help!!

Thanks so much for the picture of Roger Federer and Jimmer together. BYU and tennis. Bringing my two favorite things in the world together. LEGIT.

As I'm sure you remember, I had the opportunity to baptize Carlos this week... It was... absolutely amazing. Oh my goodness Mom, I loved it so much. I could feel the spirit so strong. It has been an absolute honor to have a front row seat to Carlos's conversion, and to play a small role I making it happen.

Of course, he showed up early. Typical Carlos. We got to take our trademarked baptism pictures. When we actually got in the water, it just felt so RIGHT, you know?? Being able to exercise my Priesthood like that, to baptize him, was an AWESOME experience. He basically went weightless in the water, I had no difficulty getting him back out, which was a BLESSING. I gave him a big hug after the ordinance. Later, in the dressing room, he kept remarking how happy he was, how good he felt. Then, during the service, he bore his testimony on the truthfulness of the gospel. He shared a scripture, Psalms 133:1. It's all about unity, being one big Family through Christ. He compared it to the ward, and to the world, how he feels like he has another family. It almost made me tear up, I was so proud. 

He was confirmed a member of the Church yesterday, during Sacrament meeting. I got to participate in that ordinance as well. I loved it. He was also interviewed to receive the Aaronic Priesthood, and should be receiving it next week. Carlos absolutely HATES wearing white shirts and ties, but the bishop told him that he'll have to in order to pass the sacrament. And Carlos is gonna do it. I can hardly wait. And in a few weeks, he'll be able to go to the temple as well!! AHHHHHH!! Isn't that just awesome!! We've shown him pictures, and he wants to go so bad!! Unfortunately, I won't be able to go with him, but we'll figure something out so that he doesn't have to go alone. 

Mom, it's moments like that... Seeing someone's progression in the gospel. That's the best part of being a missionary. I absolutely love that. I love teaching people. I love it out here in Pennsylvania. 

There's a store nearby that sells stuff for CHEAP. Kinda like a swap meet, I guess?? I don't know how to explain it. We know the owner, an awesome guy named Willy. Anyways, we went there this past week and I was able to find two Missionary worthy swaters, each for a dollar. Can you believe it?? I like them a lot. But haven't worn them yet, as I hadn't washed them. I'm going to try to see if I can find some more sweaters soon, but it's hard when you're in a bike area. I have not bought a winter coat yet, but Elder Payne has an extra that he'll let me use if I need to. I'll keep an eye out. It really hasn't been that cold out here yet. The weather is great. We're looking at 60's and 70's for the rest of the week. I'll be buying a Fall/Winter coat soon, though, don't you worry.

The rest of the week has been pretty standard. We're still earnestly trying to find people to teach. We've had a little luck, but not much. Keep praying for us!!

There may be more to tell you, but that's all I've got for now. Let me know if I can do anything for you!! I love you so much!!

Elder Gonzales

On Oct 22, 2017 10:09 PM, <perucalica@aol.com> wrote:

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Well hello there Buddy Boy!

After a nap where I woke up with a headache, I’m at the computer to see if I can come up with anything to tell you that would be of interest.  I think that my headache is allergy related as I’ve been sneezing and my nose is running and burning. You gotta love these allergies!

This week has been pretty uneventful and so I’m scraping for things to tell you.  We received your health report a couple of days ago stating that you are feeling better with regard to to the jaw pain and the headaches.  I agree with President Bednar.  I think that you still need to make a dental appointment and go and see what he says.  I have been praying that the doctors would be inspired to know how to help you and when they mentioned you going to a dentist, something just felt right about that. 

I’ll have to tell you what happened the other day.  Sister Bednar contacted us asking for our dental insurance information and so while I was looking for the info, I realized that it would just be easier to contact the company itself in order to get what I needed.  When I called Delta Dental a young lady answered the phone.  She was very nice and quickly got the information that I needed and said that she could email me a copy of the card.  I had just gotten home from work and so the computer was not on and so I told her that I would like to turn on my computer so that I could make sure that the email had come through. So, while we were waiting for the computer to boot we were talking.  I told her that the information was for you and that you were serving a mission in Pennsylvania for the Mormon church.  She then perked up and said that she was in Pennsylvania and she asked where you were living.  I told her New Cumberland.  She told me that she was only 15 minutes away from New Cumberland as the call center where she works is located in Mechanicsburg.  She continued to tell me that it has been said that people in Pennsylvania are mean and that she tended to agree with them.  She also mentioned that she knew that Pennsylvania was the state with the 3^rd highest suicide rate and that it seemed that no one is happy there.  She also mentioned that she is married to a person of African descent as when the email came through her name was attached to it; Brittany Odoi.  It made me wonder if this call wasn’t an accident.  I couldn’t really ask her if she wanted missionaries to come visit her since she was at work and the call was probably being recorded but wouldn’t it be great if somehow you could find her and bring her the gospel message.  All I know about her is her name and that she works at the Delta Dental call center in Mechanicsburg.  Just a thought!

And from that story, we turn to the ridiculous.  BYU lost once again on Saturday to East Carolina University who had a 1-6 record just like us.  I had hopes that perhaps this would be the game that would be the turning point in the season but it was not to be.  The final score was 33-17.  The basketball team starts play this week I believe with the exhibition games.  So maybe the basketball team will give us something to cheer about.  We can only hope.  I hope that you enjoyed the picture we sent you of Jimmer and Roger Federer together.  I saw that on the web the other day and thought that you might enjoy it.

I was thinking about you yesterday and wondering if your baptism came off as planned.  I hope that things went well and that Carlos is now a happy member of our Heavenly Father’s kingdom.  I was also hoping that your “scrawny arms” were strengthened and that you were able to perform the baptism without incident.  You’ll have to fill us in on all the details.

Were you able to get any sweaters or a coat?  It is supposed to be over 100 degrees for the next couple of days here and so the thought that people actually are worrying about getting sweaters and coats seems so foreign to me.  I’m hoping that we at least have some kind of Fall and a Winter here this year.  It doesn’t seem like that has been the case for the past few years.  It has seemed like one continuous Summer.

Well, that about sums it up for this week.  I know, you’re upset that this fascinating letter is coming to a close but try and put it behind you J.  I love you soooooo much and I miss you everyday but I’m glad that you are doing the Lord’s work.  I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior, Jesus Christ so having you on a mission is just one way that I can pay him back for everything that he has done for me.  Keep on hanging in there.  I have faith that your health problems will soon be solved.  Have a great week!

Love,

Mom