Emilee was in the hospital for a couple of days last week due to asthma attacks again. She had passed out at her apartment and they took her to the hospital. The area she is in has a lot of pollution and she wasn't using her maintenance inhaler everyday like she was supposed to, but, she promised to use it everyday from now on. After she was released she was feeling like she might pass out again and so the Mission President had her pack all of her bags and took her to the mission home. From there she had to call us and let us know that she was being taken to the Mission Recover Center (MRC) in Manila the next day, and depending on how she recovered or didn't they may have to send her home a couple of months early, (This was on Saturday morning). She assured us she was feeling much better. We all fasted and prayed for her and I am happy to report that she was only there for a couple of days and then was released back to her mission. I got a letter from her this morning to let me know. She was staying at the mission nurses house with her today and but expected to be driven back to the mission home to stay tonight and then back to her area and regular companion tomorrow. Here is the letter she sent me this morning.
The MRC was a really great break and I'm glad I got to breathe a little before coming back out. Here is some of the stuff I was up to there...
I did service in the temple, had FHE, learned how to play the ukelele, and learned a little Chinese from my companion ;-)
I went to a shelter home for children who are waiting surgeries for cleft lip, club foot, and cataract. We played games with them and sang to them and it was so fun. Afterward, we came back and I prepared to go to the temple, only to find out that I was being discharged early. I packed up instead and, here I am.
I'm doing good, Sister G (the mission nurse) is one of my favorite people and I'm excited to spend the day with her. She's my companion right now. :) Later, President and Sister Mangum will come back and I'll spend another night at the mission home before going back to my area. Everything looks really good and I think I will be able to stay in Lipa and what not. I've picked up some good tips for managing stress and I feel like I just took a spiritual, emotional spa. I feel great! I'm excited to get back to work soon.
The MRC is the only one of its kind in the world, and I think it's interesting that missionaries from the Philippines so often need it and go there. I was talking to a woman there who said that she and her husband served for a long time in Brazil, and that the poverty in the Philippines is worse than in Brazil, and that the problems that the missionaries face are greater and all across the board, being spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally. And here I thought I was in an easy mission! :)
It really was a great, relaxing place where you don't have to worry about your companion, investigators, members, area, duties, or anything like that... just breathe. Now I know why I went there. As one sister said, "I thought I was going there to be physically healed, only to realize I needed spiritual healing as well."
Just as a fun side note, The MRC has hot running water. I haven't had a hot shower for 16 months and had a hard time adjusting at first. And then when I went to wash my hands for the first time, I was so surprised that the water came out hot too! And was even more surprised to find that the kitchen sink was hot water as well. I had completely forgotten that that was possible, or even normal! I was surprised that i didn't have to go around looking for the water filter and could just drink out of the tap. Weird! Imagine how it will be when I go back to the States!
Well, just to finish it off, this is what I sent to Trevor and I thought you might enjoy it too.
I'm okay and on my way back to my area. Don't jinx me, I want this to be the last time I visit the hospital. I have been to the hospital 5 times now.... don't rub it in. :) But results are good, and I'm going back out.
I definitely did not take it to hard. It is an awesome place! I got to do lots of service projects and guess what, I played chess against my Chinese companion and I won! I didn't think that was possible! They all joked when we were playing and said, "Looks like China against the USA." Haha, maybe I'm getting better at chess. Okay, the truth is it was only her second time and I had to keep telling her far they were supposed to move and whatnot, so that might be why.... I also got calluses from playing the ukelele all day- seriously, all day. It's probably really quiet at the MRC now. :) Yes, it was so relaxing and fun and I miss it a lot , but I'm happy to be back.
Time to finish off the best 8 weeks!
Love you!
-Sister Beaumont
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