The hospital

Ola familia, como voces estão??

Well this week let me tell ya, was a week out of left field. It started out last week Elder Erick woke up at 3 in the morning with stomach pain. I kept telling him to just take it easy, "You probably have the runs" or "Your "barriga" {said bahhiga} "belly" is upset about something you ate." So we stayed up and waited till the Pharmacy was open, and bought him some tummy medicine. Then we went back to the house and he slept until about 2 pm when he woke up saying "ELDER THIS IS NOT THE RUNS!" So I called Sister Pickitt and she said, "Go to the hospital."

By the time we got to the hospital it's 4 in the afternoon. We walk in, this guy pokes him a few times and says "Yup, you got appendicitis and we're going to have to operate tonight at 9 o'clock." Then they hooked him up to a thing with morphine to kill the pain. It was crazy. We had to wait in the waiting room with him hooked up to an IV machine. There were some people coming in with some crazy problems. All they would do was give the people morphine. It was like "Uuuhhh Doctor.. uhhh I think I bit my tongue, can I have some morphine?" It was crazy!

So 9 o'clock came and went, then midnight, then 2 in the morning, then 4 Then they tell me, "Oh I think we'll just operate tomorrow, the doctor is tired." I almost flipped out on some Brazilian doctors. (More like American construction workers with a white doctor coat on) So they sent us to this hotel room where we waited until 6 in the morning. Then they said "noon", then they said 5 in the afternoon. By that time President was with me and we both were battling some Brazilian nurses. But at 5pm (24 hours after we arrive) he got the operation. President and I just chilled. It's so strange to see President "normal" you could say. He just joked around with me and stuff. It was cool. I got to see the another side of him. He also talked to me about my post mission life. Which kind of scared me a bit. He made me think about what I want to do with my life. So that spun me around a couple of times. But it was cool.

Well by that time Elder Erick came back and he was totally fine. He was really sore, but he could talk and stuff. By this time its 10 at night. President went home and I was talking to the nurses and was like "Uhh can I go get some rest? It's been a while since I have slept." haha They were like, "No, you've got to watch his IV and make sure his medicine is flowing," and all that doctor stuff. So ya, I basically was a doctor. I had to change the IV' bags and take his readings. So ya, I didn't sleep that night and by the next morning I basically told the nurse; "Look nurse, I can't do this. You're gonna have to do this. Because I need some rest." But by that time Elder Erick was cleared to go home.

So we came home he slept and I cleaned the house just to make sure he wouldn't get infected and stuff. Then I went to bed and I was out!

The next day I had to try and find people to do divisions [splits] with me to try and save our week. We would have had 2 baptisms but they fell through because of some things. But should they should be happening this week. We had 4 people in the church, for only working for 4 hours this week which is good.

But ya, this week was crazy. Elder Erick is doing fine now and we will get back up to speed I think by Thursday.

It's crazy to think about summer there and to hear about it.

That's way cool about the college looking at Wyatt. Wyatt, milk the scholarship, even if it's DII you can train there for a year and then move to DI. That's what ton's of kids do.

Well, Family I love you guys and hope the best for you.

PS - My hump day was spent in the hospital - and no, I didn't burn a shirt. Just didn't feel like being one of those normal Utah Missionaries.

Love ya,

Zack

Almir and his family.
Dig it!

New Pictures

Skyping to home for Mother's Day
Bring it on Brazil!
Knock, knock anybody home?
See, it is true!
See, my room here is just as dirty as it was at home.

To the hospital

Hey Family,

Well, this week was just another week of hard work. It was more of a planning week for the week to come. I don't have much time to talk, I have to go to the hospital with my companion. He is having crazy belly pain. They think his appendix busted. So I'll try to get back to you if I can. But don't worry, all is well, we are taken care of.

Love ya,

Elder Manis

It's all in the fight

It's crazy to hear that Preston is already home. It's crazy and I'm sure he can testify of this: when you're on a mission it's like time doesn't exist. Then all of a sudden you have been out a year, and then all of a sudden your cousin is going home. It's crazy that the mission is my life now and that this thing will end in a year, it's just a crazy feeling. haha

Well, this week was a good week of work. We had some trouble finding new contacts and had some trouble having people progress. But it's all in the fight. Next week the ward will have a bus come and pick up the members. Because a lot of the members don't come simply because they are just to lazy. So Bishop hired a bus. So everybody can come and not have any excuses. This is also good news because we can now work in a number of places and then have a lot of people in the capela [Church] because of the bus. So this is a big blessing that I think the missionary work here, and the ward, is needing.

This week was also the week where you stop and say "THE THINGS YOU GO THROUGH ON A MISSION". This week the brother of Almir, Tiago, he was arrested and had to go to jail. When I asked why I found out that he was a fugitive that had escaped from prison and had been laying low for 2 years when the government finally caught him last week. It was sad to see how the family was affected. It shook everyone, just entering into their house you just felt sad. But we left many scriptures that strengthened them so that helped out a lot.

And still, through all of this Almir is firm in the Church. Sunday he got the Priesthood, so that was amazing to see. He is amazing, he knows the importance of these things and he loves them. It has been a great blessing to know him.

Elder Erick and I are doing great. We just cleaned the apartment this morning and are just being normal, I guess you can say. haha

Things in the mission are changing a little bit "President likes to throw curve balls". But its all good, just working hard and staying safe.

Love you,

Elder Manis

PS- Wyatt you're an idiot, don't ditch go to Seminary!

Mother's Day

It was great to talk to you guys too, and to see you!

The same goes for me, I'm not going to say much because I just saw you yesterday.

But, things here are going great and the work is progressing. Know that the Lord is blessing you and that he loves you.

Our baptisms are doing great, they are firm and strong in the Church.

I'm not to worried about the birthday package just be patient and I'm sure it will arrive.

I love you guys, it's good to know your alright and safe.

I pray for you,

Elder Manis

Changing Hearts

(Asked by Mom - As you head into winter, do you have enough warm clothes?)

Ha ha, do I have warm enough clothes???

Mom, here there is no winter. It's hot and hotter, and sometimes some rain, so don't worry about that. I'm fine.

Everything is going great. Elder Erick and I are doing great. Hmmmm, about him, well he only has 3 years as a member. He was a professional volleyball player. He has a girl waiting for him, and they are for sure getting married. He is from the Paranagua down south. He doesn't speak any English. He has a unibrow (I give him crap all the time about it. :) We have fun when we work, and ya, we do work.

In church, I guess you can say that we as missionaries have to carry a load. It's funny, if there is a problem with anything, call the Elders they will fix it. But we always have to have a little talking session with the members. Saying "Look Irmã, we can't come over every morning to pick mango's to feed your parrots." It's funny but, at the same time you get to know the members. I bare my testimony every time I get the chance, and ya, I give talks sometimes. I have a talk coming up here and I think I'm going to talk about adversity as well.

Well, that's crazy to hear that they are building a new chapel in our neighborhood. Is that the chapel that I'm going to come home to?

About this week, we had the baptisms of Almir, Laura and Lucas. It was a really spiritual moment for them. Their family, the ones who didn't baptise, a lot of them cried because the Spirit was so strong. That night we went over to their house to give para bens and play a little game. Basically a family home evening. It was good, we put every ones name on a piece of paper and mixed them all up in a bowl. Everyone chose a different person and they had to say 4 things that they loved about that person and then everyone tried to guess who it was.

I'm not going to lie, I got a little teary eyed to hear some of the things that the family said about us missionaries. To see how much we changed the hearts of this family and to see how much the family loves us. I love being a missionary and I love the change I see in the hearts of the people.

Love ya,

Zack