Hello family and friends,
Sorry for not having the chance to email my "weekly report" to everyone this week. I hope that you forgive me. I received my payment for not emailing and the dreaded grip of malaria finally took hold. Malaria is the worst. I swear I had a fever of like 105. I felt that my head was radiating heat that could have cooked an egg. It was hot. In order to get my fever to come down I had to take ibuprofen which also really helped my immense headache and body
aches. Surprisingly enough my mind was so focused on the fever and the aches that I didn't have any stomach problems. I felt a little nauseous at times but luckily it never led to an explosion of any sort. The worst part was that my body would be on like a two hour cycle. For two hours I would just be freezing (aside from my head),
and then the next two hours no matter what I did I would not be able to cool down. At times I would wake up in the middle of the night and my sheets would just be soaked from sweat. I have never smelt so bad in my entire life. Well as you can probably tell the sweating took a lot of my water and I think that in the process I got quite dehydrated. This prolonged the sickness probably much longer than it normally would have but I can happily say that I have now been cured. The Malaria is gone and I'm feeling great! I am little bummed though that I couldn't at least make it a year without getting malaria.
Sorry for not having the chance to email my "weekly report" to everyone this week. I hope that you forgive me. I received my payment for not emailing and the dreaded grip of malaria finally took hold. Malaria is the worst. I swear I had a fever of like 105. I felt that my head was radiating heat that could have cooked an egg. It was hot. In order to get my fever to come down I had to take ibuprofen which also really helped my immense headache and body
aches. Surprisingly enough my mind was so focused on the fever and the aches that I didn't have any stomach problems. I felt a little nauseous at times but luckily it never led to an explosion of any sort. The worst part was that my body would be on like a two hour cycle. For two hours I would just be freezing (aside from my head),
and then the next two hours no matter what I did I would not be able to cool down. At times I would wake up in the middle of the night and my sheets would just be soaked from sweat. I have never smelt so bad in my entire life. Well as you can probably tell the sweating took a lot of my water and I think that in the process I got quite dehydrated. This prolonged the sickness probably much longer than it normally would have but I can happily say that I have now been cured. The Malaria is gone and I'm feeling great! I am little bummed though that I couldn't at least make it a year without getting malaria.
We were a bit stressed during the rest of the
week to make sure that our baptism would be a success on Sunday. We got all of
the interviews done and made sure the candidates were prepared for it. We made
our way to the meetinghouse on Saturday evening to prepare the font for the baptism
to find it hadn't been emptied yet so we began to empty it. To drain it was we
had to use a normal garden house from the font, out the window, and drain the
water down two floors. Well it took a long time and by midnight we had just
finished and didn't particularly want to spend the night at the chapel so we
decided we would get up early and begin filling it with fresh water in the
morning. Well we began in the morning but just before Sacrament meeting started
the lights went out. Since the water is taken from a tank outside and pumped up
to our floor it's a bit difficult to fill a font without any power. So we were
at a loss what to do. Luckily after Sacrament meeting the lights came back on so
we began to fill it again. Since it fills so slow Elder Boateng found a mop
bucket and I found the only other container available a small pitcher and we went
back and forth from the bathroom to the font to speed it up a bit. I spent my
Sunday school and Priesthood time walking back and forth filling a tiny pitcher
with water and dumping it in the font. By the time the baptism was to begin the level
of the water was literally at my knees. I was a bit uneasy because I was asked
to perform the baptisms and two of the candidates are a great deal taller than
me. All I can say is that it was miracle that I was able to immerse them fully
on
the first time. I'm still a bit confused because I think I nearly halfway submersed myself as well. Ghana has really helped me to just make do with what I have.
the first time. I'm still a bit confused because I think I nearly halfway submersed myself as well. Ghana has really helped me to just make do with what I have.
Another interesting thing happened at church
on Sunday. Well the branch really struggles to get Priesthood holders there
before the Sacrament. So again they asked me to prepare the Sacrament, and
Bless it and Elder Boateng would pass it. Well I'm not exactly sure why, but
Elder Boateng didn't come and the Ward Clerk came to help pass. I expected
someone else to come and help me bless it but nope no one came up. So I got to break
the bread by myself and bless both while one other person passed it to the
congregation. It was a really cool experience for me. Even though most of the
time when things go just as planned most people are more comfortable, for me it
just seemed natural. I was pondering over the simplicity of the Gospel of
Christ, one thing that the early Christians fought so hard to preserve. The
simplicity of the Gospel and its accompanied ordinances are what make it such a
beautiful thing. Today we see life getting more and more complicated but in all
the change that comes around us, we should always cling to the simple and
unchanging doctrines of the gospel. Simplicity brings peace.
Love,
Love,
Elder Smith
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