Date
October 3, 2022
Area
Yopougon, Côte d’Ivoire (Koweit area)
Companion
Elder Lytle
Malaria & Bacteria vs Medicine: The Battle Between Evil and Good
Okay, so this week's letter will be a bit different and my experiences this week will show how quickly our lives can change.
So on Tuesday, my companion had to have surgery on his toe for a severe ingrown nail. He has been diligently pushing forward but had to get it taken care of. We were told to stay home from sector until at least his next doctor's appointment (Saturday morning).
Then, on Thursday morning I woke up feeling so-so. I had a dull headache and was pretty tired. As my day continued, I felt worse and worse. After lunch around 13:00 I took some headache medicine and immediately after, threw it up. I started feeling really horrible after that. I'll spare you the details but it got pretty bad. Use your imagination and it was probably worse than that, haha.
For the next few hours, I tried to sleep it off but near 20:00 my whole body was just destroyed with headache, body aches, other not fun stuff, hahaha (don't worry I am alive and doing well now!) So around 20:00, we called Sister Litchfield and our mission doctor to try and decide what to do. There wasn't any way for me to take medicine and keep it in my stomach, so the options were 1) wait till morning and go to the hospital or 2) go to the hospital. We decided to go right away.
After about a 40 minute taxi to the hospital, we arrived to find the hospital closed. I was not aware that hospitals closing is a thing but apparently it is. Not really knowing what to do, we banged on the door and luckily a nurse came and let us in. They began treating me with IV fluids and medicine. The following morning, I woke up feeling much better. It felt a bit like a miracle considering what I felt like on Thursday night.
Since everyone at the hospital only speaks French and my French is not real good (especially medical terms), it isn't exactly clear to me all that was going on but I think I got most of it. The doctors took my blood to test for what sickness I had and the test came back a few hours later. Here are the results:
1) Malaria
2) Bacterial infection in my stomach
Yikes! But that explains what I was going through.
So I was in the hospital from Thursday night until Sunday evening! As of Monday morning sending this email, I am feeling pretty good. Still a little lingering soreness but I feel a 1000% better and I have not visited the bathroom in hours so let's count our blessings.
Not very much interesting has happened this week besides these two adventures. I've just been taking a lot of medications, been stuck with a lot of needles in a lot of places, haha, c'est la vie! Due to my companion's foot, we have been and will continue to be stuck inside for a little longer, but with a bit of time all will be well once more!
I feel very blessed and watched over at this time. I know Heavenly Father has been taking care of me and blessing me with various things in this crazy week of sickness. When we arrived at the hospital, it was closed, but by some miracle, a nurse happened to hear us knocking on the door and I got treatment. We were able to watch General Conference through the miracle of technology while I was lying in my hospital bed! Through modern medicine, the really bad malaria symptoms went away within a few hours of receiving medication.
Heavenly Father blessed me with comfort in knowing that I am on His errand, and I will be protected because of that. That doesn't mean that I will not endure trials or that every day will be easy, because they will not be, but what that means is that He will help me and provide a means for me to move the work forward each time I am faced with a trial.
In Alma 17:5 we read this:
"Now these are the circumstances which attended them in their journeyings, for they had many afflictions; they did suffer much, both in body and in mind, such as hunger, thirst and fatigue, and also much labor in the spirit."
And in 1 Nephi 3:7 we read this:
"...I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."
The Lord has called me to serve here, and I know that even though I will continue to face trials, of spiritual, emotional, and physical nature, such as this, He will always be by my side and show me the way to continue forward.
This experience has helped me grow stronger in my faith in the Gospel and my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that anyone who serves a mission, serves in their callings in the church, or serves their friends and family, or strangers, is on the Lord's errand, and He will help you as you continue to do good.
Due to time changes and hospital stuff, I haven't been able to watch all of General Conference yet, but I highly encourage everyone to go and watch it. Heed the warnings and invitations of the Lord's servants. They receive revelation and direct guidance for each of us!
If you have any questions for me or just wanna say hi, feel free to email me! I do my best to reply to a few of you each Pday. Have a most wonderful week!
-Elder Knoll
Pictures:
1. One of the cutest things here is the little babies swaddled to their mother's backs. They are all smooshed in tight and very cute!
2. This place is literally Fire. Not sure what or why there were burning stuff in the street?
3-4. Me in the hospital and dinner with Elder Lytle who had to stay in the bed next to me
5. My good friend Sienna received her mission call to Rancagua Chile. Wished I could be there but a picture will have to do. Very proud of her!
6. I built forts as a kid to watch General Conference but watching on a phone from a hospital bed was quite a different experience.