Family,
I just want a hug right now. So this last week we were only able to go out and work for 2 days and for our meetings and correlations and church. Sister Ball has been very sick and is having severe cramping in her stomach, not to mention she's having intestinal issues. So then yesterday we went to Dr. Tan the mission doctor...and I honestly don't know how great of a doctor he is. He was pressing on her stomach and had me press on it too..he's way proper with missionaries which is good...but anyway..She was wincing in pain and he then says, "I've never seen anyone laugh when they are in pain.." WELL...maybe its because she is so ridiculously in pain from you poking her that she wants to cry..but she laughs instead..ah! So then he says, "It's probably just menstrual cramps." WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The weird thing is that her symptoms make no sense. She had all the same symptoms I did when I had the Amoeba. SPEAKING OF WHICH.....I DIDN'T HAVE AN AMOEBA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah. So I was looking back through my last charts at the doctor's office and had him explain what the stool sample test meant and then he goes, it says here you didn't have a parasite. WHAT? So then I said, well then I read the results wrong to you over the phone and I took a ton of meds for nothing!!!! AND I STILL HAVE SYMPTOMS!!!!! What the heck is wrong with my body?? and now my beautiful little decrepit junior is suffering the same things and we no one knows what is wrong with us...BUT...it's not an amoeba..cause I had to poo in another cup and the test was clear. REALLY?!?!??!?!?! And I feel the whole time like no one believes us that we aren't feeling good. That we aren't normal and healthy...and I want to just scream.." HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS!!!!! PRAY ABOUT IT!? We aren't healthy..." But instead...we feel exhausted and want to fall on our faces....but we don't. This week....we are working every single day regardless of the feelings inside of us. We have found that if we can just get OUT the door...Heavenly Father blesses us so much. Right now we're waiting for blood test results and ANOTHER doctor's appointment with Dr. quack. WHEN REALLY..all we way to do is go see our investigators and teach them about Christ and His remarkable Atoning sacrifice for each of the. However, I am constantly amazed with the concern our Heavenly Father has for our righteous desires. We experienced a beautiful tender mercy as we were in Dr. Tan's office. He turned to me and said, "Sister, could you two please talk to a girl we have in the office here. She has a problem." So I asked about what her problem was and he said, "She is pregnant and she wants to abort the baby. Will you just talk with her." For one second I looked at Sister Ball and almost said, "Are you kidding me? I don't know how to say anything about abortion in Ilonggo." But instead I said, "Dr. Tan we would love to do that for you." So he introduced us to her and said we could go into the other doctor's office and talk with her. So we did. We sat and asked her about her life, she complimented our Ilonggo skills...which made me laugh because I was thinking the whole time.."oh man..just you wait until I start speaking about your baby in a couple minutes and have no idea what I'm saying!" haha...But then...as usual I sat back and was amazed at what the spirit can do. I started asking her about her baby. She referred to her baby as her "problem" and my heart hurt a little every time she said it, So I said to her, "Sister, all children are a beautiful blessing from our Heavenly Father, and He loves each one of them so much. Your baby is not the problem, the problem was the choice you made which now caused you to have a child. Your baby is a beautiful blessing from God." I didn't know how she would respond to it, but I have made it a point to me bold in my teaching, boldness without over-bearance ...and it worked! She stopped and started referring to her child as her Baby - not her problem. I originally was just planning on handing her a Plan of Salvation pamphlet and getting her info for other elders in the area, but instead I had the feeling, "You've been wanting to teach all week...so teach!" SO I did...we started with a prayer and the spirit was so strong. Here we are sitting in this minuscule doctor's office with a beautiful 21 year old woman who wants this baby, but her mother is forcing her to abort it...I have never felt such powerful love for someone I haven't known before in my entire life. I could not describe the feelings I felt for this girl. I shared personal experiences and how Robyn chose to keep Rachel and follow through with her pregnancy even though it was such a hard decision for her. There wasn't any pauses or breaks, the lesson was beautiful and just continued to flow. We shared about Nephi and how he was obedient to the commandments of God EVEN when his family was not. I testified that her baby wanted to come to earth and that he was a living, breathing, beautiful child of our loving Heavenly Father and that abortion is murder in the eyes of God. We sat there in the office, all in tears as we both testified of Heavenly Father's love for her. It really was a remarkable experience. I love this gospel. I will never be the same. I love my mission. I ADORE my mission and I adore my companion. I wouldn't trade her for the world. Pray for our energy level and I know the Lord will take care of us. Also...the crazy woman who throws rocks at me...YEAH....your prayers were answered! She moved?!?!?! We saw her in another part of town WAY far away from us. AND...as we walked past her the last day I was way worried and she just looked at us and said, "Maayong Udto." and looked away! WHAT? I was amazed! Then I read your email and it all made sense!!!! President was right...the prayers of righteous mothers are answered. I love you all so much. THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!! I'm gonna be such a freak when I get back and make a fake little construction paper name tag and go around teaching in Ilonggo because I cannot remember for the life of me how to teach in English. haha! Anyway...the language is coming. I love life and most of all, I love my Savior. He lives! I know He does! I could never deny it! I know He will come again and the day is soon and approaching quickly. We must do all we can to prepare. TEACH THE GOSPEL! (even to those who know it...be the most amazing examples and get to the temple. man we crave the temple.) Until next week, GOD SPEED! :)
All my love,
Sister Stadler
P.S. Rocky's baptism was awesome!