Elder Mike Payne: Week 73 - January 6, 2014

This week was a weird, crazy, fun, and tough week. I have lots of different emotions but overall it went well and I am doing GREAT here!!

So I guess it all starts off with New Years. Not too much exciting happened. We had to be home at 7 so we didn't get killed in the streets hahaha!! At night it gets dangerous because people just shoot off their guns into the air as if they are fireworks and the bullets fall and hit people and there were actually many injuries on New Years here in Chapala.

On Thursday I got super sick and was feeling terrible!!! I had a fever and my skin was just super sensitive, I was hot one minute and freezing the next. We went to lunch and I wasn't hungry at all. I went to the bathroom and saw that they had a scale to weigh myself. I weighed in at a whopping 174. The rest of the day we worked and I just felt super weak all day!! Then I went to bed not feeling so well. Man it was seriously the worst night ever!!! I slept on the bathroom floor and about every 15 minutes I was up 'sick'. In the morning one of the brothers in our ward took us to the doctors. My stomach was hurting so bad and I could barely stand up straight. We got to the doctors and I got weighed. I weighed 163 pounds!! I lost 11 pounds in one night!! And then the doctor said that I got food poisoning so bad that it infected my intestines. As a result of throwing up all night I pulled a muscle in my abdomen and I had to get an injection and take some pills for a couple days. I am now feeling 100 percent and doing good! So don't worry mom!

We just received the transfers on Saturday and I found out that Elder Garcia and I are at least going to stay here for 6 more weeks together. We are super happy and working really hard together. I'm kind of sad because my two best friends from the mission went home today- Elder Quinney and Elder Maccarthy. I'm glad they finished strong and I'm sure they are happy to be with their families again.

We have been working hard with a few familes we are teaching. We are excited because the parents of one of the families we are teaching is going to get married on Friday and they don't have much money so I am going to pay for it (thanks dad! haha). But they are super happy. Next week the wife and two of the daughters are going to be baptized. We are so happy for this family, they have had over 10 missionaries teach them, and now they feel they are finally ready! The only way I could be happier is in one year when Elder Garcia and I come back and see them get sealed in the temple as a family!! :)

Well I hope you all had a great week and a Happy New Years!!! I will be home this year!! Super crazy right?! Thanks for all the love and support! Have an amazing week :)

Elder Payne