Anecdotes from Africa: I can do this...

After a crazy and very difficult week – things have really started to turn around. I haven’t written for a few days because I have been homesick, exhausted, frustrated, etc. Yesterday, I spent a lot of time reading scriptures and conference talks, talking to a good friend and doing some thinking that really helped me out to put things into perspective. This is one of the scriptures I read -

“And ye cannot bear all things now, nevertheless, be of good cheer for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours and the riches of eternity are yours.” – D&c 78:18

I am here for 8 more weeks – I can either be frustrated and wish I was home because things are much easier, or I can embrace my experiences and try to learn the things that I am supposed to while I am here and be able to look back at some of the challenges and struggles and be able to say that I endured them well. Plus, in the eternal scheme of things, this experience is a mere pinpoint.

I had 3 kids today because one of them stayed home sick – normally pretty crazy, but it turned out to be a good, fun day. I must have been blessed with some serious patience, because when I had all 5 of the boys home– the worker was in the kitchen fixing lunch and I had boys running into bathrooms, climbing in and out of cribs with shoes on, throwing things, hiding behind the curtains, pulling my drawstring and almost making my pants fall down, and after trying to calm them down for a bit, I just laughed, even though it was complete pandemonium. I couldn’t be upset especially when these are some of my favorite kids in the world.

The hospital has been a bit of a downer lately. Last week – our little boy "Jacob"

(who we have worked with everyday since we have been here ) was gone – probably back to an orphanage somewhere. We visited some little babies, where one just screamed most of the time and we weren’t allowed to hold it so we just crouched over his bed (killing our backs) in a room that could have been classified as a sauna because it was so hot, and tried to calm him down. That was no picnic for 2 and a half hours. So, after last week, finding the motivation to return to the hospital today was hard, but I’m glad I went.

It was a tender mercy when we walked into a new floor, with kind nurses who lead us into a room with the most adorable little boy who was only a few weeks old. We sat there for a few minutes while he slept and he finally woke up. We took turns holding him and eventually feeding him a bottle. I couldn’t stop thinking about how someone could abandon this little guy. He didn’t cry once while we were there and was absolutely beautiful. He seemed to have a bit of a cold, but other than that was completely fine. Needless to say, it was a perfect day and a change that I needed. We really lost track of time, and didn’t return home until 6 tonight.

As hard as it is, I think I can do this.

To top off our good day, we bought some hot chocolate out of the dispenser that pops out a little cup for you and mixes your hot chocolate for you and then pops out a little spoon/stirring stick. All for one lei. This, is right outside the doors to our hospital floor. I love it!