February 23, 2014
Dear everyone!
In Korea, right now it's flu season. We're not talking 24hr bug thing. We're talking full on influenza. There were a bunch of missionaries in the mission with Influenza A. Since Wednesday night, I'd been pretty sick, and I wasn't getting better. So after talking with some REAL adults, we decided to get me checked out.
So Saturday morning, we go to a small hospital. But the more we looked around, the more my confidence in the place's cleanliness and validity waned... I don't know if it was the 1977 and 1982 certificates on the wall for the doctor who was still there or the fact that me and my companion were the only people there under the age of 60. Eventually, I got called back to meet the doctor. He was ancient and cross-eyed. I thought I was going to die. He told me I needed to get tested for influenza, and sent me to another room...portion on the office separated by a hanging sheet... to be tested by his nurse. The secretary was his nurse. She came over from the lobby with two 8-inch long white plastic q-tip looking things. And without any warning, she stuck them 7-inches up into my nose. I've never been so startled in my life. And I also had no idea I had that much room back there. Sister Park was shocked too. "I'm so sorry! Normal Korean hospitals aren't like this!" They put us back in the waiting room with the growing crowd of ancient Koreans. 10 minutes later, the cross-eyed doctor gave me and Sister Park masks and informed me that I had Influenza B. Fantastic. They gave me a shot, pumped a small-banana sized thing of painkilling/fever reducing juice into my arm, and loaded me up with some of the strongest meds I've ever taken in my life. And I just got to say, my world is SO LOOPY right now. It's not funny. I've got three more days worth of meds before I'm free.
About an hour later, we headed to the church to put on our ward missionary activity. We had planned this activity for months. The purpose of the activity was to give members the opportunity to invite their friends to learn more about the church. We had spent most of February preparing, organizing with our ward leaders, contacting members, inviting them to invite their friends, and proselyting on our own to hopefully get a decent turnout. The activity was a come-and-go kind of deal, but it started at 1pm. Our first member showed up at 2:15. Members eventually began to trickle in, and slowly they began to admit that none of them had invited their friends. Despite our efforts, only 3 nonmembers came. It was a great activity though! The Spirit was there; when the members arrived they brought a wonderful spirit with them, and they were willing to discuss the gospel. We were just missing the non-members. We're going to try it again in a couple months...
Anyway, not too much excitement here. Today's the first day of my 6th transfer in the field, my 3rd in Gumi, and my 3rd with Sister Park. Life's good. Still loopy. But that's okay.
Love you all!
Love,
Sister Bonney
