Letter from November 24th

Hellooo all! First and foremost, I would like to thank you mom for not
making me eat higo yogurt as a child. Anyways! Wow this week has been
the most eventfull week of my life I believe. Hopefully I have enough
time to tell everything!

I guess Ill start off by telling you about Hermana Reyes. I came back
to my room one night and there was a girl in one of our extra beds
sleeping. So I asked what was going on and apparently she was on her
mission in the Dominican Republic when her companion noticed her
saying weird things. It turns out that she had a brain tumor and had
to come here for better medical care. They put her in my room because
Im a nurse and yata yata. So it ended up that I had to stay in the
room with her all day and all night and watch her cause she was crazy
and couldnt walk and stuff. Memories of clinicals came flooding back
to me because I had to give her medication every few hours, make her
drink and take her to the bathroom and all that good stuff. The next
day, I had to go with Dr. McArthur (the doctor over all of central
america AKA my new boss) to the hospital. It was actually quite an
adventure because I got the leave the CCM! I felt oh so free. The
office at the hospital we went to was on the 12th floor and overlooked
Guatemala. It was the most gorgeous thing Ive ever seen. ANYWAYS, I
just found out last night that they went in for surgery to take the
tumor out and found that it was actually a pork tape worm. IN HER
BRAIN. Yeah...never heard of that. I think Im going to stop brushing
my teeth with the water.

Next random thing that happened...one night I was saying my prayers
and one of the Hermanas from the other room comes running in to get
me. I went into there room and apparently one the Hermanas had just
had a seizure. I guess she was saying her prayers and just fell over
on the floor and started convulsing. But when I asked her about it,
she went on and on and on about how she was praying to know if the
book of mormon was true and that the devil took over her body. She was
bawling hysterically. The latinos here are sooooo superstitious. They
all believe with all of their little hearts that there are evil
spirits everywhere. They dont talk about anything else. This hermana
says that every time she prays to know if the book of mormon is true,
she starts convulsing. Very strange. So we woke the President up and
he gave her some tylenol and she was very satisfied with that. haha!

Next thing I got to do was go to the plaza (which is like a huge park
in the middle of the ghetto) and practice contacting. I was sooo dang
nervous because of my spanish! It was a tad bit, ok a huge bit scary
there. There were like prostitutes everywhere and stuff. But anyways,
I made 5 contacts and got their info. I was excited. I actually did a
lot better than I thought. It was crazy cause there was this one older
man that I just had THE STRONGEST feeling that I had to talk to. He
looked a little iffy so I doubted myself but I finally went over and
talked to him. While I was talking to him the spirit was soooooo
strong and he was very interested. I was super glad I talked to him.
Its amazing how Heavenly Father really does help you to know what to
do if youll just ask. Before I went, I just prayed and said ok
Heavenly Father, I cant speak spanish but I am just going to have
faith that you will put the right words into my mouth and Ill be able
to say something of worth. It was amazing! It was so fun to be able to
see Guatemala too. It is sooo green and gorgeous, I love it here!

In answer to some of your questions, the weather is basically perfect.
The food is not horrible or anything but its just really different. I
just barely started to miss american food this week. Speaking of
which, I cant believe Thanksgiving is tomorrow! Thats crazy to me
because it doesnt feel like it at all! Yes mom, I have been perfectly
healthy and happy. In fact Im having the time of my life!! I
seriously love it here! I love being a missionary and in Guatemala and
everything! My days are sooo comical. Very entertaining! The most
entertaining thing this week was probably being called honey beautiful
at the plaza. Dont ask me what that is but it was hilarious and one of
the latino elders almost beat the guy up who talked to me.

I got some dearelders and a package! You would not believe how jealous
everyone was! The dearelders came in 5 days!!! So fast! I got them
last thursday and then I got the package last night. I loved it soo
much! Seriously, I think Im in heaven. Thank you mom!! I only have a
few minutes to read emails on here so it would probably be better to
dearelder them. Or dearelder AND email. That would be the best.

I sent some letters to family and friends last week and today.
Hopefully youll get them soon.

Well unfortunately I am out of time once again but I love you all sooo
much! Im sorry if my letters are boring you. Please never stop writing
me! I love reading your letters soooo much! Its the only connection I
have to the outside world! La amo!!!!!

Love, Hermana Alston