Strep Throat and Cold

​Hace Friooooooo!

Dear Mom and Dad and my wonderful family and friends!

We have officially entered winter. It was so cold this week. It only got down to about 35-40 degrees, but here it is kind of humid so the cold bites right through you. We bought jackets today! Friday and Saturday were especially cold, but we made it through the week. This week is supposed to be warmer!

So last Monday I felt really sick but my companion gave me a blessing and the next day my fever and body aches were gone, but my throat hurt a lot. It got a little bit better but then on Wednesday I completely lost my voice. Being a missionary without of voice is like being a knight without a sword. It doesn't work too well, but my companion sure helped me and did a lot of the talking that day.

Thursday during our district meeting, Dr. Lopez flew in from Santa Cruz to give us a health training about how to avoid rabies and have good health. After his presentation, I asked him about my throat and he looked into my mouth and said, ´´Wow, you've got a lot of bacteria. You need a shot of penicillin.” Gulp... I don't remember the name of the bacteria, but I think it is strep throat in English. But....Elder Stewart had a similar sickness before he came here with me, and he started laughing and told me this shot wasn't going to go into my arm.

The needle was huge and the shot was about as thick as a nickel.

So we bought the medicine and shot and Doctor Lopez mixed the medicine up and injected it into my backside. OUCH!! That was the longest shot of my life (10 to 15 seconds) and that needle wasn't very small either!

But in the night I felt a lot better. I have been drinking some good cough syrup and my voice and throat are almost all the way back together.

My cough medicine (It kind of has a cherry chalk flavor)

But this week as a zone we worked hard to try and find more through the members. This week, we found Fernanda and Paol. They are member references, and all of Fernanda’s family is a member and she really wants to be a part of the church because she has seen the blessings her family has received from the gospel.

Also, we watched the video of Joseph Smith, the Profet of Restaurcion with Marilin and Yosselin in the house of Familia Duran. They both loved it. Marilin went to church again yesterday. And during one of her lessons she told us, I don´t know if I can be a member of the church because sometimes I lose my temper with my brothers. She is striving so hard to obey all the commandments! Please pray for Iver, her husband, that he will have the desire to listen to us!

Also, Claudia is doing great! She turned 15 this week, and we gave her a small note and some bon bons! Her dad still doesn't want to give her the permission to be baptized, but we are working hard to answer her questions and help her gain a stronger testimony of the Book of Mormon!

Thank you for all your prayers and support!

Love,

Elder Matheson

​This was last week traveling to Santa Cruz for the leadership council

My pictures is getting farther up on the board. I am getting older in the mission.

Familia Arteaga!  This family is amazing and even though they have had some trials they are very active in the church!

Paola, Leo, and Mitchel It was wonderful to see them.

​Today we went to an overlook of the city!  This is a good view of Tarija from different angles.

  

​Sunset in tarija