再見

 Sister DeVictoria writing:  

So the plan is that we will return home Monday the 28th.  I wanted to explain a little about why we are going home now. Some people might wonder why we didn't go home earlier.  Plain and simple, Elder DeVictoria's health was not good enough to return home earlier.  When this illness first started, we were told it was cluster headaches.  Then when the rash appeared, the doctor thought it was cluster headaches AND shingles.  We had no idea how long the shingles would last.  We hoped that it would pass quickly.  But then it only intensified and Elder DeVictoria had to be hospitalized.  He was in pretty bad shape then.  Coming home to our apartment he did improve, but we began to see that this recuperation would not be quick.  Originally he thought he could work half a day until he recuperated, but after doing his best to go in to the office and only being able to stay not more than an hour we realized this healing would take awhile.  In addition, it didn't seem fair to the mission to continue to have another couple stay in a hotel and do his job for him, especially if it was going to take a long time for him to get better.  We just came to a point where we knew it was time to go home.

There are many things I will miss about this mission experience.  I have to say that the cultural side of it is so normal to us that it's not something we will terribly miss.  After living in China for almost 5 years, we have grown accustomed to life in a Chinese culture.  What I will miss is the friends that I have made and the one on one experiences I have had.  The sister who is replacing me told me that when she went to the bank, the guard there asked where Elder DeVictoria was.  He and Elder DeVictoria had become friends.  I feel that way about a lot of the places I have frequented.  There is a couple who run a photo shop where I frequently have photos printed for visa applications for missionaries.  They are such a nice couple and we have gotten to know each other through many discussions.  There are missionaries who we have worked with that we have grown fond of, as well as the other senior missionaries and mission leaders.  Here is a service missionary that we have enjoyed working with, Elder Chang.  I ran in to him while I was picking up some dinner.  He has been a big help to us.

Elder DeVictoria made friends with a Taiwanese man in our English speaking ward.  His name is Simon Lee.  He and Elder DeVictoria have gone out to lunch a couple of times and they have become good friends.  We will miss him.  The other man was a relative of one of our missionaries so I took a picture to send to him.

I have enjoyed getting to know the young single adults in our Institute classes.  It's sad that we may never see them again.  I have been able to see two of my former mission companions, and also another former missionary from when I was young.  I'm glad I had this chance to see them, but for the future we will have to keep in touch on social media.

I have been spending the week training the sister who will replace me, Sister Millington.  Part of that training is to take her to places she will need to go so that she can learn how to get there.  One place is a restaurant where departing missionaries are taken for a final meal with our Mission leaders.  It is inside a shopping building.  We ran into this little display there that was made to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Hello Kitty.  I thought my granddaughters would like to see this picture.  :)

We have been having one last meal of the food from places that we particularly like.  One day I had to take Sis. Millington to Immigration.  It is right by one of our favorite restaurants that serves rice congee.  Elder DeVictoria hasn't had much of an appetite, so it has been hard to get him to eat.  But I knew he would eat the congee so we stopped to get some.  It has pork and egg in it.  Sometimes we get vegetables in it, but I ordered wrong this time.

 

This is a picture of a spicy pickled vegetable that we put in the congee.  It's delicious!  He ate every bite.

Another restaurant that I have enjoyed we call Ba Fang.  I can't read the other two characters so I just call it by the first two. This main desk is actually outside the restaurant so you can order food to go really easily.  They have dining inside for those who want to sit down.

 

While I was there I sneaked a picture of some high school girls in their school uniforms. 

I think I'm about finished training Sis. Millington.  I can't think of anything I've forgotten.  All along I have been keeping a book of important things to remember and know.  I really struggled when I first came, so I decided to write things down as I learned them.  She can refer to that book if she forgets how to do something.  Also I am willing to answer texts from her, and I even thought that if needed I could make a video.  Being 14 hours ahead of Utah isn't convenient when you want to video chat.

If I were asked what I have learned from this mission, I would say the number one thing is that when you are on the Lord's errand, He will always send help for you to do what needs to be done.  I can remember when I first took over these duties that sometimes I couldn't remember how to do some things.  I would literally sit at my desk for 30 minutes trying to figure out how to do something.  I had been shown, but I didn't have a lot of hands on experience, and in my jet lag state, I wasn't able to fully take in everything I was shown.  But as I sat and tried to remember how to do something, I would have a thought of how to do it, or a thought about who I could ask to help me.  I can testify that I was given heavenly help.  Of course I have seen this in previous callings as well, but never to the extent that I have seen as a missionary.

My only problem now is, what do I do with all of this information that I have gleaned about how to do the secretarial role here?  It's kind of frustrating to spend this much time, almost 8 months, learning my role, and finally getting to the point that I feel like I have it down, only to have to leave and never have to use any of this information again.  But the Lord is in control, and maybe something I have learned will be helpful in the future.

Elder DeVictoria dictating:

Well, it's farewell to Taiwan.  I had a wonderful experience serving as the mission finance secretary for 6 months, then 2 months of illness from shingles.  I'm ready to go home because of this malady, but not because of my duties.  The spirit of the mission is so great.  The young missionaries are so wonderful.  

I have learned that the Lord is the master chess player.  He knows what's going on.  He knows six moves ahead what is going to happen.  I thought of this:  we started our mission on March 3.  I was struck with shingles on September 3.  That is EXACTLY 6 months.  From the day I could do no more work now has been an additional two months of suffering and trying to recover.  I've learned to trust that the Lord has His own timing,  There must be some other reason that we are not yet aware of.   

We are starting to look forward to sleeping in our own bed in our own house in our own city, eating "normal food" like refried beans and rice.  Like, prime rib.  lol  And I look forward to seeing my family.I feel like my grandkids don't really know me personally.  It would be nice to spend a little time with them. 

  "...the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job 1:21

Faith Muscles

 Sister DeVictoria writing:

Both Elder DeVictoria and I are having a hard time figuring out what to write today.  I guess I could start with an update on him.  The excruciating headaches that he previously had have stopped, although he is still having pain in the region where the shingles started in his eye and forehead.  But after experiencing the terrible headache pain, this pain is tolerable.  

We went to see the neurologist yesterday.  I so appreciate having the National Health Insurance that subsidizes most of our health care costs, but I have to say that the downside to socialized medicine is that there is a lot of waiting in line and the hospital where Elder DeVictoria stayed is really run down.  I don't want to sound ungrateful, so I won't enumerate the problems with the hospital.  But this is our second time dealing with socialized medicine and it's just not my favorite.  The system here is somewhat better than in China.  In some ways it is the same.  

When we arrived at the hospital for the follow up appointment, I scanned his health card, then we had to go to a machine to have his blood pressure taken and another place to get his height and weight.  Each time we inserted his card in to the machine, then the machine would run automatically.  Then we had to wait in the waiting area until our number was called.  Our number this time was 88, so I didn't know how soon we should show up at the clinic.  I think we got there close to 10 a.m., but had to wait a couple of hours before our number was called.  I really miss having a set appointment where you just show up, and even if you have to wait on the doctor, it's not 2 or 3 hours.  I really like this doctor.  His english is very good and sounds like he studied in America.  I thanked him for saving my husband.

Basically the doctor said that the shingles attack has subsided, although the virus lies dormant in the body and could come back any time.  Elder DeVictoria will need to get the immunization to prevent future attacks.  Right now he is healing from damage to the nerves.  The doctor has no way of knowing how long this healing could take.  It could take 2 weeks, or 3 months, or a year, or it could be permanent.  The doctor did adjust the medication so hopefully Elder DeVictoria won't be so sleepy all the time.  We have a three week followup appointment with

Elder DeVictoria had two blessings that both told him he would get over this quickly, so I'm trying to be positive and have faith, but I have learned in my life that in the eternal scheme of things, "quickly" could be a lot longer than we know.  

On Monday he has an appointment with the opthalmologist.  His eye is still not healed and he has trouble getting it to focus in a straight direction.  It goes kind of cross eyed.  He has double vision much of the time.  I think part of this could be from not using the eye for a month.  So we will see what the opthalmologist can tell us about a prognosis.  Then we will make a decision about whether to stay here in Taiwan or to return to America.

When I think about the possibility of leaving Taiwan, of course I am saddened, but at the same time, I recognize that literally hundreds of people have been praying for Elder DeVictoria.  His name has been on multiple temple prayer rolls.  People have included him in their fasts.  He has received two blessings.  So I really feel it is all in the Lord's hands.  If we end up having to go home, then I feel confident it will be His will.  I can't see all of the pieces and future moves in this grand chess game.  There may be reasons that we don't now know about that would require our returning home.  I have faith that the Lord is in control.  However, that being said, I don't feel I have the faith to apply for a second mission later.  I would be too concerned about the possibility of another health crisis.  Also the process of applying for this mission was very stressful for us.  I just can't do that again with the possibility of it all ending quickly again.  But at the same time I have also learned, as someone once said to me, that there are many ways to serve.  If we end up going home, we will just serve locally in our ward and Stake.  Does that all sound like my faith is weak?  Faith is the only thing that has seen me through this far.  Faith has helped me not to despair.  Faith has given me peace even when everything looked black.

The way I look at faith is that it is like a muscle.  You can't gain faith by reading about it in a book.  You only grow it by having to use it.  You say you want to believe in God?  Okay then, start praying to Him.  As you pray, you will begin to see answers to your prayers and you will come to know that God is real.  You want to gain faith about one of the commandments?  Okay then, start obeying it.  Only then can you see the blessings associated with it.  Only then can your faith actually be strengthened.

A couple of pictures from this week.  This first one is a picture of someone's personal driveway.  I just kind of wonder where they got the monkey thing.

This next picture is of some children walking home from school down a little lane.  I just thought they looked sweet together.

Elder DeVictoria dictating:

I'm here.  I'm going to try to go to church tomorrow.  It's been a few weeks.  My problem is I can't do any work.  I can't read the screens.  And I can't think for more than thirty minutes.  I'm getting better, but it's super slow.  

"Many muscles require exercise in order to be in condition to perform our daily activities. We could expend much mental effort reading and learning about our muscles, but if we think this will make them stronger, we will be very disappointed. Our muscles grow only when we use them.

I have come to realize that spiritual gifts behave in the same way. They also need to be exercised to grow. The spiritual gift of faith, for example, is not just a feeling or a mood; it is a principle of action that frequently appears in the scriptures linked to the verb exercise. Just as reading and learning about muscles is not enough to build muscle, reading and learning about faith without adding action is insufficient to build faith."

 By Elder Juan Pablo Villar Of the Seventy "Exercising Our Spiritual Muscles" April 2019 general conference.

Baby Steps

 Sister DeVictoria writing:

I'm not sure if Elder DeVictoria will write today or not.  Actually it would be me writing for him while he dictates.  He can't use his left eye much.  He has double vision and it is blurry.  If he feels up to it later I will let him dictate to me.

I have seen a lot of improvement in Elder DeVictoria, although he is still struggling to get over this virus.  He is eating more this week which makes me relieved.  In the hospital he could only eat about three bites of food at a meal.  I am sure that good nutrition will help him build stronger immunities, so I try to find things that he would like to eat.

This week was also his birthday.  I asked him what he would like me to get him for his birthday dinner.  He finally decided on Indian food.  There is a little restaurant in the Shida night market that we have often gone to.  I was telling the owner about Elder DeVictoria's condition, and that it was his birthday, so I guess he felt sorry for him and gave us free naan bread!  One of the other senior couples, the Clemons, bought him a rolled cake and brought it over to celebrate with us.  They are the ones who helped get us to the hospital and back.  We really appreciate their help!

I taught institute again this week but only one student came.  But we went ahead and had class anyway and had a great discussion!  I forgot to send out a reminder text, so hopefully when I do that this week I can encourage more students to show up.

Last weekend was our church's General conference, but because of the time difference, here in Taiwan we are having our conference weekend this week.  They will make the videos available at the church, but we will just stay home and watch it.  We have already watched the Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon sessions.  Elder DeVictoria just listens.

I have started training another senior missionary sister in case we have to go home to America.  There is so much to teach it is overwhelming.  I always say that I have a thousand things to think about and remember.  I took her to immigration this week so she could see how it works and know how to get there.  I have to go again on Monday to renew the tourist visa of one of the Whiteley's sons.  I'm not sure why Taiwan wouldn't give him a permanent resident visa.

Elder DeVictoria had another opthamology appointment this week.  While we were there at the hospital, we saw this woman playing the guzheng.  It was really beautiful!

 

I haven't really taken many photos this week.  I did take this photo of Elder DeVictoria to document his beard.  He is keeping his eyes closed because the light was too bright for him.  In our married life, this is the longest he has had his beard!  

We had zone conferences this week.  The mission is now divided in to 4 zones.  Two of those zone conferences are held here at the chapel across the street from the office.  Sis. Clemons made a taco casserole for all of the conferences.  They also had salad, and she ordered some cake for dessert.  Ahh to be young and have that much energy!  She is about 15 years younger than us.

Elder DeVictoria writing:

This past week has been controlled by drugs.  I'm on about 11 different medications all at the same time.  It has reduced the severity and pain of the headaches.  They are practically gone.  But on the other hand, I've been knocked out, not able to really think or do anything, kind of like a vegetable.  From the articles we can read online it appears this Shingles/Herpes/Zoster can be really extreme and I think I got a very extreme case.  During the peak pain periods it was frankly unbelievable.  The most pain I have ever felt in my life.  I'm glad that phase seems to be over.  

Sister DeVictoria writing:

I found this quote by Neal a Maxwell this week and loved it's message:

 "The cavity which suffering carves into our souls will one day also be the receptacle of joy."

Let's All Play Wheel of Diagnoses!

 Sister DeVictoria writing:

Another week, another diagnosis.  Our mission has a new health advisor, Elder Clemons.  He and his wife did some research and found a neurologist who specializes in headaches.  We went to see that doctor on Tuesday.  She talked with us for a few minutes, then said that she wanted to put Elder DeVictoria in the hospital.  Frankly we were very happy with the suggestion because we knew this meant that Elder DeVictoria could finally get some relief!  They admitted him right then.  Yesterday and today his headache attacks have been significantly reduced!  Whereas for the past few weeks he has been suffering with 10-12 attacks during the day, and more at night, yesterday he had one at 11:00 a.m., then didn't have another until midnight!  I was there until 5:00 this evening and he hadn't had any since that one at midnight.  This is wonderful!!!  His head is still sensitive to the touch, but he has been able to sleep a lot.  The doctor told me today that this was never a cluster headache, it was always shingles, and he isn't quite over the shingles, although the other doctor thought he was.  Also the other doctors weren't being aggressive enough with the medication, so he didn't take the anti-viral medication long enough.  So he is back on that medication and finally is making improvement!  He will be in the hospital until he can go two days without a headache.  I'm so thankful I got the immunization for shingles.  My understanding is that he can get it after he isn't having any more symptoms, like maybe in 6 months.  The don't give the vaccine until you are over 50 I think, so if you are over 50 and haven't had it yet, RUN, don't walk to your doctor to get one!!

Here is a picture of Elder DeVictoria sleeping.  He doesn't like to sleep in the bed because his head hits the pillow which causes a headache attack. 

We are also in the midst of a typhoon right now.  The winds have been pretty strong today.  It reminds me of the "microbursts" we get in Utah valley.  We also have rain, but the winds are incredibly strong.  Because of the typhoon, the government called for 2 days of no work or school, so many businesses are shut down.  On my way to the subway today I heard some ladies joking with each other.  They work at two businesses that are side by side.  One is a restaurant, and the other is a little open air breakfast shop that is under the awning of a building.  The restaurant lady came out and teased the other ladies and said, "You are supposed to be taking a break today, don't you know there is a typhoon!"  The other ladies said, "You are working too!  And look, you are standing out in the wind and we are under a roof!"  They all laughed together.  I don't know how the coastal regions fared during this typhoon, but here in Taipei it has been okay, although quite windy.  I am learning how to hold my umbrella just right so that it doesn't break in the wind....famous last words.

Here is a picture I took out the window of the hospital.  Pretty scenery

 

So every day I take the subway to the city where the hospital is:  Shipai.  The nurses told me about a shuttle that runs back and forth from the subway to the hospital.  So I walk a little ways down the block from the subway and line up for the shuttle.  It can take 24 people at a time.  It drives right up to the front door of the hospital.  At lunch I go downstairs to an AMAZING food court!  They also have some people selling bento boxes right outside the food court.  I bought a couple to bring home because the mission president suggested we make sure we had food for the days that the typhoon would hit.  Also I had one of these bento boxes for lunch and it was really good, so I was happy to stock up.  This picture is a little blurry, but you can see the crispy yummy chicken.

Well, today is Saturday and Elder DeVictoria was able to come home.  The Clemons drove us home, it was very helpful because Elder DeVictoria is experiencing a lot of dizziness because of the medicine.  They sent him home with 11 different medications.  Much of it makes him really drowsy.  I think the hospital was a little too noisy for him, so I think he will sleep better here.  He will be taking the anti-viral medication for another week, then we will evaluate how he is doing. 

There was one nurse at the hospital who witnessed one of Elder DeVictoria's headache attacks.  I noticed her watching us with a meaningful look on her face.  She asked where we live, and when I told her, she told me she had taken "lessons" there before.  I told her about the English classes that are in every city.  I told her that they are free.  Actually they are English conversation groups, not really classes.  She sounded like she would be interested in going.  The next day she thanked me for telling her about them.  I texted the office elders and asked them to send me a picture of the flyer that has all of the chapel addresses.  They did, and also sent me a link to the website. I shared all of that information with her.  The nurse asked me if the classes involved Bible study.  I told her that they are just english conversation groups, but that the missionaries are also willing to teach people religion if they are interested.  Once again she mentioned that she had taken lessons before.  I really think she took the discussions at one time and seeing us reminded her of that experience.   I could tell that she would really like to talk to us more, but was unsure about how to do it.  Plus she was working and had duties.  Today, our last day there, I found her and gave her a pair of earrings that I had made. I told her I really appreciated the care that she had shown to us.  She thanked me.  Later, as we were waiting for the elevator to go home, she came running to the elevator and thanked me again for the earrings.  I told her again how much we appreciated her care, and I also told her that I just found out that the english conversation groups will also be changing to include scripture study.  I wanted her to know ahead of time.  She said she will go when she has a day off.   

 I think I will go ahead and post this for now.  I think Elder DeVictoria is just too drowsy to write this week.  Thank you for all of your prayers!

IIt's All in God's Hands

 Sister DeVictoria writing:

Well, we have gone on a roller coaster ride of diagnoses (I had to look up how to spell that) for Elder DeVictoria.  The first diagnosis was Cluster headache.  Then he developed Shingles.  Then another doctor said he thought there was never cluster headache, just shingles.  But now the shingles is cleared up and we are back to cluster headaches.  So the neurologist was right, that he has been suffering with both cluster headaches AND shingles.  We saw the doctor this week and he gave new medicines, but we didn't see any improvement so we went back to the doctor.  He wasn't on call so we saw a different neurologist who prescribed three new medicines.  One of those he said might just suddenly kick in and stop the headaches.  But so far that hasn't happened.  We are up to day...I think 24 of Elder DeVictoria being ill.  It sure is taking it's toll on him.  If he doesn't get well very soon we are going to have to consider being sent home.

One blessing is that there is a senior couple in our mission who are uniquely trained to step in and help do Elder DeVictoria's duties.  Of course things in this mission are done differently from businesses, so they still have to ask for help about how things are done in the church system.  Also there is a blessing that there is a couple who were previously in our roles who are Taiwanese, and I think if needed they could step in until replacements are found.  Another blessing is that we now have a mission health advisor who arrived in August.  He has been giving us some great medical advice.

This all comes down to the subject I have been thinking about most during all of this which is "faith".  We always hear that faith precedes the miracle.  "With God all things are possible".  "Ask and ye shall receive".  Sometimes I guilt myself in to thinking that maybe I just don't have enough faith for a miracle healing for him.  Then other times I remind myself that all things are in God's hands and if we are meant to be here, Elder DeVictoria will get better.  I can't see the big picture.  I don't know if there is some other reason that we would need to go home.  We felt drawn to come to Taiwan, and we have felt all along that in our lives we have had a sort of mission connected with Taiwan and China.  While we have been here, we have felt many times that we are meant to be here.  We have been given many opportunities to serve and to be of influence on others.  

When I first came to Taiwan I was dealing with tendinitis in my knee.  I really struggled with pain for about 4 months.  I was going through the same faith crisis wondering if I just didn't have enough faith to be healed.  But then one day the thought came to me that at least I have the faith to NOT be healed.  In other words, I have faith that if I am not healed, then it is God's will.  There must be something I am supposed to learn from the experience.  So too, now with Elder DeVictoria I don't know if I have the faith needed for a miracle healing, but I do have faith that if he isn't healed, then it is God's will.  

I should add that MULTIPLE people have been praying for Elder DeVictoria.  His name has been on the prayer roll of MULTIPLE temples.  He has received two Priesthood blessings.  So because of all of this, I feel even more strongly that it is all in God's hands.  

One huge blessing for me lately is that the weather has turned a little cooler.  I was walking a long way one day and thought about how it didn't really seem that hard to walk.  Then it occurred to me that it was because it wasn't hot out!  We have had a LOT of thunder showers recently.  Here is a picture of the dark sky.

One of our service missionaries finished her 18 month mission this week.  She has such a cheery disposition, everyone who worked with her will miss her.  This picture was taken at the Distribution center where she often volunteered.  

 

 

Last Sunday was our stake conference here.  I got to the chapel and the meeting started with some youth conducting the meeting!  Then at one point the visiting general authority had a question and answer period!  I had never attended a stake conference like this before!  It wasn't until near the end of the meeting that I realized I was attending the special early morning youth meeting.....  Senior moments happen to the best of us I guess.  Since Elder DeVictoria was sleeping alot that morning I stayed for the next two hours of conference.  

Elder DeVictoria: (Sister DeVictoria typing)

Well, this has been the strangest event of my life. These head pains are so intense when they flair up, that all other thoughts can not be thought.  These tortuous stabbing pains in the brain take over all else.  Now being on day 24 and looking back over these days it's amazing how this ailment has shut me down.  If I get in to anything too complicated in my work, then the pain just flares up and I cannot do anything for several hours while I recover.  Fortunately these pains are exactly the same every time.  The same locations, sequence and duration.  So I have kind of gotten use to it, but they are so painful that I can't do anything else but grit my teeth and get through it.  And when the pain is gone, there is practically no pain left over at all.  But this whole process really does shake up my ability to think and focus.  The other day I was speaking on the phone with the couple, the Millingtons who are at the office for a few days to take over my job, just to explain to them what to do.  With so much intense focus on my part, after about 30 or 40 minutes and I was at the end and the pain would come on.  So I would say good bye and hang up the phone and the pain would just completely take over my head.  Yesterday I couldn't speak to them even once.  Obviously I can't go on like this.  I have faith in Christ to heal me.  

Sister DeVictoria writing again:

Since I first started this week's blog, the mission health advisor called and encouraged us to switch to a different doctor.  This one specializes in headaches.  He and his wife have set up an appointment for Elder DeVictoria to see this doctor.  Also we just received our National Health Insurance cards, so the visits will be much cheaper.  

"But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions."  Alma 34:41

No Way Out But Through

 Sister DeVictoria writing:

This week Elder DeVictoria had another appointment with his neurologist.  He walked in to the room and sat down and the doctor looked at the rash on his face and said, "You have Zoster!"  (Shingles)  Elder DeVictoria's eye is quite swollen and red, so he sent him to an opthalmologist.  That doctor said that he thinks this was NEVER a cluster headache, but was Shingles all along.  I got the name of the nerve wrong last time, it is called the trigeminal nerve.  It runs along the side of the head.  You can see from the picture why this all started with some tooth pain.

 

Even our mission health advisor couldn't understand how he was diagnosed with cluster headache when his symptoms didn't fit that diagnosis.  Instead of a series of headaches, it was a one week long headache with no break.  Thanks to a friend of mine who had shingles, I decided that wasn't something I ever wanted to get and a couple of years ago went and got the vaccine for it.  Now I'm so thankful because I don't see how two of us could have this at the same time.  Elder DeVictoria has really suffered with this.  He no longer has the constant headache, but some of the medication makes him tired and dizzy.  Sometimes he has trouble sleeping at night.  This is a slow recovery because it involves an inflamed nerve, but he is making baby steps of improvement.  Update:  Yesterday Elder DeVictoria had a stab of pain in his head that was far worse than any he had experienced to date.  I had been preparing to go to the evening session of Stake conference, but after that ordeal I didn't dare leave him alone.  Then early this morning he had two more incidents of that excruciating pain.  I hope when he sees the doctor tomorrow they can give him some help.  I did ask the mission president to come over and give him another blessing.  That did give us hope that there will be an end to this.  He is thinking that maybe he will ask one of the MLS couples to come in to the office for a week or two to help do Elder DeVictoria's responsibilities until he gets feeling better. 

This week we had a 6 week followup meeting for new missionaries and a Mission Leader Council meeting.  I had to arrange food for those two meetings.  I just ordered Subway sandwiches and bought some fruit.  I have to buy the fruit the morning of the luncheon because I don't have a place to store it all.  I can't put it in the church fridge because the church here is kind of like a community center.  People come almost every night to play sports in the gym and hang out.  Food put in the fridge sometimes get eaten.  So I just go buy it the morning of the luncheon.  I asked Elder Chang and Sister Ye who are service missionaries to help me cart the paper goods and water jug over to the chapel.  They have been such a big help for me and Elder Chang has also done quite a bit of translation work for the mission.  Here is a picture of him and Sister Ye.  We took them out to lunch one day for Elder Chang's birthday. 

 

I also had to go to Immigration twice this week and will have to go again on Monday.  This week there were fewer people in line so I didn't have to stay quite as long.  We got in a group of 13 missionaries and I had to register 12 of them.  I also had some missionaries who have been in Taiwan for a year so needed renewal.  But I didn't get two of the items I needed so will have to go Monday.   

We are going to start teaching Institute (English) again this week.  We will be studying the Book of Mormon along with the Chinese Institute.  I'm not sure if Elder DeVictoria will be able to attend or not, but I will go alone if needed.  One of the nice things about being senior missionaries is that we don't have the same rules as the young missionaries.  We can do anything a regular member can do. 

Today was stake conference.  I saw on the ward communication app that it started at 10:00.  So I went over at ten, but it was the strangest stake conference I ever saw.  There were youth conducting the meeting, and at one point the visiting general authority did a question and answer session.  I don't always understand everything said in talks, so I kind of missed some of it.  Near the end of the meeting I realized I was at the Pre-conference Youth fireside!  The general session started at 11:00!  Duh.....  Elder DeVictoria was sleeping pretty soundly when I left so I felt comfortable leaving him alone.  We only live about a 2 minute walk away from the chapel.

Here is a picture I borrowed that some Elders took.  I really liked it so snagged it.

And here is a picture from a cool street at the night market.  Not the best picture of me, but the lights are cool.  lol

Well, Elder DeVictoria isn't really up to writing this week, so I will just publish this without him writing.  We appreciate everyone who has prayed for him and put his name in the temple.  There will be an end to this, we just don't have any idea when that will happen.  But we feel we have been blessed amidst this trial.  Even though it has been difficult, our faith has pulled us through.  

“To exercise faith is to trust that the Lord knows what He is doing with you and that He can accomplish it for your eternal good even though you cannot understand how He can possibly do it. We are like infants in our understanding of eternal matters and their impact on us here in mortality. Yet at times we act as if we knew it all. When you pass through trials for His purposes, as you trust Him, exercise faith in Him, He will help you. That support will generally come step by step, a portion at a time. While you are passing through each phase, the pain and difficulty that comes from being enlarged will continue. If all matters were immediately resolved at your first petition, you could not grow” (“Trust in the Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 17).  Elder Richard G. Scott

Hit the Wall

 Elder DeVictoria writing:

This week we hit the hardest wall of our mission yet.  On Sunday the pain from my head and eye was so intense that I had to go to the hospital.  I went to the Seventh Day Adventist hospital which is open on Sundays (because of course they think the Sabbath is on Saturday, so Sunday for them is a normal day of operation).  So we went in and it was kind of miraculous.  They have a special department that treats foreigners that aren't on the National Health plan (we aren't yet) and therefore we are paying cash.  They took us to a special intake lounge that is super comfortable.  Everyone speaks English.  They scheduled us to see a general practitioner.  An aide walked us down, opening all the doors, pushing all the elevator buttons, showing us the way.  When we got to the station, we didn't have to get a ticket and wait our turn in line, we went right to the front of the line and within a few minutes we were sitting in front of the doctor.  The doctor said, "Well, you may have sinusitis/a sinus infection, but that would require antibiotics that would be best taken intravenously, and that would require being admitted to the hospital.  Why don't I refer you first to the Ear, Nose and Throat specialist right now to check you." So we walked to the next department and again we got the same treatment, went straight to the front of the line and went right in. The doctor looked in my nose, looked at my eyes, looked at my throat and teeth and said, "Okay, let's get an x-ray of your head."  Away we went to the x-ray station in the basement.  Again we went right to the front of the line.  They took the x-rays and we went back to the ENT.  When I got back he was reviewing the x-rays on the screen, he spins around and says to me "You have no infection, there is no mucus problem, I suspect this is a neurological condition, you need to be referred to Neurology."  So off to the Neurology department.  Again we stepped right in, in front of 15-20 patients waiting in the lobby.  Within 2 minutes of explaining my symptoms, when it started and what's going on, he said, "I think you have a cluster headache."  We went though on-by-one all of the typical symptoms and I had all of them. Stabbing pain that comes in waves.  All on one side of the face.  Centered on the eye on one side, going up to the forhead and down to the cheeks or upper teeth.  Going out to the temple area.  And generating a lot of tears in the eye, with the eye really red and swollen.  Then he whipped right around and wrote out a prescription for about 7 different medicines that included steroids, anti-inflamatories/pain pills, stomach protectants, and as an option an anti-seizure medication.  And that was it.  Upon check out we were presented a bill for about $600 dollars which I paid with my credit card. That includes all the x-rays and medicines and diagnoses.  I took altogether about 2.5 hours

That night the pain was extreme, and the next day too.  On Tuesday I decided we needed to go see him again.  When we went in he was surprised to see us.  But this time he could see that I looked much worse.  I was much worse.  I was so miserable Sister DeVictoria had to push me in a wheelchair.  

 

I explained that I had not been able to sleep and was in unbearable pain, the worst pain of my life.  He said, "Okay, I can increase the dosage of the anti-inflammatory medicine / pain meds to the maximum, and I can also give you a "shot".  I said, "Okay, give me the "shot" and he said, "Okay but I'm also going to do a blood test to make sure there isn't anything else we might have missed."  And I was already scheduled for a brain MRI on Thursday.  He gave me the shot and we went home.  By the time I got out of the taxi I was so dizzy I could barely stand up.  I lurched upstairs and crashed in to bed and slept for about 6 hours.  It felt so good!  I made it through to the MRI experience which was fine.  By this time in fact the pain had started to subside with the one "shot" and with the increased dosages. Slowly, gradually it went down and down.  On Friday I finally went in to the office to do some financial work for about an hour.  It had been over a week since I had been back in the office.  Then I spent a couple of hours in the office on Saturday.  That brings us to today, Sunday and I feel a lot better.  My next doctor visit is tomorrow.  I think I'm nearing the end of this.  About 10 days of misery.

Sister DeVictoria:

Elder DeVictoria said this was the hardest week of our mission, but I think it was the hardest week of our  marriage!  As we traced this illness, I remembered that it kind of started with tooth pain.  I was very worried that he had an infection in his teeth that had spread to his brain!  I felt this could be life threatening!  I prayed a lot for help.  When the doctor said there was no infection, I was so relieved!  And when the neurologist immediately said it was a cluster headache, I felt so grateful that we finally had a diagnosis!  I felt the Lord helped us all along the way to get good care, even though Elder DeVictoria suffered for one long week.  He didn't eat, he couldn't sleep.  He was reaching the end of his rope.  Now I finally see the old Paul coming back.  Today I notice a big difference in the rash, swelling of the eye, and his overall state of being.  

 

One thing he didn't mention was that along with the pain in his eye, the large nerve on that side of the face, the triseminal nerve, probably was causing the tooth pain and caused the left side of his face and head to be covered with a rash.  With cluster headaches they happen on one side of the head, and with the rash you can see almost a dividing line.  Our health advisor in our mission said that with cases like this, it is important to get immediate care.  Because he didn't, the nerves got inflamed and it took awhile for them to calm down.  Even though this was a terrible trial to get through, I have felt the Lord's help and guidance.  

Throughout this ordeal I have often thought of the words of this hymn, "How Firm a Foundation":

1. How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!

What more can he say than to you he hath said,

Who unto the Savior, who unto the Savior,

Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

 

2. In ev’ry condition—in sickness, in health,

In poverty’s vale or abounding in wealth,

At home or abroad, on the land or the sea—

As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.

 

3. Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,

For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

 

 4. When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow,

For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,

And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

The word "succor" in this hymn kept coming to me. The one thing I have learned in my life is that true relief and comfort come from the Savior.  Even when what we have to experience is terrible, there can be a ray of peace and hope that helps us have the strength to get through it.  Trials like this refine us and as the song says, "sanctify" us.  They also help us to turn to God for help, which helps us develop a closer relationship with Him. 

At the very end of the pain for Elder DeVictoria, I developed tendonitis in my shoulder.  For whatever reason, my body just always chooses tendonitis.  This is the 5th time I have gotten it.  I kind of know the drill and just tried to immobilize it.  Elder DeVictoria helped me dress because I couldn't raise my arm.  Our health advisor in the mission coached me on how much Ibuprofen to take.  Yesterday on P-day I suddenly felt a sort of release in my shoulder and since then it has started feeling better!  I am very thankful!  I questioned whether I would be able to play the organ for church, but I kept practicing to see if I could raise my arms and found that I could.  I was able to play without any problem.  My healing is also happening!  

We got in new missionaries and the 7 new Elders stayed at our apartment for two nights.  Some of them looked a little shell shocked.  Mission rules, a new culture, leaving home for perhaps the first time, learning a language etc. can be very stressful.  It's amazing how quickly they adapt to this mission pace though.  We also have two missionaries leaving.  I snagged a couple of pictures that the President shared with the mission.  One is of the group inside the entry of the temple.  One is of the group on a bus headed to the Grand Hotel to discuss that this was the place where Taiwan was dedicated for the preaching of the gospel.  They also went to the night market.  

And finally, no food pics this week, but I have another flower pic.  :)  

Alma 7:12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.