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!