Thou art not yet as Job.

Hello wonderful humans!

This week. Wow, this week.

I suppose the most delicate way to put it is to say that when I said I got better last week, I was mistaken. Long story short, I might have mono, chronic fatigue, or some other some unknown thing. It´s been a crazy week of a lot of spiritual growth. The good news, before anybody gets worried, is today I´m feeling strangely better. I really don´t know what to tell ya!

I suppose we´ll start from the beginning. P-day was pretty normal, not to many interesting things happened. I did cut Sister Hirschi´s hair in the church bathroom in case anybody was dying for a fun fact. Tudo normal.

Tuesday we had a Lisboa leadership meeting in, well, Lisboa. Walking to the train station I was feeling strangely tired...The meeting was super awesome though. We sat in a huge semi-circle, all the zone leaders, district leaders, sister training leaders, assistants, President and Sister Fluckiger. And then, we just talked. We talked about the numbers, what we were going to do to help our missionaries, how we were going to be good examples, and how we were going to really change the culture of our mission to be more obedient, more faithful, and just...better! It was an interesting setting. Everybody spoke and President just sat with us leading the discussion. It was really just a cool meeting to be apart of.

Then...we got home. We went to start working but my legs decided otherwise. I was so tired that it was literally difficult to walk...We decided to pray to decide if we should go home and have dinner at that time. Just as I was about to start the prayer Sister Hirschi stops me, and we started talking to this guy, André. He turned out to be a new investigator and we did go home and stay there for the rest of the night. Sweet mercies of Heavenly Father.

Wednesday.Division day. And I got to do my division with none other than the famous SISTER JENNA JACKSON. You heard that right, good old Ashburn reunion in Portugal. Let me tell ya, I was a little nervous! She´s a super missionary stud. But it was, of course, fantastic. Seriously. We reminisced about pretty much everything from A-town and laughed sooo much. It was awesome.

Danielle & Sister Jackson (friend from Ashburn, VA also serving in Portugal)

Thursday. We ended the division and my energy ended too. I just couldn´t work anymore. So we rested and then went to our ward Pioneer day party which was a hilarious blast! We all dressed up and looked ridiculous but it was so fun! We taught them all a line dance and Sister Sandholtz played her violin. TOO FUNNY. 

Friday. I died. I really just couldn´t even leave the house, I couldn´t wake up to study. I couldn´t even function. It was scary to be honest. It was frustrating! So frustrating! Sister Hirschi and I had a good little study together though. We read through a little of Job which man, that will humble ya. I learned a lot about being grateful for trials. Here´s a favorite scripture from that book-
"Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth:therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole."

The Lord gave me my health and He can take it away. It was a strange conclusion to come to and accept. I realized that I needed to figure it out though, that God does know best. I want to baptized the world! And that is a righteous desire, but maybe, for right now, that´s just not His plan for me. He has something better.

On Saturday, we went to the doctor and they told me basically nothing haha. They sent me off to do a lot of tests that I could only do on Monday and Tuesday. Oh the frustration. When I got home, I went to go to bed and Sister Hirschi went to make us lunch. On my bed, was a lovely note from Sister Sandholtz and Sister Stewart and like 10 packages of microwave popcorn, my wellknown obsession. I collapsed on the floor in tears, this time, not sad at all. I felt such an outpouring of the Lord´s love for me. Even though I was so sick I knew, I KNEW, that it´s because He knows I can handle it, and He loves me so much He didn´t just send His perfect Son to help me, but 3 of His elect and wonderful sister missionaries as well to be by my side through all of this. He loves me so much. 

Sunday, crazy day. André came to church! Heavenly Father loves me. Our member friend Lily had us over for Chinese food! Heavenly Father loves me. I slept a ton trying to recover. A member family convinced us to go to dinner at their house. Long story short, we get there and ELDER TEIXEIRA THE EUROPE AREA SEVENTY PRESIDENT IS THERE. He´s their relative. Yep. Crazy. He gave us a reference and I got to eat twizzlers and ranch dressing. 

That was my week plus a million other things and negative time to tell you all about it. LOVE YOU ALL. I know the Lord loves me and He loves you!

Com amor,

Sister Swasey