Hi Jacob!
How are you doing this fine week? Things here are good. I've been sick ever since Tuesday or so. It started after I took my father-in-law to the hospital. So we think it stemmed from there or so. It was a sore throat that led to a cold then to a cough and no voice. All of Friday, at Jurupa Vista, in Mrs. Martin's 3rd grade class I had to use a microphone that was connected to an intercom for the students to understand me. It made class fun...plus, I forgot my whistle so I had to somewhat do my best to shout at students on the playground.
Yes, my father-in-law was hospitalized on Monday. We were planning on visiting him Monday night for our FHE activity. So, Sarah called him the day of and found out that he had fallen, twice. That he had been helpless, because he pretty much lives alone in a trailer park with several roommates that don't really care about him. I got out of work first on monday so first thing, I headed to Redlands where he lives. I first wanted to assess the situation before I took him to the hospital because he could still be good. But he was in pretty bad condition. He usually can walk alright by himself, but when I picked him up he was wobbly and off balance. He needed to hold onto my arm in order to keep from falling again. I took him to McDonalds to get a quick bite to eat but then HE made the final decision to go to urgent care. I took him there, but he couldn't find his insurance card and the receptionist told us that he would most likely have to go to the emergency room in a hospital anyways. So we went to Redlands Community Hospital and there we met Sarah who had just gotten off of work. We were seen, but we did a lot of waiting around, and I mean a lot. We got there at six pm and by 11pm they decided to keep him in the hospital. He was in a hospital bed sleeping so after so much waiting, we left him to be admitted. We were both very tired, and like I said, the night of I got a very bad sore throat. So much so, that in the early morning, I went in search of Chloraseptic. Nothing was open as early as I went so I had to settle for some cough drops until the next day.
I had my first mutual with the Young Men on Wednesday. We worked on getting all the young men Family Search accounts. It was interesting. Brother Nievas was the teacher, and most of our young men know english very well, more than spanish. So, he asked me if I could translate for him. I, probably, no I did, add words to his translation, and at some points he spoke in English. Also, the Young Men's President's wife Veronica spoke to them because she knew of things to tell them in relation to Family History. Two of our boy's (who are brothers) family history was done all the way to the 700s AD. Their grandma, who is a big family history buff, did that line. Of course they were related to Kings and Queens and Princes and Princesses. They were pretty proud of their selves, but we also told them to work on their other lines. We had this activity because this week is our Baptisms for the Dead temple trip. Yes, February 14th, Valentine's day is the temple trip.
I had my first psychiatric appointment on Thursday with a Kaiser Permanente doctor. It went well. I am cutting back on several very sedative medicines and focusing on really just two instead of four. Told mom and dad, and also my wife. They are going to watch out for me.
We also finished Legend of Korra season 1. It was very good. So we were counting and we've finished 4 different seasons of 3 different tv shows: two of Stranger Things, one of The West Wing (although, we are almost done with the second), and a season of Korra. She really liked the first season. I think Season two is where they do something that I like, although, Sarah will be reading this so no spoilers for her. I did love when Korra was visited by her past lives and they restored her bending power and she in turn restored Beifong's metal bending. That is a very powerful moment. However, season 1 could stand on its own. All loose ends are tied up...so I don't know when we'll start watching season 2.
We didn't make it to the temple this week. We have to go on a different day then Wednesday because of mutual, and I think that through us off. We were going to go on Friday, but the Elders called Sarah and asked if I could go on a visit with them. We, of course, said yes. So, I went on a visit with them and then treated them to In N Out, because they didn't have a dinner appointment. We saw a lady in their apartment complex named Sandra and her daughter Mikaela. This was a quickly set up appointment, so the elders didn't know how in depth we were going to get. The mother had told them that she had a rebellious daughter and a good daughter, and so the elders decided to teach them from the first lesson about how god loves us and he has given us families. Sandra told us that her parents let her go free on her own at 18. That she was from Columbia, and that she was divorced. She remarried and is now applying for legality to live here legally. Of course, all this was in Spanish. I shared my testimony on prayer, and how I know that God does listen to us. She is already pretty religious, but is open for us to come visit her and her daughters again. The missionaries were great teachers and it was good being with them on Friday. Their names are Elders Houskeeper and Brower. They've only been out 7 months and 6 months respectively. Tall guys, 6'2'' and 6'4".
I had a great day at church today. Names are finally sticking, of my boys, and of some of the adults. With Sarah's encouragement, I decided to offer my services and teach a family of 3 boys and 1 girl how to play the piano. I start this Tuesday. I hope I can do my best in teaching them. They will be paying me. Their last names are Guillen. Hermano Guillen is 2nd counselor in our bishopric. I also felt good today because for Young Men, President Noriega had us play a game of Jeopardy all about the Plan of Salvation. I helped the young men with all their scripture questions. We did pretty well. It was quite fun.
Sarah's in her Self Reliance Class right now and I just had my second one. Sarah's doing the Own Business one and I'm doing the Education one.
The Winter Olympics start this week in South Korea. Because of the time difference, things are on way late, so Friday night we watched the curling one just for fun. I know, why curling? But it was just something fun to watch that evening.
Also, we caught the last few minutes of the BYU San Francisco game yesterday. Boy was it a thriller. They tied and went into overtime with enough points in five minutes to beat them by two. Boy was it amazing.
Well, that's life for us these days. I can't wait to get rid of this cold/cough. The biggest thing I miss is my voice, but mostly being able to sing at the top of my lungs. Hopefully it will leave.
Well, you know the drill: drop a line if you have time. Even if you can't, I always look forward to Missionary Monday and seeing your letters. BTW, I used your Seton Hill University pictures in one of my posts on Instagram and Facebook. I loved the irony of COFFEE TALK. A lot of other people did too, including some of Sarah's family and Isaac Rubalcava said that if he knew about the event, he would have book the first plane out of ONT to Pennsylvania (jokingly, of course).
I love you.
John
