I do not know when I have felt so stir crazy except when I was recovering from my knee operation two years ago.  We had an incident watching conference which started a chain of events that has kept us in turmoil for the last two weeks.  I know it is not easy being confined to a wheelchair to get around. 

While we were watching conference I accidentally knocked my computer on the floor and saw complete destruction in a heartbeat.  Unfortunately I use my computer every day and was at a loss.  We ordered another one and had it shipped to the daughter of a missionary couple who work in the temple here.  Their daughter was having a baby and she was going home to help her and offered to bring back the laptop with her. 

Then a exciting assignment came to us to be the coordinators for BYU-I Pathway here in Santiago. We will be conducting the weekly meetings at the chapel by the office.  It is all in English and will really be a good thing to participate in with the students who are enrolled.

Now the bad part: I have been having a lot of knee pain in my right knee(the good one). I think it is due to the walking we need to do every day and of course my rheumatoid arthritis.  Well last Monday I had an injection in the knee to relieve the pain and was told to stay off of it for a few days.  Wouldn't you know it, I fell in the bathroom and couldn't get up.  How many times have you heard that commercial.  Well it is sort of scary.  I heard something in the knee pop and I have not been able to put any weight on it since.  After a trip to the emergency room, and  an x-ray, a visit to the orthopedic surgeon, and a MRI, I am now sitting in our apartment waiting the outcome of the MRI to know what the next step is. I am sure there will be surgery but I do not know how extensive it will need to be.  We are hoping it is not what the senior missionaries call, a mission killer.  If we need to go home for surgery that will be it, if not, and we can have surgery here and solve the problem(that would be great), we go on and finish our mission.  I know at some point I will have to have another knee replacement, but it would be really wonderful if we could patch it up enough to make it for another year.  We shall see. 

Now with that behind me, there have been some wonderful experiences that we have been privileged to have.  With my knee problem many people have stepped up to help me and make this whole experience much more bearable.  Elder Johnson (the mission doctor) picked us up and drove us to the emergency room, Mauricio Fernandez drove us to the doctor's appointment, and Elder Goulding gave us a scenic tour of Santiago from the mountain top.  We got lost going to get the MRI and ended up on top of some mountain looking down on the city of Santiago.  It was really beautiful and another experience to check off  the bucket list.  We have done that now and there is no reason to do it again.  We finally made it to the radiology 10 minutes late at 9:10 PM but they did it anyway.  So all was well with a side trip as well.  One thing is for sure, we all know the way to the Los Condes Clinic (hospital) and I do not think we will get lost doing that trip again.  So there is always some lemonade with the lemons. 

Our Mission friends and those we work with in the CAS are really good and Christ like people.  They have taught us some wonderful things and are great friends.

I have been studying the 4th chapter of Preach My Gospel and recommend it to all.  I have really felt drawn to things of the spirit and how we can be more obedient to the prompting of the Holy Ghost.  I have always struggled with being able to hear the promptings of the Spirit and knowing if it was really personal revelation.  As I have been studying both in the Scriptures and some other books concerning the subject I have come to realize that I have heard and followed spiritual promptings in my life.  As I have been more in tune I have had even greater communication and have felt the Light of the Savior even more.  I have been able feel the needs of some of those people we work with as I listen to them and feel the Spirit inspire me as to what to say to help them. 

We have a young woman who has had some real struggles in her life who came into the center to attend a Job Search group.  She missed one of the sessions and I sat down with her to do a make up session.  For some reason I was able to connect with her and give her the encouragement and direction that she needed.  She left very happy and directed.  She lives in an institution where her family put her to get over addiction and mental problems.  It is going to be a hard road but she has some very understanding people in the group who care for her.  I can see changes in her persona already after only three group meetings. 

A passage that I read in the book I am reading said as we listen close to the spirit we may be surprised who we should or should not help.  It could be a pauper or a prince but they all may be sent to us for help.  Never second guess a feeling that comes to do good because it always comes from God.

It will be good to go to church tomorrow having been cooped up in the apartment for a week.  so until next time may you always walk in the sunshine and always see green fields and be happy.