Re: Hopefully...

Hello Family,

Dad said in his last e-mail that "hopefully" I will be able to right to you by Saturday, and, what do you know, that's just how it worked out. So, sorry about not sending you anything last week. As you heard from Elder Bartholomew, my new companion here in the office, I was a bit sick. It really wasn't anything SUPER serious, but it was enough to keep me in the house for about a week and a half.

But first, let me respond to what you all had to say. First of all, I loved Courtney's dramatized recounting of her wildly fun B-Day party. It sounds like it was truly a night to remember. As for the pen-pals, sorry to say that it would be really difficult to do here, as most of the little girls who you would be corresponding with (and there aren't very many at all) don't know any English. It is a really good idea, though; I like the creativity. As for driving stick, Elder Bartholemew and I are going to go driving today for a bit in the parking lot of one of the big Walmart-like superstores that they have started building at the outskirts of big cities here. It sounds like you all had a lot of fun going out to watch the sunrise on the beach the other day. I bet that it was a really neat experience! I really miss the salty sea breeze and the really nice, sandy beaches, and the cleanliness of it all. It is hard to find any open area like that here that is not just littered with garbage. Although, I should say that as the weather has started turning here; with the grass getting green, the fountains being turned back on, and the trees regaining their leaves, the place has become a lot prettier than it is in winter.

To answer some of Dad's questions, there are about 120 missionaries in Romania. Yes, I have made friends with a bunch of them, and for the most part missionaries are just naturally very friendly with each other. Of course, everybody still has his particular personality, but for the most part I have found that I get along with everybody pretty well, and with a few elders really well. For the most part, I have become good friends with those missionaries who are just very nice and considerate. And of course, there is a particular bond formed with anybody with whom you have served, whether in a companionship or in a district. My interaction with sister missionaries really depends alot on where I am. In Ploiesti, we had sisters in our district, so I saw them a lot. In Pitesti, on the other hand, there weren't any sisters in the entire city. As for fast food here, there are a good amount of McDonalds's around in some of the more prominent parts of bigger cities. There are also some KFC's, though there is still a tragic lack of Wendy's. I do, indeed, get to use the office computer for e-mail instead of an internet cafe, but I should tell you (I forgot to last time) that my P-day while I am in the office will be changed from Monday to Saturday, so it would be great if you could try writing me by then. My peanut butter supply is holding very strong, and I can't really think of anything for you to send me. Oh, wait, my companion says he would love some BBQ Sauce. That sounds really good actually!

Okay, as for my health. I woke up last Thursday early in the morning, shaking with a fairly high fever and a really nasty cough. After calling Sister Ashby (the mission president's wife, who is in charge of health issues), I took some ibuprofen and went back to sleep. The next morning, I still had a pretty bad fever, I threw up a little bit, and I was coughing up a bunch of red-colored phlegm. Sister Ashby had the church doctor from Germany call me, Doctor Moody, and he faxed a pneumonia prescription to the office. So, to make a long story short, I have had pneumonia for the last little bit, but after taking the antibiotics, and a lot of ibuprofen, for about a week, my fever is gone, my cough is very minimal, I am no longer spitting up anything unusual, and I feel fairly healthy. I do still have a semi-difficult time taking deep breaths and I am very sensitive to strong odors and fumes (as my lungs are still re-acclimating after getting rid of all the phlegm), but I no longer have any major difficulties, and I should be ready for work as usual on Monday. :)

So there you go, that is what it is like to be sick in Romania. I pretty much just sat at home, reading in bed, or playing backgammon with the Elders who would come to "babysit" me so my companion could go into the office. I also made sure to drink a LOT of water, as the LAST thing I wanted to do was to go to a Romanian hospital to lay in bed with an IV in me all day.

Whatever the case, I hope that you didn't worry about me too much. I was never in any real danger, just a lot of discomfort. I have determined, after having been sick a few times recently now, that I am going to do everything humanly possible to no longer get sick, as it is definitely NO FUN, especially as a missionary.

Anyway, I had better get going. I'll right you again next Saturday, by which point I will probably know a bit more about what I am actually supposed to do here in the office. Until then, know that I love you and pray for your safety, success, and security.

All my love,
Elder Walker