Medical Emergency #4

 Hey Everybody! 

4th week at the MTC and everything is going great! The Mongolian language isn't easy but the teachers go at a comfortable pace. This week I've been going through the book of John and I'm almost done reading through the gospels. Each morning we ran 1-1.5 miles, lifted and then did our studies. We continue the nightly 4 sets of pull ups and 4 sets of pushups before journaling, scripture reading, and bed. 

Funny story:

This past Sunday I woke up at 6:30 to read my scriptures, 20 minutes later my companion woke up and said "Hey Elder Bateman, Can we go do the doctor?"... I'm thinking ooh no, something bad has happened. " He shows me what looks like 2 mosquito bites and says, "I think I have Bed bugs". I said "Ok let me get my suit and tie on and we will go to the doctor". Then as I am changing, I look into the hallway and see Elder Hammon using the emergency line (reserved for broken arms, fires... etc), he says "Hey I have bed bugs and need to see a doctor". The lady at the end says "Are you in pain?" He says no and it's not itchy. She tells him to check the bed for bugs. So Elder Hammon and I searched his bed for bed bugs and found nothing. We then went to the front desk at the MTC and the on-call doctor told him that he'll be fine. The next morning after our workout, my companion Elder Hammon says "Elder Bateman, My hand is numb. I need to go see the doctor". I replied "Can we give it 10 minutes and if it's still bad we'll go". Then we headed to go play the cello as we are both cello players, I let him go first. He plays and says "My hand is doing fine now". An hour goes by and my companion says "I have a headache". Out of slight frustration, I just said "Alright, let's go to the health clinic". The doctor had him take a nap. 

Anyway (it may not be funny to all but), I've been learning to be patient with my companion in my pace and with the moaning and groaning. 

Spiritual thought:

Throughout my life my faith ebbs and flows, peaks and troughs from week to week, month to month and year to year. There is one thought that gets me out a trough more than any other, and it's summed up perfectly in the hymn "For the Beauty of the earth"

"For the beauty of the earth, For the beauty of the skies, For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies. 

or the beauty of each hour Of the day and of the night, Hill and vale, and tree and flower Sun and moon, and stars of light

 For the joy of human love, Brother, sister, parent, child Friends on earth, and friends above For all gentle thoughts and mild

Lord of all, to thee we raise 

This our hymn of grateful praise"

Nothing gets me out of a spiritual trough like appreciating God's creation, my relationships with friends, and expressing gratitude to God for my family. Whether going on a hike, gazing at the stars, or expressing love to my family, friends, and God I find increased faith without fail. 

Martin Luther said "Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime".

I promise you that if you desire to believe in God or increase your faith in Him, you can find it by appreciating and expressing gratitude for what he has already given you... Everything. 

Alma 29:3 "But behold, I am a man... for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me."

Psalms 95:1-6 "O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the crock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker."

Hope you got something good out of this. (Hit 29 pull ups this week) 

With Love,
Elder Bateman

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