Crazy Crazy Week

Dear Family and Friends,

Well basically this week has been one of the craziest and stressful weeks of my life!!! The week started off on Monday and our whole Zone went to a city called La Vaya and we got to play basketball there! That was great I forgot how much I really missed shootin some hoops and getting a sweat going. We also brought meat there and had a little BBQ. It was fun just getting together with the whole zone and having fun together. We also had a really good and Spirit filled meeting and it really got me pumped up to step it up and preach the Gospel with all my heart, might, mind and strength!! So that night as we got home pretty late we had a great planning session for the next day and really felt good about everything.
So that morning we got up and began to execute all of our plans perfectly. We really felt the Spirit lead us where to go in our planning and we helped out a lot of people in need that day. We were hitting all of our goals and were feeling great and then the later part of the night started coming on. At around 9 at night I started not feeling too good in my throat and started getting the chills. As we started going home I was shaking a lot and just burning up. When we got home I just took some Advil and went right to sleep. My temp was about 102 so it was pretty high. I had a hard time sleeping but I did and I woke up in the morning still with a high fever and bad body aches. That day we stayed at the apartment and rested, but as I did my throat started hurting and we saw white spots forming so we knew that I was getting/had strep throat. Anyway I called the mission nurse and told her what was going on and that Wednesday she had me start takinig Penicilion for the strep throat, but she said it wouldn´t take effect for about 48 hours which would be the 31st at night. So the next two days Thursday, and Friday were all spent in bed with a worsening condition. By the time the night rolled around my companion was getting really impatient about sitting around in the apartment so he wanted to go visit a family to celebrate New Years with. So I was feeling a little better so we decided to go for a little while. We visited that family and then we visited a counselor in the Bishopric for the actual 12:00 celebration and he had a car and said he could take us home. So we spent it with him and his family, it is the same family we spent Christmas with! They are really awesome and I have really grown to love the family their name is La Familia Ponce. Anyways yes the fireworks were crazy that night like usual and then he drove us home.
I still hadn´t been really feeling better in my throat, and then when we got home at around 12:30 I started getting a bad rash on my arm, and then on my other arm, and then both my legs and then my stomach and chest. I called the nurse and she said to get some Benedryl because I was probably having an allergic reaction to the Penicilion. So we didn't have any, so we went out across the street to the pharmacy which was closed and we went to the other ones and they were all closed as well! So we ended up calling Hermano Ponce at about 2 in the morning and he drove out and picked us up, took us home, and brought me some Benedryl which took the rash down. I slept like a rock though. In the morning I talked to the Doctor who is in charge of all of Argentina and he prescribed something different called azitromicina. So Saturday and most of Sunday were spent in Bed again. Still my throat had the spots over them and was slowly, very slowly getting better.
So last night I woke up and my hands were itching like crazy and they were getting rashed and swolen so I took some more Benedryl and some itching cream and those have gone down now, but the doctor thinks I might be allergic to this azitromina now, so I will be taking allergy medicine every couple of hours for the next week, because I already took all the pills for the azitromicina (which is only three for three days and it last in your body for seven days). So today I am taking the allergy medicine and just praying that this azitromicina will work and get rid of this strep throat so I can go out and start working anew this week!! My body is fine and doing well, its just this dang strep throat that wont go away and I´m just stressed and frustrated about it!!
So needless to say its been a tough tough week of sickness and just hoping that I am not too allergic to these medicines and that they can work to get rid of this strep throat. I appreciate all of your prayers on my behalf. This is just another one of the tests that Heavenly Father gives us to grow and continually learn patience. I think He wants to see if my companion and I will start another week and do that throughout the whole week, even if there is a little bump in the road.
I try to look at the bright side of things about it though, like for instance, now I know that I have allergies to these medicines and know not to take them in the future. Also there was an accident a little ways down from our apartment where we always walk, and who knows, if I wouldn´t have been sick we could have been there when that happened so I am continuing on in faith.
Although I was frustrated and stressed in my trials, I was overcome with the help that Heavenly Father sends us. Every member in the ward has been willing to help in whatever way they can like bringing food and medicine and giving me their prayers. Also the mission nurse and the doctor are always there to help me as well. I am convinced that when Heavenly Father lets us get through trials he always sends help in the way of others.
This week has really tried my faith and patience, but I have learned some valuable things and have felt an outporing of love from all sources. I am grateful to be here on a mission and feel the pure love of Christ others have for me and that I have for others. It has been a tough week, but I hope that by tomorrow I can start anew and come off victorious!!! Thank you for all your prayers and support! I am doing great and I love and pray for you all!!

Love,
Elder Passantino