OK...DON'T FREAK OUT...

Dear Family,

Well, this was a week of firsts for sure. Remember how when I ate at Queens Gate last time I got Malaria and threw up ALL NIGHT LONG? Well I thought that if I ate a hamburger nothing bad would happen. WRONG. The next morning I was having some pains on the right side of my back but decided I would go to district meeting anyway. On the way the Tech Elders called and told us we should just have a district meeting at their apartment since the Kiffers were in Accra. By the time we were there I was having a hard core ache around my right kidney. For district meeting we just listened to a couple talks from conference by President Uchtdorf and President Eyring. Those guys are freaking studs! Anyways near the end of President Eyring's talk I decided the pain was too much and that using the bathroom was the obvious thing to do in order to alleviate the pain. Well it didn't work. I waited till the talk ended and stepped out of the bathroom. I looked at everyone for a minute and they looked back at me with strange looks in their faces ( i must have looked pretty bad). I said, "I need a blessing." Somebody then said, "Well lets call Sister Sabey." I said "NO, I need a blessing RIGHT NOW!" Elder Peterson then did the anointing and Elder Lehr sealed the anointing.

Well Sister Sabey didn't know what to do so she told us to go to the hospital. It was a "lucky" thing I had decided to go to district meeting because I wouldn't have known where to go in Asokwa. It was also a "lucky" thing we had decided to go to the apartment because they had plenty of money to pay the hospital bills (they weren't that expensive). So they did a bunch of tests and they thought it was kidney stones. HOW FUN!! Unfortunately the doctor left before they could tell me that and show me the ultrasound so I had to spend my first night in a hospital. AN AFRICAN HOSPITAL with AFRICAN NEEDLES. Don't worry it wasn't as bad as you might think. I was reasonably comfortable and everything was pretty clean. It was in a university.

So the next day about 24 hours after I had first gotten there my doctor finally came in and gave me the scoop. They couldn't find any stones on the ultrasound but the pain I was experiencing was classic for kidney stones. However they did find a 1.0cm x 1.0cm cyst on my right kidney. What that means I don't really know yet. They told me I need to go to another hospital to see a urologist . So we went to this other crazy hospital and found out I needed to wait till Friday. Then when we went on Friday they told me I need to come back on Wednesday!!! Freaking Africa!

I've been suffering for the past few days with pains from the kidney stones but I think I finally past one on Saturday night and the pain has been less since then. I think I'm gonna be all right just as long as this cyst thing isn't a big deal. Believe me the waiting sucks.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME. I know that will be hard for you Mom but I figured if i waited to tell you, you would be more mad. lol. It really isn't that big of a deal. I don't think this thing will turn out to be anything serious. Who knew I was so full of tumors and cysts and things!? I asked President if he should call you last week but he said he wanted to wait till he knew more about what was really wrong with me.

So that's my story for the week. I only taught one lesson this whole week. The rest of the time I have been stuck indoors doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I can't tell just how hard that is for a missionary away from home. BUT that's all part of the experience. I thank the Lord I am OK and I pray that everything will be all right.

None of my investigators came to church yesterday. AA Boeteng was out of town at least but Acheampong just straight up lied to us. I really hope something just came up, but usually that's just not the case.

I got your package this week. It was pretty awesome. I absolutely love the picture of Murphy. His bottom lip always cracks me up. Pictures are the best In mail. So just take pictures of everything and everybody and send them to me. I've also decided that I could use some sandals. I don't need them right away so you can just wait till you need to send another big package. Everything in this one was great by the way. Elder Ekaette hasn't been able to put down his camera. He went through the batteries the first night:/
(He was way excited:)

Don't move to Texas. Utah is OK but I don't think I can handle Texas...;) (we are not moving anywhere anytime soon)

I can't describe just what Kenke is. Its like a light porridge that tastes like dirt. I had it before I got malaria and just the thought of it makes me gag.

Wow, Mike Hess is getting married?? Now that's feels freaking strange!! I can still remember the day he left for his mission. It feels just like yesterday! Send my congrats!

So that's all the time I have now! Don't worry about me again! I'll let you know next week whats going on:)

I love you,
Elder Harris