An Interesting Week

Here is Elder McKeon's newest email, enjoy!

Hey everybody,

I am doing great!! This week has definitely been an interesting one.....

 

This past Wednesday, we were talking to a contact near our house. It was raining off and on all day and I was talking to him when we heard a loud POP!  We turned around just in time to see a guy on a motorcycle hit a car and go flying over the car and land on the street!  We immediately ran over and saw that his head was bleeding and he was writhing all over the ground in pain.  He was moaning really loud and I was so scared.  We were trying to hold him down on the ground so he wouldn't possibly injure himself more.  We got blood all over our arms and hands trying to help him.  A huge crowd had gathered and they were wondering why these 2 white guys in shirts and ties were trying to help this guy they had never met before.  We waited with him till they got him in the ambulance (which took 15-20 minutes to get there) and then we helped the paramedics get him in the van. The POP we heard was the motorcycle driver's tire exploding against the car and his bike was completely totaled.  His car had a huge dent in it and the windshield was totally cracked.  It was amazing to see it happen right in front of us.  It's also incredible how many people there are in this city, and the way they drive, it's a miracle these things don't happen more often!  The entire time we were helping him, I was praying that he would just open his eyes, calm down and lay still.  After a few seconds he did just that and stayed that way until the ambulance came!  It was an answer to prayer right in front of me.  Prayer works and I have come to know that so well since I have been out here.

 

As for me........... well.... Yesterday it was raining quite a bit and we had just gotten out of church.  We were walking through this park to our home to go back and study (since we don't get to do it in the morning because of church).  We were walking and I was in front and I had to jump onto a bench and then to the ground to get off this hill.  Well I jumped onto the bench and then I jumped off the bench leading with my left leg and I stepped onto a rock, but it was covered in grass and it was very slippery.  It was also right next to a hole that was also covered by the grass.  I only got my foot on half of the rock and my foot fell into the hole and I instantly felt a burning in my left ankle.  I just sat down and was holding my ankle closing my eyes.  Elder Squires was sitting next to me and said, "Do you think you broke it"?  I then looked down and my ankle and it was already they size of a baseball!  We called Presidente Ferrin and he said go home and wait and see if it got any worse or better.  So we had to wait for our Bispo to get there because we were too far away for me to walk home (I couldn't walk anyway).  

We got home and I got some ice on it and we just waited.  We made a cane that you can see in the pictures.  After the ice melted, I went to lay on my bed and that's when the pain really intensified. It hurt so bad!!!  I was just laying there gripping the bed waiting for the pain to go away... but it didn't so we called Presidente again and told him that we were going to go to the hospital.  We called a member and got a pair of crutches (not my favorite thing in the world) and we made the very uncomfortable and bouncy ride to the hospital.  We got there and the doctor looked at my foot and took an x-ray.  The x-ray came back and showed no break!  I just twisted it really badly... so I had to get this wrap, (kind of cast-like thing on my leg and I can take it off after 5 days).  

They gave me some medication there and it felt so much better after that.  It was hard to sleep last night because I couldn't sleep on my side and I am so used to sleeping on my side.  We talked to Presidente again this morning and he said that if I had broken it and needed operation, I would've had to go home!  I was so glad once I heard that, that I didn't break it.  When i was lying on my bed yesterday, before we went to the hospital, I laid there in pain and looked at the ceiling.  On the ceiling was a picture of Christ and I was praying that whole time that my foot wasn't broken because, as much as I miss you guys, I did NOT want to go home.  I know that I need to serve our Savior and these wonderful people of Brazil.

 

Anyway, Mom, Dad, don't worry, because now I am absolutely fine.  I've done the whole crutches and pain thing before, and I know exactly what to do.  I was told by Presidente that I am to stay home this whole week. We are going to ease up on the walking this week and study in place of it.   It'll be fine so please don't worry.  I didn't want to tell you this because I knew you would tend to worry, but Presidente made me promise to tell you.  So please don't worry, I am totally fine, healthy as can be, happy as can be, and doing what i need to do.  Just keep the prayers coming please!

 

I love you guys and hope you are all doing alright.  Tell everyone that I love them and miss them so much!!!

Love,

Elder McKeon