"Everything happens for a reason"

October 17, 2009 -
Hey Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Family,
I feel so good being able to write you right now because I look forward to reading what you have written every week. I’ve just been having kind of a hard, stressful week, so being able to write to you calms me down and reminds me of the special blessings that I have. I’m a little stressed because I just can’t get out of the house as much as I want to. We thought my companion was doing better because he got his cast off and he started to lightly walk on his fractured foot using one of the crutches; however, when we went to the doctor this week and took x-rays again, the doctor said that he shouldn’t have even been trying to put weight on his foot. The bone has started to heal, but it isn’t to the point where it is strong enough to take the full weight of his body. The doctor put on a smaller fake cast and my companion will be off of that foot for another twenty days still. The other Elder who tore a ligament in his leg is going to be sent home this week because the recuperation will take too much time. It is kind of stressing me out because I am losing my ability to teach and I just don’t have the groove anymore that I built up while I was in Iquitos. Something I have learned is that there is a reason for everything. There is a reason for everything that happens in life. I have faith that Heavenly Father is trying to teach me something, but I’m having a hard time learning. I could really use a couple prayers in my behalf. I am doing fine, but a few extra prayers can’t hurt. :) This week was Elder Doza’s 21st Birthday on the 13th and we went to Rodizio’s. (I’m pretty sure it’s just like the Rodizio Grill…) The waiters came around with swords that had all different types of meat on them. They would first ask you if you wanted it, and then they cut you off the piece that you wanted. I absolutely loved it. I think the weirdest meat I tried was ostrich. I never thought that it would be good, but I really liked it. It was a really fancy restaurant, and it was just lots of fun to be with President and his family enjoying a really good meal…Today we had the awesome privilege of traveling to the Peru MTC to a devotional. The guest speaker was Elder D. Todd Christofferson from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. It was so cool. He gave a great talk, and it was great to see the nobleness and spirit that reflected from him. President Pérez is going to be in Conferences for the next few days being taught by Elder Christofferson and other General Authorities. What a close connection President has with the General Authorities of the Church. Answering Grandma Quinn’s question, President and his wife are from Uruguay. They have so many stories that just grab my attention and I love hearing about their lives, just as I like hearing about the life of any other Latin. This week that’s coming up is my big week…Change Week. I have been working like crazy and still have a ton of work to get done before Monday morning. This is my big fun week that I get to be in charge of every six weeks. Monday, I will be leaving with Elder Rich to visit his converts that are here in Lima. Tuesday, I will be weighing suitcases for those that have changes to the jungle, and I will be sending all of the Missionaries that are finishing to the airport to go home. Then Wednesday is the big day of changes. I will be up at about five in the morning, and my work will not be over until 12:30am on Thursday morning. I am way excited. I just get an adrenaline rush being constantly busy with all of the Missionaries. I absolutely love it. I’ve almost got every Missionary with their name and face memorized. I still get confused sometimes because a lot of them look the same. By the time I leave, I am sure I will be at least familiar with every one of the Missionaries. I love being President’s Personal Secretary. I am excited for Madison VanDenBerghe. She is going to have so much fun being able to serve in New York. Like I’ve said before, the people we know are all over the world…Elder Rich is going home this week… :( I can’t believe the time has finally come to say goodbye. It flew by so fast. I was able to call his mom, just like I call every mom before their Missionary comes home. I told her that she had to call you up as soon as possible and tell you that I absolutely love you and miss you. I knew it would bring you some comfort to know that I was doing okay during the week… I’m sorry I made you cry again, but the tears are being shed on both sides. One is crying in Utah, the other crying in Peru. I actually don’t cry as much as I used to, but when the occasion calls for the tears, there’s no point in holding them back. Know that I do love you and that I am doing okay. Elder Rich is already preparing to give you the best loving hug from me. (But of course, it won’t compare with when I always used to annoyingly pick you up and spin you around in the kitchen… :) ) So be expecting a big hug from him in my behalf. I love you. Dallis, sorry that Algebra 2 isn’t going as good as it should be. It honestly hurts my heart that I can’t be there using all of my free time to help you. Just know that I will be there in a year to start helping you out with all of your High School homework. Know that I am praying for you to have success in school and the studying won’t be as stressful as it is right now. I know you can do it. Just keep going strong… Know that I love all of you, and there is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about each and every one of you. Thanks for being so faithful in writing me so that I am always caught up on what is happening at home. I am way excited for the progress our family is having, and I am very thankful for the blessings that Heavenly Father gives us every single day. Remember…Everything happens for a reason, everything. I love you beyond what words can say. Take care until next week… Go BYU Cougars!!!
I love you forever.Love, Coco