Monday, May 9, 2016
So we didn't actually hear from Jonah today, instead we've spoken with his Mission President's wife, Sister Bowler.
She tells us that Jonah continues to run a fever, sweat profusely, get dizzy and be dehydrated regardless of how much water he drinks. She told us that they are going to hospitalize him for 2 days and see if they can figure out what is causing these symptoms.
Brad and I told her that Jonah wants to be able to complete his mission and that if it's possible, we want him to stay.
On the bright side, well, maybe just a spark of hope, Sister Bowler told us that a couple other missionaries have had these same symptoms and that they lasted about a month and then went away. She said that they were able to stay on their missions, so with that we are crossing our fingers...
Our family and friends are fasting, we hope all is well.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Jonah's semana 78 - Zone Leader!
Monday, May 9, 2016 - day after Mother's Day
Hey I really don't know what to say right now. I feel like all that was needed to be said was said yesterday when we skyped.
But hey I think the MONO was a super good call! Hmm I didn't even think about telling them that and hey not to mention there was a huge outbreak of mono here in the mish like 3 months ago. I'm gonna let the nurses know and maybe I'll be able to get some tests done.
During the skype call with Jonah, he told us that he had some blood work done and that it was confirmed that he had chikungunya virus. He said that they were concerned with his low iron count and that he would be going back for more blood work that week. Yikes!
By the way we just got informed about the changes and well I'm leaving! I'm going to a zone called Valle Verde and I'm gonna be a Zone Leader. I'm a little nervous about it but I've been told this day was coming for a long time. The only bummer is I'm literally going to be in the middle of nowhere! However, I will be accompanied by my buds Elder Judd and Elder Akabeze. It'll be pretty dope!
Hey I really don't know what to say right now. I feel like all that was needed to be said was said yesterday when we skyped.
But hey I think the MONO was a super good call! Hmm I didn't even think about telling them that and hey not to mention there was a huge outbreak of mono here in the mish like 3 months ago. I'm gonna let the nurses know and maybe I'll be able to get some tests done.
During the skype call with Jonah, he told us that he had some blood work done and that it was confirmed that he had chikungunya virus. He said that they were concerned with his low iron count and that he would be going back for more blood work that week. Yikes!
Love,
Elder Jonah McKee
Jonah's Semana 77 - An Abnormally Average Week
Monday, May 2, 2016
Well, I continue strong with the fever! The other day I thought for sure my muscle fibers were separating or something because every time somebody touched me in the slightest way I felt a shock go through my entire body!!! It sucked for sure! The thing is that I am almost positive I have one of the viral diseases from the mosquitos here but hey it’s cool. The thing is that Dengue and Zika are the only two that can kill you and I’ve already had them both so I don’t know what there is to worry about now. No matter what is I’m not going to die and most likely if I call the nurses at this point then they are going to freak on me so I’m just going to rough it!
Hey well it’s been a super abnormally average week. I feel like there is almost nothing noteworthy or mentionable this week and that’s a bummer I guess. I think the most noteworthy thing there is about this week may have been today. Today we went to Valle De Angeles and that was way fun because it’s not something you always get to do and so it was cool to go again. I’ve only been there twice since I entered the mission but it’s always fun to go and take pictures next to a waterfall. Besides that though I don’t think anything is really worth mentioning. Bummer right?!?!
Hopefully I have more stories next week!
Love,
Elder Jonah McKee
Jonah's Semana 76 - Sometimes You Gotta Love the Mission!
Monday, April 25, 2016
Thanks nurse Jana! Haha! I wrote dad so you wouldn’t worry about me!! Haha, freaking dad. (Jonah wrote his dad and told him "I have about 15 days as of now running a 101-102 temperature. Haha I haven't said anything to the nurses or to mom because I'm almost positive that the only thing they will do is tell me I have a disease from the mosquitoes. Besides that they won't be able to do anything for me but give me tylenol. I get super exhausted super fast and my body sometimes feels like it's made out of glass but no matter what I need to keep working!") Anyways well I have been fine really! I think I might have this thing called chikungunya virus because I get tired super quick! (During the call on mother’s day he told us that he had some blood work done and it confirmed chikungunya virus. The virus causes a really high fever that lasts about a week and joint pain. It can come back for 2 years, yay :P) I make sure I’m drinking like 4 or 5 liters of water a day and I think I’m doing good! Really though don’t sweat, I’m okay!
Besides being sick this is what I have to tell you about!
So this week I started out the week with MORE SERVICE! Haha I kinda feel like I might be killing my companion! It’s good for him though. I think some days that I could run a good Boot camp and then other days I realize I don’t like how he looks at me when I ask him to do something. It’s not like the look is one of hatred but it’s definitely a look of ¨WHY??¨ I think now at this point of our companionship I’m not dragging him around but still he tries to rebel where he can. I guess you could say he is on a super short leash. I don’t know why but I love doing service and even though we haven’t had water in the house since last Friday, the 15th of April, it always makes showering and getting cleaned up a little difficult I still love getting down and dirty in the service of my fellow man.
Later on in the week we had district meeting and it was fun. I was lucky enough to have been assigned to give the class!! Haha once I thought I was free of the District Leader duties, I got assigned to teach in district meeting again! Its fine I decided to talk about magnifying our priesthood power and I liked it a lot. I think the Elders in the district appreciated my class and well hopefully they learned something.
In the end of it all this week started coming to a close and Sunday morning we missed the ward correlation meeting and we had 5 investigators in church! One of them being Roxanna! I think this Saturday we are going to baptize her and I hope we do! She is super ready, she is just nervous she won’t be able to be the member she wants to be. I know she will but this week we are gonna be visiting her every day and helping her feel excited and ready to take a step forward. Keep her in your prayers!!
But yeah, so after church me and my comp went home to make lunch and we ate cup of noodles! I love that stuff! It really just makes life so simple and easy. Well long story short we were at home making lunch and while we were there I decided to put the mop where it was meant to be and when I grabbed the mop there was a scorpion underneath! Me being me thought immediately that I needed to catch it so that’s what I tried to do. I grabbed a cup and a piece of paper and went to top him off with the cup and right when I did so he split running and stung me right on my finger!! My last knuckle of my middle finger is huge and feels great!
I guess in the end you could say it’s been a good week! I did some service, took bucket/wet towel showers, caught a scorpion, and I got stung by that very same scorpion.
Sometimes you just gotta love the mission.
Love you!
Elder Jonah McKee
Monday, April 18, 2016
Jonah's Semana 75 - Service Does a Body Good
Monday, April 18, 2016
HEYYY!! So this week has been awesome! I feel like the week has just been so full and that's great because that means I have been working. Or at least I think that's what it means...
But yea so anyway, every morning this week I have been waking my companion up at 5 in the morning so we could leave and go do some service projects before the sun was super harsh and strong! Keep in mind the service projects weren't easy ones either! But they were pretty fun. Let me tell you those services were physically tasking and well I mean the harder the better! Sometimes as a trainer you kinda need to break the kid you're training as if you were breaking a wild horse. First you make them work hard and then if they don't give results then you deprive them of something they want like sleep for example (hence the 5 o'clock alarm). Then after they are feeling deprived you make them work and work until they show the fruits of their labors. So this week was basically a bunch of that: No sleep, a lot of service, and blistered hands.
I love getting out and serving! Not to mention it's great to serve when the people you're serving are familiar faces! This Friday morning the zone I am serving in was sent to do a special project ordered by President Bowler. None of us really knew any details about the project besides the location, the time, and that we were going to be lifting heavy boxes! So we, the elders of Zona Esperanza all went into the warehouse where our awaiting project was and there stood David Sheets the very man that organized the service project that I very first came to Honduras in my senior year! It was super interesting to see so many familiar faces and then to see so many familiar things. It was a little bit of a deja vu moment for me but all in all I survived the biggest service project of my life and loved seeing those people again!
I know that God hopes that the men of the priesthood will serve to magnify our divine authority. And I know as we serve our fellow man with all our might then the Lord blesses us and makes us into the men He needs us to become. It has been a privilege to serve the people here and I can't wait for the many opportunities of service that are waiting for me!
Love,
Elder Jonah McKee
HEYYY!! So this week has been awesome! I feel like the week has just been so full and that's great because that means I have been working. Or at least I think that's what it means...
But yea so anyway, every morning this week I have been waking my companion up at 5 in the morning so we could leave and go do some service projects before the sun was super harsh and strong! Keep in mind the service projects weren't easy ones either! But they were pretty fun. Let me tell you those services were physically tasking and well I mean the harder the better! Sometimes as a trainer you kinda need to break the kid you're training as if you were breaking a wild horse. First you make them work hard and then if they don't give results then you deprive them of something they want like sleep for example (hence the 5 o'clock alarm). Then after they are feeling deprived you make them work and work until they show the fruits of their labors. So this week was basically a bunch of that: No sleep, a lot of service, and blistered hands.
I love getting out and serving! Not to mention it's great to serve when the people you're serving are familiar faces! This Friday morning the zone I am serving in was sent to do a special project ordered by President Bowler. None of us really knew any details about the project besides the location, the time, and that we were going to be lifting heavy boxes! So we, the elders of Zona Esperanza all went into the warehouse where our awaiting project was and there stood David Sheets the very man that organized the service project that I very first came to Honduras in my senior year! It was super interesting to see so many familiar faces and then to see so many familiar things. It was a little bit of a deja vu moment for me but all in all I survived the biggest service project of my life and loved seeing those people again!
I know that God hopes that the men of the priesthood will serve to magnify our divine authority. And I know as we serve our fellow man with all our might then the Lord blesses us and makes us into the men He needs us to become. It has been a privilege to serve the people here and I can't wait for the many opportunities of service that are waiting for me!
Love,
Elder Jonah McKee
Jonah's Semana 74 - He Answers Prayers
Monday, April 11, 2016
MOM!!! I love you!
Also I love God! I really have such a strong testimony that He truly answers our prayers when we really need what we are asking for. I have been trying very hard to teach my companion to become more selfless by searching for service opportunities. I know God has heard my prayers because this week almost every single day we had a service project to do! The only bummer is that my companion didn't help in any of them.... I know one of these days he will stop standing there with his arms crossed and he´ll help more but until that day I will gladly continue to do the service on my own. I just hope that sooner then later, he will recognize the difference in how receptive the people are to both of us and maybe then he will recognize that maybe the reason the people remember my name is because I put myself below them and serve. I truly hope one day he learns but until then I'm glad my hands aren't too soft, it makes service easier.
This week I cooked our lunches almost everyday and I guess in the end something really positive about having a lazy companion is that I learn to cook for two and so any ladies out there just be aware that I can cook for two ;) Also this week I was contacting and when I knocked on this one lady's house she asked us to come inside because she said she wanted to show me something. I went in and she showed me the most epic banner! Then out of no where she asked me if I wanted to buy it and so I said yes!! I bought it and now its hanging by my bed! I'll attach a picture of the banner but just know it's epic!! My spirit animal has always been a panther but the tiger will do. :)
Con Mucho Amor,
Elder Jonah McKee
MOM!!! I love you!
Also I love God! I really have such a strong testimony that He truly answers our prayers when we really need what we are asking for. I have been trying very hard to teach my companion to become more selfless by searching for service opportunities. I know God has heard my prayers because this week almost every single day we had a service project to do! The only bummer is that my companion didn't help in any of them.... I know one of these days he will stop standing there with his arms crossed and he´ll help more but until that day I will gladly continue to do the service on my own. I just hope that sooner then later, he will recognize the difference in how receptive the people are to both of us and maybe then he will recognize that maybe the reason the people remember my name is because I put myself below them and serve. I truly hope one day he learns but until then I'm glad my hands aren't too soft, it makes service easier.
This week I cooked our lunches almost everyday and I guess in the end something really positive about having a lazy companion is that I learn to cook for two and so any ladies out there just be aware that I can cook for two ;) Also this week I was contacting and when I knocked on this one lady's house she asked us to come inside because she said she wanted to show me something. I went in and she showed me the most epic banner! Then out of no where she asked me if I wanted to buy it and so I said yes!! I bought it and now its hanging by my bed! I'll attach a picture of the banner but just know it's epic!! My spirit animal has always been a panther but the tiger will do. :)
Con Mucho Amor,
Elder Jonah McKee
Jonah's Semana 73 - City Life is the Life for Me!!!
Monday, April 4, 2016
Hey Mom!!! How are you?!?! I have been working here in the capital city now for a week and it's been super fun!! I really do love the southern region of the country with all of my being but I also have city blood! I need the fast paced style of the city every once and a while!
This week has been a really upbeat once since now I'm in an area with a whole lot more concentrated population! Since there is less distance between the people, I have less time between teaching opportunities! I truly have been enjoying my time here and I love when I'm walking around and people come out of no where and tell me they want to practice their English with me. It's super fun helping people with that! During conference I almost died when President Uchtdorf started speaking in German and said he was sorry for those who didn't speak the celestial tongue because I tell people all the time I'd be happy to teach them English because it is the celestial tongue!!! Most people think it's pretty funny when I tell them that and then we continue practicing for a couple of minutes.
Right now I am finishing the training of a kid from Bolivia and its been interesting. He is a little older than I am; he is 21 and about to turn 22 and its been cool. Sometimes I get a little frustrated because the other Elder who began his training just turned 27 and was a lot older. Now that I am younger then my companion, I feel like sometime he doesn't listen to me just because I am younger. It's a little difficult but it's fine. I have been making a lot of changes in the work here. Before we walked a lot and I don't understand why because I know there are a ton of people we pass who have never heard from the missionaries. So lately I have been making sure we walk less and talk more!
I don't know how long I'm going to be assigned to the city areas but while I'm here, I plan on baptizing. Hopefully I can accomplish the goals I've set because the area needs it! In the year of 2016, the area has only seen one baptism and that shouldn't be happening in a city area so hopefully I can help build the stake here. I love being here though and it's going to be very nice working in a ward for once! I love you all and I hope you keep me in your prayers!
Love forever,
Elder Jonah McKee
Hey Mom!!! How are you?!?! I have been working here in the capital city now for a week and it's been super fun!! I really do love the southern region of the country with all of my being but I also have city blood! I need the fast paced style of the city every once and a while!
This week has been a really upbeat once since now I'm in an area with a whole lot more concentrated population! Since there is less distance between the people, I have less time between teaching opportunities! I truly have been enjoying my time here and I love when I'm walking around and people come out of no where and tell me they want to practice their English with me. It's super fun helping people with that! During conference I almost died when President Uchtdorf started speaking in German and said he was sorry for those who didn't speak the celestial tongue because I tell people all the time I'd be happy to teach them English because it is the celestial tongue!!! Most people think it's pretty funny when I tell them that and then we continue practicing for a couple of minutes.
Right now I am finishing the training of a kid from Bolivia and its been interesting. He is a little older than I am; he is 21 and about to turn 22 and its been cool. Sometimes I get a little frustrated because the other Elder who began his training just turned 27 and was a lot older. Now that I am younger then my companion, I feel like sometime he doesn't listen to me just because I am younger. It's a little difficult but it's fine. I have been making a lot of changes in the work here. Before we walked a lot and I don't understand why because I know there are a ton of people we pass who have never heard from the missionaries. So lately I have been making sure we walk less and talk more!
I don't know how long I'm going to be assigned to the city areas but while I'm here, I plan on baptizing. Hopefully I can accomplish the goals I've set because the area needs it! In the year of 2016, the area has only seen one baptism and that shouldn't be happening in a city area so hopefully I can help build the stake here. I love being here though and it's going to be very nice working in a ward for once! I love you all and I hope you keep me in your prayers!
Love forever,
Elder Jonah McKee
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