April 3, 2013 

NOT an Aprils Fool’s Joke;

 What you are about to read will make sense only because I hacked into Megan’s email account and copied and pasted several versions of the week’s stories to make the following letter. I also emailed her nurse and mission home. You will understand more as you read on. I’ll explain her prognosis at the end of this letter. Love you all. We are, once again, living miracles. Thanks for your prayers and love... sounds like we still need them. Please keep in mind, she is heavily sedated…(which ironically doesn’t change her much).

 Dear Family & Friends,

 Welcome to Holy (or Saints; same word in Spanish- which by the way I’m starting to like. I’m getting the hang of it. You just have to listen and become a parrot. I’m grateful that my companion is native and willing to help me.  And if you don’t know a word, just pronounce it like Nacho Libre. That works like 30 percent of the time.) Welcome to Holy Week. Costariccensis take an entire week to celebrate Pascua, or Passover, they don’t have a word for Easter but that’s what it is. They celebrate by getting super drunk and heading to the beach. Apparently this week you aren’t supposed to eat meat so we´ve been being served a lot of “pastas” or mysterious noodles with mysterious sauce and unidentifiable veggies. But I’m grateful. Always grateful! Also, all the bars are closed and the liquor is locked up. Except in Guanacaste where all the tourists go. So my neck of the woods is a little like Babylon, ha!

 I would like to tell you about some miracle I’ve seen the past couple of days. I know they are from our loving Heavenly Father. Thank you for your prayers. They´re working! 

 Wednesday thankfully we had planned well and had backup plans for all our investigators apts. We had a plan A B C and D for everyone and wouldn’t you know it, nobody was home. Apparently it was 41 degrees cel. But you don’t need a thermometer (hardest word for me to pronounce in Spanish. my comp and I have a joke about it, cloudy with a chance of meatballs, flints invention with acronyms the STEFONOMEFERRR. Every time I try to say a word, she says that and makes me laugh.) to tell you that it was burning hot. But we kept walking and trying to find someone to whom we could share the good word. We worked hard and I know The Lord would be proud.

 I have been taking my vitamins mommy! Thank you. I still somehow managed to get a virus in my 3rd cerebral nerve in my jaw. So I might get paralysis. But luckily we caught it in time and are keeping an eye out.  Friday I was rushed to the hospital in San Jose. And by rushed I mean I was literally on a 7 hour bus ride in the hottest place on earth with babies crying, people sweating everywhere, while in excruciating pain.  I just put my head down in prayer and just prayed for the strength to endure the pain. I cried and my companion patted by back. I’m on medication that helps with the pain. But I don’t think it’s getting better. DON’T WORRY MOMMY! I love you! I wrote you a letter about it. It was and is the worst pain in my life. I wanted you. But my sisters were SO helpful. They held me. Tickled my hand and played with my hair, just like you would’ve.  So, that’s how I spent my Easter Weekend.

 At 4:30 this morning we headed for San Jose. This is after getting no sleep, (we had to pack all our stuff and wake up early).  When we got to our bus it was standing room only. FOR 4 HOURS. Seriously~ Standing on a bus… with all our luggage at  4:30 in the morning… for 4 hours… drugged up and no sleep.  When we got off they told me that I had to pay for each suitcase. We had like 12. Yeah right buddy! I think my momma taught me better than that. I totally yelled at some guy who wanted to charge us for our suitcases, which was nuts. My companion and the other Hermanas said I did so (spoke sternly) in perfect Spanish. So apparently you just have to get me upset, drugged, and tired before I speak the language. They, the natives, were like who is this Latina trapped in the Gringa body! But my goal has always been to be able to yell in Spanish. And I’m getting there. I promise I’m a good missionary, just don’t mess with us.  I´ll explain in one year. BY THE WAY, TODAY IS MY ONE YEAR LEFT MARK! I’ve been out 6 months ago today. whoa!

 Tomorrow is transfers!! I´ll get a new companion and area tomorrow. CRAZY! I will miss Guanacaste, my companion and our Hermanas. She/they REALLY are awesome. Hermana P&Q. (Hermana Q is feeling much better.) Hermana P, poor girl, will be the new “trainer”. Change is weird, but I know that it’s so that we don’t stay stagnant. We should never wear a robe of comfort in the gospel, always try to be improving. I’m not sure if I’m making sense, I’m a little drugged.

 I’m so sorry that I don’t have time to tell you about all my week. But I plan to send you in a letter. So we´ll be headed to the temple at 1:00. In 45 min. Hey guess what, I´m learning Spanish! I’m sorry this is so random. GREAT WEEK! So many miracles. I promise they´ll come in the mail. I LOVE YOU EACH SO MUCH. Tell Matty to write me. Thank the Jackson family for the letters. So cute. Congrats to Uncle J! Russell M Nelson! Yippee! I’m dizzy! Really dizzy!  I walked into some internet cafe in San José and guess who is in here? ELDER H!! It was hard to focus, we were just chattin n catching up. He’s great. He’s a district leader and naturally knows Spanish perfectly. (He was in my district in the MTC) It was so good to see him. I´ll talk to you next week from an unknown place! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Have a good week!

Meg  Hermana Workman 

Megan has been diagnosed with Trigeminal neuralgia is inflammation of the trigeminal nerve. There are 12 cranial nerves, and the trigeminal nerve is responsible for facial sensation. It has three branches, one of which runs along the mandible (jaw). The doctor in the clinic believes that she picked up a virus, which is attacking the nerve. I “wiki” searched it. They also call it “suicide disease” as the pain is the most intense pain one can endure. It has been described as among the most painful conditions known to mankind.  After my email to her nurse (she is the mission nurse,)- she responded immediately- She put my worries at ease by letting me know she is closely monitoring Megan and has been with her and will be with her again today and tonight. She is awesome at responding which is a comfort.  Since it is a virus attacking the nerves, she will need to be on the medications (and muscular injections) for the next 10 days. According to my dear, lifelong friend and pharmacist, (everyone needs a best-ee pharmacist) Michelle, she said that her meds will make her very loopy and lethargic. So… add that to her transfer week! All in all, when I got the news, I immediately fell to my knees in prayer to Our Father in Heaven. She is so far away, in a Foreign Country and alone… NOT. I knew that she was safe, in His loving arms with her Missionary Family. God bless you all and your families.

XOXO  Diane