I am
happy to report that I am doing much better with the dengue. I basically was in
bed for the entire week except to email you last week and go to the lab a
couple of times. I did make it to Sacrament Meeting yesterday. Today I went to
the office to pick up my mail and we ate Pizza Hut and got frozen yogurt with
Hermana Ball and her companion. I am still regaining my strength back and after
email I am going to read my mail and take a nap. People have been calling and
checking in on me all week. I have been in my jammies all week too. We are
going to the temple tomorrow which will be nice. Dengue stinks and it was
probably the worst week of my entire life being sick. (When I say, the worst
week of my life, it wasn´t that bad, but I can´t think of a time of when I was
as sick. I remember having the flu for a week in 9th grade and that´s the
closest I could come up with. But I wish I would have had my marshmallow bed.)
I didn´t eat for basically a week and just tried to stay hydrated. I threw up
once. Everyone says I look real skinny. I weighed myself at the office and I am
down some more. I told Hermana Hernandez and Hermana Eickbush it´s called the
dengue diet. It was good seeing them at the office. They were glad to see I was
still alive. President said, “resucitó” or like I had been resurrected
...funny! Anyways, I have stayed in contact with the doctor who his really nice
and he said I don´t need any more lab work and by the end of the week I should
be pretty normal but that sometimes it can take that long to get your strength
back. Thanks for the prayers and stuff. When I didn´t want to eat anything I
kept reminding myself of the food I will be enjoying after I get home. But I
am doing much better and up and about. It´s been kind of a weird transfer with
the illnesses and all. It is hard to feel like getting into much of a routine
when I haven´t been doing normal missionary stuff for a while. Crazy. I am
ready to be rid of this dengue nonsense and I should be fully recuperated for
the trip home. I still need to buy some souvenirs next p-day, then we are
having an hermana activity our last real p-day, and then I´ll be in the office.
Sweet! So I wasn´t feeling up to a conference the mission had on Saturday with
Elder Zwick of the seventy, so the other hermanas had to give us a report. He
did talk about the numbers since the new missionary ages were announced.
Apparently 11,000 papers have been received in these 3 weeks or so and normal
is 500 or 600 every week. 2000 were from sisters just in Utah and 1500
international sisters. Our mission, which I think has 160-ish missionaries,
will be increasing soon to 250. He said that one day he will speak with a group
of missionaries and half will be hermanas ...pretty sweet! So I guess there are
going to be a lot more sister missionaries which is good since our mission
numbers for sisters are dwindling. It will be interesting to see what happens
and what new missions they will create. The other hermanas were real excited
with his talk. The hermanas stayed in a little with the storm. It´s nice having
the other hermanas around while I’m stuck in the house. We had lots of thunder
and lightning but nothing too bad. The power did get knocked out that affected
our water one morning but they got that fixed up. I haven´t been doing
anything, not even dominoes or writing letters. My letter writing is getting
real lame. I could barely get up and go to the bathroom. Yesterday, I took a
shower to get ready for church and that about did me in. I had to take a little
nap afterwards before going to Sacrament Meeting. But today I´ve done good
walking around and stuff. Elder Shaver, the doctor, said that it can take up to
a week to get back to normal strength. I can´t believe it is November next week
and it´s almost election time. I finally got my ballot today but it won´t go
out until Friday. I will send it even though it´s probably not going to make
it. Did the Giants win the World Series? I was watching ESPN a little at Pizza
Hut but I couldn´t tell if they won or made it to the World Series. Good luck
with the clarinet gig, Alexis. I knew that ASU education school was Lexxy´s
next life plan. I guess this week we do need to try and find some of our
investigators. I sure love you peeps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love, ejc
October 29, 2012
October 22, 2012
...greetings from the dengue girl
Well,
well, well, I hope you are all doing well. Things are pretty good here in the
DR except that I came down with a "little case of dengue fever" on
Friday. I have basically been in bed since Friday afternoon and the other
hermanas have been taking real good care of me. We´ve been in contact with the
doctor and Hermana Hernandez and I am just drinking lots of liquids and taking
lots of Tylenol. I am feeling better today and working on getting my appetite
back. Hermana Ball and her companion came over today and hung out with me and
Hermana Domgaard. Our other roommates had to go to the doctor since Hermana
Mcentire woke up with her bad back. They went to get some x-rays and stuff but
I had a fun time with the other hermanas at the house. I thought about not
telling you but decided you might be upset if I didn´t, but I don´t want you to
worry. On Friday morning when we were studying I got a really bad headache and
took some Tylenol. We worked in the morning and I ate lunch and then laid down.
Then I was running a good little fever so we stayed in. My eyes were hurting
which is another symptom of dengue and body aches, so by Friday night we were
pretty sure that was what I had. On Saturday morning I went to the convenient
lab across the street to get some blood work done. The lady didn´t see a good
vein but she managed in the first attempt. I had to get the same test today
again and the lady there today was not as successful. She was not very careful
to look for a vein and just went for it in my arm. I didn´t think it was going
well so I looked and Hermana Domgaard started saying, “Don´t look, don´t look.”
Anyways, she ended up having to do it in my hand. I did get a cool Disney
sticker so that made it fun. J I think
Hermana Domgaard could have done just as well with the needle and was a little
freaked by the needle lady today. I have had some nausea too with the dengue
but I am starting to eat a little so that´s good. I have been drinking lots of
Gatorade and water and luckily I haven´t had diarrhea or been throwing up since
that´s when you need an IV to keep hydrated. The other hermanas always keep
telling me to drink lots. The other hermanas have been babying me real good.
Hermana Mcentire has been asking me every five seconds if I need anything.
She´s been calling Hermana Hernandez and the doctor although today I decided I
wanted to talk to him since I am improving. I am really glad Hermana Domgaard
is here to lighten the mood. One morning she brought me a cold rag and felt my
head and said, “I just have to take care of my baby.” She´s a funny girl. She
made my bed too this morning. I did get a blessing on Saturday from the
district leader since they were in our area to do a baptismal interview for the
other hermanas, so that was good. I had Hermana Domgaard print my emails this
morning and she said she saw something on the page about being healthy and
thought that was ironic. J The good news about the dengue is that I will
probably reach my weight loss goals before I come home. J I can´t wait to weigh myself sometime soon. President called to check
up on me today too which was nice. I am on the mend and should be back to
normal in a couple of days... just another story to tell about the mission. J I don´t have much to tell you since I have just been bored in the
house. It´s boring not to have a TV or anything but life goes on and I’m going
to be totally fine, so no worries. Other than the dengue, the lady got baptized
on Saturday which was cool but I didn´t get to go. I will have to get the
pictures from the other hermanas. Our convert from a couple of weeks ago got
put in the young men´s presidency this week which will be good for him.
Fortunately the temple trip got cancelled this week so we will go in a couple
of weeks or something. That worked out nicely so I don´t have to exert myself
too much to go to the temple this week. I will work on not getting other
diseases. Some people in the area wanted to come visit me but that isn´t
allowed in missionary apartments, but the thought was nice. Well peeps, my time
is up. I hope Mom is on the mend and that you have a great birthday this week.
I sent a card that I hope gets there in time. I can´t wait to see you all in 4
weeks. Hopefully next week, I won´t have any reports of illnesses or anything. J Love you guys sooooooooooo much my forever family. Love, ejc
October 15, 2012
5 weeks and counting
So I am on the computer now. We´ve had a good p-day. We went to the park as usual on the first p-day
after transfers. Then we went to the mall and I enjoyed some Taco Bell and
frozen yogurt. Now we are back in the
area using internet. My desire to write real
letters is decreasing but I will try and send some and a letter for Mom´s
b-day that hopefully will get there in time.
I am glad to hear Mom´s surgery went well. Lexxy, not cool that you wore my favorite
shoes. I hope your feet have shrunk
since I do not want them stretched out.
I plan to wear them when I get home. J When will I get to register for classes? So this week has been a good
week. The changes in the house have been
nice with our new roommates. I really
have found that I enjoy my companions a lot more when we are not companions. Hermana Domgaard and I enjoy each other. She´s funny and she likes it since I always
laugh at her jokes. She´s been teaching
me how to play dominoes and all the Dominican rules. I will be buying some dominoes before I come
home. We have also played Phase 10. Good times. It´s amazing what some fresh people can bring
to the house. So the hermanas moved in
on Tuesday. We cleaned up the house and
then went out in the afternoon. On
Wednesday morning I took them around to show them where a bunch of the investigators
live. I had a sore throat that morning
but no fever. Then we had lunch and I
took my temperature again and it was 102.7 or something. I told them and they all said, go to
bed. I really didn´t feel that bad so I
was surprised to have such a high fever.
Anyways, we stayed in the rest of the day. We decided not to go to the zone and district
meeting on Thursday and Hermana Hernandez called to see if I wanted to go to
the doctor. My ears and throat were
weird so we decided to go to the doctor at the CCM to make sure I didn´t have
an ear infection or strep. My fever had
gone down by that point. We finished our
weekly planning session after the doctor´s visit and he said to take it easy
the rest of the day and that it was just a virus que anda...have Lexxy say that
in Spanish. It´s funnier. Hermana Domgaard kept saying that. J Anyways, on Friday and Saturday we
worked like normal. I am doing fine now,
just some congestion in the ears and nose and stuff, but nothing to worry
about. I imagined Dad singing “Fever”
since I had a fever. It was funny. We are supposed to go to the temple next week
which will be nice. I think we still get
our normal p-day but just in case, ya ustedes saben (you already know). Anyways, we had a few investigators at church
and it has been interesting being shown around the area and getting to know the
investigators. One lady I was teaching
is getting baptized on Saturday, so it will be fun to be here for that. Most of my investigators have adjusted to the
new hermanas so all is well here. 5 weeks peeps. Craziness.
I love you guys sooooooooooooo much. I just have a few minutes left,
but all is well here in the DR ...only 4 more emails.
October 8, 2012
More from the DR
Well, I am on the computer. Good to hear from you three! I loved the
photos of the crazy Nica´s homecoming. Can´t
wait for mine in 6 weeks! So transfer
news............... I am moving from Las Americas 2a to Las Americas 2b
(which means I am moving rooms in our house to be companions with Hermana Mcentire)
...sweet! We were super excited when we
found out last night. My companion is
going to where Hermana Mcentire started and her companion is going to my
querida (dear) Mendoza. Hermana Domgaard
and Hermana Madden from Fiji are going to be taking over my side of the
ward. We are all excited to live
together and at least the few investigators I am attached to I will still see
at church and their baptisms. Hermana Mcentire and I had a lovely time going to watch conference in English
for all of the sessions. We were
concerned about having investigators but then the leaders called on Saturday
morning and said it was fine to go with or without investigators since they
have their agency too. That was nice and
made things less stressful. That is
crazy with the age changes for missionaries and I imagine a lot more girls will
go now. We saw the press conference in
between the sessions on Saturday and it was cool that pretty much only the
First Presidency and The Twelve knew about the change. I enjoyed watching the World Report and even
seeing a glimpse of what they showed of the campaign and convention. Conference was awesome! Elder Oaks’ talk was great and I didn´t know
he used to be the Dean of the University of Chicago Law School ...cool. Sister Burton´s talk was good too. I was thinking about how much I miss Julie B.
Beck, but the new Relief Society president pulled through for me. I think my favorite talk was Elder Holland,
especially when he talked to return missionaries and that we can never go back. I had read through some MTC notes this week
and he had said something similar then too.
It is so true. We can never go back. Discipleship was definitely a theme at
Conference. I thought of the Laytons a
lot, too. On Thursday afternoon, we went to a cosecha in
another ward to look for menos activos and an elder from Nicaragua and another
from Honduras were teaching me Central American slang. J I picked me up a Fanta that
night and thought lots about you peeps. We
visited a guy that night and taught the restoration. Hermana Louis asked him to be baptized at the
end of the month and he said yes. He
came to Conference too. So that is
cool! My favorite food for the last week
or so has been plantains with fried eggs and onions...mmmm. I have come to really enjoy onions during the
mission. I got a package from Chessy this
week ...cool. One of the letters in it
was written in May. Crazy Chessy! And
about the girl at Costa Vida that has a sister in the DR Santiago Mission ...well
her sister is one of the other sisters I lived with at the CCM. I am hoping to fly home with her, but we
shall see. I really say things all the time and then say to
Hermana Mcentire, “My Dad would say that.”
Funny ...sometimes just laughing
is what keeps you going. Maybe, I just
didn´t say as much to her in the MTC as I do now. The elder from Nica said something about gallo
pinto. He also said Alexis will speak
better Spanish than me but then the other elder said I speak good Spanish. Someone else said this week that I don´t
speak typical Dominican since I don´t embrace some of the slang and stuff. It is part of the grammar perfection I like
in English and Spanish, although I am not perfect todavia (still) en Spanish. I can just
imagine you guys at home. It is so grand
seeing you three together. Well, I am out of time. Until next week my favorite peeps. I’m looking forward to more letters and
emails. Love you guys a million
bazillion times 46. Love you, ejc
P.S. Here´s some photos... some of my new planner,
me eating a twin banana, Thursday
night, and one of last week with Hermana
Vera. She´s going home tomorrow. Enjoy!
October 5, 2012
The Nica is home!
Alexis spent Wednesday in Managua before leaving very early Thursday morning for the airport. Here are pictures of her last day in the Nicaragua Managua South Mission - with the Mission President & his family and the 20 missionaries who were also going home.
Alexis flew through Atlanta and arrived safely home on October 4th at 6:10 p.m. with a big smile on her face. Happy times! We are so thrilled to have her home and look forward to the return of the other Hermana Cottam in just six more weeks.
 |
| You may have heard of Flat Stanley! Well, this is Mom & Dad with "Flat Elena" to welcome home Alexis. |
October 1, 2012
Last email from the Nica!
Well, we just got back to Diriomo
from Managua and my final interview. It went well. President was very
complimentary and said he was sad to see me go. I love my mission president and know he is the
one I needed. I had had the thought a
few weeks back to ask him for a blessing in my interview so I decided to ask
him for one as I leave. I told him that
my Dad had given me one before I left and that I would like one before I go
back. It was a nice blessing and just
made me feel closer to my mission president.
President thanked me for always having a good attitude and being a good
influence on others and good to my companions.
I really can’t believe it is over and that I will actually see you on
Thursday. President asked if I was
excited to see my sister. I said yes but
that I will have to wait another 7 weeks ...he thought we left together. But anyway, we finished off the change with
another baptism. We baptized the man who
read the Book of Mormon in 10 days. He
is excited and even had to go out to the farm he bought, since he was living
with the in-laws and they didn’t want anyone not of their religion living
there. We feel bad having 2 people get
kicked out of their houses but they are doing great and moving forward. I enjoyed the Relief Society broadcast. We went with some investigators of the elders
and it was great. I felt the same
sisterhood I feel at home and had tears in my eyes as I thought about leaving
my Nica sisters. As I saw the young
single adults singing I thought that in a week I will be one of them and not
Hermana Cottam. I feel so many emotions
right now but I am thrilled to see you soon.
So we head to Managua again on Wednesday and then stay at a hotel that
night and we are off bright and early on Thursday. I just can’t wait. I know this is where I needed to serve my
mission and that the Lord knows me and where I am. I know this is His work and that this is His
church. I don’t doubt it. I can’t wait to see you and tell you all
about it non-stop. Thanks for all the
support you give us. I have the best
family ever and can’t wait for the party this week and then again when we are
complete again in November. Funny stories from the week...
this crazy man on the street called my companion Princess Diana. That was hilarious. I was talking to my companion about The West
Wing. I figure that I could watch the
entire seven seasons in about 4 days without sleeping ...maybe that would be
fun ...just kidding. I didn’t get mail
this week. Hopefully I will get the last
letters before I leave. I am excited for
food at home. Saturday was not one of my
favorites as far as food goes - soup for lunch, and chicken innards for
dinner. I struggled a little, downing
the dinner, since I had asked before-hand what it was. But I did it!
So I can’t wait to see you ...try not to make a big scene at the airport
people ...you know me and my not liking to call attention to myself. But I am super pumped. I have been cleaning out and getting stuff
ready to go but I will probably start packing more tonight. I really can’t believe it is over. I feel like I am in a dream. It just can’t be possible that my mission is
over and that it has been 18 months since I have seen you. I love you soooooooo much. See you on Thursday. I will have such a big
smile on my face ...can’t wait. I love you
tons. I am a happy girl. Love, your Nica hija, alc
Hello from the DR
So peeps, the hermana activity
got cancelled since some other zones were having a BBQ in Gazcue today and some
of the hermanas wanted to go. Anyways,
we got invited to the BBQ, too, so it was another good day with the Eickbushes
and hamburgers and hot dogs and Klondike bars...mmmmmmmm. I can´t believe little
Lexxy is going to be home on Thursday. It
will be so weird hearing from her next Monday from AZ. I want all of the details and pictures and stuff. I got the lovely package with goodies in it
this week. You are the best and Hermana Mcentire loves you too. She loved that you wrote, “Oreos for you and
Hermana Mcentire”. Things are
good here in the DR ...not much news to report but it’s been a good week. When we were in the taxi coming home after the
BBQ today Hermana Mcentire was talking to the driver and told him we were going
home en el mes que viene (aka, next month).
Sweet! That is awesome isn´t
it? Today I said goodbye to Hermana
Vera. I know we will be in the holiday season
when I get home. I am soooooo excited
but sometimes I do think about how this time is slipping away and I won´t be
Hermana Cottam for very much longer. I
am ready to come home and start school and stuff but it will be a little
bittersweet that this chapter of my life will be over. There´s not very many people who get to do
what we do day after day after day. I am
excited to hear about transfers next Sunday and will let you know what happens. We have a baptism scheduled for the 20th of October
and the lady is really excited. She also
has several friends who are members and she keeps saying that I am going home
so soon in November. I really don´t want
to have to tell her I am leaving next week, if that is the case with
transfers. She calls me coTAM ...co like
in co-pay and tam like in tambourine, but the accent on the tam. Funny, no one else says my name like
that. Hermana Mcentire and I went to
church by ourselves yesterday since her companion was sick. We decided one from each companionship should
go to greet the investigators and my companion decided to stay with the sick
companion. My companion and I watched
the last half of the Relief Society broadcast last night with the ward since
that was when they were watching it. It
was in Spanish so not quite the same as in English. Mark your calendar next year Mom, since Lexxy
and I will be coming with you. I am
super excited about General Conference.
We had to go to the office on Friday to pick up more pills for my
companion. I had a lovely chat with the
Eickbushes. I finished decorating
my last planner and it says, hold on a little longer. The back has the picture you recently sent of
Chessy and us at lunch after graduation with the scripture Alma 17:13. I don´t have
a ton of time left but I just wanted to tell you all again how much I love
you. Enjoy yourselves on Thursday and as
you can imagine I will be thinking of you.
Safe travels Nica ...three fourths of the Cottam clan will be back
together esperando la otra (waiting for the other). Try not to cause too much of a disturbance in
the airport. J I am so
excited for you all! Can´t wait to see you in seven little weeks ...love
you guys. Party it up real good for
me. Love you tons, ejc
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