Elder Dredge ~ His Call to Serve in the Guatemala Guatemala City East: 13th November 2017 ~ Week #16

¡Alo, buenas! I hope everyone has been safe this week. This Elder has not been the safest...

So, right after I wrote last week, the zone (10 missionaries) went out and played paintball. It was super fun. It was in fact my first time! But... I got a pretty bad injury. In fact, one of the most horrid I have seen in my life! Basically, all my inner upper thigh was cut open by a barricade to which I was descending as I was sliding down a hill for cover. It was not the greatest feeling. Thankfully, I received great care from the hospital. I now have twenty stitches on my inner upper thigh. All is disinfected. It is experiencing a little bit of inflammation but I am treating it with oils and taking my pills so all is healing. I wrote all of my experience on a few sheets of paper as a narrative, of the which I took some pictures. I have been in my house all week, which wasn't the most fun, but at least I have been safe.

I did however get encountered by a dog this past Saturday, which was running at me to bite me. It was coming out of a door of a neighbor's house of an investigator who we had just gave a priesthood blessing moments ago. Being a limping cripple, I decided to remove myself from the situation as fast as I could. I decided to jump into the lawn. I ended up falling like a statue into the dirt. I was afraid the stitches might have opened. Elder Cruz, having been understanding and hospitable to me all the week, and I, got a car back to our house. The leg is still okay. We are all good. Everything is cheque.

So this week I just want to share my thoughts on the healing power of the Atonement. I have experienced quite a few moments of pain this week. Seeing my flesh open in front of my eyes after examining was not fun, not the most comfortable, and just really terrible. Getting the shots for anesthesia was a level of pain of its own, during the which I was literally singing opera. And receiving antibiotics in my cheek was quite a profound pain too, which felt like they were literally inserting a marble, during the which process I was yelling into my pillow and banging my other leg against the surface. Lots of pain this week. But in each of these moments, I thought about my Savior. In Alma 7 it reads that in the Garden of Gethsemane, our Savior Jesus Christ suffered not just our sins, but also our pains and afflictions and infirmities. He therefore loved us so much that he was willing to suffer our pains too, and not just our sins. He did this, "that he might now how to succor his people."

And I think to myself, "And He suffered splitting his leg open, receiving injections of all sorts, that he might know how to succor Elder Dredge." Truly, my brother Jesus Christ knows what I have been going through. He has helped me throughout this whole process. He knows my pain. He has had the same urges to scream. He has endured the same discomfort. And he did this because He loves me.

So, if any of you are suffering, or are pain, or are sick, or are damaged in any way physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually, just be aware that your Savior Jesus Christ suffered that the same. And remember that He lives. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Dredge

Elder Braden K. Dredge

Guatemala Guatemala City East Mission