A Concussion means I'll be home for Christmas...

Above is my wonderful Mission President! Brother and Sister Black!

Today was the sabbath which normally means the sacrament and church. As a missionary, Sundays are the best days. Not only because we too get to renew our covenants and participate in what Elder Holland calls, the most sacred ordinance of the week. In addition to partaking of the bread and water we also get to see all our friends (investigators) and returning members that we have been working with while partaking of the sacrament. We get to participate in this joyful ordinance of hope. Sabbath days are the best!

This Sunday was a little different than most, I spent it inside our apartment. 

I spent this sabbath pondering what it meant that the Savior suffered for all my afflictions. Oliver Naven, Jacob Naven, and Kristina Naven were at church even though I was not. Oliver Navens girlfriend who is of another faith came to church for the first time. Oliver himself was struggling with his testimony. He has been slowly getting to know and gaining a testimony for himself. Kristina Naven and Brother Naven wake up early every morning to teach seminary. Brother Naven has also been the Bishop. Kristina Naven joined the church because of the feelings she felt after hearing the words of the first vision and asked to know if it's true. Because their dedicated discipleship I have been able to feel a little closer to Heaven and feel God's power just a little bit more. D&C 84:20 says: "Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest."  I'm so very grateful for their dedication and service.  Brother Naven told us that he didn't really have a testimony until he was on his mission. He has been a support to me.

As for why I couldn’t go to church in person this last Sunday, I suffered a pretty major concussion on Tuesday morning.  I was playing chair soccer on P-day and was having a great time.  Then one of the Elders kicked the ball and it hit me in the head causing me to fall backwards in my chair and hit my head on the hard gym floor. This caused me to black out.  I've been sitting in a dark room for the past 10 days. Last Friday I went to the ER and had a CT scan of my head.  It showed that I did not have any internal bleeding, but my brain was and still is swollen. I was told that I could not look at screens for the next few weeks and my activity needed to be just laying down, keeping light to a minimum. So, I have spent most of my time with an eye mask on.  I have been nauseated and suffered from a constant headache.  After discussing my condition with the area medical mission doctor, my Mission president, and my parents it has been decided that I will be returning home to recover.  This has been a struggle for me to get my mind around and accept that there is not much I can do to change my situation.  I will be home until I have recovered from my concussion and am cleared to return to the Sacramento mission.  My hope is that I will be back sometime in January.  But time will tell.   So, if I don't respond to your emails that's why. My companion is typing this as I speak. The church is flying my mom to come pick me up as I cannot travel alone. I will be home on Saturday. However, recovery looks like staying in a darker room, letting my eyes rest and not having a lot of stimulation. Love you all! I would appreciate prayers for a speedy recovery so I can return quickly back to Sacramento!