Sister Chloe Walker Buenos Aires West Mission: Craziest Week of My Mission!

Hello all!

This week was insanity! Here is the rundown.

Monday- I talked to the president and learned that I was being transferred. He told me that he was sending the office elders out with the truck to come get us and that I needed to pack my stuff. So I packed my bags, and an hour later I was on my way to the offices. After getting to the offices we had to wait around about two hours for interviews. After that we switched companions, and I headed off to my new area in San Justo.

Tuesday- We woke up in the morning and my new companion, Hermana Patrone, told me that we had exchanges with the Hermana Training Leaders. So I packed up a backpack, and we went to district meeting. After that we had the switch, and I went off to Ramos Mejia to work with the Hermana Líder Entrenadora. Tuesday was actually the most normal day, and we worked hard.

Wednesday- It was supposed to be the last day of the exchange. We woke up worked out, got ready, did personal study, and started companionship study. All morning my temporary companion (the hermana leader) for the exchanges said that she didn’t feel well. Half way through companionship study she got up and said that she needed a second. She walked into our room for a couple of minutes, and all I heard was her say, “Hermana.” I walked in there, and she was on the floor. She was unconscious and had a fast heart rate. Then her pulse dropped, and she stopped breathing. I jumped into a super calm mode and started ordering people around. I told one of the two other sisters in the apartment to call president and the other an ambulance. I checked her pulse again and listened for breathing sounds, and then I yelled at her and ORDERED her to breathe! She started breathing and the emergency people on the phone told me to sit behind her and sit her up with her head against my chest. I held her like that and waited for help. I think we were all praying the whole time. Finally, President showed up with the Hermana Carter and one of the assistants, and then the paramedics, and it was quite the morning. The health guys did an EKG in our apartment to check that she was okay, and then they left. Then, after about an hour and a half later she finally regained consciousness and talked to President. Then, President left for a minute with the Hermana and Assistant came back and told us to pack our stuff for a night because we were going to the mission home. First we went to lunch and ice cream, and it was great. But I was still a little shaken up.

After lunch, we went back to the mission home. On the way home President said, “Hermana Walker, do you trust the Hermanas in San Justo to pack up your stuff?” I shook my head yes. He then said, “Welcome to Ramos Mejia, Hermana!” It was one of those statements full of meaning because my new companion is sick and only has two weeks in the area herself. It is also a really hard area of the mission and the area of the Hermana Training Leaders. It also meant that I had three companions and three areas in three days. When we got back to the house my official new companion, the Hermana Castellanos, went upstairs to sleep, and I ended up talking to president for about an hour before the Hermana Carter asked me if I would go with her daughter to work out. So there I was at 4 in the afternoon working out in a beautiful park in the Buenos Aires North mission with Briana (who is awesome by the way, and we were friends after like 5 minutes). That night we ate at a burger place that tasted really close to one in the States. Heaven.

Thursday- We woke up, got ready, and headed out. At about 8 we got back to our apartment. My companion, still exhausted, went to sleep and I unpacked my stuff. At about 11, we ate lunch and then just lay in bed talking. Then my companion said that her heart was beating really fast. And two minutes later she is out again. And this time we are alone in the pench. I called president and was frightened because my companion was once again having a hard time breathing. I sat behind her and held her with her head against my chest again. And an hour later President and the Hermana Carter and the assistant show up again. At this point I am really shaken up but holding it together.

After about an hour or two we headed to the offices of the church in Buenos Aires for my companion to talk to some doctors. They check her out thoroughly and cleared her to go. It was the Carters’ anniversary so we all went out to dinner. We then spent the second night in the mission home.

Friday- To stay under watch of president, we remained in the offices all day. It was fine. We just read and slept and stuff. However, my companion didn’t have any shoes because her last pair just broke, so the Hermana Carter sent us to buy shoes. We went and bought the shoes (You know I enjoy a little shoe therapy.) When we were heading back to the offices in a remis (taxi), you’ll never believe what happens next. We got in a car accident! When we were at a stoplight a lady didn’t see us or the red light and hit us hard from behind. She didn’t even brake, and the car didn’t have headrests so I was shaken up pretty bad. My companion was luckily slouched in her seat. So finally after the driver talked to the police and everything we got back to the office. At this point my companion is still not feeling well, almost died the two days previous, and we just got in a car accident and my back hurts. Holding it together was not going to happen again. We walked into the office, and I started breaking down crying and president said, “Don’t worry Hermana, we are going to take care of you.” So for the third night in a row, we headed back to the mission home.

Saturday- We rested all day. We talked. I love Sister Castellanos--she is a beautiful, kind person and amazing. I'm excited to work with her. That night we had the baptism of Juan Carlos. It went well. We slept in our apartment this night.

Sunday- The confirmation was great! Then my companion wasn’t doing so great, and the assistants picked us up and we headed back to the mission home. My companion and I both had great talks with President. We made some pancakes with the Hermana for President and the assistants. Slept great. And...

Monday- Today a remis came and picked us up from president’s house and drove us back to Ramos Mejia straight to the cyber where I am now emailing you.

That is all that has happened this week. Nada mas.

xoxo,

Hermana Chloe

PS. I cleared it with Sister Castellanos to share this story on the blog.