Stitches

 

September 18, 2023

 

Dear Family and Friends, 

 

I think when we look for God’s hand we see it. When we look for miracles we see those too. I had a miracle last week but not in the way I would have wanted. Last week was our busy Zone conferences and interviews week. They are long but great days seeing the missionaries and feeling the spirit. After our zone conference in Hanoi we did interviews at the Ba DInh church building and the Hai Ba Trung church building. At our second stop we finished about 6:30 at night. It gets dark in Vietnam at that time, We were on the 3rd floor. Even though there is an elevator, President Hughes, myself and then the 2 missionaries decided to use the stairs, We had been sitting a lot that day. Larry hurried down the stairs to tell Noi our driver we were coming. I went next and was almost to the second floor when someone turned the stair well light off. My eyes did not adjust quickly and it was pitch black. I thought I was close to the bottom but I missed the last step and started to fall. To catch myself I put my right hand on the wall but is was the corner. On the corner is a 1/4” corner protector made of steel. As I went down my hand went down along the steel. It cut 2 of my fingers pretty deep. I went into a classroom and sat down and it was gross. Larry and a missionary wrapped my fingers with a lot of toilet paper and held it in place with Band-Aids. There was a lot of blood, I had cut a vein that goes along the finger. At the clinic the Doctor told me both cuts were very deep, he could see the tendons but they were still in tact. I currently have one numb finger tip due to cutting a nerve too or swelling we are waiting to see. What is the miracle? There are several, I did not fall and break a bone or hit my head, I did not cut my tendons, I cut the two fingers that I use the least, I have not had problems with infection, and I have felt peace because of a priesthood blessing. I know I was protected. Stitches will heal, I may have some good scars to show for it, but I will get better. I did miss the rest of my visits with the missionaries and I did not fly south to Zone conference so my dressings could be changed each day and have the fingers checked. I gave my training over zoom. 

When president flew south he ran into Thanh the District Relief Society president. She was taking her little boy to go see grandma and grandpa. She asked where I was. The next thing I know I have people coming to check on me and offer service. Over the next two days I had five visits of 11 people. Trang and Quan came first. Trang vacuumed my rugs, cut up a pomelo for us to eat and was so kind. Thang came next bringing a dozen large chocolate chip cookies. The three of them were at the house for 2 hours. Next came Chi. She is the branch Relief society president. She talked to me in her broken English and made me pumpkin soup, and an herbal tea for me to be healthy. Next came Sister Minh and Sister Hang  two of our returned missionaries. They helped cut up some vegetables for me to eat and visited with me for about an hour. The next day Brother and Sister Stephens came by, she had broken her right arm earlier this year and she knew what I needed, I needed someone to help me wash my hair. So we washed my hair over the kitchen sink. So nice. And brother Stephens had made French onion soup and she had made chocolate cookies. Later that day, President Canh and his wife and a dear new convert came to visit, They brought so much Vietnamese food. 14 fried spring rolls, a broth you add rice noodles and barbecue meat to. There was probably a half of a gallon bag full of noodles. I invited them to stay and eat with me but they said it was for me. Everyone was so kind to visit and offer to help me. It was very thoughtful. That was some amazing ministering, They are so good at taking care of each other, 

We love and miss you. Watch over and take care of each other, 

Love, 

 

Sister Hughes