1 Year!

On July 22, 2010 Sterling hit the one year mark!

Update Since the End of June

This is a picture of Sterling after he and his companions got finished painting a man's house pink.

Here is an update and some pictures since the last post:

Sterling had wrist surgery again on July 2nd because his wrist just wasn't healing. In his email he stated:

I am in a lot of pain. In the first procedure, I didn't feel any pain afterwards, but right now I'm even on oxycodone and it still hurts. The doctor changed the procedure at the last minute, he told me that they were going to take some bone from my forearm, and put it into the cavity that the screw made in my wrist. Basically he said that they did a bone graft. Also, the doctors sponsors are going to donate a bone stimulator to me so that is pretty cool. I should be getting it in soon.*

*This is a real blessing to the family. The bone stimulator will help him out a lot but the insurance wouldn't cover it and it is very expensive.

Here is a picture of Ster after his surgery and then him in his cast with the stimulator port on his wrist. He attached a device to that port and the ultrasound makes blood flow in the area which will help with his healing.

Update from July 10th:

Well, hello there family. This is your son Elder Nisson reporting in from South Florida. An update on my arm It is still swollen, but that's to be expected. The pain is pretty much gone. I only took 3 Oxycodone the whole time because I would get the worst migraines I have ever had in my life. In fact, I have never had a migraine so they were the worst I have ever had in my life. Elder Alger dropped his pencil on the floor when I was having one and the noise almost made me double over. So I just dealt with the pain in my wrist and took some Tylenol. That took care of the migraines, the sick stomach and my arm doesn't hurt that much so I'm good.

We have found 6 new investigators this week so that is great news. We didn't do anything on the 4th but do missionary stuff. There was some TV show like CSI Miami or something filming a block away from our house but we didn't get to go see. Kind of cool I guess. Transfers are coming up next week. I have a feeling I will be transferred but that probably means I'm staying. lol.

A picture of Ster and his two companions Elder Alger and Elder Parry

Update from July 13th:

Well, I'm being transferred tomorrow. I don't know where I'm going or who my companion will be. It is always nerve racking wondering what's going to happen. Am I going back to Spanish? (Hope not). Am I going to get a good comp? (Hope so) What's my area going to be like? (Who knows) You know those kinds of things. But, you just have to remember to trust in the Lord and pray for strength in whatever trials come and remember His mercy and His desire to only do that which is best for all his children. :)

I heard from my Mission President and he indicated that he expects that from now on transfers will last from six months to a year. So it looks like I might be where ever I'm going for a while.

Update from July 19th:

My new companion is Elder Zubia, who is an assigned English speaking missionary. He is also the District Leader of our area. We are as far south as you can go, except for the Elders who are in the Keys. We are in the Homestead area and it is certainly different than any where I have been before. It is kind of set apart from the rest of south Florida and it is a very easy going place and people are friendly. Elder Zubia has about 6 more months left on his mission. I had to give a little schpeel about who I am and my conversion story on Sunday. No problem there I guess. I still get very nervous when I have to give a talk but when I get up there my heart rate goes down and my legs stop shaking. LOL So once again the tender mercies of the Lord getting me through another talk.

The ward is pretty good. Elders Quorum is like ours in West Jordan. There is no interaction and we will have long periods of silence. So one of us missionaries has to speak up. So Sunday was a good experience.

Now to my arm, well it is sad to say but I lost the battle, they have to amputate my arm. Kidding of course, but I did lose a battle. I begged the doctor not to put me in a hard cast for 5 weeks in this horrible Florida weather but he insisted that my arm be in a hard cast so it can't move around. It was a sad day. It was a 3 hour trip just to get to West Palm Beach and I'm the driver now, so we got lost a couple of times (figures). But we made it. I will have to go back in 5 weeks and get the cast off. Oh funny thing, my hand from the scar to my first two knuckles might be numb for the rest of my life. Isn't that awesome? Something about moving some nerves during the surgery and I may or may not recover feeling in that spot. All I really heard was that I won't feel pain, so cool.

An update on my eye. Still having issues. I'm going to a doctor appointment in Ft Lauderdale today where they will chop into my eye again.*

* We heard from the church's office and his surgery went well. Here is a picture of his eye.

HOPEFULLY, this will be the last of all medical issues w/ Ster while on his mission.