12/13/21: Burning Hands!

 A lot happened these last two week but the the that stood out was when I basically burned my hands off. Not really but it's an interesting story.


On Thursday we went to an investigators house to make pique machu. It's easily the best dish here in Bolivia and my comp knows how to make it so sometime we go over to a member or investigators house, make some pique machu and have an awesome lesson. However Thursday it poorly, at least for me. As I was chopping vegetables I notice some peppers in the the bag. I decided to cut them as well and as I was doing so my comp looks over and there's just a shocked look on his face. He asked me, "do you know what that is??" He explained to me it was a pepper call Locoto and it's one of the most volatile peppers in south América. Immediately I felt a tingle in my fingers... I rushed over the the sink to wash my hands and with out check I dumped a bottle of what I thought was soap on my hands. Then I noticed it wasn't soap but actually a cleaning chemical stronger than bleach!!! That's when the pain really started. One of the family members told me to rub salt on my hands and desperately I tried that not even thinking thag I was like rubbing salt into a wound! That just spread the burning sensation all over my hands up to my wrists. It felt like actually fire all though my hands. After rhat I tried various remedies like milk, surger and various lotions. Nothing really worked except for when I put a wet towel in the freezer and wrap my hand in that. All through the night I had to keep switching towels to keep the pain down. 

In the moment it hurt, but now it's easily the funniest thing of my mission so far. Everyone thought it was funny to see the clumsy American inflict pain on himself and truthfully it was quite a sight. I guess all I can really do is laugh at myself.

Outside of that experience it's been alright here in my area. I've kinda hit a wall at this point in my mission. Mostly with finding purpose again. My comp and I have different ideas and motivations for the mission. As I result I've it's taken a lot of comprising and negotiating and sometimes a bit of madatating to stay obedient and effective. At the beginning it wasn't horrible but it does take a toll after a while. But all I can do is put my trust in the Lord and follow not my will but his.

That's all for this week. Talk to you all next Pday!!!

Elder Allen

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