Carmen's Phone Call from LAX

Carmen left the MTC on Monday August 31, 2009. She flew from SLC to LA in the morning with a layover long enough to call us from LAX airport. She called Tom's 800 # at work and then he conferenced me in. In the meantime I texted Mary and she came home from work and got on the line as well. We talked for over an hour, and it was good to hear her voice, hear her Spanish and just touch base with her before she heads out of the country! She flew from LA to Lima, then on to Buenos Aires, then had a bus ride to Rosario - she said she was supposed to arrive at the mission home at about 7:30 the next morning. So she was traveling for over 24 hours straight.

She said that she had a really bad "episode" of feeling sick and woozy on Friday that had the doctors quite worried - they seriously considered delaying her departure. She had got up that morning and went into the bathroom and got really sick feeling and light headed and even started to feel that her sight and hearing were going. One of her roommates was a registered nurse and saw that here face and lips were white and came to her assistance. Carmen went to the doctor again and she tested ok, but they were very worried. The one who had examined her came to the conclusion that her electrolite balance was off - that she wasn't getting enough salt (she had also been drinking a lot of water). So she was OK'd to go -and now knows a bit more about what to watch for and how to care for her health.

A few other things that she told us:

• she got a haircut- shoulder length
• she sure loves her family
• her nickname in her district was "Doogs" a variation of a mispronunciation of her name that was used for her dark side (the 'blunt' Carmen)
• she wondered if getting such a great companion in the MTC was going to be like a "mean trick", knowing that she could not get another one so good!
• They all got blessings the night before they left- I think she said Elder Hardy gave her hers (he is the one she is related to) and in it he told her "everyone who knows you loves you"
• she really loves her family
• she heard that she was going to have to spray all her clothes for spiders in Argentina (freak-out)
• sometimes she still gets stress headaches
• she loves her family soooo much
• she is very thankful for all the letters and for everyone who wrote to her and sent her stuff
• She met David Archuletta in the airport!! and got her picture taken with him!!!

We were so thankful to get to talk to her, and Sister Godfrey even got on the phone for a minute to tell us how wonderful Carmen is. Not that we didn't know already - but that was a nice touch. Hello to you all from Carmen! We certainly look forward to hearing from her in Argentina.