Wadsworth here I come...almost

(Posted by Steph's Dad on 1/5/09)

Hi family!

I got an email update with Dad’s blog post on how I was recovering. I’m glad to hear that I was loopy (I know, I really was) and I’m even more glad that now I’m not so loopy! I took my last pain pill on Thursday—they were starting to make me tingly and woozy so I decided the slight pain (it wasn’t bad) was better to deal with than being sick. Anyone need some Percocet? I’m kidding, I’m kidding…

The surgery went really well. I had my follow-up appointment to get my stitches out and talked with Dr. Musgrave. He said that there was a lot of damaged cartilage behind my knee cap and on the inside of my knee so they cleaned it all up and stuff. I don’t think that my meniscus was torn at all which is good. I am still a bit swollen but not bad, and Dr. Musgrave said that it’d still swell up for the next couple weeks but that I just need to ice it and it’ll be okay.

My time in Kirtland has been good. I laid on a couch at the Visitors’ Center for the first two days and was in and out of sleep for most of it. Sister Butterfield, the site director’s wife, made sure that I had soup and crackers and things—she’s so nice. All of the sisters that were in Kirtland were so good to check up on me and things. They all had to be there for a training meeting on Tuesday morning so I got to see a lot of sisters. Wednesday was a little slower (which was probably a good thing because I was a little more out of it than the first day so I got to sleep more) and then they had a New Year’s Eve celebration at the sites that evening that I was able to attend. It was a fun time—I even was able to tie for second place in the Phase 10 tournament they had. We did a countdown at about 10pm and then headed home to go to bed.

The next morning when I woke up I found out that one of the other sisters in the home where I’m staying had the flu, so I ended up staying with her companion to keep her company since she was going to be in for much of the day. The three of us (Sister Munford from Kannaraville, UT and Sister Fortie from Smithfield, UT) have pretty much spent the last four days together and at home (Sister Munford’s been sleeping off the flu though). I wish she wasn’t sick but I’ve been glad to have the company.

This past week we were able to start the Book of Mormon challenge that President Peterson issued at our Mission Conference a few weeks ago. I’ve gotten a little bit ahead (since I have the time and all) and it’s been really neat to mark three things: how many times the names of the Savior are mentioned, how many references there are to His life and ministry, and how many times the Savior speaks or is directly quoted in the scriptures. I love learning of His life and ministry—it is a profound experience to read again from the Book of Mormon and to focus on the life of the Savior while I read it. I know that it’s the word of God and was written for our day. What a blessing it is to have it!

Yesterday after church I had Sister Frederickson (from TX) and Sister Ayala (from Guatemala) take me on mini-tour of the Newell K. Whitney store. We went there in a spirit of prayer and fasting, just like the brethren who attended the School of the Prophets would do back in the day. We were able to bask in the spirit while we were there and it was fantastic. The sisters even let me be there alone for a couple minutes and it was a sacred opportunity to pray and speak with the Lord while I was there. I love Ohio and I love Kirtland. It truly is a special and holy place. Sister Fredrickson was talking about how much she misses the temple and that she realized a few days ago that the School of the Prophets room was just as holy because of the appearances of God the Father and Jesus Christ in that very place. We read from D&C 88 about creating a house of God and I knew that we were in such a place and I loved being able to have a temple-like experience! Can we go as soon as I get off the plane?

I am so incredibly grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the knowledge that was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. I love being able to testify to people everyday about it! And I can’t wait to get back to Wadsworth and the people I love there. It’s going to be a great week and I’m excited to be a real missionary again :)

I hope that you all have a great week with school starting up again and life getting back to normal hectic rather than holiday hectic. I sure love you and have felt your thoughts and prayers. Know that you’re in mine. You’re so great!

Love love love,
Sister Cannariato