Isaac and Will

In the first week of January the Elders asked if Isaac could meet them in North Shinjuku for a lesson with an investigator.  I guess they are called "friends" now.  Isaac isn't super comfortable with the subway by himself and even though he knew he would be able to find his way he felt more comfortable with me joining him.  I was actually fairly sick still from whatever I caught mid-December and didn't really want to venture out but decided I have limited time left with Isaac before he leaves and this was a good chance for me to spend time with him. He asked if we could go early and take pictures so we walked around together for an hour before we met the Elders.  When we showed up at the meet up spot the Elders sheepishly apologized for miscommunicating and said they told us the wrong time and needed him for the second lesson but if he was willing they'd use him for both.  So, I found myself wandering Shinjuku for a bit longer than expected.  By the time I got back to meet him I was freezing and the lesson went 30 minutes over so I just stood outside and read my book and tried not to be impatient in my cold and sick state.  When he got out of the building he was so happy and cheerful.  I asked him about how it went and he said it was awesome and it made him so excited to go on his mission.  That made all the cold and walking while sick worth it.  

He's going to be such a good missionary and every time Will talks to him he tells him how much Isaac is going to love it, which I really appreciate. Isaac is really goofy, always cracking jokes, but he has so much depth to him.  He spends the first part of his bus ride to school reading a conference talk and the first part of his bus ride home reading his scriptures.  He also reads any talk his seminary teachers site during their lesson. He's not someone to freely share his testimony but in quiet moments when it's just the two of us, he shares his feelings--his questions, fears, doubts, weaknesses, as well as what he believes.  I genuinely like him so much.  I like his lightheartedness and his ability to make people feel seen.  I equally like his seriousness. I've seen him develop so much maturity over the last three years and can't wait to continue to watch him grow.  

I hadn't intended for this to be a love fest type post about Isaac but I guess I should just trust what my fingers type.  

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I started writing this post almost two weeks ago and never published.  I'll just start again.

We talked to Will last week and after talking to him for about 30 minutes he nonchalantly said that he had to come back from their P-day activity early because he was having severe abdominal pain.  He laid on the ground in a ball in pain until an Elder offered to give him a blessing.  When we talked he was cheerful and said he was feeling okay.  He had an appointment set up for two days later.  On his next P-day I messaged him and asked how he was doing and he responded, "Great!" Then he said that the doctor said he had intermittent testicular torsion.  I thought, "Great doesn't actually sound like the correct answer here."  Hahaha.  He's such a cheerful kid with such a high pain tolerance.  Because it is intermittent, it comes and goes, I guess?  The missionary doctors aren't convinced that is the problem and suspect a kidney stone.  When we actually got to do a call with Will later that day he looked pretty worn down.  

Will has used a special medicated shampoo for years to help him manage some skin issues that affect his scalp and face.  When he is stressed his skin flares up and he gets a flaky scalp and sores around his nose.  His body shows stress long before his feelings show it.  I could always tell when life was getting a little stressful for Will when I would notice sores around his nose.  It was never bad and most people probably wouldn't notice it.  He would use the same medicated shampoo on his face and the sores would go away.  Anyway, when we talked to him on Monday he had these really large sores on his face.  At first I thought he had cuts on his face and when I inquired he said, "Oh, it's just my normal sores."  Both Mike and I were like, "Uh, no Will.  It's never looked like this."  

So, he's not doing well.  

He had an ultrasound yesterday to look for a kidney stone.  I can't talk to him again until Monday and that's hard for me. I put his name on the prayer roll but other than praying for him, I can't do anything for him. I hope that the other four elders in his apartment will look out for him but I don't have high hopes for his actual companion to be empathetic.  He's not our favorite but that's a post for another day.  Saying that, I'm sure he's actually a good kid.  

I know this is part of adulting--both for me and Will.  For me, I have to trust in Will's particular gifts of cheerfulness and positivity.  He really does have an incredible ability to take life's difficulties and see them for what they are.  I also have to trust God to care for Will and to not only give Will the experiences he needs to grow but to help him through them.  As a mother it's hard to feel helpless and so far away and so disconnected but this is the new season of our lives and I have to trust that Will has all the skills, or will gain them, to do all this adulting successfully.

Well, that's it for today.  It's a packed weekend and coming week.  Mike's brother is coming to town, Mike has a birthday, and Eli has a three day wrestling tournament.  Lot's happening.