Hi Everyone!!!

        I should've taken a picture of the photos of my throat that he gave me and sent them to you, but I forgot. Anyways, he stretched my throat like 5 mm, which really really hurt after I finally woke up. I had to call him and get some Tylenol codeine which helped out a lot!! I couldn't really eat anything for that whole day or most of the next, so I kind of just ate a bunch of yogurt. ha but it hurt to even swallow water so it was pretty painful. They also set me up on this acid reducer called omeprazole which is a pretty big pill! I was pretty scared because I had choked on pills this size before, so I said a little prayer and then swallowed it and it went right down:) So I have been taking that every morning, not sure what for, but that is what he told me to take. I know that my throat is a lot better though because I never could've swallowed a pill like that before! Eating has been really good as well!!. I mean I don't really know what normal really is, but I don't have to take a drink of water every time I swallow something:) so that is good. There were also white pumps all the way down my throat which was a sign that my throat had some inflammation in it. So he called me a couple of days ago and told me that they did a biopsy and that I had this pretty common thing called eosiniphilic esophagitis! Ha not sure if that is how you spell it, but you can look it up for more details. Basically it means that my throat becomes inflamed because of an allergic reaction to something. Which makes a lot of since because there were times when it felt like my whole throat was clogged and I hadn't eaten anything for quite a while. So it went a long perfect with the symptoms I have been having and I go in for them to tell me more about it on Wednesday. So all in all he stretched my throat out, and they will probably give me some good advice on how I can keep the inflammation down in my throat:) Ha I feel like a wuss, but I am so glad that I could get it taken care of because it was REALLY annoying!!

          Sheesh I really didn't like not going out last Wednesday though. I think that was my first time ever staying in the apartment!! So I am better than ever though and am back in action:) So now on to the important things. We have been working with Mandy a lot this week and man she is amazing!! She keeps all her commitments and is really diligently seeking for the truth. Yesterday we taught her right after church and watched the Restoration with her and then talked to her about following the prophet. She said that of course she would once she knows that he is a true prophet. We told her to keep praying and reading and that knowledge will come quickly! She texted us a little later that day and said that she told  her mom and her mom thought that she was rushing into things because her desire to be baptized is so great and that she was working towards a baptismal date. She was just asking us if we thought that she was rushing into it and we said of course not. Then she just started talking about how she was prompted to cross reference this scripture in the Book of Mormon over to the bible and said that she read Isaiah 29:11 which is talking about the sealed book that is delivered to some one that is not learned. So she went and did some research on joseph Smith and found out that he only had the education of a 6th grader and it just made sense to her. She texted us and told us that she knew that it was true:) Wow!!! What a great feeling. She has progressed faster than anyone that I have ever taught. We are so excited for her and absolutely love teaching her. She is only 20 years old, but has just had this crazy desire to find the truth!! Its incredible! We are going over to her apartment tonight to teach her the rest of the commandments and then we are going to see if she wants to get baptized before I leave:) She was already kind of talking about how she thinks April 12th is way to far away now so we'll see. I told her that it would be awesome if I was here for it, but that it is totally up to her and that she should ask Heavenly Father if she should this weekend. That would be so great to get to experience one last baptism in the states before I head off to Brazil. We also set a date with this lady named Cindy! She has been investigating the church for like 12 years and has had multiple baptismal dates, but she said that we have made more progress with her then any of the other missionaries and that she was ready to work towards April 19th. She is going to need some good fellowship but she can easily be ready by that date.

           So since I am a departing missionary I get to go on the temple trip tomorrow to Nauvoo:) I did have my office visit that day but I called them and got it changed to Wednesday. So we are driving to West Des Moines tonight and Elder Underwood is going with some Elders in that area while I am spending the night with the Assistants. I'm really excited. I think that my grandpa in the mission should be there so that should be fun. Its crazy that I leave in a week!! Hopefully I can remember everything that I need to do. I probably will send home a package with a few little things. Probably my back pack too. But yea this week should be really good!! We have a district P-day too! Well the Lord is taking care of me so no worries:) It'll be cool to talk to you next week at the airport hopefully!! It's funny how now that the weather is warming up I am getting sent down to Brazil....goodness!!:) I love the Gospel though and it is changing many lives!! Hope you all have a great week --and know that I love you all!!!! Thanks for always being there for me and letting me know how things are going!!! Take care!!

Love, Elder Polatis 

Two wonderful sisters from the Ward--they take care of me!