Bike Crash, Broken Hand & Finger, But Still in "Fine Spirits"!

Francesca was in a bike accident on Tuesday.  The Mission President called Cliff to make us aware.   Luckily a senior couple is serving in her city - and Elder Jefferies sent us updates after the crash and after both hospital visits. He gave her a priesthood blessing before taking her to the ER, and he and his wife, as well as her investigators and other members, have taken such good care of her.  She is scraped and bruised, and she broke her right finger and broke a bone in her hand.  She is in a cast and sling, but seems to truly be in "Fine Spirits" - teaching the gospel to those in the hospital and maintaining a positive attitude.  We feel lucky to have gotten a letter this week, and are so grateful for her wonderful friend and companion, Sister Bennett, for her loving care, and for typing us this letter!  

If you want to send her a get well note - her email is:

alicia.montagnoli@myldsmail.net

We loved talking to her via Skype on Mother's Day!  She looked so happy, and our favorite part was when she bore her testimony in Italian.  It was truly beautiful and the spirit was so strong.  When the Mission President called, he told Cliff she is a wonderful missionary and her language skills have amazingly soared since she got her greenie.  How sweet - he said he feels like he hit the jackpot when she was sent to the Milan mission. 

My Dear Family...

We had quite the event this week! As you have heard,
 we spent the evening in the hospital last night; we didn't get home 
until 12 midnight.  Not that I slept at all - waiting to go back to be treated in the morning. Let's start at the beginning. After getting home from district meeting, teaching A
lesson, and doing studies, we had an appointment scheduled with Laura and
 Alberto - then after we were supposed to have a dinner of American tacos, which Sorella 
Jefferies had prepared. 

On our way there, as always, we were biking and 
I honestly have no idea what happened. I think I hit a pothole or bump.  One second my handlebars were 
being weird, and I tried to adjust. In my efforts, my foot slipped and the next 
thing I know, I am laying on the ground in the street. Miracle story: I
 was feet away from sliding into an intersection. I caught my fall with 
my arm and hand to protect my head. I instantly thought that my pinkie
 was broken, but we had an appointment to get to. 

So we got back on the
 bikes and headed over to Laura and Alberto's. Adrenaline made it so I
 didn't feel all of the pain. Brother Jeffries took me over to their 
apartment across the street, where we attempted to doctor me up. A
lovely member in our branch is a nurse, and she came over and checked on me.
 She said that I needed to go to the ER. Laura and Alberto showed up
 minutes later, as I was laying on the bed with frozen peas on my hand
trying not to pass out. 

Anziano Jeffries gave me a beautiful blessing, 
reassuring me that I would be okay and saying that I would be able to
get back to work soon. There was a beautiful spirit there with Laura 
and Alberto, Sorella Jeffries and Marissa. Anziano Jeffries called
 President, and we left to go to the ER. On the way, we ran into more 
members, and word spread like fire, and I got several concerned phone
calls. 

We made it to the hospital where they got me initially cleaned up; IT STUNG
 LIKE HADES, as they were touching my scraped up arm and leg - especially my finger/hand. They gave me ice and sat me 
down to wait with the other patients, where we met a man named Guaro. I 
remembered we had a pamphlet of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We got to 
talking, and I got to share a message with him. He accidentally slit
 his wrist working with iron. He wanted to read the pamphlet, but
 couldn't see, so we went through a lot of the pictures and talked
 about the gospel. After, Sister Bennett and I read Alma 32 out loud, 
and it was fun to see everyone's curiosity peak!

Then Sister Jeffries
 showed up with tacos for me and Sister Bennett. Sister Bennett and I
 were laughing the whole time about how ridiculous this situation was; we are even laughing now as she is typing for me. Sister Jeffries had 
to feed me my taco, because I couldn't hold it with one hand. We were
 quite the sight! 

A couple of hours later, we went into the back room
, where they put iodine all over my cuts, which again burned, but nothing 
that I couldn't handle. They took x-rays, and of course between all of 
this, there was lots of waiting. Anziano Jeffries never left my side.
 He kindly shared mission stories when he was a young man. 

After, they 
came out with the results; my finger for sure was broken (I didn't yet know about a bone in my hand which was also broken). They told us to go home and to come back in
 the morning to see the Orthopedics Dept. They didn't give me 
bandages, medicine, or anything; they just sent me home. We got home around
 midnight. 

Sister Bennett had to help me get undressed, but another
 miracle happened. My garments were pretty dirty, but every part of my
 body that was covered by my garments was intact, not even a bruise.
 Around 12:30 we were able to get to bed, not that I slept at all. 

Early this
 morning we went back and waited some more, when another teaching
 opportunity arose. An elderly man was trying to get my attention, so I 
turned around and spoke to him, and we began talking about the 
restoration. He was called in for his appointment, but I gave him the
 pamphlet. Then my number got called, and I went back with Anziano 
Jeffries. 

The doctor grabbed my hand, squeezed my finger and asked if 
it hurt. I wanted to throw up. Yes, obviously it hurt; my finger was 
broken. I instantly went very pale according to Anziano Jeffries, but 1
 Nephi 3:7 came into my head - and all of my other favorite scriptures.
 They told me there was also a bone in my hand that was broken.  As my head was spinning, they put a cast on that goes half way to the elbow, and they put my arm in a sling.

We made it home, and I collapsed
 on the bed. All day I have been getting calls from worried members and
 from worried missionaries who have heard about my fall. Everyone here 
is so amazing. I feel very blessed for my amazing companion and am so grateful for all 
she is doing to continually help me. She did my hair for me this
morning and helped me get dressed. 

We can't help but laugh together. I
 am quite the sight, but Heavenly Father is looking after me, so no
 worries. For the next 20 days, we will be on foot and still preaching 
the gospel. I go back to the hospital June 5th. 

Thank you for all the love, support, and prayers. Don't 
worry about me; I am well taken care of. I finally figured out how 
to sleep without hurting. Sorry I couldn't respond to every one's 
emails - I am kind of crippled. 


It was so fun to talk to you all on Sunday. I am so grateful for 
modern technology that allowed us to do that. 
I need to go, but I love you all. I promise that I am okay. Keep the
 prayers coming; I am going to need them. The Lord provides a way,
 right?


Love,


Sister Francesca Montagnoli