Jungle Jane

October 5, 2015

Hola Familia!

Well this week flew by. And this week I hit my first month mark. Who can believe that? I can’t. We taught a lot of lessons this week but my companion is having some health issues so we spent a lot of time at the clinic too. I will tell you that I do not trust the doctors here. She had crazy eyeliner and prescribed like four different pills for some sort of mouth infection. I will be avoiding going there at all costs. Now we have to see a blood specialist because there is something wrong with my companion’s blood. I don’t know. I just accompany.

We had two baptisms planned for this week, but one of the investigators got in a fight with his girlfriend before conference and so didn’t attend. It wouldv’e been his third attendance so now he can’t be baptized this week unfortunately, but we are hoping soon. I don’t really feel like they are my investigators though because I don’t know them, and I barely understand what they say to my companion and what she says to them.

Last P-Day we went into the city center – it’s like a ten minute motomoto ride from our pension. I didn’t realize how not city our area is until I saw the city. It’s bustling in there and it’s bizarre because there are actual stores, but most of all because the river is right there. We saw the Amazon! It was big and beautiful and the houses are on stilts around it and we saw a monkey running around some little shops. It was awesome! It was weird to go back to our humble little area after that. But I much prefer our area with the kids running around in the streets, and everyone hanging out outside of their houses. Life moves slower here.

One thing I love about Iquitos are the clouds! Everyday they are the most beautiful, literally celestial clouds. Big and puffy and white, unless it’s sunset, when they turn into rainbow, cotten candy puffs. It takes my breath away every night. Or when it is raining and the clouds are big and angry and black. We had a couple days of heavy rain this week. We were in my pension eating and I thought the roof was going to collapse, but my companion and my pensionist told me it was nothing, that we will have a lot heavier rain. I’m scared. I don’t know how it gets heavier than that. But, they just live with it. The field by our house still had people playing football and the kids just splash in the puddles. When it rains, the entire sidewalk becomes a puddle. It is inevitable that you will get wet. I don’t mind it though. I like the rain a lot actually, it freshens the air. Oh, but sad news, my companion lost her rain jacket so I let her borrow mine and I used my sweater and umbrella and now my jacket has a huge hole in the side. I’m not sure what happened but I’m really sad about it. Hopefully we can fix it and it will still be waterproof. The only thing about the rain is no one wants to have lessons when it rains. It confuses me because they complain about the heat when it's hot and they won't let us in or won't go to church when it rains even though they have lived here their entire lives. Who knows.

I’m getting used to the food, and my pensionist is getting used to serving me half of what she normally serves. I don’t know how they eat so much here. The portions are incredible. She would serve us an entire plate of just white rice and then a soup and meat and a salad and a fruit juice. It’s absurd. I'm feeling a lot better. I'm trying not to drink the milk here anymore. I think that might have been what made me sick because it's not real milk here, I don't know what it is exactly. I never let my feet touch the ground here. As soon as the shoes come off, it's flip flops on. Even in the shower. Although, I wouldn't call it a shower. But we are very blessed.

How about conference??? It was awesome. I watched the Saturday sessions in english with some of the other missionaries, but the internet wasn’t working Sunday so I watched it in Spanish. I got most of it, I think. My favorite talk was Elder Holland’s, it made me miss you Mom. So grateful for the patience both you and Dad have shown with me. He always uses the most beautiful words, I really liked it. But, attendence at conference in the morning session was awesome. We met as a stake at the Stake Center and there were no seats left. I was expecting the same for the Afternoon Session but we got there and there were maybe 100 people. We didn’t even fill all the pews. It was awful. I am learning how important weekly attendence is here. The Lord expects a day of our week and we need to renew our convenants. Exact obedience to that commandment is what brings happiness. It is frustrating when others don't recognize that. I liked the new apostles. We were so excited to find out who they would be. I don't remember who is who but I liked the third one that spoke the best I think. He just was simple but powerful.

Oh and the drink you guys tried was definitely chicha morada! It's purple corn liqour and they put lemon juice and cinammon in there too. It's super yummy and popular, we have it almost every day. And they make a gelatin out of it. Whoo! It's either inca kola, chicha morada, some fruit I've never heard of, or anis tea.

As far as Christmas package, I am really happy with whatever. Some little hand sanitizers that smell nice would be fun. We shake so many hands throughout the day, I go through that stuff like crazy. Also, the sisters here said packages usually get here within three weeks of sending so I wouldn't worry too much about it. I didn't know this but they don't want you to put Hermana on there either, just my full name. That's all :)

Today we are going to the Stadium with all four zones in Iquitos so I'm excited for that. I love you all! I hope all is well this week.

Oh and my favorite outfit so far has been my white Zara shirt with the red jersey skirt and my black tevas. Very airy and fresh.

Hna. Fitzpatrick

Pictures(!) hopefully these send, the internet here is honestly the worst:

-I'm Queen of the Amazon. The river in the city. So cool!

-Me and my companion with some of our investigators at the Stake Center for conference. Not sure why they didn't smile, they are normally really smiley but when the camera came out this happened.