October 31, 2016

Wellll the internet is SUPER slow today. Forgot about that in Iquitos. But, I will have some good internet downtime to be able to write.

It has been a BIG week. 

First, we had some challenges. My companion got parasites this week. Just the usual toll, but it is awful. Just a rough process from start to finish. I felt so bad for her but she handled it like a champ. She even stayed at a member´s house for a little bit while I went out and worked with a member but it was just rough for her. We were both anxious to get back to work. Being sick is the worst in the mission because there are no benefits - there are no movies, no one waiting on you, no breaks and a whole bunch of goals and expectations piling up! I felt really bad for Hna Robinson because she just wanted to work so bad. But, after a couple days and some parasite pills she was back in action. 

This week we also had a huge surprise...we got a bishop! The old bishop`s wife has cancer and he left about 7 months ago to be with her in Lima and hasn`t come back since so the ward has been running with just the counselors for a while. But, this week the first presidency finally authorized his release and we got a bishop! And he is AWESOME. He is already the best bishop I have had in the mish. He recently moved into the ward two months ago and was in Lima for the last 5 years or so. He is so efficient it`s crazy! The whole energy of the ward changed in two hours! It is a whole new 28 de Julio! I am so grateful because we had kind of felt that we were doing everything alone and holding the ward together but he is taking charge in a real way. Love that guy. And his wife is fabulous. And they have a car so they are playing with some serious dough. He is the best and he loves us too and offered to pick us up anytime anyplace. He is the best. Big time happiness and relief. 

Also this week we had a visit from a general authority. I was not that excited to be honest for this guy to come, Elder Godoy. We have had 70 visit us before and sometimes they just think they are apostles. But, I prepared myself and went with an open mind. It was the best! My favorite general authority hands down and best conference of my mission. It was so enlightening and inspiring. He was so personable and made us laugh and feel the Spirit. He reminded me so much of Dad. I had a wonderful time. His wife was the best too. He is the area president and is not actually a Spanish speaker. He is from Brazil! But he spoke English and Spanish. It was so nice to see someone else also make mistakes in Spanish besides me! It was so fun. He just was so inspiring and really made me more excited to work. My companion and I have just been talking about his visit ever since then. 

That`s pretty much it for this week. Not too much to report. No photos sorry :( I forgot.

Love you all! 

Hermana Fitzpatrick

October 24, 2016

- We got matching dresses on our shopping day last p day. It was a great day! 

We even got pedicures! So relaxing! 

-  A great meal we had this week. Just cut up coconut and pineapple 

 - Got some ice cream today before internet 

October 17, 2016

- We did a service project this week in Belen. 
It´s a super filthy outdoor market, the biggest in Iquitos. 
It smells awful and it is super sketchy but we cleaned it up haha just a little bit

Funny things that happened this week:

-Everyone (!) speaks English to us so this one guy walked up to us on the street and started speaking to us in English and we were like ´Not again´ but we kept talking and he was a guy from another ward. He spoke French and English and had served his mission in Canada. He knew a friend of Hermana Robinson! But we were trying to help him out and just talk in Spanish and then he told us ´I don`t really speak Spanish´ and we were like 'Where are you from?' India! It was such a surprise! Hermano Ato. A great guy

- one less active has nicknamed Hna Robinson Hna Robby so that`s a classic

- we made brownies and crepes with Nutella and peanut butter as sisters. 
It was super yummy! 

- we had a family home evening with Rocio, a recent convert, and she made pizza! 
So good! And her husband accepted a date to be baptized this week! 

October 10, 2016

WOW WHAT A WEEK. I FINALLY HAD CHANGES AND HAD TO PACK ALL MY STUFF UP FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE MARCH.

- a very sad goodbye in the airport in Tarapoto

- the river as we were landing in Iquitos!  

I am now in     IQUITOS     with     HERMANA ROBINSON      as my comp. 

- My first gringa!!!! Wild times

Fun facts about Hermana Robinson:

- she is gringa! My first ever gringa companion

- she is from Canada but came from and her parents are from England 

- she plays rugby

- she had her birthday on Friday and is now 20 

- she has three older brothers and is the youngest 

- she is the best! 

- Hna Robinson´s birthday. Tres leches cake! What a win!

With consejo and changes and everything this week we had a lot of things that took us out of the area but we were able to reach all our goals even with that! It was a miracle! I still don`t know how it happened. It`s been a great week. 

- seeing Hna Vazquez from my group for the first time in more than a year! Dreams come true! 

 - ran in to my first pensionista!! Love that lady

 Being back in Iquitos is a trip. I felt like I was going back on the mission for the first time when I got off the plane. It was really sad to leave Tarapoto and I love it with all my heart but it is actually nice to be back in Iquitos. It is more city than Tarapoto and my new area is 28 de Julio which is in Zona Iquitos , Estaca Iquitos. It is the heart of Iquitos and it is SUPER pituca . I never saw such nice houses in my other area and everything is paved roads so it is crazy rich. I am right in the middle of the city and loving it! We have a lot of people progressing and are finding new people every day. The ward is great and the mission leader is super awesome! And my companion is awesome. There are cons to being with a gringa, especially with the Spanish part not really being able to help each other. But we try to always speak in Spanish and it is going pretty well. Hna Robinson has almost a year in the mission but I had never met her because she was is Pucallpa. But, there are also a LOT of pros. Culturally it`s just nice to be with someone who gets it. It is also nice to just be with someone who has the same work ethic as I do. Ping pong has just come really easily and it is just easy to be obedient and diligent. It has just been really nice.

I am meeting everyone in the ward and I forgot how difficult it is for people to say my name! They just look at my name and their faces just go so squished with frustration. I didn`t really have that problem as much in Tarapoto but we are back in the city. We even have the mission offices in our zone so everything is just right there. No more waiting for every month to get packages! What a blessing. 

- Zona Iquitos. Pretty wild times

 It is also raining so much! That`s also nice. I had forgotten about the crazy rain of Iquitos. Nowhere rains like it rains here. Not even Tarapoto compares with the rain of Iquitos. It`s great. Nice and cool. 

Well, I´m just really happy and moving forward and in Iquitos now! All good. Love you lots and talk to you soon! 

- this one is for dad

Hermana Fitzpatrick

October 3, 2016

Well,

It´s been another great week! Wow, first of all, how great was conference! I was able to see all the sessions (menos the priesthood obviously). It was such an uplifting weekend! I especially loved the messages of Elder Uchtdorf and the prophet on the plan of salvation and the message about serving where we are sent. I have been thinking about that. As I am looking forward to the changes today I am really feeling like I am going out of Tarapoto but I am excited to see where the Lord would have me go. I was so inspired! 

- watching conference with our district

 - all the sisters in the zone

We also had some great stuff happening this week. I had been feeling a little bit like I have been in this area so long and I don´t have really anything to show for it. But I was reminded again this week that the Lord knows the desires of our hearts and always gives us blessings according to our obedience. We have been teaching Mary Carmen for a while and she just hadn´t been wanting to accept a date for her baptism. It was our last effort Saturday and I invited her and felt strongly that the 29 of October was right for her. She said she would pray about it. I felt ok but I felt like maybe she wasn´t going to accept. Then on Sunday we had another lesson with her and she said she had prayed about it and accepted the date! She said that the 29th was a special date for her and didn´t know how I had known that, The spirit is our best guide! 

We also had the baptism interview for Carlos Celis, the son of the less active family that came back to church. Brother Celis went to all 10 hours of conference! And brought his wife too! It was incredible to see. Not even our branch president or district president did that. Then, after the last session, he waited outside with us while his son was interviewed. When Carlos came out with the green light he was so happy and his dad and he hugged and Brother Celis cried as he spoke of the way that Carlos brought his whole family back to the church. They both have their sights on the temple. 

Felt the Spirit and know that God knows and loves me and each one of us. 

- Fam. Aguirre had this little surprise when we went to teach them. 

¨Hermana Fitzpatrick te queremos mucho.¨ Such a dear family to me 

 It will be really hard to leave Tarapoto but I am preparing myself and my companion little by little. 

Hermana Fitzpatrick