August 8, 2016

Russ is looking good! So is Mikey! And Greg! Proud of you all trying your best to get along without me haha pretty snazzy 

This week has been difficult but also really great. Hna. Hauycho and I are just really focusing on conversion and having true converts.

We finally had some progress in Edwin. We had found him and he was not doing well. We had passed by a couple times and found him drinking and he was embarrassed and didn´t want us to come by anymore. But, we were able to share with him the Atonement and the gift of repentance and how we are all on the same path of trying and sometimes we fall. He agreed to give it another go and he was doing a lot better. We went by again and he had been reading and was excited to share what he had learned and went to church again and was feeling good. Then, on Saturday he burned his foot in his motokar and was crushed. He could barely walk and so he didn´t go to church. We went by after church and it was bad again. But, this time he asked for a health blessing! He is still reading and said he has to keep going forward; he can´t take a step back. He was really sad but he was facing this trial with faith! So, even though we had some setbacks we ended up seeing progress with him.

We also have a couple that is progressing. They had been progressing but then never attended so we left them. We went back a couple weeks ago and they are progressing again. Saturday we had an awesome lesson with them. They are really recognizing the Spirit in their lives. They told us again that they were going to go to church. We really felt they were going to do it. Then Sunday we waited and waited and nothing. I was praying so hard during the sacrament that they would show up. I just felt like we couldn´t do any more - they had felt the Spirit and recognized it! Then I opened my eyes and saw them enter in the back. My heart filled with gratitude. They came! It was a miracle. 

We also had the wedding of Cinthya and Miguel. Everything came together and they were married in the massive wedding. There were 37 couples and they did everything. It was a lot of fun and they are a great family. The branch is helping a lot with them.

-decorating the chapel for the wedding

-the happy couple (I promise they were happy even though they never smile. I don´t know why but a lot of people don´t smile in their pictures here) 

-the venue! They completely transformed this plaza so it was really beautiful!

-enjoying the show with Hna. Huaycho

We had so many appointments fall through this week and it was infernally hot and we walked and walked and walked and no one wanted anything. It was one of those weeks. Hard and hot and feeling like it wasn´t worth the pain. But this week definitely was worth the pain! We had ALL of our less actives in teaching show up at church and stay the three hours, we found more people progressing and we feel the Spirit directing us. Life is good and God is great. 

Trying to lose weight but the food is too good. If you have never had a salchipapa you really just don´t know true joy. And pollo a la brasa just calls to me. Panetón is my number one and it is just starting to show up in stores again in preparation for Christmas. One couple we taught this week was left incredulous when I told them I don´t eat panetón for Christmas in my country. They told me ¨But panetón is on a worldwide level! It´s famous worldwide!¨ I had to burst that bubble. 

There is also a little one year old baby boy in the branch who is afraid of people with clear colored eyes like blue and green. All I have to do is look at him and he starts crying and pointing at my eyes. It´s pretty funny actually.

My Spanish is getting pretty good! People have been asking me this week if I was Peruvian even though that is preposterous because I am the gringaest gringa that ever lived. But it did happen! I still don´t understand everything they say but I am getting better. Oh, also today I have 11 months! Time flies am I right? Next month I will have a year in the mission. It has been the hardest, best, most rewarding, most difficult year of my life. Wouldn´t trade it for anything. 

Les amo mucho. Sigan adelante! 

Hermana Fitzpatrick