September 12, 2016

Well family it´s that time of week again. It´s been an interesting week this week. 

First of all, weather. We had some heat with some cold snaps in the night. In Iquitos I just slept with a fan, no blankets or anything. Here, I have to actually use blankets at night! And during planning it is cold! 

In other news we had an earthquake this week! I woke up because I don´t remember why and was laying there wondering when the alarm was going to go off and then the room started shaking. I thought ¨Is this an earthquake? Or am I still dreaming?¨ Then I saw the light go on in the hallway of other people in the building that woke up so I knew it was for real. It was super small but we still got messages from some people asking if we were ok or not. In the talks on Sunday, one Hermano said that the earthquake was really cool and he thought it might be the beginning of the second coming. Not sure on that one haha

Learned a lot about humility this week. I think the hardest thing to fight within each one of us is pride. I really liked the article in the back of the Liahona this month about pride and how we don´t even realize how many things are pride in our lives and sin in ignorance. Pride really is the underlying sin in a lot of other sins that we commit. My companion and I are really trying to be more humble. 

We had a great lesson this week with Alan and Dayana. We went to their house at the beginning of the week and we had planned to teach something but as we started talking we felt impressed to share a little about our lives as missionaries and how we have learned to have successful companionships. I think having a companion is what humbles you more than anything! It was one of the most frustrating things at the beginning of my mission - to always have to check things by the other person, to not just be able to do what you want! i.e. Pride! But, I have really grown to love having a companion. When you want to make them happy and you are more focused on that than yourself then you both are happy. It´s such an easy trick. I love having someone to protect me, to highlight the good in me and help me carve out the bad. Someone to comfort me when I am sad and help me to reach my potential. It really is divine. We were able to share all of that with Alan and Dayana and we felt the Spirit so strongly and we weren´t really sure why we shared that with them. But then during our following visit they told us they had been having some difficulties in their relationship and our lesson had really helped them. I know the Spirit guides us through small and simple means and that every person is a beloved child of God and that he really is in the details of our lives. 

We also had a little cold this week but nothing serious so the work continues!

Also, as I mentioned before our branch council always has refreshments. At first it was just little sandwiches and some soda here or there. But lately they have really stepped up their game and are giving us full plates of food! They bring pots and everything. I think every week they are trying to outdo the others. 

- cooking up a storm

- Hermana Fitzpatrick-parrillada!! we had a whole slew of meat on that guy. Mine was the enormous chicken leg (shout out to Hna. Erika for being the best pensionista) 

 - eating a granadilla, my favorite fruit

Love you all lots!