August 15, 2016

Thank you for the routines! We are going to put them in practice this week.

Wow this week was really crazy. Just one more week and changes again but I´m pretty sure I will be staying. This change has flown by though. Also it looks like it will be another change without new sisters. All the sisters are dying and no one is coming to replace them! We are in a drought!

We had interviews with Pres. Li this week and room revisions. He is such a good man and you can feel his love when he talks. His wife too is so sweet. Really great people and I love them a lot. We talked to President about Edwin and what we should do. He said he would accompany us on a visit so we passed by in the afternoon. It was an incredible visit! I was a little nervous to have my mission president there but it was so comfortable. They talked for about an hour and a half and we all testified and Pres. Li gave Edwin the most powerful priesthood blessing I have ever heard and Edwin cried. The Spirit was so strong. By the end of the lesson he agreed to be baptized in September and Pres. Li is going to baptize him! They are both excited and Edwin finally attended church yesterday! So many blessings.

I definitely see a huge change in me. I was actually talking to my companion about that and how even going to Spain wasn´t such a defining experience as this is. To come to the point of loving people so much I never thought I would get to. I told her they are things you can´t teach, you can only learn through experience and I can´t imagine how my life would be if I had never had this experience.

- finding flowers and being almost twins

  - with Gloria, a less active member, on her street all decorated for their neighborhood anniversary

- Alan and Dayana, some investigators, in their house

We don´t hear anything about the Olympics. Let me know how the U.S. is doing and the big news. 

Other than that not much to report. Finding blessings wherever we go, also scamming everyone into buying us pollo a la brasa! It´s so good!

Update: people still can´t pronounce my last name. One lady called me Hermana Hushpuppies this week.

Today we return to Lamas as a zone and we are headed back to the castle. Should be cool. I currently have a tupper of arroz con pollo and orange juice in my backpack.

- another work visit in Partido Alto

Love you all!

Hermana Fitzpatrick

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 

August 1, 2016

Thank you so much for the photos! I have been in a drought over here. You all look great and looks like you had a fun week.

- when pres li and his wife visited tarapoto

 - the whole zone. Not sure what this pose is but the elders made us do it

This week has been another incredible one. We have been working with this family that is going to get married this week. They literally have nothing and we were so worried about how we were going to get all the papers together but it was a miracle! We had a lot of help and a lot of stress but we were able to do it! All the papers are in and it is official! The wedding is Friday. We got everything together and the couple is from Lima and they don´t have any family here. Hna. Cinthya the wife was sad that her mom wasn´t going to be able to be at her wedding. But, then she told us on Sunday that her mom is coming from Lima! It was such a surprise and a tender mercy. I have seen the Lord´s hand work in miraculous ways this week. 

It was also independence day on the 28 so ¡Feliz fiestas patrias! They celebrate here by putting flags out, watching the national parade that goes on in Lima, and getting drunk. So, not that different than other days. I dressed up as the flag with my white shirt and red skirt and people loved my patriotism. Go Perú! 

Another great week coming up, learning more about faith and humility and repentance. 

- My pensionista went to the temple in Trujillo this week. It was her first time at the temple and she brought some pics. It is so beautiful! Members here in Tarapoto go to Trujillo which is 16 hours in bus. We had our first branch caravan to the temple! It was a success even though I didn´t go.

 - Next time! I sent my plaque with Erika though so I guess I already visited it 

Much love,

Hermana Fitz

ps. Mom would you mind sending me an exercise routine for like twenty minutes. We are in strict diet right now. Time to lose the gut. 

July 25, 2016

Wellll hello again,

Just another Monday in Tarapoto living life and loving it. This week was awesome! Hna. Huaycho has been helping me so much and I am so blessed to have her! Our companionship is taking this town out of the darkness and into the light! Hna. Huaycho is the missionary I want to be - humble, patient, bold, follows the Spirit, odedient, and really loves the people. She makes me better and I am striving to be more like her. We have just been working super hard this week.

I have really been learning how to grow my faith in Christ. I have been learning that faith is really a principle of action! If we just sit and wait for the Lord to make everything better it will never happen! We have to give everything we have and then by the grace of God He will make up the difference. So many people that we meet just expect God to give them everything but it reminds me a lot of Elder Renlund´s talk from this conference - entitlement. I am learning to be less entitled and more dilligent so that I can be worthy and ready to receive the Lord´s blessings. They always come if we put in our part! 

Speaking of blessings this week we had been praying to find a family. Then, last week we had a sister come to church with her four kids. We had never met her but she stayed all three hours and we got her address to visit her. We went by a couple times this week but never found her house. The numbers are never in order so we couldn´t find her house number. We decided to go by one more time last night and a little drunk man finally found her house for us! We found her there in her little cuarto with her husband and children. They have been through so many trials but they were so excited to listen. They are both less active members and their children aren´t members. The dad said he wanted to get married and sealed in the temple and be able to baptize his children! We were shocked. And there is a massive wedding this coming week so we invited them and they accepted! So now we are just working like crazy to get their papers ready. It is so exciting! I already love them and I only met them once! 

This week has been infernally hot but we are getting by. My companion was in my zone in Punchana before and told me that I am now ¨negrita¨ but my tan lines are awful! I have the worst farmer´s tan from my shirt and my neckline. My shoes are the worst of all, but even my legs have a tan line from my skirt! Who knew that could even happen?

Two peruvian phrases I learned this week that made me laugh: 

- I am more tired than a chaski or I´ve been running around like a chaski - chaski were messangers for the Incas that literally ran from mountain to mountain with urgent messages

- I am more out of place than an egg in ceviche - ceviche is a dish that is fish that isn´t cooked. It is just cured in lemon juice and it never has an egg but every other peruvian dish has egg. My comp said that to me and I cracked up. Perú is the best! 

Love you all lots, lots, lots. Had a dream about you guys this week that everyone was at home and I was still a missionary and I came for a visit and got to hug each one of you. It felt so real so I would send hugs but I already gave you all one! 

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Fitzpatrick

July 18, 2016

Camp sounds really fun mom and the shirts are stellar! 

I am in... Tarapoto still! Hanging out here in Aeropuerto for a little while longer. It is now my fourth change and I had four changes in my other area so I am four and four. But, Hna. Velasquez did have changes and went to Iquitos. It was sad to say goodbye and going to the airport I was reminded that I haven´t travelled for a good while but all in due time. I am now here with Hna. Huaycho. She is from Arequipa, southern Perú. She is pretty great and we are getting to know each other and figuring out how to go about things. She has 7 months in the mission and I now have ten whoa. And pretty soon I will have eleven. Time goes really fast but at the same time really slow. 

-working in paradise

- holding a baby duck! Everyone raises things like pigs and chickens and ducks in their house to then kill and eat them

- my little friend Martin from when we went to Urku

This week I have been studying how to have strong companionships because changes always throw us off. I have really grown to love having a companion that is always there and supports me and helps me improve. It will be really weird to think that one day I won´t have that. I have learned so much from the companions I have had and I know they make me better. 

I am doing well and am hopeful for a family that we have progressing. The mom, Carmita, has started coming to church and she and her daughter told us this week that they both had dreams and recognized me in their dreams but not the sister I was with. It was cool to think about the part we get to play in the conversion of these people and I have so many hopes for them.

We are trying to eat healthier and we are both trying to lose a little weight that we have gained. The food is just too dang yummy! 

I love you lots and think of you often. Go serve someone this week! 

Hermana Fitzpatrick

July 11, 2016

Man that sounds pretty fun to be looking at camp right now. I am looking at what may be my last day in Tarapoto with Hna. Velasquez. Changes are today and the most likely thing will be that she leaves and I stay to have another six months and four changes in an area. We will see though. There are not any sisters coming in. We are in a drought or something. In the last nine months only 7 sisters have come in so we are suffering on the sister side. We will see if we get a big shipment in soon.

-last day with hna velasquez

- found Hna Velasquez´s house. Left her there and haven´t seen her since. jkjkjkjk 

- preaching and teaching and looking good all at the same time!

This week has been interesting. It was the last week in the change but it ended being really great because we were able to end with a baptism that we had been working for the past two changes. Carlos was baptized by his grandpa who used to be less active. He was so excited for his baptism he wanted to arrive at the church building two hours ahead of time just in case! We told him no need to worry it won´t even be open then so he said, ok, one hour then. Everything went well even though his clothing was so small! He was squeezed into his little jumper but he didn´t even care he was so happy to be getting baptized. We also had two primary kids give the messages and it was so cute! 

Oh my, yesterday we had the most embarrassing musical number. We thought it would be cool to sing as the four missionaries in the branch, ¨I´ll go where you want me to go¨. Big mistake. No one plays piano so we had to go acapella and it was a register that was a little too high for the elders. We had not even practiced once. ¡Que oso mas grande!! I was dying. You would have loved it mom.

 I am growing the bangs out. It was fun for a flippant moment but back to reality. They are growing really quickly, though, and I have been working some side braids that the people have liked. 

Well, that´s pretty much it for this week. Who knows where I will be come this time next week. 

Love you all! 

Hermana Fitz

July 4, 2016

- ready for the last zone conference with President Gomez! 

- pretty flower in the plaza de armas 

- breakfast of champions. LOVE biscocho bread, it´s sweet bread and it is my addiction also coca cola is my love, after inca kola

- Hna Velasquez and me in a park

- just another "what the heck Peru we aren´t all midgets" moment

-and my outfit for the 4th