July 29 - Off to Los Robles!!!

Yep You are right Transfers are tomorrow. I am getting transferred to Los Robles. I am still really close to Thousand Oaks just a street or so away from it but it should be fun. I am so excited but I will most definitely miss the friends that I have made here. This area really helped my Spanish grow and I love the president of the branch because we would have celebrated our birthdays together.   His birthday is on the fourth of August too. I love birthdays!!  It'll be fun to celebrate my birthday but it won't be the same as if I was home.  It most definitely makes you feel older. 

We haven't been able to meet with Manuel this week but we are going to try today.  We visited with Daniel last night and taught him how to pray.  He still prayed the way that he does naming the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and then starting his prayer.   But we are working with him. 

I haven't been playing the piano lately but it's okay because that is not what I was called to do. I was called to preach the gospel not play the piano.   But if I can help, then I do.  

On the fourth of July, we went to the mall because the Ward Mission Leader invited us.   We had to go back to our apartment an hour early, at 8 p.m.  The fireworks were right outside our apartment. It kinda like the thing they do at Southlake Town Square, where people sit on top of the parking garage for the fireworks.

My shoes are fine.  My socks are fine for the moment too. I do have enough things to wear. I don't need anything right now but if I think of anything I will be sure and write it in my snail mail.

I can't believe how old Kellie looks!!  Where does the time go?  One thing I do know is that time is flying by even if we are on the Lord's time. 

I really love the quote you shared from your Gospel Doctrine class, D&C 112:19, because yesterday, I really didn't want to leave because I feel like I still need to help Manuel and my other investigators. But maybe, I've done all I can here and I need to move on and find other people. I am going with a companion that Hermana Taylor had in the MTC. 

The best thing I ate this week, IDK maybe just food in general. 

The funniest thing that happened this week is last transfer we made fun of Hermana Romero and Elder Smith and then went to Paso together.   Now this transfer we made fun of Elder Jarnagon and he is going with me!!  It's just a pattern I guess. 

The most spiritually thing this week was probably having a little miracle with Daniel's brother-in-law.   Next time when we have an appointment with Daniel his brother-in-law said he will listen with him. 

This week in the scriptures I have been studying Samuel the Lamanite and how courageous he must of been to get on the wall and declare repentance unto his own brethren.  But I really love the war chapters and I can't get over Captain Moroni.   He was just a beast in the scriptures and willing to do what was asked of him. 

Thank you for everything mom and I hope that as your birthday is coming up you have a happy birthday also. Something special will be coming your way.   

Love alot,

Hermana Fitzpatrick   

President Parra and his family.

I love this Spanish branch!!

Our Ward Mission Leader got each of us a pen

with our name and mission engraved on it.

Mine had a mustache on it.  

I think I must be obsessed with mustaches!

The Hermanas in my district.

Me, Hermana Taylor and the Saylor family.

Sister Parra and us.

She is the mamma of the whole Parra clan!

The Elders in our district.

  

July 22 - Everyday a Missionary!!

Well Before I get started, I though of a couple of other things I need.  I really want some more Bath and Body works perfume either Dark Kiss or Twilight Woods.  Also, The Works CD;  it's kinda country but for missionaries and I think that is it.  Ok,  now I will start... 

Hi family, I am doing great. This week was way better than last week. You asked how we get our mail.  The mission office waits for the mail truck to get there and then they put a sticker on any packages to where we live and they ship it out either that day or the next day. As for snail mail, it really depends on if the mission office sends the mail or not. Sometimes we have to wait for someone to bring it to us.  

Zone conference was great, we learned how to become a Doctrine of Christ Missionary. We start out on our mission thinking mostly about ourselves.  Then, we have to have a change through Christ's grace.   We are lifted.   3/4 through our journey we have another change.  We have the Holy Ghost with us too. By the end of the mission, we are embraced in a hug which is symbolism for having God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost with us through our entire mission. Hopefully, that made sense.  

I didn't get to see Hermana Rubow at Zone Conference.  It was only us and another zone. She wasn't in the other zone.   But I did get a letter from her this week. 

My Diligence Recitation went well I think.   It is easier with both English and Spanish.   I get tripped up when the Mexican people mumble in their Spanish.   I cannot understand a word they say when they mumble. 

Manuel is doing great.  He came to Church again this week and he feels a lot more comfortable than he did the first time. The only thing holding him back from baptism is his alcohol addiction.   But other than that he is set to be baptized. 

As for Daniel, we had an appointment with him this week but he wasn't there. We tried again and he wasn't there so we are going to try again and we are just going to start reteaching him because he has an understanding of like a two year old. 

I am looking forward to transfers. I feel like I will be leaving the area but again I really don't know. Transfers are on the 30th of July. So in like 8 days. 

I'm glad everyone is busy.  I can't believe school starts up so soon.   It's a little scary to think that  when school starts up again it means I will only have a year left.   To put it in even scary terms, after this transfer, I only have ten more transfers left!!   

I'm glad your lesson went great in YW.  We taught the YW lesson too, this Sunday.   Our lesson was on Temple Marriage.   We taught the YW how important it is to stay worthy because of the Divine Nature that they have. It was so fun to be in YW and understand a lot because it was in English.   But my Spanish is coming along better and better. 

We have a lot of appointments this week which is fun.   We get the call this next Sunday on who is going to train.   Then on Monday we will know who is being transferred. 

This week our Ward Mission Leader gave us each a pen with an engraving of our missionary name and where we are serving.   Mine has a mustache on it to remind me of TiWi.  We put a mustache on TiWi because he is an old (fart).  He did die this week but he came back alive. But it was nice to not hear aggressive driver for a couple of days but I haven't been too bad :)

I will send more pics.  This computer for some reason hasn't been reading my camera chip card.  I will try a different computer next time. 

I love y'all and love the letters each and every day. Thank you for all that you do. Have a good week, I'll snail mail this week later too. 

Love always,

Hermana Fitzpatrick

Kenzer Lou

Kenzer

kenzie

Missionary        

July 16th Snail Mail

Dear Family,

How are you?  How was Snowbird?  I bet y'all are doing great!!  Thank you for all the emails!  (You know I do love written letters, too!!)  My email this week was a little depressing.  But this week will get better!!  We have zone conference this week which I am very excited for!!  I am giving the Diligence recitation in Spanish!  Yay!

My Spanishg is getting better.  I am still learning.  I think I will feel like I am learning all through my whole mission!!

It's way exciting to almost be out 4 months on my mission.  We were talking during lunch the other day and Sister Taylor, my companion, tells me that I only have 10 more transfers left!!  I have sure learned a lot!!

Somethings that have happened...My old roommate, Erin got married.  Christine Hymas got her mission call to Lima, Peru and Hailey Heaps got her mission call to Brazil.  Way exciting!!

One of the scriptures that hit me this week is found in Luke 9:61-62.  "And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.  And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

Sometimes as missionaries we think about home.  But we need to remember, we are on His time.  One quote that President Castro shared, "If you can't give 100% to this work, how will you be able to gie 100% to your family in the future?"

Thanks for all you do!!

Love,
Hermana Fitz

July 15th - Some Weeks are Better than Others...

Hola Family,

It is so great to hear from you.  Mondays are days that we look forward to when we have had a difficult week. 

I do get to go to the temple during my Birthday month.  We have transfers on the 30th of July so I will wait and see where I am at before we schedule anything because we have to have a member take us. 

Everything is going. I don't know if Heavenly Father wants me to learn patience but I really have felt this week that we are walking the path that Christ walked. 

Manuel, came to church last week.  We had a lesson with him on Wednesday and committed him to be baptized on July 27th. He was really excited and wanted to change for the better. We set up another appointment on Saturday.  He told us that he broke the Word of Wisdom.  To be baptized you have to be clean for three weeks. The other part that was frustrating is that he is on disability and he doctor asked what he did this weekend and he said he went to church with us and the doctor right then and there brought up Anti-Mormon literature for him to read. We asked if we could do anything to help him with his Word of Wisdom problem and he said no. He wants to get off the alcohol himself.   He clearly needs help but doesn't want to take it. 

Daniel is ok.  We have been struggling with what to do with him. We had an appointment last night, and we are still trying to figure out what is going on. He can't come to church on Sunday because he works.  His work is saying either you take the job or you walk away. He hasn't been reading because he doesn't have time.   We know that he can read.  I did offer my CD's to listen to in the car but his CD player in his car is broken. 

Most of our investigators are too busy to talk to us or don't come to church even when we invite them. Some of them don't show up for the appointments we set or aren't home. It's really frustrating and sometime you wish you could just take away their agency but we can't.

Our dinner calender is full!   We have eating peppers in corn tortillas and lentils and other stuff.  All of it is really good. Sister Taylor is good.   We both just wish we were having more success.  Maybe this transfer we are just planting seeds. 

I have bought peaches, plums, and strawberries. I really love peaches and plums. 

The most spiritual thing that happened this week is that one of the family members of our recent convert wants to come to church and learn more. We also get to teach the YW next Sunday which I am really excited for. 

The scripture that means the most to me this week is Jacob 5: 70-76; 41. (Parable of the vineyard) 

The funniest thing that happened this week was when we were walking from the door of an investigator and I wasn't watching my step because I was marking something in my planner.  I fell because i didn't see the step. After what happened processed in my head, I just sat on the ground for a few minutes but my right calf area and side of my leg are bruised but i didn't cry, I just laughed!! 

Tell Sister Schoen that I say hi and wish that I could see her. She will do a fantastic job on the house. I can't wait to see the pictures when she is done. 

Oh. one other thing that I thought of that you could get me for my birthday is more bath and body works perfume and stuff.  We found this picture on the ground and I thought of you. Love ya!! 

Snail Mail will be on the way this week. I'll get better I promise :)

Love,

Hermana Fitzpatrick

Snail Mail...July 9th

Hi Family!

How are y'all doing?  I hope you are having fun at Snowbird.  I hope you enjoyed the 4th of July!  We have been busy trying to find new people to teach.

This past week we had exchanges.  They were great!  We tracted a lot and gave a 30 minute declaration and gained one new potential investigator.

We had a couple of miracles happen like I told you about in my previous email.  Manuel is almost 30 and has had a hard life.  He is kind of like an ex gang member and has some word of wisdom issues, mostly alcohol.  We have been trying to get him to come to church.  First, he didn't even want to come. And then at our last visit, he said he would come if he had the right clothes, like the Elders.  When we called him again, he had totally changed his mind.  He came to church for all three hours and he didn't even care about the clothes he was wearing.  He really enjoyed it and realizes he ned to change.  We are going to set him up with a baptismal date this week!!

The other miracle that we had was that we have been trying to get an appointment with Daniel.  Finally, we were able to see him last night.  We asked him how he was doing.  He is still reallly busy.  He's been praying, but not reading.  We we still read read with him and reset his baptismal date for August.  He is getting better at not having coffee, which is great!  How he just has to attend church 3 times and he is set.  So, we are close with baptisms and having worthy converts!!

I have been reading the Book of Mormon.  One of my favorite scriptures I read this week was 1 Nephi chapters 13 and 14.  In the first book of Nephi, it talks a lot about our day and the fullness of the gospel.

For my birthday, all I really want is letters from my family and friends, more pens, stamps and one of those cute Sister Bear animals with the missionary stuff at Deseret Book.

Love you all!!
Love,
Hermana Fitz

p.s. Thanks for all the packages.

p.s.s. Another one of my favorite scriptures this week is Alma 31:35 "Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these our brethren, again unto thee."

July 8th - Loving the Mission!!

hola Familia,

Yo soy muy bueno y esta pasado semena nos tenemos milagros en nuestra misionaria trabajo. Esta semana, un investagador nombre Manuel. Cuando primero visitar con el, el decir el no quiere asistir a la iglesia. Pero es pasada semana cuando llama el a set up otra cita con el. El decir por medio el telefono que el quiere a asistir a la iglesia. Ayer Manuel, venir a la iglesia y stayed por todo tres horas. El really gustaria it y decir as long as nos get him a ride, he will come. 

(Here's the translation...)  I'm very good.   This last week we have had miracles in our missionary work. This week, an found an investigator named Manuel. When we first visited with him, he said he didn't want to go to church. But this last week when we called to set up another appointment, half-way through the phone call, he said he wanted to attend church.  Yesterday, Manual came to the Church and stayed for all three hours. He said he really liked it.   He said as long as we get him a ride, he will come.  Baby steps.  

When we met with him, he is having some word of wisdom problems.   During the lesson I had the feeling to ask him if he wanted a priesthood blessing.  He said, "If you think it would help."  We talked more about what the priesthood is and what the blessings are for.  After church, we had our zone/district leaders come and give him a blessing.   One of our district leaders found Manual and gave him to us because he is more Spanish then English. If that is all I do this transfer, I will be really proud. 

We also had exchanges and I learned alot and how to be a better missionary. I have done more piano playing, I played in the branch yesterday because the person that is assigned to play didn't show up. 

I think I might get transferred next transfer but I never know because there have been some missionaries who have come to this area and have spent a whole year here.   It has mostly been elders that have said that. 

I did see Hermana Rubow at transfers. I was so excited because she is in the Ventura,CA mission and that gives us hope to be in the same district or be companions. I also got a letter from her this week and she told me  that after the mission, her mom and her and us will have to go on a daughter/mom trip.

Oh, TiWi. Well TiWi has been nice to me but I did get a call from Elder Truman from the mission office asking if TiWi was still causing problems and I said yes it has, so TiWi is going to get replaced but since that call TiWi hasn't made a sound.

The Funniest thing that happened this week, well Hermana Taylor and I  have been looking at swimming pools and torturing ourselves. We were in the car and Hna. Taylor spilled her water bottle and she said, "Well, that is the wettest I will get for a year and a half!"   There are other funny things that happen throughout the week.  Everything is better. We have gotten so much closer and are trying our best to be the best missionaries that we can be. 

Our biggest challenge is finding new people to teach. We've knock every day and nothing has come out of it. Another tender mercy beside Manuel, is Daniel. We set up another appointment finally with him. He has been super busy with work and hasn't had time to read but he is still praying and still has the desire to be baptized. We have been challenging more people to be baptized and so August will definitely be a baptizing month for the branch. I will snail mail ya this week (no kidding).  I'm still thinking of what I want for my birthday. 

Love y'all

Herman Fitzpatrick

Kenzer Lou  

July 1st - Another Great Week in CA

Hi Family,

How are y'all doing? I know It's so crazy how the time passes here on the mission. I feel like I just got here and I can't believe I am already out four months. CRAZY!!!  When they say time sure flies by when you are having fun, that's no joke!!  It sure does fly by when you are working too. 

I think we inherited a little of the hot weather here because it was 100F the last couple of days.  But today it sure did cool down a lot. We are so grateful. 

Can dad send me his talk?  Everything in California is going fine. I know it's a little hard right now. We are kind of at a dead stop in this area because none of our investigators are progressing.  Some have lack of desire and other personal matters that get in their way. 

Having a new companion is a new challenge, but a great one.  It has made me miss Hermana Romero and I that I learned from her. It's just a different perspective of a person and just different attitudes on life and how the mission is viewed.  I am not having as much fun as I did with Hermana Romero or the district that we did have last transfer, which is a bummer because I know last transfer it was really rare to have a great trainer and to have a great district as well. 

We don't have any progressing investigators which is a bummer but it will get better. Daniel isn't doing too good. He hasn't attended church and he hasn't given up coffee and he has quit reading and praying so we are working with him but we have to move his baptismal date. 

Our branch is OK, we are not getting a lot of fellowship.  One of our zone goals is to have a member present at every lesson.  We have a lot of dinner appointments this month.  14 so far this month.   I don't know if it is stress or just switching from vegan to eating meat or just  the Spanish food but no matter what I do, I have an acidic stomach all day. I eat a lot of TUMS.  Recommend anything? 

The most spiritual experience this week, I think the is when someone isn't reading their scriptures and we just read with them.  Also, for me, it is all the insight that I get when I study in the morning, especially the scriptures from Preach My Gospel. 

The funniest thing, well maybe it's not funny but its sweet. We were going to see a referral and his family was outside and they offered us some of their peaches off their peach trees and bought us Popsicles.   We gave them a Restoration pamphlet and an El Libro de Mormon.  Also, some of the branch members who work at a car wash, washed our car for us this week. 

Most challenging this is this whole transfer. I feel like such a burden because I still don't know what I am doing, I ask a lot of questions, and am trying to do the best I can but I feel always stressed. 

I learn the most from the scriptures. I now truly enjoy learning from them as we apply them to our lives. 

No, I haven't had to talk in Sacrament meeting yet. We haven't really had to teach Gospel Principles.  

I really don't know what I want for my birthday. I am always good with surprises.  The only bad part is that transfers are the 1st.  So, I'm not sure I will get all my packages for my birthday in time. But it will all work out. I think about it today and I will snail mail ya. I

I'm so excited that Nancy is coming. I got a sweet letter from Sestra Schoen from the MTC and she is doing great. She was going to write me but I beat her to the punch. 

I love y'all so much and can't believe how long it has been since I've seen ya.   But I know that you are only a couple of states away. 

'Talk' to you soon.  I'll snail mail y'all at Grandma's. Have fun at Snowbird and ride the new rides for me. 

Love Y'all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Virtual Hug and Kiss (MUH) and Happy Fourth of July!

Love always,

Hermana Fitzpatrick

Kenzer LOU