February 24th - And I'm Headed to.........OXNARD!

Hola Familia,

Ok DRUM ROLL PLEASE!! I am going to.........................Oxnard! Yay! I'm so excited!! My new companion will be Hermana Hernandez.  Yes, another native speaker, again!!  Hahaha I will be driving.   I hope Tiwi is nice. We are doing a whitewash, which is where they take both missionaries out and put new missionaries in. It's a way to restart an area. 

The Spanish branch has their own sacrament meeting but are joined with the youth in sunday school and YM/YW! I think my purpose was to find T. and help her to be baptized.  And also to meet Sister Beth. 

The weather has been getting really nice here and even started feeling like summer. 

I definitely don't want snakes in my house when I come home!!  You'll have to start keeping the back door closed, soon. 

I will keep Aunt Nae in my prayers! No, I haven't gotten my Subway card fixed, but I will try and get that done today! I don't think I need anything from home. It's nicer to get gift cards but I really don't need anything at the moment. 

I can't believe Sydnie is graduating already in a couple of months!  Its weird the difference being away makes.  In my mind, I picture Kellie still with her braces on and things even though I know she got her braces off.  My siblings still feel little to me even though they are big. 

That would be so fun to have a mission reunion at our house! I know that's what all the missionaries usually do after their mission. Tucson, AZ in the fall or winter would be a cool place to have a missionary homecoming.

I am so proud of Blake.  He is doing such a great job. Start him in reading PMG! 

Thanks for all that you do. I am loving my mission everyday, even on the crummy days! I am so grateful for you as my parents and all the things that you have done for me .Can you believe that I have almost been out a year?!?! I grateful for the opportunity that I have had to work in Paso Robles and for the opportunity that I have now to go to Oxnard. 

This week has been a very trying but rewarding experience. This week we went to see a former investigator named Norma. Norma is so prepared. She really wants to learn but wants to go at her own pace. Norma has two young children and has to go to a lot of therapies because of anxieties that they have. She has lots of great questions. We can't wait for our next lesson with her. We found some of the members in our branch still live at their addresses and we even found a couple part member families. We have an appointment with them this week. We went to go help one of the members and it was so cool to see that she needed us that day and how we just needed to help her get through some trials that have happened it her life. We got the car fixed on Friday, which took longer than expected only for an oil change. We went to see one of our less actives that night and we talked about temples. 

This week I have studied The Pearl of Great Price and started The Book of Mormon again. In the Pearl of Great Price, I learned more about the Pre-mortal life, Creation, and the Fall. I absolutely loved Joseph Smith History. I love how even though Joseph was tired after being visited by Moroni three times in one night, he still went out to work. I read in the White Handbook on leadership.  I know that even though I am not in a leadership position, I can still be a leader. I love how it mentions exactly what a leader needs to do and how to become the type of leader Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want. One of my favorite parts that it doesn't matter if we are in a leadership position or not.  We all still matter to Heavenly Father.  But the part that really stuck out to me is that your proselyting area should be an example of your leadership. 

This transfer I have been so grateful to work with Hermana Corniea. She has taught me so much!!  One thing that I love about her, is her willingness to serve everyone, everywhere she goes. I want to incorporate that into myself. This transfer has taught us both a lot about each other and the trust that the Lord has in us. I can't count the number of times we had something planned but the Spirit directed both us to do something else.  For example, to serve a member who needed our help; to go see a former investigator who wants to be taught and countless other experiences. This transfer has taught me that this is the Lord's work. He knows exactly who is ready to be taught and that we are only the instruments in His hands. To sum up my time here in Paso Robles, Alma 26: 11-12, "...I do not boast of my own strength, nor in my own wisdom, but behold my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy and I will rejoice in my God. Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself but I will boast of my God, for in His strength, I can do all things; yea, very mighty miracles we have wrought in this land for which we will praise His name forever." 

Today is kinda of a bittersweet day because the next time that I will be able to spend a day with Hermana Corniea is the day that we are going home!   But it can only get sweeter from here!!

Te amo,

Hna Fitzpatrick/Kenzer Lou

February 17th - A Great Week, But a Trying Week

Hola Familia,

This week has gone by so fast. So as you know we had a BAPTISM this Saturday. It was so great to see a Daughter of God enter the waters of baptism and know that she is truly ready to accept this church as His church. T. was so excited and although everything didn't go perfect, it went quite well. She was really touched at all the support she had and even her family was touched. It was a little stressful but one of the best highlights that I have had this week. So, in more details about the baptism. Before the baptism the programs weren't quite ready,  and T. was a little late.  We had to see if they forgot.  Finally, we got her changed into her white suit and everything was good. I said the opening prayer and Hermana Corniea gave the talk on baptism. When T. went into be baptized and said that she didn't have a middle name but come to find out she did.  As she was changing out of her wet suit we had to redo the baptism twice because of pronunciation. It was kinda funny because she wasn't scared to be baptized by the second or third time. She told us that she forgot a towel. So we had used some table clothes because the church doesn't have any towels or something, usually they do. There were a couple of ward members that attended but not a lot. Her mom was so excited for her and was really grateful she made the decision to get baptized. 

I will definitely try to make sure they have good home teachers it doesn't always mean that they do it. We got a report on VT/HT and for most of the members it is 0%. So even if they are assigned, they don't do it. I kind of rebuked them on Sunday because we had a missionary Sunday. I told them they need to do their HT/VT and that we as the missionaries aren't the full time missionaries, they are.  We are just here for a short period of time.  The members are the ones there full-time for the new members.   

I'm so glad that you got to talk to Sister Beth. She is one of my favorite people up here and probably is the only member that really keeps me and Hermana Corniea going. I have learned a couple of things that I want to fix about myself after the mission. Cooking and sewing!! haha. 

We haven't gotten my Subway card figured out yet but we will pretty soon. I will probably most likely get them next transfer and I do hope that I get transferred because of somethings that transpired this past week but if not I know that Lord needs me here.  I think I'll miss all of my companions that I been with. 

It's so fun to hear the interactions that you have with Hermana Walker and Hermana Palafox. It would be so fun to be companions with Hermana Rubow.  Throughout this whole week, Hermana Corniea and I have felt Satan at our backs. We have been dealing with a couple of things and we truly felt that this was our Gethsemane week. Everything went fine but we want some guidance on how to better this area. 

We found a new investigator through weeding out some of the members that don't live in our area anymore or are less-active. We have a less active in our area book but her records are in the English ward so we are trying to figure out what she wants because she speaks both Spanish and English. But we have a lesson set up with her and she isn't very keen on coming back but she hasn't be visited since 2011 which is the last date that we have on the Teaching Record.

This week I have been studying in the New Testament I am about finished with it. I find it so interesting. Some of the things that have been repeated throughout is, to be in the world but not of the world and how we need to love our fellow brethren. I will tell you that sometimes it is hard to love your fellow brethren after they have hurt you or even offended you in some way but we learned that we just need to pick our selves up, brush the dust off and get back to work. We have definitely learned that the members are not perfect but the church is.  

I have been studying more on charity and how I can better myself. A lot of the times, I give in to the natural man and put my defenses up because it is just easier. But I have learned through an experience, this week that I am a lot stronger that I am and that I have truly come to recognize my calling as a representative of Jesus Christ. 

Hermana Corniea and I have had a trying week. Full of trials, affliction, suffering, and even doubt of what we are doing is what the Lord wants of us. But we know that we all make mistakes and that we aren't perfect. It is only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we can fully be healed. We know that the members of the church aren't perfect and sometime don't see the good we are trying to do when we try to bring change about. We were given a situation in which we didn't know how to handle and we admit we made mistakes but in the end we were taken away from a great opportunity to help people. 

I have grown a lot stonger up here and if my only purpose in coming up here was to add a daughter of God to his kingdom, I am satisfied with the things that I have accomplished. I don't like to complain so I'm not. I'm not going to tell you this area is easier or working with the members is getting easier,or trying to initiate change is getting easier, but I will tell you that fulfilling my purpose of disciple of Christ as a missionary is oh, so worth it!!   No one can stop me know, this is not the end of my road!!  There may be a few bumps and pot holes, but in the end I will reach my destination.  I can only grow from here and no one can ever push me down.

I'm so glad Syd got accepted to BYU-I, it is really a great school. Tell Kellie that I'm really jealous that she's going to see Imagine Dragons.  Tell her that she should take some pictures for me. Somedays during the mission you wish you could listen to whatever music you want to, especially if it is a bad day. 

I'm so glad Nanny went to the open house. I was praying at least one of them would go. 

One thing that I really think that we need to start doing with the youth is teaching out of the For Strength of Youth pamphlet.  The girls up here don't know why we need to get married in the temple or why we need to have good friends and other simple things. Don't mention to ask if we can teach them because we tried and we got turned down. But I just know that if we aren't going to be teaching our youth things that they need to prepare to go to the temple or other things, then I think we should better start caring as leaders because this is basically the rising generation saying 'I don't want the true church or the standards of the church in my life.'  There will be so many consequences if we don't start teaching them NOW! Too many girls have fallen away because of things that happen in the church.

Thanks for all you do and for your constant support, because it is one thing that I know I always have. One thing that I think about when I have trying time, you're going to think this is dumb but I think about it a lot... You know the Tiffany and Co. ring that dad bought me for one Valentine's day a few years ago, I still wear it every day.  To me it is a sign of y'alls love for me.  I realized that it is round that it is infinitive it never stops and that I always have it with me. Dumb, but it mens so much to me!!

Love yall,

Hna Fitzpatrick/ kenzer Lou

February 10th - The Busiest and Best Week Ever!

Hey family,

This week has flown by. It was such an awesome week full of wonderful miracles and events. Tuesday, we went to Atascadero and Templeton and everyone that we needed to contact was home and responded. It was so great because usually no one is home or they don't answer the door. We set up return appointments with a potential and with J. On Wednesday, we did service at the food bank which is really cool because we feel like we are giving back to the Paso Robles community. We helped a member with some service she needed. We also had a lesson with two of our less actives who are coming back. Hna. C. is the first one.  We went to her house and talked about the new year and how she is trying to live the Word of Wisdom, and that this past Saturday was the first time in a long time that she has been back to the temple. It is so exciting to see her make the changes she needs to in her life. We then saw V., a young woman in the branch who is going through a few trials of her own. We talked to her about how trials help us grow and that we are never alone in our trials. We did weekly planning on Thursday because we had exchanges on Friday. On Friday, I went with Hna. Siddoway.  When we started our day, we were going to a visit a potential but I couldn't find the street, so we typed it in the GPS and it took us out in the middle of a winery.  We went to a house that had Hispanic people living in it. It was so cool!! We taught a lady named M. who lived there. We gave her our phone number and she said she will call us, and she also gave us her phone number so we can call her. She is studying with Jehovah's witnesses and was raised Catholic. We then went to try a different potential and the lady that owns the house let us in. Her name was D.  When we walked in we saw a Book of Mormon on the couch. She said it was the roommates that live there. We taught D. a little bit about the Plan of Salvation because she wants to know what happens after we die. We went to go see a potential but we ran into a less active and made a return appointment with her. She was very sick and has been taken off work and we went to go see her at our appointment but she was on the way to the hospital. We went to go see another potential and met a teenager named C. who is really wondering which of all the churches are right. Then we finally had a lesson with the A. family who are really wanting to learn.  Hermana A. said that she has been reading the Book of Mormon and that it is much clearer than the Bible. We saw V. again and focused more on how we can all receive answers to our trials through the scriptures and how they can pertain to her. On saturday, we had a lesson with J. but we had to drop him because his wife is never home and we can't enter the house if he is there alone and he doesn't give us enough time to talk and doesn't really keep his commitments. We then had the church tour.  It went ok. We had our Ward Mission leader show up and a less active and then later our branch president and his wife. It was successful in our eyes because we learned some things about the branch that we didn't know of and such. On Sunday, we met with T. and her mom and arranged her baptismal program and set the time for the baptism, which is this coming Saturday at 4:00 p.m.  She is really excited and ready for her interview and baptism. It is so great to see someone make the changes that she has made these past few months. 

This week I have studied more of the Bible and how amazing and great missionaries all the apostles really were, especially Paul. I learned in 2 Timothy 3: 1-5, of what men will become like when the second coming is really close.  "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For me shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.  Without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good.  Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures ,more than lovers of God.  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." All the things that were said in this have come true.

I also have been reading about missionaries in the Book of Mormon as the sister trainer leaders have asked us to do.  It is so interesting how we are exactly like Alma. How sometimes he needed to rest, and he went out and worked, and other times he suffered persecution and discouragement but he kept going. I am also reading out the white missionary handbook all the way through and highlighting things that we need to maintain as missionaries. The other thing that I am doing is starting today is reading the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet and seeing how it pertains to us today and the promises that we will get if we keep these covenants.

I was so grateful for the Imitrex that Leslie prescribed for me.  It sure came in handy last Sunday when I had a KILLER migraine. I do keep some Motrin in my bag but I had recently run out and I was really trying to keep the law of the fast last Sunday. 

We are so excited for T. this week!!  I talked to her and she said that she is going to buy a new dress and maybe get her nails done. Haha what a cute girl!!!   She has one brother under age 8 who will start taking the lesson this upcoming December and one younger 2 year-old sister. 

For the packages, send them to the mission office address...3301 W. Gonzales Rd., Oxnard, CA 93036. I did get my two boxes thank you so much. I really love the valentines day one!   HAPPY VALENTINE"S DAY, this week. 

Transfers are February 25th. My clothes are fine. Thanks for getting my skirts fixed. Send them to the mission office. My other clothes are good. My shoes...I would appreciate, but not necessary are some flat shoes, TOMS are perfect! Walmart or target which ever is better for you. I am still wearing my boots. Size 7-71/2. 

I be that Youth Conference was awesome. I wish I could have gone and seen the inside of that beautiful Gilbert temple.  I will, when I get home.   I will write Little licious this week. I may not get time to email her. That's funny about Blake. What are y'all doing for dad's bday? Valentine's day? I will send pics next week I promise becuase you have to see T's picture.

Love ya,

Hna Fitzpatrick/kenzer lou

February 3rd - I am Learning so Much!!

Hola Familia,

How are you? This week was so great. This is not Tibni's week to be baptized, but next week is. We are so excited for her and she is too! We aren't working with anyone else really. We are visiting potentials to see if they have any interest in learning more and visiting members and less actives.You should get my snail mail I just put it in late last week. Sorry! We are trying to work hard, but this area is one of the most difficult areas.but  

Our dinner appointments are great. I'm starting to love our branch and the ward.  We feel really connected to it. Hna. Corniea says she is fabulous! Well almost everyday we are laughing our heads.

The most spiritual thing that we did this week was set up and give the Plan of Salvation tour in our building.  it really puts into perspective of where you want to be after this life and how we get there. 

The thing I learned the most this week is patience and the Lord's will. It is really frustrating for people who want to be in control all the time.   I have definitely learned my lesson of not being in control. The last time I felt the Lord was guiding me personally was this who entire week, because are trying to get the members up here to start their own personal missions as member missionaries.   They think, like a lot of people do, the full-time missionaries are here to do everything. But President Castro said at stake conference last week, that the members find, the missionaries teach and baptize. That is it!  It is only through the members that things happen.  There is a really cool statistics: 1/1000 that we find ourselves will be baptized, 68/1000 will be baptized if you lets us use your name, and 360/100 will be baptized if you introduce them to us, and 660/1000 will be baptized if you introduce them to us and let us teach them in your home.I will write more home about this.  

We set up a Plan of Salvation tour but none of our investigators showed up.  Instead, we showed the tour to the other Hermanas and did an ED PEP.  It was so cool and one of the most spiritual experiences that I have ever been apart of. It really puts into perspective of where you want to be in the three kingdoms of heaven. 

We really appreciate all the time and effort that President Castro put into interviews with us and for the inspiration for this upcoming week. 

We had a really hard week but it turned into the most blessed week too. Tibni is on tract for her baptism date.   It is so exciting to see someone grow and progress in the gospel and come closer to Christ!  She is really a special young women who is growing and coming to know her divine nature,  She knows who her Father in Heaven is and who Jesus Christ is. She is so excited!!  Her mom is helping her become excited too. It is so great to see the family coming closer together with this foundation of a belief in Christ. 

We are currently visiting potentials this week and trying to find those who are ready for the gospel through members. We had a huge miracle happen this Sunday.  A member from Atascadero brought a family to church on Sunday and it was so great to see how the members are really ready now to share the gospel. We are putting on the Restoration Church tour this Saturday as a missionary opportunity for the members to bring their friends to the church. We hope that it will be great and that we will have a wonderful turnout. 

This week I have been studying more in the Bible and reflecting on the training and wonderful interview that I had. I have been reading in 2 Corinthians and how we as ministers or representatives of Christ go through what Christ did through the Atonement process. One thing that I have learned in the interview process and training and personally is that in 2 Corinthians 10:15, "Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope when your faith is increased...To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.  But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."  This reminds me about how we shouldn't compare ourselves to others and how we should only hold ourselves to the measure that God has set for us. I have learned that it doesn't matter what the other missionaries are doing.  I only need to do what God wants me to do and account to the Lord for my doings. I know that if I still feel the Spirit after my works, I did what the Lord wanted me to do for that week, day, hour, and minute.  In 3 Nephi 2:2, "...the power of the devil, is to lead away and deceive the hearts of the people; and thus did Satan get possession of the hearts of the people again, insomuch that he did blind their eyes and lead them away to believe that the doctrine of Christ was a foolish and vane thing."  This gives us the Satan's purpose upon this earth which I thought was so cool because usually I am only looking for God's purpose but this scripture to me gave Satan's purpose and how he is trying to destroy God's children.

Hope you have an awesome day! 

Love,

Kenzer/hna Fitz

January 27th - I Love Being a Missionary!

Hola Familia,

It was so great to hear from you. We had stake conference this weekend.  It was a miraculous conference, tons of revelation received, and new insights on how missionary work should be done. One of the things that I liked the most was the five points on the Work of Salvation in the stakes and wards with the first one being member missionary work. I really liked how it is starting to get through that the members are the ones who can trust us so that we can give their friends and family the good news. 

This week was really great. We showed Hermanas Martin and Schmidt the restoration tour to help their investigators, less actives, and even reach out to the members. They had a hard day but after doing this tour the Hermanas feel that this would help their investigators progress, their less actives come back, and the members to have a drive for missionary work. On Thursday, we set up a plan of salvation tour to help our investigator Tibni. It is really cool and it helps you understand where you want to be in the Celestial kingdom and how we can get there.  On Saturday, there was an eight year old boy in our ward being baptized, and Tibni came to see it. She saw the look on the boy's face who was getting baptized and she was excited for him. She is really ready for her baptism and is on track with the word of wisdom. She hasn't drank coffee in a week.  We told her to keep this up and reminded her of all the blessings that it will bring to her. She is very excited for her baptismal day and she knows that this is the true church. 

We also did a Restoration tour with one of our other investigators named Mario and his two sons. We went through it and the spirit was there.  One day he will be ready to enter the waters of baptism. 

This week I have been studying in the Book of Acts and reading all about the ministry of Paul. It was so crazy the conversion story that he has and how he knew he had to act right then and there on what he experienced. I also was reading in Preach My Gospel on baptism and confirmation and working with the ward and stake leaders. Now that we have a new stake presidency it will be great to get to know them and to always extend our hand to them when they need our help. But when it come to having recent converts or less actives, the first priority is the ward/branch to help them out and then the missionaries. We now need to involve the members more than ever because us knocking on doors or visiting potentials just isn't the way to do it anymore. 

The mission has definitely opened up my eyes to being a better member missionary. I don't really have enough time to answer all your questions but you will get a snail mail this week. I will tell you what is happening with Tibni in my snail mail. Tell Blake that I wish him Happy Birthday and BTW does dad want anything for his 50th, party? 

I love yall and I will always pray for you!

have a wonderful day and week!!!! :) ;)