March 30, 2014

Family;

So, you heard the news! I no longer get to surprise you! But I definitely was surprised. It's been the most craziest week so I'll try to recap it all to you.

Tuesday: Missionary life as normal. It started with district meeting in the morning. We had our lesson on diligence which led our zone leaders to chastise, I mean encourage us, to increase our key indicators. The week before, we were in Bacolod for zone conference, and we were punted a couple of days, followed by a rain storm Sunday morning so our numbers were lower than normal. But it gave Sister Rey and I the encouragement and push to work hard this week. So we leave district meeting, study, proselyte, etc... the normal routine. Then, around 9 at night, the office calls saying that we need to be in Bacolod the next morning to get my Philippino driver's license... WHAT? They wouldn't explain why, but said my visa was going to expire the next day so we had to do it now. So I though it was for my visa and that probably other missionaries would be there too...

Wednesday: We wake up early because the ceres buses are really crowded if you ride any later than 6:30 in the morning. Even though we left early, we ended up standing for the half the ride to Bacolod, which is fine, but exhausting. We finally arrive at Bacolod and head to the mission office where we were supposed to meet.... no one else is there. just the office staff. so that's when I knew something is up if it was just me getting my license. So we head to the LTO and they just tell me to fill out the paper and follow the instructions and they leave. So it's Sister Rey and I in the LTO office, we fill out the papers, give it to the desk1, they call me to desk2 to get my picture, and then were supposed to wait. They said it would take about 2 hours so we knew we were going to wait. Two hours pass, and nothing still. There's not even workers behind the desks. We keep waiting thinking maybe it's lunch break. Nothing still. It's crowded, hot, and way worse the DMV at home. Finally after about four hours of waiting, we go ask what's happening, and they said the system is offline. They said we can wait to see if it will come back on, but most likely, just come back tomorrow. So, after waiting all afternoon, we call the office, they tell us we'll just have to come back tomorrow. That means, we travel the 2+ hours back to Binalbagan, and make the trip again the next morning. We arrive back in Binalbagan around 6 pm and head straight to proselyting. We get home around 8:30, update, plan, and shower. While Sister Rey is showering around 9:45, the office calls us again. They tell me that tomorrow morning when we come back to Bacolod, I need to bring my luggage because I'll be transferring too... WHAT? Total shock. Sister Rey comes out of the shower while I'm packing and she didn't even believe when I said I'll be transferring.Sister Rey has now been in our area for six months so we all thought, including the ward, that she would be transferred first. So, I hurry and pack so we can go to sleep on time.

Thursday: We wake up early again and arrive in Bacolod around 8. We head to the LTO and after 30 minutes of waiting, they say the system is offline again... We call the mission office, and they say that we'll just have to deal with it next week since the system slowdown is a nationwide thing. We end up staying with the sisters in Bacolod because transfers aren't until Friday. We go on splits with them in their area which was exciting because I was with Sister Neis from my batch! It's always fun to experience a new area, but usually only for a day because you end up missing your old area. So that night,  I text the office asking what time transfers are the next morning, and in the background I hear one of the elders say, "For office sisters, I think 10" so that started my suspicion and then a half hour later, President calls us and asks us if we can be at the mission home at 9 the next morning.... what?

Friday: We arrive at the mission home and the AP's are all like congrats, and everything, but I still didn't know for sure what was happening. Then I have an interview with President where he tells me that sisters will now be in the office and that's me! I got to sit in on the highly confidential meeting also so basically from now on, I'll know about everything that is happening in the mission. Exciting! But the funny part is, because both my new companion and we had baptisms this past weekend, he sent us back to our areas, and our actual transfers are this afternoon. So, technically, I'm not an office sister yet.

Saturday/Sunday: The past three days have been full of goodbyes. On Saturday we had the baptism of R and F. The baptism was really beautiful and I'm really excited for them both. Yesterday, Sister Tongson had us over for dinner, and we find out she invited basically half of the ward so they even had a mini farewell party for me. Bishop had me share my testimony as well in church and announced that I would be transferring so it truly was a depressing Sunday full of sad goodbyes. But it also was nice to have the chance to say goodbye to everyone. I'm so sad to leave Binalbagan. It really is a great ward... and my last couple days of normal missionary life.

President still emphasizes that we should focus on proselyting. I don't really know what my schedule will be like yet, but I know that we get to at least proselyte at night and on weekends... but we'll find out as the week starts. We had two zones in our mission that were Cebuano speaking, so that's why the Cebu mission took over those areas this past week, and we pulled out our missionaries. This past week President has been really busy because they've been reassigning all of those missionaries and finding areas to put them in but I think they're mostly done by now. Overall, a crazy week, but also exciting. I'm sad to leave Binalbagan, but I'm also excited to see what's in store.

I love you all! Sorry this letter is so jumbled...my brain is jumbled.  It's my third trip to Bacolod this week and it always makes me feel a little sick traveling but now I'm here and will be staying.

xoxo,

Sister Fitzgerald

The first office sisters! Sister Canimo- Travel Secretary; Sister Fitzgerald- Mission Office Manager

March 23, 2014

Family,

Exciting news, highlights from the past week:

1. Monday and Tuesday we were in Bacolod! It was weird being back in the city. Exciting, but I missed Binalbagan. Monday afternoon/night, Sister Rey still wasn't feeling well, no voice and had a fever. So after buying medicine, oranges and orange juice, and honey and lemon for her voice, we stayed in for the night rather than going on splits with the other sisters for FHE. Tuesday morning, still no voice. But we had Mission President Training at the mission home. We were there from 7 in the morning until almost 4 in the afternoon. It was really fun and really good training. I saw some missionaries from my batch and was able to catch up with them and I got your package! That was so fast!!! But it came in perfect time to celebrate my nine month mark!

2. F is ready for her baptism this weekend! In December a mom and her two kids got baptized. But the past month we've been teaching her second oldest child, and she finally decided to get baptized! She's only 16, but she's so sweet and nice. 

3. Sister Rey's voice is back!

4. It's been raining the past two days after no rain for a really long time. It was a nice break from the sun and sweating. But, the sun is back as of this morning... :(

It's hard to know what's exciting to share or not. Missionary life is just life now, so I don't remember what's different from normal life, or what would be fun to share. Sorry this kind of a sad letter this week.... i'll be better next week, I promise!

I love you all! Thank you so much for all your love and support. I truly feel blessed for all that you do. Even on Tuesday at the mission home when I got my package, two missionaries that aren't even in my zone any more were like "I swear you get packages all the time"....  thanks mom. Sister Rey and I both love it :)

xoxo,

Sister Fitzgerald

March 16, 2014

Family,

Today we're in Bacolod! Welcome back to the city! We have zone conference tomorrow at the mission home so we're spending our p-day here in Bacolod, sleeping here, and then will ride the two-hour bus ride back to Binalbagan tomorrow afternoon. The exciting news is that we found out we'll staying in my old apartment, and hopefully working with the sisters there tonight (!) But, Sister Rey is sick and has no voice, as in she can't speak, so maybe we'll just stay at home tonight.

This week has been really good. The members have been so helpful, they're still really encouraged and energized to help us after stake conference last week. Just this past week, we received five referrals and contacted three of them already. We're truly seeing so many blessings here in our area. Last week, at stake conference, a less active father shows up at church with his two kids, after becoming inactive since high school. The members introduced us to him, we visited them twice this past week, and they came to church again yesterday! Also, the neighbor to Sister Artus came to church for the first time yesterday as well, after teaching her since one of my first  weeks here in Binalbagan. I really love this area and ward. 

This week, I hit my half-way mark. It's kind of surreal. I feel like I've been in the Philippines for so long, but at the same time, I feel like I just finished my training. Time really flies by so fast. There's days where I still ask myself how I even got to this point. Yet, here I am, in the Philippines. There's so many things I've learned, and so many things yet to learn. Every day I feel so blessed to be serving the Lord. Most days are pretty ordinary, but I've realized that it's the ordinary days that are making up the amazing, beautiful experience as a  missionary. I love sharing the gospel, and I'm so excited to have at least nine more months to dedicate my hours to missionary work.

I love you all! Help the missionaries in our ward! 

xoxo,

Sister Fitzgerald

March 10, 2014

Family,

It's been another amazing week. Especially yesterday at Stake Conference. Elder Adurru visited and President and Sister Lopez spoke as well. All of their messages, including the Stake President, revolved around... MISSIONARY WORK. So of course, I loved it. They focused a lot on members involvement, on rescuing, on finding, and on fellowshipping. I loved what President Lopez said--he said that whenever he releases a missionary, he tells them that, "a release to a full-time mission is a call to a lifelong call of missionary service." I love that because it applies to every member. Sister Rey and I are excited this week because it really encouraged the members to get involved and we've already seen the influence- yesterday four Relief Society members wanted to come work with us, and this morning we received a referral! 

This week was also great because of the baptism of J and R. I think I've already told you the story of both of them, but if not, just let me know and I'll explain them next week. But Saturday was a really special and spiritual day. It was right after the Saturday session of Stake Conference so almost the whole ward was there to support them. The spirit was so strong and I truly feel blessed to been able to help them learn and accept the gospel into their lives. Missionary work truly is one of the most important works here on the earth. This past week I've been reading about Christ's second coming and the millennium, and how at that time when Christ reigns on the earth, the two most important works will be missionary and temple work. So why not that be the most important works now as well. I love serving the Lord and I'm so glad I have at least nine more months to dedicate all my time to Him. 

I love you all!

xoxo

Cami

Stake Conference

March 3, 2014

Family,

It's been such a good week, exhausting physically, but spiritually gratifying. Every day, Sister Rey and I have seen so many blessings and miracles. I was looking through my journal this morning and on Wednesday, the first sentence that I wrote was, "another day where all I felt was joy." That's truly what it felt like this past week. Of course there's moments that are frustrating and depressing, especially in the afternoons when nobody is home and it's hotter than ever, but somehow by the end of night, it's all good.

This Saturday, we have the baptism of J and the M couple (R & R). The story about R and R is kind of funny. So R was less active, he was baptized back in 1999 when he was still a youth or ysa, but after a couple of years fell away. But he's the neighbor and brother to Sister A, who are members (they're the family getting sealed in April). Five years ago, R and R got married and now they have a son. A couple of years ago, the missionaries tried teaching R but nothing ever came of it. But then we found her again, and she was preparing for her baptism. The past month, all three of them as a family have been coming to church, etc. and getting excited for her baptism. On Saturday, we went to the church so R could get interviewed to get the priesthood so he could baptize his wife. But, when we got there, the Bishop couldn't find his records. Turns out, that's the reason he left the church so many years ago, because they didn't have any records for him. So Bishop searched on the computer, found nothing. Usually when this happens, if they have the date he was baptized, or a photo, or a witness, it's okay. But since it was back in 1999, he doesn't remember the date, and the bishopric back then is no longer here. So R now has to get baptized and confirmed again, It was this long process, but instead of R baptizing R on Saturday, they'll both be baptized! It was so cute though, because this past week R has been memorizing the baptism ordinance sentence thing and he was so nervous, Every night when we visited he would be like "Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you..." but now he'll be baptized as well. I truly feel so blessed to have been able to teach them and help them strengthen their faith and testimony in the church. Yesterday, Brother R wore a white shirt and tie for the first time since returning to church, and he bore his testimony. Sister Rey and I might have teared up a little bit. They really are the sweetest family, He thanked us for helping him come back to church and for helping complete his family in the gospel. 

The Relief Society is going on a temple trip in April, so almost every week the past two months, we have talked about temple and family history work in RS. One thing I've never realized until the mission is the importance of family history work. I'm so excited to work on it when I get home from the mission. Here, it's such a prioriity because mostly everyone is converts so they have so many relatives and immediate family to do temple work for. For our family, it's a little bit harder, but there's still names of ancestors to find. I've been reading so many conference talks about it, etc. and I've realized that I've been missing out on one of the blessings available... and technically, it is a commandment. There's one talk I read from conference, I forgot who said it, but regarding family history work he said "Set aside those things in your life that don't really matter. Decide to do something that will have eternal consequences." More than ever, I miss the temple. I can't wait to go back. 

Overall, it was a really good week, and I finally got our Christmas card! The one year I'm not home, we actually make a Christmas card haha, but I loved it. Also, Sister Chipman wrote me a Christmas card that I got in the mail today.....I have a lot of letters to write people...

Sorry if my emails are so random, and poorly written. Time is so short but thank you for always writing! and for sending me goodies!

This past week we've been sharing about the stripling warriors how because of the example of their parents, they were strong in the faith. I can honestly say I'm here on the mission because of you. It's from the influence I've felt in our home growing up that I have the testimony I do now. I love you all.

xoxo,

Sister Fitzgerald