November 24, 2013

Maayong Aga liwat!

It's been another good week, but also heartbreaking at the same time. On Tuesday morning D texted us about Sister Bendoy's family and it truly is heartbreaking. During our whole companionship study, I was a teary mess. But from what I've heard from D, Sister Bendoy is doing great. It doesn't surprise me because she's such a strong person. She also told us that Sister Manwaring's sister, who was Sister Bendoy's trainee before me, started a fundraiser for her and her siblings. That's amazing, especially when they raised $5,000 within 24 hours! I know she must be so grateful. We also have about 20ish missionaries who joined us from Tacloban! There's one in our district that we met this past week, and supposedly one or two more in our zone. It's also especially exciting because Sister Maleatoa is in our mission now. She was the companion that joined Sister Young and I for a week in the MTC because she had to stay for surgery. 

Overall though, our week was good! Missionary work is continuing to move forward, and I love it more than ever. Our time as a missionary truly is precious and  I want to take advantage of the limited time we have. But I feel like it's going by so fast... especially because this past week was my five months mark! Where has the time gone?! I love the Philippines and feel so blessed to have been assigned here. It truly is an amazing place.

Transfers are next week so this might be our last week with Sister Luke and I together :( I don't want to be transferred but I've been in the area a while now and President likes to switch trainers after six weeks... but we're hoping I'm staying. Especially because the four of us in our apartment want to be together for Christmas. 

Overview of the week:

1. We're continue to teach our investigator T. He's our last appointment most nights, literally the highlight of our day. Every time we come, he's waiting for us and reading the Book of Mormon. He's preparing for his baptism on Christmas and he truly has been prepared by the Lord to accept the gospel.  Every time we visit, you can just see the light of Christ in his eyes. 

2. We had our first English class this past weekend! The Elders taught the older kids, and we took the younger kids... it was a little iffy at first, but it turned out be a really fun experience and hopefully the kids had fun too.

3. We came home one night to six cockroaches in our apartment. SIX! I can deal with spiders, etc. but cockroaches are the nastiest insects. Sister Luke and I literally spent twenty minutes trying to kill all of them... and it doesn't help they have ten lives. We trapped one in the sink, and it still wasn't dead after having the faucet pour on it for five minutes. But, we survived. Before we moved in, they sprayed something that kills all of them during the night. I don't know how it works, but by morning, they're all on their back dead. We're now starting to collect them underneath the stairs.. we're up to five.

4. I'm now obsessed with Buko shakes. I don't know how to make them, or what even Buko is, but you should try making them at home. they're delicious.

I feel like nothing especially exciting happened this past week to tell you... but do know that I'm happy and loving the mission. Thank you so much for your prayers and support and letters each week. I truly appreciate them. I love you all.

Anyways, I love you all! 

xoxo,

Sister Fitzgerald

November 17, 2013

Family,

It truly has been one amazing week here on the mission, and I know I say that basically every week, but this one has probably been the best one yet. Every day this past week, I've truly seen the hand of Lord guiding and blessing the people here in the Philippines. Even this morning, Sister Luke and I were discussing during studies how blessed we feel to be here in the Philippines. I think of my life and those decisions and moments in my life that have led me to the place I am now, as a  missionary, and all I can think about is how thankful I am for you. Because no doubt, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the amazing examples I've had growing up. I feel so blessed to have grown up with the gospel in my life, and now I truly feel joy sharing it with others. It truly is the Lord's work, and it is so spiritually gratifying knowing that I'm helping Heavenly Father's work here upon the earth. 

This week, I've felt the joy that they always reference in the scriptures. There are so many people that are prepared to receive the gospel, and I feel so honored to be able to dedicate all day, every day, to finding and teaching those who will be blessed with the gospel in their lives. This past week we taught T... I don't remember if I mentioned him last week. We met him, talked for maybe 5 minutes, invited him to church, then the typhoon happened so we didn't see him. Then Sunday morning, there he comes walking in! It was a miracle. But since last week, we've taught him twice. Last night we introduced the Book of Mormon, and before we even explained what we have to do to gain a testimony of it, he was like, you need to pray about it. His testimony is already so strong, but I don't think he even realizes it. We invited him to be baptized on December 25, and he got so excited, he was even like, "I would be baptized on Christ's birthday, yeah!" This whole story might seem so corny, but it was truly the most spiritually gratifying moment. People truly are prepared to receive the gospel, and it just fills me with so much joy, knowing that people are changing and becoming closer to Christ through us. 

Other exciting news, Saturday we were trying to find this less active family that lives in our area. We have the street address so basically every few houses, we'll ask if they know them or where they live. After going down basically the whole street, nobody still knows them. But at one family, when we ask, they're like sorry we only moved in three months ago. So we're talking a little bit, they let us in, we share a little message with them, we invite them to church, and they said yes! Then we got to pick them up Sunday morning, and they're there, with their three teenager girls, all ready for church! It was so exciting. We're going back to teach them tonight and were excited. Those are those most exciting stories I have that happened during the week, overall it's been good and I feel like I'm finally starting to see progress. We have a lot of new investigators, and I'm excited to continue to teach, etc.

As for J, she still doesn't have permission from her dad for baptism. Every time we visit, she takes ten minutes just to explain what she read in the Book of Mormon. It's just heart breaking because she's so ready, yet once again, other people get in the way. 

We heard yesterday that Tacloban missionaries are coming. We think some might be staying at our house tonight... It's heartbreaking. The other day we saw an article talking about it and it had some pictures of the missionaries. Both Sister Luke and I recognized someone we knew in the MTC because the Tacloban missionaries were in our zone there. 

I love you all! I'm safe, and everything is back to normal here in Bacolod after the storm. We even got our water back so no more bucket showers from typhoon water! Life is good. I miss you all but am so glad to be serving a mission! Send my love to everyone!

xoxo,

Sister Fitz

November 10, 2013

Pamilya!!

Maayong aga! This will forever be known as the week that Typhoon Yolanda hit the Philippines... and definitely far from a normal week here on the mission. It all started on Wednesday, when we were finishing zone meeting, and the ZL's said that there was one last annoucement from President Lopez and prefaced it by saying "Okay, so don't freak out while we read this text from president" so we knew then something bad must be happening. So they read the message that a typhoon was heading towards the Philippines and that we need to get enough food to last three days, and to be prepared to stuck inside starting Thursday night until Saturday. Within two hours, we got another update saying we should have plenty of food, buy candles as well, and that starting that night, we'll not be able to head outside. That afternoon as well, our bishopric called us asking us to go to all our member and less actives, to warn them of the storm and to tell them that they would be able to evacuate to the church at anytime if they feel unsafe and that there would be water and food there if needed. So all day wednesday, we just went house to house. We came home wednesday night, prepared to be stuck inside for a long time. We were inside all day thursday, but other than a little rain, not much happened. We would get updates every few hours, but not that much information, we didn't know when we should expect it, or how strong. We waited all day Thursday, but other than a little rain, nothing. Friday morning is when it got stronger and heavier... and we were told that it would hit around noon, but that during the night it turned a little bit and was heading towards China and we would only get the tail part of it. At 11, the power went out and the it was hard to hear each other because of how heavy the wind and rain was. We finished our studies by candlelight and had PB&J sandwiches for lunch. It was weird being inside for so long... we were all going a little stir crazy, we definitely had cabin fever. We would have studies in the morning as usual, and then just spent the afternoon talking, lounging, etc. Friday afternoon, we got a text saying that we would have a CSP Weekend, and to be prepared to head out the next morning helping fix the damage caused by the storm. But there really wasn't that much, there was debris all over, and several trees fell over, but no major damage to any of the houses in our area. But on Sunday, when we went to church, that's when we learned of how much damage happened to other parts in the Philippines, especially Tacloban, entire baranggays just completely demolished. It' s crazy to think if that had happened here in Bacolod. I don't even know where you would even start to help/clean-up/rebuild an entire city. (I don't know if that made any sense but I don't have time to go back through so sorry if it's all over the place)

So it was definitely one crazy week. But most of Bacolod is okay, not too much damage that we've have seen. Our power came back on Saturday morning, but we still have no running water... we're back to taking bucket showers from rain water, which really isn't that bad but it's hard because we have no water to wash dishes or wash clothes.... So hopefully, it will come back soon. 

It' weird because the two days stuck inside the house, I was reminded of life back at  home. No agenda, no appointments, just a whole day to spend however you want... and it made me realize how easy it is to return back to my life before the mission, to just waste entire days lounging around, which isn't necessarily bad to do some days. But missions are really just a time to reprioritize everything in your life. My mission has helped me see everything so clearly. Everyday during studies, I think to myself "What was I doing with my life before the mission?" "what was I doing with all that time?" I think that's one of the blessings from serving a mission. I've realized what's really important in life, there's so many things that I've already learned from the mission that I don't think I would have learned any other way, or at least wouldn't have learned for a long time.I'm so grateful to have the gospel in my life, to have had the courage and faith to serve a mission, and to be here in Bacolod. And I'm excited, knowing that I still have over a year to continue serving, to continue growing, and to continue sharing the gospel, so they can feel that comfort and love from Heavenly Father I feel every day.

I love you all! 

xoxo,

Sister Fitzgerald

November 3, 2013

Maayong Aga!

It has been such a good week! So spiritually inspiring and so fun. Every week I feel like I was just sitting at the computer writing you, and I know that I probably say that every time, but it's because it's true.

I officially completed my second week as a trainer! Sister Luke is seriously the most inspiring and courageous girl I know. Her batch didn't waste anytime in the MTC because I feel like she knows so much of the language already. She has such a great desire to just head out each day and talk to everyone which I truly admire. At times I feel a little overwhelmed, especially in lessons just because I'm afraid I'm not able to explain something clearly enough for them to truly understand the importance of our message. Especially because everyone in the Philippines already believes in Christ. They already accept him as our Savior and Redeemer and understand how He should be the center of our lives. And that's a blessing, because of course people want to hear a message about Christ, but it's also our struggle, because they think what they're doing now is already enough, that they're already following Christ's example in their life, and that their church and religion is what they need. And it's hard for them to accept or understand about the Restoration, and about Apostasy, and about Priesthood Power, and I feel like maybe they're not fully comprehending that aspect because I'm not teaching it effectively enough. But I'm trying, and I know that what I lack as a trainer, as a teacher, and as a missionary, Heavenly Father will make up for it and help me strengthen those weaknesses that I have. 

On Friday, was Old Saint's Day (maybe Old Soul's Day.... not exactly sure) but all missionaries had the opportunity to proselyte in the graveyards. On that day, families go to the cemeteries to honor those family members that have passed on. So they pack up food/tents/etc. and spend the day on top of the grave of their deceased family members. Sister Luke and I were a little hesitant at first, because how do you just walk up to people as they're sitting on a gravestone, but I'm pretty sure we probably handed out at least 15 lesson two pamphlets about the Plan of Salvation. And we were fed at least four meals from random families we talked to. I've never been so full in my life. But it was definitely a fun experience.

On Saturday, Elder Anderson came! It was definitely an exciting meeting. And even though we were one of the last ones to walk in, they squeezed us into the front row! We got to shake their hands, and I definitely made eye contact with Elder Anderson several times and he would smile. The whole mission was there, all 234 of us. Both Elder Anderson spoke and Elder Clayton, focusing on missionary work and the Atonement. If there's one thing I learned from them and from President Nielsen visiting us last month, is how connected the Atonement is to missionary work. There's so much I have learned about Christ and the Atonement the past couple months on the mission, and I know that there's still so much I have yet to comprehend or maybe never will fully understand. But this much I do know, that Christ is there to help through every aspect of our life. Whether it's to be cleansed through the redeeming power, or be comforted during trials, or to be strengthened through his enabling power as we try to become more like our Savior. Often I feel unprepared or incapable of doing something, especially as I'm training and still learning the language myself, but then I realize that my trust and confidence shouldn't be in myself, but in Christ. Because when you put your faith and trust in him, it's easy to continue, because of course He's able to do everything, and of course he'll help me accomplish what he would do if he was here.

We've seen some progress in a lot of our investigators this past week. I never know what stories to tell you because it seems like they come and go every week, but we found a new family that we've taught twice this past week, and Sister Luke and I are really excited to continue to teach and see what might come of it. In other news, we taught J, the 13 yr-old we've been teaching for a while now. She is one of the sweetest girls I know and one the first investigators  where I've truly seen her become converted to the gospel. She has a testimony already that is so strong of the Book of Mormon and has that desire to be baptized. But the sad news is that this past week, she told us that her dad and grandma said before we ever started teaching her, that we can teach her and she can go to church, but that she can't be baptized. So that was our sad news this past week, but we're not losing hope. We taught about Heavenly Father preparing a way, and I know that as her testimony grows, and as her family sees her desire, that their hearts will be softened and eventually she'll be able to be baptized.

I love you all! And I received my Christmas package in the mail this past week.... do I really have to wait for Christmas? or is this just a Halloween/Thanksgiving present and you're sending another package for Christmas? :)

Anyways, thank you for all your support and love and prayers.

xoxo,

Cami

October 27, 2013

Family!

It's true, I'm training! The assistants called Sister Bendoy and I last Monday, we found out that Sister Bendoy would be transferred and I would stay in the area to train! Pretty much all day Tuesday and Wednesday I both wanted to puke and cry at the same time, but since actually meeting Sister Luke on Thursday, I've felt at peace and almost excited to train and be the one to help not only her but our area progress and grow. At times I definitely feel like I'm not ready, especially when I feel like I just finished training and still have so much to learn, especially regarding the language, but this gives us both an opportunity to learn together and become better and successful missionaries.

This week has definitely been eventful! Sister Bendoy left on Tuesday, I had a temporary companion until Thursday, Sister Luke arrived on Thursday, A was baptized on Saturday (!!!) and now it's p-day again! It's been an adjustment now having an American companion, because now the stares and comments have doubled haha, but it's been fun. This week we've really tried to focus on expanding our investigator pool, and we found the most precious family. We've taught her and her kids twice now, and we're really hopeful that she will progress, especially because she totally accepted the aspect of prophets, about Joseph Smith, and especially Thomas S. Monson today. I felt the Spirit so strongly during the lesson, I even teared up a little bit when Sister Luke was saying the first vision. In that moment, I truly just felt the power of the gospel and the conversion process, and how truly blessed we are to have it in our life. That it truly is for everyone, and as a missionary, I feel blessed to spend each of my days trying to help others realize what we already know. We also taught this older, retired couple last night. We were walking home, and this lady was opening her gate about to walk inside, so we stopped to talk to her. She invited us inside, and we ended up teaching her and her husband. And, the exciting news was that we could do it in English, which was a weird but really fun because I'm so used to teaching in Ilonggo. He had a lot of questions about the Mormon beliefs (maybe because he figured this would be the first and last time he would let the missionaries in) so the lesson was all over the place, but they were both really receptive and I could see their interest to know what we believe. I feel like a lot of the time, especially back at home, people just think Mormonism is just one big secret, but if they actually just took the time to listen, to read and to learn what it is we actually believe, they would realize the truthfulness of it. We're really hoping we have the opportunity to teach them again. J and F also came with us to church yesterday (!) which is always exciting

Now, to tell the story of A's baptism. So Friday, the district leader came to interview him. It was one big hot mess, because at first he wasn't home, so the DL's left, and then two minutes later he arrived home, so then they came back to interview him, and then I didn't bring his teaching record, so we went back home to get it, and then we came back, and almost didn't have the BR but thankfully we did. So he was interviewed and everything was set for Saturday. So then Saturday comes, and there was leak in the water, so the font had brown water... (which wasn't too bad), but then bishop said to wait for him to get there, so the baptism which was suppose to be at 2, started at 3:30....but in the end it was a spiritual and happy experience.  After he was baptized, he shared his testimony, and the Spirit really did testify to me that he was ready, and I felt that joy that I think comes when you know that you're helping Heavenly Father's work here upon the earth. That's definitely something I"ve been thinking about a lot the past couple days, because over and over again in the scriptures it talks about that joy that all these missionaries in the BOM feel while they're teaching. And that truly is what I've felt the past week, pure joy. I truly love being a missionary, and I'm so grateful that I decided to serve, and I truly can't picture myself anywhere else, than here in the Philippines at this time. 

I love you all! Anyways, send my love to everyone! 

xoxo,

Cami

 

Sister Fitzgerald and her new companion, Sister Luke

 

October 20, 2013

Pamilya!

It has been such an eventful and fun week... and although weeks seems to go by really fast, this one seemed to go by especially fast. Literally, yesterday I was sitting in this computer writing you all. 

Week Recap:

Tuesday- We had the earthquake! We were in the middle of our personal studies, and then it started shaking. I look up at Sister Bendoy, and we were like, "It's an earthquake!" and then she basically runs outside. It didn't last too long but I felt like I was still moving for the rest of the morning. It wasn't big enough to do any damage in Bacolod but it was definitely what everyone talked about at every lesson we had later that day.

Wednesday- Mission Tour! Four sisters slept over at our house who live farther away from the city so Tuesday night we had a sleepover, and it was especially fun trying to get eight girls showered and ready before 7 in the morning... but somehow we did it. For mission tour, President and Sister Nielsen visited. We had breakfast, then a separate sisters meeting with Sister Nielsen while there was a leadership meeting with President Nielsen. Then we had a combined meeting for the rest of the morning and afternoon. For the past month, we've been studying the talk "In the Strength of the Lord" by Elder Bednar, so President Nielsen expounded on that. It discusses how the Atonement of Jesus Christ gives us not only redeeming power, but also enabling power. That we can rely on the Atonement to not only be cleansed from sin, which is the redeeming power, but also to strengthened as we try to become better and more Christlike through the enabling power. It's a really good talk (read it!) and it gives several examples of stories in the Book of Mormon that help us understand how we can utilize the enabling power in our lives more effectively.

Friday/Saturday/Sunday- I'm trying to think if anything especially exciting happened the past couple of days... but I think it was just mission life as usual. We're still teaching A and his baptism is planned for this Saturday! We're also still teaching J, and she is just a doll. She's one of our first investigators where I can truly see her desire to learn. Just the other day during our lesson she had a highlighter out, marking her Book of Mormon. She truly has that desire and it's spiritually gratifying seeing someone come closer to our Savior. It truly is a blessing being a missionary and I'm excited I still have over a year to learn, to grow, and to teach and help others come closer to Christ. 

Sunday Night/Monday Morning- So yesterday, our water stopped working... and you don't realize how much you use water until it's gone. So, we wash our dishes from dinner from our bucket of rain water that's been outside for who knows how long. We texted the landlord... but no response. So then we wake up this morning, we still have no water so we can't clean, we can't eat, we can't wash, we can't shower... and we're still sweaty and smelly from yesterday. So basically we're just sitting around until 8.. when we are supposed to start studies. Then finally, the landlord texts us and basically tells us they can't fix it today. So, we ended up taking bucket showers from rain water we filtered through a shirt.... oh the joys of mission life. I'm just hoping we have water soon...

I'm glad that everything is going well at home! Have fun all of you together in Phoenix this week! Enjoy the sun and know I'm sweating too, just half way across the world! Transfers are this week and we should find out tonight if I'm staying in the area, or if Sister Bendoy is... I think I'm okay either way so I'll have to let you know next week what happens!

love you all! 

xoxo,

Cami

October 13, 2013

Family!

Another week has passed! Sometimes it feels like time goes by so fast and it seems like just yesterday I was at the computer typing a letter. I always loving reading your letters about what's happening at home.

Okay, so here's a recap of the week:

TUESDAY: My bag broke! Yeah, I know, I'm really disappointed too, especially because it was my beautiful, black fossil bag! The strap that attaches the sides of the shoulder strap to the bag came undone, don't know if that makes sense so basically it's unfixable unless you have a heavy duty sewing machine... but now I don't know what to do with it. Should I toss it, should I send it home, or should I just keep it until I fly home and try to fix it there? I feel bad because it was expensive! But I bought a bag from the mission for only 500 pesos and it's better anyways, and waterproof.

WEDNESDAY: We had companion exchanges with the STL's (sister training leaders). It was actually really nice to experience a different area and different teaching style. I went to Sister Sander's area (she goes home in November!) and we taught all afternoon, then I spent the night at their apartment, and we had studies together Thursday morning before we switched back that afternoon. I didn't bring any food with me, and she was low on support, so basically we lived off bananas, mangoes, and bread for the whole 24 hours we were together haha. If there was one thing I learned from her is that I just need to talk to everyone- to others on the jeepeney, tricycle drivers, people in tychangges along the road, everyone. She said that with only two months lefts, she feels like it's her last chance. So this week, I'm going to be more courageous. She also said that she wouldn't be surprised if I trained next transfer... I know that a lot of sisters have done that after being trained themselves, but I think I would actually cry for a whole 24 hours if I did. There's still so much I don't know and understand regarding both the language and teaching. But I know that if I am called to train, Heavenly Father will not only help me, but he'll qualify me for the work.

THURSDAY/FRIDAY: I got your package! and in perfect time for general conference. All the missionaries loved me with my American candy.... and we might only have one bag left of sour watermelons haha. But thank you for everything, and I've worn my new nightgown every night since then :) 

SATURDAY/SUNDAY: An amazing two days listening to conference. They broadcasted it in our stake center. There were a ton of members for the Sunday morning session, but hardly any for all the others... especially Saturday. Pretty sure there might have been more missionaries in our chapel than there were members. But it was definitely a very spiritually uplifting experience and I can't wait for the Liahona to come out to study their talks further. Saturday morning, two of our investigators came with us. They are sisters. I might have mentioned them before. Her name is J, and she is seriously the sweetest girl. Hopefully she'll be baptized in November! She's so eager to learn, and always has so many questions, but openly and faithfully accepts everything we teach. She's been reading the Book of Mormon, and I know that as long as she continues to seek the witness and the answers she desires with faith, I know she will gain a testimony of the truthfulness of this gospel. We also have had the opportunity to keep teaching A. He was going to get baptized this Saturday, but this past week we learned that he's having surgery today, so we most likely will have to postpone his baptism for later depending on his recovery. But regardless, it's amazing to see people come closer to Christ, for them to learn of the amazing comfort that comes from the knowledge of the gospel.

This week we have our mission tour with President Nielsen! It should be really exciting. This is also the last week of the transfer. I don't know if I'll stay in the area or Sister Bendoy, but we'll find out next Monday!

I love you all. Send everyone my love! Especially Grandpa and the littles!

xoxo,

Cami