Monday, December 28, 2009

Family

Hey Family!!
Hey sorry I wish my emails could be better like Melindas the way they are formated and everything everything seems to make sense. I have noticed that everything I write seems to be confusing. haha I will try to write better. Wow it's weird to think I am already talking to you again! I don't know what more to say since our last conversation. Well it was funny the other night with my native companion we were talking and he has been wanting to learn english so we have been talking in english and spanish and I thought I said a cool word in spanish but apperently it doesn't exist. He thought I said a word in English and he wanted to learn it and he said can you say that one more time? So he could practice his pronunciation, but I thought he wanted me to say it again so he could correct me and we stood in front of each other saying that same word over and over again that didn't even exist. We did this for about 3 min. and then when we realized what was happeneing we laughed our heads off.
This last sunday was really great as while. The members gave talks about how they should help with the missionary effort more. So we hope to have more lessions with members this week. I love our members we have hear they already help so much. I love Elder Soto he is helping me grow alot as well. Oh and Elder Soto was wanting to come to America in about two years to go to school and to work and he told me he wants to go to BYU-I. Is it ok if he stays with you while he is doing that? I guess you have two years to think about that so dont be in a hurry.
Well family thanks for your support and thanks for your prayers and thanks for your examples. Sorry dad have you received my letter yet? and Chris I will try to remember your birthday haha sorry everyone. Thanks for all of your help on Christmas and for your input. Have a great week!

I hope you all know how much I love you all.

Love,
Elder Fitzgerald

Monday, December 21, 2009

Calling for Christmas

Family!!
First off you guys need to call me here on Chritmas. Can you call me at about 1 my companion is going to be talking to his family before me so if you dont get through the first time just wait a little while and and call later. Our number is 00-598-0456-7067 The first numbers are internetional the second set is for the country the next is for city and the last one is house. I hope everything works out. We can talk for an hour I don´t know how long melinda can talk and I dont when Melinda is going to call. I hope this time works for ya.
See ya,
Elder Fitzgerald

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Christmas in Uruguay

Hello Family!!
Wow sorry last week my companion said Oh sorry I forgot to tell you we dont email next monday because we have changes so we do it on changes so sorry about that. I have a new companion now his name is Elder Soto he is from Argentina. We both traveled a long time this morning and we are at the big bus stop in Montevideo. Dad did you ever come here to Tres Cruzes? Well I have only been our area for a month and I am hoping that I can remember where everyone lives so that we can just get straight to work :) He is a really nice guy. I am excited I haven´t had a companion yet that cant speak english so I am hoping to learn alot.
Well the longer I am out here the more and more I learn about the importance of this work. It´s changing me. I am so excited our little branch here in Lascano invited us to sing in their little choir for the Christmas Party which is this Saturday. Oh ya mom our Mission Christmas Conference is this Friday. I cant wait to listen to my mission president he is such a good guy. Well the work in Lascano is great all our investigators are slowly progressing others more rapidly.
Mom so wait what do you want me to do for Christmas? Do you want me to call you or you are going to call me? In the next email you can just tell me. Just so I have enough time to give you my phone number.
Sister Fitzgerald I am so excited for you being in Germany during this Christmas season. Me and my companion were singing Christmas Carols about two nights ago in our apartment and that was first time it felt like Christams for me since to me it looks nothing like it down here haha. Hey well family I love you I hope you all know that. Well see ya next week.
Elder Fitzgerald


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Monday, December 7, 2009

Hot and Sunny

Dear Family!!
First off Dad happy birthday!! I will send more in my letter but Dad thanks for everything you have always been so great and good I am so glad that I get to help the same peple that you got to help thirty years ago. I know that the people loved ya here sometimes I dont know how they put up with me. I know you would have been just perfect. Well Christmas in Uruguay its weird I see christmas trees and everything but there isnt ant snow we are still in spring and summer is at the end of December. All I see everyday is sunshine and awesome sunsets and palm trees. So this is going to be a weird Christmas.
So Chris and Jason both havent been playing football for the last few games? and Crozier had to set up the tree all by himself I guess since Jason and Chris are both injured. Wow thats right Jason you only have a couple more months untill you can date Chris you on have a couple of months till you are considered an ¨adult¨ thats crazy. Crozier recieves the priesthood next year wow. Everyone is growing to fast. Sean Kim thanks for your letter that was nice to here from ya. I am thankful for everything that you have done for me as well thanks Sean.
Well me and my companion have been seeing miracles lately it has been crazy. We received a reference from someone outside of Lascano and we went to contact it as soon as possible and this girl came up to us out of no where and she asked us if we could teach her. She has had the missionaries before and told us she wanted to be baptized. We told her well we are going to teach you first and in our first lesson we asked if she had prayed to know that this church was true and she said yes I prayed and God told me this church is true and we had a member with us and our member said who told you to say that and she said no one did I prayed and God told me it was true. She is amazing and she asked if she could bring some of her friends to the lessons as well. We have high hopes for her. On that day as well two other kids asked if we could come teach their families just out of no where. God is a God of miracles. He sends them to us everyday. Everyday is a mjiracle and everyday is another chance to act and change and to become more like him. This is a special time of the year and I hope that we all take all our time to think about what Christ our loving brother did for us.
Your Son,
Elder Fitzgerald
Oh mom Jessie Kugath was wondering if you could email her these letters. I think her email is theonlyteendramaqueen@hotmail.com
Thanks Family only a few more days till Christmas.

Monday, November 30, 2009

I Believe in Christ

Hello Family!
Ok first off mom dont worry nothing is wrong with me haha. All the missionaries have to do it. It is just a normal process that you go through and I passed with flying colors. This week was great me and my companion were able to stay here the whole time we didnt have to travel alot and we just got to work. We were kind of sad we had an investigator with a baptismal date and we told her she had to go to church to be baptized so she went to church but she doesnt have the right attitude about this and my companion and I have decided that we are going to wait. We know that she will be baptized though. This week has been a powerful week. I have been thinking alot about the Saviour and everything that he has done for me. Mom do you remember showing me that song in the Ensign forever ago I Believe In Christ it is a really great song. If you guys could find the words to the song you should the words are powerful and after you read the words you should see the testimony of Elder McConkie it is really great. I know that Jesus Christ is my Redeemer and my Saviour. I know he is my brother and he has felt all my pain and suffering and he paid for every sin I have or will commit. I want to live my life to make him proud of me so that he can say what he says to Enos in the last verse. It is powerful. I want to live my life so Christ can say that to me when I die.
OK well Chris sounds like you are having a blast haha. Well I have also studied about having patience and a good attitude during times of pain and suffering. I know that you will have a great attitude Keep it up.
Jason! Basketball team how is that going! Are you a starter? What else is going on in highschool I know there is more then just Basketball.
Crozier How are buddy! How has life been treating ya? Is the Middle school Crazy!! I know that you are having time and that you have a ton of friends so I cant wait to hear about your experiences.
Candace and Evan How are your lives what have you been up to? how is your little family doing?
Tara I would like to thank you so much to for your letters. They are so great like Sister Fitzgerald I would have to agree that story was great. I wish I would have done more for the missionary work before I came out. How is your life in Provo?
Sean and Kim How are you two doing with your little family as well. Do you still all have the swine flu. I hope that you guys feel better from that soon. Sean how is school and wok going? Kim how is it being a mother?
Sister Fitzgerald Thank you for all your powerful insights and for your experiances in the mission field. I know that you are great missioary because you have a drive to preach the gospel and you are committed and all we can do is just preach the gospel clear and with power and it is up to our investigators to accept or decline. Thanks for everything. You really have been a great example to me of faith and hope and a cheerful countenance, and also an example of patience. Tomorrow I need to teach patience and the first thing I think when I hear patience in when I was younger and you always told me Ritchie! Patiance is a Virtue! haha I loved those times but not as much as these times.
Ok well thanks family. Thanks for everything. I hope all of know how much I love you and everything I do in this life is so that I can be with all of you once again in our heavenly home with our Heavenly Father who loves us more than anyone. I know that is your goal as well and I wish you luck. Well I got to go. See ya!!!

Your son,
Elder Fitzgerald

Monday, November 23, 2009

Elder Bednar

Hello Family it was so nice hearing from this week haha. This week was very different. Me and my companion added up all the hours that we have been on a bus this week and we have been on a bus for almost 30 hours. We had to ride down to the Doctor in Montevideo just so they could analize my blood and stuff, but this last friday we listened to President Bednar!! That was so crazy!! Candace weren´t you his secretary or were you in his office or something? Elder Bednar gave one of the greatest talks I have heard for a while. We talked alot about how we learn and he taught us that we arent teachers the holy Ghost is the only teacher. He didn´t even realy give us a talk we just asked him a bunch of questions and his answers were amazing. He told us that whenever he goes around he knows that he isnt there to give a talk for everyone he is there to give a talk to just one person. He also said a great line ¨I hope that some of you find comfort in your affilctions, and I hope that others find afflictions in your comforts¨ He taught us alot of things that was definatly the highlight of my week. Wait what happened to chris? He is having a surgery? Jason is on the Basketball team again haha go Jason I am so proud of ya. Crozier!! You are done with the play!! How was it! Chris hey good luck with looking at colleges and applying and all that fun stuff I remember going through alot of that. Mom and Dad happy anniversary I sent a letter and I hope it gets to you soon thanks for your wonderful example in our lives. Oh ya Mom that is so cool that you are in the Stake Relief Society Presidency I know that you were put there by inspiration and i know that you will do a great job. Well family this mission work becomes more and more important to me everyday. Today I had to teach our zone about how we could invite other ot Christ that was freaky and it could have gone alot better but I know that everything will get alot better. The spirit is with every missionary as long as they are obedient and worthy and that is what me and my companion are focusing on. We are becoming more obedient. We are so excited to start with this week on a clean slate and not have to travel anywhere and just go to work. Well thanks for everything Family thank you for your support I will email ya next week.
Your Beloved Son,
Elder Fitzgerald

Monday, November 16, 2009

Mission Work

Hey Family!!
I know that even though you didnt write me I know ya love me. haha jk I am ok. Well I love mission work and I love walking outside preaching the Gospel Everyday!! This week has been fun me and my companion have been teaching, and we have some progressing investigators and we are really excited. We have someone with a baptismal date and we are hoping to put two more this week. So I hope that everything goes fine.
Sorry for my spelling it is getting terrible. I feel like my spanish is getting better, and I am excited I set alot of new goals for myself this week I want to be able to develop more Christlike Attributes so I am going to put that into effect starting today :). I really am learning that when you work hard and you are obedient that the blessings do come. It is kind of hard alot of people we talk to say I have heard you guys before we dont want to listen or we are members but we just dont go to church. We are pushing and we are trying but we really know that only through the Lord will we have success.
We have a new investigator her name is Blanca and she is wonderful she just moved here from Rocha and the missionaries were teaching her over there and she already has a Book of Mormon and everything we are hoping that she still wants to continue forward with the Church.
We did a contact the other day and the man started getting mad at us. He said I know you guys. You guys think you are better then the rest of us and we told him no we are not better then you we are all children of God and God loves us all the same but he wasnt moving an inch hopefully if I see him again I will know what to say.
Chris you should tell Riley Mickelson that his brother is famous down here even the missionaries that came in after him know who he is. Dad I ask everyone if they know you. Can you please send me a list of all the cities that you served in? Well thanks for everything Family. Mom please dont send me conacts because I can use my glasses I dont think they can make it through. On our stuff it says dont send things over 40 dollars I can use them they arent that bad.
Thanks family I hope you have a great week!!
Elder Fitzgerald

Monday, November 9, 2009

First week in Uruguay

Dear Family!
So this first week has been really exciting! Our house it very humble and I love it it is eerything I asked for. Right now we are just eating cereal and it is pretty good, but the members feed us alot better. The other day they have alot of pasta things but they have meat in everything so far ad it is really good. I personally dont miss any of the American stuff I think this stuff is just as great. My companion is from Orem and his parents are mission presidents in Mexico ad that is where Nick Lanson is serving. Today Elder Bulloch received an email from his dad and he said that his dad talked to Elder Landon and ya it is the same one from rexburg Idaho and it is a small world. Oh ya Family I met an old mission president yesterday and his wife is from Idaho falls and when they get home I think on tuesday the wife is planning to call home and I guess say something about me I dont know what she will say but she asked for your number and said she would call ok now spiritual.
I love going out everyday and teaching this gospel and we are teaching a big family we are envolved with their grand parents all the way down to the grandchildren and they are all so nice they all said that they would love to help me with my english which I am very grateful for. We have taught some of the best lessons I think I have done so far it was filled with the spirit and we left commitments and we are hoping it follows through. My companion loves the gospel it is so great. We just came up with a new plan for our area and it is going to be so organized. It was sad alot of our lesson fell through this week so it was alot of contacting. I gave my first talk this week in sacrament meeting in Spanish that was scary I talked for ten minutes about God. Guys this is such a great and Marvellous work. I wish I would have done more before my mission :( This question is for the boys what are your goals you want to acheive in this life I would loe to know :). Ok well thanks family I got to go.

Elder Fitzgerald

P.S. Christopher can you get back on my facebook and email and tell people that my mission has this email address urumontemission@gmail.com it is like dear elder but it prints off right here in the mission and so it will be here every week instead of waiting for weeks and weeks but ya thanks that would be great. I think that my user name is ritch_themanofsteel@hotmail.com thanks Chris I already made the groups so you can click on each group thanks bye

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Uruguay, Here's Ritchie

Ok Uruguay!! Ok so I am in Lascano I am next to the Brazil border my new companion said. My new companion in Elder Bulloch and he has only been out for three months, but he is filled with the spirit and we if very strong and we are planning to work so hard! Oh ya by the way you can tell pattersons that I go to Brazil every week for our zone conferences and we can by american things there so I am excited. Yesterday was a long day of riding on the plane and the bus I mainly just traveld yesterday, but when we finally arrived in the area we went out to work and the first house I clapped at we taught the first lesson and he is one of our new investigadors and we are starting over with the area my companion said so we are going to try so hard to get alot more new investigadors and get some people baptized. Oh ya the family by the way we went to their house but they werent home but we asked their neighbors where they were and they said that they went to a baptism and we had challenged them to go to church and so we were hoping the that the members had already invited them to a baptism I am hoping it was for our church. We still turned in the teaching record just to make sure :). So today is my first real whole day in the area and I am so excited me and my companion have a lot to do today it feels like to me but it is probably just a normal day haha I am used to just sitting in class all day everyday haha. It feels so good to be out preaching the gospel for real and be out in the heart of it now.

So dad there is a guy dow here that makes covers for your scriptures like you have and so I am going to get some for my scriptires as well because mine look kind of plain.

Ok so my glasses are fine I will just use them :) they are a little weird but I can just use them it is fine because I am afraid that I wont get them back.

Sister Fitzgerald that is so funny about Halloween ya we had some surprises at the MTC they decided to try and make it festive and we walked down into the kitchen and everything was covered and they had candy in pumpkins at every table filled with candy and we were like what is going on? then we realized that it was Halloween that was a weird feeling haha.

My companion is really great He really calmed me down about the mission I was worried about messing up in the lessons and also just talking with people but he said dont worry just talk dont worry about being fluent your for awhile. He is going to push but he said dont worry. We are both nervous because he only has six weeks on me and he is my trainer, but he has been in the field for about 2 or three months. I know we will have success in our area because we have the Spirit and we have the drive to teach and Preach this gospel to eeryone and I know with the Lord on our side we can do anything we really can. So I am excited to see what happens these first few weeks :) I know the Chruch is true family and it is the greatest thing in the whole earth. Thanks for your support. Oh ya Mom could you send me for Christmas a photo album like you did for Sister Fitzgerald? that would be nice thanks for everything see ya Family We got to Work!!!!!

Elder Fitzgerald

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Brothers

Thanks Pray for me if this is all I get to type haha sorry I just got down reading all your emails I teach two families tomorrow one abut lesson2
OK sorry i will say one story this family we taught all of lesson one last week and they want to know more and it was a really great lesson and we want to do the best we can sorry I will do the big family email next week first my next email is in Uruguay!!!

Elder Fitzgerald

Ok Crozier I think you should dress up as a prophet! That would awesome set an example for the rest of the school. hah jk You can be whatever you want. That is so cool that the play is going good so far when is opening night?

Jason I am so proud that you ate the Big Jud that is something i never accomplished before my mission. Everything is going good down here :) It is weird that this is my last week here in the MTC. I only have five days left I think and Mom we dont get to call home :( Sorry. Well Jason I cant believe you are in highschool that is so weird and you have been there for a few months now! Is Chris your best bud there?

Christopher I am so glad that you won your football game! I remember how it felt to win our football games in 5th grade it was a great feeling. How was the Halloween Dance with corrine? Argentina is great! We have taught alot more people recently. Chris I want you and Jason to practice sharing one of the lessons in preach my gospel at least every month for family night I think that would have helped me so much! Mom Dad crozier you should come up with different situations for them do it the second monday of every month :) if you want but it will be so good for ya to do. I am so excited to be out in the field and meet my first companion I hope that I am a blessing and not a burden. Ok brothers see ya I got to write my letter to the whole family now :)
Thanks for writing me and Melinda. Oh Chris tell the guys I am doing Great and Tell Paul Tim Ryan and Troy that Spanish is fun and Tell Ryan and Troy that argentina was a great experience. Tell Craig that Denmark I am sure is just as awesome. ok Bye

Elder Fitzgerald

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Press Forward With Steadfastness in Christ!

Well that was so nice to hear about David and his wife Brandy. Sounds like it was a fun and inspiring trip :) Well last saturday was kind of hard when we went proselyting. We went to visit Guillermo and he said he didn´t want to listen anymore. We told him what a difference it could make in his life but he just walked away from us and went with his friends and he looked like he knew it was true but his family is Catholic and his friends are Catholic. My companion said it pretty well. During the Vision of the tree of life there were some who had eaten of the fruit and they still went and joined the ones in the great and spacious building. Well I know one day that he will be a member of the Church and I hope that day is soon.

Well good story our other Cita went through and it was great!! it lasted about 30-40 min. long and we taught all of lesson one and it was to a a guy who had been a catholic minister for 10 years!! When he siad that I got really scared I was like this whole conversation is going to get weird, but the spirit was there and we went through everything he was really interested in the Book of Mormon and he is going to receive lesson two because these next two weeks we are going to a different area.

Mom I leave not this tuesday but next tuesday and I don{t think we get to call :( but maybe I will tell you for sure in my next letter! Ya so I dont have alot of time left here it is so weird!! I am excited to do this everday! Well thanks for your support and I love you all I am so glad to do this work for God and for the people and bring them the restored gospel. We are so blessed!! Love ya Family!!

Elder Fitzgerald

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Guillermo

Hey family it is nice to speak with you once again :). So I have exciting news this is the best thing that happpened in this week. The appoinment went great!! It was actually really intimadating. Guillermo was there, but his friends were there too. They all had piercings and stuff and just dressed like they didn´t want to hear anything we would want to say. But we started and I was thinking ok don´t mess up and I don´t know what it was but every time I talked They started laughing I don´t know if it was accent or if I was saying things wrong and some people told me that when I teach my eyes get really big and so maybe it was that to. I felt so bad though that they would always laugh when I talked. Guillermo though he told them to stop laughing and to knock it off basically then he looked at me and smiled and that made me feel really good. I then bore my strongest testimony on the book of mormon that I could with my knowledge of spanish. So did my companion. Guillermo commited to reading the Book of Mormon and he wants us to come back this week!!! We get to teach lesson two I am so excited I really hope everything goes ok :)!!

Melinda I loved your experience with your investigator. I hope Guillermo has that same feeling that yours had. I love your excitment for the work as well.

Thanks Mom and Dad for the home you raised us in. Really you are the best family guy could ask for :)

Chris got asked by two girls!!! Chris haha thats awesome! I hope you have a blast! You will have to tell me how it goes whos in your group?

Oh Ummm I don´t know what I want for christmas? actually ya I do haha ok so other short sad funny story. So you know how I brought my glasses well the other day we were playing soccer and the ball hit me in the head and the frame broke. They went and fixed it but it is bent still and is crooked on my face and stuff for eyes is expensive down here. Is it possible you guys could send me some more contacts? I have been using my one pair of contacts. So that would be nice. I like Sister Fitzgeralds Idea everyone send me your testimony about Joseph Smith though and Why and How you developed that and in Spanish haha ok not the spanish part. But that is what I would want.

The Language is coming great I think haha. We have had only Latino companions for the past six weeks and the new group just came in and we have latino companions once again. We talk to them for about a half hour every night so it helps alot.

Thanks for Everything Family,
Elder Fitzgerald

Thursday, October 8, 2009

The Work Moves On

Mom thanks for the letter. Ya we got to listen to conference it was a very great day I really liked all of the talks I really liked Elder Hollands and Elder Bednars and Elder Uctdorfs talks they were so good I thought. I loved Elder Hollands testimony about the Book of Mormon. I thought it was very powerful and Elder Uctdorfs about love and Gods love and how love is what keeps everything going. That is what me and my companion are focusing on now is love for the people and so that talk was really nice and helpful. I love Elder Bednars talk to about families that was really good. It made me think of all of you :). Oh mom I am ok I dont have have any problems right now. If I do though I will be sure to let you know.

Well this week was great! We got to go preach the gospel last friday, and the Lord had alot of success. The mission president told us that some guys before have gotten baptisms before they left the mtc. So one of our goals was to baptize a family before we left the mtc. We set up a few appointments for saturday. I am kind of scared we still havent really adjusted the lessons for them yet and we have our test thing tomorrow as well. Well last friday this one guy had a really sad story. He was 96 years old he had been married to his wife for about 65 years and she died last year and he told us to stop wasting our time on him he had nothing left to live for we started talking about the plan of salvation and he just smiled and he said go give this lesson to someone who is younger and has their life ahead of them. He wouldnt let us talk to him. I wish that we would have made a better impact somehow. Ok now a funny story We were walking down the street and there are alot of people down here that clean driveways and little alley ways that lead to apartments off the road. So we see this lady cleaning this alley way and she is pretty far down and we were thinking ok lets yell down to her and teach her the gospel we started saying hi how are ya! she looked down at us turned around picked up her broom and walked into one of the apartments and slammed the door and she didnt say a word it was kind of more funny at the time because that was the first time that ever happened to us haha. Ok now a good story. We had given out all our book of mormons and all our pamphlets except for one and we see this guy painting a sign on the street and we went up to him and he said no dont talk to me i am working and we said sorry but we have come to share a message with you about Jesus Christ. he still didnt act all that interested at first, but then somewhere his countenance changed and I got to talk about Joseph Smith and the first vision and I was looking into his eyes and It really hit me that I really wanted him to believe I really wanted him to know that this was true I told the first vision with feeling and he looked at me and we bore our testimonies and we have an appointment with him in two days and he really wants us to come he said so I am excited :). Mom happy birthday!!!!! Thanks for making sure I get a letter every week and all the love and all the words you put into it. Hopefully my letter gets there soon :) sorry my time is up but thanks for everything family, and Mom you are the best!! Wish me luck!!

Elder Fitzgerald

Thursday, October 1, 2009

AREGENTINA!!

Hello family!! I feel bad there isnt really anything that is all that exciting that I have done this week but I did find out that we get to listen to Elder Bednar out in the mission field!! Also one of the missionaries got sick and he had to get sent home to the states and he cant come back out for 6 months. So I havent spoken english for the past three days that was really hard. We called it an english fast. We didnt get to go proselyting this week because our schedule is really messed up sorry :( I wish I had a really inspirational story. umm Everytime the new guys come in we do this thing called the ugly tie draw we all put our ugly ties in a laundry bag and pull them out and I cant believe how ugly some of these ties are haha, but this week I actually got a better one haha.

Chris that is exciting about your Mr. Madison experience haha ya I liked being in junior miss more as well haha. Sarah Erickson is that Jakes sister? haha that is cool everyone had to steal your answers haha. I am glad that your talent went good :)

Jason football huh and being homecoming duke. Whats happening with the football team this year? You were homecoming duke that is so cool!!! I am glad that you are getting to know my old friends :)

Crozier what is happening in your life? Are you excited they got the wii haha

Tara happy birthday!!! I would send you a letter but I dont have any envelopes!!! Mom where did we put them? Tara I am so excited for ya!! Thanks for all your letters I am sorry as soon as I get envelpoes from someone I will write back to all of them I promise haha.

Sean Kim hows it going whats happening in your lives?

Candace Evan how is your life and Clara?

Haha sorry sister Fitzgerald I think I forgot to mention that was all my companions work I cant communicate really yet haha well fluently.

Sorry family I cant spell in english or spanish anymore haha.

Oh Richard is going to live at our house? sorry is that what you said? I am totally fine with that thats awesome!!

Family thank you for your support you are so nice and awesome!!! thanks for everything that you do for me. I have almost been here for half my time in a couple days so it is kind of wierd haha. Well my time is running out again. Everyone keep telling me what is happening in your lives so that I still know ya by the time I get back :)

Thursday, September 24, 2009

RE: Dearest Fitzgerald Missionaries

Thank you for the address and for the birthdays I just wanted to be sure that they were all right. Wow Chris I kow with you that will be a hit! You will do great! So what is happening in jasons life. I havent heard anything about him yet and crozier how is the play coming? Chris you better right me your self and tell me what happens at Mr. Madison!! Tell Ryan and Adam that it is a very new and fun experience they are going to treasure. Tell everyone I am doing great I guess haha. Nothing bad has happened yet. Actually everything has been getting better and better we just got some of the new guys in today and it is weird to think that I only have 6 more weeks here!!! Yesterday was our first day tracting for 6 hours and we got a huge area and we talked to a lot of people the Lord blessed us I knew it. We gave out alot of pamphlets and commited everyone to do something at least and I we gave out some book of mormons and we met a guy from the united states actually and he spoke english and we started talking to to him and he told us that we shouldnt waste our time with him. He was devote atheist and it was so sad to hear his thoughts we asked him what happened to us when we died and he said we go back to being nothing just like we were before we were born. We talked but he wasnt interested and so we finally left, but that was probably the only down part. We talked to this lady named Patricia and we got her right before she got in the house and we talked for her for awhile and we did the first vision and everything and the spirit was storng and we gave her a book of mormon and she made sure we had her address but it is sad that was our last time in that area and we go to a new one next week. So hopefully the other missionaries follow through with her. When do Ryan and Adam leave by the way? or are they gone? The language is slowly coming. We just lost or old latino roommates and got new ones and they dont know any english so it helps haha its fun. Just to end off there was this other family we talked to and at first when we talked to them they said oh no we are evangelists (I think it is in English) then we were smooth we sid something other things and we started teaching them again with out them realy noticing and then by the end they were really interested and we told them the first vision and gave them a book of mormon as well and got their address. We taught alot more people as weel but those were my favorites I am so glad I have companions that know more then I do haha. Well Famliy I cant wait to hear from you next week. Love you Missionaries!!! Chris get on my facebook and tell everyone to just mail me at Dearelder.com my email is ritch_themanofsteel@hotmail.com tell them I am only hear for 6 more weeks and then I am out in the field Bye family!!!

Elder Fitzgerald

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Hello!

That was so nice to hear from you pamily it feels weird to read these emails and see elder fitzgerald because it feels like you are not my family haha then I realize that it is you haha I have to read over it a couple times haha. Ok well we went out on saturday into the real world and we talked to the people ya we don{t get graded by the teachers we get graded by the people. Well hear in argentina the fields are just piled with junk one of the other companionships went and the neighbour hood got together and were burning their trash all together it sounded fun. The people are so nice and good though!!! I love the people their are so ready to hear what we have to say even though we don{t know how to say it. The first guy we saw actually started yelling something and waved his fist at us but besides that everyone was great. We walked with this older man down this street and we gave him a fulleto and he smiled shook our hands and walked away we also met a member and we asked him if there was anyone he knew we could teach and he took us to this house and we actually started the first lesson with the guy but the member had to retranslate some of the things we were saying haha but it is so nice to be bringing this message to the people. We had 16 contacts taught 4 lessons gave out about 16 pamphlets and we gave out a book of mormon and commmited 4 people to come to church that sunday it felt pretty good. We get to go to the same are this week so we already know what its like and everything so we know what places we want to hit next. That is so cool jason that you are sophmore duke! I am so glad that you are in the play Crozier!! Make me proud! haha. Chris what are you doing for Mr. Madison? Well I cant believe that i have been here for two weeks it is going by so fast!! It feels like I just wrote you yesterday. I realy like the MTC we get taught alot here. On sunday we always get to watch a movie and we all get so excited! So far we have watched The restoration and the movie about Christ. The old guys here leave in about 5 days and then we are going to be in the middle it is so weird because it feels like these other guys we are with are so much older then the rest of us. My teachers are the best in the world the girl teacher Hermana Davila loves me! She always talks to me with a big smile on her face and Hermano Trigeuros is so cool he came up to my companionship and just gave us a huge hug and he sayed how much hey enjoyed being our teahcer. I know that heavenly father watches over us and I know that if we are constantly in the scriptures we can learn so much from the spirit. I am so grateful for you pamily and for your support that you give me. Well I guess I will have even more to tell you next week! Hey what is richards address? and just to let you know dear elder letters take forever to get hear!! Send me evryones birthday to in the next email thanks family!! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Your brother, son,
Elder Fitzgerald

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Thanks!

Wow I am so glad that you guys miss me. I am sorry if i spell alot of words wrong spanish really messes up your spelling!!! The MTC is very fun and spiritual. My two companions both have had 4 years of spanish and in our room we have 2 natives. My companions know enough spanish to actually communicate I feel a little behind but it is ok I know that I will learn this language eventually. Chris Jason and Crozier holy cow prepare for your mission now! Read through preach my gospel practice the lessons! Dont take high school spanish from madison it doesnt help at all. Ok so dad I have had asado and a chorizo already! They are good they serve it every friday. There are only about 45 missionaries here sisters and elders. So my first day was so confusing I am so sorry my letter was so short the other day I was the last one to come in and they wanted us to hurry along and so i had to type very fast. Hey can you guys send me a letter with dear elder I want to see if it works. I sent myself a letter awhile ago and I still havent received it. We listened to a talk given by elder holland it was so good!! It made me feel so good!! The MtC is really intense you do so much studying!! We always get to have about an hour and a half of sports though and we always play on the conche i think that is what it is called. it has a basketball hoop with a soccer goal underneath. Ok guys I lied I really do like soccer. Little brothers please start preparing now seriously! use your time wisely and start planning your days with an agenda!! I love you guys! I go proselyting at the end of this week for my first time. I already have to be able to teach the first lesson in spanish and I am giving prayers in spanish and I give my testimony in spanish as well to. Spanish is a fun language to learn. I know you guys hating reading emails but really it makes me feel so good to think that you guys are evening around the computer listening to this. Sorry I think you sent me another letter and it wont let me read it hopefully I will be able to see it next week. Ask me all the questions you want i would be happy to answer them. Lets see oh I got my haircut. I don{t remember if I told you about my companions Elder Hinton is from Arizona and Elder Ferguson is from texas and we are a great trio! I really like serving with these guys!! man time runs out so fast!!! Dad they really like soccer down here. The natives are so funny they try and teach us spanish all the time I had a cookie eating contest with them just recently! Thanks for eveything you have done for me family all of you you have all been great examples to me I apreciate that. Always turn to God and jesus christ they love us I know because when I first got here I felt alone and lost and then after that talk by elder holland he told us to forget ourselves and that we are here for the lord and to turn our hearts to him I put that into action and now I feel great! I cant wait till I get to see you in two years haha. I cant believe i have already been here a week it is crazy! Our whole district is filled with a bunch of cool fun guys! I am so glad I get to serve with them. Oh ya arriving in the country was so funny no one speaks english. My teacher though he speaks perfect english and he learned it from the movies haha can you believe that! Dad my MTC president also served in Uruguay!! Ok well I better get off now. I love you family I hope you all enjoy my letter haha. Wish me luck on saturday!!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

I am here!!

Hey Family!!! I am here and i am safe haha. Well I am supposed to keep this short. The trip was fun but really long!! We met with a bunch of other missionaries and they are all cool. I will hopefully be able to write a better letter next week. I have a bunch of good stories all ready :).

Love your elder!!!
Ritchie Fitzgerald