Happy belated Thanksgiving and HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!! 11/29/10
Everyone here asked us if we eat turkey for Thanksgiving in the States. ¨Well, Yes we do.¨ And then they would laugh or smile, ¨How American!¨ haha
For Thanksgiving, Hermana Freeman and I made squash (the most Thanksgiving-like food we could think of) and brownies. We also bought a homemade alfajor that was divine - I am grateful for Argentine Panaderías! :)
We have 8 bautismal dates!!!!!! WOOOOHHOOOOO!!!! 7 are for the 19th of Diciembre and 1 is for the first of March... but it´s a goal! HOWEVER, NO ONE came to church again! It´s been ridiculous - now that we actually have fechas and muchos investigadores, no one is coming to church! But when we found out what happened, Ayelen got sick pero mal and couldn´t take Franco, the familia Roberto left for another Provincia for the weekend, etc. It was really hard for me this week - I had read Doctrina y Convenios 18 when it talks about the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. I felt the love of God for these people and there was a hole in my heart - after EVERYTHING we do for them, pray for them, teach them with the Spirit, read the BOM with them, they still do not understand that what they choose to do today has significant eternal consequences. I do not lose faith, however, I have learned a great, great, great deal of patience on my mission. I need to just have faith and be still - because I know that the Lord guides and directs this work. We will have success - I have faith that we will.
So, I thought I´d give you a little run down of missionary life, tell you a little about our nuevos investigadores, and an update on Oscar:
Missionary life - Hermana Freeman and I are walking a TON! Pobrecita - she is a trooper! We´ve been running around - our area is HUGE and we´ve had citas in almost every part of the area. We get up, shower, study, share and practice something to teach. I sometimes get emotional about what I am learning because I enjoy every single minute of time I have with my scriptures and hate when studying is over! Afterward, we run and get some work down before lunch. Lunch is the big meal of the day - so we often have it with members who love to talk and talk and talk (I love Argies!)- and give us heeping amounts of Italian and Argentine food. After sharing a spiritual thought trying to get them animo-ed up to help us in the Obra Misional, we go to work! We have citas or we contact people in the streets. We´re trying to get more and more referencias. At night, we come home exhausted, and plan for the next day. Then our district leader calls (Elder Fuenzalida from Chile) and we tell him a funny story that happened that day, then give him the datos. We often are running around trying to get to bed on time in between writing in our journals and brushing our teeth. Sometimes we make food too - something small to eat for dinner. That´s a day!
But my favorite parts of the day are the lessons we have where we can feel the Spirit of the Lord working in people´s lives. Sometimes, I feel the Spirit so strongly, witnessing of the truth, but they neglect the Spirit they feel. But sometimes you can see them accepting the light and truth - and their face and eyes change. It´s magnificent.
Here are some new investigadores:
Mariana - Her Dad and Sister are members from the other Stake. She wants to know if this church is for her. We had a powerful lesson and felt like she is ready. We talked about recognizing the Spirit - she said she´d read and pray. She has an earnest desire to know. Mariana worked the rest of the week and hasn´t answered her phone. Pray for her!
Victoria y Ivan - a young couple (like 20 and 21) - victoria took interest and the other hermanas taught her. We explained SO much about the Book of Mormon, and then Hermana Freeman said, ¨But you have to see for yourself and ask God if it´s true.¨ Ivan´s face changed - it hit him, we could see it and feel it. Victoria seemed more interested in the end, but I hope they both will read and pray!
Hugo- an older man (50ish) who is very, very spiritual. He has read a lot, been to quite a few churches, and knows the Bible very, very well. It was an INCREDIBLE experience teaching him because I know I was not teaching alone - the Spirit was guiding me in every aspect. I don´t think I´ve spoken better Spanish my whole mission as I did during this occasion. He has a lot of doubts - Evangelicals believe that Christ left the Holy Ghost to lead and guide us and that we don´t need a prophet-, but is ready to read the Book of Mormon.
Miguel Angel - an incredibly interesting man who has tried all different kinds of religions - Hindu, Buddhist, Evangelical, Catolico, etc. He said he believes in Christ and didn´t like when someone started shaking in the Evangelical church. He says he´s made his ¨own church¨ inside of him and his ¨own views¨ because he hasn´t found one church that´s right for him. He loved the Joseph Smith story - ¨I´m kinda like Joseph, looking for the right church.¨ He said he works in Buenos Aires during the week, but comes home on Sundays, so he´ll go to church this coming week. When I asked him to be baptized or at least go to the baptism reunion that we have on the 19th, he said, ¨Ok! What do I wear?¨ When I smiled and said, ¨White, but we have it there for you,¨ he said, ¨I have white clothes - I love white, it´s the color of God.¨ He´s great, a crazy but wonderful child of our Heavenly Father - we´re really hopeful with him!
Oscar is doing GREAT!!! We had a lesson about diezmo (tithing) and he said, ¨I was just thinking about that this last week... how do I pay it again? I´ll go ahead and talk to the Bishop on Sunday if that´s ok...¨ He also told us that he read the Principios del Evangelio (Gospel Principles) TWICE already and I asked him to start the Book of Mormon. ¨But I´m already halfway through, Hermana!¨ WOW. I love Oscar - he has changed my life just by his example and sweet Spirit.
Hermana Freeman is GREAT! She is so organized, so chill - probably the easiest roommate I´ve had yet, and she is just as obsessed with chocolate as I am! :) I am learning more from her than she is from me - and I´ve felt more help from the Lord with Spanish, with teaching, with comprometering (how do you say that in English?), and just with everything. I´ve still been pretty stressed, but we take it one step at a time and I´ve learned to just let a lot of things go that don´t matter, and just not let the stress get to me as badly. I have great leaders who help and support and our Lider Misional is stepping up a TON! I feel very, very blessed.
I LOVE being a missionary! I LOVE the principles, truths, doctrines, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ. I just read D & C 20 when the Lord, through his prophet Joseph Smith, organized the church on the earth - and it gives the first 3 lessons in a few verses. It´s so simple and so important - come unto Christ and be perfected in HIM! I am trying my best to help others do so.
I love you ALL and think of you often!!!!!!
HUGS HUGS HUGS!
¡Ánimo y adelante!
Hermana Tingey
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
My Hija!
¡FAMILIA BUENÍSIMA! 11/22/10
YES, I am still in Mar del Plata! The climate can´t decide if it´s warm or still cold - and it finally caught up to me. I´m a little sick, RIGHT when I got my Hija!
Hermana Kylie Freeman from Arizona. She is WONDERFUL!!!!! I stayed with Hna. LaPray (my friend from the MTC) in Puerto until she came on Wednesday -and boy was I a crazy-excited entrenadora! She is 24, graduated from BYU-I in History, has been living and working with her family for about two years. She was toying with the idea of serving a mission when she received a father´s blessing that said, ¨You know what you have to do. You already have your answer.¨ Needless to say, her papers were in and in 6 weeks she was in the MTC!
She is amazing!!! Hermana Freeman is organized, prompt, very particular, very sweet, gentle and laid back - everything I am not, so we make a GREAT team!
She speaks sooo clearly! She cannot understand very much that people say, so I have been praying fervently for the gift of interpretation of tongues. I have been very, very blessed - the Lord has greatly strengthened me in this time of need. I understand everything!
I am still struggling with Spanish, though. I am speaking a TON better! :) But I need to be able to pronunciate better and use better grammar usage. Please keep that in your prayers, but pray more for Hermana Freeman for her need is greater than mine.
HUMILITY is the word of the week. WOW, I got SHAFTED over and over and over again. It was actually kind of funny - from the moment Hna. Freeman came, the taxi driver yelled at me that he didn´t want to live the Word of Wisdom, a member yelled at me and said that I can´t promise blessings because it all depends on the will of the Lord, and no one came to church last week. It was a bummer. However, amidst all of this, I have been laughing and laughing, but thinking, ¨What in the world happened here?¨ Life has its ups and downs- and it´s been certainly a ton of great stories for Hna. Freeman to have in her first area.
The prayer list has not changed...because not many are keeping their compromisos. This week we are looking forward to praying and perhaps fasting, to see who we need to focus on. To see who are the escogidos of the Lord. Needless to say, I am very happy with the work right now. It is hard, but I am very energetic, especially with my newbie. She is always PUMPED to work and serve the Lord. I have been jumping up and down too - it´s just a wonderful feeling to always remember WHY we are here. That we are servants of the Lord working diligently to help bring about His work and His glory -because it is the same as the Father´s -the immortality and eternal life of man.
My goal is to serve my companion and a los demas more this week. Make sure you all check up and verify if I did it or not!
¡QUÉ MARAVILLOSA LA OBRA del SEÑOR!
Love you all SOOO much! Ánimo y adelante - como siempre!
La Hermana Tingey
YES, I am still in Mar del Plata! The climate can´t decide if it´s warm or still cold - and it finally caught up to me. I´m a little sick, RIGHT when I got my Hija!
Hermana Kylie Freeman from Arizona. She is WONDERFUL!!!!! I stayed with Hna. LaPray (my friend from the MTC) in Puerto until she came on Wednesday -and boy was I a crazy-excited entrenadora! She is 24, graduated from BYU-I in History, has been living and working with her family for about two years. She was toying with the idea of serving a mission when she received a father´s blessing that said, ¨You know what you have to do. You already have your answer.¨ Needless to say, her papers were in and in 6 weeks she was in the MTC!
She is amazing!!! Hermana Freeman is organized, prompt, very particular, very sweet, gentle and laid back - everything I am not, so we make a GREAT team!
She speaks sooo clearly! She cannot understand very much that people say, so I have been praying fervently for the gift of interpretation of tongues. I have been very, very blessed - the Lord has greatly strengthened me in this time of need. I understand everything!
I am still struggling with Spanish, though. I am speaking a TON better! :) But I need to be able to pronunciate better and use better grammar usage. Please keep that in your prayers, but pray more for Hermana Freeman for her need is greater than mine.
HUMILITY is the word of the week. WOW, I got SHAFTED over and over and over again. It was actually kind of funny - from the moment Hna. Freeman came, the taxi driver yelled at me that he didn´t want to live the Word of Wisdom, a member yelled at me and said that I can´t promise blessings because it all depends on the will of the Lord, and no one came to church last week. It was a bummer. However, amidst all of this, I have been laughing and laughing, but thinking, ¨What in the world happened here?¨ Life has its ups and downs- and it´s been certainly a ton of great stories for Hna. Freeman to have in her first area.
The prayer list has not changed...because not many are keeping their compromisos. This week we are looking forward to praying and perhaps fasting, to see who we need to focus on. To see who are the escogidos of the Lord. Needless to say, I am very happy with the work right now. It is hard, but I am very energetic, especially with my newbie. She is always PUMPED to work and serve the Lord. I have been jumping up and down too - it´s just a wonderful feeling to always remember WHY we are here. That we are servants of the Lord working diligently to help bring about His work and His glory -because it is the same as the Father´s -the immortality and eternal life of man.
My goal is to serve my companion and a los demas more this week. Make sure you all check up and verify if I did it or not!
¡QUÉ MARAVILLOSA LA OBRA del SEÑOR!
Love you all SOOO much! Ánimo y adelante - como siempre!
La Hermana Tingey
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
I contacted a Nun! :)
Familia,
You all got pictures!!! Yeah, Hermana Olsen is a CAPA! I didn´t know she sent pictures to her family. I got a copy of her fotos, so I will try to make copies for you guys too and send it. Oscar is SO wonderful! Yeahhh for that wonderful day! And I LOVE my missionary plaque (tag) - Hermana Tingey. It´s part of me now - just like how Argentina is.
Mar del Plata is not exactly what you would call ¨warm¨ or ¨summer.¨ It´s been getting warm-ER, but it´s still very very windy and at night, like at 7, it´s FREEZING! haha We are right on the tip, where Argentina juts out in the Atlantic, so we get lots of storms and cruddy weather, but it´s still beautiful to me. Maybe because it´s the first time I´ve lived 20 minutes away from a beach!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ELIZABETH AND BEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, I CONTACTED A NUN TODAY!!!!!!!!
We were walking from Centro and I just said hola! She´s from Germany but has been living here for about 40 years. I talked about my life as a missionary, my family, Christ´s love, and JOSEPH SMITH!!!!!! She had said, ¨Sometimes we wonder why there are so many churches...¨ So I told her about Joseph Smith because I know it to be true. She got upset and said that any church that´s a separation from ¨God´s church¨ is not correct, but we left on good terms. I hope she remembers what I said. She´s a wonderful woman and I walked away smiling - wow, I did not fear. I just bore witness of the truthfulness that I know! It was AWESOME!!!!!!!
We had Zone Conference last week. I got to see all of my old Zone leaders who are now assistants to the Presidente, I got to see and chat with Hermana Detlesen, and I had an interview with Presidente!
Presidente is amazing! He is truly inspired - and always speaks with the Spirit. I asked him a lot of questions about my area and a few investigadores, really taking advantage of the time with him. He asked if I felt ready to train. ¨You´re not so young anymore, huh?¨ ¨No, Presidente. I realize that.¨ I told him I felt prepared, but a little nervous and I knew that I would be learning a GREAT deal! I´ve been studying leadership in the manual misional and making goals about what we want to do this transfer. I was studying about stewardship - that´s a concept I want to look into more. We are going to be judged for what we have stewardship over and as a trainer, now, I have a huge responsibility.
I absolutely LOVE the scripures! I LOVE our living prophets! I LOVE the Restoration, the Plan of Salvation, the Evangelio de Jesucristo! I am hoping and praying the family ROBERTO will get baptized on the 27th of November - but probably a future date because they didn´t come to church this week.
HUGS HUGS HUGS HUGS HUGS!!!! ¡Ánimo y adelante!
Hermana Tingey
You all got pictures!!! Yeah, Hermana Olsen is a CAPA! I didn´t know she sent pictures to her family. I got a copy of her fotos, so I will try to make copies for you guys too and send it. Oscar is SO wonderful! Yeahhh for that wonderful day! And I LOVE my missionary plaque (tag) - Hermana Tingey. It´s part of me now - just like how Argentina is.
Mar del Plata is not exactly what you would call ¨warm¨ or ¨summer.¨ It´s been getting warm-ER, but it´s still very very windy and at night, like at 7, it´s FREEZING! haha We are right on the tip, where Argentina juts out in the Atlantic, so we get lots of storms and cruddy weather, but it´s still beautiful to me. Maybe because it´s the first time I´ve lived 20 minutes away from a beach!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ELIZABETH AND BEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, I CONTACTED A NUN TODAY!!!!!!!!
We were walking from Centro and I just said hola! She´s from Germany but has been living here for about 40 years. I talked about my life as a missionary, my family, Christ´s love, and JOSEPH SMITH!!!!!! She had said, ¨Sometimes we wonder why there are so many churches...¨ So I told her about Joseph Smith because I know it to be true. She got upset and said that any church that´s a separation from ¨God´s church¨ is not correct, but we left on good terms. I hope she remembers what I said. She´s a wonderful woman and I walked away smiling - wow, I did not fear. I just bore witness of the truthfulness that I know! It was AWESOME!!!!!!!
We had Zone Conference last week. I got to see all of my old Zone leaders who are now assistants to the Presidente, I got to see and chat with Hermana Detlesen, and I had an interview with Presidente!
Presidente is amazing! He is truly inspired - and always speaks with the Spirit. I asked him a lot of questions about my area and a few investigadores, really taking advantage of the time with him. He asked if I felt ready to train. ¨You´re not so young anymore, huh?¨ ¨No, Presidente. I realize that.¨ I told him I felt prepared, but a little nervous and I knew that I would be learning a GREAT deal! I´ve been studying leadership in the manual misional and making goals about what we want to do this transfer. I was studying about stewardship - that´s a concept I want to look into more. We are going to be judged for what we have stewardship over and as a trainer, now, I have a huge responsibility.
I absolutely LOVE the scripures! I LOVE our living prophets! I LOVE the Restoration, the Plan of Salvation, the Evangelio de Jesucristo! I am hoping and praying the family ROBERTO will get baptized on the 27th of November - but probably a future date because they didn´t come to church this week.
HUGS HUGS HUGS HUGS HUGS!!!! ¡Ánimo y adelante!
Hermana Tingey
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
I´M TRAINING!!!!!!! (...and I got robbed!)
Querida familia mia, 11/9/10
I love you all SO much! I thought about you so much this week - especially as I happily poured through the birthday messages and cards, pictures, and gifts. You are all SO thoughtful! It was not without tears - but good tears because I felt very close to HOME. Hermana Olsen had decorated all the walls in the house with post-it notes of love and Feliz Cumpleanos .... and scriptures of OLD fogies. Like ¨Abraham waxed OLD...¨ ¨Lehi grew OLD and DIED...¨ What a creative girl! :)
One of the members of the ward named Liliana and her husband (who claims he´s Jewish and refuses to read the BOM) welcomed us over and had a birthday cake and balloons. It was so sweet! Then I met our new family... who has 4 Baptismal Dates! woohooo! They put on good ól country music from the USA and we laughed together. We taught them to pray as a family - it was great to be in their house for my cumpleanos. THEN, to end the day, our awesome ¨nueva¨ family (which means ¨new family,¨ :) haha) made us pizzas and celebrated together. I went home very happy and STUFFED! :)
One of the biggest surprises for my birthday was that I found out I´M TRAINING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They told me early because on Sunday, I was shipped off on a 8 hour bus ride to Bahia Blanca for a leadership capacitación. Everyone says they were not surprised - Hermana Olsen has been saying that I would train for weeks now. I am nervous because it´s a lot of responsibility and I want to be the best ¨Mama¨ I can be for my mission ¨Hija.¨ I feel like I have been well-trained for this responsibility -everything before the mission and throughout the mission so far - but I hope I can be just like my entrainadora was for me. I have been planning it since before the mission when I heard Kyle Sipherd talk about Ben as a trainer or when my capacitadora en the MTC described her experience training, ¨What would I do as a trainer?¨ and NOW, I get to live the experience! Dad, Ben, family, anyone have any advice and help for this special calling?
So, we got to Bahia Blanca and I stayed in La Falda (my old area) for the night. It was SOOO weird! I saw Hna. Abarzua del Canto and the Abuelos that lived in front of us. I felt very different in my area - it´s funny when you don´t have the responsibility anymore, it´s just empty. I know how you feel going back to Montreal, Dad.
We went to the training meeting and I met two Elders - Elder GOATES and Elder UBBEN! I was sooo excited to meet them because Ben taught them in the MTC a long time ago. I showed them a picture of Ben and Jackie´s wedding and they said, ¨WHOOO! Hermano Tingey got married!!!¨ :)
So, I am always VERY, VERY careful with my personal belongings - money, camera, etc. - everywhere I am because I´m in Argentina... that´s just how it is here. BUT JUST today we left our bags in another room for the training and went to eat for about 20 minutes. When we came back, 6 Elders and us two Hermanas looked in our bags and saw that someone had stolen our CAMERAS! My heart about melted! ALL my pictures from Mar Del Plata are GONE forever. I was sick to my stomach. I felt so bad because I had felt the Spirit talking to me many, many times that morning -don´t bring your camera...put your camera in YOUR scripture bag and now in Hermana LaPray´s bag.... and I ignored every single one. I had also been feeling the Spirit for WEEKS telling me to figure out how to upload my pictures, etc. I had been going to different internet servers to try and upload the pictures, but I can´t find ONE that is safe to do it in or that even allows me to. I had been frustrated for weeks and weeks trying to put my pictures up so my Family can see my mission! So needless to say, I was in shock and stressed and upset as we started the leadership training. I felt horrible that I had ignored the Spirit and didn´t do as I was directed... I felt sick that I lost all of my pictures from Mar Del Plata and now my camera, just as I am getting a Hija... and President looked at me and said, ¨You are such a good Hermana!¨
I learned a LOT from the leadership training and practicing, but that was the best part for me - ¨You are such a good Hermana!¨ I will ALWAYS try to follow the promptings of the Spirit from now on. And President knows that- the Lord knows that - my Father in Heaven knows that. President has never seen me do ANYTHING correctly in the mission, but he doesn´t have to to know where my heart is. I made a grave error - a horrible, horrible mistake leaving my camera in another room when I´ve been SO meticulously careful with it for months and months and months- however, I can´t beat myself up. I am a GOOD Hermana who is trying my best. I have to be content with that. And I am.
Mom and Dad - your emails were very, very inspired! I appreciated the story from Dad and Mom helping me see the good. You two know my weaknesses and love me and help me overcome them. I am trying my best to focus on the Holy Ghost - the Spirit of God that burns like a fire within us - that teaches us, guides us, and helps us use and feel the love of God in our lives. Today my lider de zona said, ¨There are always three people teaching and testifying in the lesson - you, your companion, and the Spirit.¨ My goal as a missionary, as a soon to be Mama, as a daughter of my loving Heavenly Father, is to be still - to listen - to lead the Holy Spirit guide me.
Tender mercies of the Lord - JUSTO after everything that happened, I receive the Halloween package from Mom (SOOO cute! Hermana Olsen LOVED it soooo much!) and also a surprise birthday package from the Olsen Family! I also got a letter from my companion in the MTC Hermana Crosby. And I was able to talk to and get to know Elder Ubben on the trip back, one of the Elders Ben taught. I felt the love from all of you. I don´t have my camera and I don´t have all my mission fotos, but I have the love of God, the love of the Lord, the love of family and friends, and I am happy. I have felt the strength of the Lord through His Spirit lifting me up and strengthening me. I know He will as I begin the journey of training next week! (She will arrive on Wednesday morning next week!)
I love this gospel! I love my mission - every trial, every blessing!
¡Animo y adelante! HUGS HUGS HUGS!!!!
Hermana Tingey
To answer your question about P-days: we used to be able to play Ultimate or soccer or something, but ever since Elder Aiudukaitis came and a few Elders accidently broke limbs, President took away district and zone P-day actividades. Now, P-days are tough because we have to stay in our areas... but we´ve been given permission to see the Hermanas once and since we´re in Centro Mar Del Plata, there´s a lot more to do in our area than there is in some of the obscure areas of the Elders.
I love you all SO much! I thought about you so much this week - especially as I happily poured through the birthday messages and cards, pictures, and gifts. You are all SO thoughtful! It was not without tears - but good tears because I felt very close to HOME. Hermana Olsen had decorated all the walls in the house with post-it notes of love and Feliz Cumpleanos .... and scriptures of OLD fogies. Like ¨Abraham waxed OLD...¨ ¨Lehi grew OLD and DIED...¨ What a creative girl! :)
One of the members of the ward named Liliana and her husband (who claims he´s Jewish and refuses to read the BOM) welcomed us over and had a birthday cake and balloons. It was so sweet! Then I met our new family... who has 4 Baptismal Dates! woohooo! They put on good ól country music from the USA and we laughed together. We taught them to pray as a family - it was great to be in their house for my cumpleanos. THEN, to end the day, our awesome ¨nueva¨ family (which means ¨new family,¨ :) haha) made us pizzas and celebrated together. I went home very happy and STUFFED! :)
One of the biggest surprises for my birthday was that I found out I´M TRAINING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They told me early because on Sunday, I was shipped off on a 8 hour bus ride to Bahia Blanca for a leadership capacitación. Everyone says they were not surprised - Hermana Olsen has been saying that I would train for weeks now. I am nervous because it´s a lot of responsibility and I want to be the best ¨Mama¨ I can be for my mission ¨Hija.¨ I feel like I have been well-trained for this responsibility -everything before the mission and throughout the mission so far - but I hope I can be just like my entrainadora was for me. I have been planning it since before the mission when I heard Kyle Sipherd talk about Ben as a trainer or when my capacitadora en the MTC described her experience training, ¨What would I do as a trainer?¨ and NOW, I get to live the experience! Dad, Ben, family, anyone have any advice and help for this special calling?
So, we got to Bahia Blanca and I stayed in La Falda (my old area) for the night. It was SOOO weird! I saw Hna. Abarzua del Canto and the Abuelos that lived in front of us. I felt very different in my area - it´s funny when you don´t have the responsibility anymore, it´s just empty. I know how you feel going back to Montreal, Dad.
We went to the training meeting and I met two Elders - Elder GOATES and Elder UBBEN! I was sooo excited to meet them because Ben taught them in the MTC a long time ago. I showed them a picture of Ben and Jackie´s wedding and they said, ¨WHOOO! Hermano Tingey got married!!!¨ :)
So, I am always VERY, VERY careful with my personal belongings - money, camera, etc. - everywhere I am because I´m in Argentina... that´s just how it is here. BUT JUST today we left our bags in another room for the training and went to eat for about 20 minutes. When we came back, 6 Elders and us two Hermanas looked in our bags and saw that someone had stolen our CAMERAS! My heart about melted! ALL my pictures from Mar Del Plata are GONE forever. I was sick to my stomach. I felt so bad because I had felt the Spirit talking to me many, many times that morning -don´t bring your camera...put your camera in YOUR scripture bag and now in Hermana LaPray´s bag.... and I ignored every single one. I had also been feeling the Spirit for WEEKS telling me to figure out how to upload my pictures, etc. I had been going to different internet servers to try and upload the pictures, but I can´t find ONE that is safe to do it in or that even allows me to. I had been frustrated for weeks and weeks trying to put my pictures up so my Family can see my mission! So needless to say, I was in shock and stressed and upset as we started the leadership training. I felt horrible that I had ignored the Spirit and didn´t do as I was directed... I felt sick that I lost all of my pictures from Mar Del Plata and now my camera, just as I am getting a Hija... and President looked at me and said, ¨You are such a good Hermana!¨
I learned a LOT from the leadership training and practicing, but that was the best part for me - ¨You are such a good Hermana!¨ I will ALWAYS try to follow the promptings of the Spirit from now on. And President knows that- the Lord knows that - my Father in Heaven knows that. President has never seen me do ANYTHING correctly in the mission, but he doesn´t have to to know where my heart is. I made a grave error - a horrible, horrible mistake leaving my camera in another room when I´ve been SO meticulously careful with it for months and months and months- however, I can´t beat myself up. I am a GOOD Hermana who is trying my best. I have to be content with that. And I am.
Mom and Dad - your emails were very, very inspired! I appreciated the story from Dad and Mom helping me see the good. You two know my weaknesses and love me and help me overcome them. I am trying my best to focus on the Holy Ghost - the Spirit of God that burns like a fire within us - that teaches us, guides us, and helps us use and feel the love of God in our lives. Today my lider de zona said, ¨There are always three people teaching and testifying in the lesson - you, your companion, and the Spirit.¨ My goal as a missionary, as a soon to be Mama, as a daughter of my loving Heavenly Father, is to be still - to listen - to lead the Holy Spirit guide me.
Tender mercies of the Lord - JUSTO after everything that happened, I receive the Halloween package from Mom (SOOO cute! Hermana Olsen LOVED it soooo much!) and also a surprise birthday package from the Olsen Family! I also got a letter from my companion in the MTC Hermana Crosby. And I was able to talk to and get to know Elder Ubben on the trip back, one of the Elders Ben taught. I felt the love from all of you. I don´t have my camera and I don´t have all my mission fotos, but I have the love of God, the love of the Lord, the love of family and friends, and I am happy. I have felt the strength of the Lord through His Spirit lifting me up and strengthening me. I know He will as I begin the journey of training next week! (She will arrive on Wednesday morning next week!)
I love this gospel! I love my mission - every trial, every blessing!
¡Animo y adelante! HUGS HUGS HUGS!!!!
Hermana Tingey
To answer your question about P-days: we used to be able to play Ultimate or soccer or something, but ever since Elder Aiudukaitis came and a few Elders accidently broke limbs, President took away district and zone P-day actividades. Now, P-days are tough because we have to stay in our areas... but we´ve been given permission to see the Hermanas once and since we´re in Centro Mar Del Plata, there´s a lot more to do in our area than there is in some of the obscure areas of the Elders.
Monday, November 1, 2010
ARRRRRRIIBBBAAAA - MI CUMPLE! :)
I wish I could describe every experience I have everyday, but here
were three that came to mind that I would like to share: OSCAR, HNA.
OLSEN, Y UNA NUEVA FAMILIA!!!!
OSCAR- Our milagro! Our converso Oscar just received the Priesthood
last week. When we visited him this week, he was BEAMING! ¨The first
thing I did with my Priesthood was share the gospel!¨ He called his
family in Tampa, Florida and told them, ¨GO to the Mormon Church and
look for the Hermanas there!¨ Oscar also said that he was going to
call his family in Spain. I think I beamed bigger and brighter than
Oscar. I remember what Ben told me, ¨One baptism never means just one
baptism,¨ and now I see why. I haven´t felt very effective as a
baptizing missionary, but I hope and pray that Oscar´s family will go
and do what a new Priesthood holder recommended. His faith is
incredible - he is a miracle!
And that´s not everything! We gave Oscar the Temple Preparation book
to read for the next visit we had this week. We were walking by his
house doing contacts when he yelled, ¨HERMANAS!¨ We walked over to him
and he said he had stayed up until 3 o´clock in the morning reading
the book! He told me his favorite part was about the sealings. The
Spirit was so strong. I testified of the wonderful blessings of the
temples and how it has blessed my life. THIS IS MY GOAL!!! As a
missionary, my goal has been to help everyone prepare to go through
the temple and receive the blessings of the temple. I try to help
investigadores, menos activos, members, todos to come unto Christ and
receive their endowment and have an eternal family. That´s what I want
for them.
HNA. OLSEN - My capisima compañera! She has been having some trouble
lately (as do all missionaries) of getting down on ourselves. All
week she did not feel good enough - she did not feel like she was
changing anyone´s life. She kept saying, ¨What change have I made
here? Who´s life have I changed? No one...I´m not a good missionary.¨
We have ALL gone through that (myself more than anyone I am sure) and
I always try to say things to encourage and uplift her. ¨We just have
to have faith that the Lord will provide, even in our weaknesses...¨
¨Remember Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail? In D Y C we can read what
revelation he received...¨ I even pulled out a Lord of the Rings quote
on her the other day. She was down and felt like we can never find
ANYONE here in Babilonia (aka Mar del Plata! :)haha). I said,
¨Remember what Samwise says to Frodo when Frodo lost all hope?
¨There´s still some good left in this world, and it´s worth fighting
for.¨ Hermana Olsen, There´s still some elect here in Mar del Plata,
and they are worth fighting for.¨ She paused, looked at me and said,
¨You pulled out Lord of the Rings on me, Hermana Tingey?¨ I laughed
and said, ¨Yes, I am a nerd. But it´s TRUE!¨
So, she had been down for a few days, and the other day I had an ¨Ali
Moment¨ - the one´s I´m not proud of. I BLEW UP! It was raining
outside, we had had NO success, we were tired and frustrated and I,
specifically, had HAD IT! I threw up my arms in the calle in the rain
and said, ¨WHY ARE YOU SUFFERING LIKE THIS? I am TRYING TO HELP YOU!
LET ME HELP YOU! IT´S SOOO HARD! I KNOW IT´S HARD! IT¨S HARD FOR ME
TOO¨ Pobrecita! But we both stopped and just cried and cried together,
in the rain. Juntas - como compañerismo. It´s HARD; there is NO doubt
about it! The mission is just down right HARD! But we hugged and
decided to help change one more life that day. Right afterward we
found Miguel Richie, a Catolico, abogado, divorced man who´s mother
just passed away. He said, ¨No chicas, I´m Catholic and won´t
change¨!" But he ended up talking to us for a while and I gave him a
Book of Mormon to read. I hope and pray he reads it. I am so grateful
for the tender mercies of the Lord! Every small miracle, every person,
is important to Him.
La Nueva Familia - Ayelen, Jorge, Franco, y Matias. They are
WONDERFUL! There are a lot like the families in the Villa (ghetto)
with whom I served with in my first two areas. They are in a tight
economic situation right now, but still sat us down and served us
fresh fish that Jorge had caught that morning. It was fantastic! We
watched the Restauracion movie with them and part of the Testaments
because Ayelen is a very visual learner. Ayelen wants to get baptized,
but doesn´t want to ¨change¨ from being Catholic. She just wants to
get baptized in the same manner as Christ. We are working with lesson
1 over again and the importance of the authority of the sacerdocio and
everything. Please pray for her and her family! We want ALL of them to
get baptized!
I am SOOO grateful to be a missionary! I feel like this is the best
refiners fire - I am learning so much everyday. I know that Heavenly
Father knows me and loves me. He knows us all and wants us to have
eternal life and immortalidad. I know my Savior Jesus Christ loves me
because he suffered for me - and for everyone - so that it might be
possible to live with our Father in Heaven again. I know that the
Lord restored His church through the Prophet Joseph nuevement on the
earth and that His power, His Priesthood will never be taken off the
earth again. I know that Christ will come to rule and reign. I LOVE
this gospel!
Love you all so much! ¡Animo y adelante! :)
Hermana Tingey
were three that came to mind that I would like to share: OSCAR, HNA.
OLSEN, Y UNA NUEVA FAMILIA!!!!
OSCAR- Our milagro! Our converso Oscar just received the Priesthood
last week. When we visited him this week, he was BEAMING! ¨The first
thing I did with my Priesthood was share the gospel!¨ He called his
family in Tampa, Florida and told them, ¨GO to the Mormon Church and
look for the Hermanas there!¨ Oscar also said that he was going to
call his family in Spain. I think I beamed bigger and brighter than
Oscar. I remember what Ben told me, ¨One baptism never means just one
baptism,¨ and now I see why. I haven´t felt very effective as a
baptizing missionary, but I hope and pray that Oscar´s family will go
and do what a new Priesthood holder recommended. His faith is
incredible - he is a miracle!
And that´s not everything! We gave Oscar the Temple Preparation book
to read for the next visit we had this week. We were walking by his
house doing contacts when he yelled, ¨HERMANAS!¨ We walked over to him
and he said he had stayed up until 3 o´clock in the morning reading
the book! He told me his favorite part was about the sealings. The
Spirit was so strong. I testified of the wonderful blessings of the
temples and how it has blessed my life. THIS IS MY GOAL!!! As a
missionary, my goal has been to help everyone prepare to go through
the temple and receive the blessings of the temple. I try to help
investigadores, menos activos, members, todos to come unto Christ and
receive their endowment and have an eternal family. That´s what I want
for them.
HNA. OLSEN - My capisima compañera! She has been having some trouble
lately (as do all missionaries) of getting down on ourselves. All
week she did not feel good enough - she did not feel like she was
changing anyone´s life. She kept saying, ¨What change have I made
here? Who´s life have I changed? No one...I´m not a good missionary.¨
We have ALL gone through that (myself more than anyone I am sure) and
I always try to say things to encourage and uplift her. ¨We just have
to have faith that the Lord will provide, even in our weaknesses...¨
¨Remember Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail? In D Y C we can read what
revelation he received...¨ I even pulled out a Lord of the Rings quote
on her the other day. She was down and felt like we can never find
ANYONE here in Babilonia (aka Mar del Plata! :)haha). I said,
¨Remember what Samwise says to Frodo when Frodo lost all hope?
¨There´s still some good left in this world, and it´s worth fighting
for.¨ Hermana Olsen, There´s still some elect here in Mar del Plata,
and they are worth fighting for.¨ She paused, looked at me and said,
¨You pulled out Lord of the Rings on me, Hermana Tingey?¨ I laughed
and said, ¨Yes, I am a nerd. But it´s TRUE!¨
So, she had been down for a few days, and the other day I had an ¨Ali
Moment¨ - the one´s I´m not proud of. I BLEW UP! It was raining
outside, we had had NO success, we were tired and frustrated and I,
specifically, had HAD IT! I threw up my arms in the calle in the rain
and said, ¨WHY ARE YOU SUFFERING LIKE THIS? I am TRYING TO HELP YOU!
LET ME HELP YOU! IT´S SOOO HARD! I KNOW IT´S HARD! IT¨S HARD FOR ME
TOO¨ Pobrecita! But we both stopped and just cried and cried together,
in the rain. Juntas - como compañerismo. It´s HARD; there is NO doubt
about it! The mission is just down right HARD! But we hugged and
decided to help change one more life that day. Right afterward we
found Miguel Richie, a Catolico, abogado, divorced man who´s mother
just passed away. He said, ¨No chicas, I´m Catholic and won´t
change¨!" But he ended up talking to us for a while and I gave him a
Book of Mormon to read. I hope and pray he reads it. I am so grateful
for the tender mercies of the Lord! Every small miracle, every person,
is important to Him.
La Nueva Familia - Ayelen, Jorge, Franco, y Matias. They are
WONDERFUL! There are a lot like the families in the Villa (ghetto)
with whom I served with in my first two areas. They are in a tight
economic situation right now, but still sat us down and served us
fresh fish that Jorge had caught that morning. It was fantastic! We
watched the Restauracion movie with them and part of the Testaments
because Ayelen is a very visual learner. Ayelen wants to get baptized,
but doesn´t want to ¨change¨ from being Catholic. She just wants to
get baptized in the same manner as Christ. We are working with lesson
1 over again and the importance of the authority of the sacerdocio and
everything. Please pray for her and her family! We want ALL of them to
get baptized!
I am SOOO grateful to be a missionary! I feel like this is the best
refiners fire - I am learning so much everyday. I know that Heavenly
Father knows me and loves me. He knows us all and wants us to have
eternal life and immortalidad. I know my Savior Jesus Christ loves me
because he suffered for me - and for everyone - so that it might be
possible to live with our Father in Heaven again. I know that the
Lord restored His church through the Prophet Joseph nuevement on the
earth and that His power, His Priesthood will never be taken off the
earth again. I know that Christ will come to rule and reign. I LOVE
this gospel!
Love you all so much! ¡Animo y adelante! :)
Hermana Tingey
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