My, what a guy!

Family!!! 1/3/11
Thanks for ALL of your emails! I love them and each one made me cry – when you all talked about receiving Father´s and Grandfather´s blessings and the evening together with Grandpa and Suz… I felt the Spirit very strongly through your words. We are part of such a blessed family – such a wonderful heritage! Grandpa´s gravy- qué delicioso!

I will pray for Jackie to find a job, for Ben´s interviews to go well,for Dad´s interview to go beautifully and that he and Mom will recognize the answer from the Lord very clearly, that Elizabeth´s semester will go well, that Abby and Jack will do well in school, have lots of friends, and enjoy life. I have been thinking about Suzanne a lot too – our líder misional is single and asked me if I knew anyone
his age and single… but Suzanne needs someone very special – plus the language barrier would be quite the problem! How´s Grandpa doing? He has to be at my wedding – I hope he knows that.

How´s the rest of the family? I loved looking at Grandma Jane´s pictures! Of all the primos and tias y tios! ¡Qué lindo! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Funny similarity – la Hermana Freeman has seen Waking Ned Divine!!! She said they named one of their dogs Ned and I asked why… we laughed as we remembered memories with our families and that crazy movie.¨Ned, it´s his intestines! …It´s a chicken dinner, Jackie!¨´

Skiing – Dad, Ben, etc. How´s the powder?

3 PEOPLE WENT TO CHURCH!!!!!!!
Gaston, Romina, y Olga

Gaston – ¨My, what a guy!¨ He studied to be a cura (priest) in the Iglesia Católica, but realized the importance of families. He left the practice and got married; sadly, he later separated because his wife did not want to have children and that´s something very very important to him. He came to a Stake choir concert (which had some community choirs preform too) – a MEMBER invited him!!! ¡Qué bueno!(hint hint!) We met Gaston and chatted for a bit, found out he lives in OUR area, and invited him to learn more. We have since had 3 lessons – two at a member´s house… because we found out he is also a friend of our BISHOP! He loves SO much about the gospel! Familias eternas, church history,etc. He is having trouble believing in Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, but has the desire to know. He loves our testimonies and the Bishop´s testimony of José Smith and wants that knowledge. He teaches
Electrical Engineering so he´s very practical and knowledgable. Gaston´s SO golden and needs LOTS of prayers! Please pray that he will recieve a witness of our beloved prophet Joseph Smith and the Libro de Mormón, that he will recognize his witness, and then ACT on it!

Romina – una antigua investigadora that we found. She is very very timid and shy and doesn´t want to commit to something she can´t handle. But she´s SO ready to be baptized!!!

Olga – WOW, she was a contact that we made and then went back to have a lesson. She did not allow us to enter into her house, but chatted with us on the doorstep for a while. Then she promised to go to church.. AND SHE DID! She recently divorced from her husband ater 40 years of marriage, pobrecita, but she is looking for comfort and the Savior and His true church is the best place to go.

Today, I was thinking the Plan of Salvación – the security we have knowing where we came from, who we are, what our purpose is in this life, how we can return back to our Father, how we will be judged,that we can help others to return home too, etc. We are children of our Father, preordained to be here at THIS time, these last days, to meet certain people – to help and serve and love them to the best of our capacity – and to prepare them, and the world, for the second coming of our Lord. What joy there is knowing that as tribes of Israel, as LATTER-DAY Saints, as descendents of Pioneers, as converted members of the true church of Christ, etc. we were chosen to lead the way. I hope and pray that I can fulfill my potential , especially with my mission.

I love all of you SOOO much! I apologize that I am not even close to perfect, but I promise that I will be a better missionary in the year 2011. I love this gospel! I love Heavenly Father´s children! I love my Savior! I love my family with a bond and love that will endure for the eternity – I can´t wait to make my own as well!

May many of your New Year´s resolutions have la Obra Misional as part of your goals – we all can take a half an hour of our week: to call the missionaries to ask to help, see if you can accompany them or even call THEIR investigadores or visit them yourself (like a Visiting Teaching or Home Teaching visit), invite a neighbor family to a FHE in your own home, invite a friend to a Relief Society or Priesthood activity, even just making sacrament meeting very powerful and reverent for the investigadores, etc. It´s really simple – there´s always something to do to help. I promise you that as you do, the Lord will bless you with people who need your strength and testimony.

¡BESITOS Y ABRAZITOS!

La Hermana Tingey