Tongue, anyone?!

¡Feliz Navidad! 12/27/10
On Christmas Eve, we went Caroling to Geriatric´s with a member named Liliana. It was SO fun! In the evening, we had a dinner with the Bishops family and had a very traditional meal - with LOTS of mayonaise! ¡OH! And the main course was cow tongue.... ugh!! It wasn´t my favorite, but it was interesting to try. At midnight on Christmas Eve when we were trying to sleep, we heard a ton of ruidos, ¨BOOM!!! BOOM!! BOOM!!!¨ FIREWORKS!!!! It sounded like a guerra (war) started. Some pibes were setting them off right in front of our house - I couldn´t sleep! :) haha But it was fun to celebrate!

The next morning, we woke up and opened our presents!!! Thank you SOOO
much Mom and Family!!!

Eventually we were able to call all of YOU!!! Thanks for chatting with me - it was SO great to hear your voices. I didn´t cry this time... well ok, only when I talked about how Cristina got baptized. But besides that, I was very proud of myself that I dídn´t cry! :) Dad and Mom, you both sound so great! I know it´s stressful trying to figure out moves again, but the Lord has not led us astray yet. He will use you two because you are willing servants who love the work. You are needed on the front lines. Now, we´re just waiting to see where the front lines will be. Abbs - you and lacrosse and AP US History, girl, way to keep on the tradition! ¡What a babe! Jack, you sound SOOOO old!!! I can´t wait to see how tall you´re getting! Biffy - as spunky and crazy as ever, it was SOOO great to hear your laugh again! I miss it! Backie - thanks for your help and just asking about every day life - I love hearing the comparisons from mission to mission and what worked for you all and what could work with my investigadores. Hope you both had fun in Cali!

Transfers - I´m staying here! Woohoo! Hermana Freeman and I are going into a completely new district, though. It´s sad to see so many of my fellow Elders leave - they are like brothers, like family, and I will always be grateful for their examples.

It´s SOOOO hot lately! I´m sweating up a storm and Hermana Freeman(from Arizona) always laughs and says, ¨Hermana Tingey, it´s really not that hot.¨ Haha This is my first summer in a whole year and my only summer for this next coming year, so I´m taking advantage of it.

Mom, I didn´t realize how interested you are to know about everything - I´ll try to better about answering your questions : I´m going alright with clothes - just using what I got. I´m being careful with my collection of recuerdos and everything - I´m always planning ahead, so I can bring everything I need home. But like I said, I will use moreeverything and just give away my things. I feel happy giving things away - the economy is so bad here, and Argentine´s don´t have even a fourth of the amount of things we have in the States. So, whenever I can, I find something I don´t need and give it away. Especially to the families in need.

I have a lot of energy and excitement for this traslado - I´m trying to be as obediente as I can. I´m promising myself that I as I am obediente, I won´t (and can´t) be upset with the results of my work,because I know that I´m giving it my all and doing my part, and in return, the Lord will do His in His time, not mine.

I hope I don´t get trunky - I´ve been thinking a LOT about home, but not in a bad way - just because I love all of you and just thinking about my future plans.

Wow, I LOVE the New Testament! I read Matthew and I´m reading in Luke- the Savior literally lived a perfect life. His teachings were perfect and pure doctrines. He served and loved others so deeply. I often picture him talking to certain people - and often to me. I always always always pray that my investigadores and inactive and
active members in the ward will feel of his love, mercy, peace, joy,and hope. This is the gospel - His LOVE for us! I need to have more faith in Him and His plan. Just like his disciples sometimes doubted or had little faith, I sometimes have little faith that people will accept His gospel. But I want to be more like His disciples in how I repent and turn around and help His work selflessly. I want to more like them - more like the disciples and apostles we have today, too - and more like the Savior himself.

Prayer Role
Familia Roberto: That Oscar will want to be baptized and stop
smoking, that Claudia will go to church, that jennifer, bryan, nadia y
kevin will encourage their mom and go to church
Gastón: that he will receive a testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormón
Augustine: that he will get baptized!
That Hermana Freeman and I will find new investigadores to teach and baptize!

And if you have time in your prayers,
Menos Activos: Nahuel, Facundo, Fabricio, Familia Paez and Moscardi
will all go to church!

-Please tell EVERYONE that I love them and am grateful for their prayers and inquiries on my mission - in the ward, with extended family, with my friends, etc. Please encourage my friends to write me! I´d love to help encourage them to keep the commandments and make good decisions in their lives!

LOVE YOU!!!!! Ánimo y adelante!

Hermana Tingey