Tingey Family Planet Hopping & Courage

Querida Familia Mía, 5/21/11

Traslados... and I´m still in Pringles with Hermana Alston! I wasn´t worried - I knew we´d be staying here together. The biggest question is if I´m going to stay in Pringles to finish my mission or no... but we´ll have to wait another 6 weeks to find out!

I had my interview with Presidente this week - He asked me how my family is - I replied that they were about to move... again. His mouth DROPPED open... He asked, ¨When are they going to stop moving?
I shrugged and said, ¨In Heaven?¨
And he said, ¨I´m not so sure, Hermana Tingey. I think Heavenly Father will be sending the Tingey family to that far off planet, then the other, and the other far off in another universe...¨
I laughed so HARD!!! :) So, we´re the Tingey family - planet hopping clan!

But as the interview went on, he taught me to have more of a eternal perspective. He said, ¨All you see if today or tomorrow or next week, but Heavenly Father is preparing you for the eternities...¨ I was grateful for his vision. Heavenly Father does see it all - and right now we´re just at one little spot in eternity. Our decisions seem like a big deal, our problems TODAY or difficulties TODAY... but in the whole scheme of things, it´s that little by little, line upon line, we are becoming more and more like Christ. And we hope to one day, become as Him.


I had a great contact this week. Hermana Alston crossed a busy road before I could and as I waited to cross, a guy rode his bike up next to me. ¨Busy street?¨ ¨Yes, and my comp´s on the other side.¨ I replied.
¨WOAH, weird accent, where in the world are you from?¨ (a very common response)
We talked a bit as I crossed the street and rejoined with my comp. We all 3 walked together for a bit and finally Juan Manuel(he) said, ¨My girlfriend just had our baby... I´m interested in religion. What do I have to do to learn?¨
My mouth dropped. ¨We could come over tomorrow and discus the gospel of Jesus Christ with you?¨ ¨Great, see you tomorrow!¨

WOOHOO! However, Juan Manuel wasn´t home the next day... BUT we talked to his neighbor Gisela who was really excited about the Book of Mormón. She has had a rough life - choosing to have a baby at age 14 instead of giving it up for abortion. I told her she was very strong to do so. She thanked me and said, ¨I knew it was the right desicion to make.¨ I was impressed with her courage.

I have been impressed lately with people who are courageous and strong, even in the midst of Satan´s strong grasp. The recient converts are some of those. Enrique, a 18 year old boy who was baptized 2 weeks before we came, said, ¨I love the prophet Joseph Smith! I am fascinated with the First Vision!¨ He is so strong. Brenda, a girl who was baptized a little less than a year ago, just paid her tithing for the first time this last Sunday. It´s a HUGE step for a recent convert. She´s 22 and deciding whether to serve a mission.
I also think of Abby and Jack facing opposition in High School - it takes great courage to be a righteous member of the church. I commend you both for your courage and faithfulness. For everyone - Ben and Jackie -and your courage to move forward with your debt and grad school, confiaring en Cristo. Elizabeth - courage to go to Jerusalem. MOM - courage to face ALL of the stress and struggles with the move!!! Dad - all of the stress with work and moving, too!! Grandma and Grandad with their mission call. Cousin Nick in Japan - AUNT CHARLENE and ABBY and MOM who all courageously invited less actives to church (WOOOHOOOO!!!!!! I am SOOOO proud of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) For all of you Saints of the Latter-days and all of your courage. Let´s press forward, having a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of HOPE and a love of God and of all men.

I am SOOO excited for General Conference in two weeks!!! I am trying to prepare myself and the members to be ready to receive the words of our latter-day prophets, seers, and reveladores. I LOVE THIS RESTORED GOSPEL OF JESUSCHRIST!!!

¡¡¡Ánimo y adelante... a Sión!!!

Con amor,

Hermana Tingey