Weak things become strong

Minha Familia!!! I absolutely LOVE all of your letters- thank you SOOO much for writing me! As per usual, this e-mail will have lots of typos, but just bear with, sim? :) Lots to write!

I wanted to tell you more about the people i spend my entire day with- my District. I absolutely love them. We sit in class all day long with each other. We love each other, we hate each other, we laugh a TON, and we support each other. Elder Firouzi is a big footballer from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. He is hilarious. He says it like it is. he believes in being very honest. Especially when the food is not agreeing with him. Jack, you would love him. He had a really hard time deciding to come on a mission and I know we have really helped him stay and enjoy it. Especially Irma Wilde, I know she has made a big difference in his desire to stay. His Dad is from Iraq, moved to the U.S. and got baptized. He is a bit rough around the edges, but I sure do love him. He says he pictures me laying in a bed of flowers. He says if I were Catholic, people would pick me as a saint they would worship. Not saying this in a prideful way at all, but just because I think this is hilarious. Obviously you all know I could never be a saint, but he is always so nice to me. Elder Gaertner's parents are from Brazil, so he had a bit of Portuguese in the home. He is also hilarious. More quiet, but he makes the funniest comments that don't make any sense. He reminds us of Patrick from Spongebob. He tends to take things from everyone. The teachers always ask him for their PMG's because they know he somehow pics them up. He doesn't try to steal, but he just uses whatever is around him. Whenever we are missing something we always ask Elder Gaertner if he has it and he usually does. Elder Brown is very sweet and soft spoken. Very surprisingly he and Elder Firouzi have become best friends- I know they would not be as good of friends in the real world. He is a good leader and tries to keep the peace. Sometimes I just have to laugh at how he does things.

Of course my Irmas are amazing. Irma Wilde is hilarious. Her brother sent her a chunk of his armpit hair in a letter this week. Serio. SO hilarious. I think I died laughing. She showed the whole Zone. She just brightens my day and lifts my spirits. We help each other through comp. inventory when Irma Rojo is being feisty- which is pretty much always. I love Irma Rojo. I am learning SOOO much from her. I learned this week that her escola was pretty ghetto. She was in lots of fights (doesn't surprise me) she is all about family and tells us that she has our back all the time. Good thing me and Irma Wilde can be fiesty and stubborn right back when we have trouble. She and her family delight in sharing scriptures with each other. She has so much faith. Last week she got an e-mail from her step-mom that her dad was going to the hospital because he had kidney stones. She absolutely broke down cryiing. I told her it would be alright but she was so upset that her dad was in pain. It was so sweet. We said a prayer together and it was the most sincere prayer. She said things like "I beg of you, help my Dad. I know I am borrowing him for now, and I leave it up to you to take him if it is your will..." The spirit was so strong. She is constantly reading pouring through the scriptures.

This past Sunday was truly incredible for me. I have been learning so much about repentance and the sacrament. I have been preparing more and more for the sacrament each week and it makes the biggest difference. Sunday morning I prayed and asked God what I need to do to accomplish what is required of me, because I know I have been given so much and so much is required of me. Throughout the whole day it was a spiritual feast of direction. Lots of hard things but lots of amazing things. I absolutely crumpled into bed at the end of the day because I was so spiritually exhausted. If we simply ASK the Lord with answer. If we seek to sincerely do His will, miracles happen. I am striving to do my best to do what he would have me do. I love the Ether 12:27- weak things become strong through God. i know this to be true. If you read the chapter, before that verse Moroni is saying what a horrible writer he is. And look at his writings now- making the biggest impact on the world. Through God, our weaknesses can become strengths. But we must act, and ASK for help. I have so much trouble even thinking to ask. But that is exactly what we must do. it is so simple. Just ask and the blessings are poured out abundantly.

This week in gym some elders were jumping and trying to touch their heads on the bottom of the basketball net. This black guy goes to try and jumps so high he hits his head on the back board. I thought that was about the coolest thing I have ever seen. I shot hoops yesterday during gym and holy Moses it made the biggest difference.. I was SOOO happy. All of my frustrations melted away. I was SO happy i was dancing in the shower.

I really want to say something to my siblings. Even though i am far away, I still want you all to feel my absolute love and devotion to you. i want you to know that I am supporting you and praying for you and there for you even though I am far away. I want you to feel my love with every thing you do. Ben and Jackie- i am SOO excited for your baby. i am so sad that I can't be there to help out and love you and the baby as much as I want, but just know that my heart is over flowing with love here in the MTC and then in Portugal. Ali- I think about you and Brandon so much. I support you 100%. I am so sorry that I can't be more of a help to you. I desperately want to help you and want you to feel peace and comfort through this whole ordeal. I pray for you so much and I am SOOOO excited for you! I am sorry I can't share in your special day, but I promise that my heart will be with you throughout the whole day. Abs- I am so sorry i won't be there for you with your freshman year at the Y, but I am your cheer leader. Please write to me about about any doubts, questions, concerns, stories, that you have. I love you so much and I am soo pumped for the experience that is ahead of you! Snack- I am so sorry that i can't be there for you in school, but know that I always think about you and am so interested in what you do and what happens in your life. You all- I want to be the best sister possible for you all, because you all deserve it. I support you, I love you, I think about you all the time. I still feel apart of your lives. Please keep me in yours!

Parents, the same goes to you. I love you with my whole heart. I think about you and pray for you all the time. I am so grateful that I can serve this mission and that it is blessing your lives. If it didn't do anything but that, I would still do it. I love my mission. I love the Lord. I love this gospel. I delight in His work. i am so happy to be here. I am learning so much. It is so hard but so incredible. Thank you for your examples. The Lord loves you. He wants to hear from you. He is just waiting for you to ask. The Book of Mormon is the most powerful book- read it every single day!!! I promise you that your relationship with Jesus Christ will grow if you do. I am SOO excited for when He comes again!!!! LOVE YOU LOVE YOU LOVE YOU!!!!! Eu amo Voces!!!! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!!

A heart full of Love, Irma Tingey