He LIVES!!!

April 9, 2012

Well, Last week I felt like a fish out of water.  This week I feel more like a dolphin in a very small pond- not in sea water yet, but I can breath and move around a little.  The language is pretty frustrating, but coming fast.  Especially because my companion speaks it all the time.  I LOOOOOVE My MISSION!!!!  I am SOOO happy!  There is nothing better than testifying of Christ every day!!

Last Monday I realized I didn´t have enough love for the people here- that was the main thing missing.  <I prayed for love and WOW.  Love is a powerful thing.  It made ALL the difference in the world.  That night we met with Alexandra and her family.  She is eight years old.  Her father Antonio is the only member of the church in the family that was just re-activated.  There is the mother Georgina, sisters Aissa and a baby that I can never pronounce or even know how to say the name, and the mother´s sister who is Muslim- won´t listen to us, and they are taking care of a niece named Anita (her father is in Cape Verde i believe right now.)  I just fell in love with this family.  They are ELECT and ready for the gospel, but all of them just don´t know it yet.  Alexandra wants to be baptized, as does Anita but Georgina won´t let Alexandra to be baptized and Anita´s father in Cape Verde won´t let Anita get baptized.  Aissa is 18 and I KNOW she will get baptized, but I think she looks to her mother and is concerned about already being baptized in the Catholic church.  This family is amazing.  I pray so hard for them every day.  We have been teaching Alexandra, Anita and Aissa all week.  We finally were able to talk to Georgina alone on Saturday.  We taught her the first lesson and the spirit was soooo incredible- I hope she opened her heart to feel it.  I am not sure.  But we invited her to take the discussions for two weeks and set a baptismal date and she agreed she would try!!!!  If she is baptized, then I think the whole family is good to go.  PRAY FOR THEM!!!  I know that with the Lord´s help anything can happen, but they need to choose!!!  GAH!!!  It kills me that people won´t except this true church of God!!!

I want to hear all about the wedding!!  Congrats to Miss Alison Jane Tingey STEWART!!!  And B-Ran Gregory (?) Stewie. AHHHHHH!!!!  And I am going to have a NEPHEW!!!!!!  I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!  CONGRATS BEN AND JACKIE!!!!  I had a very special experience on Friday with the wedding.  I must admit (but don´t worry about me!) I woke up that day and I was sad.  I knelt and prayed and cried it out and then I felt like the Savior was kneeling beside me, patting my back, comforting.  Then I felt all of your love and prayers wash over me- hitting me like a big wave.  Thank you so much.  I am so grateful for that tender mercy.  I got up and I was so happy.  I was filled with joy for Ali and Brandon!  i am so happy we have a new member of the family!  Later that day I felt at total peace.  I was completely content and happy with being a missionary.  It was a special feeling- stronger than I am describing.  It was just peaceful and happy.  i realized later that it was during the time Ali and Brandon were getting sealed.  I KNEW it was the time because I felt it.  What a blessing.  Heavenly Father is watching out for me and helping every step.

Yesterday was wonderful!!!  Actually it was pretty much a roller coaster of emotions for me.  But it was amazing.  We invited TONS of people to church.  However, EVEN though it was Easter!!!!, only 1 came- and we just saw outside the church and invited him to come!  The members are incredible. a small group, but they welcomed me with open arms- thank Heaven.  I was worried about that.  The Bishop invited us over to lunch for Easter.  Long story short, when you obey the rules you are blessed.  For an hour before lunch we tried to find the elect.   We said a prayer and the first girl I saw we ran after.  She doesn´t really believe in God, but she said she would read the Book of Mormon because she didn’t-t feel the spirit that much while reading the Bible.  I know that she will accept this gospel either now or in the future.  She needs this knowledge So badly!  Her name is Sonia.  We asked for her contact info but she didn´t want to give it to us.  She walked away but I had this burning, urging feeling to ask for it again.  We ran after her again and just barely caught her before she went down the stairs to the metro.  We ended up getting her e-mail, but I told her that she was really important to us and God.  I am so glad that we followed that prompting- I know that we were supposed to do that.  We will see what happens!

I am learning to always follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost.  It is difficult sometimes, but I urge you to try to do the same.  The Lord will use you to help bless others and what joy comes from that!!!  I have been reading again an MTC talk entitled Becoming a Consecrated Missionary by Tad R. Callister.  I might have mentioned it before, but it is mission changing.  It talks about putting everything you have on the altar of sacrifice.  Totally giving your self to the Lord, to do His will.  This is His work.  I want to do the will of the Lord.  Dad, that e-mail you sent me about sacrificing because  i think that if it hurts it is good, but instead to do the will of the Lord and just work to be my best- I still re-read it.  It helps me so much.  I know the Spirit helped you write it and I am so grateful you could. 

I love being a missionary.  I love testifying.  I know that Jesus Christ LIVES!!!!  HE LIVES!!!!  I testify that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.  I testify that we are His children and that He loves us so much.  I am so sad whenever someone doesn´t want to accept the gospel-  how sad Heavenly Father feels when we don´t accept his love.  How sad Jesus Christ must feel when we don´t use His atonement.  I am so happy.  This is the best job EVER!!!  I love you all SOOOO much!!!!  Hurrah for Israel!!

Letters:

Sister Elizabeth Tingey

Portugal Lisbon Mission

Apartado 40054

1500 Lisbon

Portugal

Packages:

Sister Elizabetyh Tingey

Portugal Lisbon Mission

Rua Jorge Barradas 14C

1500-370 Lisboa

Portugal

Send Pictures of the wedding and the baby!!!! :)

Love you!

Irmã Tingey