July 23, 2012
First of all I want to share this AMAZING quote
from a talk in the May Liahona- from General Conference. It was in the
Priesthood session. The speaker is Adrián Ochoa. It totally lit my
fire:
´I add my voice to the call Elder Jeffrey R. Holland made to you six months ago from this pulpit. ´I am looking´ he said, ´for men young and old (I will add women) who care enough about this battle between good and evil to sign on and speak up. We are at war.´ He continued, ´...I ask for a stronger and more devoted voice, a voice not only against evil... but a voice for good, a voice for the gospel, a voice for God´ Yes, Aaronic Priesthood holders, (and I will add missionaries, members, visiting teachers, home teachers, seminary teachers, etc.) we are at war. And in this war, the best way to defend against evil is to actively promote righteousness....You cannot be passive when Satan seeks to destroy that which is wholesome and pure. Instead, stand up boldly for what you know is true! When you hear or see anything that violates the Lord´s standards, remember who you are- a soldier in the army of God Himself, empowered with His holy priesthood....You will gain respect and trust of Heavenly Father because you used His power to accomplish his purposes. I call on every Aaronic Priesthood quorum presidency (and I will add again: missionary, Bishop, Sunday school teacher, mom, sister, brother, father, member, child of God...) to once again raise the title of liberty and organize and lead your battalions. Utilize your priesthood power by inviting those around you to come unto Christ through repentance and baptism. You have the mandate and power of Heavenly Father to do it.´
It is so true. We are at war. But we already know what side will win! Who´s side are we on? Sometimes we chose differently- when we sin and make mistakes, but lets decide now to be on the Lord´s side. But we can´t be passive about it. We have to speak up and out. -But with the Spirit. We need to be bold and fearless, but speak and teach with love and with the Holy Ghost.
Thank you so much for praying for my investigators!!! VANESSA WAS BAPTIZED!!!! WOOHOO!!!! It was incredible. The Elders in our ward also had baptisms, so there were lots and lots of people who came to support! Vanessa wouldn´t enter the church building for awhile- she was so nervous! haha. I gave her some scriptures to read. One of them was D&C 10:55- love it. Simple and clear and true. But she came in and got dressed in a beautiful white dress and we took pictures with everyone and the meeting was incredible and then she was baptized. And once again The spirit testified to me how important and beautiful baptism is. How sacred and special a covenant it is. How necessary it is for our salvation, and how happy Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are when someone is baptized. Vanessa received the Holy Ghost yesterday in church and then later that day taught a lesson with us. She gave SUCH an incredible testimony to this girl named Maria (who I talked a little bit about last week). And I realized that Vanessa is perfect to help Maria. The Lord´s timing is incredible. I know that we needed to find and teach Vanessa first, so she could help Maria get baptized also. Vanessa is a rock. And we didn´t do a thing. It was ALL the Lord. It is always the Lord, we are only the instruments. We are the ones that get to watch the miracles happen. I watched and listened to Vanessa testify and almost bawled with happiness. I saw generations that would be in the church because of her conversion. I saw friends and family now that will come into the church because of her.
It was very difficult to find Carlos all week and he was in Lisbon Saturday and didn´t return in time for his baptism. So sad. And Helena was very sick and went to the hospital the day before and so was not baptized either. But they will be. I will do all I can to help them enter the waters of baptism. Paulo Silva finally admitted that he ´respects´ the Book of Mormon. This is huge!!! And Sian Joana is doing well, but we couldn´t talk to her very much this week, and Vitor- he is struggling. Keep praying for them all! Thank you so much for your prayers!!! I have some others to add to the list- Carlos dos Santos Andrade. We talked to him once before, but saw him again yesterday. He was drunk, as per usual. The conversation started humorously, but then turned emotional and serious. He looked at us and said ´Eu não estou bem. Ajuda-me.´ Translation: ´I am not good. Help me.´ We promised we would, but we told him he needed to make some decisions and change. We wrote down our next appointment on a card so he would remember when he comes out of his stupor and we wrote ´não beber antes!´ ´Don´t drink before´. He said he wouldn´t. I sure hope he chooses to listen and turn his life around. He has a broken heart, and Jesus Christ can fix it. But he has to let Him. As do all of us. Pray for Sergio and his mom, Jorge, Manuela, Leonel and Marriette (that they will return to church, as well as Carla Domingos and her mom), and Alice and her family.
I just want to say that I don´t really bible bash. well, I try not to. I try and focus on the Book of Mormon ALWAYS.
I LOVE this ward. I love Setubal. I love these people so so so much. They are my family. I want to have them except Jesus Christ and His gospel with all my heart. Because that is the best medicine- the best thing that we can have and follow. Jesus Christ heals every wound. I testify that this is true. We need to always repent, order to continue to be close to Him. I am so grateful for the atonement. I know that Jesus Christ took upon Himself all of our sins. I feel like I have gone through a little bit of my own garden of Gethsemane here, and I am so grateful for this experience. Do give of myself more and more to the Savior. To feel his love for these people. To feel His pain when they don´t choose the right, or when I don´t choose the right. I always want to strive to do what He would have me do.
I love you all. This week is the last week of the transfer. what the?!?! I think I will stay. I want to with my whole heart. I LOVE Setubal. I love it here. I love my family here. Irmã Campos Da Silva already has 6 months here, so I will most likely stay. I love my French companion. I LOVE when she tries to speak English. :) She is sooo patient and so loving and sweet and so hard working. This week we will have a missionary day with the young women! I am STOKED!!! We will meet at the church for comp. study and practice contacts on the street. We will visit the girls that aren´t coming to church and we will visit their friends and our investigators! The work is always better when members are involved. ESP. when it is a friend of members. I love you all with my whole heart. This is the church of Christ. Joseph Smith truly saw Him and our Heavenly Father. Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today. The gift of tongues is real. HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!!
Irmã Tingey
Mum- THANK YOU THANK YOU for the pictures!!! I used them a couple times this week to teach about eternal families! IT was great! You all are so beautiful and handsome!! When does baby Ian come?! It was SOO exciting to get cards in the mail box! wow! I used my card today!!! YES!!! But it would be great if you could still send me some light clothes- my area is VERY poor and hardly has any shops. The weather is still SUPER hot!!! Our DL told us President wants everyone drinking tons of water. And I guess August is worse. Don’t know when our next zone meeting will be, but first week of next transfer is next week. It really could be any week in the transfer. They don´t tell us way ahead of time so we keep focused. haha. Any specific things you want me to talk about in my letters? love ya!!!
´I add my voice to the call Elder Jeffrey R. Holland made to you six months ago from this pulpit. ´I am looking´ he said, ´for men young and old (I will add women) who care enough about this battle between good and evil to sign on and speak up. We are at war.´ He continued, ´...I ask for a stronger and more devoted voice, a voice not only against evil... but a voice for good, a voice for the gospel, a voice for God´ Yes, Aaronic Priesthood holders, (and I will add missionaries, members, visiting teachers, home teachers, seminary teachers, etc.) we are at war. And in this war, the best way to defend against evil is to actively promote righteousness....You cannot be passive when Satan seeks to destroy that which is wholesome and pure. Instead, stand up boldly for what you know is true! When you hear or see anything that violates the Lord´s standards, remember who you are- a soldier in the army of God Himself, empowered with His holy priesthood....You will gain respect and trust of Heavenly Father because you used His power to accomplish his purposes. I call on every Aaronic Priesthood quorum presidency (and I will add again: missionary, Bishop, Sunday school teacher, mom, sister, brother, father, member, child of God...) to once again raise the title of liberty and organize and lead your battalions. Utilize your priesthood power by inviting those around you to come unto Christ through repentance and baptism. You have the mandate and power of Heavenly Father to do it.´
It is so true. We are at war. But we already know what side will win! Who´s side are we on? Sometimes we chose differently- when we sin and make mistakes, but lets decide now to be on the Lord´s side. But we can´t be passive about it. We have to speak up and out. -But with the Spirit. We need to be bold and fearless, but speak and teach with love and with the Holy Ghost.
Thank you so much for praying for my investigators!!! VANESSA WAS BAPTIZED!!!! WOOHOO!!!! It was incredible. The Elders in our ward also had baptisms, so there were lots and lots of people who came to support! Vanessa wouldn´t enter the church building for awhile- she was so nervous! haha. I gave her some scriptures to read. One of them was D&C 10:55- love it. Simple and clear and true. But she came in and got dressed in a beautiful white dress and we took pictures with everyone and the meeting was incredible and then she was baptized. And once again The spirit testified to me how important and beautiful baptism is. How sacred and special a covenant it is. How necessary it is for our salvation, and how happy Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are when someone is baptized. Vanessa received the Holy Ghost yesterday in church and then later that day taught a lesson with us. She gave SUCH an incredible testimony to this girl named Maria (who I talked a little bit about last week). And I realized that Vanessa is perfect to help Maria. The Lord´s timing is incredible. I know that we needed to find and teach Vanessa first, so she could help Maria get baptized also. Vanessa is a rock. And we didn´t do a thing. It was ALL the Lord. It is always the Lord, we are only the instruments. We are the ones that get to watch the miracles happen. I watched and listened to Vanessa testify and almost bawled with happiness. I saw generations that would be in the church because of her conversion. I saw friends and family now that will come into the church because of her.
It was very difficult to find Carlos all week and he was in Lisbon Saturday and didn´t return in time for his baptism. So sad. And Helena was very sick and went to the hospital the day before and so was not baptized either. But they will be. I will do all I can to help them enter the waters of baptism. Paulo Silva finally admitted that he ´respects´ the Book of Mormon. This is huge!!! And Sian Joana is doing well, but we couldn´t talk to her very much this week, and Vitor- he is struggling. Keep praying for them all! Thank you so much for your prayers!!! I have some others to add to the list- Carlos dos Santos Andrade. We talked to him once before, but saw him again yesterday. He was drunk, as per usual. The conversation started humorously, but then turned emotional and serious. He looked at us and said ´Eu não estou bem. Ajuda-me.´ Translation: ´I am not good. Help me.´ We promised we would, but we told him he needed to make some decisions and change. We wrote down our next appointment on a card so he would remember when he comes out of his stupor and we wrote ´não beber antes!´ ´Don´t drink before´. He said he wouldn´t. I sure hope he chooses to listen and turn his life around. He has a broken heart, and Jesus Christ can fix it. But he has to let Him. As do all of us. Pray for Sergio and his mom, Jorge, Manuela, Leonel and Marriette (that they will return to church, as well as Carla Domingos and her mom), and Alice and her family.
I just want to say that I don´t really bible bash. well, I try not to. I try and focus on the Book of Mormon ALWAYS.
I LOVE this ward. I love Setubal. I love these people so so so much. They are my family. I want to have them except Jesus Christ and His gospel with all my heart. Because that is the best medicine- the best thing that we can have and follow. Jesus Christ heals every wound. I testify that this is true. We need to always repent, order to continue to be close to Him. I am so grateful for the atonement. I know that Jesus Christ took upon Himself all of our sins. I feel like I have gone through a little bit of my own garden of Gethsemane here, and I am so grateful for this experience. Do give of myself more and more to the Savior. To feel his love for these people. To feel His pain when they don´t choose the right, or when I don´t choose the right. I always want to strive to do what He would have me do.
I love you all. This week is the last week of the transfer. what the?!?! I think I will stay. I want to with my whole heart. I LOVE Setubal. I love it here. I love my family here. Irmã Campos Da Silva already has 6 months here, so I will most likely stay. I love my French companion. I LOVE when she tries to speak English. :) She is sooo patient and so loving and sweet and so hard working. This week we will have a missionary day with the young women! I am STOKED!!! We will meet at the church for comp. study and practice contacts on the street. We will visit the girls that aren´t coming to church and we will visit their friends and our investigators! The work is always better when members are involved. ESP. when it is a friend of members. I love you all with my whole heart. This is the church of Christ. Joseph Smith truly saw Him and our Heavenly Father. Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today. The gift of tongues is real. HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!!
Irmã Tingey
Mum- THANK YOU THANK YOU for the pictures!!! I used them a couple times this week to teach about eternal families! IT was great! You all are so beautiful and handsome!! When does baby Ian come?! It was SOO exciting to get cards in the mail box! wow! I used my card today!!! YES!!! But it would be great if you could still send me some light clothes- my area is VERY poor and hardly has any shops. The weather is still SUPER hot!!! Our DL told us President wants everyone drinking tons of water. And I guess August is worse. Don’t know when our next zone meeting will be, but first week of next transfer is next week. It really could be any week in the transfer. They don´t tell us way ahead of time so we keep focused. haha. Any specific things you want me to talk about in my letters? love ya!!!
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