Birthday Month!

11/5/12

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALI AND B-RAN STEWART THIS WEEK!!!!!  I LOVE YOU BOTH SO VERY VERY MUCH!!!!!  I hope my package gets to you in a timely manner, but chances are it won’t seeing that it got sent back to me this week....sorry about that. :)  But it should get there soon!

Congrats to Ben and Jackie and Ian for the opportunity in North Carolina!!! That is so cool!!!  And Ali and B-Ran in Florida- yeehaw!!! So exciting!!!  What blessings!  And mom, those articles you showed me- do you think there is going to be a global conflict?  It is good to hear about that side of the world-  I think about Israel ALL the time.  But those articles are pretty crazy!  Hopefully everything works out.  Well, the huge force of missionaries will be moving out so it is close to the second coming....

I am learning SOOO much.  Lots of challenges have hit me in the face over and over and over again, but I am learning A TON.  My prayers are becoming more sincere and genuine and focused.  I am learning to keep pressing forward no matter what and to keep doing exactly what the Lord expects of me NO MATTER WHAT.  We had a huge miracle happen this week.  Here in Braga we are struggling to even have progressing investigators, but one day we felt prompted to look in the Area Book and we felt impressed to call and visit some people.  One of the people we went to visit is a recent conver/menos ativo named Rafael.  So we went to his apartment and a man named Joaquim opened the door and as soon as he saw us he had a huge grin on his face.  He said that Rafael moved and he doesn’t nowhere, but he said to wait there and he ran to another room and came back with a book of mormon!!!!  And went to a Religion fair that happened last week and talked to some of our members about the church- one member gave him a Book of Mormon and the elders number (we share the ward with the Zone leaders- our areas get mixed up sometimes).  He was SO excited to talk to us!  i explained the first lesson really quickly, then my companion showed him a pic of Christ being baptized and talked about baptism and then I invited him to be baptized when he knows it is true and then my comp asked him about a specific date (MY BIRTHDAY!!! Nov 18th) and we prayed about it and he accepted!!!!!!  He is so golden it is insane!!!  We taught him the first lesson more in depth a diff day with the member that gave him the BoM and he came to church and a lot of members talked with him and he is just SO psyched and he is amazing!!! He is about 50 years old and knows a lot about the Bible and everything we talk about he is like yes I agree with that- that’s what it says in the bible...  I am SO grateful for the privilege that I have to get to know and teach Joaquim.

Please pray for Joaquim, Marinella, Monica and her family, Vivian and her family, Fatima and her family, Rassura and her family, and Adão.

Well Abs and Redford- for me the time before my mission was really hard also.  Satan works extremely hard because he knows the effect you will have on the world.  The advice I will give is to get on your knees and pray your heart out.  Talk to the Lord about everything.  To get your mind on good things- memorize scriptures- that is what I have been doing here- I write scriptures in English and Portuguese on a sticky note and I memorize them while we walk.  Sing a hymn, but keep the fire.  Read Preach My Gospel.  Read the scriptures.  The mission is worth everything.  Don´t get discouraged, just have faith.  yes, it is hard.  very hard.  But it is the best thing that has yet happened to you.  You will learn and grow SO much- if you allow yourself.  So chin up charlies!!!!  You both will be amazing missionaries!!!  The misssion is So FUN and so INCREDIBLE!!!!!  I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!!!!  

Family, I love you so very very very very much.  Thank you for helping me become who I need to be.  I have got such a long way to go to be that person, but you all have had quite important influences on me.  Thank you for your examples and your prayers.  This week I have learned more to hand my will over to the Lord.  I am learning more to stand firm- to be the missionary the Lord expects even with the storms.  I am learning a ton that I can´t really talk to you about until after the mish, but I really appreciate your prayers and your support.  Thank you Grandma for the Halloween pillowcase!!! so cute!!!  I love you all with my whole heart.  I am so sorry I am really bad at writing back personal e-mails, but I love you all and thank you so much for writing me!!!  Me and my comp. bought amazing footie pjs today. heehee.  so fun.  I love this work.  i love the Lord with my whole heart.  I want to be who He would have me be.  I am working on the Attributes of Christ- I tested myself (PMG ch. 6) and the ones that I got low scores on- I am going to work on one every day.  Our weaknesses CAN become strengths.  I know that our Redeemer lives and loves us.  LOVE YOU LOVE YOU LOVE YOU!!!!  Parabéms mais uma vez para Ali e B-Ran.  Eu amo-vos!!!  HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!!

Irmã Tingey

Livin' On a Prayer

10/28/12

OOH We´re HALF way there, oh oh!!! Livin´ on a Prayer!  Take my hand, we´ll make it I swear, oh oh!  Livin´ on a Prayer!!!

I thought of that song on Thursday...  I bet you can figure out why :)  I thought it was quite perfect actually.

BRAGA!!!!  Wow it is SOOOO different in the north of the country than the south.  Everyone told me that the north is totally different but wow.  I love it!!!  I do miss seeing the ocean and smelling the salty water like I have been for 3 transfers (Setubal and Olhão) but Braga is gorgeous!!!  I still feel a bit like a country girl in the middle of a big city, but the city is really nice and clean and there are stores everywhere and big malls and big apartment buildings and lots of things I haven´t seen in a long time!  The weather is more crisp here- it is actually fall- and the leaves are turning and there is moss in between the cobblestones.  Even though I am in a bigger city, the work is a lot more difficult to find people that are humble enough to hear the gospel.  But I am up for the challenge- my game plan is to meet with all the members and get references!!!  Each area in Portugal has a different accent but in the north it is a whole lot different than Lisboa or the Algarve.  The v´s are b´s here.  So instead of ´Vamos´ (let´s go) its ´Bamos´ I can´t stop giggling about it.  On my train ride up here I looked out the window and just felt at home.  I don´t know- I just have a connection with this land- the beautiful old architecture, the seaside the train passed, the big rivers...  It reminds me a lot of England and Montreal maybe that is why I feel at home.  But the universities here have uniforms like harry potter!!  It is so cool!

The work has been exceptionally slow- but we have contacted some amazing people on the street that I am excited to visit another time- 2 Brazilian women and 1 women from Vietnam!  Bamos ver! hahaha.  The members here are INCREDIBLE!!!!  They are so much fun and so welcoming.  They have parties all the times and night of integration and family nights and I love them so much!!!  

In my personal study this morning I studied about works- how small the gate is that we need to get through and how our desires and obedience is the way.  But it is not only that- it is doing the will of the Father.  It is a slight difference, but at the same time a big difference.  Not only doing good works, but doing the Father´s will.  Usually they go hand in hand, but sometimes it is a little different at certain times- better priorities for example.  I read a talk from Elder Oaks from the Nov. 2011 G.C. and he said he talked to a women that they were trying to help get back to church and to help her he asked her isn´t it easier to come back when you think of all that Jesus Christ has done for you?  And she replied ´What has He done for me?´ What a crushing answer.  Elder Oaks later asks everyone ´What think ye of Christ?´ and to ´Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith.´ So I invite all of you to do the same.  I love Jesus Christ for blessing me with a latter-day prophet, the blessings of the priesthood, scriptures, comfort, love, for His example, the Holy Ghost, His commandments, the possibility of Eternal life and Eternal families, and most importantly suffering for my personal sins and making it so I can be clean and return to my Father in Heaven.  I am so grateful for the Sacrament every week- I am so excited to take it again in 6 more days!!! i look forward to it so much!!!  I cannot comprehend all the Savior has done for me.  But I am trying to and it is staggering to feel of His love and grace and mercy.  I testify that He lives and He loves each and every one of us.  In my study of His life with the mission, I am also studying ´Jesus the Christ´ and boy that book is incredible and life changing.  I am so grateful for His example of love.  Love is the key.

I love this mission.  I love this people.  I love my companion.  Her name is Irmã Peterson and she is from Utah.  She is tall, has blonde hair and is just a bundle of fun and laughs.  I am so excited to learn so much from her!!!  I love this gospel!  I love our Savior!  I love His work and I am so privileged to be a part of it.  HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!

Irmã Tingey

PS- MUM!!!  Thank you thank you thank you for the letter!!!  The flower is on my desk with that wonderful message!!!  You are the best!!!

OH AND I CAN`T BELIEVE YOU MET IRMA ALCIONE AND IRMAO VALDMIR!!!! THEY ARE SO AWESOME!!!!!  They were in Odivelas- my first area!  Tell them hi and I miss them and they are my heroes!!!