12/3/12
WE HAD TWO BAPTISMS YESTERDAY!!!!!
Catarina and Cristina. (mom and daughter) And the Elders also had
two baptisms so there were four people all in lovely white and it was soooo
amazing!!! The spirit was so strong! I stood with Catarina and
Cristina at the girls bathroom door that opens to the font watching the first
two baptisms and we were in a group hug and I just felt so much love and
absolute heavenly JOY!!!! It was so special. I love those two so
very very much! The ward was a great support and there was TONS of
food! haha. Baptisms are the BEST!!!! Such a piece of
Heaven! This is the baptism I have felt the most peace. -because
before every baptism we missionaries stress, well at least all the ones I have
talked to- just to make sure everything goes well, etc etc. but this baptism I
wasn´t worried about anything- I knew everything would be just fine. It
was actually crazy getting to the baptismal date- let me tell you about
it. So we had marked Cristina and Catarina for baptism last week, but the
whole first part of this past week we haven´t been able to talk to them. So Thursday
we finally talked to them, but the problem was we still had to teach them most
of the lessons. We talked to them about their baptism and they were SOO
excited- so filled with fire. We told them that we had to teach them a
lot and we needed to make sure they understood and accepted everything and had
a testimony so they could choose to have us teach them a ton in the next two
days before their interviews or we could go at a slower pace and wait till next
Sunday. They were soo adamant and so excited about being baptized that
Sunday it was incredible!! ` NO, no, we want to be baptized THIS
Sunday!!!´ So we taught and taught and talked and it was soo amazing- they have
SOOO much FAITH!!!! Probably the most faith I have ever seen in an
investigator. They are truly changing their lives the way the Savior
wants them too. So they were well prepared before the baptisms- they read
and studied on their own also- they are just golden golden golden!!! I
LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!!!
We got the transfer call last night and me and Irmã Peterson are staying in Braga!!! YAY!!!! But the Elders are leaving- a new elder is coming with a greenie heehee. I have been reading a lot in the war chapters of Alma and I love them- they are all about strategy and using your best judgement and faith to do what is right and to follow God. Those people and also the pioneers were tested so much physically. One of my past comp. shared with me a story about a man that the Lord told that all He wanted him to do every day is to push against this huge boulder in his front yard. So everyday from sun rise to sun down this man would push and push and push. This went on for years. After a while Satan decided to enter the picture and tell the man that he was never going to move the rock, that he wasn´t strong enough and he is wasting his time and he might as well quite now. The man got frustrated and talked to the Lord about it. The Lord said ´My son, you have pushed the rock- this is all I asked you to do. And now look at yourself- your arms, legs, and back muscles are strong, you are lean and sinewed. I never asked you to move the rock, and because you have done what I asked you, I my son, will now move the rock. I love that story because we all have challenges and trials and we work so much on moving the problems out of our lives, when really maybe what the Lord just wants us to do is to accept them and find the happiness in the moment- maybe we can´t move it even if we try. But if we turn to the Lord, and do all we can, He will move it for us.
I am learning soooo much here on the mission. It is extremely hard. Sometimes I feel like I am pushing against a rock for no reason. But I know that I am doing my best to do what the Lord asks of me and I have seen Him move rocks. I am so grateful for these opportunities. For these rocks- because I am a lot stronger than I was, and I have grown a lot closer to my Savior Jesus Christ. I love the mission. I love my Savior. I testify that He lives and loves you. I love you all so much!!! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!!
Irmã Tingey
We got the transfer call last night and me and Irmã Peterson are staying in Braga!!! YAY!!!! But the Elders are leaving- a new elder is coming with a greenie heehee. I have been reading a lot in the war chapters of Alma and I love them- they are all about strategy and using your best judgement and faith to do what is right and to follow God. Those people and also the pioneers were tested so much physically. One of my past comp. shared with me a story about a man that the Lord told that all He wanted him to do every day is to push against this huge boulder in his front yard. So everyday from sun rise to sun down this man would push and push and push. This went on for years. After a while Satan decided to enter the picture and tell the man that he was never going to move the rock, that he wasn´t strong enough and he is wasting his time and he might as well quite now. The man got frustrated and talked to the Lord about it. The Lord said ´My son, you have pushed the rock- this is all I asked you to do. And now look at yourself- your arms, legs, and back muscles are strong, you are lean and sinewed. I never asked you to move the rock, and because you have done what I asked you, I my son, will now move the rock. I love that story because we all have challenges and trials and we work so much on moving the problems out of our lives, when really maybe what the Lord just wants us to do is to accept them and find the happiness in the moment- maybe we can´t move it even if we try. But if we turn to the Lord, and do all we can, He will move it for us.
I am learning soooo much here on the mission. It is extremely hard. Sometimes I feel like I am pushing against a rock for no reason. But I know that I am doing my best to do what the Lord asks of me and I have seen Him move rocks. I am so grateful for these opportunities. For these rocks- because I am a lot stronger than I was, and I have grown a lot closer to my Savior Jesus Christ. I love the mission. I love my Savior. I testify that He lives and loves you. I love you all so much!!! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!!
Irmã Tingey
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