4/29/13
I love this scripture. It is clear, short and
simple. I like to apply it to my mission in that I am leaving all- leaving
the world behind, my old self, my family, to rise up and follow the Savior.
Luckily I will be able to be with my family again, but I don´t want the
other things to return in my life. But it is a great scripture and I know
we can all apply it! Here are some other scriptures that came to my mind
this morning, (I would write them out, but I don´t have my English scriptures
with me here on the island- sorry!) John 16:33, Revelations 12:(7-10)
11*, First John 4:19. Think about them and then tell me some thoughts!
I received a blessing last night form my district leader Elder Richins
and he quoted the John 16:33 scripture to me in the blessing.
Revelations- I think I might have shared it already but it is an awesome
missionary scripture (I thought about Abby!) esp. verse 11- that we fight
and overcome Satan by the atonement of Christ and that we love others more than
ourselves. President Fluckiger shared with us John 4:19- that we love God
because He first loved us. Powerful and interesting to think about.
I LOVE THE SCRIPTURES!!! I know that we can find answers and comfort and
whatever we are looking for in the scriptures!!! I always feel the spirit
so strongly when I read them. I have had many difficult times on the
mission and I have always turned to the scriptures and I have ALWAYS found solace
in them. I know you will too.
President Fluckiger gave us a Book of Mormon
challenge a couple of weeks ago. To take a clean, new copy of the Book of
Mormon and highlight in diff. colors where it says Christ’s name or reference
to Him- what He did, etc, anything He says, His attributes and His Gospel.
It is truly AMAZING. Every page is full of color because the Book
of Mormon is ALL about Christ!!! I am so grateful for this challenge because it
really shows to me what a testament the Book of Mormon is about Christ.
Christ is truly our Savior and through His grace we can become perfect,
even as He and his Father are perfect.
There is an investigator named Jacinta who was
baptized almost a year ago but never received the Holy Ghost. We have
been working with her but then she went to Porto for a couple of weeks but she
just returned this week. Our first meeting with her this week she told us
she had a dream and in the dream someone told her that people can´t see angels
in real life- only in dreams or only the voice. So therefore Joseph Smith
couldn´t have seen God and Jesus Christ. And she said she didn´t want to
read the Book of Mormon any more. She usually writes notes of what she
read in the Book of Mormon and her feelings and so we invited her to read what
she wrote lately and as she read I took a deep breath and said in my head ´Okay
Heavenly Father, this lesson might make it or break it, how can I help her see
this dream wasn´t from thee?´ And then it all became clear of what I needed to
say. At the end of her BOM notes she wrote about how happy she feels when
she reads the BOM. So I asked her how she felt when she had that dream-
was it full of light? happiness? peace? No, she said it was full of fear.
And then I asked her how she feels when she reads the BOM and she said
she always feels good- she even wrote it is the best book she has ever read!
So we explained to her the fruits of the Spirit- and things of God are
always things of happiness, hope, peace, comfort, etc. and that Satan works too
and we can tell when things are from him if it is full of fear, anxiety,
darkness, etc. She understood and we felt the spirit and she said she
would continue to read the Book of Mormon and we invited her to church and she accepted!
(She hasn´t been to church in forever!!!) and she came yesterday!!! woohoo!!!
And to help her be more involved, we invited her to do a special musical
number next Sunday! YES!!! I am so grateful to be helping people come unto
Christ. We had 24 people in church yesterday!!! WOOHOO!!! FOUR
menos ativos that we have been working with and 2 investigators!
And one of the counselors from the District presidency came- so that also
helps with the numbers, haha :)
My huge focus with this area is to involve the
members in the work. I want this to happen so bad!!! We are praying
and working really hard for this. We had an activity yesterday with our
District- with their branch and our branch and we talked all about missionary
work and working together! I talked about Elder Ballards talk on the
bees- ´Ocupar-se Zelosamente!´ from the October conference- and how all
of our efforts put together make a big difference! It was really fun and
I think everyone liked it- esp. the games and food at the end. hahaha.
Our Branch Presidency said we can have conselho de ramo next Sunday!
WOOHOOOOOO!!!!!!! By small and simple things are great things brought to
pass, right?!!!!
Please Pray for: Jacinta that she will keep coming
to church, understand the importance of the Book of Mormon and become a true
member, Beto and Lourinda that they will come to church and pray to now for
themselves, Mario that we can find him again and that he will continue to
progress, Familia Abreu, Familia de Mônica e Manuel, Familia Gouveia, José
Correia (MA), Alberto ( forever investigator), Nelio (MA) that he will come to
church, Louis (MA), e Manuela, e Maria.
Thank you for all of your examples!!! Thank
you for all of your prayers. Thank you for your faith. I know that
Christ suffered for each one of us in the Garden of Gethsemane. I know
the Atonement is real and that we all need to use it every day. I love
Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. I am so grateful for their love for me
and for you all. I am so grateful to be here on the mission. I am
so grateful to serve others. I am working to ingrain these lessons into
my nature to become a forever missionary- truly converted to the Lord. I
know you all are too. Miracles do happen. LOVE YOU LOVE YOU LOVE
YOU!!!! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!
com muito amor,
Síster Tingey
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