We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet!!!

4-8-13

I LOVE GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!!  FOGO!!  What a spiritual feast!!  I wrote down a couple of questions/concerns and they were answered.  I testify that Heavenly Father answers prayers and truly speaks through His servants.  The Portugal mission scripture of the month is Amos 3:7.  The Lord ALWAYS uses His servants, the prophets, to help us.  Heavenly Father loves us SOO much and if you aren´t feeling his love, get on your knees and ask to feel it because He does and I know that that will help everyone have much more happiness and peace in their lives. Conference is proof of that love.  I loved Elder Ellis´s comment ´you milk the cow when it needs to be milked, not when you want to milk it.´ The Lord has HIS way of doing things and our lives are so much happier and easier when we do things HIS way.  I LOVED the comments about the African people.  I LOVE AFRICANS!!!  I have worked with a ton here on my mission and what a delightful people they are.  So humble.  There is a joke in our mission that if someone is black they are elect.  If someone is Brazilian they are elect.  If someone is brazilin and black they are SUPER elect.  We joke that when we are walking in a crowd of people and see a black person we go running to the black person because we know they will be more likely to accept the gospel.  I guess it isn´t really a joke- because that is really what everyone does. hahahaha.  And with the couple of talks that mentioned the members in Africa one of the Elders said ´It´s official!  It was mentioned in Conference! Africans are elect!!´ I loved all the talks on obedience- when we are obedient, we see miracles.  And of course they had to talk about marriage a bunch.  my last conference before going home.  claro.  i knew it. hahahahaha.  I loved Elder Holland´s talk about being true to the faith you have and then fanning your flame to grow.  ah.  I just love Conference. I was truly really sad when it ended.  But I am SUPER excited to read print out the talks and read and study them more!!! I am SOO grateful that we have a living prophet and 12 apostles.  I know they are truly called of God!  And that they truly have authority.  We got to stay in Funchal (the stake center where we all watched conference) for the last session which here they played from 9-11 and we stayed over with the Sisters in Funchal and then came back to Machico this morning.  I LOVE THE MISSION!!!!

Okay, Madeira!!!!  WOW.  this place is incredible.  The flight was only about 1 hour and 45 minutes.  (side note- I got to go to the mission office before my flight and got to pick up all the Liahona´s we hadn´t received yet and I found Elise Osorio in one of them!  I think it was from January or February! cool! )  Our beautiful area is surrounded by mountains- except for one part is open to the sea.  it is absolutely GORGEOUS!!!!  It is a natural stair master.  The hills are pretty steep- I am pretty sure everyone here must have legs of steel.  There are tropical flowers everywhere with fruit trees and lots of gardens and cute houses painted different colours.  Our apartment has an incredible view of the ocean- we sit in front of the windows during studies and you would think it would distract me from my studies but it actually adds a really nice spirit.  The water is so calming.  Our area is country. country. country. country. chickens and goats along the roads, little streets and paths...I was going through a bit of a cultural shock- leaving the big city of Braga and coming to this country side. But of course I LOVE it.  The people are so wonderful!  And they have an extremely thick accent! Oh my goodness my first day here I felt like it was my first transfer on the mission all over again- I could barely understand.  I actually could only understand 1 sentence out of every 7 sentences.  I couldn´t believe they were speaking Portuguese.  Sometimes it sounds like an Irish accent with the Portuguese, but now I understand a lot better and I like the accent- it is endearing.  We had a lesson with this sweet old woman named Maria and she set a basket full of bread and told us to eat it all.  She also gave us hot chocolate and bananas and then packed us a bag of food to take home.  there goes my diet.  There is a wonderful family that we are working a lot with, with 3 people already baptized but they had become in-active and we are working to activate them again and to help more of their family be baptized and active!  They have TONS of animals- rabbits, pigeons, more birds, lots of dogs and cats and chickens, rats, and lots lots more.  They are HILARIOUS and I LOVE THEM!!!  I love this area so much already. We have a small branch here- about 13 regular members.  My companion is Sister Olson- she is SO cute and fun and has lots of love for the people here.  Her mom is Philippine but Sister Olson is from Utah.  I told the Lord that I will lift where I stand and to send me where He wants me and I know that I am here for a reason.  I am working to continue to demand excellence every day.  I love this work and the Lord deserves the best of me.  I know this church is true.  Let´s continue to fan our faith!  HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!

com muito amor,

Síster Tingey!

MADEIRA

4-2-13

Hey family! I only have a couple of minutes again today to write, sorry!  I arrived in Madeira yesterday and WOW it is absolutely gorgeous!!!  We have a beautiful view out our kitchen and study room windows of the ocean.  We live in the city of Machico and there is a small branch here.  I am SOO excited to tackle the work.  There is a lot to be done and I am super stoked!  This past week in Braga has truly been amazing and one of miracles.  Some of the highlights were teaching that family of 6- LOVE THEM!!!  They are so loud and boisterous and fun and I feel at home.  I love those kids so much.  We walked with three of them to church on Sunday and on the way back- what a beautiful Easter morning it was too!  I was able to read about the Resurrection in each of the four gospels that morning and was filled with the Spirit and lots of joy and peace.  Jesus Christ truly was resurrected.  And because of Him, we will be too!!!  It was really hard saying goodbye to that, but we will keep in contact. :)  It is always so hard saying goodbye to people- Braga is family.  I will miss them a TON but I am excited to get to know and love the people here in Machico.  The longer time I have on the mission the more and more I realize how imperfect I am and how much I need to rely on the Lord.  I am so grateful for this because it is SOOO much better to always rely on the Lord 100%.  One of my district leaders in the past, Elder James, once said that we need to pray to the Lord as if everything depends on Him and then after the prayer we need to act as if everything depends on us.  So true.  I am so humbled to have this blessing of serving the Lord 24/7 in Portugal.  I love this country and its people and I love the Lord and this gospel.  I know that when we live the commandments we are blessed and happier.  I know this is the true church of Christ.  The more I learn the less desire I have to be in any way ´part´ of the world.  If anything takes me away from the Lord I will cut myself off of that thing.  It is just not worth it.  Love you all so much!  Hurrah for Israel!!!

Sister Tingey

I´ll go where you want me to go dear Lord...

4-1-13

Today is transfer day.  And I am sad to be leaving Braga but I am super excited because I am leaving the continent to a sunny paradise- I have been transferred to MADIERA!!!!!  WOOHOOO!!!  I am in the office right now- awaiting my flight to the island, so I don´t have much time- hopefully I will be able to write more later!  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

EASTER!!!

3-25-13

I will just say Happy Easter now because I won´t be able to write until after!  so.... HAPPY EASTER EVERYBODY!!!!  HAPPY EASTER TO THE WHOLE WORLD!!!! I may love Easter more than I love Christmas- which is a big deal.  Because I really,really love Christmas.  But Easter is the celebration of the Resurrection!  THAT CHRIST LIVES!!!  This means more to me than anything.  That He died for me and lives for me.  I know that Jesus Christ was resurrected and that He truly Lives- as a glorified, perfect being that loves us and that fights for us and has His hands always outstretched to help.  I know that He is our Savior, Redeemer, He is the Messias, the Great Jehovah, the Wonderful, Counselor, the Prince of Peace.  He died so we could live.  The Advocate.  I love Jesus Christ and I know He loves me too.  That is why I am preaching His gospel everyday- because I love Him.  And He helps me to love His sheep more and more every day.  He has held me when I have cried, He has strengthened me when I was low, He has softened my heart to be humble, He has made my load lighter, He has granted me experiences to grow closer to Him.  I will always be in His dept, but He will always make up the difference.  He truly suffered in our place and rose so that we can all arise.  I know that Jesus Christ lives.  ... Happy Easter. :)

Also, GENERAL CONFERENCE IS COMING UP!!!!! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!  I AM SO EXCITED!!!!  My goal for reading all the conference talks from last conference is going pretty well- almost there!  Also, only 6 more days till we can take the Sacrament again!!!!  YES!!! Even better news.  Something that I have learned better here on the mission is that small things bring about great things.  Every card you hand out, and every contact you make counts- it affects people’s lives no matter what.  Last transfer a member gave us some names of some menos ativos.  We kept calling them and they came to church.  And they haven´t stopped coming to church.  The ward missionaries have been able to visit them. 2 of them have now given talks.  They are much more firm in the gospel.  All it took was someone to realize they were missing and then a couple of phone calls.  

Amarildo dropped a cigarette everyday and he has now gone 2 days without smoking!!  We are still working with him a BUNCH to keep strong.  We call him every two hours and read a scripture in the Book of Mormon with him.  ALSO we have been praying A TON for him to be baptized this transfer but he also says ´ In my own time, I am not ready, etc´ So after church we got some faca from the District leader that left me to really ponder on the walk home and a chapter from the Book of Mormon came to my mind and I knew exactly what to do to help Amarildo accept to be baptized this transfer.  We prayed a lot and we went to his house to talk to him.  The spirit was very strong.  We read those scriptures, talked to him and invited him to pray about baptism for next weekend.  He said a really humble and sincere prayer to feel to know if he is ready for baptism and after the prayer we all stayed in silence and we all felt an incredible feeling of calm and peace. IT WAS INCREDIBLE!!!  It made me sooo happy.  AND...  he said he would be baptized next weekend!!!!  AHHHHHHHH!!!! SO EVERYONE PLEASE PRAY THAT HE WILL STAY STRONG AND NOT SMOKE!!!!  He needs lots of prayers.  I am sooo grateful to a part of Amarildo´s spiritual growth.  What a privilege!  I LOVE this work!!!  I am SOOO happy!!!

The Marinho´s invited us over for P-day!  They are so much fun.  Everyone thinking of going on a mission- just do it.  

In our Zone conference we talked about the difference of testimony and conversion.  Conversion is a process- we must work on it every day. every day.  Remember to read the Book of Mormon.  I know it is true!!!  We talked to a woman really quickly on the street and got her address and phone number and we stopped by- she wasn´t home but her 6 kids were!!!! It was so much fun!!! A FAMILY!!!! With six kids!!! I almost cried.  Remember to FOLLOW UP with all the people you have talked with about the gospel.  It makes a big difference.  I testify that this is the true church of Christ here on the earth.  I know Jesus is the Christ.  I know the gift of tongues is real.  Keep praying for me :)  I appreciate it.  I have been thinking about Jerusalem a TON and every time my eyes tear up.  I love the Lord.  I love his work and I am SO grateful to be a part of it.  I love you all SOOO much!!!!  HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!!

Com muito amor,

Sister Tingey

Fasting

March 18, 2013

I have fasted in this area of Braga more than any area and time on the mission.  It is a bit more difficult to find people who are interested and will progress than in any of my other areas, but I know that when we show the Lord we are willing to do what it takes to see miracles, He will bless us.  When we are faithful and obedient, He HAS to bless us!  We just need to find the price we must pay and pay it to see the success.  All we can do is do our best and then leave the rest up to the Lord.  Our district fasted together on Saturday to Sunday to help our area and our few progressing investigators get baptized.  Every time I fast I feel so much closer to the Lord.  I feel happier and thing become clearer to me.  I am so grateful to be in this area where I am learning to strive to give my all for little successes and miracles.  I know that I may not see the fruits, but someone will in the future.  I must do everything I can for ´the one´.  

´The One´ this transfer may be Amarildo!  Amarildo is a man we found at the beginning of last transfer.  He has some difficulties with the Palavra de Sabedoria and we ended up dropping him because he wasn´t keeping compromissos or really progressing.  But he has kept coming to church for the past 2 months.  A couple of weeks ago we felt to pick him back up as an investigator and wow!!! What a difference.  The spirit has truly touched his heart and he is now ready to act.  He has been reading in the Book of Mormon and He told us he wants to stop smoking- and he really meant it. YEA!!!  So we made a program for him to stop smoking by next Sunday.  He would smoke 7 cigarettes yesterday and then minus one each day until the big 0 on Sunday!  When we called him to follow up last night he said he only smoked 4 that day!!!  When we made the program for him we told him that we would give up some things to- I said I would only eat 4 sweets this week and my companion did something similar.  Last night he asked us how the sweets were going and chuckled as he said he is interested to see how this whole sweets thing turns out. hahaha.  We told him we are here to support and I am so grateful to be making sacrifices right along with him- even though mine isn’t as big of a deal. We tried to mark him for baptism for the 30th of March but he was a bit scared and declined.  BUT he said he would pray about it and we will pray with him and I am praying and praying that his heart will be softened and touched that he will be baptized that day because I want to see it!(transfers are the Monday after and I don´t know if I will stay)  But if I am not there, it is okay- He will still make an eternal covenant with the Lord. :) Every sacrifice is worth it to help people come unto Christ- especially by making covenants.  

I am learning more and more how to really lean on the Lord.  We have been talking to lots and lots of people- tons of people and we have lots and lots of contact information that we are trying to follow up on.  Many times people aren´t home or never answer the phone, etc.  So in order to make sure we don´t waste time chasing people who aren´t ready for the gospel at this time, we prayed to know the people we should focus on- because we KNOW we already talked to SOMEONE who is ready for it now!  We felt some people and worked to contact them throughout the day and wouldn´t ya know it we contacted ALL of them which is a miracle because normally people don´t answer our phone calls or see us at the door and won´t open, etc.  I am so grateful for the Spirit that can guide us and help us find all ´the ones´ here in Braga.  I truly adore this work.  It is so much fun!  I love serving others and praying everyday to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord!  I know without a doubt that this is truly Christ´s church that HE restored.  I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet.  I know the gift of tongues is real.  I know that when we sacrifice blessings come.  I am grateful for the Lord´s love for each and every one of us.  I testify that Chris lives and that He loves all of you and knows all of you individually.  I know He will come again!- SOON!!!!  I look forward to the day when I will be able to fall down at His feet and worship Him.  I love you all.  May we all stay firm and faithful and meet at Christ´s feet together- worthily, clean, and true.  HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!

Sister Tingey

Believing Christ

March 11, 2013

I am not sure if I already talked about this before, but I read this amazing talk about Believing Christ.  The point was made that yes, a lot of believe IN Christ- we believe He is our Savior, we believe He died for us, we believe that He has risen and will come again, but do we believe Him?  Do we believe Him when He says that He can make us pure in heart, white as snow- that ALL of our sins can be washed away?  Honestly, sometimes I have a hard time with that one.  I think, how could I, being extremely weak and make mistakes and sin ALL the time, how can I be as white as snow?  But that is the true power of the Atonement.  And we must all work on our individual testimony that the Atonement works for US just as it does for other people.  Please, BELIEVE CHRIST!

I read the talk from last conference about the Temple- i can´t think of what it is called in English but in Portuguese it is ´O Padrão do Templo´by Elder Scott D. Whiting.  And it hit me a lot more than it did when I heard it.  that our lives need to be held up to the padrão of the temple- that we may have some walls that need to be sanded to perfection, or windows that need to be substituted- little things that make a big difference that we need to completely uproot out of ourselves, our lives, and we need to substitute them for better.  Elder Whiting points out that we won´t be perfect while we are here, but as we strive for this and keep the commandments and do our best we will be better disciples of Christ and we will progress and become more of who He wants us to be.

We have a friend that lives by our house- her name is Maria but she doesn´t like her name so we call her Irmã.  She is very old and has lots of problems with her feet and legs and she walks with two crutches and very very very slowly.  One day it was raining super hard and we were walking down the road and saw her under a lip of a building without an umbrella.  So we decided to stop and help her.  She wanted to wait until the rain let up a bit to start on her journey to a café.  So when it let up a bit we started walking with her- very slowly.  We got about 10 feet away from the building- which took a good amount of time and strength from her- that it started to rain really hard again.  She immediately turned back to the building.  Me and Irmã Layton looked at each other with looks like ´oh this might be awhile.´  When the rain let up again we started out and got a little farther when it started raining super hard again, but this time she kept going until she got to another lip of a house to wait it out.  It kept going like this for a while until we finally got her to the café as dry as possible.  After this experience me and Sister Layton talked to each other about how this must be how Heavenly Father feels some time.  How He is standing right next to us- protecting us in the middle of a storm but how we get scared and turn back to the safe haven- what we knew before.  But how it is so much better to keep going, trusting in the Master to keep us warm, dry and protected and He will lead us till the next safe haven and then help us through another trial and on and on until we progress to where we need to be.  But we must trust in the Master and be willing to take the steps of faith.

I found out some notices from Setúbal!  There aren´t sisters in Setúbal anymore, instead the Líderes de Zona live in our old house and are working with the Setúbal 1 ward AND the Setúbal 2 ward.  They are trying to re-activate Setúbal 2 while other elders are focusing on baptizing in Setúbal 2.  They are working super hard so that they can split the ward! woohoo!!!!  AND the Elders said they had an amazing lesson with Arlete and her FAMILY (!)  in their home with awesome members and she bore her testimony to her family.  I know that me and Irmã Suzarte will one day see them be sealed in the temple!!!  Also, a girl that me and Irmã Suzarte found while knocking portas is getting baptized and told her friends that she will no longer go to the evangelical church but only the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!  I LOVE THIS WORK SOO MUCH!!!!!!  We have been talking to TONS and TONS of people this week but the first part of the week we didn’t see much success but by the end we got lots of new investigators through the contacts we made earlier and then people that those contacts know!!!  YES!!!

I know that Jesus Christ lives.  I know that we can ALWAYS repent.  I know that this is the only true church on the earth with the authority of God.  I know that President Thomas S. Monson is the Prophet of God today and that He has all the keys.  I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and it is the most powerful book on the earth today and it was written for US.  I love this gospel with all my heart.  It makes me so HAPPY.  I hope other people can see our happiness and know that they can have it too.  I´m a Mormon!!!!  I want to tell the whole world.  Thank you all for your love and prayers and support.  HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!

Síster Tingey

Falar com o Todo Mundo!!!

March 4, 2013

One of my favorite things as a missionary is talking to people on the street.  You feel the zeal and fire for missionary more and more with the MORE people you talk to!!!  And the more people you talk to, the more the Lord blesses you and the more people you have to teach.  Not to mention the more you get to bear testimony that makes your testimony grow, the more you teach the lessons which helps you personal learn and understand more, and the more people hear about the gospel of Jesus Christ and come to church!  And then the more that enter the waters of baptism, more love you receive for people, the more people to love and get to know, and the more friends that will be with you in the Celestial Kingdom!  I LOVE TALKING TO THE WHOLE WORLD!!!

Something that I and my comp. have noticed is that when life gets hard, people quit.  That when relationships get difficult- when someone gets health problems, or lose a job, or don´t forgive, people give up and families fall apart.  I am so grateful to have grown up in a family where no one is a quitter.  A huge example I thought of is Grandma Hales.  Grandad got sick when he was pretty young.  Grandma had lots of kids to take care of and could have been upset with the situation and could have divorced or found some way to get out of caring for Grandad.  But because of her love for Grandad, her family and the Lord she has been lovingly and selflessly caring for him and everyone else around her with a heart full of gratitude and faith and happiness- always busy and quick to smile.  What an incredible example she is!  Thanks Grandma!  Something that kind of hit me this week in my studies is that yes, Jesus Christ gave His will to our Father, but he also didn´t hold any grudges about it.  He accepted His calling and willing fulfilled it.  His relationship with Heavenly Father didn´t weaken and He didn´t become angry that Heavenly Father still made him suffer in the garden of Gethsemane even though he asked if the cup could be passed.  He willingly and lovingly did all the Father asked of him.  There is a family in the ward here that will be moving to Montreal soon!  It has been fun telling them all about it and helping them be excited.  The dad, Paulo Jorge, is leaving today.  He introduced me to Angolan piri-piri- wowza!  When he told us this past week he was leaving I was super sad and he said its okay sister!  I will be at your wedding in Utah!´  I was so happy to hear that! hahahaha.  He is hilarious and I love that family so much.  As he kind of said goodbye to the ward yesterday I was filled with so much love for everyone and his words echoed in my heart that everyone here is family.  i have family here.  A bit different from my blood family, but my family all the same.   I love the pepole here with my whole heart.  I am so grateful for every moment I have with them.  You should all look up a video from the Mormon channel called ´Cabo Verde:Terra de Luz´ it is awesome.  I have gotten to know many many Africans here in Portugal and I feel a huge urge and desire to work in Cabo Verde someday.  Africans are probably the poorest people, but the happiest.  And I am so grateful for what they have taught me- that material things don´t matter one bit but that family and friends are the most important. (me and Dad have also been talking about it a bit)  What an amazing culture.  Remember to pray like Nephi- not just asking for what we need, but how can we act to then receive what we need.  Cristina said I can share an experience that she had.  a bit before we got to know her she lived with this man that treated her very badly.  They split up and she was so mad about how she treated her that she did something to his car that she is ashamed to say.  She felt really bad for letting her anger get over her, but she repented and knew she needed to be honest and confess.  So she went to the tribunal and told everyone that she did it.  But because of her honesty and because there were no other witnesses against her she got off innocent and free- with nothing to pay or do or anything.  She showed so much faith in the commandments of the Lord to be honest and do the right thing- to make up for her mistake.  I am so proud of her.  What an example!  The Lord always blesses us when we repent and keep the commandments.  I love you all with my whole heart!! Stay FIRM!!!!!  Invite EVERYONE you know to hear about the truth.  HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!!

Síster Tingey