It’s raining cats and dogs!!! ……and spiders!

9/23/13

But seriously there are cats and dogs and spiders EVERYWHERE! And it has started to rain everyday! It’s getting a little chillier here as we are approaching October and my light Brazil clothes may not be enough...hopefully I’ll get my visa soon!

First off: HAPPY BIRTHDAY SNACKY!!!! It's your birthday tomorrow! My little brudder is growing up! I love you so much buddy!

And loves to Grandma Tingey on her day too!

It has been such an incredible week! We got to have a great activity as a mission last Wednesday. We went to a place called Camp Zion and did a ropes course and had a fantastic devotional with president Weaver and his wonderful wife! I had an especially powerful experience at the trust fall activity. I was SO scared to do the trust fall. I did not want to do it at all, but after a little encouragement I got up on the log and turned around to get ready to turn around. I was shaking and so so nervous and scared. Finally i just breathed in and thought of this activity of trusting these other sisters to catch me to be like trusting in Christ to catch me when I fall. So I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and fell. There is nothing like the feeling of being enveloped in warm safe arms after falling like that. It was such a testimony to me how much we need to trust in our Savior and how important it is that we act and show Him that we trust Him and he will always catch us!

During the devotional, President Weaver gave an incredible talk. in summary he said, "Jesus loves you so much" and he talked about how Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ do not condemn us. When we make the wrong decisions, we are only robbing ourselves of the blessings, but we are not condemned.

I really have felt the love of Christ and Heavenly Father for me this week! Every time we get together as a mission we sing "amazing grace' and it is SO powerful! What an incredible, inspired song! I really am feeling like I'm a part of the WA-TAC mission!

Sister Sandau and I have had a scripture/theme for this week. It is Ether 12:27, one of my favorites. In it we are told that we are GIVEN weaknesses. I forget that sometimes. I often just want to be perfect and do everything right and I forget that God gave me weaknesses so that I may be humble. and i am made humble so that I can find strength in Jesus Christ! What a blessing our weaknesses are! God does not expect us to be perfect. he expects us to be our best self!

i am so grateful for the time I have each morning to study! I love the scriptures so much! We are reading the Book of Mormon together as a mission and what a powerful experience that has been!

I am so grateful for the OPPORTUNITY the Lord has given me to serve Him full time  what a blessing it is to be a missionary! Alma 26:12 - "yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! I am so blessed to be a servant in the Lord's vineyard and to watch over this part of His vineyard in American Lake. I want to do everything in my power to nourish these people. (Jacob 5:47) this morning I had a really special experience and felt that in the pre-mortal world, I told these people that I am talking to and teaching that i would come and help them come back to Christ. What a marvelous work this is, I am so blessed to be a part of it! What a blessing to be able to feel a tiny part of god's love for these people!

Nyggeriah is going to be baptized this Saturday! i am so happy for her! And we have transfer calls this Saturday! GAH! So exciting!

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! Be the best member missionaries you can be! The Members are the Means! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Love,

Sister Tingey

Fotos

 A package from home!

 View of Mt Rainier from Base

A 10 year old cutie who is anxious for baptism

Oi minha Familia!

9/16/13

Several times this week I have had a call or a letter from the mission office and my heart stops!!!!.....however I still have yet to receive my visa! My mission president said to expect it by the end of this transfer, so we'll see! I wouldn't mind staying in American Lake for another transfer though! I have met so many wonderful people who i love so much and want to help! There are so many people here that are so close to accepting the gospel, it's so exciting!!!!

So: I know you all have been wondering more about my wonderful investigators! We have three on date! One is a 14 year old girl named N and her mom, Karen. They are both so wonderful and so ready! Sister Peruch and Sister Sandau knocked on her door before I came and we went back when I got here. She said that she and her mom have been reading the Book of Mormon and love it! So we gave her the first lesson and invited her to be baptized and she said YES! We started going to see her as much as possible and she was just taking everything in! Her mom works A LOT so after we taught N., she would teach her mom! They both want to get baptized so bad, we just need to finish teaching them the lessons! They are so prepared and so special! Karen tells us all the time how their family had just been through a really hard time and how when we came, these two girls they didn't know, we brought a spirit into their home like none other and we have been able to help N. out a lot! Oh I just love them so much!!! The Book of Mormon and the Holy Ghost is so powerful!!! This gospel is so true!

Our other "on date" is Pelma and we just knocked into her a few days ago. She recognized us because she has seen "The Other Side of Heaven". She's an islander and loved the movie! So we gave her a Book of Mormon and invited her to be baptized and she said YES!

This work is so incredible! I am so blessed to meet so many wonderful people everyday and to talk to everyone about the gospel! This is the LORD'S work! and I am so blessed to be an instrument in His hands!

I love you all so much! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Love,

Sister Tingey

Mais Fotos!

 Our kitchen

 Rain, rain, rain!

What?!

 We were in a parade!

At the fair

 Beautiful

Mount Rainier

Week 3 in the beautiful WA-TAC!!!

Oi Familia!    9/9/13

It has been a great week! Such a turn around from last week! It's really amazing how difficult experiences and challenge help us learn so much and push us to do better! 

First off - Thanks for the package mom!!! You have no idea how happy and excited I was when I got it! BEST PACKAGE EVER! I love you so much!!!

So this week Sister Sandau and I have been busy trying new methods and working as hard as we can. Since we are both really new, we have been visiting the members in the ward when we have a free moment to get to know them better and to ask for mission advice! We have gotten some GREAT advice so far and have been able to use that and try it out this week! Some advice was how important investigators going to church is! Many people said if they don't come to church, it can mean there aren't really serious about the discussions which can save us time to be able to find those who are ready to be baptized and spend most of our time with them. So we have been working on knowing where our time is best spent and having daily contact with our investigators! It is hard sometimes but we have really tried to see everyone we are teaching every day and it has made such a difference! It is so important that they have that contact with us because satan works so hard on them but when we visit we can bring the spirit back to them and remind them of the good things this gospel brings!

This week we had zone conference which was AWESOME!!! It is always so nice to get together with so many missionaries and feel united in the work! I learned so much and was re-motivated to work hard and do my best!

We also had stake conference this week which was a broadcast from salt lake! we got to hear from Elder Nash of the seventy, Sister McKonkie, Elder Hales and Elder Perry. It was a great meeting! Some things they mentioned were remembering and keeping our covenants. How important family prayer and family home evening and family everything is so important. Also tithing, how we can't afford not to pay tithing! What a blessing to hear the words of the apostles for this time in this area!

What made the meeting even better were two of our investigators came!!! YAY!!!! I love these two so much! It is a 14 year old girl and her mom who are just a miracle story! They both love the church so much and want to get baptized! They both have been reading the Book of Mormon so much and have recognized the spirit we bring into their home! It really is so special to be teaching them! I feel so blessed to be apart of their process of coming unto Christ! This work is so amazing! It is truly the Lord's work! I could do nothing without the Lord!

**Visa Update**

President called me this week and said that they still don't have my visa but they talked to the visa people and said that Brazil has been a lot quicker with visas for the past couple of weeks and they said to expect my visa either by the end of this transfer or next transfer!!!!!!!!! YAYAY HOORAY!!! It is nice to know that I will hopefully be getting my visa soon! Although I am so excited to go to Brazil, when I think about leaving the Washington Tacoma mission, and more specifically the American Lake ward, I get really sad! I have had such incredible experiences here and I love the people here so much! I would love to stay another transfer to continue helping the people we are working with! But I know wherever the Lord sends me is where I need to be!

I love you all so much! Thank you for your e-mails and your prayers and support! It really means so much! I think about you always!

Also, I love having the time to study for hours in the morning! Since I've been on my mission, I have really learned the importance of scripture study and prayer! It is such a blessing to be able to study the scriptures, to know what we need to do to come closer to Christ! And it is such a blessing and a comfort to be able to communicate with our Father in Heaven!

Also, I have learned the importance of MEMBER MISSIONARY WORK!!! Family and Friends: Do your best to be a missionary! Member missionary work is the BEST! It is the most effective way of finding those who are prepared and ready to hear the gospel! It is the most effective way to share the gospel! Be an example and share the gospel with everyone! Find people for the missionaries to teach! Invite non-members and less actives into your home! Invite them and the missionaries to your house for dinner! I know you all are such wonderful missionaries and I am grateful for your work and for your example! I love you all so much!!!

LOVE YOU LOVE YOU LOVEYOU!!!!

Sister Tingey

P.S. Dad- it was so fun to meet Alan Peterson! Such a tender mercy! Such a blessing to spend some time talking to someone who knows my dad and family so well!

Hello from the great WA-TAC!

Oi Familia!      9/3/13

What a week! It has been a rough one to say the least, BUT there have also been many miracles and tender mercies that remind me that the Lord loves me and is mindful of me!

Lots of doors slammed in our faces this week. I think I said last week that every night we knock doors for two hours and usually we find at least one or two interested people but this week for four days straight we found NO ONE. It was very difficult to have so many "no's" over and over again. However, in moments where I was at my lowest and wanted to break down, the Lord provided a kind kind person who stopped us and talked to us for a bit, even if they weren't necessarily interested, it meant so much to me to have these people show such kindness towards us when we were having such a difficult time. The Lord knows and loves us!

This week we had a scare in the ward. Some sketchy stuff has been happening on Post - but don't worry mom, Sister Sandau and I have mace. Needless to say, we have felt uneasy going onto post and visiting families in the ward. Last night especially, I felt so uneasy as we drove around post so we went right home and asked the Elders to give us a blessing. Can I just say how grateful I am for worthy priesthood holders who can serve whenever they are needed. After the week we had had we really needed the peace and comfort of a blessing. I was so overwhelmed with the spirit and felt such peace and strength as I was given a blessing! It was exactly what I needed to begin the week ready and determined to work as hard as ever!

This week I have really felt the importance of the spirit in directing and guiding us where to go to find the Lord's elect. I had a really cool experience Saturday night. But first I wanted to talk about Saturday morning because Saturday was just a great day all around! We got to go to a place called Anderson Island as a district and help with the games at their yearly fair. We also got to be in their parade! It was a wonderful way for the people on the Island to see who we were and get to know us a  little better! We had wonderful opportunities to talk to so many people. This is the third year the missionaries have done this and it has made a huge difference on this Island and for the little branch of 25 people.

Okay, so Saturday night, our first hour of knocking was much like the previous nights, no one was interested or would even listen. We still had an hour left to knock and didn't know where to go so we got back in the car and I pleaded with Heavenly Father to help us know where we should go. I immediately had a thought to go knock on these apartments that we had been afraid to knock before because we weren't sure if it was legal. We drove over there and said another prayer to know if this was where we needed to be and I felt the peace and strength I needed to be brave enough to do it. The Lord gives us strength! Our very first door someone said they were busy but told us to come back another day. Our second door however, this wonderful man from Africa answered and was soaking up everything we were saying. He was willing to read the Book of Mormon and read more! It was a miracle! Soon after we knocked on a man's door who is an inactive member and we were able to bear our testimony to him and soften his heart a little bit. I am looking forward to talking to him more and hoping he will come back to the church.

This work would not be possible without the Holy Ghost and without the Book of Mormon. We would not be able to find the people who need to be taught now without the influence of the Spirit! I am so grateful that I have been confirmed with the gift of the Holy Ghost and that I have the power to be led by the Spirit if I am worthy of it. This gospel is so amazing and it is so true! It is so hard when people do not accept it.

Miracle two: So we have been teaching this cute girl named Nigeria and she said that she and her mom love the Book or Mormon and want to get baptized! We hadn't even met her mom at this point! We finally met her mom on Sunday and they both are just so wonderful and incredible and said that they had had some people from other churches come and teach us but that when we came, two strangers, and taught them about what they know and blessed their home, she said there was a different spirit in their home and she said they needed that spirit in their home. They are so wonderful and are prepared!

I am running out of time to write but I love you all so much! I am so happy you had such a wonderful weekend together! I miss you family! Mail is appreciated!!!! (hint hint nudge nudge) but seriously, please write!

I know this is the only true church. I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us so much and know us individually. I know that we are never alone, that Heavenly Father is always mindful of us. The Holy Ghost is so powerful, always be worthy to have the spirit with you! The Book of Mormon is so powerful! I love it so much and I love that I have an hour everyday to read and study from it personally. I love being a missionary! Even with all of the difficult experiences I am having, I am grateful everyday that I am a missionary! I have the opportunity to witness so many miracles and to change lives! How great is my calling!

I love you all so much! Jesus Minha Luz!   HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Love,

Sister Tingey

Minha compenheira e mim!

Meet my trainer, Sister Sandau!

Beautiful Lakewood, Washington

First week in the field!

8/26/13

OKAY, here we go:

OH MY GOSH I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! Working in the field is so incredible! Oh first off, here are my addresses:

11428 105th Ave Apt. P-9

Lakewood, WA 98498

Mission Office:

4007 Bridgeport Way West Suite D

University Place, WA 98466-4330

WRITE ME!! I love mail!!!!! Also mom - I need Melanie McKeon's address!!!

So, when we got to the airport, we saw President and Sister Weaver, my new mission presidents!! they are so wonderful and kind! They treat me extra special because I am a "visa waiter"! My first day we spent a lot of it at a transfer meeting that our whole mission does every six weeks and I met my trainer! (Drum roll please.......) her name is SISTER SANDAU!!! She is WONDERFUL! I love her so much! She has been out about 12 weeks so she is pretty new too but she is doing a wonderful job training me!

First week in the field has had up and down moments but overall has been the most amazing thing! (i'm pretty sure missionary work is just up and down moments all the time). Anyways, I have seen so many miracles and have had so many incredible experiences already and it's been a week! As a mission, we knock doors every day 5-7 and that is how we find most of our investigators. Some nights are great nights, some I call "ice cream kind of nights" as in it's time to eat some ice cream right now and eat my feelings....haha no it's hard sometimes but it is so worth it!

I am serving in Lakewood, Washington in the American Lake Ward. Something really cool about my area is that a big chunk of the military base is in our area so we get to go on post all of the time! It's quite the experience being on post and visiting and teaching military families.

First night knocking was quite the experienced, we got yelled and doors slammed but we did give away one Book of Mormon! Oh and we found two golden investigators! But here's the thing, Sister Sandau and I are cursed. We have found about 6 golden investigators this week who are just incredible and ready to hear the gospel, and they aren't in our area!!!! It's rough, but we are glad that we can hopefully be apart of their finding the truth! So first night knocking doors was rough. Second day knocking doors however was a miracle day! Sister Sandau didn't know where we should knock and all of the sudden we drive up in front of this road and she said "I think we need to knock here" and the spirit just rushed into our car! So we jumped out and started knocking. It was slow at first and then all of the sudden about 5 or 6 houses we knocked had families that were interested! One we committed to baptism right on the doorstep and she agreed if she came to find for herself that this is true! SO incredible! This is truly the LORD'S work! We could not be successful without the guidance of the spirit!

Sunday was WONDERFUL! My goodness I love Sundays! Best day of the week! Church was so rejuvenating and uplifting! Only one of our investigators came which was kind of sad but church was great! There is a Brazilian family in our ward so I get to go to their house twice a week for language study and teach them a lesson in Portuguese and just practice with them! I am so excited!!! The ward treats us SO well! Sisters really are spoiled! We get fed every night by members! We also got to give a church tour yesterday! Church tours are really special and a great way to help the investigator feel the spirit in our church!

GAH! I'm running out of time! 

Mom- Some housekeeping:

can you send me my CD's (only church music), a pair of Jeans, and a sweatshirt?

Also, VERY IMPORTANT: I need you to fax my driver's record to the mission office. I need it to be able to drive here. The fax number is: 253-565-0170

And don't forget Melanie's address!

Washington really is just beautiful! I am having the time of my life! There are spiders EVERYWHERE, but the weather is just fantastic and the people are wonderful!

I love this work so much! It is truly the Lord's work! "Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life." How great is my calling! I love this work! I love this gospel! And I love my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

I love you all so much! This church is true! Thank you for all of your e-mails! They are so appreciated! Write me! LOVE YOU!!!

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL! Jesus Minha Luz!

Love,

Sister Tingey

Washington Tacoma Mission: Elders & Sisters Arrived Safely

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We wanted to let you know that your missionary arrived safely yesterday at Sea-Tac International. President and Sister Weaver were there to welcome them. They traveled to Tacoma Stake Center and there had lunch and were given a lot of training classes in a short time. The testimony meeting was very spiritual. The departing missionaries bore their testimonies,  Your E/S is with their companion and getting used to missionary life. We commend you for your son or daughter’s desire to serve. We will be sending a letter and picture by the end of the week.

Our mission blog:  thebeautifulwa-tac.blogspot.com

President and Sister Weaver

Last MTC fotos!

 With my awesome teachers

London friend, Sister Ellie Goldrup (L)

 At the foot doctor, but not for ME!  Miracle!

wow Wow WOW!!!

My goodness, I have SO much I need to write about and not enough time!!!! I'M GOING TO WASHINGTON TOMORROW!!!!! I can't believe I'm actually going out into the field to teach and find and serve real investigators! GAH! I am so excited!!!

What a week! It has been an amazing and terribly difficult and sad week. Last Tuesday we got to go to the temple, which was exactly what I needed! Then, Tuesday devotional I got to sing in the choir and we sang a beautiful arrangement of "Jesus Once of Humble Birth" - it was so powerful, I was so grateful I could be a part of that! RICHARD G. SCOTT came and spoke to us!!! It was the most amazing and sweetest devotional I have had at the MTC! It was yet another blessing that I really needed to prepare for the week ahead and to prepare to leave the MTC. His talk was really pretty simple, but very powerful. He talked of prayer and the sacred of it, and how important it is to not rush prayer, but give it time and be sincere. It was so powerful and such a good reminder to me! I have really turned around my prayers for the better this week and already I feel closer to God! I encourage all of you to not rush your prayers. To focus when you pray and sincerely talk to your Father in Heaven. I know when you do this, you will be blessed and your relationship with Heavenly Father will grow! This devotional was also a really sweet experience because he gave us a special blessing that we may have the gift of tongues! Elder Scott was very emotional on Tuesday and he said it was because he could feel the presence of his sweet wife in the room! It was such a powerful and uplifting night! I have been blessed with so many incredible spiritual experiences this week as I have struggled. Heavenly Father is so mindful of us!

On Wednesday, my district and I got to host the new missionaries! It was so fun and exciting, but it was weird being the "experienced" ones. Then Thursday, I got my reassignment to Tacoma Washington!!! I am so excited to serve in Washington. Although I am disappointed to not be going to Brazil, I know this is where the Lord wants me and I will serve where He sends me!

Okay, BEST WEEKEND EVER! But also the hardest...my companions and I have been running around with our heads cut off all week trying to sort out a visa problem and feet problems! My poor companions have had to struggle with so many foot problems. I couldn't help but laugh when we went to a foot doctor for both of my companions and not for me! I got to watch my companion have toe surgery (ingrown toe nail) and I sadly had to watch my other companion be told the news that she has to stay at the MTC for two more week and continue to wait for her foot to heal. Heavenly Father has blessed me and my foot!

This week has been filled with lots of ups and downs, especially for my companions. Sister Colvin received some difficult news about her visa and Sister Gold can't go to Brazil until her foot is healed (she already has her visa). Needless to say, it's been a rough week. We were blessed on Saturday afternoon and night! We had a rainstorm Saturday afternoon after gym and (missionary appropriately) played around in the rain! It lifted our spirits and was a fun time with the elders in our district. Saturday night we had a mini festa with the district - just talking and laughing and eating food and writing in each others' journals.

Sunday was also very special. Sister Torres from the Relief Society General Board spoke to the sisters in Relief Society and gave a wonderful and uplifting talk on the importance of relief society and the importance of respecting the priesthood. After the meeting, they took a picture of all of the sisters at the MTC at this time! Sunday evening we had our departure devotional and Sister Colvin and her brother got to perform a piano duet together! It was so sweet! They both entered the MTC the same day and are both going to Brazil. It was a hard goodbye to say! Sunday night devotional was given by the one and only Vai Sikahema - football star and news anchor. He was hilarious and powerful! He told stories of his mission in South Dakota, it was a great devotional!

Sunday night was a very special night to me and will forever be in my heart. My district had a testimony meeting together! The spirit was radiating in the room! The heavens were literally opened! I felt the spirit of so many of our ancestors in that room with me, surrounding me with their love and support! My district is so special! Every missionary has such a special spirit and power! I am so grateful for every single member of my district! They have all influenced me and supported me and loved me! We have all grown so much together! It breaks my heart to say goodbye to these missionaries but the world needs them!!!

I love you all so much! I love this gospel with all of my heart and I love my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! I can't wait to serve the people in Washington in t-minus 7 hours! I love being a missionary, I am so blessed to have this experience! Jesus minha luz! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Love,

Sister Tingey

8/19/13

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!

Reassignment!

Hello Family!!!! 

I JUST GOT MY REASSIGNMENT!!!!!!!!!

it says:

At this time, we have not yet received your visa to travel to your mission. You will be serving a temporary assignment in the........

WASHINGTON TACOMA MISSION!!!!!! .....until your visa arrives.

I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to serve the people in Washington!!!

I will be leaving the Provo MTC on Tuesday, August 20 at 3:30 AM. My flight departs at 8:30 AM!

AAAAAhHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!!!! 

Family: I will be able to call you at the airport so please wake up so I can talk to you. Also, I need a phone number to call!

Other missions people in my district are going to:

Charlotte, North Carolina

Cleveland, Ohio

Rapid City, South Dakota

Los Angeles, California

Houston, Texas

and Gilbert, Arizona!!!!!!!!!!

These reassignments are inspired! There is someone there that I need to teach or there is someone there that I need to meet for me! I love this gospel, I love being a missionary! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Sister Tingey

8/15/13

P.S. PLEASE DEAR ELDER ME EVERYDAY WHILE YOU CAN!!!!!!!!!!! I love mail and I only have two more days of getting dear elders! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

More fun MTC fotos

The Sisters Tingey---Together as missionaries!

Pure JOY!

And then there was one......

Óla familia! Tudo bem?

8/13/13

Wow, what a week! Happy Happy Birthday to my incredible mother and the cutest little nephew in the world!!!! I have been thinking about you two all week and I hope you had the best of birthdays! (hopefully you've gotten my card!)

This has been a difficult but GREAT week! Seeing Elizabeth on Sunday was a little bit of Heaven! It was just what I needed to be reminded of why I'm here and how every sacrifice is worth it to be a missionary! It was the biggest blessing to be able to share that time with my sister while we were both still sister missionaries! Biffy - i feel for you as you are readjusting to real life! Know that i love you so much and think about you always and am constantly praying for you! thank you for you dear elders - they make my day everyday i get one! Seriously though family and friends, dear elders are the bomb.com and i only have a week left in the MTC which equals one week left of getting mail everyday! PLEASE WRITE! There is nothing better than getting mail at the end of a VERY long day! you da best.

This week was our first week as a tripanionship! It's been working out beautifully! A bit of tension here and there as it is difficult to get everyone's voice and opinion and feelings in BUT i see it as such a blessing! Sister Gold is wise beyond her years and has taught me so much about missionary work. She is also HILARIOUS and makes me laugh and smile all day long which i appreciate so much! My companions are the BEST! I love sister Colvin and Sister Gold so much, they are so dear to my heart and have made the first six weeks of my mission AWESOME!

Gah it's weird being the old ones now. It is my district's last week in the MTC!!!! Which means I GET MY REASSIGNMENT ON FRIDAY!!!!!!!! I am SO unbelievably excited! I will be able to e-mail you when i find out where i will be serving next week! it also means I get to call home when I'm at the airport so I need a phone number to call! This being my last week at the MTC is very bitter sweet! I have learned and grown so much at the MTC! It is such a special place! BUT i am SO excited to go out in the field and to teach everyday!!!

This week, the topic of gifts of the spirit has been on my mind a lot! we often forget the gifts we receive from the spirit. For example, the gift of a testimony, gift of weeping, gift of knowledge...etc. i have had lots of thoughts running through my mind about how wonderful gifts of the spirit are. But I have especially been thinking about how we are given gifts of the spirit so that we might use them to serve others. i am so grateful for my mission and the opportunity I have to focus all of my spiritual gifts on others and on  bringing myself and others unto Christ!

This week we began teaching each other in our district. This means that I am teaching Elder Fox (he's playing my progressing investigator) and i get to be an investigator! It is the coolest and most enriching experience to play an investigator! It has given me so much insight in what I need to do better as a missionary when i teach! It is really special too because we pick someone we really care about and we put ourselves into their situation and try to put ourselves in their head basically. It is really difficult to explain how it feels and what I'm learning but it is an incredible experience every lesson. The training they do here for missionaries is inspired! there is no better way to learn than to teach!

Another cool thing we have gotten to do at the MTC is skype Brazilians for TRC! It is a brand new thing they have been doing at the MTC and we are some of the first districts to do it!

This morning we finally got to go to the temple!!! What a blessing that was! It was so uplifting and it was just what I needed to boost me up for my last week at the MTC and to help prepare me for the field! Something really special I have felt and thought a lot about this past week is there is not an hour in the day that the missionaries aren't prayed for! I feel those prayers everyday! 

Apparently the devotional tonight is going to be a big one, but who knows, they say that every week. They will be broadcasting this devotional to all of the MTCs around the world, so who knows, maybe we'll have a general authority! I LOVE devotionals and I LOVE singing in the choir! The MTC choir is a choir of angels! What a blessing it is to be here and to be serving the Lord!

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Love,

Sister Tingey

Mais Fotos!

Jesus Minha Luz!

Oi Familia!       8/6/13

Wow what a week! First off, Savannah Clawson´s cousin, Elder Curtis Clawson, is in my zone!!! I´ve had to say goodbye to a couple of my good friends this week! One is off to Russia and one got his visa and is off to Brazil!!! More and more people are getting their visas! I´ve heard of a couple of missionaries who did their visas through LA who have gotten their visas. I still haven't heard anything about mine yet, but there's hope!

Sister Colvin and I had yet another very special experience with our investigator this week! I have been thinking a lot about Elizabeth returning home from her mission and how hard it is for her and how sad I am that I won't really see her for another 18 months. In my despair I had the opportunity to turn outward and teach one of our progressing investigators. I'm just going to quote what I wrote in my journal right after our lesson..."I never want to forget today! I am so grateful for these experiences that humbe me because in my humility I come closer to Christ, which helps me bring others closer to Christ. I know the mission is going to be hard, but Christ knows. He knows how I feel and He knows what I am going through! I'm grateful for my weaknesses and for my difficulties, because through them I am humbled and I come unto Christ. How great is my callin, to bring souls unto Christ, especially my own! I am so grateful for this work and for the opportunity I have to be apart of it. This is God's work! It is not about me, it is about His people who need His gospel! Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are so good to me. I feel their love everyday. I love them so much and I love the Holy Ghost so much! This work would not be possible without the Holy Ghost! How GREAT is my calling! I am humbled and overwhelmed and so happy to have the opportunity to be a representative of Jesus Christ and the share His happy message!"

Every day I am blessed! I love being a missionary so much! It is the greatest work on this earth! This week I have really felt the authority I have with this calling. In one of our lessons, I felt that authority when I was able to promise our progressing investigator that if he stops drinking, the Lord will bless Him because the Lord giveth no commandment save He shall prepare a way. GAH! I love this gospel so much! It is so true and it blesses lives! It has blessed my own so much and I can't stand to have people not know of the truth and of the love of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ! I can't wait to share this happy message with the people in Brazil and with the people of who I will be serving in the meantime!

Devotionals were FANTASTIC this week! I mean, they are always great, but I really loved the last two devotional we have had. One was about being a Preach My Gospel Missionary! PMG is an inspired manual for missionaries. It was written to teach missionaries how to be the best missionaries they can possibly be! I am determined to be a PMG Missionary!!! On Sunday, Jenny Oaks Baker gave the devotional! It was so beautiful! She talked about gifts of the spirit and she played such wonderful music! It was so inspiring and uplifting!

In other news, Sister Colvin and I are getting a new companion tonight! Her name is Sister Gold and she is joining us because she has a foot problem and has to stay at the MTC for two more weeks before she goes to Brazil! She seem really sweet and I know it will be a challenging, but wonderful experience!

OHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH ELIZABETH IS FLYING HOME RIGHT NOW!!!!!!! I can't believe Elizabeth is going to be home tonight! I have been thinking about her so much! Especially on Sunday because that was probably her last official day as a missionary! I can't WAIT to see her!!! What a joyous reunion it will  be! It will be a little glimpse of heaven!

The last couple of days I have really been trying to prepare myself for an emotional and difficult week. This week is going to be a tough one, but I am determined to make it the best week ever! (prayers are appreciated haha) But seriously family, thank you for all of your support and prayers and love! Know that it is felt and appreciated! I love you all so much!!!!

Oh and I almost forgot, Sister Colvin and I had the sweetest experience this morning with two international elders! One is from Tahiti, and the other is from Tonga. We asked if we could bear our testimonies to them in Portuguese, and in turn they bore theirs in English and then their native language, French and Tongan. It was so beautiful! The spirit was so strong in those Elders' sweet simple testimonies! It was cool to have that experience. Both Sister Colvin and I realized that that is probably how we sounded when we were first learning Portuguese. Very simple and broken, but even more heartfelt!

I love this work so much! I love being a missionary!!!! JESUS MINHA LUZ!!!!!! I love portuguese (even though it's hard sometimes, it is the most beautiful language EVER!) I love my family! I love this gospel! I LOVE YOU ALL!

Felizidades e Animada

Sister Tingey (Brasiliera)

P.S. Mom- thank you SO much for the package! Seriously made my week! You are so wonderful! I am so glad you are finally in the house! Wish I could be there to help but I think I am helping more by serving the Lord. He has blessed our family so much! I am grateful I can show my gratitude to Him by serving Him fulltime for 18 months! I love you all! 1 month down, 17 more to go!!!

P.S. The temple has been closed the whole time we have been here but it opens next week and we'll finally be able to go next week! I am so excited!!! Also, Let me know as soon as you set up and appointment for me to see Elizabeth! I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HER!!!!

LOVE YOU!!!!