Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Mais Fotos!
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
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!
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