Happily Hectic :D

Hermana Kristen Tuft - tired but in Antofagasta safe and sound and with her companion, 
18 June 2013

Hermanas Bruce, Tuft and Delgado, Presidente Bruce

Mission Tradition- when new missionaries come they shine their shoes.

Last report from Provo Utah!

Look out Chile!

Hooray for Hermana Tuft!

Sister Tuft with Sister Heslop!

Antofagasta Chile District! President and Sister Caywood are located in the center!

Sister Tuft with Sister Bri Barnes, headed for San Diego California mission today!

Hello Everyone!! :D

Hahaha it's just been one of those weeks.... It's been wonderful, don't get me wrong, but everything is just up in the air right now! Last night, we had our first ever devotional at the Marriott Center and Elder and Sister Arnold from the Seventy spoke. I'm coining Sister Arnold's term when she said life is sometimes happily hectic. Which is completely true right now! You wouldn't think that being in the MTC I could be so busy, but I am indeed. But I love it. :) And can I just express a little bit of excitement to you all??? I'M GOING TO CHILE IN 5 DAYSSS. That's all. Honestly that explains my mood and happiness right there. :D It's hilarious though because....I don't speak the language, I've only been out of the country once, my longest ever flight was no more that 8 hours, I've lived in Utah my whole life, pero está bien! I'll learn the language in no time as I work hard and rely on the Lord, the flight is 18+ hours, but I love flying and we'll be mostly flying through the night, and I'm excited for the adventure of a new culture. I'm a happy camper. Honestly, how is anyone not a happy camper?? Life is so good if you just stop and look at all the wonderful blessings the Lord has given us, rather than seeing the "bad" things every day we should choose to see the good. Hakuna Matata. :)

One of these blessings I have come to realize more and more in my life is that of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The past few days I have learned more about my Savior than ever before. Sunday night, we went to watch the Character of Christ by Elder Bednar. He gave this talk a few years ago in the MTC, but I wish you all could watch it! I loved the analogy he gave; he said that the natural man is like Cookie Monster. "I want cookie now, give me now, etc." Or for us missionaries, "I want investigator now, give me baptism now, etc." He frankly but kindly reminded us that this mission is not about us. It never is and never has been. :) When we turn outward, instead of inward and selfish, we see the true Character of Christ.

Last night I also felt of the love my Savior has for me. We were in a room FULL of missionaries. Just imagine this for a second: 4,000ish missionaries in the Marriot Center, with half of them in the choir (which was amazing, we sang Called to Serve) and a member of the Seventy testifying of this Gospel and of Jesus Christ. The power and Spirit in that room was something that I will never forget. Some of my favorite thoughts from their talks were when Sister Arnold said, "Maybe we have untapped sources that can empower us." Which I fully believe for everyone with a desire to change and become better! "Ask and ye shall recieve, knock and it shall be opened unto you." "Resolve right now to do your best every day." Elder Arnold said that we need to, "Catch the urgency of the work. Your mission will effect you for the eternities." "Our most important goal should be to bring souls unto Christ. How do we become fully converted?" "What is your Heavenly vision? What will be written in your book of life? Your book of life will be a literal accounting of your life thoughts and actions... Through the Atonement, we can have a sentence taken out, or a page, or a chapter, or half the book if necessary. Th day to change, to repent, to return to Christ is today."

Things with our "investigators" are great! Another funny moment happened on Friday... :) We were in our lesson with Pedro and things were going so great! We were sure that if we committed him to baptism right then that he would definitely say yes. So I went ahead and asked him and he said YES, but then I asked him if cinquenta de Junio would work. Yep... quince is 15. Cinquenta is 50. And he, being our very committed-to-character teacher that he actually is, smiled, laughed, and said yes. So we have a baptismal date for the 50th if anyone wants to come! :P 1,000,000 errores is the key to learning Spanish and I think I've hit about half way! :P Just kidding, not even close. :) Está bien. :D

I'm sure I will have MUCH to tell next week, but for now adiós!! :)

Con amor,
Hermana Tuft

To mi familia:

Hello!! I love you all so much! :D And I can't wait to talk to you on Monday. :) I wish I could talk to all of you, but I understand that life is crazy busy. :) I should be calling at about 11 or 12, just fyi. We leave here at 9:30 am, so after we're all checked in and such I will find a phone to call. :) Should I buy a calling card here, or are you sending one Mom? I'm not sure how much time to get.... I am so crazy excited. Thank you all for your letters and love and support and prayers in my behalf. Megan and Tom those pictures are SO adorable I love them. Whoever did them did a great job. :) Thank you for sending them! And just a quick little side note....I thought Father's Day was last Sunday, as I'm sure you discovered Dad... So sorry! But I'm just claiming to be super on top of things... :) Happy Father's Day again.... :D I said goodbye to the Caywood's last night because they have to leave on Friday to help their son move, so that was kind of sad for me. Kinda like another piece of home leaving, but I am so grateful that I got to be in their branch!! It really helped me a lot. Also a little shout out for Shop Hop this week: Have a little extra fun for me and tell my "other mothers" how much I love them and that I hope they have a blast without me, even though it'll be hard.... ;) And Lindsay!! LOVE every second and work super hard and please write me you silly girl. :) Kyle, I would love to get a letter in Spanish to translate & struggle out a little response if you have a little bit of time. I know you're busy though. :) Spencer, what jobs are you working this summer?? Dad mentioned something about Sister Eldon's, and someplace else I believe...? I love you all so much! :D Happy Father's Day!!

Lots of love,

Kristen