HELLOOO!!!!
Oh my goodness I have been soooooo excited to write home this week!! I love my mission so much, and I love being able to be an instrument in the Lord's hands. His love for all of His children is so evident, and I get to see it up close and personal every single day. This is such an amazing and beautiful experience.
The reason why I'm so darn excited?! So..... PIA IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!!!!! :D She's 13 years old, and we've been working with her for 3 weeks, and she's wanted to get baptized the whole time, but especially after she went to the baptism of Byron last week. She said the sooner the better, and we said GREAT!!!! :D It's kinda a crazy story. She lives with her grandma, because her mom had her when she was 13 and her mom travels to Santiago a lot for work. So her grandma told her she could get baptized, but when we were there last time, her grandma was in the other room and over heard us talking about baptism and told her that she couldn't be baptized yet because she didn't know enough... Which is valid, I mean we haven't met with her grandma and she's just trying to make sure she knows what she's doing... So that was Saturday night, and as we were leaving, she said she would talk to her tonight and let us know in the morning if the 3rd would work. So we got to church JUST as they finished the opening prayer (we had to pick up Lucia and Daniela, who live a long way from the chapel and we just ran out of time...anywho) Pia caught my attention and held up 3 fingers, had a HUGE smile, and mouthed "the 3rd!" DAH! I had the biggest chills ever and so we worked it out right there in sacrament and they announced it at the end. SO! This Saturday, August 3rd we have a baptism at 6 pm if anyone would like to come! :D It's been a great experience, and I honestly cannot describe my feelings. :) Pia hasn't had to make any major changes in her life, but she has so much more light now, from when I first met her. It's so incredible to see that inner change of heart.
So that is the HAPPY news, now for the sad.... Hermana Delgado is headed to Copiapo right now. :( We got transfer calls on Saturday night LATE, and we were sure we would all stay, because President Dalton (and I think this comes from the First Presidency...not 100% sure...) said that he would like us to stay 6ish months in one ward/sector. I'm really excited for that because I think we'll be able to work with the ward better this way, instead of new missionaries every 6 weeks... Anywho! We thought we would stay, but Hna Delgado has been called to Copiapo (20 HOURS FROM HERE HOLY COW) and she'll be a sister training leader there. She's super nervous, and the past couple days have been crazy cause she has so much energy and we were up really late last night while she was packing, and then she headed out at 8:30 am.
So right now I'm with Hnas LeFevre and Howell in Costanera, and we'll hang out for the day at El Morro and the mummy museum in Asapa. Tomorrow morning they'll go with me to the bus terminal to pick up Hna Matias! I'm SO excited to meet her!! She's in Copiapo right now! So they're switching places... :) I'm nervous though because I have to remember all the names of the members and where they live and our investigators and streets and EVERYTHING. Hna Delgado was here for a transfer before me. It'll be good though. :) And plan a baptism.... :P Good thing we have companions, cause this wouldn't work if I was solo... :P All I know about Hna Matias is that she is from Peru also, and that she doesn't speak English as well BUT I'm really excited for that because I feel like I've been learning so much faster with a Latin companion. And Peruvians are so amazing, so I'm really excited. :) I did talk to her for 2 seconds on the phone, but that's it. :) She has 2 more transfers than me, and she'll be finishing my training. It should be great! :)
Also, the story of Mamita joining the church! I keep forgetting to write that home... So sorry Dad!! Her mom was really sick, (this was 20 years ago in Santiago) and her sister was a member here in Arica. Her sister told her that she was going to contact the bishop there so they could give her mom a blessing, and Mamita said that after that blessing she knew this church was true. They moved up here to Arica, and she was baptized 2 months later. To this day, she and her 2 sisters are members, but she has 6 others that aren't members. Her son served in Buenos Aires and got back in January and now is married and living a few blocks away with his wife. Her other 2 daughters aren't members. It's an amazing story of the power of a Priesthood blessing, and such great faith.
I think that's about all for this week! We had a great week, but we're trying to find new investigators right now... I'll keep you posted about Maribel, Daniela, Lucia, Fabiola, and Julieta. :) I know this church is true. There is not a doubt in my mind, and I know that we have a loving Heavenly Father that knows our needs and gives answers to our prayers. What an amazing blessing it is to have this Gospel in our lives. We are so very blessed, and we need only open our mouths to share our testimonies for others to know of it as well. I hope all is well at home, and I love you all so much! Thank you for your prayers and support. The Lord's work is hastening, and we are a huge part of it. You are all in my prayers!!
All my love,
Hermana Tuft
Hello Family!!
It sounds like you all have kept busy this week! And LINDSAY YOUR NOSE!!! How are you doing?? I'm sorry...I did have a little chuckle when Mom and Dad said that you have two black eyes....so sorry (for laughing and for how painful that must be!!!) Send pictures por favor!! And of the family vacation last week too... :) How was camping with the Decker's Kyle and Jess?? And I hope Spencer has a great time at Timberline! That's so weird....I remember the first time Kyle went, and now this is the last time Spencer will go.... Crazy how time flies!! How are things up in Smithfield Megan & Tom?? Are you headed to Lake Powell in the next couple weeks? And is there a Tyler reunion this year... I haven't heard anything about that so I was just curious... I love you all SOOO much. I miss you like crazy, but there is no place I'd rather be right now. :D I hope all is well and know that I pray for you all every single day. Talk to you soon. :)
LOTS of love,
Kristen
P.S. I'm just curious....but how long are my letters printed....? Just curious... :P And my camera is on it's way home with Elder Coats who lives near Fillmore and leaves today! So keep your eye out for that! Lots of love!
Monday, July 29, 2013
Monday, July 22, 2013
(Photos posted with permission of those involved to be on Facebook or Blog.)
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| Hermanas Tuft and Delgado at Lago Chungara 15 July 2013 |
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| Hermana Kristen Tuft, Isis, who drew those heart-warming pictures and Hermana Delgado. |
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| Hermanas Kristen Tuft and Ana Delgado and Hermana Jessica in her home in Yuta (prounounced like Utah). They are inside Hermana Jessica's home with no roof and canyon winds and it was FREEZING. |
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| Hermanas Tuft and Delgado being silly with two members. |
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| Tuft family Midway vacation - cups for all! We didn't leave Kristen out. She sings the song "Empty Chairs and Empty Tables" from Les Miserables' and we made it NO EMPTY CUPS, at least not forgotten. :) |
Hermanas Kristen Tuft and Ana Delgado leaving for Kristen's first area, Arica, Chile!
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| Hermanas Tracy Bruce, Kristen Tuft, Ana Delgado, and Presidente Leland Bruce. |
Last week of the Cambio...WHAT?
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Hope things are great there at home! Sounds like its way hot and that everyone is having a great summer! :)
I have a few thoughts/things to share this week, but not too much, and I WILL send pictures....I don't know why that's been such a struggle for me.... This week for sure. :)
I wanted to share a Pioneer Day related experience with you all first. :) Some background things are also experiences I want to share, so bear with me. :) We had a baptism in our ward! It was for the Elders, but exciting nonetheless. :) I played the piano, which was not good by all means, but it felt good to help out at least a little bit. We also sang A Child's Prayer for the special number (the four of us missionaries in Zapahuira), and that was a very special experience, as two of us were singing in English, and two in Spanish. So after the baptism, Byron's (who is 11 and got baptized) mom invited all of us over for a family home evening. Their family is members, but all of their extended family isn't and they were all there to support their nephew/grandson. So we went over, enjoyed some wonderful Chilean food, and watched a video about John Tanner. I vaguely recall watching that once before, but it had a much stronger impact this time for some reason.... I felt so blessed and in such great awe at the faith and perseverance of the Pioneers. They also mentioned the name Parley P. Pratt, and that hit me just right. I realized that not only my family on the earth right now is making such great sacrifices for me to be here, but my WHOLE family. All my pioneer ancestors worked so hard, just so that I could be here in Chile today. That gave me a different perspective, and it was very humbling. It makes me want to try THAT much harder to be a little bit better. :) (Parley P. Pratt is a 5th great uncle to Kristen.)
We are working with four very great investigators right now! They are all girls, and all under 13. Two of them are sisters, and they are so enthusiastic about the gospel, and they LOVE reading the Book of Mormon. They have to go to church three times before they get baptized though, so stay tuned for later in August. :)
Speaking of which!! Next week is transfers. I don't quite know where the time has gone, but we are really hoping that neither of us has to leave Zapahuira at this time.... If we need to, of course we will... :) But I sure hope that we get to stay for a little while longer. Also, along those lines if one of us is transferred you won't hear from me until Tuesday or Wednesday because of packing and traveling to a new area takes the whole P Day. So no worries if that is the case! :)
Yesterday we got the opportunity to go to a town in our ward named Yuta. Yep. Pronouced the same way as my Utah. :) It was a great experience! It's only about 20 minutes away, and we never go out there to tract or anything, but there are a couple families in the ward that live there and we ate lunch with them. Yuta is a little farming town, and it's great cause there's actually GREEN stuff... ;) It's a nice little change.... :)
Time to go for now, but I love you all so much. It's great to hear about the adventures happening in the OTHER Utah. :) The Lord's work is hastening! Don't be afraid to open your mouth. :) All my love,
Hermana Tuft
=================
Hermana Tuft
=================
Dear Family!!!
I loved hearing about all your experiences you had in Heber! I was dying laughing about your charades game, and it sounded like you kept pretty busy. I feel so special to have been included in the CUPS. :P That definitely made my day. :) I was there in spirit.... :) I have an envelope addressed and ready to SEND home, but I don't know when I'll get to go to Centro to send it, so I'll let you know... They might be a little out of date when you get them....so sorry.... :P I'm going to send pictures, so I have to run, but I love you all!! Kyle & Jess I'd love to hear about how Washington is when you get back! And Spencer and Lindsay PLEASE tell me all about EFY and Timberline, and spending time up in Smithfield... :P
LOVESSSSS from Chile,
Kristen =================
Hello Mommy and Daddy!!
I have lots of notes (yes I wrote notes to your letters, so I wouldn't leave anything out... :) But I'm just going to type them as I wrote them down to save time, if that's okay! :) I really hate this whole time limit thing... I'd be much better if the church could change it to 2 hours, or even an hour and a half... Anywho here goes!! :)
Yeah for Marley and her call!! That's so exciting! Everyone is going to speak Spanish come two years from now... :) That's also great that Malachi Hopoate gets to go down to Mexico City! I had a teacher in the MTC go there a week before we left, so I told her to look for Hermana Thomas :). Do you, by chance, have her email? I'm assuming it's normal, but who knows. :) Also, it sounds like Britney had a great time in Africa!! I hope to hear from her about it soon. :) I also loved hearing about the temple experiences from Brother Rios. I got MAJOR chills when you said that about the 400 sisters going through in 1 hour!! The work is hastening on BOTH sides of the veil... I LOVE IT!!! :D I wish I could have been there to help with organizing those family pictures, but it sounds like things are going well and I can't wait to see how it turns out. :) Could you maybe send a picture of Kim's baby?? I'd love to see him. :) AND MOM YOUR FOOOOOTTTT!!! What's up with that?!?! Please keep me posted and let me know how your appointments go.... I've been having shin splint problems and been pulling a YOU and wearing tennis shoes around the house....I hate wearing shoes....did ya know that? ;) And I hope you have a great time with Jennie this week! Tell me all about it. :) Did Jennie get my letter?? I sure hope so, I sent it while I was in the MTC.... I'm happy to hear that Uncle Glenn is feeling a little better, but I hope he gets the help he needs and isn't stubborn about it... Sounds too much like Grandpa.... I pray for him every day, and also those of the family that aren't active especially... I hope they can realize the importance of this gospel. That's the whole reason I'm here!! I also was CRACKING up about "Sister Kessa Dwiggins." :P Too funny. And no Megan Walker didn't tell me about my blog! Please clue me in.... :) TONS of news, but I love it! It makes it seem like you all aren't that far away. :D
Dad, I haven't had the chance to make pancakes yet, because we haven't made it to Chile's Walmart for a couple weeks to get stuff to make them, but I will tell you how they turn out when I do make them! :) And along those lines, same with making a dessert for my Empanada lady. :) We're going to stop by and see if we can actually VISIT with her this week though. :) The language journal is helping me SO much. I kinda disregarded it for a little while when I first got here, but you reminding me made me pull it back out again and now I write down all the words I don't know during the day, and look them up when I get home. :) I wish I could say the lists are getting shorter, but they aren't... SO much to learn, but I DO understand TONSSSS better these days. I also can talk to someone and have a short conversation, so it's coming. Not without TONS of help from fervent prayer however. :) We work with our Ward Mission Leader, Hermano Delgado, and we're actually going over there for an FHE tonight. :) He is such a great help, and we couldn't do this without him. He said he's working with the Bishop to get ward mission leaders called this month, so I hope I'll be here to see what that brings! :) Also, LOTS of people have been to the Bolivia, Cuchabumba temple, because the whole ward goes twice a year. You can feel a difference in the homes of members that have and haven't been. It's a huge testimony builder to me of the sacredness of the temple and the covenants we make there. I didn't get a chance to do a sealing while at the MTC, so that is on my list of things to do when I get home. Going to the temple in general will be such a wonderful experience. I really am missing my weekly temple trips... I hope you and Mom can go this week or next for me! :) I also vaguely remember that talk we had while on the way to Brigham a couple years ago... I remember I wrote it in my journal though! :) That's what journals are for... :) I loved reading through Alma 32 though. Thank you for that. It's interesting how Alma says by faith and diligence it will take root in you. We first have to ALLOW it. The seed needs the water from our own desire to know the truth before it can take root. I love that promise that when we endure to the end, we are promised eternal life. The temple is a TINY glimpse of the Glory and Love of God. We are SO blessed to have so many temples in the world today.
I am so so soooo sorry once again about my camera... I don't know if you really want me to send it home though! One of the Elders I was talking to about it said not to have you send one, because his mom did that and it got stolen in the mail.... And he said not to have you tell anyone of MM because he didn't tell his mom.... I promise I will tell you those things... :D Also, tell Grandma and Grandpa hello and give them a HUGE squeeze for me. I'm wearing Grandma's scarf she made for me today, and I've been thinking of her. ALSO please tell her I use my prayer rug SOOO many times every day because the floor is tile, and it is so wonderful. So please thank her again for me. :) Kay, I've got to run so I can send PICTURES!! Allllll my LOVE!!
Your daughter,
Kristen, the Stinkerpants. :)
Kristen =================
Hello Mommy and Daddy!!
I have lots of notes (yes I wrote notes to your letters, so I wouldn't leave anything out... :) But I'm just going to type them as I wrote them down to save time, if that's okay! :) I really hate this whole time limit thing... I'd be much better if the church could change it to 2 hours, or even an hour and a half... Anywho here goes!! :)
Yeah for Marley and her call!! That's so exciting! Everyone is going to speak Spanish come two years from now... :) That's also great that Malachi Hopoate gets to go down to Mexico City! I had a teacher in the MTC go there a week before we left, so I told her to look for Hermana Thomas :). Do you, by chance, have her email? I'm assuming it's normal, but who knows. :) Also, it sounds like Britney had a great time in Africa!! I hope to hear from her about it soon. :) I also loved hearing about the temple experiences from Brother Rios. I got MAJOR chills when you said that about the 400 sisters going through in 1 hour!! The work is hastening on BOTH sides of the veil... I LOVE IT!!! :D I wish I could have been there to help with organizing those family pictures, but it sounds like things are going well and I can't wait to see how it turns out. :) Could you maybe send a picture of Kim's baby?? I'd love to see him. :) AND MOM YOUR FOOOOOTTTT!!! What's up with that?!?! Please keep me posted and let me know how your appointments go.... I've been having shin splint problems and been pulling a YOU and wearing tennis shoes around the house....I hate wearing shoes....did ya know that? ;) And I hope you have a great time with Jennie this week! Tell me all about it. :) Did Jennie get my letter?? I sure hope so, I sent it while I was in the MTC.... I'm happy to hear that Uncle Glenn is feeling a little better, but I hope he gets the help he needs and isn't stubborn about it... Sounds too much like Grandpa.... I pray for him every day, and also those of the family that aren't active especially... I hope they can realize the importance of this gospel. That's the whole reason I'm here!! I also was CRACKING up about "Sister Kessa Dwiggins." :P Too funny. And no Megan Walker didn't tell me about my blog! Please clue me in.... :) TONS of news, but I love it! It makes it seem like you all aren't that far away. :D
Dad, I haven't had the chance to make pancakes yet, because we haven't made it to Chile's Walmart for a couple weeks to get stuff to make them, but I will tell you how they turn out when I do make them! :) And along those lines, same with making a dessert for my Empanada lady. :) We're going to stop by and see if we can actually VISIT with her this week though. :) The language journal is helping me SO much. I kinda disregarded it for a little while when I first got here, but you reminding me made me pull it back out again and now I write down all the words I don't know during the day, and look them up when I get home. :) I wish I could say the lists are getting shorter, but they aren't... SO much to learn, but I DO understand TONSSSS better these days. I also can talk to someone and have a short conversation, so it's coming. Not without TONS of help from fervent prayer however. :) We work with our Ward Mission Leader, Hermano Delgado, and we're actually going over there for an FHE tonight. :) He is such a great help, and we couldn't do this without him. He said he's working with the Bishop to get ward mission leaders called this month, so I hope I'll be here to see what that brings! :) Also, LOTS of people have been to the Bolivia, Cuchabumba temple, because the whole ward goes twice a year. You can feel a difference in the homes of members that have and haven't been. It's a huge testimony builder to me of the sacredness of the temple and the covenants we make there. I didn't get a chance to do a sealing while at the MTC, so that is on my list of things to do when I get home. Going to the temple in general will be such a wonderful experience. I really am missing my weekly temple trips... I hope you and Mom can go this week or next for me! :) I also vaguely remember that talk we had while on the way to Brigham a couple years ago... I remember I wrote it in my journal though! :) That's what journals are for... :) I loved reading through Alma 32 though. Thank you for that. It's interesting how Alma says by faith and diligence it will take root in you. We first have to ALLOW it. The seed needs the water from our own desire to know the truth before it can take root. I love that promise that when we endure to the end, we are promised eternal life. The temple is a TINY glimpse of the Glory and Love of God. We are SO blessed to have so many temples in the world today.
I am so so soooo sorry once again about my camera... I don't know if you really want me to send it home though! One of the Elders I was talking to about it said not to have you send one, because his mom did that and it got stolen in the mail.... And he said not to have you tell anyone of MM because he didn't tell his mom.... I promise I will tell you those things... :D Also, tell Grandma and Grandpa hello and give them a HUGE squeeze for me. I'm wearing Grandma's scarf she made for me today, and I've been thinking of her. ALSO please tell her I use my prayer rug SOOO many times every day because the floor is tile, and it is so wonderful. So please thank her again for me. :) Kay, I've got to run so I can send PICTURES!! Allllll my LOVE!!
Your daughter,
Kristen, the Stinkerpants. :)
(She had an Elder there drop her camera last week at the lake and break it and wrote a private email to us and referred to herself as the Stinkerpants. We're thinking it's going to STICK - it's her fourth broken camera in about 5 years, THREE of them broken by others!!! Being a photography major, she said she's thinking about changing majors. :) )
Monday, July 15, 2013
Miracles and Adventures!!!!
HELLLOOOO ALLLL!!!! 14 July 2013
I sure hope you get this tonight, I feel so bad you didn´t get the one last week until Tuesday! I sent it on Monday, but I think that because it was so long it didn´t send.....? That´s the only thing I could think of!
Anywho!! The work is going forth here in Northern Chile, and I am so blessed to be a part of it. I cannot express in words the feelings of happiness that I have and the love of my Heavenly Father that I feel every day. It honestly is overwhelming, but so rewarding. You may be asking about the ¨miracles¨ title.... Nothing BIG miracle-wise, but every single day I see miracles. There are in your lives too, I absolutely know it. The biggest miracle I think is when we get to teach someone how to pray, and they have never prayed before. It is such a tender moment, and no matter how simple their prayers are, the Spirit fills the room. I haven´t had the experience of having a baptism yet, but I know that will come and that that will be another HUGE miracle I have the chance to witness. I love this gospel and the happiness it brings into people´s lives.
As far as our investigators go, we have MANY, but not many progressing because they don´t go to church... It´s so frustrating!! Most of them live so close to the chapel, but Sunday is the day they get everything done, so they don´t go... Or at least that´s what they tell us, or don´t answer the door at least. We´re working with 2 girls right now, Pia and Maribel. They´re both 13 and wonderful!! The goal for this week is to challenge them both to baptism for the following Saturday. I will keep you all posted. :)
I´m very sorry, today has been CRAZY!!!!! I haven´t really had time to read your letters and answer questions, so I promise I will respond next week! We got the chance today to go to Lago Chungara (google it, it´s BEAUTIFUL!) and that took the whole day. It´s the highest lake in the world from what I understand (Lake Titicaca is the largest/highest I believe....don´t quote me on that :). We went from 5 feet above sea level here in Arica, to 13,000 feet in 3 hours in a car with 10 people. :) Needless to say, I definitely have never felt like that before... It was beautiful!!!!! I did get the chance to see my flamingos so I´d like to make a shout out to Marsha, Mary Ann, and my Cornwagon Mamitas. :D
A couple experiences this week with the culture! I tried my first completo (Chilean hotdog :D) and it was great! TONS of mayo, so I´m hoping in the future I can cut back on that, cause I don´t think anyone should ever have that much mayo in their whole lives.... :P AND helado (ice cream). So much better here... So sorry. :) It´s a lot sweeter and creamier I think and QUITE delicious. :D ANNNDDD. I felt my first ¨tremor¨on Tuesday. Kinda freaky, and kinda cool at the same time. I know it shouldn´t fit in the ¨cool¨category, but it does.... :P I don´t think a terrimoto will fit in the cool category....so I´m not hoping for that, that´s definitely for sure. :D
One thought to leave you all with today! I was reading the Allegory of the Olive Tree in Jacob 5, and reading it with missionary work in mind completely changed my outlook on that chapter. In the past, I´ve looked at is as 75 verses of one chapter that I´m too tired to read and so I never really got anything out of it... But this week! It was an amazing experience. I especially liked verse 71-2 and 75. We are promised that if we labor with all our might, we shall have joy ¨with Me¨. What a wonderful promise! And that isn´t just for missionaries, that´s for all of you too. This is the Lord´s work and we are all called to labor in the vineyard. What an amazing blessing. :D
I´m going to work on sending pictures, so I´ve got to go. BUT I love you all so much and I am so grateful for the love, support and prayers. I know I say this every week, but I really can feel them. Thank you!
Lots of love,
Hermana Tuft
=============
Hello FamBam!!
SO sorry I didn´t get to read your letters really yet, but from what I saw you all had a great weekend with the family and everyone is doing well!! I can´t wait to hear about the family vacation this week! Let me know what you all end up doing and tell me the funny stories please, because I know there will be some.... :P
ALLL my love,
Kristen
================
MOM AND DAD!!!
Sorry again.... Next week I will have lots of answers for you. :) Pinky promise. :D I sang yesterday, Dad! They talked me into it after lunch with the members yesterday... :P In English, but it was good nonetheless. I love singing so much. :D Thank you for the pancake and syrup recipe!! And for the suggestion to make cookies for my empanada lady AND about calcium. :) I am taking my prenatal vitamins as well, so I won´t worry about that. I do worry about getting fat cause they feed me so much and I can´t say no, and if I try to put it in my baggie, they give me more. So I´m still working on a tactic to say no and not offend because I will not get fat. :) The people here are so sweet. :) And Mom, yes I know Katah and Carlitos, but that´s a good idea not to add them to FB for the time being, even though they don´t speak english. :) I´ve been in touch with Jordan and a few other friends. Justina, every week pretty much. :D Exciting that Alecc´s coming home!!! And no, the package won´t get here for a couple more weeks probably BUT I¨M SO EXCITED TO GET IT. :D And I´m expecting a couple letters, and getting some ready to send home, so look out for those in the next month or so... :P
GOT TO RUN!!!! But I love you so much. Thanks for everything you do and have a FANTASTIC WEEK WITH EVERYONE!!! Give everyone a hug for me, and a little kiss and HUGE hug to my little sobrina Audrey girl. :D
All my love,
Kristen
I sure hope you get this tonight, I feel so bad you didn´t get the one last week until Tuesday! I sent it on Monday, but I think that because it was so long it didn´t send.....? That´s the only thing I could think of!
Anywho!! The work is going forth here in Northern Chile, and I am so blessed to be a part of it. I cannot express in words the feelings of happiness that I have and the love of my Heavenly Father that I feel every day. It honestly is overwhelming, but so rewarding. You may be asking about the ¨miracles¨ title.... Nothing BIG miracle-wise, but every single day I see miracles. There are in your lives too, I absolutely know it. The biggest miracle I think is when we get to teach someone how to pray, and they have never prayed before. It is such a tender moment, and no matter how simple their prayers are, the Spirit fills the room. I haven´t had the experience of having a baptism yet, but I know that will come and that that will be another HUGE miracle I have the chance to witness. I love this gospel and the happiness it brings into people´s lives.
As far as our investigators go, we have MANY, but not many progressing because they don´t go to church... It´s so frustrating!! Most of them live so close to the chapel, but Sunday is the day they get everything done, so they don´t go... Or at least that´s what they tell us, or don´t answer the door at least. We´re working with 2 girls right now, Pia and Maribel. They´re both 13 and wonderful!! The goal for this week is to challenge them both to baptism for the following Saturday. I will keep you all posted. :)
I´m very sorry, today has been CRAZY!!!!! I haven´t really had time to read your letters and answer questions, so I promise I will respond next week! We got the chance today to go to Lago Chungara (google it, it´s BEAUTIFUL!) and that took the whole day. It´s the highest lake in the world from what I understand (Lake Titicaca is the largest/highest I believe....don´t quote me on that :). We went from 5 feet above sea level here in Arica, to 13,000 feet in 3 hours in a car with 10 people. :) Needless to say, I definitely have never felt like that before... It was beautiful!!!!! I did get the chance to see my flamingos so I´d like to make a shout out to Marsha, Mary Ann, and my Cornwagon Mamitas. :D
A couple experiences this week with the culture! I tried my first completo (Chilean hotdog :D) and it was great! TONS of mayo, so I´m hoping in the future I can cut back on that, cause I don´t think anyone should ever have that much mayo in their whole lives.... :P AND helado (ice cream). So much better here... So sorry. :) It´s a lot sweeter and creamier I think and QUITE delicious. :D ANNNDDD. I felt my first ¨tremor¨on Tuesday. Kinda freaky, and kinda cool at the same time. I know it shouldn´t fit in the ¨cool¨category, but it does.... :P I don´t think a terrimoto will fit in the cool category....so I´m not hoping for that, that´s definitely for sure. :D
One thought to leave you all with today! I was reading the Allegory of the Olive Tree in Jacob 5, and reading it with missionary work in mind completely changed my outlook on that chapter. In the past, I´ve looked at is as 75 verses of one chapter that I´m too tired to read and so I never really got anything out of it... But this week! It was an amazing experience. I especially liked verse 71-2 and 75. We are promised that if we labor with all our might, we shall have joy ¨with Me¨. What a wonderful promise! And that isn´t just for missionaries, that´s for all of you too. This is the Lord´s work and we are all called to labor in the vineyard. What an amazing blessing. :D
I´m going to work on sending pictures, so I´ve got to go. BUT I love you all so much and I am so grateful for the love, support and prayers. I know I say this every week, but I really can feel them. Thank you!
Lots of love,
Hermana Tuft
=============
Hello FamBam!!
SO sorry I didn´t get to read your letters really yet, but from what I saw you all had a great weekend with the family and everyone is doing well!! I can´t wait to hear about the family vacation this week! Let me know what you all end up doing and tell me the funny stories please, because I know there will be some.... :P
ALLL my love,
Kristen
================
MOM AND DAD!!!
Sorry again.... Next week I will have lots of answers for you. :) Pinky promise. :D I sang yesterday, Dad! They talked me into it after lunch with the members yesterday... :P In English, but it was good nonetheless. I love singing so much. :D Thank you for the pancake and syrup recipe!! And for the suggestion to make cookies for my empanada lady AND about calcium. :) I am taking my prenatal vitamins as well, so I won´t worry about that. I do worry about getting fat cause they feed me so much and I can´t say no, and if I try to put it in my baggie, they give me more. So I´m still working on a tactic to say no and not offend because I will not get fat. :) The people here are so sweet. :) And Mom, yes I know Katah and Carlitos, but that´s a good idea not to add them to FB for the time being, even though they don´t speak english. :) I´ve been in touch with Jordan and a few other friends. Justina, every week pretty much. :D Exciting that Alecc´s coming home!!! And no, the package won´t get here for a couple more weeks probably BUT I¨M SO EXCITED TO GET IT. :D And I´m expecting a couple letters, and getting some ready to send home, so look out for those in the next month or so... :P
GOT TO RUN!!!! But I love you so much. Thanks for everything you do and have a FANTASTIC WEEK WITH EVERYONE!!! Give everyone a hug for me, and a little kiss and HUGE hug to my little sobrina Audrey girl. :D
All my love,
Kristen
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
A Whole New World!
Hello all!!
I can´t believe it´s been another week already! The week has flown by! Just as a random note, I realized today that it´s been 2 months since I left! CRAZY. I love it down here in the Southern Hemisphere, and up here in Arica. :D It´s not easy by all means, but oh so worth it. :)
I have so much to write this week, I´m not sure where to start! I want to answer a couple questions from last week I realized while reading Mom and Dad´s emails that I didn´t respond to! So sorry!! So my Mamita! She´s absoulutely great. :) She´s a member here in Zapahuira ward (my sector/area) and she´s been a member for 21 years. She has 2 kids that live here in Arica, and one recently got married and before, he was living in her house so she housed elders for a couple years, and now that he moved out she has us sisters! So it´s been that arrangement for about a month and a half. Her husband works in Iquique, so they switch off visiting each other on the weekends. I didn´t meet him until this weekend and he is just as great! :) We live upstairs, and yes all the other missionaries have similar arrangements. Not all live with their Mamita, all the Mamitas make lunch for us Monday through Friday (and for our Mamita Saturday as well) and then Sundays are with members. For siesta, we don´t get to take a nap unless we eat fast and sleep until it´s time to study. :) I hope that answered the questions!!
So I wanted to talk a little about the city and food and culture and whatnot. :) There are soooooo manyyyy doggsssssss. Holy smokes. And they seem to clump together and it´s a little intimidating sometimes.... I have named them dog mobs. :) They don´t bother you unless you look at them, so I just ignore them altogether. But I do still carry my little doggy protection device Mom. Just in case. :) (Kristen has a doggy stun gun if one is coming at her in attack mode.) The people here are really accepting, and are really interested in the church, but not very good at committing to things. They will listen once, and then we never hear from them again/they don´t answer the door when we come back. So that´s a challenge we´ve been facing this week especially. :) We did have 2 investigators at church though, so we were really excited about that!! The food. MMMMMmmmm. Me encanta emanadas con queso. A lady makes them on the street here and we get them every once and a while at night. Delicious. :D And the produce is to die for. I wish I could bring tonsss of mangos back for Mom and Lindsay. They are delicious. And they say they´re even better in the Summer. So I´m even more excited. :D I am so glad that I got that coat right before I left, because if not I literally would have frozen to death by now. It´s so cold at night!!! Not Logan cold, but cold when you´re used to the hot during the day. Which makes me 0% excited to return in the winter. Because it will be 5000000x colder than it is here right now. BUT I know there will be snow to greet me. I HOPE THERE WILL BE SNOW TO GREET ME! :P Hahaha I´ll be praying for that. In 16 months from now of course.... :P It is definitely a city here in Arica, not a little town. Most of the little towns are in the middle of the desert, and there aren´t missionaries clear out there. We have, I think 5 or 6 cities in our mission, and there literally is nothing in between but dirt. SOOO much dirt. I didn´t think it was possible to have this much dirt/sand in one place. It´s crazy. :)
So we did get to meet President and Sister Dalton finally on Saturday!! :D They´re so great. We had a meeting with 2 of the zones here (there´s only 3 in Arica), and our 3 month interviews. Sister Dalton is learning Spanish as well, so we talked a little bit about that. Her Spanish is much better than mine though, because they were on another mission here for the past few years working with the Area Seventy I believe... Not quite sure because it was all in Spanish, but almost positive. :P They have 8 kids, and the oldest is 30, youngest is turning 21 soon, and getting back from his mission to Mexico in September. So that´s exciting for them! He´ll come visit in November, I believe. I can´t believe how hard that must be for both of them to not be there when he gets back! I really am so grateful and humbled by the sacrifices all of the missionaries, their families and especially our leaders make for this great work. So thanks to you all as well!!! I honestly couldn´t do this without the love and support I feel from my family and friends. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
A few interesting stats for you all from our mission! In 2009, there were 500 baptisms here in one year. The next year there were 670, 2011 there were 1,039 (HOLY COWWW) and last year there were 1,047. This year our goal iss.......drum roll please..... 1,400. And thus far we have 689, and we have 6 months left. So we´re right on track, and will just have to work a little bit harder this end of the year. It´s sooo exciting how fast the Lord´s work is hastening. There is hardly a person here that hasn´t heard about the church. Some are not so good things, but we´re there to help them see the blessings and resolve the rumors they´ve heard. We met a golden investigator last night. She´s been to church 5 times, was taught by the missionaries, but then she moved and didn´t know where to find us. (She lives right across from the chapel though soo.....) But she is only 11, so está bien. :) Aaand she´s been reading the Book of Mormon! Her parents are divorced though, so she lives the weekends here with her dad, and the week with her mom in Arica Centro. So that might be a bit of a challenge, but we´ll work something out because she is so ready for this gospel. :D
This week´s challenge: go back and reread Nephi and Lehi´s dreams about the tree of life. I KNOW you will find something you haven´t noticed before, and I would love to hear about those experiences. :) I realized this week (it might seem simple, but I never realized it) that the great and spacious building had no foundation. Think of the difference between the Tree of Life and the great and spacious building. I imagine the Tree of Life as the most grand and magestic tree you´ve ever seen. Think of the roots it has, and all of the wonderful fruit it produces! Then think, just across the river is a building so large and dark and full of evil, that they look at that beautiful, magestic tree and mock the people there. How is that possible?! Just remember to never heed their mockings, just like Nephi and his family. Because if you notice, when the people would listen to them mocking, that is when they fell away and followed. We can´t be followers anymore. We must be leaders. In a world full of filth, and darkness, and evil, we are called to arise and shine forth, that our light may be a standard to the nations. The talk, ¨Find the Lambs, Feed the Sheep,¨ by President Hinckley helped me realize all of this while I was reading the dreams of Nephi and Lehi at the same time.
I can´t think of anything else I need to say this week!! I love your letters, and it´s crazy to be reading letters of summer activities, but it´s cold here, and totally not summer! :P We did have a little 4th of July ¨Celebration¨, but it consisted of singing the Star Spangled Banner at our zone meeting, the 4 natives not understanding what was going on, and the elders wanting to get a game of baseball going. We didn´t think that was the greatest idea however, because we would have been using a golf ball and club. So we ruled out that idea.... :P It´s so great to hear from you all and your wonderful weeks!! I love you all so much and I am so grateful for your love, prayers, and constant support. This is the true church. I know it with all my heart. I know that we have living prophets on this earth, and I was called by my Heavenly Father to be here in Northern Chile. Some days I´m not quite sure why Heavenly Father trusts me enough to come here, cause I don´t speak the language, and it´s a totally different culture, and everything is completely new, BUT I know that this is where I am supposed to be. And I am so excited for all of you preparing to serve. Know that it´s hard, but since when was anything that´s actually really worth it been easy? :D
Lotttsss of love,
Hermana Tuft
=========
Hello Family!!! :D
I love you. I love you all soooo much. It´s great to hear about all of your summer adventures and the things you´re doing and learning!! I can´t wait to hear about the family vacation in Midway/Heber City. I love it there. It´s so green and little and wonderful. :) Here, it´s definitely not green or little. Wonderful? Definitely. :D But not clean or green. :P
It´s also great to hear about your 4th of July happenings! Haha I was missing the fireworks that night, but from what I hear, and Megan reminded me, is that the Independence Day here in September is crazy awesome. So I´ll be excited to tell you all about that and get to spend TWO of them here! :D Spencer and Lindsay, I can´t wait to hear about EFY!! You´ll love it. And you won´t read this until you get back, but watch out for each other. :) I loved EFY. :D A mission is like EFY in the sense that you learn and grow so much in such a short amount of time, but for a much longer amount of time as well.... :P
Happy Anniversary to Grandma and Grandpa Tuft!!! I´m going to write them personally, cause I was going to anyway this week and then I got on and Grandma had beaten me to it! :P Tell the family I said hello! And Happy Birthday to Aunt Julie and Uncle Scott!! I would love to know all the birthdays each week, cause I don´t quite remember everyone´s but I like to know... :) Aaand congrats to Natalie & Ryan and Kim and Chris on their new additions! Very exciting for them. Mom, do you have a picture of little Edward Wolfgang?
A couple questions. How is Uncle Glenn doing? Did they ever find out what was wrong? And how Miranda doing? I haven´t heard from her since I wrote her back in the MTC. And is Britney back yet?? How was her trip to Africa?! :) I also was wondering, I don´t believe I´m getting any calcium in my diet these days, because the milk is always warm and is powdered and I don´t know if I should find calcium pills to take or what...? Not super important, just curious. :) And when is Mar´s wedding??? So exciting, and I can´t wait to see pictures!! (Yes, I do get pictures, I keep forgetting to say that :) And it looks like the Trek was great. And that Spencer and Lindsay had a great time in the rain!! I miss rain, that is definitely for sure. :) But I don´t pray for rain, because if it did it would ruin everyone´s houses. They´re not waterproof, and lots are just tarps over cinderblock walls. So that would be a very large problem. And it would be awfully muddy and gross. So please don´t pray for rain down here. :)
A couple last things, just so you know, the orthodics are saving my life. I think my feet would have fallen off by now if I didn´t get them, so thank you Mom and Dad for being wiser than I, as always, and helping me get those last minute. :D Aaand last thing that I had.... Is it possible to get a pancake recipe Mom? :) I want to make pancakes.... :P
Condolences to the Walker Family with Grandma Colton passing away... She is such a sweet and wonderful lady, but I know that she is in a much better place, and I KNOW she left now just in time to be there for Megan as she leaves on her mission. She will be there to help out on the other side. SO exciting for Megan! She emailed me, so I´ll shoot her a quick note back. :) And I hope Janet´s mom is doing okay.... Is she still in the hospital, or living with Scott and Janet now...?
LOTS OF LOVE FROM CHILE!!! You are the best family in the whole wide world and I mean that with all my heart. Talk to you soon and have a fun weeeeekkk!!! :D
Love,
Kristen
===========
And now for my Mommy and Daddy. :D
The best is always last. :) I am so grateful every single day for both of you and the things that you have taught me and continue teaching me from thousands of miles away. I love you so so much. To the moon and the stars and the sun and back times 1000000000. :D
My heath is great. I drink bottled water, but I brush my teeth and they cook with the tap water, but it´s not a problem. No one drinks from the tap anyway.... I do have a little cold that´s been going around, but no big deal. :) I also had to tell Mamita that I can´t eat as much, cause when I do my stomach goes crazy. It´s still a TON of food, but she was very nice about it and didn´t have any problem feeding me less. :) Facebook is on hold for now, I don´t think we´ll be using that during my mission.... Little by little it will be introduced throughout the world, but for now we´ll just wait to hear from the church what they want us to do. :) (She's referring to one of Kyle's friends, Rachel who was piloting during her mission and using Facebook to contact and proselyte.)
Thank you for that little tidbit on Peter Shirts, Dad! That´s a fun little tid bit of information. Please keep me updated on what Jack says. President Dalton is a really big family researcher too, so when he was talking about that I couldn´t help but think you two would hit it off really well. :)
I´ve got to run, but I really will send pictures next week!! An hour is just not enough time!! And tell Spencer and Lindsay I´ll write them next week as well, and I´d love to hear how their week at EFY went. :) I´m sorry if I´m missing anything!! I try my best to answer everything and it´s helpful that your questions are in one spot. :) Saves a little searching time.... :P I love you both. I am so blessed and I know this church is true. Thank you so much for the examples you are to me, and the love I can feel every day. I can´t help but smile whenever I think of my family, and when I read your letters. :)
Lots of love from your daughter,
Kristen
I can´t believe it´s been another week already! The week has flown by! Just as a random note, I realized today that it´s been 2 months since I left! CRAZY. I love it down here in the Southern Hemisphere, and up here in Arica. :D It´s not easy by all means, but oh so worth it. :)
I have so much to write this week, I´m not sure where to start! I want to answer a couple questions from last week I realized while reading Mom and Dad´s emails that I didn´t respond to! So sorry!! So my Mamita! She´s absoulutely great. :) She´s a member here in Zapahuira ward (my sector/area) and she´s been a member for 21 years. She has 2 kids that live here in Arica, and one recently got married and before, he was living in her house so she housed elders for a couple years, and now that he moved out she has us sisters! So it´s been that arrangement for about a month and a half. Her husband works in Iquique, so they switch off visiting each other on the weekends. I didn´t meet him until this weekend and he is just as great! :) We live upstairs, and yes all the other missionaries have similar arrangements. Not all live with their Mamita, all the Mamitas make lunch for us Monday through Friday (and for our Mamita Saturday as well) and then Sundays are with members. For siesta, we don´t get to take a nap unless we eat fast and sleep until it´s time to study. :) I hope that answered the questions!!
So I wanted to talk a little about the city and food and culture and whatnot. :) There are soooooo manyyyy doggsssssss. Holy smokes. And they seem to clump together and it´s a little intimidating sometimes.... I have named them dog mobs. :) They don´t bother you unless you look at them, so I just ignore them altogether. But I do still carry my little doggy protection device Mom. Just in case. :) (Kristen has a doggy stun gun if one is coming at her in attack mode.) The people here are really accepting, and are really interested in the church, but not very good at committing to things. They will listen once, and then we never hear from them again/they don´t answer the door when we come back. So that´s a challenge we´ve been facing this week especially. :) We did have 2 investigators at church though, so we were really excited about that!! The food. MMMMMmmmm. Me encanta emanadas con queso. A lady makes them on the street here and we get them every once and a while at night. Delicious. :D And the produce is to die for. I wish I could bring tonsss of mangos back for Mom and Lindsay. They are delicious. And they say they´re even better in the Summer. So I´m even more excited. :D I am so glad that I got that coat right before I left, because if not I literally would have frozen to death by now. It´s so cold at night!!! Not Logan cold, but cold when you´re used to the hot during the day. Which makes me 0% excited to return in the winter. Because it will be 5000000x colder than it is here right now. BUT I know there will be snow to greet me. I HOPE THERE WILL BE SNOW TO GREET ME! :P Hahaha I´ll be praying for that. In 16 months from now of course.... :P It is definitely a city here in Arica, not a little town. Most of the little towns are in the middle of the desert, and there aren´t missionaries clear out there. We have, I think 5 or 6 cities in our mission, and there literally is nothing in between but dirt. SOOO much dirt. I didn´t think it was possible to have this much dirt/sand in one place. It´s crazy. :)
So we did get to meet President and Sister Dalton finally on Saturday!! :D They´re so great. We had a meeting with 2 of the zones here (there´s only 3 in Arica), and our 3 month interviews. Sister Dalton is learning Spanish as well, so we talked a little bit about that. Her Spanish is much better than mine though, because they were on another mission here for the past few years working with the Area Seventy I believe... Not quite sure because it was all in Spanish, but almost positive. :P They have 8 kids, and the oldest is 30, youngest is turning 21 soon, and getting back from his mission to Mexico in September. So that´s exciting for them! He´ll come visit in November, I believe. I can´t believe how hard that must be for both of them to not be there when he gets back! I really am so grateful and humbled by the sacrifices all of the missionaries, their families and especially our leaders make for this great work. So thanks to you all as well!!! I honestly couldn´t do this without the love and support I feel from my family and friends. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
A few interesting stats for you all from our mission! In 2009, there were 500 baptisms here in one year. The next year there were 670, 2011 there were 1,039 (HOLY COWWW) and last year there were 1,047. This year our goal iss.......drum roll please..... 1,400. And thus far we have 689, and we have 6 months left. So we´re right on track, and will just have to work a little bit harder this end of the year. It´s sooo exciting how fast the Lord´s work is hastening. There is hardly a person here that hasn´t heard about the church. Some are not so good things, but we´re there to help them see the blessings and resolve the rumors they´ve heard. We met a golden investigator last night. She´s been to church 5 times, was taught by the missionaries, but then she moved and didn´t know where to find us. (She lives right across from the chapel though soo.....) But she is only 11, so está bien. :) Aaand she´s been reading the Book of Mormon! Her parents are divorced though, so she lives the weekends here with her dad, and the week with her mom in Arica Centro. So that might be a bit of a challenge, but we´ll work something out because she is so ready for this gospel. :D
This week´s challenge: go back and reread Nephi and Lehi´s dreams about the tree of life. I KNOW you will find something you haven´t noticed before, and I would love to hear about those experiences. :) I realized this week (it might seem simple, but I never realized it) that the great and spacious building had no foundation. Think of the difference between the Tree of Life and the great and spacious building. I imagine the Tree of Life as the most grand and magestic tree you´ve ever seen. Think of the roots it has, and all of the wonderful fruit it produces! Then think, just across the river is a building so large and dark and full of evil, that they look at that beautiful, magestic tree and mock the people there. How is that possible?! Just remember to never heed their mockings, just like Nephi and his family. Because if you notice, when the people would listen to them mocking, that is when they fell away and followed. We can´t be followers anymore. We must be leaders. In a world full of filth, and darkness, and evil, we are called to arise and shine forth, that our light may be a standard to the nations. The talk, ¨Find the Lambs, Feed the Sheep,¨ by President Hinckley helped me realize all of this while I was reading the dreams of Nephi and Lehi at the same time.
I can´t think of anything else I need to say this week!! I love your letters, and it´s crazy to be reading letters of summer activities, but it´s cold here, and totally not summer! :P We did have a little 4th of July ¨Celebration¨, but it consisted of singing the Star Spangled Banner at our zone meeting, the 4 natives not understanding what was going on, and the elders wanting to get a game of baseball going. We didn´t think that was the greatest idea however, because we would have been using a golf ball and club. So we ruled out that idea.... :P It´s so great to hear from you all and your wonderful weeks!! I love you all so much and I am so grateful for your love, prayers, and constant support. This is the true church. I know it with all my heart. I know that we have living prophets on this earth, and I was called by my Heavenly Father to be here in Northern Chile. Some days I´m not quite sure why Heavenly Father trusts me enough to come here, cause I don´t speak the language, and it´s a totally different culture, and everything is completely new, BUT I know that this is where I am supposed to be. And I am so excited for all of you preparing to serve. Know that it´s hard, but since when was anything that´s actually really worth it been easy? :D
Lotttsss of love,
Hermana Tuft
=========
Hello Family!!! :D
I love you. I love you all soooo much. It´s great to hear about all of your summer adventures and the things you´re doing and learning!! I can´t wait to hear about the family vacation in Midway/Heber City. I love it there. It´s so green and little and wonderful. :) Here, it´s definitely not green or little. Wonderful? Definitely. :D But not clean or green. :P
It´s also great to hear about your 4th of July happenings! Haha I was missing the fireworks that night, but from what I hear, and Megan reminded me, is that the Independence Day here in September is crazy awesome. So I´ll be excited to tell you all about that and get to spend TWO of them here! :D Spencer and Lindsay, I can´t wait to hear about EFY!! You´ll love it. And you won´t read this until you get back, but watch out for each other. :) I loved EFY. :D A mission is like EFY in the sense that you learn and grow so much in such a short amount of time, but for a much longer amount of time as well.... :P
Happy Anniversary to Grandma and Grandpa Tuft!!! I´m going to write them personally, cause I was going to anyway this week and then I got on and Grandma had beaten me to it! :P Tell the family I said hello! And Happy Birthday to Aunt Julie and Uncle Scott!! I would love to know all the birthdays each week, cause I don´t quite remember everyone´s but I like to know... :) Aaand congrats to Natalie & Ryan and Kim and Chris on their new additions! Very exciting for them. Mom, do you have a picture of little Edward Wolfgang?
A couple questions. How is Uncle Glenn doing? Did they ever find out what was wrong? And how Miranda doing? I haven´t heard from her since I wrote her back in the MTC. And is Britney back yet?? How was her trip to Africa?! :) I also was wondering, I don´t believe I´m getting any calcium in my diet these days, because the milk is always warm and is powdered and I don´t know if I should find calcium pills to take or what...? Not super important, just curious. :) And when is Mar´s wedding??? So exciting, and I can´t wait to see pictures!! (Yes, I do get pictures, I keep forgetting to say that :) And it looks like the Trek was great. And that Spencer and Lindsay had a great time in the rain!! I miss rain, that is definitely for sure. :) But I don´t pray for rain, because if it did it would ruin everyone´s houses. They´re not waterproof, and lots are just tarps over cinderblock walls. So that would be a very large problem. And it would be awfully muddy and gross. So please don´t pray for rain down here. :)
A couple last things, just so you know, the orthodics are saving my life. I think my feet would have fallen off by now if I didn´t get them, so thank you Mom and Dad for being wiser than I, as always, and helping me get those last minute. :D Aaand last thing that I had.... Is it possible to get a pancake recipe Mom? :) I want to make pancakes.... :P
Condolences to the Walker Family with Grandma Colton passing away... She is such a sweet and wonderful lady, but I know that she is in a much better place, and I KNOW she left now just in time to be there for Megan as she leaves on her mission. She will be there to help out on the other side. SO exciting for Megan! She emailed me, so I´ll shoot her a quick note back. :) And I hope Janet´s mom is doing okay.... Is she still in the hospital, or living with Scott and Janet now...?
LOTS OF LOVE FROM CHILE!!! You are the best family in the whole wide world and I mean that with all my heart. Talk to you soon and have a fun weeeeekkk!!! :D
Love,
Kristen
===========
And now for my Mommy and Daddy. :D
The best is always last. :) I am so grateful every single day for both of you and the things that you have taught me and continue teaching me from thousands of miles away. I love you so so much. To the moon and the stars and the sun and back times 1000000000. :D
My heath is great. I drink bottled water, but I brush my teeth and they cook with the tap water, but it´s not a problem. No one drinks from the tap anyway.... I do have a little cold that´s been going around, but no big deal. :) I also had to tell Mamita that I can´t eat as much, cause when I do my stomach goes crazy. It´s still a TON of food, but she was very nice about it and didn´t have any problem feeding me less. :) Facebook is on hold for now, I don´t think we´ll be using that during my mission.... Little by little it will be introduced throughout the world, but for now we´ll just wait to hear from the church what they want us to do. :) (She's referring to one of Kyle's friends, Rachel who was piloting during her mission and using Facebook to contact and proselyte.)
Thank you for that little tidbit on Peter Shirts, Dad! That´s a fun little tid bit of information. Please keep me updated on what Jack says. President Dalton is a really big family researcher too, so when he was talking about that I couldn´t help but think you two would hit it off really well. :)
I´ve got to run, but I really will send pictures next week!! An hour is just not enough time!! And tell Spencer and Lindsay I´ll write them next week as well, and I´d love to hear how their week at EFY went. :) I´m sorry if I´m missing anything!! I try my best to answer everything and it´s helpful that your questions are in one spot. :) Saves a little searching time.... :P I love you both. I am so blessed and I know this church is true. Thank you so much for the examples you are to me, and the love I can feel every day. I can´t help but smile whenever I think of my family, and when I read your letters. :)
Lots of love from your daughter,
Kristen
Monday, July 8, 2013
More photos when Kristen first arrived in "Anto".
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| Hermana Tuft with Presidente Leland Bruce receiving her "transfer" letter upon arrival June 18th, 2013. |
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| Hermana Tuft learns where she will be serving and that Herman Delgado will be her companion. |
Monday, July 1, 2013
PS - one more thing...
MOM - PS -
Please tell Haleigh Bills good luck this week and I love her so much and she will do great!! I´ll email her sometime, but I didn´t know if you could write her on Facebook or something....
Also, Kenna´s famous down here!! Hahaha honestly though, the missionaries listen to her and Erin´s EFY song every day. I literally hear it every single day!! :P I´m so excited for her, and she is going to do so great. Can you get her email for me please?? And also, anything new with Megan Walker?? Are her papers really in?? I´ve been dying all week to hear. :P
Lots of love,
Kristen
Please tell Haleigh Bills good luck this week and I love her so much and she will do great!! I´ll email her sometime, but I didn´t know if you could write her on Facebook or something....
Also, Kenna´s famous down here!! Hahaha honestly though, the missionaries listen to her and Erin´s EFY song every day. I literally hear it every single day!! :P I´m so excited for her, and she is going to do so great. Can you get her email for me please?? And also, anything new with Megan Walker?? Are her papers really in?? I´ve been dying all week to hear. :P
Lots of love,
Kristen
Another great week here in Northern Chile!
Hello All!!
It´s been another great week here in Northern Chile! I´ve loved hearing about what´s going on at home, and I love all the pictures! Thanks so much! :D This week has been so great. I feel like I have more of an idea of what´s going on, I´m understanding a lot more, and things are great! :D
I wanted to tell you a little about my daily schedule! Our mission has adjusted things to the culture a little bit, so we get up at 7 am in the winter, and 7:30 in the summer, and bed it 11 and 11:30 accordingly. We study until 10:30, and then for the first 12 weeks of my mission we do an additional hour of training where I practice teaching and whatnot. Then we proselyte for 2 hours, go back to our pension for lunch, and study for another hour after that (language study). (Adjusting the schedule for siesta :) Then we go back out until 10 pm and start over the next day! :D Mom, you asked about how we get around and such; we take taxis or buses everywhere if it´s far away, and we walk when it´s just around our sector of course. :) Megan, we´re in the Zapahuira ward, but our zone leaders are over the Arica Central ward! I´ll have to ask them tomorrow if they know Paulina´s mom! :)
Just a couple stories for you all from this week! So, I haven´t changed much, as you will be able to tell from the following stories... :P We had just gotten back to our "pension" and I took off my shoes so I was in my slippery little footlets, and went to walk downstairs....yep. Totally missed the first step and slid all the way down...... Hahahahaha I was laughing so hard! My bottom is a little sore, but we got a great laugh out of that one. :P Hna Delgado was already downstairs, and because the stairs are wooden it echoed a TON and she was so scared because she thought it was an earthquake.... Hahahahaha. It was really funny and it´s still making me laugh days later. :D Other story is I was trying to blow dry my hair (which I´ve done once here before) but apparently the power here is twice as strong, so all of a sudden I smelled something smokyish, only to look down, and the socket was smoking!!! I quickly removed it, only to find that it had started to melt the plastic of the converter.... So that was a little sketchy. Not quite sure what to do, because I don´t know how to explain that I need a converter, or if I should just buy a new blowdryer.... My district leader is from here, but speaks English, so I´ll have to have a little chat with him. :)
One last story, on a little more spiritual note. I had a really hard day last Tuesday, because I wasn´t feeling too well, and I was practicing teaching the first lesson with Hna Delgado, and when I got to the gospel blesses families, I just started to cry. I was trying to explain to her I was fine, I just missed my family so much, and I´m so grateful for the gospel because I know I can be with you all forever. The quote in the kitchen came to mind, and I know that I´m away from my family for a short time so that others can have the blessing of eternal families like I do. So that kind of spilled over into the next couple days, and my body´s just getting used to the newness of cooking & water I think, so I wasn´t feeling good... I asked the other elders in my district to give me a blessing, and they had no idea about missing my family, etc I had been feeling the past couple days. So they gave me a blessing of healing and comfort. One of the things he said was, "Kristen, your Heavenly Father wants you to know he is very pleased with your efforts, and he knows this is the hardest thing you have experienced thus far in your life. He wants you to know it will be but a moment, and to press forward in faith." It was such a testimony builder to me that the Priesthood is real. I am so grateful and blessed to have had access to it my whole life through worthy Priesthood holders. Needless to say, that blessing has helped me so much these past couple days, and my whole mindset has changed. I´ve started talking more and contributing in lessons, rather than sit there and be frustrated about how much I don´t understand. Always focus on the good things in life!! It honestly makes everything better. :D
We have been trying so hard the past week to find investigators, because we were supposed to have a baptism on Saturday, but she called on Tuesday and said she didn´t want to be baptized because she wasn´t ready and that she was going to Peru and didn´t know when she´d be back so not to come by... So that was a bit of a let down, but we are praying that she will see the importance of the gospel, and that we can find more investigators. :)
Hermana Delgado is amazing! She is from Chiclayo, Peru and is 22. Her family is all members, and her parents were married in the temple, but separated when she was 14. She´s 22, and is the oldest of 4, one younger sister and 2 little brothers. She wants to get married in the Salt Lake Temple, and I told her I would be more than happy to come if she does! :) Sometimes we get a little frustrated with each other when we´re trying to convey what we want, and the other doesn´t understand, but for the most part we are getting along just fabulously! :)
Time to go for this week, but I love you all so much, and as always I am so grateful for your love and support! I love this gospel so much, and I am so so sooo grateful for this opportunity that I have to share it with the people here. I know it can bless their lives, as it has and continues to bless mine more and more every day.
Lots of love,
Hermana Tuft
Arica, Chile
==============================================================================================
Hello Fambam!!
It´s great to hear that the Trek went so well and that the garage is clean!! :P I´m so sorry, I wish I could have done that before I left.... Thank you so much! :) As I was reading Dad´s letter about the Trek, I couldn´t help but remember the time we got to stop by the visitor´s center at Martin´s Cove, and the spirit that was there. That will be something that the whole ward will never forget. I hope you all have written about it in your journals! I´ve become quite the journal writer out here, because every day you forget things that could be helpful later on in life, or for future generations! :)
I´m sad to hear about the fires and heat you´ve been having.... That´s really scary and sad! I will keep all of those involved in my prayers.... :( (She's referring to Shannon and Sean Reed living in Prescott, AZ and having two friends there who passed away, of the 19 firefighters who died yesterday in the Yarnell fire. SO SAD.)
Thank you to all of you for your support and love. I really appreciated hearing about your weeks, and thank you for the advice and encouragement. Hahaha I had to chuckle about little Audrey and I learning a language together comment, Megan. :) And yes Kyle, I went back and reread your letter in Spanish, and it made more sense these days. :) And to Dad and Tom, thanks to you both as well for advice! I´m becoming Chilean more and more every single day. :)
I really don´t have much time today, it just fliessss!!!! I´m glad to hear the birthdays went well and I will have to try the gnocchi soup when I get home! :D Lots of love to you all!! And one last thing, Kyle and Jess, when do you go up to Washington, and how is it having Nicole here?! Very exciting. :D
Mother and Father!! :) I haven´t had a date with Ruby. She´s a little difficult. So I´ll keep trying.... :) I love you both so much, and I´m so grateful to be your daughter. Thank you for being such wonderful examples to me always. I am so blessed, and I am so grateful to know how I want my marriage to be someday. Happy Aniversary! Again.... :D
LOTSSS OF LOVEEEE!!!!! :D :D :D
Kristen
It´s been another great week here in Northern Chile! I´ve loved hearing about what´s going on at home, and I love all the pictures! Thanks so much! :D This week has been so great. I feel like I have more of an idea of what´s going on, I´m understanding a lot more, and things are great! :D
I wanted to tell you a little about my daily schedule! Our mission has adjusted things to the culture a little bit, so we get up at 7 am in the winter, and 7:30 in the summer, and bed it 11 and 11:30 accordingly. We study until 10:30, and then for the first 12 weeks of my mission we do an additional hour of training where I practice teaching and whatnot. Then we proselyte for 2 hours, go back to our pension for lunch, and study for another hour after that (language study). (Adjusting the schedule for siesta :) Then we go back out until 10 pm and start over the next day! :D Mom, you asked about how we get around and such; we take taxis or buses everywhere if it´s far away, and we walk when it´s just around our sector of course. :) Megan, we´re in the Zapahuira ward, but our zone leaders are over the Arica Central ward! I´ll have to ask them tomorrow if they know Paulina´s mom! :)
Just a couple stories for you all from this week! So, I haven´t changed much, as you will be able to tell from the following stories... :P We had just gotten back to our "pension" and I took off my shoes so I was in my slippery little footlets, and went to walk downstairs....yep. Totally missed the first step and slid all the way down...... Hahahahaha I was laughing so hard! My bottom is a little sore, but we got a great laugh out of that one. :P Hna Delgado was already downstairs, and because the stairs are wooden it echoed a TON and she was so scared because she thought it was an earthquake.... Hahahahaha. It was really funny and it´s still making me laugh days later. :D Other story is I was trying to blow dry my hair (which I´ve done once here before) but apparently the power here is twice as strong, so all of a sudden I smelled something smokyish, only to look down, and the socket was smoking!!! I quickly removed it, only to find that it had started to melt the plastic of the converter.... So that was a little sketchy. Not quite sure what to do, because I don´t know how to explain that I need a converter, or if I should just buy a new blowdryer.... My district leader is from here, but speaks English, so I´ll have to have a little chat with him. :)
One last story, on a little more spiritual note. I had a really hard day last Tuesday, because I wasn´t feeling too well, and I was practicing teaching the first lesson with Hna Delgado, and when I got to the gospel blesses families, I just started to cry. I was trying to explain to her I was fine, I just missed my family so much, and I´m so grateful for the gospel because I know I can be with you all forever. The quote in the kitchen came to mind, and I know that I´m away from my family for a short time so that others can have the blessing of eternal families like I do. So that kind of spilled over into the next couple days, and my body´s just getting used to the newness of cooking & water I think, so I wasn´t feeling good... I asked the other elders in my district to give me a blessing, and they had no idea about missing my family, etc I had been feeling the past couple days. So they gave me a blessing of healing and comfort. One of the things he said was, "Kristen, your Heavenly Father wants you to know he is very pleased with your efforts, and he knows this is the hardest thing you have experienced thus far in your life. He wants you to know it will be but a moment, and to press forward in faith." It was such a testimony builder to me that the Priesthood is real. I am so grateful and blessed to have had access to it my whole life through worthy Priesthood holders. Needless to say, that blessing has helped me so much these past couple days, and my whole mindset has changed. I´ve started talking more and contributing in lessons, rather than sit there and be frustrated about how much I don´t understand. Always focus on the good things in life!! It honestly makes everything better. :D
We have been trying so hard the past week to find investigators, because we were supposed to have a baptism on Saturday, but she called on Tuesday and said she didn´t want to be baptized because she wasn´t ready and that she was going to Peru and didn´t know when she´d be back so not to come by... So that was a bit of a let down, but we are praying that she will see the importance of the gospel, and that we can find more investigators. :)
Hermana Delgado is amazing! She is from Chiclayo, Peru and is 22. Her family is all members, and her parents were married in the temple, but separated when she was 14. She´s 22, and is the oldest of 4, one younger sister and 2 little brothers. She wants to get married in the Salt Lake Temple, and I told her I would be more than happy to come if she does! :) Sometimes we get a little frustrated with each other when we´re trying to convey what we want, and the other doesn´t understand, but for the most part we are getting along just fabulously! :)
Time to go for this week, but I love you all so much, and as always I am so grateful for your love and support! I love this gospel so much, and I am so so sooo grateful for this opportunity that I have to share it with the people here. I know it can bless their lives, as it has and continues to bless mine more and more every day.
Lots of love,
Hermana Tuft
Arica, Chile
==============================================================================================
Hello Fambam!!
It´s great to hear that the Trek went so well and that the garage is clean!! :P I´m so sorry, I wish I could have done that before I left.... Thank you so much! :) As I was reading Dad´s letter about the Trek, I couldn´t help but remember the time we got to stop by the visitor´s center at Martin´s Cove, and the spirit that was there. That will be something that the whole ward will never forget. I hope you all have written about it in your journals! I´ve become quite the journal writer out here, because every day you forget things that could be helpful later on in life, or for future generations! :)
I´m sad to hear about the fires and heat you´ve been having.... That´s really scary and sad! I will keep all of those involved in my prayers.... :( (She's referring to Shannon and Sean Reed living in Prescott, AZ and having two friends there who passed away, of the 19 firefighters who died yesterday in the Yarnell fire. SO SAD.)
Thank you to all of you for your support and love. I really appreciated hearing about your weeks, and thank you for the advice and encouragement. Hahaha I had to chuckle about little Audrey and I learning a language together comment, Megan. :) And yes Kyle, I went back and reread your letter in Spanish, and it made more sense these days. :) And to Dad and Tom, thanks to you both as well for advice! I´m becoming Chilean more and more every single day. :)
I really don´t have much time today, it just fliessss!!!! I´m glad to hear the birthdays went well and I will have to try the gnocchi soup when I get home! :D Lots of love to you all!! And one last thing, Kyle and Jess, when do you go up to Washington, and how is it having Nicole here?! Very exciting. :D
Mother and Father!! :) I haven´t had a date with Ruby. She´s a little difficult. So I´ll keep trying.... :) I love you both so much, and I´m so grateful to be your daughter. Thank you for being such wonderful examples to me always. I am so blessed, and I am so grateful to know how I want my marriage to be someday. Happy Aniversary! Again.... :D
LOTSSS OF LOVEEEE!!!!! :D :D :D
Kristen
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