Things Here in Zapahuira...

Hermana Tuft with a white bunny that looks just like our BELLA. September 2013

Hermanas Tuft and Matias, 18 September 2013, Chilean Independence Day

This is an older picture I THOUGHT I added but has Mamita and Papito in it, where they live - 18 July 2013

Hello All!

It's been another great week here in Arica, of course. :) I love it here so much, and we have started to work more and more with the members, especially since they've been home from their temple trip. We had zone conference this week and tri-monthly interviews, so President and Hermana Dalton were here for the weekend and we had great experiences with those we are teaching. I love this work! I love seeing the change in people's lives as they accept this gospel and accept the Atonement into their lives. It truly is incredible.

To answer a couple of questions, it's been really hot here. It's about 85° from noon to 7 pm, and then the nights do still get a little chilly. Just like summer nights in Utah, we just bring a light jacket and we're fine. :) But that's 85° with really strong sun, so it feels hotter. Or I'm just a 'Lily' and not used to the sun... :P I love it here though so much, heat and all. :) (Dad, that alarm clock that broke in the MTC and then you guys sent me a new one has the temperature in Farenheit and Celsius, so that's been nice! :))

We had a wonderful conference this week. It was with all the zones here in Arica, and we talked a lot about the new goals for the mission and how we are going to get there. We had a mission fast last month to know what goals we should make, and then we wrote President about our thoughts and impressions. Then he looked at all of our impressions and made the goals for the mission accordingly. We are going to be working a lot with keeping people active, reactivation, and working with the families. A lot of time it's so much easier to teach the kids of the family because they are much more accepting, but we need to work more with the families, because this gospel is for families. We are so very blessed to have families in our lives! So the conference was great, and we're excited to work more closely with the ward and with the families that are being prepared for this gospel!

We had our zone conference in the morning, so in the afternoon we got to go out and teach as normal. Hermana Matias and I both had some strong impressions about specific people throughout the conference, and so we went to visit them that night. We stopped by one of our investigator's house. Her name is Andrea and we had the strong feeling that we needed to share with her dad and sister, whom she lives with. We had a great lesson with them. Her dad is Penticostal, and knows a lot about the Bible. Andrea came to church for the first time yesterday as well, so we were excited about that! We'll continue to share with her dad and sister as well. Later that night we stopped by a new member's house. His name is Osvaldo and he has 2 daughters. They aren't members, and don't want much to do with the church, but they'll usually listen if we invite them to. So we started talking with Osvaldo and he told us his conversion story, how he didn't believe in God, but little by little he started going to church and reading the Book of Mormon. He was baptized 3 years after he started meeting with the missionaries (last year about this time) and is planning on going with the ward in February to the temple. (They're going to start going 2 times every year! :D) After he told us his story, the spirit was so strong, and we felt impressed to ask him how he felt like we could help his daughters accept this gospel as well. He got a little emotional, and told us ways he thought they might start listening more. We had a wonderful experience there, and I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store for them.

We also got to meet with Fabiola and Jorge on Saturday, and they are continually reading the Book of Mormon and praying diligently. They are so wonderful!! They changed their wedding to January, because that's when Jorge's family can come up and when they'll been done with school and work for about a month. In the meantime, they continue to go to church and meet with us, and they are learning so very much. They're both planning on going to Conference with us both days this weekend, so we are SO very happy about that. :D Hermana Matias asked Jorge what changed for him, because in the beginning he didn't believe any of it, nor did he want to read the Book of Mormon, etc. It was pure questions from him in the beginning, like he was trying to stump us... He smiled when Hna Matias asked him that, and continued to tell us that he researched a lot in the internet and such, and then when Fabiola started reading things in the Book of Mormon that we had assigned, he started to be more curious and wanted to find out more from us, rather than the internet. He kept saying how much it just makes sense, and how he really things that it's true, but that he wants to finish it to find out for sure. That was completely fine with us. :) He also talked about how he called his family and told them that Fabiola and him were getting married, and they were very supportive in the beginning! But then a couple days ago his dad called and said they didn't want them to get married, that they're too young, they need more time, etc. But Jorge (who was reluctant to accept our invitation to be married so quickly) told him that he knew that this is what they needed to do and that they are getting married. He knows there will be more trials ahead, because he still hasn't told his family about the church, that he wants to be baptized, etc, but he said this is something that they really do want. And that they are preparing to go to the temple the following year. He told us that they just want something small for the civil wedding, because they know "the other wedding is more important anyway". Dah!! We were so very happy. It was an incredible lesson. And I hope that all made sense... :)

We're still working with Jasmin and her brother Nacho, and still hoping to have a family night with them sometime soon to meet with their parents as well... Every time we plan it, something comes up and they can't... :( So we're still working on that one. :) We haven't seen Andres in a while, because he's never at his house these days... We'll continue to stop by and see how he is and see if we can't talk to his mom sometime... She works a lot and is gone most of the time, but we'll keep at it.

For General Conference this weekend we'll all be going to the stake center. We will be watching it live as well, so it'll start at 1 pm instead of 10 am. :) And we'll be watching a rebroadcast of the General Relief Society Meeting on Saturday morning, so NO I didn't get to see Megan Walker!! :( But I will be looking very closely for her on Saturday in her mint green shirt next to the Conductor! :D So exciting she got to do that!! Also, we got a call the other day and it was Paulina Porrus' mom! She'll be at conference, so we'll finally get to meet up with her. I'm pretty excited. :) I love Conference. :) It was weird to think that a year ago I was at home and heard the announcement about the age change, and here I am in Chile on my mission one year later. :) That was a fun thought for me. :)

A couple funny moments and then I'd better head. :) We had the lesson with Andrea and her dad & sister, and at the end we invited Andrea to say the closing prayer. (They're redoing their house and have dirt/rocks for a floor right now, just as background.) She didn't want to say it, but asked her dad to. So he asked if we could kneel, to which we, of course, said yes! So we knelt in these rocks thinking it would be a fairly short prayer...literally 5 minutes later he finished. Hna Matias were dying as we got up and had little gravel rocks stuck in our knees! Hahaha we've been laughing about that one for a couple days. :) Good prayer though... :) Also, Mamita and I have these lovely little "scare wars" and every night when we come in we try and scare her, because she always scares us when we come down for breakfast/to leave for the day/etc. She's always scaring us. AND she gets us every time... Hahaha so the other day we came in and she was eating 'once' (a food they eat a lot pronounced 'own-say') with her son and daughter-in-law, and Papito was watching the news. (He's always on our side... :P) So we sneeked in and we knew Papito could see us out of the corner of his eye, but he didn't turn and we jumped around the corner and shouted BOO and Mamita flew back in her chair and she was holding a KNIFE!! Hahaha so we were very glad she didn't have the reflex to throw it....that would've been very bad, but she was laughing so hard and we finally got her back. :) I love Mamita and Papito, they are so very great, and they said to send their love to the family. :)

I'm not too sure how I like this whole email thing cause I'm not ever sure if it makes sense, but there you go and I hope that some of that did actually make sense. :) The work is hastening, and I feel so very blessed to be a part of it. We are all a part of it! How blessed we are!! I know this Church is true. I know that Joseph Smith restored it and that we have the power of God on the earth today, and that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today. I am so very excited to hear from him this weekend, and can't wait to hear all your thoughts from Conference! :)

All my love,
Hermana Tuft
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Hellloo there Family!

It sounds like you all had a very busy and interesting week! I know that you might not have had the results that we were all hoping for in New Mexico, but I know that you all went for a reason. That baby has something to do with the story I think.... Peter Shirts continues to stump us. He was a wanderer while he was alive, and he didn't cease in death... Someday we'll find him, and someday his story will be complete. :) I loved hearing about your experience, thank you so much! I felt almost as if I was there. :) Didn't get to face-time like Elder Davies did, but close enough. :D I'm glad you got to have the experience that you did. Be sure to write about it! :D

The cough has gone! I got the meds from the mission doctor last week in the mail and they seem to have helped a lot. One is for a cold and the other is for allergies, so something in one of them is working. That and lots of prayers. :) Thank you very much! I love you all and hope you all have wonderful weeks full of smiles! :D

Until next week,
LOTS of love,
Kristen
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Hello Mom and Dad! Thank you for your emails and love and stories. Oh how I love them so much. I love you both LOADS!! Still no sign of my package, BUT I still have hope. :) It'll come. Someday... :) Hna Howell's mom sent a package and it got here in 3 WEEKS and we think it's because it had the Virgin Mary pictures on it... So sad, but that seems to be the way it works... You said that a couple weeks ago Mom, but yes it does work I believe... If you could sent a couple more things with it when you do send it, that would be great... If not DON'T WORRY. :) I would love to have a couple whitening tubes if possible. I have my retainer/trays so if POSSIBLE that would be great. If not, the whiteness of my teeth isn't really important to anyone but me so... :P Also the half socks that you bought me Mom, those would be great. Probably about 6 more tan colored ones. They sell them here, but they’re out of the nylon fabric so they last for about a day... :( And my prenatal vitamins if possible... I just ran out the other day... That is all... :) AND I'm going to write Megan this, but if Paulina comes the first week of December to Arica the chances of me seeing her are 50/50! If I get transferred on the 20th I probably won't see her, but I think I'll be staying at least one more... But who knows... That would be exciting! :D Thanks for all the news, and thank you for the poem as well Dad. Hahaha I did laugh at the ‘big and small plates’ thing, Mom. It's true, but I love it cause I get the best of both worlds! :) I LOVE YOU BOTH. I hope you both have a fantastic week. :)

Love,
Kristen

El Monte del Señor

Hermanas Tuft and Matias in Lluta with....Hermanas!

Hello from Chile!

We have definitelyyy entered into the heat of Arica... And everyone keeps telling me Summer gets worse.... Right now I'm feeling like the heat is at the max of what I'm used to there in Utah... It might be a long summer... :P But I love it! It's better than working through sheets of rain and snow I'm thinking... :) Pobrecitos los misioneros en Utah... :P

This week was so great! We definitely had a great Independence Day, with lots of festivities and lots of people gone/busy, but over all things went well. :) We got to spend a good chunk of the day in Valle Lluta with the family Aguilera (the family we made empanadas with a little while back). We did some service in the morning, and had a great lunch! LOTSSS of chicken and beef and salad and yep... So much food. The Elders went as well, and after we had all finished, Elder Hotvedt looked at me and said in English, "I think that might have been more food than Thanksgiving..." And I think he was right. :P Everything was normal for us during the 3 days of fiestas, but if we didn't have visits after dark we were told to go back to the pension early just to be safe. And safe we were! :)

So much happened this week, but it flew by and I'm trying to remember the things I need to tell you all! Our investigators are doing great. Jasmin's not getting baptized this weekend, because she wants to wait until her brother Nacho can be baptized with her. Nacho hasn't made it to church yet, but we're working on that one and tonight we have a family home evening with their family and it will be the first time we actually have a lesson with their parents. Their parents are really supportive and love that they are learning about the church and that they want to go to church, but they themselves can't go as of right now because they go to buy stuff for their restaurant on Sundays... Jasmin's mom is a member, but hasn't been active for years. And they have family in the ward, so they have a lot of people to help encourage and teach them. So we're working with them. :) Fabiola and Jorge are doing SO well. They started reading the Book of Mormon and their goal is to read it all through. They have a little pattern going where they read at 10 pm every night when Fabiola gets home from school. And as of right now they're not getting married in November ps... The plan is January when their families can all come, and the marriage license place is on strike right now too. So we will see. :) But they are progressing very well and their testimonies are growing so very much! We also found 2 new investigators this week. Their names are Carolina and Barbara. They're sisters, and daughters of a less active member, and 2nd cousins with Jasmin and her family... (I think their whole family lives in our ward. :)) So we'll continue to work with them! Things are going very well here. :) I love Zapahuira. :)

And finally I can talk about yesterday. Yesterday was such a special day. We had intercambios with the sister training leaders on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, so I went to a different sector in Arica and one of the sister training leaders came to work in Zapahuira with Hna Matias. (We have an intercambio with them once every transfer ps.) Anywho Hna Matias and Hna Rodriguez got to be here when the ward got back from the Cochabumba Temple! They were walking by the church and the buses pulled up, so they got to talk to everyone fresh from the temple. :) Hna Matias said it was so incredible because they all walked off just glowing. They were still glowing yesterday when I saw them at church. :) So that's for the background news. For Sacrament Meeting, we got to hear the testimonies of those that went and some of their experiences there. We were all teary-eyed by the time the meeting ended.

Then, we had a very special lesson in Sunday School where we talked about the gifts of the Spirit. The teacher, Hna Karla, as she was talking about the gift of tongues and the interpretation thereof, looked at Elder Hotvedt and I and started talking about what a miracle it is that missionaries can go to any place in the world and learn the language so rapidly and teach upon arrival. Sometimes we don't make complete sense I'm sure, but it truly is a miracle. I got emotional then as well, because I realized how much I've been able to speak this past month. I can understand what people are saying almost all of the time, and I feel like I can teach effectively. I still have a long way to go obviously, but in my prayers, I have asked to have the words that I need, and I have been blessed with those words. I started out my mission asking to be blessed with the gift of tongues, but I expected it to be something all of a sudden one day I'd wake up and speak perfectly. It's not like that, at least for me. I have learned that we have to truly work and study in order to recieve the answers and blessings. And everything is according to the Lord's timing.

Then we had Relief Society and had more testimonies from the sisters that didn't get a chance in Sacrament to bear their testimonies. They had such incredible experiences. To see the sacrifice and how much these wonderful people had to do in order to got to the temple was so wonderful and amazing to see. I know that families are forever. I know that the work done in temples is so very important and special. It was so very special to hear their testimonies. I have moments of extreme happiness where I just cry, and I had one of those moments during the closing song, and Hna Matias as well. :) The 2 missionaries sitting in the back bawling... :P We had a "trunky moment" for the temple. Temples truly are houses of the Lord, and how privledged we are that He has given us the opportunity to enter them and feel of His infinite love!

So that was yesterday. We cried the whole day, and felt the Spirit so very strong. I wish I could explain it more effectively, but this is as good as I can get I think... It was amazing. :) This week is kinda short, but it was an incredible week. I am growing and learning so very much every day. I know this church is true with all my heart. I know that Joseph Smith restored this gospel to the earth through revelation in these days and the power of the Priesthood is on the earth once more. This gospel changes lives. As we let the Atonement of Jesus Christ change us, we will see miracles. I know that my Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ lives. I know that God loves us and that he hears and answers our prayers. There is no doubt in my mind. Sometimes he gives us moments to grow through minor bumps in the road, but these are our moments to learn and grow, and to show him we have the faith necessary to change and grow into who He needs us to be. We are instruments in His hands.

I love you all so very much and I hope you all have a FABULOUS week! AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON SUNDAY MOM!!!!! Love you lotsssss!!! :D

Love,
Hermana Tuft
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Hello FamBam!

How're you all surviving that wetness in New Mexico?! I hope all is going so very well! I'll be praying for you. :) I know that things will go well. Did Tom and Jess not go then...? From what I read, you all went in the van, so just curious.... Be sure to tell Matt and Lynsey Bond hello from me! Hope they're all doing well. And so very exciting they're expecting!! :D Congrats!! :) I'm glad to hear that you all survived HOMECOMING. I would LOVE pictures Spencer! Fun that Kyle and Jess got to help chaperone! :) And that Lindsay had a good time with tennis. I hope all continues to go well!! What team are you on Lindsay, and who's your partner?? I'd love to hear all about it. :) And I laughed at your little texting blunder... Hahahahahaha. :D How is school and work going for everyone?? I love you all so much and you are continually in my thoughts and prayers, I hope you know that. :) Talk to you soooon. :D

LOVE,
Kristen
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Hello Mom and Dad! I don't have much more to write, but I just like writing both of you separately... Hope you don't mind too much, even if it's a quick little note. I love you both so very much, I hope you know that. Being so far away and seeing so many different walks of life has made me so very grateful for having the wonderful parents that I do, that taught me to walk in the ways of the Lord, and given me a wonderful example and shoes to walk in. :) I love you!! :) To answer a couple last questions:

Mom, tell everyone CONGRATS on mission calls and engagements what in the worldddd so crazy. Two high school couples getting engaged in one week... Crazy stuff. I don't think Sammi really dated Zach in high school, but not quite sure on that one.... Anywho. :) AND AMIE LEAVES IN A MONTH!!!! CRAZY stuff!! I'm so very excited for her. :) And Lauren Ridge, as well, to MEXICO of all places!!!! Wow! I will write that letter for you, and type it next week. I want to think more about it, rather than just type it up in the 2 seconds I have left... I know we have unlimited time to write, but we only have a limited amount of time for p day... :P And no sign of the package yet, but this week possibly... We're having a conference with President Dalton, so quizás.... I'm praying it will come. :( I only sent one letter home, but it had letters for EVERYONE, except Audrey. :P Hope it comes.... Happy Birthday again. :)

Dad, we have district meetings every Tuesday and we just changed them so we don't talk about our investigators as much, but more that our district leader and zone leaders teach us doctrinal stuff, and how to work more efficiently. I really love them! We always learn a lot. :) Then we have one morning through out the week to do our weekly planning, so that's just with Hna Matias and I. I love Hna Matias so much. She is so great. :) And with our weekly planning, we have a meeting with Hno Delgado once a week to talk about our investigators and the their needs, as well as the needs of our less actives we're working with. But with the fiestas, we haven't had one for a couple weeks.... This week for sure. :) And no ward missionaries yet.... :( And I am feeling LOADS better this week. My cough is almost gone (I think it's seriously just allergies when the seasons change....) and my voice is back and all is well. :D

I love you both!! I've got to run, but please keep me posted on how things go this week in NM and I'll be praying for all. :) (I laughed at that one when they called you Mr. Peter, Dad..... Hahahaha.... :D)

Lots of LOVE from Chile,
Kristen

FIESTAS PATRIAS Y MATRIMONIA!!!

Hello from Chile!!

It's been another fabulous week here in Arica. Dah - I wish I could just bring you all down here and show you what life's like as a missionary and the wonderful blessings and miracles that happen every day. This week is Fiestas Patrias (aka HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY CHILE!!! :D) and we're very excited and nervous for the week ahead. :) Excited because honestly the people here are so very patriotic and walking down the streets with all the flags is incredible. We're starting to count all the flags we see in a day, so I'll keep you posted with that one. :P I´m not sure what all the traditions are for Independence Day here, but I know it involves a lot of barbeque and dancing the cueca and it's 3 days of fiestas. I'll let you know more on that next week! :) And nervous because everyone is leaving to go see family in other parts of Chile, and the ward officially left for Bolivia last night at 4 in the morning. So the ward's gone, the investigators are gone, the menos activos are gone....and we're left here solo. Haha not really, but we will be doing lots of finding, and lots of walking this week. :D BUT I am very excited to have the opportunity to experience 2 independence days here. :D

And for the other fantastic news.... GUESS WHO'S FINALLY GETTING MARRIED?!?!?! Fabiola and Jorge' are officially ´´engaged´´ and are getting married! :D It's not until November 2, but we talked about it and they think that's enough time to plan the wedding that they want, learn the rest of the things they need to to feel ready, and what's more Jorge' works in October, so they can't really get married without Jorge' actually being here... Haha, shocker, huh? :P But their baptism is set for the week after, so we're looking forward to November. :) And praying that we'll both still be here one transfer longer.....

I said this last week, but just as background we can only visit them on the weekends because Fabiola works and has school from 8 in the morning to 9:30 at night. So we had a lesson with them on Saturday, and it was amazing. We watched Elder Holland's ´Lord, I Believe´ talk from last conference (thanks Dad for the reminder of that talk, I know it was a couple weeks ago...but still thank you!) and talked about the desire to believe that leads to acts of faith. This is a huge act of faith for both of them, but they are very excited and have told us many times they feel like this is what God's will for them is. It's been incredible to see the change in Jorge as we've seen his faith grow. At first it was hard for him to believe in God, but his testimony has grown and his faith continues to be strengthened as they read and pray together. I know I've never been married, but it has been incredible to draw on the examples of a strong and happy marriage built on the principles of the gospel from my parents and siblings to help them feel the same, and to teach them to build their relationship with help from our Heavenly Father. Not quite sure if that all makes sense, but that the only way I could think to put it... :) Jorge' said that he would like for them to meet with the bishop so he can help them as well, and to get his thoughts and feedback. That will be great for them to have that relationship with the bishop as well. We're really excited for them, as you can probably tell. :D

In news of other investigators, we are working with Jasmin, and her brother Nacho. Jasmin is 14 and she is the daughter of a menos-activa we found while working with Simil. We've been working with her for about a month, and I'm not quite sure why I haven't talked about her before, but she's getting baptized next week, the 28th! Nacho told us during a lesson this week that he talked to his parents and wants to be baptized as well! He needs to go to church a couple more times, but that will hopefully be in the near future as well. :) Their dad isn't a member, but we're having our first FHE with them tonight and that will be his first time meeting with the missionaries, so hopefully we can get their whole family to church as well. :) They have 2 younger siblings, Noelia and Sergio. Noelia's 5 and Sergio just had his 5th birthday on Saturday. They crack us up. I love working with families! :D

One last experience from this week. We've been working with a man named Cesar that's menos-activo as well, and it's been incredible to see the change in him as his faith grows as well. This gospel really does change lives. He was baptized more about 15 years ago, and never went to church once after his baptism. It's been great to work with him and to teach him. We've been teaching everything fresh, because he doesn't remember anything about the Plan of Salvation, the Restoration, etc. He is filled with questions and soaks everything up. He lives with his girlfriend, son, and one on the way at the end of the month! In the beginning, his son and pareja met with us as well, but Hna Silvia is Evangelica and told us for now she doesn't want to listen anymore. Hno Cesar invites her to church every week with him, and we do too, so hopefully one of these weeks she'll say yes. :) Last night, we had a lesson and talked about the temple, because he has a friend that's going with the ward this week to Cochabumba to be sealed to his wife and daughter. He got teary-eyed and told us that he wants that for his family one day as well. The change in him from one month ago and not really knowing anything about the church and last night was a night and day difference. Just seeing the change in these people every day strengthens my own testimony so very much.

I'd better be going, but I know this church is true. I know that I have been called here to serve my mission in Chile and I know that the timing of the Lord is exactly perfect. Sometimes we have blinders on and we can't see what's ahead, but we have to remember that the Lord can see all sides of the story, and we are blessed to have His protecting hand in our lives every day. I know that this church was restored through Joseph Smith and that we are blessed to have living prophets, modern day revelation, and the priesthood in these latter-days. How blessed we are! I love you all so very much and I am so very grateful for your love, support, and prayers!

Con mucho cariño,
Hermana Tuft
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Hello Family!

It was great to hear that things went well this past week there in good ol' Utah! :D I do have to ask about Tuft lake... Very curious about that one via Megan... :) Kyle, I hear you have a picture to send me... :) Lago Tuft. Has a little ring to it, doesn't it? :) Also I can't wait to hear about Lindsay in her tennis TRY-OUTS and how that ended up and to see PICTURES of my little SPENCER at his SENIOR HOMECOMING DANCE!!!! :D Where does the time fly... (Speaking of time flying, tomorrow marks 3 months of being in Chile...crazy stuff!!! :D) Please keep me posted. I can't wait to hear. :) Also I hope that preparations for the New Mexico trip go well this week! I wish I could go with the whole family! Hope everything goes well though, and I know you'll have a great time. :D My health has been very good this week. The cough is all but gone, seriously! I've been taking a couple meds and they seem to be helping a lot. I do have a cold in the which yesterday I didn't have much of a voice, but today is better and I know I am being blessed with the energy and patience to work with these little bumps! :) But I am doing very well. :) I love you all so very much! I can't wait to hear how this week goes and the adventures you will have! :)

All my love,
Kristen
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Hello Mom and Dad!

For a couple last answers :) I hope that I answered all the questions you had, minus these next couple obviously. :) But first, a funny little small world moment! Dr. Jorge' Michalek was my first pediatrician, right?? Or was he Megan's....? Can't quite remember, but super funny story. We were in the house of a member the other day and she showed us a picture of her son with his mission president. The names were below, and I looked at the picture thinking, 'I'm pretty sure I know this guy....' and I looked below and it said Presidente and Hermana Michalek. I had to laugh at that one! Here I am in Chile and I've found so many connections to home... :P

Also, I loved the thought of the Hymns you shared, and the last principle from Elder Scott! I'm sad those are over, I really enjoyed those just about every week!! I couldn't help but reflect in the line when he says With all my capacity I encourage you to discover who you really are... When you push against the boundaries of experience into the twilight of the unknown, the Lord with strengthen you... Gather strength by remembering you can do anything the Lord asks you to do. Going on a mission was that choice of pushing into the unknown. When I would think about it with my natural-man mind, I would get so very scared about going so far away and speaking a different language and living in a different country teaching people I didn't know. But I distinctly remember an experience I had in the Logan Temple right before Justina left. She was in the changing room, and I went out to sit in the waiting area. I closed my eyes for a minute to just think, and I remember having this wonderful peace come over me and the feeling that Chile, Antofagasta was the right mission and the place that I needed to go. I remember telling Mom this experience that night, and telling her I never doubted my mission call, but there were times in the MTC and in the first few weeks here that I recalled that experience and that peace, and was reassured that I was doing the right thing. It's amazing how the Lord knows exactly what we need and the strength that he gives us as we do push those boundaries of experience and comfort.

Mom mentioned the stories from Sister Ashley Brown and her talk, but neither of you mentioned them more! :P I would love to hear those if you could share a couple with me, and about the large and small plates....? :) Please keep me posted on Lauren and Amie and their calls!!!! SO EXCITING FOR BOTH OF THEM!!!! Please tell them congrats from me. :D Mom, I was glad to hear that both surgeries of Uncle Ron and Aunt Julie went well. I will continually keep them in my prayers. Also, I would LOVE to see pictures of the new intersection all paved and whatnot! :) And last but not least YEA FOR YOU TO GET GRANDPA'S ESTATE SETTLED!!!! :D SOOOOO VERY HAPPY!!!! :D I was thinking about him the other day and how crazy it is that it's been almost 2 years since he passed away.... How blessed we are to know we can be with them again forever. :) Also, how did work this week go?? :) Patti wrote me the other week, and I am going to try to write her back right now. Thank you for sharing that story with me, and I'm so so sooo grateful she's safe and well. As for the Christmas package, I would love another durable cute but plain black skirt if you could find one... The 2 that I have are great, but they are both worn out already..... The fabric wasn't the greatest, so something durable.... If not I'll be looking for one here, no problem! :) And handwritten letters.... I love handwritten letters. :) Speaking of which I haven't heard if you all got your letters that I sent yet!! I'm assuming no... but I hope they'll get there... :( Also I really hope my package gets here too..... :( We have a zone conference next weekend, so if it's not here then I think I've lost hope... But I seriously am praying that it will come.... Stinkin mail.......

I love you both so very much. Please keep me posted on the New Mexico trip and I hope and pray that all goes well as you get ready this week and leave next week! I LOVE YOU MOM AND DAD!!! :D Talk to you soon,

All my love,
Your very extremely happy missionary daughter,
Kristen :D

Cambios and HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYLEEEE!!!

Hermana Tuft with Hermana Matias and an investigator who is 14.

Hellooo all!!
This week was cambios...and.... I'm staying in Zapahuira!! :D We were pretty happy campers on Saturday night when we got the call from the Assistants. :) We have a few changes with our zone and now we'll have more wards with a companionship of elders and one of hermanas, so that's about the biggest thing with cambios. And also Hermanas Miner, Howell, and Osorio are the 3 sisters leaving Arica. So we will work even harder and find even more people this coming transfer, that's the goal. :)

This past week was pretty chill, and all is well here! We had a couple special experiences that I wanted to share.

This is a story of how I have seen the hand of the Lord in my life this week. Everything worked together perfectly, and I don't think I'll be able to do it justice, but I will try. :) This week we worked a lot with Fabiola and Jorge. Fabiola is ready to be baptized, but todavia (still) she and Jorge are living together... They have 'plans' but that'll probably be within the next year or so... So we went over there on Wednesday and Fabiola was there alone. We waited for a little bit for Jorge to get home from work, but she called him and he had to stay late. So anyway we started the lesson talking about the importance of the Atonement, and how there must needs be an Atonement. That lesson was one of the most powerful moments I have had thus far in the mission. I can speak fairly well, but this lesson especially I felt so much strength and love. Fabiola could feel it to, because by the end of the lesson we were all crying and she said she was going to talk to Jorge about being married this month. :D The next day we went back and Jorge was there, but Fabiola wasn't. Also, Julieta and their dad, Hugo, was there too. Hugo always has so many questions that he tries to throw us off track and whatnot, so we just let those questions go this time and focused on Jorge and his needs. We talked about the word of wisdom and the importance of prayer. He hasn't been consistently praying, so we talked about the importance of praying always, and he said that he would pray every day. That was another very powerful lesson. They were gone this weekend, so we haven't been able to stop by since Thursday, but this week. :) They are such wonderful people, and it is amazing to see the change the gospel makes in people's lives.

We also had a special lesson with a less active family. I figured out how to print the Parable of the Keys that Dad sent a couple weeks ago (SO sorry, Dad that you typed it up and I figured it out after I sent that and didn't tell you!!) I read through it, and yes I remembered it right away! :) I translated it within a couple days and shared it with Mamita, Papito, and Hna Matias. They all loved the special message, and Mamita said to tell you thank you for sending it! Anywho, I had the feeling to take it with me yesterday, and we ended up going to a house that we weren't planning on and had the perfect opportunity to share the story with them. The dad of the family was in the bishopric, stake presidency, young men's, etc, but now they are less active... He is very gracious and welcoming whenever we stop by, and always says, ¨Yes, this week we'll go to church,¨ but they never do... So we shared that parable, and after Hna Matias finished reading it, he sat there for a couple minutes just not saying anything. He finally looked at us and said, ¨Thank you for sharing that. It talks about a lot of different points in the gospel and you can clearly see how they all fit together.¨ We talked about the atonement, temples, genealogy, and the love of Jesus Christ. It is so incredible the peace and strength that we can receive through willingly accepting the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Christ tells us many different times, in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, how we will be of one fold and one Shepherd. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is His fold, and He is our Shepherd. How blessed are we to have this gospel in our lives!

Stake Conference was great! We got to sing, all the missionaries in Arica, and that was a powerful experience! It was also great to see and hear from President and Sister Dalton! They are such amazing people, and have wonderful insights that I haven't thought of before. It was a great conference. It was centered on missionary work, and the Stake President spoke last. He was very bold with his words, but it was a great talk and the people seem to be more enthused for the work. It truly is so important for us as missionaries to work with the wards, because in the end it is the ward that stays, not us. The ward are the ones that continue to help build their faith and testimonies.

The ward temple trip is next Monday! They'll be gone until Friday, AND it's ¨Festivas Patricas¨ so it should be interesting... Our investigators will all be elsewhere with their families for Independence Day and our ward members will all be in Bolivia. :) Lots of finding!! :D Pia's mom didn't give her permission to go this year, but next year she is planning on it! Andres' baptism is still on hold... He was so excited in the beginning, but these days he's not so as excited, or something. The Elders are going to call him to have him go do visits with them this week, so I think that will help him a lot with his doubts and nerves... He has told us from the beginning that he wants to serve a mission, so I think this will be great. :) Also, Jasmin (I honestly don't know if I've talked much about Jasmin! Whoops!!) is doing great. She is praying about a baptismal date for the 21st. She is so wonderful. She's 14, and is the daughter of a menos-activo. We're working with her family as well to get them reactivated. :)

To wrap things up, GUESS WHAT HAPPENED?!?! It rained yesterday. :) And when I say 'rained' I actually mean it misted for about 10 minutes. :P But still!! Any sign of rain I can get I'm thrilled. :P And also HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYLEEEE!!! Tomorrow... :) I love you all so much and I am so grateful for your love, support, and prayers. :) This church is the only true church. I know that to be true, and the Book of Mormon is the proof. I love this gospel, and I love this opportunity that I have to share it with everyone every single day. :D

LOTS of love,
Hermana Tuft
=================
¡Hola mi Familia! :D

I was so glad to hear that things were well at home this week! Congrats to little Lindsay making the tennis team! Keep me updated with the results, and how your arm holds out... :( And Happy Birthday once again to Kyle! We'll have a little celebration for you tomorrow. :) It won't be too much, but we'll be sure to sing a hearty Felíz Cumple for you. :D Hope you have a great day! I loved all the pictures, thank you Mom! I especially loved the one of little Audrey. She looks like a little ballerina in that picture... :) When is Homecoming again, Spencer?? And how has the first couple weeks back at school been for everyone?? This is random, but we had daylight savings this week, so we are now 3 hours apart, rather than 2, and I was thinking of Spencer and Lindsay getting up in the dark for early morning yesterday when we had to get up and it was still pitch dark. Yich. :( No me gusta... Pero todo está bien. Me encanta mi missión y mi Chile y éste evangelio. Y el español. Todavia me cuesta, pero es mas mejor ahora, y cada día estoy aprendiendo mucho mas. :) Y todavia necessito practicar escribiendo, porque mis accentos son chuecos. :P Anywho I love you all SOOO very much!

Wishing you all the best of week with LOTS of love,
Kristen
=================
Hello Mom and Dad!

Heavens heavens. We got a call on Wednesday night from Elder Chacón, the mission doctor, and he started asking me tons of questions and such about my cough, and then I clued in that you both probably had something to do with it.... :P I was a little preturbed, but then I just realized you love me and want me to be okay and healthy, and I am. So no worries there! :) Honestly, I told you both last week about my cough because it was finally under control... :) It was bad a couple weeks ago, and I didn't tell you then because I didn't want you to worry, but here I tell you when it's getting better and you still worried... So sorry! We are going to try a couple different meds and such, and Elder Chacón told me to take an allergy med before bed every night, and that seems to be helping a lot actually! It's really not as bad as last year, and it is SO much better these days. I know the Lord is giving me the strength and health that I need, because we both know that I need to be here. I promise everything is all well though! :) Thank you, however, for your love, concern, and especially prayers. :)

A couple of things before I head out! Dad, what is the name of Anna's brother?? It would be fun if I knew him! The mission is huge though, so the chances are slim, but still... :) And also Mom, yes I do know Elder Church! He's in my group, along with Elder Silvester, to come home in November next year. And small world moment with him, he's really good friends with Summer Stout! So that was fun. :) Also, thank you very much for looking into my debit card! I'm still a little confused on that one, because I've used it as a debit card many times... Let me know though if President Caywood has anyone headed to my mission so I can look out for it within the next little while. (I still don't know what to call him ps.... Bishop, President, Doctor....or all in one.... :P)

Dad, when you talked about the impression you had to take that talk by Brad Wilcox with you to church, it made me think of my experience with the Parable of the Keys. There are lots of those little moments and promptings that we get that we don't know why we have them, but we are grateful we listened further down the road. :) I loved reading those thoughts you sent, thank you. The more I teach and study, the more I realize the infinite blessings the Atonement brings, which reminds me of the words you sent last week about the infinite Atonement. It truly is infinite in divinity, power, time, coverage, depth, degree of suffering, love and brings infinite blessings. I loved those descriptions! Please keep me posted on the NM trip! I'm so happy that things are working out well!

Thank you for all the updates Mom!! I still am in shock about all of them, honestly. Good for Emmali Day and Sara Ripley and Emily Prawitt! Megan Marchbanks will be such a fantastic missionary. Kaisa Goodman getting married is still definitely the biggest shock.... Good for her, but SO crazy!!! I also was curious as to if my letter finally got there or not...? The package still hasn't made it's way to me, but that doesn't mean it's not in the office. Along the lines of Christmas (hahaha - 3 plus months away... :P) I would LOVE to get a couple new mini lotions from Bath and Body. I love carrying those around in my bag. :) Also if there are little doodads that I could give to people that would be great.... I don't have an example of what, but something that says Utah or USA, or something like that.... I think Kyle would know what I mean... Just something to give the people that I've grown really close to. :) And YEA I GET TO GO SKIING WITH POLES!!!! That made me really excited... :D Thank you. :D I´m glad your foot is doing okay for the time being. Keep me posted. Also, I will keep Aunt Julie and Uncle Ron in my prayers... This is a random, but how is Miranda and Britney?! I haven't heard from either of them, and I would love to if they have a minute to write... :) THANK YOU LOADS!!

I love you both SOOO very much. I can feel your prayers and smiles and hugs every day. :) Thank you both. I love you and hope you both have a wonderful week!! :D

Loads of love,
Kristen

Mission picture with Elder Vinas of the Seventy

Here Comes The SUN!! :P

Paintballing jumpsuits. (Must be BEFORE because they are way too clean!)

Hermana Tuft standing on a ROCK so she will be taller than her Peruvian companion! Bwaaahhhh!

Paintballing day for the missionaries!

                      Arica hermanas! Yes Northern Chile does look like the MOON!!!

Hello All!!

It's such a little thing, but I honestly get so excited for Monday, come Sunday night. :P I love hearing about the week there in Utah and I apologize to everyone that I haven't written back!! I read every letter, sometimes I just don't have the time to write back the same week... Slowly but surely... :)

This week has been so great, as always! September marks the month that summer begins... Winter is from about March (I think....) until the end of August, and then it magically gets super hot again! We got our first taste of what the summer will be like this week, and we all got a little bit of a sunburn, but never fear Mother, I wear sunscreen, it'll just have to be a little bit more faithfully these days... :P Today we (almost all the missionaries here in Arica) all got together and had a paintball war.... Hahaha yes I know I wouldn't go at home...but a mission does crazy things to ya. :P It was a lot of fun, but I did laugh because all the elders have a nice tan line where their shirt collars are, and us sisters all have shoe tan lines. I'm fine with the shoe tan line...I think it's the first "tan" I've ever had! :P Haha anywho. :)

This week is the last week in the cambio!! Time has absolutely FLOWN!! Obviously we don't know for sure, but we both think we'll stay for now... We aren't getting any new sisters, so no one will be training, and I think most will stay as is. But we shall see Saturday night. :) Zapahuira is kinda like my home away from home, so if I'm leaving I'll be really sad... But if that's the case, of course I'll go with a smile. :) Also! This marks the end of training for me! DAH! Crazy stuff. :) We also just found out this morning that Mamita and Papito are moving. :( They're going to live south of Conce for a year, and moving at the end of October. :(

This week was great!! On Wednesday morning, we went and had a service project for Hna Sara (investigator). She has land up in the hills, so we went and built a fence (kinda a sketchy fence, but a fence nonetheless :)) and cleaned up some trash. Ten Elders came, so that was great to have the help and good for her to see the other missionaries I think. She came to CHURCH!!!!!! That was a huge deal. She promised us 2 weeks ago that she would go this Sunday, and she did!! She told us that she would go to one hour, "nada mas" to see how it was, and so we're hoping that next week she can stay the full 3 hours. It was testimony meeting, and there were so many testimonies about eternal families, and seeing as her husband just passed away that was great. It was also great because Jorge and Fabiola were there, and along with eternal families a lot of people talked about the importance of marriage. (And they're not married for the time being, but live together.) We talked to them after Sunday School, and it was quite the incredible experience.

We haven't been to their house in 2 weeks, because they weren't progressing and they had to work a lot, but we had the feeling on Saturday to stop by, so we did and Jorge told us they were going to church on Sunday. (Which is huge in itself because he has been super leery about everything church related.) We asked them after Sunday School how they felt. Fabiola is super shy, but she said really quickly after we asked, "Siento que éste iglesia es verdadera." Or, "I feel like this church is true." It was such a powerful moment and I definitely teared up. :) I wish you all could have been there! :) Jorge explained that since he was little he has been taught that all the churches are crazy and so he never has really believed in anything, so he wants to believe, but there is something holding him back. We set up a family night with a family in the ward that the dad had the same feeling for years, and so hopefully he can be a good friend and support for Jorge. I'll keep you posted. :)

This week I finished the Book of Mormon, and I told myself that the next time I read it I would read it in Spanish... So I started in Spanish reading from cover to cover. I know I have been so very blessed to learn the language. I can't speak everything, nor understand it all, but I have been so blessed. I was really scared, because my half hour to read the Book of Mormon every day is so peaceful and I love it, and I was scared that reading it in Spanish would stress me out and that I wouldn't understand, but I do understand and it doesn't stress me out, and I am learning so much. I know that miracles happen. Blessings do come, after the trial of your faith. I know that this church is true with all my heart. I love my Savior, and I am so blessed every day to have the opportunity to share His gospel. Challenge for the week: Read half hour in the Book of Mormon every day. :) If you're not reading it, start. :) I know it is true, and reading it will bring you closer to your Savior and you will feel His love. I know that. :)

I am so glad that everything is going well at home! Thank you all for your love and support and emails and everything! :) This church is true!

Love,
Hermana Tuft
============
Hello Family!

This will probably be a little short for this week, but here goes! :) As for the questions from this week! Yes I have a warm shower, unless we run out of gas in which case yes it is very very veryyy cold. But that's only happened a handful of times, so I'm very very veryyy grateful. :) And I haven't seen one bug in our house... I know there are apartments that have HUGE spiders, but ours doesn't, nor fleas or bedbugs. A couple people have had lice in the mission, but that's really the only thing I've heard of. So yep. :) Also as for my blow dryer situation, I gave up on it. I don't have time to blow dry my hair every day, and it's unnecessary, so I just gave up. :) The bangs are growing out. :P Also no my hair isn't super healthy because the water is horrible, so I think it's probably about the same healthiness-wise. :P Oh well. :) I think that's all of the questions!

Also wanted to say that the mail strike is finally OVER! So I will be looking for the package! Hopefully this weekend, because President and Sister Dalton are coming up for our stake conference. SO I HOPE IT CAME!!! :D

Congrats Spencer on making the PLAY!!! I know you will love it. :) It'll be a lot of time and energy, but I know you won't ever regret it. :) How was the first full week back at school you two?? And Memorial Day is today??? So you don't have school 'lucky ducks.' Haha 2 weeks after school starts... :P Very exciting that the Hibbards got to come down to visit! What did you all end up doing today? I love you all lots. :D

Until next week from Arica,
Kristen

P.S. This week is Stake Conference, and we're singing as all the missionaries in Arica. I got in touch with a lady who lives in Arica Centro ward, which is where Paulina Porras' mom lives, and hopefully we'll be able to meet up Friday, Saturday or Sunday! I'm excited to meet her mom. :) Just a little random note for Megan to tell Paulina. :) And if any one sees Megan Walker before Wednesday give her a big huge hug for me! :P I know Tay and Brookie leave soon, but not quite sure what day... So if you talk to them tell them to write and let me know! All my love. :)