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
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¡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
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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