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