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
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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. :)