Hurrah for Israel!!

Kristen with a plate of  "Once."

Hna Tuft and Millaquipai on Caldera Beach 10 Feb 2014

Hna Tuft and Millaquipai

Ward dance Jan 2014 with Kristen and Hna Millaquipai.

Kristen writing in her journal.

Hnas Tuft and Millaquipai out working. 

Hna Tuft & Millaquipai's beds in Isabel's living room temporarily until their place is finished.

Workers working on Kristen's new place they are renting from Isabel.

Hna Tuft, Millaquipai, Isabel, Jenny, Elder James, Elder Oribe; 8 Feb 2014

Eating dinner with Isabel, February 2014

Hna Millaquipai, Isabel, Kristen Tuft

Kristen on Caldera Beach today with other Hermanas and Isabel, who was recently baptized.

Hey there!!

It's been a fantastic week here in Copiapó. Absolutely crazy insane, but we got through happily and are looking forward to this next week. :D Time has FLOWN by here. We're in week 5 of the transfer and Hna Millaquipai are here looking at each other scratching our heads and wondering where the time has gone! But in a great way. We've had a great transfer together so far. Can't wait for the next little while. :D

Speaking of Hna Millaquipai, we had a funny this week. :) We were looking through the primary song book (because we wanted to sing "Cuando me bautice," Dad, for the baptism! Thank you for reminding us of that song. :)) and we ran across "Oh what do you do in the summertime?" Hahaha so Hna Millaquipai starts singing it and gets to "¿Qué hacemos en verano?," started laughing, and said, "Well, as missionaries in the MCA, we knock on doors while everyone heads to the beach!" Which is so very, very, very true. :) I bet the summer in lots of missions have similar situations... But we've changed tactics accordingly, so no, we don't literally knock on doors, but we do lots and lots of contacting. Which is great! :) Sembramos semillitas. :)

Also a little bit of fun news! We were in the house of a less-active member named Carmen. She is fantastic, and we just barely met her, but Heavenly Father sure does have a way of preparing people, even when they've been baptized and have fallen away. He always gives us second chances. Anywho! We were talking to Carmen and she was telling us about her son that lives in West Valley, when the phone rang. And it just happened to be her son in West Valley! She told me to talk to him for a couple minutes, so that was super cool and weird and fun. So I got to talk to her son in West Valley this week. :) Small world. :)

And for the best news of all. :D We had 2 baptisms this weekend. Isabel's and the Elder's convert named Jenny. AND remember Benjamin that lived in our sector and then moved and Hna Severtson and I were super sad? Well he got baptized 2 weeks ago!!! I heard that news from our ward mission leader, and I just about jumped out of my seat from excitement!! :D So this next week we'll have Stake Conference and I'm excited to see him there.

The baptisms went great. Isabel was so so so excited all week long, counting down the days. She is learning so much, and we're working on getting her own family history account started, so we'll get that up and running for her, but we showed her ours and she started telling us about all her family and her grandparents, etc. The Spirit of Elijah really is a powerful tool. Tomorrow we are having a distict meeting where the stake specialists are coming to teach us, so we're super excited about that. When I saw Isabel in the baptismal font, that was one of those moments where I just thought truly, "Hurrah for Israel!" She was radiating. After the baptism, Isabel got up and bore her testimony. She was so happy and just radiating. She has had a really hard past ten years, and I know that we were led to her house because our Heavenly Father had prepared her to receive His Son. There is no doubt in my mind that Jesus Christ lives, and that He loves each and every one of us. He not only suffered for our sins, but He knows our joys and moments of happiness. He is always there to lighten our burdens and carry us in moments of need. I am always reminded of the poem of Footprints in the Sand; truly we are blessed to have a Savior who loves us infinitely.

Yesterday we spoke in church about putting our trust in Christ. (Confiar en Cristo, I think that's how it's translated....) I was reminded about the talk President Uchtdorf gave in October's General Conference. He shared a story about how he was skiing with his grandson and fell. He shared that he had no idea how he was supposed to get back up. It seemed absolutely impossible. His grandson came by, and he tried explaining it, but his grandson wasn't interested in hearing his excuses. All he said was, "Opa, you can do it now!" He put out his hand, and President Uchtdorf says he instantly stood. Christ always has His hand outstretched to pick us up. We have the responsibility to grab His hand as tight as possible, stand up, and allow His Atonement to help clean us off and keep walking forward. If you get the chance this week, I urge you all to go read that talk! I'll even put the link... :) http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/you-can-do-it-now?lang=eng

I know this church is true! I have seen it change Isabel's life, and many others. I love you all so very much. Have a fantastic week, enjoy the snow and rain, and love every minute of every day. :)

Con cariño,
Hermana Tuft

P.S. Mom, you can print pictures from the baptism on from Skydrive if possible! And the whole family can look at all of them with my mission email and password. :) XOXOXO :)
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Excepts from emailing back and forth before Kristen sent her main letter:
Hey Mom! We're just getting on for today! :P I printed off earlier, but we went to Caldera with Isabel and just got back. It was a fun day, but it's been an insane week and we're moving into our house on Wednesday. I couldn't be happier. :) It's great living with Isabel, but I HATE living out of my suitcase. Anywho. We're doing great though! Off to write and send pictures of the baptism!! I think I'll just send them through skydrive... :) LOVES!! :D

Regarding where I should send her bday package: 

Transfers are in two weeks, so yes they'll be before my birthday. The only thing I would say I would want is a bunch of those fun little pictures of paintings from Deseret Book. They're the little tiny ones, about 2x3 inches... Just a bunch of pretty ones of Christ. :) Lots of love!! I don't have time to write you and Dad separately today.... I am so sorry! Nor to respond to Megan!! Sending all my love, thanks, and lots of hugs and kisses. :) I love you all lots!!! Give Dad a big hug for me and tell him thank you for the story and sharing his experience again about my patriarchal blessing experience. :) I love you Mom! Happy Valentine's Day!! :)