Hello All! :D
It has been a GREAT week here in Angamos. I have loved literally every single second. :) I seriously am not used to living in a city, and Antofagasta is a CITY. It's huge and loud and noisy and fulllll of people and apartments and the OCEAN. But I love it. I love it lots. :) I have loved waking up each morning and looking out the window to watch the beautiful sea. :) Love it. :) We have climbed LOTS of stairs this past week, cause a huge part of our area is apartment buildings, and lots that don't have acensores, but it has been a great workout. :P
Something that made the week even BETTER is that we had a BAPTISM on Saturday!! :D Catalina is her name, and she met the missionaries a while ago. She lives with her aunt and family, and her cousin is on a mission in Argentina, but she was never baptized. She had told the missionaries for a LONG time that she wanted to go to church, but they never really paid much attention to her, cause she's 12 and didn't think she was too serious.... But she was. :) So three weeks ago in her interview, Hermana Arenas asked President about her situation and being 12, and living with her active aunt if she could be baptized, and he said yes, of COURSE, so she was baptized this past week, and I had the blessing of being here. :) The young women of the ward have been friendshipping her very, very well and she was so so SO excited to be baptized. (I'm going to try to upload pictures, but the computer's being strange.... Crossing the fingers!)
A little bit about Hermana Arenas! She is fantastic. :D I have loved being with her this past week, and truly look forward to our time together. She is from Lima, Peru (the East mission) and has lived there most of her life. The TRULY intriguing thing about Hna Arenas is that her mom actually lives in our mission... She put that on her mission papers and everything, and called President beforehand telling him that, but she came here anyway. :) Her mom lives in Iquique (near Arica) and her dad lives in Lima. She's the youngest of three and her family are converts. She was 8 when they all got baptized. :D She's 20 also, and she's coming up on nine months in the mission this week. :) We're going to celebrate. :)
Something truly interesting from the week, speaking about age, is that we were looking for old investigators from our area book, and came across an address that we wanted to check out. So we headed over there, and while we were waiting at the door, a cute little old man walked up the stairs. We started talking to him and he said, "What are two cute little girls like you doing here?" We started explaining, and he said, "You girls are young! How old are you? About 40?" Okay. I about died. He was a darling old man, but I am defffinnnniiitttttelllllllyyyyyy not 40 stinkin years old. We died laughing at that one, and are going to stop by again to see if we can meet his daughter that lives there with him. :) So, I hope that his vision is failing him, or else I am aging a looot faster than hoped. :P
I love the ward here! It's so great. It's HUGE, but great. :) The Bishop and his councilors are very supportive and we have been working lots with them. We also have been in touch with the Young Women's President and Relief Society too, so that has been great. Everrrryyoonne has references for us, so that has been a wonderful blessing! We're working on actually getting in contact with them... Most people here are working or studying (the university is in our area also) so their schedules are a little weird. But it's great to have so much support and help from the ward! Love it. :)
Yesterday in church, we were in Sunday School, and the teacher was talking about Proverbs and the subject of wisdom, and brotherly kindness. You all might have had the same (or will have) class....? I found in so interesting a comment made by the bishop. We were talking about gossip and how we can watch ourselves better to only speak good, and uplifting things. Bishop Gonzalez said, "Well, if no one wanted to buy bread, the bread stores would be closed. If nobody wants to listen to gossip, no one will speak it." That is so true, and I loved that comment. (I sure hope that my rough translation makes senseee.....) I realized that I do need to watch what comes out of my mouth more. And not just my mouth, but the negative thoughts that enter my head. If nobody wants to hear it, if we don't tolerate it, there will be nothing to be said. :)
I know that this church is true, and I love being a member of it. I love knowing that we can and will return to the presence of the Father, all we have to do is follow in the footsteps of his Son, Jesus Christ. :) I love my Savior and I love being His disciple.
Have a fantastic week!
Con mucho amor,
Hermana Tuft
=======================
Hey Mom and Dad!
To answer/comment on your little bullet points Mom, my card works only when I can scan it in Lider or something... But it doesn't work to take money out in cash... So I don't know what to do when it comes to buying souvenirs, etc.... I still am trying to figure it all out.... :( It expires in the spring, so I don't know what's up, but I really do need to take cash out... :( AND KATHERINE'S GETTING MARRIED!!! Send her my best. That is SO great. :D I'll bring some Milo back. It's good, but it's not that good. :) I heard from Hna Severtson and Hna Smith today, so that was fun. :) I told Hna Smith that you were looking for her, so she might just add me. Her name is Cassi Ann and she's from Rexburg. Love those 3, them and Hna Brewster. I can't believe they're actually GONE.
It truly was super duper hard to leave Calama. I felt like there was still so much to do, but the Lord has other things in store for me here, and the people that I love so much there. :) I think you're right, Dad. The harder it is, the more I feel like I worked and worried and prayed and tried to do what was right. It's when the people made the most difference on me. :) I'm not quite sure how many were elders and how many were hermanas, but there was only one latino, and the rest from "gringolandia" as they call the states. :P I also was surprised at what President said when he told me my transfer. He said that Hna Arenas, as a new sister training leader, needs a good example and someone to really show her what it means to be a sister training leader, so he gave me this assignment. I am sure that we will see lots of other reasons as to why the Lord sent me here as time goes on, but I was super duper worried to get here and find things in shambles.... But it's not. :) The old companion of Hna Arenas just wasn't the best example and kinda did things her own way, and it truly reminds me of the story that Grandma shared last week with us. She didn't really take into account what Hna Arenas had to say, so she just kinda followed.... But she has told me so many times this week that she feels so HAPPY and is grateful to be my companion. And I can say that I couldn't agree more. :)
We don't have Mamita of anything. :) So we're cooking and washing our clothes and we have a DRYING MACHINEEE! :D WAHOOOO!!!! It's about the third dryer I've seen here. From what it sounds like, Spencer will not be seeing one of those for a loooong time - poor kid. He will love every second though. :) I also just started my study of Alma 5 a couple days ago, so next week I'll share my thoughts and such. :) Also, Hermana Arenas laughed when I told her what you asked, Dad, about her musical talents. :) She said, "Tell you dad that I LOVE the piano and guitar, but I don't know how to play either one." :P I also loved the thoughts from President Fischer, and also Elders Bednar and Scott. We do try to do that while tracting, actually. :) We don't knock on doors very often, but when we do I think that would be great. We mostly just talk to people in the street, but I think it would be applicable in those types of situations as well. :) And we will ask the members and less actives this week about their conversions stories! Thank you for the ideas and thoughts. :) It is so true about it being a drip irrigation conversion. When it all comes on at once, and we learn learn learn, but don't internalize, that is when we aren't leaving room for wisdom to come in, which wisdom comes directly from God. Which also leads into Satan not being able to have ANY power over us. We have much more power over HIM. Which is an incredible thing. :)
I love you both so very much! I have to run, and didn't get the picture thing figured out. :( But I will send pictures of the baptism & Hna Arenas next week. :D I love you both so very much! Have a fantastic week! Send my love to Grandma and Grandpa!! Any luck with Aunt Karen's email, Dad?
All my love,
Hermana Tuft
Monday, August 18, 2014
Monday, August 11, 2014
Cambioooosssss.
Hello All!
Okay so let's just first say that I absolutely love the mission. And I love every single aspect of it. Some things a little bit more than others.... One of the things that I LOVE are transfers, but they always seem to come when least expected..... And cambios came!! So I'm here writing from Antofagasta, my new place of residence for the next few months. :) And I'm super excited! I am super duuuperrr sad to leave Calama, but I am excited to watch the miracles from afar...3 hours away to be exact. :)
It has been QUITE the adventurous week. We're actually just here in the bus terminal waiting for the bus of an hermana that's leaving, sooo things are a little bit shaken up in the boat but quickly to be back to normal again. :) I'm excited to get to know a new ward and a new sector with all the investigators and people that I will meet and help and in return learn from all of them. DID I SAY I JUST LOVE THE MISSION?! :D My new ward is called Angamos and it's the southern part of Antofa. My companion is Hna Arenas, and I just told her, "Well, I'm going to be writing my family about you and the only thing I know from the past 10 minutes is that you have 9 months in the mission and you're from Peru." So that's literally all I know. Details to comeee. :)
Okay starting from Monday. We spent the day with Hnas Smith and Wisrock for Hna Smith's last P Day! (We just dropped her off at the bus this morning in fact.) I'm sure going to miss that girl. And we got right to work. Tuesday we had our zone training and did intercambios/exchanges that afternoon. I loved Tuesday. It was a very spiritual filled day as we visited Yobannely, Jaqueline and family, and Yalile. Wednesday was similar, and I truly loved every second. One thing that we really have been focusing on as a companionship, and as a mission in general, is the Book of Mormon, and our investigators and less actives are really learning to love the Book of Mormon and are developing their own testimonies.
Tuesday evening, we got a call from Katty saying that she was headed out of Calama on Friday, cause she hadn't found work. And I just about died. We started praying like crazy. So we went on Thursday morning with the intention of saying goodbye (cause Thursday night we were headed to Tocopilla), and she said she wasn't sure if she was actually leaving.... So we did say our goodbyes JUST IN CASE, and headed out to a conference with President that evening. He was in town, and said he'd love to meet with us, so for the next couple hours we talked about gospel questions and it was such a neat experience!! I sure learned a lot, and it was great to be with him and Hermana Dalton for a bit.
We were all pretty anxious for transfers, and as we were getting ready to leave, President said, "Well, I do have a couple minutes before my meeting; would you like to know your transfers?" Ummm. YES PLEASE. So he had us come into a room as companionships and President himself gave us our transfers and explained a little bit as to why. So I'm pretty sure that doesn't happen very often and so that was cool. :)
And from there we were headed to Tocopilla, which was quite the visit. :) One thing super cool is that I met a returned missionary, Marcelo Zuñiga, that served with Tom in Concepción! So that was a verrrry small little world moment. (And from what Dad said he had sent the picture that we took... :P) I love Tocopilla, but seriously there are just some super funny things that happen every single time we're there. :) This time, Hna Fontenot and I were walking down the street, and a lady walked up behind us and was sniffling. Or we thought she was, and Hna Fontenot asked if she was alright. Well, we started talking to her, and her name was Gina, and she was a gypsy. And she was pretttty drunk. But she did talk to us for a bit, and we gave her an I'm a Mormon card, and she said she was going to go to church on Sunday. HOPEFULLY she did. :) Oh Gina. :)
The hermanas from Tocopilla ended up coming back to Calama with us and will be there for the week, but in the bus ride we had quite the "terror movie moment". But luckily in the end it wasn't anything. :) We were about an hour out of Calama and all of a sudden a BUNCH of people from the back of the bus started coming forward and a couple went downstairs, and two seconds later a Tur Bus guy came up, so Hna Albornoz and I turned around and sure enough. There was SMOKE coming out of the bathroom. And lots of it. So that was the first red flag. Then two seconds later the bus guy yelled, "CUIDADOOOO!" And superrr hot water flooded the bus, so we all scrambled down and there we were in the middle of the desert. :) Bueno, moral of the story is that Tur Bus is just fantastic and the bathroom pipes overheated and we had a good smelly ride back to Calama. :) Bahahaha oh la misión. :)
And then we got back to Calama and started working lots and it was a SUPER great Saturday, incluso. Katty accepted a baptismal date and is reading the Book of Mormon!!! :D She is getting baptized on August 29th. :D She was a super duper hard one to leave. We've known each other for just 3 weeks, but it has been a fantastic 3 weeks and I feel like I've known her my whole life.
So it has been such a crazy but awesome week. I am so excited for this next transfer. I know we will see so many miracles. I seriously cannot describe the joy I feel in knowing that I am a missionary and disciple of Jesus Christ. I know He lives and I am so very grateful to be His representative at this time in Chile. I'm not perfect, and I learn SOOO much every day. Something that I need to work on that I've noticed this week is listening and acting instantly on the promptings of the Holy Ghost. I do listen and act, but I'm sometimes a doubter and don't act in the exact moment of receiving the prompting. I read this quote from President Monson that I wanted to share. "The sweetest experience that I know in life is to feel a prompting and act upon it and later find out that it was the fulfillment of someone's prayer or need. And I always want the Lord to know that if He needs an errand run, Tom Monson will run that errand for Him."
It made me reflect a lot, and it was perfect with the story that Grandma shared (via Dad. THANK YOU GRANDMA!). We must always act according to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Of course we don't know better than He does, but lots of times we think we do, at least in the moment.
I love you all!! I hope you have a fantastic week! I hope Spencer's had a great first week in Honduras! Can't wait to hear all of your adventures, bud! I hope everything goes super great with Lindsay and that she's feeling better for her volleyball try-outs! I would love to see pictures from the baby blessing of little Milo yesterday. What a doll he is. :) Aaand I hope that Megan and Tom and little (bueno no tan chica ahora) Audrey are doing super great. I love you all lots. I hope you never ever forget that! :D
Love,
Hermana Tuft
=====================
Hey Mom and Dad!
I love you both first off. Thank you for your love and support. :D As I was packing, I was looking at a few notes I have from you both from the MTC and I was reading through those thinking how much everything has changgeeedd. I don't feel like the scared little girl anymore from the MTC. And I like that feeling. I like feeling that the Lord has trusted me enough to help me grow, and you both are a little part of the help of that growth with all your love and support. :)
Okay so no, Hermana Albornoz goes home at the end of this transfer that's starting. :) She goes home with Hna Matias and Hna Rindlisbacher in September. :) There are 23 new missionaries that are arriving tomorrow, so we're seeing lotttsss of changes as we make room for the little army of missionaries to get here. :) One of the new hermanas will be here in Antofa, so we'll get to know her. :) Hermana Arenas and I are the sister training leaders here in Antofa and have a few more hermanas to look out for. But it should be great. :)
And also! Hahaha Mom, that bus accident wasn't the one where all those people died, etc. There were 2 that died, and I don't know about any injuries.... So anywho, just so that doesn't freak you out toooo much. :) And no, I haven't used the doggie stun gun.... There have been 2 times that I have wanted to, but the dogs freak out so fast that there isn't time anyway. But we're safe from harm and bite free. :P
Dad, I was also thinking about how AWESOME that would be to go back to Arica, in a different area, but to be able to see my first ward there in Zapahuira. :) The Lord needs me here in Antofa though, and I know we will see many miracles. It would have been AWESOME, but I guess Arica will just have to wait until I come back and visit....algun dia.... :)
We actually just barely received new instructions from the Twelve and the First Presidency that we will be teaching all 5 lessons before baptism, and then again after. And the missionaries will take the initiative with that, so that's an interesting but cool new change. :) Funny that you should ask JUSTO this week. :) I also was curious if you would be getting the chance to speak this coming Sunday... I'm glad that things went well, but it's a shame that you got things all ready and couldn't... For the next time.... :)
I loved your principle 6. I love rereading those, and applying them to the current circumstances. :) I think learning to accept God's will is one of the most important and powerful tools that we can develop in our lives. I also am going to study Alma 5 this week! I love that chapter, but I've never thought about writing down the questions... :) Thanks!
I'd better run! The bus will be here for the other hermana pretty soon. :) I love you so very much! Have a fantastic week and we shall we talking soon! :)
Love,
Kristen
P.S. Hey Mom, lots of people sent me requests on facebook this week....could you send me a list of who and I'll tell you who yes and who no for now....? THANKS!! :)
Okay so let's just first say that I absolutely love the mission. And I love every single aspect of it. Some things a little bit more than others.... One of the things that I LOVE are transfers, but they always seem to come when least expected..... And cambios came!! So I'm here writing from Antofagasta, my new place of residence for the next few months. :) And I'm super excited! I am super duuuperrr sad to leave Calama, but I am excited to watch the miracles from afar...3 hours away to be exact. :)
It has been QUITE the adventurous week. We're actually just here in the bus terminal waiting for the bus of an hermana that's leaving, sooo things are a little bit shaken up in the boat but quickly to be back to normal again. :) I'm excited to get to know a new ward and a new sector with all the investigators and people that I will meet and help and in return learn from all of them. DID I SAY I JUST LOVE THE MISSION?! :D My new ward is called Angamos and it's the southern part of Antofa. My companion is Hna Arenas, and I just told her, "Well, I'm going to be writing my family about you and the only thing I know from the past 10 minutes is that you have 9 months in the mission and you're from Peru." So that's literally all I know. Details to comeee. :)
Okay starting from Monday. We spent the day with Hnas Smith and Wisrock for Hna Smith's last P Day! (We just dropped her off at the bus this morning in fact.) I'm sure going to miss that girl. And we got right to work. Tuesday we had our zone training and did intercambios/exchanges that afternoon. I loved Tuesday. It was a very spiritual filled day as we visited Yobannely, Jaqueline and family, and Yalile. Wednesday was similar, and I truly loved every second. One thing that we really have been focusing on as a companionship, and as a mission in general, is the Book of Mormon, and our investigators and less actives are really learning to love the Book of Mormon and are developing their own testimonies.
Tuesday evening, we got a call from Katty saying that she was headed out of Calama on Friday, cause she hadn't found work. And I just about died. We started praying like crazy. So we went on Thursday morning with the intention of saying goodbye (cause Thursday night we were headed to Tocopilla), and she said she wasn't sure if she was actually leaving.... So we did say our goodbyes JUST IN CASE, and headed out to a conference with President that evening. He was in town, and said he'd love to meet with us, so for the next couple hours we talked about gospel questions and it was such a neat experience!! I sure learned a lot, and it was great to be with him and Hermana Dalton for a bit.
We were all pretty anxious for transfers, and as we were getting ready to leave, President said, "Well, I do have a couple minutes before my meeting; would you like to know your transfers?" Ummm. YES PLEASE. So he had us come into a room as companionships and President himself gave us our transfers and explained a little bit as to why. So I'm pretty sure that doesn't happen very often and so that was cool. :)
And from there we were headed to Tocopilla, which was quite the visit. :) One thing super cool is that I met a returned missionary, Marcelo Zuñiga, that served with Tom in Concepción! So that was a verrrry small little world moment. (And from what Dad said he had sent the picture that we took... :P) I love Tocopilla, but seriously there are just some super funny things that happen every single time we're there. :) This time, Hna Fontenot and I were walking down the street, and a lady walked up behind us and was sniffling. Or we thought she was, and Hna Fontenot asked if she was alright. Well, we started talking to her, and her name was Gina, and she was a gypsy. And she was pretttty drunk. But she did talk to us for a bit, and we gave her an I'm a Mormon card, and she said she was going to go to church on Sunday. HOPEFULLY she did. :) Oh Gina. :)
The hermanas from Tocopilla ended up coming back to Calama with us and will be there for the week, but in the bus ride we had quite the "terror movie moment". But luckily in the end it wasn't anything. :) We were about an hour out of Calama and all of a sudden a BUNCH of people from the back of the bus started coming forward and a couple went downstairs, and two seconds later a Tur Bus guy came up, so Hna Albornoz and I turned around and sure enough. There was SMOKE coming out of the bathroom. And lots of it. So that was the first red flag. Then two seconds later the bus guy yelled, "CUIDADOOOO!" And superrr hot water flooded the bus, so we all scrambled down and there we were in the middle of the desert. :) Bueno, moral of the story is that Tur Bus is just fantastic and the bathroom pipes overheated and we had a good smelly ride back to Calama. :) Bahahaha oh la misión. :)
And then we got back to Calama and started working lots and it was a SUPER great Saturday, incluso. Katty accepted a baptismal date and is reading the Book of Mormon!!! :D She is getting baptized on August 29th. :D She was a super duper hard one to leave. We've known each other for just 3 weeks, but it has been a fantastic 3 weeks and I feel like I've known her my whole life.
So it has been such a crazy but awesome week. I am so excited for this next transfer. I know we will see so many miracles. I seriously cannot describe the joy I feel in knowing that I am a missionary and disciple of Jesus Christ. I know He lives and I am so very grateful to be His representative at this time in Chile. I'm not perfect, and I learn SOOO much every day. Something that I need to work on that I've noticed this week is listening and acting instantly on the promptings of the Holy Ghost. I do listen and act, but I'm sometimes a doubter and don't act in the exact moment of receiving the prompting. I read this quote from President Monson that I wanted to share. "The sweetest experience that I know in life is to feel a prompting and act upon it and later find out that it was the fulfillment of someone's prayer or need. And I always want the Lord to know that if He needs an errand run, Tom Monson will run that errand for Him."
It made me reflect a lot, and it was perfect with the story that Grandma shared (via Dad. THANK YOU GRANDMA!). We must always act according to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Of course we don't know better than He does, but lots of times we think we do, at least in the moment.
I love you all!! I hope you have a fantastic week! I hope Spencer's had a great first week in Honduras! Can't wait to hear all of your adventures, bud! I hope everything goes super great with Lindsay and that she's feeling better for her volleyball try-outs! I would love to see pictures from the baby blessing of little Milo yesterday. What a doll he is. :) Aaand I hope that Megan and Tom and little (bueno no tan chica ahora) Audrey are doing super great. I love you all lots. I hope you never ever forget that! :D
Love,
Hermana Tuft
=====================
Hey Mom and Dad!
I love you both first off. Thank you for your love and support. :D As I was packing, I was looking at a few notes I have from you both from the MTC and I was reading through those thinking how much everything has changgeeedd. I don't feel like the scared little girl anymore from the MTC. And I like that feeling. I like feeling that the Lord has trusted me enough to help me grow, and you both are a little part of the help of that growth with all your love and support. :)
Okay so no, Hermana Albornoz goes home at the end of this transfer that's starting. :) She goes home with Hna Matias and Hna Rindlisbacher in September. :) There are 23 new missionaries that are arriving tomorrow, so we're seeing lotttsss of changes as we make room for the little army of missionaries to get here. :) One of the new hermanas will be here in Antofa, so we'll get to know her. :) Hermana Arenas and I are the sister training leaders here in Antofa and have a few more hermanas to look out for. But it should be great. :)
And also! Hahaha Mom, that bus accident wasn't the one where all those people died, etc. There were 2 that died, and I don't know about any injuries.... So anywho, just so that doesn't freak you out toooo much. :) And no, I haven't used the doggie stun gun.... There have been 2 times that I have wanted to, but the dogs freak out so fast that there isn't time anyway. But we're safe from harm and bite free. :P
Dad, I was also thinking about how AWESOME that would be to go back to Arica, in a different area, but to be able to see my first ward there in Zapahuira. :) The Lord needs me here in Antofa though, and I know we will see many miracles. It would have been AWESOME, but I guess Arica will just have to wait until I come back and visit....algun dia.... :)
We actually just barely received new instructions from the Twelve and the First Presidency that we will be teaching all 5 lessons before baptism, and then again after. And the missionaries will take the initiative with that, so that's an interesting but cool new change. :) Funny that you should ask JUSTO this week. :) I also was curious if you would be getting the chance to speak this coming Sunday... I'm glad that things went well, but it's a shame that you got things all ready and couldn't... For the next time.... :)
I loved your principle 6. I love rereading those, and applying them to the current circumstances. :) I think learning to accept God's will is one of the most important and powerful tools that we can develop in our lives. I also am going to study Alma 5 this week! I love that chapter, but I've never thought about writing down the questions... :) Thanks!
I'd better run! The bus will be here for the other hermana pretty soon. :) I love you so very much! Have a fantastic week and we shall we talking soon! :)
Love,
Kristen
P.S. Hey Mom, lots of people sent me requests on facebook this week....could you send me a list of who and I'll tell you who yes and who no for now....? THANKS!! :)
Monday, August 4, 2014
Creando Buenos Recuerdos. (Creating Good Memories)
 |
| I posted this a few weeks ago. Kristen knew the baby's name would be Milo so that's why she took this picture for us. :) |
It has been a fantastic week. I'm getting over the first stomach flu that I've ever had in the mission, but I am feeling better and loving life. :) We had a great week, which included (obviously) teaching, finding, BAPTISMS!!, and our consejo in Antofagasta. So all in all it's been a very busy but great week. :)
We did visits with a returned missionary that is visiting her sister from Peru this week. Her name is Janet, and it was absolutely fantastic teaching with her. She said everything PERFECTLY to our investigators and we were just tickled pink with happiness. :) Katty continues progressing GREAT, along with Agustina. We're working with LOTS of other families, but the two that are progressing LOTS are those two. :)
We had our consejo with President Dalton this week, and it was just what I needed. There were so many answered prayers that came in many different ways. It was super strange to be saying goodbye too, to Hermana Severtson and Hermana Rodriguez that go home next week.... Seems like yesterday that Hermana Severtson and I were in Copiapó together. :)
Something that President shared really hit me hard. He started out by saying that we, as spirit children of our Heavenly Father, have existed for at LEAST 6,000 years (being the existence of the earth). Try for just a second to wrap your head around 6,000 years. Learning, preparing, and being SOOO excited to come here to earth to get a body. And then we got here, and we will live here for just a SLIVER of time, and then be resurrected here in the not too far future. And then we go on LIVING in these wonderful (but then perfected) bodies, having the rest of 6,000 years and millions more, thinking about what we did here on earth. His question for us was are we creating good memories? Are the things we are doing right now what we will want to remember for an eternity? And the beauty of it is, is that if they are not the things we want to remember, we can rely on our Savior, Jesus Christ, and forget those bad things we have done, and just be left with the good. So, my goal this week has been to create the BEST memories possible, because I sure want to look back at this time, time that we will never get back, with a smile on my face. :)
Then came Saturday. And what a MIRACLE that was. :D Camila has been waiting to be baptized for almost 3 whole months. AND SHE GOT BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY. :D The super strange thing was that, because she moved just a few weeks ago, we weren't in charge of her baptism. It was like having a baptism without all the drama that comes with the interview and filling the font and getting the program ready, etc. BUT not that I'm complaining, just saying it was a very peaceful day. :) We did a musical number and it was a beautiful service. She was so happy. :)
We invited Katty and she said that she was going to go, but didn't arrive, and we were anxiously waiting and waiting and waiting, when she called us saying that she was almost there, and so we went to wait outside. And she literally got there for the closing prayer.....whoopss.... BUT the Lord truly works in mysterious ways and there was another baptism of the Hermanas de Caspana that was starting in about 10 minutes so we asked an hermano to take us over there and made it just in time for the opening song. :) There was a family that was being baptized: a dad, a mom, and their 8-year-old. They have 2 other little kids, so it was beautiful seeing them all there together and super happy. After the baptism, while we were waiting for them to change their clothes, Katty started asking us when we were baptized, and how we could choose when we were 8, but yet we still didn't know everything, etc. So then the family got back, and I hadn't told her what I was going to, so I thought I'd just wait for after. We finished the service, and Hermana Albornoz went to congratulate them, and I turned to Katty and told her although I didn't know all that I do now about the church and that my testimony isn't the same, I knew that I needed to follow the example of my Savior and the good things my parents had taught me. And I have never, ever regretted that decision. We both started to cry and she expressed her desire to follow Christ, but was scared and needed help. :) So we talked for a bit and then she went and talked to Nicole, the mom that got baptized, and asked her why she did it. So they were talking for a bit as well and everything turned out super super good. Katty went to church yesterday, and is trying to find work, so we are PRAYING that she does so that she can stay here in Calama. Cause if not, she's headed out to a different city to find work at the end of the week.... :( But the ward has been helping and looking, so our hopes are high. :)
I know that this church is true and that Jesus Christ lives! I love being here making great memories and hope that you all have a great week doing the same. Make the most of it. :D
Love,
Hermana Tuft
=========================
Hey Mom and Dad!
Can I just say that I have never missed you two more than I did this weekend when I was super duper duuuupppper sick throwing up Saturday night? It was awful. I ate something that made me get sick and literally threw up all night. Blegh. I haven't thrown up in about 10 years I figured. So that makes me even more of a pansie when it comes to that kinda thing. BUT. I'm up and living and alive today. :) And even made it to church yesterday thinking I'd be okay, but ended up looking like a ghost, which was a bit of a shock to the members that say my skin is already ghostly white. :P Needless to say, I did sleep all afternoon yesterday and we're headed for round two of naptime as soon as we're done here. :)
Hermana Albornoz obviously helped and was great with me, but the thing that gave me the most comfort is thinking about your words saying that in moments when you two were far away, I could always remember those feelings of being taken cared of and of love. And as I was laying in bed waiting for the next wave of nastiness, I could just imagine Grandma and Grandpa Tyler there taking care of me, rubbing my feet and giving me 7-Up and saltine crackers. And that truly helped me the most, as ridiculous as that sounds. :)
I was very sad to hear that Grandpa Tuft has been declining a little bit more every day... I wrote them a quick note last week, but I bet Grandma's just been super busy and I don't know if Grandma would even be able to read the letter to Grandpa... I had my hopes so high that he would be there in a couple months more, but if he's so miserable and not able to do anything, it would be best if he could rest and not be in any more pain... All in the Lord's timing. Maybe he was just waiting for little Milo to make it. :) Please express to them my love and concern, and that they truly are in every prayer.
I am glad that the family reunion went well!! :) I was actually just reading my journal on Saturday from last year, cause Pia got baptized exactly a year ago. :) And I had written about the family reunion and how sad I was that I couldn't go, but then it was interesting because I didn't even know if it was this past weekend or not this time around... :) Funny how much I feel like I've changed. :) And OBVIOUSLY the family is important, and I'll be there next year, but I was super glad this time around that I was here. :) I can't wait to see the Ogden Temple. I bet it's incredible. It looks a TOOOON different. How's the Provo Temple coming along?? I am so darn excited for that temple. They're all special. But I love that one already. :)
Pablo & Claudia are doing well, but they're super busy bodies and we haven't been able to have that family night that we were planning.... Wednesday. :) Denice and Andres are in a similar situation and hopefully they'll be available today... Alicia and Sebastian have been super extraños.... So we'll see what's up there... And we were supposed to go to Yobannely's last night....but I was not able to..... So there all here still....de a poquiiiitttoo.
I also LOVED that story from Mark Christiansen. That is incredible truly. What a miracle it is that he could go back and JUST in time. The Lord's timing is truly something incredible. We have transfers this weekend, and IF I don't stay, I would loovvveee to go back to Arica. I've had it in my prayers, BUT I'll go where he wants me to go very happily. And maybe that means staying here. WHO KNOWS. :) President shared with us this past week how we does transfers, and it truly is an incredible process. A three-day process, but an incredible one. So what I'm saying is that yes, President does know what's happening with me at this moment in time. :) But what's more important is that the Lord knows and it's all in His hands. :)
Mom, Amalia did not go to church, again. :( :( :( We'll see what's up. Maybe it's just not her time...? But we're not giving up on her just yet. President and Sister Dalton were up there last week for interviews, and were with us about a week and a half ago... :) And no I was not on that bus LUCKILY. Cause in our bus we were sitting up front, right where the bus crashed.......... And Elder Funaro jokingly said, "Be sure to buckle up!" right before we left at 5 in the morning, and I didn't do it.... I know you are shaking your head, but just so you know, on the way back I WAS with my seatbelt. :) Hermana Rindlisbacher was super good, just said that she hit her head on the seat in front of her and woke up... AND I didn't know that she goes to USU as well!!! So that will be fun. I'm sure we'll be great friends. :) Plus, Justina asked me today if we were still on to room together in the spring, and I had talked to Megan about living with her for a bit, and I would love to, but I would also love to have a campus life (NOT like Davis Hall again. Never again.) BUT I would also love to live with my sister. But I think that I'll plan on living on campus at least for spring, and maybe stay up there and live with Megan for the summer....? We shall see where the wind blows me. Truly I'm not ready to be thinking about these things right now. WHERE IS THE TIME FLYING MAKE IT STOPPPPP. Anywho. :)
I love you both so very much. I am so glad that you both taught me to love the Gospel, and to love my Savior. I'm SO excited for Spencer to be headed out into the field this week, and know he will do great and be protected. Angels will truly be round about him, as they have been with me. And if he needs to take my angels for a little bit, that's okay, cause I think I'm in a little bit safer place... :) :D
HAVE A FANTASTIC WEEK. I hope you can both go to the temple before little Lindsay gets back. :) LOVES!!
Monday, July 28, 2014
Amo mi Calama :)
Heellllooooo!
This week has been absolutellyyyy fantastic. I seriously can't explain my happiness. :) This week has been super great. And something that made it even BETTER is knowing that little baby Milo was born!! :D He's going to be a pretty tall dude. :)
Where to start. :) There are two experiences específicamente that I want to share. :) First of all, we did change chapels and they officially started the remodeling today. They've been unloading stuff at the church allll day long. I think it'll be more like 8 months of remodeling.... They said 3 to 8 months. But there's loottts of stuff. :) The other chapel is pretty far away, but we got there well yesterday, and didn't have AS many people as normal at church, but this chapel is a little bit smaller, and the sacrament room was full. So that's a good sign at least. :) Now just for the 30 members that didn't come....we'll be a pretty full house. :) Love it. :) We had LOTS of investigators that were going to go to church yesterday, but JUSTO we ran out of minutes on our cellphone on Saturday night.....so we couldn't call or pick all of them up.... But the miracle is that 2 people still went so we were pretty happy. Yesterday was a pretty stressful day, but we made it through alright and saw lots of miracles. :)
One of our new investigators from this week's name is Katty. She's from Ecuador and has been living here for a couple years. She works here and sends money home to her son, and wants to go back as soon as possible. Her son is 5 years old, so naturally she wants to be with him.... But the Lord knows our circumstances, and Katty has felt pretty lonely here in Chile. She doesn't have any family, etc, so when we stopped by looking for a less active member, she opened right up with a bunch of questions and we set things up to come back the next day and teach her the first lesson. When we got there, she had read the first pamphlet ENTERO and told us exactly what had happened, almost as if she was the missionary....it amazed us. We brought her a Book of Mormon, and invited her to church. She was pretty hesitant about accepting the Book of Mormon, but took it and said that she would read it and that she would go to church with us for all 3 hours. :) And she did. She left as soon as sacrament was over (we're finishing with Sacrament meeting now), but she gave us a hug as she left and started crying. We are very excited for Katty. :)
We also had an amazing experience with another family that we've been working with. I don't know if you remember me talking about Claudia, Pablo, and Claudio.....? I honestly can't remember if I've talked about them.... But! We had a great experience with them this week. They have been reading the Book of Mormon for this past month that we've been stopping by, and they love it. We found them in our Area Book from a couple elders that were here last year that got transfered and then no one ever stopped by again.... So we called them up, set up an appointment and have been stopping by ever since. We read with them this week 3 Nephi 11, when Christ comes and teaches the people about His doctrine. We invited them to be baptized, and lo and behold.... Pablo was baptized when he was 14!!! Missionaries have been stopping by for monttthsss. And he hasn't ever told anyone until this past week. Even Claudia was shocked. Anddd he recieved the Priesthood before he became inactive.... So we were pretty blown away with that lesson, but he shared his experience with us and said he knew that this church truly has the truth. He kinda had a Joseph Smith experience as a young boy, and went to lots of different churches and learned about all of them, but this church called his attention the most. SO. We are going to put a bit more focus in them so that Pablo can become active again, and possibly baptize his family..... :D Claudia said she still wasn't sure, but this week will be going with us to CAMILA'S BAPTISM (pleaseeeee keep that in your prayers, that all will go well for Camila's baptism this weekend....) and Pablo said yes. Sooo. We're pretty excited for their family. :D The Lord truly works in mysterious ways. AND what's more is that Claudio last night asked us about the picture at the beginning of the Book of Mormon with Nephi and his family in the boat, and so we explained it, and then Pablo chimed in and started explaining the Liahona and that it worked according to their faith and obedience, etc. DAH. Qué felicciddaaaaddddd. :D
So if I could sum up the week in one word it would be GENIAL. I love being a missionary and I love this work. I know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ, and that it was restored by the prophet Joseph Smith. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I love my Savior and His great sacrifice for me. I know that through Him, one day I will return with my family to live in the presence of my Heavenly Father.
I hope you all have a FANTASTIC week. :D
Con muchísmo amor,
Hermana Tuft
======================
Hello mis padres queridos! :)
I was SOOO happy to find out about little Milito. He's adorable. :D I can't wait to meet the little guy. :) I'm just looking through your emails as I go so I can answer and respond to everything, so here goes! :) Hna Albornoz's tooth is doing well. :) She hasn't said anything about it, and everytime I ask, she says it's good. :) She's had lots of health problems in the mission, so most of the time her stomach is bothering her, and she has been forbidden to eat with mamitas cause they give us lots of food. Luckily, our mamita Ely right now is SUPER great and doesn't get offended if we can't finish and cooks pretty healthily. Pero a pesar de eso....I've still gained lots of weight here in Calama. No. Importa. :P Things are going well with our ward council. We've become a lot more united and work a loooottt more together. We just changed relief society presidencies a couple weeks ago, and I couldn't be happier with the new president. :) So things are going well. :) Aaand I can honestly say that my health has been super good. Everrryoonnnee is sick right now with pretty bad colds, so we've been eating our fruits and veggies, saying our prayers, and keeping really bundled up so we don't get sick. A sore throat here and there, but overall great. :)
I loved hearing about Jenn's experience last year! I would love to write her, if it would be possible to get her email..... It's interesting because I feel like now at the endish I have so much time to write everyone.....so I don't know if that means my letters home are shorter or what....whoops. :) I hope Lindsay has a great time there in Arizona and doesn't get toooo burned. :) She went with Kaelyn Staheli right?? I'm also super glad that the fire there didn't get too bad.... That's a scary moment.... And Mom, I don't have sound on this computer, so hopefully I can change computers right before I get off and watch that video. I'm excited to see it. :) (I will post it for anyone else interested.) http://history.lds.org/article/sister-missionaries-video?lang=eng
I'm really glad that you guys got to go up to Brigham City for Pioneer Day. I bet Grandma and Grandpa really enjoyed that. :) I thought that Grandpa wouldn't be able to be here before Spencer left, so to know that he is doing relatively well is fantastic. They are always in my prayers. If he's still with us in November....the first thing I want to do is go up to see him. :) I know that this is the Lord's timetable though, so I put all my trust in His hands.
Yep, to answer your question about loosing hair. We all lose hair here in the northern part of Chile. It's normal with the terrible water here, cause there's so many minerals and crappy stuff from the mines... Hna F. talked to me about it, and knows that it happens to everyone... :) It also gets super fried from the sun and the water, hence my hair has changed colors..... But we use lots of moisturizers for hair and I wash my face with the little towelettes that you sent me. :)
Thanks for all your support. I love learning from all your weekly experiences and thoughts that you share. :) Always gives me a great big smile. :D Also, thank you so very much for keeping our investigators in your prayers always. We can't pray enough for them. :)
Until next week! :D
Loveee,
Kristen
This week has been absolutellyyyy fantastic. I seriously can't explain my happiness. :) This week has been super great. And something that made it even BETTER is knowing that little baby Milo was born!! :D He's going to be a pretty tall dude. :)
Where to start. :) There are two experiences específicamente that I want to share. :) First of all, we did change chapels and they officially started the remodeling today. They've been unloading stuff at the church allll day long. I think it'll be more like 8 months of remodeling.... They said 3 to 8 months. But there's loottts of stuff. :) The other chapel is pretty far away, but we got there well yesterday, and didn't have AS many people as normal at church, but this chapel is a little bit smaller, and the sacrament room was full. So that's a good sign at least. :) Now just for the 30 members that didn't come....we'll be a pretty full house. :) Love it. :) We had LOTS of investigators that were going to go to church yesterday, but JUSTO we ran out of minutes on our cellphone on Saturday night.....so we couldn't call or pick all of them up.... But the miracle is that 2 people still went so we were pretty happy. Yesterday was a pretty stressful day, but we made it through alright and saw lots of miracles. :)
One of our new investigators from this week's name is Katty. She's from Ecuador and has been living here for a couple years. She works here and sends money home to her son, and wants to go back as soon as possible. Her son is 5 years old, so naturally she wants to be with him.... But the Lord knows our circumstances, and Katty has felt pretty lonely here in Chile. She doesn't have any family, etc, so when we stopped by looking for a less active member, she opened right up with a bunch of questions and we set things up to come back the next day and teach her the first lesson. When we got there, she had read the first pamphlet ENTERO and told us exactly what had happened, almost as if she was the missionary....it amazed us. We brought her a Book of Mormon, and invited her to church. She was pretty hesitant about accepting the Book of Mormon, but took it and said that she would read it and that she would go to church with us for all 3 hours. :) And she did. She left as soon as sacrament was over (we're finishing with Sacrament meeting now), but she gave us a hug as she left and started crying. We are very excited for Katty. :)
We also had an amazing experience with another family that we've been working with. I don't know if you remember me talking about Claudia, Pablo, and Claudio.....? I honestly can't remember if I've talked about them.... But! We had a great experience with them this week. They have been reading the Book of Mormon for this past month that we've been stopping by, and they love it. We found them in our Area Book from a couple elders that were here last year that got transfered and then no one ever stopped by again.... So we called them up, set up an appointment and have been stopping by ever since. We read with them this week 3 Nephi 11, when Christ comes and teaches the people about His doctrine. We invited them to be baptized, and lo and behold.... Pablo was baptized when he was 14!!! Missionaries have been stopping by for monttthsss. And he hasn't ever told anyone until this past week. Even Claudia was shocked. Anddd he recieved the Priesthood before he became inactive.... So we were pretty blown away with that lesson, but he shared his experience with us and said he knew that this church truly has the truth. He kinda had a Joseph Smith experience as a young boy, and went to lots of different churches and learned about all of them, but this church called his attention the most. SO. We are going to put a bit more focus in them so that Pablo can become active again, and possibly baptize his family..... :D Claudia said she still wasn't sure, but this week will be going with us to CAMILA'S BAPTISM (pleaseeeee keep that in your prayers, that all will go well for Camila's baptism this weekend....) and Pablo said yes. Sooo. We're pretty excited for their family. :D The Lord truly works in mysterious ways. AND what's more is that Claudio last night asked us about the picture at the beginning of the Book of Mormon with Nephi and his family in the boat, and so we explained it, and then Pablo chimed in and started explaining the Liahona and that it worked according to their faith and obedience, etc. DAH. Qué felicciddaaaaddddd. :D
So if I could sum up the week in one word it would be GENIAL. I love being a missionary and I love this work. I know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ, and that it was restored by the prophet Joseph Smith. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I love my Savior and His great sacrifice for me. I know that through Him, one day I will return with my family to live in the presence of my Heavenly Father.
I hope you all have a FANTASTIC week. :D
Con muchísmo amor,
Hermana Tuft
======================
Hello mis padres queridos! :)
I was SOOO happy to find out about little Milito. He's adorable. :D I can't wait to meet the little guy. :) I'm just looking through your emails as I go so I can answer and respond to everything, so here goes! :) Hna Albornoz's tooth is doing well. :) She hasn't said anything about it, and everytime I ask, she says it's good. :) She's had lots of health problems in the mission, so most of the time her stomach is bothering her, and she has been forbidden to eat with mamitas cause they give us lots of food. Luckily, our mamita Ely right now is SUPER great and doesn't get offended if we can't finish and cooks pretty healthily. Pero a pesar de eso....I've still gained lots of weight here in Calama. No. Importa. :P Things are going well with our ward council. We've become a lot more united and work a loooottt more together. We just changed relief society presidencies a couple weeks ago, and I couldn't be happier with the new president. :) So things are going well. :) Aaand I can honestly say that my health has been super good. Everrryoonnnee is sick right now with pretty bad colds, so we've been eating our fruits and veggies, saying our prayers, and keeping really bundled up so we don't get sick. A sore throat here and there, but overall great. :)
I loved hearing about Jenn's experience last year! I would love to write her, if it would be possible to get her email..... It's interesting because I feel like now at the endish I have so much time to write everyone.....so I don't know if that means my letters home are shorter or what....whoops. :) I hope Lindsay has a great time there in Arizona and doesn't get toooo burned. :) She went with Kaelyn Staheli right?? I'm also super glad that the fire there didn't get too bad.... That's a scary moment.... And Mom, I don't have sound on this computer, so hopefully I can change computers right before I get off and watch that video. I'm excited to see it. :) (I will post it for anyone else interested.) http://history.lds.org/article/sister-missionaries-video?lang=eng
I'm really glad that you guys got to go up to Brigham City for Pioneer Day. I bet Grandma and Grandpa really enjoyed that. :) I thought that Grandpa wouldn't be able to be here before Spencer left, so to know that he is doing relatively well is fantastic. They are always in my prayers. If he's still with us in November....the first thing I want to do is go up to see him. :) I know that this is the Lord's timetable though, so I put all my trust in His hands.
Yep, to answer your question about loosing hair. We all lose hair here in the northern part of Chile. It's normal with the terrible water here, cause there's so many minerals and crappy stuff from the mines... Hna F. talked to me about it, and knows that it happens to everyone... :) It also gets super fried from the sun and the water, hence my hair has changed colors..... But we use lots of moisturizers for hair and I wash my face with the little towelettes that you sent me. :)
Thanks for all your support. I love learning from all your weekly experiences and thoughts that you share. :) Always gives me a great big smile. :D Also, thank you so very much for keeping our investigators in your prayers always. We can't pray enough for them. :)
Until next week! :D
Loveee,
Kristen
Monday, July 21, 2014
Sacrifice Brings Forth the Blessings of Heaven.
Hello Family and Friends! :)
It's been a great week. :) I seriously love life and I love the mission. :) I wish I could share everything that we have learned and experienced this week, but it's just not possibleee. But here goes. :)
We got back from Tocopilla on Monday night and had intercambios on Tuesday
with Hermana Smith and Hermana Wisrock. We had a great time in
intercambios and I learned a lot. Hermana Smith and I made pumpkin
cookies (unfortunately without the chocolate chips....) and shared them
with our companions. Hopefully next time they'll work out a little bit
better to share with others... :P On Wednesday,
we had a great lesson with Amalia from 2 Nephi 31 about baptism and the
Holy Ghost. She is progressing great! She has had a fear about going
to church... She says that she'll go, up until Sunday
morning when we call, and then she ends up not coming with the
Valencia's for reasons fomes.... But keep her in your prayers and she'll
get there next week. :) We also had a great family night with the
Valencia's about eternal families and talked about "The Family - A
Proclamation to the World." Thursday
was great and not so great, but it turned out well and we learned
loads. It truly is incredible the power of a simple testimony.
On Friday, we had interviews with President and got ready for the activity that evening. Everything was ready to go at about 5:30, and the members started to show up at about 6:15
(it was supposed to start at 6... :P) and a few things changed and we
ended up starting at almost 7, BUT it was fantastic and we saw lots of
miracles along the way. :) The biggest miracle that we saw was with
Denice and her family. We called them to make sure they were coming,
and she said a friend had just had a son pass away, so they were headed
to his viewing to help and support. But she said that she and her
husband, Andres, would be able to drop the kids off and pick them up
afterwards. So they dropped them off, and ANDRES GOT OUT OF THE CAR TO
SHAKE OUR HANDS AND THANK US. He hardly ever talks to us.... So that
kinda took us aback, and then as we were ending, he came to pick up the
kids, and ASKED US to come over any night this week after nine at night
when they were all home so we could visit them. WAHHOOOOOO!!!! :D So
we will definitely stop by this week, hopefully tomorrow, and visit their whoollleee family. Together. Truly, we were so grateful and amazed. :)
Saturday
was also great. Things worked out in a way that Camila is not getting
baptized at least for a couple more weeks. :( The elder's are working
with them, but it's hard because they can't visit them unless it's with
another member... So it's been a struggle, but she is still just as
excited and we are praying that everything will work out alright...
Yobannely's been sick this week, so we haven't been able to visit her,
but we did see her in the street and she said that after we left, she
and her dad, Ivan, kept talking about what we had said, and she said he
wants to apologize for being so "pesado". So hopefully that goes well,
and that as you said, Dad, that he will have the desires to read the
Book of Mormon and know more.... :) She said her pareja, Carlos also was
interested. So good things to come. :)
Yesterday
was our last week in our chapel. I don't know if I mentioned this, but
we won't be in Central Norte for about 8 months because they're going
to do some serious remodeling... So we're headed to a chapel that's in
the centro casi, and it's a couple miles away... So yesterday Obispo
Aguilar talked about sacrifice, and mentioned the movie we watched on Friday,
17 Miracles, about the sacrifice of the pioneers. We don't really
celebrate Pioneer Day down here, but we sure have been remembering a lot
about the pioneers and the sacrifices that they did so that we could be
here today, and for the sacrifices that they made for the cause of
Christ. They knew it was true, and knew that sacrifices truly would
bring forth the blessings of Heaven, and that is still true today.
According to our faith, we will and do see miracles every day, in
different ways that the pioneers saw them perhaps, but they are there.
So we are excited to see the sacrifices of our little Central Norte and
the blessings and miracles that we will see. I love Calama. :)
I know this church is true and that Jesus Christ lives! Wishing everyone a fantastic week. :)
Love,
Hermana Tuft
================
Hey Mom and Dad!
I
hope that I answered everything almost... :) We were so sad about
Camila. All in the Lord's time. :) Please keep her in your prayers.
Okay. With Jaqueline... :P She is not married, nor baptized, but when
they lived in Santiago, she would go with her kids and with the ward
and wait outside. She wanted to go to the temple so that her kids could
go in, and was saying that she finds such peace in just sitting outside
waiting. That's the story. :P But yes, the plan was to be
married at the end of the year. She and her husband aren't doing so
well..... I mean, I guess he's not even her husband, but they've lived
together for 15 or more years. Anywho. Keep her in your prayers too as
well please. :)
I
loved hearing about the week and that all is well there. :) Lindsay
and Grandma and Grandpa are in my prayers. I hope that all will work
out well with Grandpa being in the care center... Things will always
work out. :) I need to write them a quick little note....
I
also wanted to mention that YES I do get pictures and I love them. :)
I just don't always remember to respond... :) Poor little Todd
Staheli!! That picture made me hurt for the little guy..... And the
bathroom looks great, Floppy too, and little Audrey of course. She's so
bigggg. And yes, I loved the picture of Ash! She looks so different!!
Do I look lots different to you guys....? Be honest por favor. :)
OH!
And Sharing Time went relatively well. :) I was kinda crowd control
while Hna Albornoz taught, and then we helped them sing, "Let the Holy
Spirit Guide". It turned out well. :) I cannot image having 50 kids,
Mom. We had 10, and I was stressing out... :P It turned out well. :)
I
loved the thoughts that you send, Dad. I enjoyed the sunrise. :) I
also have been thinking a lot about the thought from Elder Scott, how as
we make goals of things we have never done before, we must act
accordingly and do things we have never done before. We talked about
that as a mission a couple months ago with Peter walking to Christ on
water. We talked about how most of the time we talk about Peter having
such little faith, but at least he got out of the boat. The
other apostles just stayed there watching. Not to undermine the other
apostles, but we have talked a lot about Peter and how we must get out
of the boat and let the power of the Atonement be the difference. By
staying inside, we don't give room for the Atonement to make miracles
happen. So we're working on jumping out of the boat. :) An elder said
something that I loved. He said, "God wants us to live in the water."
Not falling in the water per sé, but rather if we get out and
start to fall, that we can pick ourselves up again by grabbing the hand
of the Lord that is always outstretched. :)
I
love you lots. I hope you are all doing so well and that you have a
GREAT Pioneer Day this week. Thanks for all the stories and the news
and the pick-me-ups. :) I love being a missionary. :D
Lots of love,
Kristen
Monday, July 14, 2014
Tan Bakan la Mision. (From Tocapilla)
 | |
| I love that these three are together! Hnas Rindlisbacher, Severtson and Tuft. |
 | |
| Miss Domesticate! |
 | |
| Hermanas Tuft, Zollinger, and Albornoz |
 | |
| Hna Kristen Tuft happy to be near the Tocopilla coast again. |
It has been a fantasticcc week. We're here in Tocopilla for the second time this week because Hermana Albornoz has to do some visa stuff, so here we are againnn. :) We came on Thursday night, we're here for Friday and Saturday until noon. Then we worked for the night and yesterday in Calama, and came back this morning at 7 am. So we're just little wandering missionary travelers here. :P
This week truly has been great. We've seen lots of miracles and I have felt so very loved by the Lord. It is incredible to be a missionary. I love it. :) We got to meet Jazmin's two sisters this week and her niece! They are on vacation this week, so in 2 weeks they will have to go back. We still haven't been able to find Antonio, or the kids, so please keep them in your prayers, and we'll keep working on them. :) Camila is getting baptized THIS Saturday and we are STOKED. So exciting. :D We also have two baptismal dates for August with an investigator named Amalia and the other Yalile. Amalia is the friend of a convert and she is so great. She and her husband have to get married (so I guess that wouldn't make him her husband quite yet.... :P) but we're trying to work with him and she truly has desires to get baptized. And Yalile is the grandma of a little girl that a ward family brings to church almost every week named Joan. She is working on quitting smoking, so we're working lots with them these days. :)
Yesterday we did our visits with Bishop's wife, Hermana Carolina. We stopped by to visit Jaqueline and family, and they still are on board for the end of the year with getting married and baptized, AND Jaqueline has to go to Santiago soon, and she told us, "The first thing I'm doing as I get off the plane is taking a taxi to the temple. I haven't been in two years! I feel like a little bee of the Lord, because I sit and take care of His gardens and think, while my kids go and work in His house. One day I'll be in there helping Him, too! But at least for now I get to be a bee." :) We were laughing and love that she has that goal already. :)
We also had a moment this week with an inactive lady named Yobannely. She lives with her pareja, her daughter, Paz, and and her parents. She, her mom, and sister were baptized when she was 11, and now is 24 and doesn't remember ANYTHING, except the day of her baptism. :) Her mom and sister don't want ANYTHING to do with the church, but Yobannely does. She wants to know why it was so important for her mom that she almost forced she and her sister to be baptized as well. When we have gone in the past, her family walks in and out while we're teaching, but never really stop... Her pareja this week, walked outside, was out there for a couple minutes, and we were talking about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, and he hurriedly walked back in, sat on the couch next to Yobannely, took the bible that Yobannely had in her hands, and then looked at us... I thought he was going to start yelling or something crazy, but he just sat there like, "Okay, teach me." It really suprised me. He started asking questions, and wouldn't commit to anything, but it did spark his interest. Her dad then walked in the room, and yes, I did think for sure he would start gritando cosas feas, but he didn't. He did ask a MILLION questions, and they all were things that were meant to make us mad and confuse us, but we kept the Spirit in the meeting, and I finally just took the Book of Mormon in my hand, held it out, and said, "Ivan, if you want to know all the answers to all your questions, will you read this book, and then we can talk again?" He said no, but then after that....he didn't ask anymore questions... :)
I know that this church is true. I am so incredibly grateful to be a missionary. Tan bakan es la misión. :D
Lots of love,
Hermana Tuft
==================
Hey Madre y Padre!
I love you both lots. :) Thank you for sending those stories! I loved reading them. Keep them coming as much as you both feel, because I feel like learning about my ancestors truly helps strengthen me, and it helps as we share and talk about it as a companionship. I love it. We are really excited for this weekend! We're starting it out with our ward mission activity on Friday, a big youth mutual thing on Saturday, Camila's baptism, and a Relief Society activity that night, and thennn (this part makes me super nervous, but it will be fun, and I wish I could just transport you here super fast Mom because...) on Sunday, the Primary President asked Hna Albornoz and I to do sharing time. AHHHH! I'm only 20. But things will work out. :) We truly have seen so many miracles as we have started to work even more closely with the ward council and the members. It has changed the whole ambiente of the ward. Love. It. :D Thanks for the help and encouragement and all the ideas. :)
Okay, questions and answers. :) I did write down the full name and dates of Jazmin already. That's what President suggested that we do and in a year we can split up the temple work. So. Next year on the 4th (or 5th) of July, I will be in the temple. :) We will still talk with Antonio about it, but it isn't necessary to have their permission. It is great, but not necessary. But who knows. That might be what makes him really think and accept the gospel. :)
As for the pictures, that rock was a copper rock before they take the copper out, and that was from Hna Albornoz's pictures. :P So it was on a dead cactus and then I guess on the ground...? Not 100% sure. :P The other people are Hna Bethany Cluff (that just got back from her mission, from Arizona), Hna Taylor Fontenot, and Hna Johanna Castillo. The Hnas here in Tocopilla. :) We were in a Bishop's house, from the other hnas in Calama's for the Chile world cup game. :? I have been blessed with greeeaaatt companions. Hna Rindlisbacher and I laughed and said, "Well, I guess we already have a lunch date set up for when we get home!" :P Hna Howell goes home this transfer with Hna Severtson. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT CHRIS IS GETTING MARRIED. AND...I am SOOO glad you shared that on Facebook about the temples. That's awesome and makes me super happy. :? I don't know Cristina Bugueño, but I'll keep my eyes open... Also, I had a straanngee dream on Friday waking up that the little Tuft baby was born, so I was super excited today to open my email to see a cute little picture of the little baby, but it wasn't there. I will just wait patiently then. :?
Dad, hahaha I told Hna Albornoz it would've just been easier for you to come here and do it really fast, but that one didn't work out... :P It was a native doctor that did it, and can I just say that I am SOOO glad that he wasn't working in my mouth. Cause he didn't even have an assistant. Nor lots of the things that I was used to working with or seeing... :P But he is the mission doctor, so that was good at least. :? I had to laugh at the "grown up Lindsay going to girl's camp comment" :P Seems that I was just about the same nervous wise every year and was packed a week in advance. And that yes, everyone came to me when they needed something. In fact....it seems just about the same here on the mission. :P I found lots of comfort in the story you shared about President Harker. I do recall hearing that. Antonio is in our prayers. I have been working on my goals, and thinking even more about them. Satan really tries to get me down sometimes with thinking that they're not possible, but this is the Lord's work, not his, so there's that. :? I know who's side I'm on. :? I haven't thought too much about your comment about the native languages, to be honest, this past week, but it will be interesting to see where my last two transfers take me. There are LOTS of little pueblitos al interior more towards the Andes, so that would be interesting if we opened up the work out there. I would be SHOCKKEEEDD. But who knows? :P And in those little towns there are lots of Native Americans and such. Hermana Millaquipai, de hecho, is from one of those tribes. Although she never lived there. Her dad left the tribe when he was 19. Kinda interesting.
I love you both lots! I had better get running. :? We are headed to the beach with the hermanas to drink mate before we head back to Calama. :? ¿P.S. Thanks for sending a little bit of that warm weather our way. Last night, I got HOT while we were sleeping. That was strange. It's been pretty warm this week. :P?
I hope you both have FANTASTIC weeeks!!! :D Lotsss and lots of love,
Kristen
Monday, July 7, 2014
This Plan of Happiness :)
 | |
| Kristen Tuft in the middle, Hna Zollinger on right in red, Hna Smith in red on left next to Hna Albornoz next to Kristen in mint colored sweater. |
 | |
| Hnas Tuft, Zollinger, Smith, Albornoz in Andes of Calama 2014 |
 |
| Hna Albornoz and Kristen Tuft, Calama 2014 |
This week has been absolutely the craziest of my mission. Yep. We have learned and grown so very much, I can't even describe it. My testimony of the Plan of Salvation has grown more than I ever thought possible, and the Lord's timing is incredible. His ways are not our ways, but I have learned to trust and come to know that His ways are much better than mine. I know that this is His work and that He is hastening His own work. We are instruments in His hands.
Okay. So to start off. On Monday and Tuesday we were in a trio with Hermana Smith, because on Wednesday she had to go pick up her hijita (she's training a new hermana named Hermana Wisrock from Huntington Beach...?) On Monday, Hermana Albornoz BEGGED me to make soup, so we went to Lider and bought stuff to make leek soup. I was in heaven. :D So anywho, we worked Monday and Tuesday, and my poor little companion has been hurting in her tooth a LOT lately, and yes, being the dentist's daughter that I am, kept insisting on seeing her tooth, but she was embarrassed and wouldn't let me. Until Monday morning she was brushing her teeth and showed me her mouth and it was BLEEDING like crazy!!! So I maddeeee her show me and claro. Her back molar was split in half. So we called the mission doctor, Elder Garrison, and got her an appointment with the dentist muy rapidito. So we ended up traveling with Hermana Smith to Antofa on Wednesday, instead of Thursday for our meeting. And as we got off the bus, I left my bible. And it is good and gone. I checked with every person possible to be able to find it and nope. Someone has my little bible in their hands.... I hope that they will read it at least. :)
So we headed to the dentist's. :) Then, we worked with Hermana Howell and her hijita for the day and had our consejo on Thursday. It was a fantastic meeting and can I just say, I love President and Hermana Dalton! They always know just what to say and just how to say it. They truly are incredible examples to me of how to speak with the Spirit. I also love the Book of Mormon and we have not been using it as well and effectively as we should have been, but that is changing. :) I love the Book of Mormon!
Friday brought some not so good news... We were planning for the week, and we called our investigator, Jazmin, because when we stopped by her house on Tuesday, her kids told us she had just left with her husband to go to the hospital. Jasmin has been our investigator the whole time I've been here in Calama, and had a baptismal date for July 5th. We were really worried about her, because she's been really sick for about 2 months with realllyyy bad migraine/headaches, and the doctors kept telling her it was nothing, so she stopped going. She also hadn't been to church in a month, so we had to push her date back a couple weeks, but she kept saying, "I want to be baptized. My goal is the Celestial Kingdom with my family." Well, we called her cellphone on Friday to see if she would answer, and her husband answered and told me that she had passed away that morning. I cannot describe the pain that I felt hearing that news. A million thoughts rushed through my mind and through the sobs I explained to Hermana Albornoz what her husband, Antonio, had just told me. We had a good cry, and then talked about it.
Truly, I just kept thinking, "She was almost baptized; how could the Lord take her now?" The reassurance and comfort came, that she would be baptized. That through the work of the temples, that are such a marvelous blessing in our days, she can, and will accept baptism. She already did. The Lord's timing is perfect. Who knows what miracles we will see at the passing of Jazmin, but the Lord does. He knows her family, her 5 kids, her alcoholic husband, her sister that lives around the corner, and He knows their needs and the blessings that are awaiting them. I am an instrument in His hands, and only an instrument. He is working along side us, but I have learned that I need to let him work through me. This is a wonderful, beautiful great plan of happiness, of salvation.
Through this experience, I have learned so much. The past 2 days I have felt such a huge urgency of this work. The Lord is hastening His work. I told Hermana Albornoz yesterday, as Alma said, "Oh, that I were an angel!" There are so many people out there waiting, and with the sound of a trump, the gospel is being spread across the whole world. I know that this is the work of the Lord. I know that this is His church. We see and are part of miracles every single day.
It also made me very grateful for the freedom in which we live, and for that reason alone, Joseph Smith had the freedom to pray to our Father in Heaven, and could restore the Gospel of Jesus Christ again here on the earth. I'm proud to be an American. :) Happy late 4th of July to you all!
I hope you all have a fantastic week and smile lots and pray for the opportunity to share your testimony with at least one person this week. :)
Lotsss of love,
Hermana Tuft
======================
P.S. Happy 61st Anniversary to my wonderful Grandma and Grandpa Tuft on Sunday!! :D I love you both loads. :)
======================
Hey Mom and Dad!
I'm glad to hear that the earthquake didn't do any major damage! Hermana Morales emailed me and didn't mention anything about it, so at least I don't think it didn't even reach Mexico City... I hope that everyone's alright. :) (There was a 6.9 earthquake this morning in southern Mexico/Mazatlan area, and Guatemala. The missionaries/Spencer felt it but are all just fine. Kristen knew that when she wrote.)
I'm glad to hear that it's been a great week for everyone. A little hot, yes. But a good week overall! As I was reading Spencer's letter....wow did that take me back to last year. I know exactly how that feels. He'll make a wonderful missionary, and I'm so excited to see him grow so much. I feel like I've grown loads, and there's still so much more to learn every day. I loveee it. Hermana Wisrock is a new mission that just got here to Calama last week, and we spent the day with her and Hermana Smith. Poor girl. I know how it feels to listen to so many people talk around me and not knowing what is going on. But it is short lived! It comesss. :) I told Hermana Albornoz today that I honestly feel more comfortable speaking in Spanish..... English gets a little shaky sometimes. Ohhh wellll. :)
It has been a very difficult past couple days, but I have felt such peace and comfort. It made me so happy to hear that Grandpa Tuft is not in any pain hardly, and that is a miracle. I know that if he goes before I get home, it is all in the Lord's timing and that he received the answer that he would complete all that he needed to do here on the earth before he was to go. I know that promise is still true. Send them my love, and I hope to be able to write them either a handwritten letter, or an email por lo menos by next week.
As far as my goals go, I have set quite a few. :) I talked to President about it, and he suggested that I set goals that have to do with our purpose as missionaries, and I remember a goal that I had set at the beginning of my mission. I set the goal for a baptism a month, or in other words, 18 baptisms. I haven't had anywhere close to that, but I had the feeling come to my mind that we really need to focus on families and that number of 18 doesn't seem so far away when I think of it like that. So my goal is yes, 18. But more than that, 2 families at least in the next 4 months. I have prayed about it and I feel like it is a good, reasonable goal. I'm clay in His hands, but I have to do my part, that is for sure.
Of course I have other goals as well, for example working with the ward leaders better, and we have been working on that the past couple weeks. As well as finishing the Book of Mormon twice. I'd love to challenge the two of you as well, and maybe with Lindsay....that would be a good family challenge. :) To read it again before I get home... :) That's about 4 pages-
I also have been reading my patriarchal blessing, setting apart blessing, and father's blessing a lot. I also asked Elders Funaro and Garcia to give me a blessing on Friday, that said similar things en cuanto a my companions being lifelong friends, and that I would be a great support to them throughout the rest of my mission. I have felt moments of knowing people before we came here, and yes there have been moments where I have thought that were fulfillments of premortal callings, especially with Isabel. It will be interesting to see the fulfillment of those blessings and callings in the next few months. I was interested, Dad to know what your thoughts were as you said that I would have the opportunity to work with native languages as well as Spanish. That intrigued me...
One last thing and I've got to run, but we are planning an activity for July 19th with Pioneer Day, and we're going to watch 17 Miracles, and I didn't know if there was a family story that I could translate and share in Spanish of my ancestors... Just a thought and question that you could both help me with. :) I remember going to Martin's Cove, but I don't remember any specific stories.....
I love you both so much and I am SOOO grateful for your long letters each week. I love them. So please don't condense them for me.... :P Send my love that way, and to the little bunnies. Hahaha poor little Spencer and I being replaced with Bella and Floppy. :P
Les quiero MUCHO!!! :)
Hermana Tuft
ish every day.... :) I don't know if that would be possible, but that might be something to talk about tonight at family night. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)