Nate's Mission Blog: June 24th, June 17th: THE WEEK

June 24, 2013

Well, hello family! Wow, I can’t believe that summer is like basically half way through!

And yes, I am so sad about the NBA finals. A bunch of members were rubbing it in my face.. sad. But whatever!

K, first of all. that date idea is awesome! Soooo soo awesome! Darin you guys are halarious!

The week.

Well unfortunately, the week was not very good. because I was sick! Actually, the whole house was! Serious colds going around. Probably because its "cold" outside. Hahah, but yeah, I was in the house for 3 days and the other days I was on divisions and the work didn’t go that well because we were still pretty much sick. But on the bright side we have a baptism on Saturday, her name is Scorina. She has been coming to church for like 2 years now and her time has finally come! And Rita’s family... they may or may not be getting baptized this Saturday. Rita isn’t but her kids might. Rita isn’t ready for baptism. But one day. I’ve been talking to her at church, and I got her to read the Book of Mormon again. I kinda have a contest with her. Haha. What else.

Transfers came in and I’m staying in Benfica again, and with Elder Brown again; 3rd transfer with him. Good thing we get along great! Haha sooo last week, Harper and I contacted this girl and mom and the girl was like way gorgeous, we call them mulatas. They’re half black and half white. Anyway, we left and I told Harper, I can’t teach her. She’s too pretty. And he’s like “suck it up, Elder.” So then, I didn’t really do much trying to “pass by and teach her”, but quite honestly, we just don’t put our focus there. But then on Saturday I was on a division with Elder Hobbs and we saw her on the street. So we did kinda a follow up contact. And then I just invited her to church. But then Elder Hobbs was like, "you’re going to be at church right? Right?!" Kind of demanding it out of her, cause that’s kind of what we have to do with Angolans, and she’s like, “yes.” So Sunday morning comes and I get a phone call and it’s her asking if she can still come to church and asks for the directions and so I gave them to her and then she showed up! I was impressed cause she was really, really modest in her dress, and I was like, wow! That’s impressive, so I sat her right next to Mila, an awesome girl in our branch, and I basically told them that they were going to be friends. and they were best friends for the rest of church! And then the girl (oh her name is yola btw) was making friends with all the youth in our branch! I was like sick. And then a member that we had lunch with told me that she was asking great questions in class and was very interested. And I was like sweet! So future baptism right there with a family too. Oh, and I told Harper, the only reason that I would teach her is because she was being taught by the JWs and I won’t let one soul go into that church... haha.

Speaking of which! we had some JWs knock on our door one morning as we were doing studies! Haha it was way funny. They asked me if I wanted to know what happens after this life and I said no because I already know what happens and then Elder Brown and I just laid down the plan of salvation right there! haha pretty funny. (There was only a little bit of Bible bashing..... )but yeah, they just don’t understand the scriptures. They are basically like the pharises in the time of Jesus.

Funny story about Lucas. At church he asked me if I had a tie to give him. I told him I didn’t have any ties that small. And then he’s like “well then, buy one! “hahaha He is so much like Hannah and Darin put together. And then he went even further. He’s like, “actually, I want a white shirt and pants and a name tag and a back pack too! hahaha he wants to be a missionary. Then outside the church he told everyone that he was the boss of all the missionaries! Haha but then he told everyone that I’m his favorite missionary. hahahaha Oh I love that kid sooooo much! I’m going to come back and baptize him one day. Well that was basically my week! President Merril (Our Own Mission President) finally comes this week and hallaluha! I’m excited Angola..yeah!

Well, love you all! Sounds like you are going to be having a lot of fun this week! and Kistie I got your letter! Thank you! ~

Com amor,

Elder Tingey

Oh, I forgot to say! Elder Mariquele found an ipad in our yard!!! And it worked! And it was blank! Swear it’s a Liahona!

Baptism!

Elder Lucas, My Man!!!

My AP, Elder Mariquele

Dinner, Our House

Caterpillar Casserole?!

I'm not feelin' so good!

ugh!

The Week

June 17, 2013

Okay family.

YOU’VE FAILED ME! I had to depend on an Angolan to show me Apple’s new software! And it’s beautiful! BEAUTIFUL!

Okay, done with that.

Anyway, hello! hahaha sounds like it was a good week for you guys! It was a GREAT week for me! Freaking awesome! Yeah good week. Where to start...

So I had a division with Elder Harper this week. Stud missionary. Haha I’ve never seen someone so focused haha! It’s quite funny actually, cause he leaves in 10 days. But it was a good learning experience. And we had a sweet lesson that day about the restoration and the spirit was so strong and I gave the account of the first vision and then bore my testimony on it which was super heartfelt btw. And the spirit was so strong! And then they asked me how I knew. How I could say it with such conviction? Oh, I love that question!!! It’s like you get to bear your testimony all over again about how they can get a testimony! So that was a really good lesson.

Then Elder Brown and I were knockin’ doors making contacts. And we got a return appointment with this one lady. So we’re like okay sweet we’ll come back later that night. So we go do a lesson, which went awesome. About prayer. We totally didn’t plan to have it on prayer but Elder Brown and I both felt that it needed to be on prayer right after we said the opening prayer. Which was way cool because we didn’t even talk to each other or anything! The Spirit just prompted us both and we both started talking about prayer! Way cool how the Spirit works and then we went back to the return appointment where we found... THE MOST AWESOME PERFECT BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FAMILY!! (angels singing "ahhhh!") it was sweet. So we started talking about the restoration and our message and how it’s centered on families. I started off and then handed it off to Elder Brown to explain some more and he started to talk but then he couldn’t. I thought he was just trippin’ on Portuguese, so iIwas like, “say to me in English and I’ll help you” and he’s like, “I can’t even say it in English, there is literally a block in my mind. So he’s like “Elder Tingey, you’re going to have to go on. So I took over again and told about the restoration very quickly and started to testify about it. Then the father asked me if I would bear my testimony to him. He’s like, “I want your testimony bourn to me.” So I was like, heck yeah I will! so I bore my freaking legit awesome testimony (hahaha) and the spirit was soooooo sooo strong! It was just great. When we left their house I was just soo soo excited I couldn’t help my self! I wanted to just scream! I was like jumping and you know how I get when I get super excited. (ie when I got my mission call, when my mom gets me the coolest presents like Jason Aldean tickets) anyway it was just Sick!

And then! On Saturday I got to baptize Arnaldo and Amarildo (Usher) which was way cool cause they are both my former investigators that moved into different elders boundaries and they still chose me to baptize them! I was honored! And no offense to English but the baptismal prayer is soo much cooler in Portuguese than in English! So that was way cool.

I kinda got frustrated on Sunday cause none of our investigators came to church except one. Scorina. She’s a moca. Count your many blessings right? Little by little they’ll come along. Transfers are next week. che! I hope I go to Cassquel. I want to be in the city. But yeah.

Funny time! A hooker tried to flirt with me on the bus last night. Hahahaha and she asked for my number, so I gave her the AP’s number. hahahahaha! That was funny! Oh, and then yesterday we had a legit crazy man come to the church and he wanted to live there. Then he followed the missionaries home... hahaha way funny. Crazy people. Don’t do drugs or drink people! It’ll mess you up!

So I’ve conducted a little experiment out here; strictly for the knowledge of the general public of course. And in the course of conducting this experiment (I only do it for 2.5 seconds at a time. cause if you do it for 3 seconds you’re messed. And I don’t actually plan to do these experiments they just kind of happen.) but I have come to the conclusion that.... jungle fever is a real thing (not saying I have it. but it’s real) It’s just a fact. Not an opinion. Straight up fact! hahahahahahahahaahahah! I’m such a dork!

Anyway, I hope you have a great week! oh wait! If you have any Country Christmas music, please send it to me. via email or dropbox. Thank you!

Love you all,

Elder Tingey