WORK!!!!

August 26, 2013

What is up family!!

K first off I feel like soooo much is changing at home right now. Like the

first part of my mission, I just felt like life just went on there just

without me and not changing much. HA! but now! So many things are happening with friends going on missions friends getting serious with their lives and settling down it’s freaky! Everything is going to be sooooo different when I come home! So difficult to comprehend! But anyway.. okay Hannah in fourthgrade? what happened there? I thought she was in kindergarten? Like I remember when I was in fourth grade! She is so old and so smart! Oh my gosh!

So my week... we. did. freaking. Work!!! We had sooo many lessons! Soo many! We were like running. I couldn’t even keep up and I got sick on Friday night and all of Saturday. It was bad. So we took Saturday off and it still was a great week numbers wise; probably the best in the mission. Yeah that’s whats up! Me and montG are doin work! So yeah, being sick really stunk. I was up like all Friday night sitting on the pot with a bucket in my lap. One of those great experiences.  NOT But tudo bem now.

The worst was the day that I was sick... was the day of the baptisms. Rita’s family. I was supposed to baptize Rita!  I. WAS. TICKED.  that I couldn’t go. I was livid! I was like, are you serious?! I worked my whole dang mission for this! but what ever they got baptized and confirmed and that’s all that matters. I love the heck out of that family.

Oh before I forget. Matt’s sister got married?! What the heck! Tha’ts too bad. I was hoping she would wait for me :) I can say that now that she’s married! hahaha.

So we were walking in Rocha this week and I saw a pick up basketball game going and we watched for like 15 min and I just got so into the game. I was lovin’ it. I was just itchin’ to get in there! I wanna play with these

guys! Elder montG (thats what his nick name is mont and the you say G )

was like Dude, I’m sorry, I’m no good at basketball. If I were we would go in there and play them right now even in these clothes. So, when I have a comp that plays ball that’s what we’re doing.

So this week it seems like I’ve been hitting a lot of cars lately. Taxis

have just been stupid. They’ve been like trying to run me over and when

that happens I get really ticked and I hit the taxi as hard as I can and its

just a loud WHAM! They never stop!

So I forgot to answer Dad’s question last week. Yes I do write in my journal, like once a week now because we’ve been so busy! but yes I write and I record on the recorder mom sent me. So my journal is a mix of pictures, voice recordings, journal entries and emails home. I’ll compile it all when I get home haha.

So we just got back from going down to the marginal. That was fun.

There is actually grass there! I love grass sooo much and I miss

mowing lawns so bad! Not so much in the heat though. They have a mini

zip line down there and that was pretty fun to play on. And we found a

guy in a BYU hat! haha.  But yeah, that’s about the wrap! I love you

guys!

Love

Elder Tingey

The Beach on Pday

Oh! The Week! Toasting to the Work!!!

August 19,2013

Hello Family! 

Well, this week was pretty fun. Lots of Work! Holy cow! But we have fun doing it so it’s good. Love being comps with Elder Montgomery. It’s way fun. So let’s see, where to start.... well, we are doing work in our area. We have like 7 people with fixed baptismal dates and 14 progressing investigators! That’s a massive number! And it’s only going to grow this week! The work is a lot of fun when it’s going good! So let’s see...

One day we were in Rocha, a part of our area that’s all the way on the other side of the city. Kinda crazy but whateves. Anyway, the day wasn’t going too hot. All of our appointments dropped for the night and it was like 7 pm so we went to the store because we needed to get some new frying pans because ours are tiny and horrible. Well, they didn’t have any there but... they had an awesome sale!!! I love food sales in Angola! They had American hamburgers, they are called bubba burgers, for 5 dollars a box. That’s a steal! They are usually $20! And Martinelle’s sparkling cider which is usually 15 dollars was $5! So we took advantage and went home and had a good meal. and made toasts to an awesome transfer. It was great.  

Oh guys! So on Saturday... something crazy happened. hahaha. We went to Maria da Silva’s house for lunch. Maria is one of the original members here. Like, she worked a lot with Uncle Earl. (so she tells me.) She has a house in Provo and she’s secretly loaded. She says she’s just here in Angola to help the church. Anyway! So we went to her house for lunch and our Branch President came and some nonmembers that were Portuguese. so everything’s going great and we’re socializing with the Portuguese people which is fun.. and then.... something legend , wait for it, wait for it! All of a sudden Maria’s niece came out to have lunch with us (she actually cooked it and then went to go get ready for the "get together") and holy flip my jaw hit the ground with the loudest bang you ever heard! I kid you not when I say that she was probably the most beautiful black woman I have ever seen in real life. and and AND!! She had long.... beautiful... REAL hair!!!   You guys! I forgot how to speak Portuguese! Or any language for that matter! And she was wearing pink pants... and idk if I’ve told you guys this but I’ve always had a thing for pink pants... anyway it was the most mind blowing thing of the week! Okay now here’s the disclaimer. Nobody freak out and write me freaking out about what I just wrote. Nothing is going to happen because of it obviously. I just wanted to give you an in-depth look at a missionary’s mind that happened to be at a very funny moment! We are still normal! And you should be grateful for that! 

What else...  our branch is growing like crazy. We had to bless the water 3 seperate times because there was sooo many people! 

We got invited to an English Bible study yesterday... actually more like we thought we were going to a lesson and it turned out to be an English Bible study. They asked if we believed the Bible and if we could trust it. I recited the article of faith that I learned in primary obviously!  You know how I got those articles of faith down :) 

We had a frustrating lesson at the beginning of the week though. We were teaching about the Sabbath day. Yeah, well here, people have a problem with that. Well, they just interpret it wrong. Because in Portuguese it’s the same word as Saturday. So the 7th Day Adventists are pretty big here. Anyway, we were having a lesson with a really good investigator and he just had some doubts about it. Nbd (no big deal) so we explained how it used to be on Saturday but after the resurrection in became Sunday. (Funny thing I never knew that till I came on a mission) anyway, his dad overheard and came over with his Bible and he was obviously a 7^th day guy and he just went off on how the Bible says this, look up this scripture, blah blah blah. Spirit gone. Anyway, we’re like, we don’t want to argue at all and he just kept going off on these scriptures. I just got sick of it and I  was like okay look, I already know every scripture about the 7th day. All of them. I already know them. I study the bible too, but what we’re telling you all depends on if the Book of Mormon is true and if Joseph Smith was a prophet. Then the dad was like, anything tha’ts not the Bible is a lie. He started calling the Book of Mormon a lie and Joseph Smith a liar, and I was getting kind of upset. Like, don’t you dare tell me that when you haven’t even read it or don’t know anything about it! So I kinda raised my voice a bit and I was like " I testify to you that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet, I know it! I wouldn’t have dropped everything, family, school, girls, etc., to come here across the globe to Angola to preach about this if I didn’t know it was true." Then he got kinda silent and then it was Elder Montgomery’s turn to testify! woo! Double witness! It was sick!(awesome!) then we said a prayer and got the heck out of there! but I kinda feel bad for 7th Day Adventists.

Last night we went to the Wegglands for dinner. they are the American couple that live in our branch. He works for BP. But it was amazing to be at their apartment eating good good American food! Literally, when you walk into their apartment, it’s like walking into America! It’s awesome!  

We went to the ilha today. (the beach.) That was fun. just to see all of Luanda! and the port! 

Well, that’s the wrap! Love you all! It sounds like you are all having way too much fun (Darin, Marissa, and Hannah. Babes, I haven’t heard from you in a while but I’m sure you’re rockin’ it in Jr High! Go Sabercats!  Mom, Dad, I love you guys! 

Love you all! 

Elder Tingey

The Bronx of Luanda!!!

August 12, 2013

Hello Familia!

This week was crazy! Transfers, new people, new area ,new branch, it’s nuts!

But, it’s really good. The city is sweet. We don’t really work in the

city, our dupla (companionship) works just on the edge and outside of it. lots of

barrios. (low-end neighborhoods) but it’s still cool. The people are

more humble than in Benfica. Which is good. We are teaching some sweet

people right now and we have lots of work to do. There are always

people we can have lessons with. Which is good. It’s taking a little

getting used to. In Benfica, things are a lot slower pace. But here it’s

a million miles an hour!

So Elder Montgomery is great. It’s fun to have a comp from the same

city. We have a lot in common and we have a lot to talk about. haha I

think Elder Montgomery is loving talking because he hasn’t talked in

like 3 transfers because his last comp liked to talk. We live

alone which is kind of a bummer but it’s nice at the same time. The other

elders just live a street over so we go over to their house to do

meals together and stuff. Our house is.... probably the worst one

in Luanda in terms of how nice it is. But it has the essentials and so

I’m not complaining one bit! (although at the moment we don’t have

energy... and because it’s an apartment, we don’t have a generator. ) And we

don’t have a water heater, but that’s fine, I just boil water and take

bucket showers. Tudo bem!

The branch is way cool because it’s probably the biggest in Angola and

so it functions! It has people sufficient to have almost all the

callings assigned and yes, things are more organized and I’m grateful

for that. A lot of the members already know me because they have met

me before and my name is Tingey (Uncle Earl). So that’s fun. We eat at

a member’s house about 3 times a week. So that’s really nice. It’s funny

because some of the prominent members that already know me were

talking to me yesterday and telling me their confidential plans about

how they’re going to do things for the church here in Angola. Let’s just

say.... There is a lot of money being thrown around. It’s really cool

to see these members do that. They have the means and they are

basically just giving it to the Lord.

Being in the city was really weird at first. I didn’t know any part of

it and I felt super uncomfortable the first couple of days, but

Heavenly Father has heard my prayers and given me lots of comfort. I

love that he takes care of me out here.

Wow! School has already started! That’s weird! You are all so grown up!

But I’m going to learn a lot this transfer. Elder Montgomery is an

amazing teacher who has so much love for the investigators. I’m excited

to learn. We’ve been focusing a lot on the Book of Mormon this week in

our teaching. It’s so essential people! READ THE BOOK OF MORMON EVERY

DAY!! Seriously. It’s the only thing that can keep you safe. It helps

you remember. (Remember is probably Elder Brown’s favorite word) it

helps you remember what it’s like to feel the spirit, it helps you

remember the commandments, and it helps you remember your covenants

and your purpose here in life. These things are a must!  You will be

lost in life without it!

I had an interview with President this week and after it, he took me and

Elder Montgomery to lunch. hahahaahahaha So we’re in this

restaurant, and there is a TV playing music videos. Oh boy... haha but

so funny. It was so awkward and because of this it was so funny. The

channel was playing songs like "smack that" "I kissed a girl ___ _ ___ __"  and " dont you wish your girlfriend was hot like me"

bhahahahahahahahahahahaha! I was like dying, it was soo awkward! Oh the world is

sooo corrupt!  Music vids are of the devil!    Except

country....well most of country. President is awesome though. Love

that guy.  Well, I think that’s pretty much the wrap! Love you!

Elder Tingey

ps. Mom, I got your package thank you! Love you!

August 5, 2013

MY WEEK!

July 29-2013

Well this week was pretty good. And pretty tough. But it was good. 

I’m glad you all had fun at the ranch. 

Well, I’m just going to go through the week day by day. 

Tuesday we had an awesome lesson with Daneilson and his family. Daneilson is the father. But yeah that whole family is so legit. And we brought President Quiame with us, who is the branch president but will be the Patriarch here someday I swear! Anyway, we talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ and baptism. It was way good. Kind of like "put your faith and your intent on the line" kind of lesson. He expressed some concern about leaving his pentacostal church and so he didn’t know if they were going to come to church on Sunday. So, I bore my testimony and then challenged them all to pray about the Book of Mormon and they all said they would do it. And then, Sunday came...... and the whole family walked in!!!!!  I was soo happy! 

Not much else really happened this week because a lot of our investigators were out of town. But the district put on a campout for all the youth. It was basically like a stake youth conference. They went camping and such and had a bunch of sweet faith building activities. Elder McCune got to go with his comp cause they had baptisms and they got to baptize them in the river! So cool! I’m jealous. But tudo bem.  Apparently on the campout, the young women of our Benfica branch got talking at night. ( of course) and they rated the cuteness of the missionaries in our branch. There’s 6 of us. Well, trying not to say this too pridefully..... I was number 1. hahaha jk. 

So all during this week we had a plumber over trying to fix our pump so we have to be at the house with him when he does that. Lots of time was wasted. Anyway, the pump kept breaking every time after he left so we would call him again and he would come in the morning the next day. Anyway, we get to Saturday. He was supposed to come in the morning. Elder Brown and I waited..... we put all our appointments in the evening.. and we waited and waited. Nothin. Finally we’re like okay forget this he’s not coming. Let’s go. We are literally walking to our gate when he knocks. gosh dang it! So Saturday was wasted. Sunday was good though. I had an interview with President to help with my rebellious heart that I have. hahaha He’s awesome I love that guy. Don’t worry. I haven’t been doing anything rebellious. I just feel rebellious. Then we had dinner with him and sister. We heard some good stories. 

So yeah, with the visa thing.... keep praying. we heard by word of mouth that the visas were approved. There is nothing official yet though. I talked to president last night.  But were still praying. 

Oh, I gave Elder Hobbs a hair cut on Saturday. My first one ever! But it came out really well. I was proud hahaha and so was he. 

Well, that ‘s about the rap. I learn about transfers next week. We’ll see what happens! It’s crazy.. Austin and Matt are already training... hahaha and we have 30 missionaries in Angola right now... that’s like barely a zone in other missions!  

Love you all!

Elder Tingey

Blessings! Blessings! Blessings!

Milia - Basically, a little sister

July 22, 2013

Hello family!!! Gosh dang it you guys!!!! This week was so fast but sooo long at the same time. You ask how is this possible??? And then you remember that you’re at the Ranch!!!! The best place and happiest place (don’t tell Elder Brown that) on earth!!! (Yeah it’s better than Disneyland)..... holy freak you guys have no idea the pain I went through this week without the ranch! Oh I miss it sooo sooo sooo sooo much!



But, none the less, we did flippen work! And the blessings came! So Elder Brown and I have been trying to get more involved with the branch and working more together so we had a couple meetings with the Branch Pres this week and... we may become branch secretaries pretty soon, which would be way cool. And the branch really needs it. I would be the financial secretary (booya!) so I’m stoked. I hope it happens soon. But this week we were just teaching families and people up the wazzu! Not really anything out of the ordinary happened just the regular lessons. Although I got some pretty tough questions that I was glad I was on top of my game to answer them! Man, one time I had to explain the fall of Adam and man, people just don’t understand it sometimes, even members at home! I didn’t even till I got out here and studied it. but psh now I’m a master teacher at it! Opposition in all things peeps, remember that! But the highlight of the week was on Sunday. 11 investigators showed up!! holyyyyyy freak! Ana mira, an old cripple lady I love to death who wants to just follow the savior with every fiber of her being, finally arranged a way to come to church! I was soo happy! And then she had to climb of the stairs..... but with the great faith she has she did it! She just kept saying with Jesus I’ll climb these stairs! hahaha the branch loves her. Then we had the Daneilson’s family all show up! I was pumped at that! And then another family came and they just kept coming! It was like Christmas!



And then, lots of our main strong members are all out of the country for some reason so Elder Brown and I got thrown into the nursery... and I had to teach about the Holy Ghost to 3 year olds.... awesome! Hahaha but it’s okay my man Lucas was there. Rita’s family is really doing great. They are going to be such good members when they’re baptized! The hardest ones to get are always the best!



And I need to be transferred; which will most likely happen in two weeks. But it needs to happen. Way too many girls have crushes on me here. Our branch... che, I need out. Too many mocas looking at me! But it’s probably my fault.... my hair is starting to curl.... what can I do.. it’s magical.





You know, I was just thinking about this.. Uncle Steve is old!! Already a Grandpa! What’s up Gramps! Aunt Cheryl, don’t worry you may technically be a grandma, but you still look like a young momma!



Oh my gosh.... ranch ranch ranch ranch ranch ranch... che buddy. Thanks for sharing it with me cause I freaking miss it a ton..



Mom, what a great temple story. Thanks for sharing. I miss that place! Angola rocks, people! Well, I miss you guys a ton. Tanner, dude, your’e coming here, okay? But seriously, let me know where you’re going. Like today, cause I check my email tonight real quick again. Well, I love you guys like crazy! Mom, I got a second set of letters and Babes I got yours too. Like right now. So I haven’t read it yet. Troy I got yours. Way to go with the piano! and thanks for the mission pics. Those are way cool. Love you all and the ranch a ton!

Com amor,

tchau

Elder Tingey

Pics in the Nursery and with Other Awesome Members! July 15, 2013

The Week...

July 15, 2013

So, I can tell that my family is in the full swing of summer! Glad you all made it to the ranch safely. It’s the best place on earth. The BEST. I’m convinced if there was just a small little temple there it would be better than the Garden of Eden. Tell the Burtons Hello for me! and I want their email too if you can get it! 

So it looks like Marissa had a blast at EFY! che! Geez, my sister is the coolest! Darin, send me pictures!  Hannah, I got your note in the card mom sent me! Thank you! I love you and miss you so much! Babes, what’s up girl, how is my twin sister? I’m sure you’re loving the ranch with little Anna there. ah!!! The Ranch oh my gosh eu tenho bwe da saudades do rancho!!! quero ir quero ir quero ir. Anyway.. 

So just a forward warning, my letter isn’t going to be that long or good this week cause well.... there was a lot of work work work and 1st lessons up the wazzu! And it’s all kinda the same for me and just runs together. But we are teaching some sweet families now. We were teaching this one family the first lesson and this cute little girl in the family asked a question... and she is just little. She’s like... so when Joseph prayed to know which church was true, and Jesus appeared to him, what did Jesus say again? Oh my gosh made my heart melt! She is such a smart little girl! 

Um what else. Oh yeah, Elder Brown is the best comp ever!!!!!!! yeah. I was having a little bit of a hard time on Thursday and so Elder Brown and I had a good heart to heart and it was flippen awesome. I love that kid. 

We had baptisms this week at our new font in our chapel and they went very very well. I really don’t have much else to say. This week just kinda... went by and I forgot everything. We set about 3 baptismal dates this week,  and you know, testified of the gospel as usual. Elder Brown and I are  keeping a writing of our lessons, when we preach to more than 15 people at a time. You know, like Alma and Amulek. so that they can eventually become scripture one day. haha jk we don’t do that. 

The APs, went down to Lubango with president this week, so there was only 4 of us in the house.... perfect. It was awesome. So much cleaner. 

Mother I got your two envelopes, thank you so much. well.... I’m sorry this letter is horrible... but to make it better... pictures!! yeah! 

Well I love you guys sooo much! 

Elder Tingey

Fourth of July!! Me & My Comp!

Fourth of July! Our celebration! Woot! Woot!

July 8, 2013 First Week of the New Mission

July 8, 2013

First week of the New Mission

Hello Mundo! tudo bem? 

First off, thank you troy for the letter! Good job on life and being such a great dad! And yeah pouch mail is like the worst thing ever invented. And since we’re our own mission now I’m never gonna see those letters. Sorry but thanks bro! And mom I got your packages! Both of them! Thank you! They arrived fine but there was a little problem but I knew it would happen. The popcorn butter leaked which I figured would happen. But don’t worry I cleaned everything. 

Aunt Cheryl I read the email you sent. Thank you for sending that! I’m glad everyone is doing great and that Tyler is looking more acceptable ;) he told me he would write me twice while on the mission since I wrote him twice. Well I hit 8 months this week.... just a reminder. Preferably one letter/email one year and the other the next. Thanks Ty. Don’t have too much fun with Darin at efy! Oh and yes aunt Cheryl I know I have the BEST mother in the world. She is Amazing! 

Holy cow I’m soo jealous of your summer! It sounds soooo fun! Costa Rica sounded like a blast. And Marissa thank you for the pictures! but Marissa.... che,..... holy cow..... like whoa...... stop being so hot, or your going to get attacked!! I must say.. Mom and dad did a great job. We probably are the most beautiful looking children ever. Actually the best looking family ever. I showed Elder Chandler the photo of Darin and dad and the water fall and he was like holy cow bro..... yep your dad is totally in the CIA. hahaha! But wow the summer is awesome there! Costa Rica, efy, the ranch..... che.... I miss it so much! I knew the summer would be tough here cause you guys are having so much fun there but it’s cool cause I’m having some awesome spiritual experiences. 

So my week! Well, we had mission conference, which was awesome. I love president’s vision for the mission. hahahahaha basically screw going for such crazy numbers like we were, and keep and follow the spirit all the time and the numbers will follow. Plus, we can’t overload the branches with too many baptisms. That’s not how you establish the church because they can’t handle trying to retain all of them. Let’s strengthen our branches and then grow altogether. LOVE IT! So awesome! I love the Merrils. They are soo like G and G Stoker. Sister Merrill is so much like Grandma Stoker it’s halarious! hahaha I love it. I had an interview with President Merrill on Saturday. hahaha My first interview with a mission president my entire mission! hahahaha. I was like these need to happen often! Anyway, not THAT much work was done this week because of like 3 days with the president but still; we did work. And had a flippen awesome spiritual experience. 

Okay, so his name is Mario. We contacted him and his family like a month or two ago. Totally by the spirit. Anyway we finally are able to sit with him on Saturday. And they are such a golden family. Married, car, good morals. Like perfect. And elder brown and are just focused as ever trying to do the best we can for them and have the spirit testify to them. And so Saturday, we had a lesson with them and before we started the lesson I was just like "you’re going to listen with your ears and see with your eyes but I really want you to feel in your heart. Just open your heart  and try to feel with it. BOOM, Elder Brown and I taught the first vision so well! Not that we taught it well, but the spirit was there just SOOOO strong! Brown and I just testified up the wazzo and gave it everything we had trying to follow the spirit and it was just such a good lesson. I can’t even describe it. I wish you could have been there. And then he’s like, I’m coming to church tomorrow. And HE DID! It was just so good! But man after we got out of that lesson Elder Brown and I just were so moved by the spirit. Once we got around the corner, it was just like YESSS!!! bro hugs, and pumpin fists in the air! Yeah, Elder Brown and I.... we do work. So awesome! 

So I have some more things to ask of you. I think you guys are either too technologically handicapped or just super lazy so I’ll ask you to do it the easy way. There are 3 albums that Elder Hobbs has that I absolutely love. You know why? Cause they’re country. But church country. That’s right! its called a Nashville tribute to Joseph Smith, and they have one to the pioneers called Trek: a Nashville tribute to the pioneers. And one called The Work: a Nashville tribute to missionaries. And holy cow they are the best church country songs EVER!!!! So please buy those cds and send them to me. Or buy them on itunes and burn it to a cd for me and listen to them yourselves cause they are soo good! Well, I love you all like crazy! 

Elder Tingey