Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Can't stop the miracles!


From: "Tenney, Elder Heath
Sent: Monday, June 9, 2014 11:04:44 AM
Subject: can't stop the miracles!!!

Hola Familia!

So many things happened this week that prevented us from working in our area, but ah, so many miracles happened to still make it an incredible week. 1st of all, Elder Pirez had more health problems, so we went to the doctor in capital, which is like an hour and a half away. He now has a pinched nerve in his back that is causing a lot of pain in his hip, so the doctor told him to rest for a couple of days and not work. The doctor is a doctor from the mission and he doesn't speak very much Spanish, so I am learning a lot of medical terms in translating haha. It was really funny hearing my companion yell in his accent, "YES!!!" when the doctor asked him, "does in hurt here?" haha. Luckily, Elder Pirez was feeling a little better so we went to work. 


Then the next day, we had several miracles in the zone of people who out of nowhere now wanted to be baptized, so we were in remis (basically a taxi) going to an interview, when the car broke down. So we waited for 40 minutes for another car to come. Then more problems...and basically it killed our whole day. But the miracle was the baptisms of the Elders and Sisters in the zone! 

So satan was working a lot trying to keep us from working in our area. But, he can't stop miracles!!!  We were working really hard with Joana and Dilan to prepare them for their baptisms. I really am giving all I have to help them become faithful active members, because it isn't easy, but I know they can do it. I was reading the reqirements for baptism in D&C 20:37 where it talks about repentance and humbling yourself before God, because that is what we want for them. But how do you help an 8 year old to repent? The answer I received reminded me how simple repentance really is. He just has to pray to God and change! He doesn't have to understand all the details, he just has to change and know God is happy when he changes. So that is what we did, we talked with Dilan about how he needs to obey his mom and not fight with his siblings. And if he prays to God and changes, he will be ready for his baptism. So he did it. 

On Sunday, we were walking with them to church, because the bus wasn't coming, Dilan's little sister was crying because she didn't want to walk. So we stopped for a second, and I said, "Why don't we say a prayer and ask Heavenly Father to send the bus?" His little sister screamed, "NO!!!" haha. But Dilan said, "I want to say a prayer!" So he said a short, simple, and beautiful prayer, "Heavenly Father, we thank thee for this morning and we thank thee for the bus that is going to come. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen." And we kept walking, after a few minutes it came!

The bishop told us that Lautaro (another investigator - 9 years old) should be baptized as soon as possible because he said he should have been baptized a year ago and is already ready. So we scheduled the interview and Lautaro too was baptized Sunday! It was a great day. 

I feel like everyday is a battle, really, I have no doubts that God exists and is always there supporting us, protecting us, and fighting for us. I also see so much that satan is real, he does so much everyday to try to discourage us, distract us, and impead us from doing this work, not only to us, but the investigators. But he is kind of like the dogs that try to eat me daily, they bark and even sometimes bite, but if I don't give heed to them, they can't stop the work. And it is true, there are disappointments and negative things that happen, but if we just keep going the miracles will always come.

I am sooo grateful to be here. I love it. The atonement is real! I love Jesus Christ. 

Have a wonderful week! 

Love,

Elder Heath Tenney 



Manos en el aire! (From June 3)


From: "Tenney, Elder"
Sent: Tuesday, June 3, 2014 11:17:38 AM
Subject: ¡Manos en el aire!



Familia!

Ah, this week was spectacular. It was the last week of the transfers so we wanted to finish hard. It was so fun. The week was kind of crazy, we were super busy, but no one threw beer bottles at us, not even once! 

Oh and good news is that I am in Garin another transfer and Elder Pirez too. I am so grateful. We saw so many miracles this transfer, but the miracles have just begun! 
I wish I had my camera with me on Sunday morning. First of all, it was a beautiful day with the sun shining, but we walked to church with Alejandro and his family and several other investigators. In the end, we were walking with a group of 15 people through the streets of Garin to go to church. It was such a beautiful sight. Then the baptism of Bianca was wonderful. 

This week was super fun. We are working with Joana to prepare her and her son for their baptism. She is deaf in one ear, and learns super slowly, so it takes a lot of patience and review to help her learn, but I love it. When we started teaching her, I'm not going to lie, I had the thought, "can she really stay active in the church?". But I was quickly corrected, and realized that is not the question to ask, but, "who does she need to become to stay faithful to the end?". So after that, I've been doing everything I can to help her become the person who Heavenly Father needs her to be.
We had an awesome lesson with Alejandro's family this week. His daughter, Bianca was preparing for her baptism, so we were reviewing "the restoration". Bianca and the other kids were having a hard time paying attention, so I decided to change things up. I stood up and told them, "okay everyone stand up for a minute. And I need your chairs." I took the 1st chair, and explained "Christ when he established his church, it had 3 pilars, 1st Christ, who was the prophet and leader." and placed the chair there. "Second, he called 12 apostles." and put the second chair. "3rd, he gave the authority to his apostles to baptize and to spread the gospel." Then I stood on the 3 chairs and said, "So now I am the church, and Christ established HIS church with these 3 things. But what happened to Christ?"...."he was crucified," they responded. "And years after, his apostles were killed too. So the authority, or the priesthood, was removed too...so now, remove the chairs..." So they removed the chairs, and I fell to the ground. They all yelled, "Nooo!!! Elder Tenney" haha. As I layed on the ground I asked them, "so what happened to the church?" "..It fell!"  they said. "SO the church wasn't on the earth for a long time and the people didn't have the truth that Christ established...but because He loves us, he did something really special TODAY. 1st, He called a prophet- Joseph Smith (placed the 1st chair.), 2nd, He gave them the authority again, so that they can baptize and help people. And 3rd..." they all were starring and listening attentively, "he called 12 apostles! (I stood on the chairs again) So TODAY we have exactly the same church that Jesus Christ established!!!" THey all started to cheer! haha. I continued, "with the same power to baptize and save people!!! And you are going to be baptized by that same power!" Now they were really pumped! They started a chant, "¡Bautismo! ¡Bautismo! ¡Bautismo!" hahaha. It was so awesome. I realized that maybe it was a bit irreverant, so we calmed down a bit and Bianca said an awesome prayer to finish.
I left with even more excitement and enthusiasm to share this message, ah! It really is incredible. We have great reason to chant "BAPTISM! BAPTISM!" and to throw our hands in the air, reverently rejoicing, because the Church and gospel of JESUS CHRIST is literally here on the earth. And it has the power to save us. All of us. So I am throwing my hands up in Argentina rejocing that Christ lives and is guiding His church and saving HIS people with HIS gospel!
I know that this is His Gospel. I know that we have full access to this redeeming power through the Church of Jesus Christ that is here today. So we CAN receive forgiveness, relief, comfort, and fresh starts, because Christ lives and is giving life to people TODAY. So throw your hands up and rejoice, because His kingdom is here!
I love you all so much! Have an awesome week!

Manos en el aire,

Elder Heath Tenney