la tristeza del amor August 18, 2014

August 18, 2014

Heyyy! 

This morning Elder Peralta left. So now we are a normal companionship. He has grown so much in our time together. I love him. It is weird to not be in a trio now. I love my companions. 

This week was great. We had several inconveniences that got in the way of the work that was hard. We had a couple days where we didn't have much time to work. But in the time we did, we did all we could and the Lord blessed us a lot. I just love work. There is no greater feeling than just giving everything you can to an important cause. 

First of all, Lautarooo. His confirmation was yesterday. It was 9:05 and he hadn't arrived yet... we were kind of worried. Then suddenly he comes running in (literally). His hair was crazy, his cloths were dirty with tears in them, but he was smiling. It didn't bother anyone because they know of the sacrifice he is making. He is doing this all alone. He lives in horrible circumstances now that he is living with his mom again. He comes to church with an empty stomach and I have no idea when the last time he ate was... but he is happy and so faithful. I felt the spirit so strongly when he just entered the room. I love him so much. 

Sunday, church was super good. I learned so much from the talks. I felt the spirit a lot, but I was in pain. I looked around the room and I rejoiced for the converts and less active members that were there. But, I was heart broken by the converts that weren't there. It really amazes me how much it hurts. Before my mission, I never felt or imagined pain like that, but it hurts. I love these people SO much and want so badly for them to return with us to be with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and if they don't come to take the sacrament and renew their covenants, they aren't on the path to get there. But after church I decided to put my pain to the side and just work to help them repent and get better. 

It is amazing to have these feelings and these experiences. I am learning that part of true love is feeling true pain in times . This pain isn't something bad, it's part of the love, but what is bad is to let it consume you. To let it overcome you to start thinking of yourself and impead you from serving others the best you can. 

Later after church, I prayed that the converts that had not gone could feel the difference that no going to church made so that they can learn and repent. That was totally answered with Victor. He felt super bad and wanted to do something for God to show his sorrow. So he asked if he could go with us to visit people. We did divisions and Victor went with me. It was amazing to see his countenance change as he served.In one of the lessons he bore such a powerful testimony. I finished testifying of the importance of the sacrament to a man who needs a lot of help and I told him that he will feel God's love if he takes the sacrament. When I finished, without me saying anything, Victor said, "I testify of the words of my companion..." and bore a SUPER powerful testimony. Ah, it was amazing. It is such a miracle to be able to stay in an area to see not just the baptism, confirmation, and first time to the temple of converts, but see him become a missionary. So much joy. 

This morning I was pondering...and I really feel like the luckiest person in the world. It is SO incredible to be here. I love it. I love the pain, I love the hard times, I love the people, I love it all. 

Have a super great week!!!

Love,

Elder Tenney

Lautaroooo

Aug. 12,  2014

Hey! 

Yesterday we went to the capital because it was the 2nd to last P day of Elder Mederos, so we didn't have time to write. So Sorry if this is short! 

I LOVED the pictures of Garrett and Jamisyn. I am so happy for them. The day of the wedding was hard because I couldn't be there but still so happy for them. 

So I don't know if you remember like 2 months ago when I mentioned something about laughing at my companion's squeels when the doctor was looking at his toe because he had an ingrown toenail... anyways. I laughed and it was funny, and now 2 months later, he was the one laughing haha. I had an ingrown toenail... It hurt a lot. Elder Peralta and Elder Mederos were so excited to see the doctor perform the surgery and see me in pain. They even brought their cameras to film it. haha. Then when the doctor came out, he called me in and told them, "and you elders can wait here outside..." hahaha oh what relief I felt. That relief quickly left when the doctor started working on my foot. So much pain. I was grateful for 2 reasons. 1, because it has been a really long time that I have felt so much pain. And 2, I was grateful for the atonement and what Christ suffered for me, because I was only suffering for 1 toe. 

Anyways, the most important part of the week. Last week, when Lautaro went to church all on his own, we said, "This kid has to be baptized. He has had to wait too long." So we did some investigation and found out where his mom lives. We talked with him and his mom. It inspires me so much how determined Lautaro was to be baptized. Finally, miracuously the heart of Lautaro's mother changed, and she gave him permission to be baptized!!! I was SO happy for him. I have never met anyone with so much faith. 

The baptism was so beautiful. He was so happy and his whole family came to support him. One of the members who recently started coming again, Rosa, was such a miracle for us. She helped us SO much. Members are miracles.
I love this work. I just want to give everything for these people. I know Christ lives, I can feel it every day.
I love you all so much!!!
Elder Heath Tenney

La fe procede el milagro Aug.4, 2014

Aug. 4, 2014

Querida familia,

I can't believe Garrett and Jamisyn get married this week. That is crazy. I am so happy for you both! I knew you could do it, Garrett! ;)

Ah, this week was awesome. The miracles blow me away. God is so good. I know His miracles are real, and the faith always precedes the miracles. 

I have so much to improve, but I can honestly say I gave everything this week. I am becoming more and more consecrated and with that I am loving every moment even more, and seeing more miracles. 

Sooo the miracles of the week... First of all, the young men in this ward are good kids, but never really have desires to work with us. One of them, David, told me he wasn't planning on going on a mission. For the first few weeks here I asked them every Sunday when they could go out with us this week. The answer was always, "I'm not sure right now, but I will call you and let you know..." or simply "I can't."  haha. So I stopped asking them and just loved them. I asked how they were doing every Sunday and talked about their week. After several months of not asking them and just loving them, David began to ask questions about the mission and how it is. We had lunch with him and his family several times. Then finally, this week he came out with us! 

As we were walking with him, he said hello to one of his friends from school, Daiana. So we started talking with her and we taught her. She is super great. Both her and her mother want to be baptized. She came to church this Sunday! It was such a miracle that just when we were passing by with David, she was outside. David was our miracle, and he felt it too. The next day at church he was talking to the other young men telling them how they should go out with us too. As we were talking he even mentioned how he plans to work for a year after graduating so he can save up for his mission. MILAGROS!!! 

We found so many new people this week who are going to progress. I wish I could tell you all the miracles...

This week, the family of Lautaro called us. They told us that Lautaro's mom wanted him to move back with him, and that he was moving to another city to live with his mom again. I asked how Lautaro was doing and they told me he was crying because he didn't want to leave. My heart hurt so much for him... I love this kid so much. Sunday came, and when we got to church, Lautaro was there! We asked what had happened. Lautaro, who is 10 years old came to church alone from the house of his mom which is 30 minutes away on the bus... he makes me cry every week... He is incredible. I pray I can have as much faith as he does one day. 

I can't believe I only have 6 months left... I was thinking and praying this week about how I can love the mission even more. What I felt this week through experience is that you love the mission even more when you love the people even more. I love these people so much. I almost can't contain it. I go to bed thinking of them. I wake up thinking of them. In every moment I just want to be doing something that helps these people. They inspire me. I love my brothers and sisters here. I love my mission. 

Garrett and Jamisyn, I love you both so much. I will be thinking and praying for you this week! 

Have a Celestial week! 

Love,

Elder Tenney