Juan y Teresa!

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Sent: Monday, February 17, 2014 10:39:19 AM
Subject: Juan y Teresa!

Hola Familia y Amigos!

This week was so great. It started out kind of rough because for 3
days all of our appointments were falling through as well as members
to come with us, but we were so blessed in the end of the week.
The greatest miracle was the Baptism of Teresa and Juan. I don't think
I have said much in my letters about them, but they are incredible.
The baptism was so beautiful.
4 weeks ago, it was Sunday and we were waiting at the bus stop to go
to church. Usually they come really frequently, but there werent any
coming this Sunday for some reason. I noticed a woman who was also
waiting, who looked kind of stressed, and was smoking a cigarette. I
started to talk to her, that was the 1st time we met Teresa. We taught
her about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how Christ can give us
strength to overcome our trials and make us clean. She said she would
read the pamphlet we left with her and we set up an appointment to
talk with her.
Ah, it seems like that was just yesterday, and it wasn't long ago, but
Teresa has completely changed her life. After 20 years of smoking, she
completely stopped in just a week. We also met Juan! Juan is Teresa's
son who is deaf.
Juan is incredible. We have been learning sign language to communicate
more with him and it is incredible to be around him. He is the
happiest kid ever. He is always smiling and making jokes. He loves
everyone. It is amazing because now I can actually understand what he
is saying and have a small conversation with him in sign language.
I could go on and on about how much I love Juan and Teresa. Basically
we met Teresa, we taught her about the gospel of Jesus Christ, how she
can repent and change her life, and then she did it. We taught her
about the Book of Mormon and she hasn't put it down since. She said it
has given her so much strength. She reads every night with Juan,
translating to him what is happening in the book. The day before her
baptism, I asked her why she was making all these changes, she said
that she has talked with people from many churches, but she felt from
the beginning like God was telling her "this is the true church". She
had smoked one cigarette the day before her interview, and we weren't
sure if we should wait longer or not. But as we read Mosiah 18 with
her, where it talks of the people of Alma who wanted to serve Christ
and help others the rest of their lives, Who then were baptized.
Teresa almost began to cry and said, "this is what I want." We could
both feel that she was ready. We scheduled the interview, the next day
the zone leaders came to interview her. During the interview one of
the elders was talking with us and Juan. He asked us why Juan wasn't
being baptized with his Mom. We told him because we hadn't been able
to teach him because Teresa has to translate everything we say and it
takes a while. After the interview of Teresa, they talked to her for a
second, and then they went with Juan and Teresa and did the interview
for Juan too. It was kind of crazy haha. But they came out and told us
Juan was going to be baptized tomorrow too. Juan was so happy. He was
smiling so much and just filled with joy.
Sunday, we spent the 2nd and 3rd hours of church boiling water and
pouring it in the font because the water was super cold haha. It didnt
really change much, but it was a fun memory. Teresa and Juan changed
their cloths, and we were waiting outside the font, Juan could hardly
contain his excitement. Teresa was baptized first, we watched with
Juan as he saw his Mom be baptized. After, I signed to Juan that now
it was his turn, he was going to be baptized. He leaped for joy, began
to laugh and clap his hands as we walked to the font. It was hard not
to cry seeing his pure joy. I then watched Juan, pure good Juan, be
baptized. He came out of the water smiling, wiped the water from his
eyes, and gave everyone a big thumbs up. His joy was contagious.
Seeing his pure desire to follow Christ and his pure joy from doing it
filled me with a desire to never ever do anything bad again. This boy
Juan is so good, so pure, and so loving that he makes everyone around
him want to be more good and more pure. He is incredible. I love Juan
and Teresa so much. The joy I feel for them is indescribable. That joy
Juan felt is the reason Christ did what He did for us, so that all of
us who are much more impure than Juan can feel his same joy.
I love this gospel. I love Jesus Christ. I know that baptism in the
Church of Jesus Christ is the way to become completely pure, and start
a new life of discipleship.

This is Christ's Gospel. He is preparing people who want to change and
want to use His atonement. We just have to OPEN OUR MOUTHS to show
them what Christ wants them to know. Christ does all the work of
preparing them, we just have to stop worrying, doubting, and listening
to the excuses of Satan and open our mouths. So then the Savior can do
the miracles for them and change them forever.

Everyone go and be happy this week! I love you all so much!

Love,

Elder Heath Tenney

Priesthood Power

More pictures below.

From: "Heath Tenney"  
Sent: Monday, February 10, 2014 2:21:31 PM

Mission Temple Day, Monday Feb. 10, 2014

Subject: Priesthood Power!

Hey Family and Friends!

Sorry this is later than normal and I don't have much time. Today we
went to the temple!!! It was SO amazing. I had missed the temple so
much. It really was one of the sweetest experiences of my life to go
there as a mission and hear everything in Spanish, receive revelation
for our investigators, and just feel how much Heavenly Father loves me
and His children here. Towards the end of the session, I paused, and
thought "This really is my favorite place in the whole world." The
temple really is the house of God. I am so grateful for that sacred
opportunity.

There were so many amazing things that happened this week as always. I
hardly had time to write in my Journal this week because we had to
update so many records at the end of each day, but here are several
updates...

We had another lesson with the family R (family from last week). The
whole family was ready, reverently sitting at the table waiting for us
when we arrived. The father asked if we could give a blessing to the
children and to the house, because ever since they started praying and
having us over, there has been strange things happening and more
darkness in the house. We read with them the story of Joseph Smith,
and noted how he was overcome with darkness just before he had the 1st
vision, and Satan always comes right before we have big spiritual
changes or experiences. At the end of the lesson, we gave a blessing
to all 4 of his children, 1 by 1. It was such a sweet experience. I
felt probably somewhat like the Savior felt when He blessed all the
children. It was such a privilege. The whole family said they felt
better after the blessings and the house was filled with the spirit.
Ah, the priesthood is real!

Later, we had a powerful lesson with Omar once again. We talked with
him about quitting smoking. He insisted that he could never do it, but
we reminded him of the atonement of Jesus Christ, and what He did for
him. He had a glimpse of hope... at the end of the lesson we gave him
a blessing. It was so guided by the spirit. As we left, he said to us
with tears in his eyes, "You are going to pass by later today, and I
will say, 'In the name of Jesus, I will not smoke a cigarette!' I am
not going to do it!"

Then we also have Teresa who has her baptismal date for this Sunday.
She has so much faith. We gave her a blessing and she hasn't smoked
all of today! So we are praying she can keep it up!
There have been so many miracles here is Benavidez! I am so privilege
to be here and to bless the lives of others with the sacred priesthood
which God has blessed us with. I am so humbled and grateful to be a
servant of Christ with His power and authority. This really is His
Church with his authority! I love my life. Christ lives!

Have a wonderful week! Sorry this didn't have much detail! I love you
all so much!

Love,

Elder Heath Tenney

The spirit is everything.

From: "Heath Tenney"
Sent: Monday, February 3, 2014 10:18:49 AM

Hey family!

I don't have much time because we are going fishing...for fish...and later men. 

This week was amazing again. We taught so much. More than I have ever taught in my mission. It seems that a lot of missionaries, myself included, focus a lot on the numbers, but at the end of the day, the Lord is never thinking numbers, he is thinking of souls. So that is what I have been trying to do, never numbers, always souls. 

We had so much success this week due to the members. We had members with us so much. One night we did splits and I was with Hermano L, the highlight was hearing his powerful testimony. We talked with a girl who is part of a crazy religion here, she denied that Christ lives. I then heard this still rather new member, with so much love and power in his words, testify that Jesus Christ lives. This girl was left speechless. I felt like Amulek, watching Alma confound Zeezrom. It was so powerful. That is the future of missionary work- members boldly testifying of Christ with the missionaries. 

Later in the week we went to the house of a less active member, Blas, who hasn't come for years. We always pass by to talk with his brother who lives next door, and there is always REALLY loud music playing. That's how it was when we passed by. There were kids running everywhere and music almost bursting our eardrums. Blas has always been closed off and doesn't really want anything to do with the church right now. The spirit completely guided us to ask inspired questions and LISTEN... there was a lot of silence, and a lot of listening, and because we let the spirit do its work, not interrupting it with unnecessary words, he opened up. He remembered what he really wants. He ended up in tears telling us of his desires to stop the way he is living, to be able to have an eternal family. To end the lesson, the whole family knelt down together, in silence, complete silence, and listened to their humbled father offer the feelings of his heart to Heavenly Father. There was no place else in the world I wanted to be in that moment. The spirit was so strong. I left that home thinking, " That is the essence of missionary work." We came into an environment seemingly absent of the spirit, loud, rowdy, and we left in silence, with peace, with the family together on their knees, committed to pray together and read together. 

This work is so beautiful. I wish I could tell you about all the miracles the spirit is doing for us and for others here. The spirit is everything. I know that. I can't do any good, but the spirit can. 

I know that Jesus Christ lives. My greatest joy is to testify of Him and share His love. 

I love you all so much! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIRSTEN! Have a wonderful birthday!

Love,

Elder Heath Tenney

El Evangelio bendice a las familias

Subject: El Evangelio bendice a las familias

January 28, 2014

Amada familia,

This week was so good. We definitely finished the transfer well and with all out hearts. We taught more and found more people than we have found in any other week. We saw miracles.

The title of this email means "The Gospel blesses families". I have been teaching that for almost a year now and seen living evidence of that all my life, but this week it hit me even more, in a way I have never felt.

1st of all one day, Elder Goyeneche for his language study was memorizing the section in the restoration, "the gospel blesses families" in English. He asked me to quiz him on it. He then recited it in English, with his argentine accent, describing all the blessings the gospel brings, and how important families are in God's plan. The spirit hit me like a wave, and I felt and knew it was true. I thought of our family and how incredibly blessed we are because of the gospel. I felt so grateful. There is so much power in hearing truth in your native tongue. 

Later, we had a family night with Estela, Emanuel, their 2 kids; along with an amazing family from the ward, familia paz. Looking back just one month ago, this family (emanuel y Estela) was struggling in so many ways. On the night of Christmas Eve, we visited Emanuel, who was alone in his house, because all his family left. Estela had told us she didn't want to come to church or participate because this was not her religion and not what she believed. There was so much tension. One day, we taught her about the importance of going to the church to really know if this is Christ's church, we called a member to ask her to invite Estela to church, and when Sunday came, Estela walked in! That was the start. She then began reading the Book of Mormon personally, later with the family, and praying with the family. Now just weeks later, they are a completely different family. The whole family is happy. The marriage and family that was falling apart is now coming together into the arms of the Savior. 

In the lesson, we talked about their vision with all of this. Where do they want to go with all of these changes? Basically we were trying to help them set their own goals, especially Estela for baptism, because she has told us before she doesnt want us to invite her, she will tell us when she is ready. We talked with them about that, and as we were finishing, Hermano P cut in, "Really, we need to just move forward with this, because she is all ready to be put in the water." I looked to Estela, and asked her, "Estela, is that what you want?" ....."Yes." she replied. Ahhhhhhh. There are very few moments when just one word can instantly fill your heart with indescribable joy, but this was one of them, just hearing her say yes. 

I was so grateful for bold and loving Hermano P, it meant so much more to hear the invitation from a friend rather than the missionaries. We then made specific plans for what they need to do to prepare. They are going to get married in 1 month, and Estela will be baptized on the 1st of march. So much joy. 

I was so happy, but at the same time disappointed that I probably wouldn't be able to be there since transfers were today. I was praying that I could stay in Benavidez one transfer more if it was the will of the Lord, and it looks like it is because I am staying in Benavidez with Elder Goyeneche. 

It has been so incredible to see the gospel blessing families here, that phrase is SO true. The gospel blesses families. I can feel it as I teach familia S about the temple and set goals with them to get there, after years of inactivity. I can feel it as I hear Sonia tell about her daughter who had 12 years old, was the one who told her when she was inactive, "Mom, you made sacred covenants, and you need to live them." Now they are all active. And I can feel it as I listen to 7 year old Cesar (son of Eman. y Estela), telling us how grateful he is that "now all the family goes to church together." I know with all of my heart that the Gospel of Jesus Christ blesses families,  it is the reason for families. It doesn't matter if a family is already happy or is falling apart, if they live the Gospel individually and together, they can fall together into the arms of the Savior, and his love will overflow into their lives. It will overpower any conflict. It will transform them. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that families can be together forever if we are forever together with Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I am so grateful for my family. I love you all so much. Have a wonderful week!

Love, 

Elder Heath Tenney 

¡Una Tormenta de MILAGROS!

From: "Heath Tenney" 
Sent: Monday, January 20, 2014 11:25:55 AM
Subject: ¡Una Tormenta de MILAGROS!

¡Hola familia y amigos amados!

¡Hola familia y amigos amados!

 

Argentina is super hot and super humid. And super great. This week was incredible. It seems like the miracles come in waves...I think we're always receiving waves of miracles, but we don't always notice them. But this week it was a TSUNAMI of MIRACLES! It was incredible! I don't even know where to start...

We have seen miracles this week from following our mission president's counsel to "gather Israel" when we teach people. Meaning to invite everyone there to join with us, family, neighbors, random people on the street, everyone. We did that this week and it was amazing to see the miracles that came. We gathered Israel with our investigator Gustavo, and we met his wonderful Sisters, brother, and parents. We taught them all together. Teaching them made me so happy. There is something so special about teaching families, because really that is what this is all about. I was teaching them about the restoration and as I was speaking, looking them in the eyes, it was as if time stopped for a moment. I could see them each looking attentively into my eyes, almost on the edge of their chairs, together as a family, learning the glorious truth that Jesus Christ is leading His church here on the earth today. Ahh, it filled me with so much gratitude and humbled me. I almost questioned to myself, "woah, this is weird, why are they all listening and looking so attentively to me?" but they weren't listening to me, or looking to me, they were listening to the spirit and looking to the Savior, because I really wasn't doing anything. That is one of the most beautiful things in the world, families looking to the Savior together.

So many other miracles happened. We found so many new investigators to teach. We were guided to be in exactly the right spot at exactly the right time. We were walking down the street and a woman stopped us, "excuse me, you are elders aren't you?" she asked us. "Sorry to bother you, but I have been seeing you two everywhere and I told myself if I saw you again I would say something. But I lived with a family who are members of yor church and I went with them. I don't know how it works, but I want to be taught, go to church, and one day get baptized." I couldn't stop smiling afterwards because I was in shock of what just happened haha. Her name is Natalia. She came to church with her baby girl yesterday. She sat down, and at the time there were no members there, but when Hermana G came, without us even saying anything, she went and sat down next to Natalia and talked to her, helped her with the baby, and to sing the hymns. It meant so much. Members like that are miracles.

Later in the week, a little thought came to my mind to pass by a less active family we had passed by many times before, but no one was home before, we did it, and found Vanessa and her 4 sons who she wants to be baptized and serve missions! It seemed everywhere we went there was someone there just waiting to be invited, who didn't even know they were waiting.

Really, the only reason for miracles, these many children of God who felt His love, is obedience. It is not because of our talents or luck. When we are obedient, when we are just a "good boy" or "good girl" as Elder Bednar puts it, we are guided by Him, by the Savior. If we are clean and pure, we are worthy to be tools in HIS hands. And that happened this week, I cannot explain how we just happened to pass by at the exact moment when prepared people were at the houses of members, I can't explain why we went where we went, but I know that we were guided there by the Lord. This work is His work. All we have to do is just be clean and obedient, and I know that He will guide us (whether we realize we are being guided or not) and use us as tools in His hands to do good. We really do nothing, He is everything.

 

I know that my Redeemer lives.

 Yo sè que vive mi Señor. Èl es esta obra. Milagros son la evidencia de su mano en esta obra. En el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

I love you all so much! Have a wonderful week!

 

Love,

 

Elder Heath Tenney

Never going to wait to rejoice.

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Sent: Monday, January 13, 2014 2:39:49 PM
Subject: Never going to wait to rejoice!

Hey family!

It is so so good to hear from everyone. I can't believe Garrett is engaged! I am so happy for him and Jamisyn.

(Heath ran into Sister Stanford, "Jamisyn," when he was in the MTC, where she is a teacher.  She served her mission in Indianapolis a couple of years ago, and she was one of our favorites.  He told her she should message his brother, Garrett-- "He's single.")

It sounds like things have been crazy in the states. Even here everyone was asking me if my family was okay and everything. I could only say "I hope so..." haha, but I am glad to hear everyone is okay.

This week was eventful and hard and beautiful. So many things happened this week that just rocked me emotionally. It was a great week though.

One day we were walking to the church for a meeting and the sky looked awesome. I looked to the sky and said "Oh WOW!" probably about 5 times. (Most of my companions are weirded out at first by my fascination/obsession of the sky, but by the end they love it too haha) But Elder Goyeneche said, " Why are you so amazed? There have been times when the sky looks way cooler than that." I ask myself that same question a lot because I see the sky every single day. But I responded, "I don't rejoice because it is the most incredible I have ever seen, I rejoice because it is beautiful." I was remembering that last night, and that is kind of how this week was. I don't think the Savior wants us to wait to rejoice until things in our life are perfect or even what we expected to rejoice, he wants us to rejoice now, because we have so many reasons to!

This Wednesday there was a crazy storm here. It was raining almost as bad as in Ohio in the spring. But we ran through the storm and rivers that previously were roads, all the way to our lunch appointment. The streets were deserted. It was so fun. so wet.

Then later that day we passed by Omar. He told us that he wasn't going to continue going to church and meeting with us because so many trials had come into his life since first talking with us. He told us, "If this is what I have to go through to change, I don't want it right now..." I sat there silent, just waiting for the spirit to guide me what I should say...but really I just felt like I shouldnt say anything. But I couldn't get up and leave, I don't understand how he can just give up. They told my companion "Please explain to him what we just told you, he doesn't understand anything we said." I told them I understood everything. I held up the picture of the temple that I had in my hand, and told them, "this is it... this is why we are here. This is why we aren't giving up on you. So that you can go there, as a family, to be sealed together forever. This is the reason you are doing these things." There really was nothing else we could do, he had made his decision, so we said goodbye. It was so hard, but I know that he will be baptized one day. I know it.

Later in the week, we passed by a recent convert that is struggling. I remember just a month ago when she told us, "I won't be able to go to church tomorrow." And I begged her to go. Because it always starts with one Sunday. Now, a month later, she hasn't been to church since and has fallen into old habits and friends. She really just isn't happy anymore. It was one of the most painful things in my life to see. Satan can destroy a life so fast. He always starts with "just one".

We had an amazing week with Estela. This week she prayed for one of the 1st times in her life (that wasn't a memorized prayer). She bowed her head at the end of  our lesson, and offered a simple, heartfelt prayer. At the end of the prayer, she lifted her head, with tears rolling down here cheeks. "I don't know why I am feeling emotional." She said. "how do you feel?" we asked her. " I feel...peace. I feel good." she said. We testified that we know God heard her prayer. Hearing someone pray for the 1st time is one of the most beautiful things in the world. Feeling that spirit, I can never forget the power of sincere prayer.

Lastly in church this last Sunday! We really don't have many investigators right now, but the work with less actives has been amazing. We had 15 or 16 members who haven't been to church in years who came to church this week. I was thinking for a second at church, "Man, we only have one investigator here." But then I realized all the people who came, who took the sacrament for the 1st time in years, who felt the spirit of the church, and are changing their lives again. It filled me with joy. How incredible is that! No, that is not what I was dreaming for, it is not what some consider to be "success", but that is so so beautiful. So I will rejoice.

I am so grateful for these times of beauty when I can look at all that is happening and say "Oh wow!", because there really is so much to rejoice about. I never want to wait to rejoice, because waiting is really choosing to never rejoice at all.

I know that Christ lives and that this is His work. Every day I am filled with enthusiasm to go and work because I know whose work this is. It is such an incredible privledge to be here. I hope you all have a wonderful week! Love you all!

Love,

Elder Heath Tenney

Aprendiendo Confianza - Learning Confidence

 "Heath Tenney"
Sent: Monday, December 30, 2013 11:16:14 AM
Subject: Aprendiendo Confianza  - Learning Confidence

Hey Family! 

It was so so good to talk to you all and see everyone on skype this last week. I almost forgot how much I love you all. It definitely made my Christmas. 

Christmas was so good. Garrett told me last week how Christmas on his mission was one of the best, and I definitely agree. It was so good to literally only focus on the Savior and how much I love Him. Even though no one plays Christmas music here or decorates or anything, I always had a christmas hymn in my head and was thinking of the Savior, and that made it so good. Also the delicious meat we ate helped a little bit too. ;) 

This week I was studying "confidence" in my personal study. Confidence in Spanish, is "confianza". And "confianza" also means trust. As I looked through the scriptures, all of the verses that say "confianza" were talking about trusting in the Lord. At first I glanced over them thinking that is not what I was looking for, but I later realized that it was exactly what I was looking for. To truly have confidence doesn't come from our talents or experience. It doesn't come from how much Spanish we know, nor from how much success we have had. Personal confidence comes from trusting in the Lord, because we have every reason to trust in Him. And when we do, we don't have to worry about our weaknesses or what others say, because we can know that He will not ever fail us. Confidence is to trust in Him, not ourselves, and not what others say. 

That being said, there is a difference between to know it in your head and to have it inscribed in your heart from living it. So I am still working on the living it part. But this week I made progress. 

This week was kind of crazy with all the parties and everything. Here, sadly, they dont really say "merry Christmas!" or things like that, they say "Feliz fiesta" because really it is a time with huge parties. So it was hard to find our investigators this week, the Lord guided us to a lot of new people to teach which was great. I really wanted to trust in the Lord more and be guided by Him, and it was amazing to see His hand. One day we had like 40 minutes left before we had to go home, all our appointments fell through, so we decided to stop by a less active member, as we walked I was praying for guidance, and when we got to the street to turn, I felt like we should just keep going. So we did. We walked for like 5 blocks, and there was nobody outside, and I was thinking, "okay...why did I feel like we should keep walking?" haha. But we kept going, and after about 3 more blocks, BOOM! A person! I told my companion,"he's the one!", basically because I was excited to finally see a person. We went and talked with this man named Frederico, and we began to teach him in the street. We only had a few minutes, but he said we could come back and he wants to come to church! It was a Christmas miracle.

Lastly, we had a lesson yesterday with Omar and Rocio, they really want to change their lives, they are just so busy that they don't have time to read or go to church. Anyways, we dropped by after church because they didn't come. I was filled with sorrow for them because there are so many blessings just waiting for them. But anyways, as we talked, I asked a question about something, but and someone said, "Wow, he doesn't understand anything that we are saying!" In that moment, I just instantly became...upset. I was just so tired of hearing things like that when I am trying so hard. I almost got up and left, not because I was upset with them, but I was just upset in general, and somehow the natural man in me thought it would help to leave. I felt this strong desire to just leave, I was so tired and stressed, but the deep love I have for them kept me in my chair. I knew that if we left, we would be depriving them of a chance to feel the Savior's love, and to grow. And that would be the most selfish thing I could do. So I stopped being selfish and we taught them, we read Alma 5 together. I just had to trust that the Lord would teach them somehow. Even though I wasn't feeling the best, I trusted in the Lord and I stayed, and He was able to touch their hearts. 

Sometimes during the day those types of natural man thoughts come, trying to make me think my confidence comes from me, but the spirit never stays when I begin to think that. Because I know that doesn't come from me. As disciples of Christ, we don't focus on ourselves, because Christ never did, we just have to focus on Him, and that is where true confidence comes, from trusting in Him and His grace. 

I know His grace is sufficient. It is real and powerful. 

I am so grateful to be here. It isn't easy and there is so much I need to learn, but there is so much joy in serving the Lord if we just ask to be able to feel it. 

I love you all so much! Have a wonderful week! 

Love,

Elder Heath Tenney

¡Feliz Navidad!

Dec 12/23/13 1:07 PM

¡Hola Familia! ¡Feliz Navidad!

I don't have much time to write today, or honestly, much to write about as well. haha. It was a good week, we are just going through a phase of dropping a lot of investigators that aren't progressing and trying to find new ones. 

This was a week that was filled with hard things. Mabel, our baptism from last week, told us she wouldnt be coming to church this week to be confirmed because she has to go to Paraguay. So that was really disappointing. We are hoping she comes back soon so we can confirm her a member. 

One of the highlights of the week was meeting with our ward mission leader, Hermano C. He is amazing. He works 6 sometimes 7 days a week, from 7AM to really late. He barely has time to sleep. This last saturday night/sunday morning, he got home at 3 AM, had to wash his cloths for church, slept a few hours, then came to church and stayed after for the meeting. He told us that he doesn't have time during the week to come with us, but that every Sunday he is going to come with us for 2 hours. He bore his testimony to us how he knew the Lord would not give him a calling he could not do, and he knows that there are people whom he can bless in this calling. Woah. He really is such an incredible example of faith. 

Really, this week and this time is kind of overwhelming because we have nothing right now. Our investigators are kind of at a block, not progressing. We have literally no active male members who live in our area who could go with us to teaching appointments. Still trying to earn the trust of members and overcome the language barrier. It is kind of hard, but I am filled with an overwhelming hope. Because I know that this is not my work, this is the work of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Even though I dont know where to start or where to go, He does, and I know if I am obedient, he will guide us. There is really nothing to worry about when we are in the Lord's service, because if we just do our best, the grace of Jesus Christ will strengthen us, guide our path, and lead us to success. I am so grateful for the hope that comes from Jesus Christ. I know that He really lives and is a real part of this work.

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you have a wonderful week! 

Love,

Elder Heath Tenney