Great shall be your JOY

Hi Mother :)

So this week was AMAZING! From the beginning down to the end. I love it! First off transfers are coming up! ALREADY. Whoa it seems like every transfer just gets faster and faster, I will be hitting my 6 month mark next week, and i honestly can't believe it. But it's true, so I will :)

This area is quite great, The ward, it so supportive and want to help out the best they can. I love it. I love being a missionary. It's hard, but really... what in life isn't? We have to embrace the hardness in life and look forward with a brightness of hope for better days. When we appreciate what we have today, whether it's good or crumby be are able to love life and live with the fullness of joy. Especially when we invite the love of the Savior and his grace into our daily lives.

We got to teach this lady that we have been trying to teach lately, and she is a gem, you know everyone is a gem. But there is one problem, she falls asleep every lesson we have with her! We tried to sing a song to her, another time we tried to have her sing a song with us, we tried to have her read from the pamphlet we were learning from... nope, it's not working. So sadly we have to say enough was enough and wish her good luck on her way!

We also had a baptism! I can't even believe the incredible joy that I felt. It was so exciting to be apart of it all and to see how we are just instruments in the Lord work, to bring others closer to Him. If we just do our part, by living what you preach then He will trust you by putting others in your path. That is exactly why she was able to find the Church, but watching her someone who was Mormon, who was living it. I have never been so humbled by someone's strength and desire in coming to follow Christ. The spirit was so strong through this whole week! Ah! I just love it every time I think about it.

It's so amazing to be able to teach everyday, and talk to people about their purpose her in life. Some people care to listen, others don't at all, some tolerate you, some are repulsed by your sight, but all in all we as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints who represent the same person. The Only-Begotten Son, Jesus Christ even our Savior. As missionaries we go about inviting others to come unto Christ. Whether you are a member or not, we are all invited to come unto Christ. We are all at different levels, but once you realize Who Christ is and what the Atonement is, THEN we will know our purpose her and the power we ourselves hold because of our faith in Christ.

Well I hope you have a wonderful week and that everything goes well for you guys! I love you and miss you, but keep on keepin on :)

Love, Sister Tincher

A day at McDonald's

So this week was really good! We got to teach a lot of people, and I was able to go to the City on exchanges! So I was like really excited about that because I love the city, it was where I was born! but we had some great experiences teaching there. We went to meet up with this lady who is Chinese, but she came here to go to school and get a good job. Well they had to meet with her at McDonald's and we were kind of hesitant going there because it was... well in McDonald's. And there is loud music going off and all this stuff. But anyways we go down and sit by her in this small table. There are two other tables right news to her with two men sitting down. I love the Chinese, and working with them in the past, because they are such good students! She got out the Restoration pamphlet and there was tabs in it, things highlighted and questions written in it. So she just starts as soon as we sit downs and says, "Ok, who is going to say the prayer, I said the closing prayer last time, you its one of your turn. And I will say the closing prayer." haha It was perfect, I loved her right off the bat! And so we just started answering all her questions and teaching her about our Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost. Well the huge African American man comes up behind us (who was sitting two tables down) and is like "excuse me are you Christians?" and then he asks what makes you guys different from Christians, or Catholics? Well this is perfect! I love this questions! So we just started to answer him and talk to him about priesthood authority and Christs ministry and the Book of Mormon. While this was going on the man that was sitting at the table right next to use gets up and leaves. I was nervous he was annoyed, well I think he was... when he comes back he says "Do you have like a dollar or something to buy me a burger?" But really I think that was just his creative way to get into the conversation, because he just starts to ask us all of these questions about how we are different. We offered him a Book of Mormon and he said, "Honestly I would just do the same thing I do with the J. W. and throw it away." so we continue to talk to him and tell him more about how the Book of Mormon is a Second witness of Jesus Christ and His teaching to Gods Children on this earth and how God talks to His Children all over the world and will continue to talk to them. It was the coolest things he said, "Yeah, or send them to McDonald's." His whole demeanor changes, his heart was softened because the spirit was present that day in McDonald's to bear witness to Him of the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. He later said, "I guess I'll take back what I said about not taking your book..." Ah! I was dying in my heart, I couldn't fathom what was going on, but than I could because the Lord loves this man and knows his story, He has lived his story. And we got to teach him in McDonald's with two other people who all were searching for the truth.

In Amos 8:11-12 "Behold, the days come... that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but a hearing the words of the Lord: and people shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it."

This is true today, as we teach people they are running to and fro looking for something, and may not even realize it. The word of God is was fullfilled this need for "something more" in life that people are looking for. I know and bare testimony that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored on the earth again, and that we can through His teaching find what we are looking for. I know that My Redeemer Lives, and that my Heavenly Father loves all His children and through everyone of us we can do His work to bring to pass His work and His glory. Joseph Smith is a true prophet who was called of God to restore Christ true Church back on the earth, and President Thomas S. Monson is a living day prophet who is directed by our Father in Heaven to be able to have a living Church and thriving gospel. I am so thankful for the opportunity to teach this everyday.

I hope you have a wonderful week, I love you and miss you :) Until next week!

Love, Sister Tincher

Happy Birthday!

Hello Mom,

 

It's so nice to hear from you as it is every week. I really needed it. This week was a great week because of my birthday it was just a blessing to have that sisters conference on my birthday because it kept my mind busy and I got to see my dear friends. I know the Lord answers prayers. Then we had two birthday parties! You know one at the Clawson's and the other at the O'Brien's two families that I love. I still can't believe how lucky I am to be living in this ward. The members love the missionaries and would do anything to help them out. It was such a crazy day though! We first woke up earlier than normal so that we could drive and drop our car off at the shop... because well I did some damage to it. So then after that we drove all the way down to Chicago! It takes about two hours to get there from where we are and the traffic is bad news. The conference was wonderful as always. The taught us self defense (I am sure you are happy about that ;) ), then they did some dealing with homesickness and like discouragement. I swear everyone here is depressed. It's so weird to me; like wouldn't you be happy if you are doing the Lord's work? Yeah it's hard and we have such slow days but still. I didn't really love how they keep talking about trials and challenges. I don't want to think about that stuff anymore, but the spirit was there and was amazing as always. I love meeting with everyone because of the spirit that is present I wish so bad we could have that we us all of the time! When it was over and when that was done we had to race back up to good ole Buffalo Grove and pick up our car and head to our appointments. It was a crazy day, but just the way I like it!

 

 

Our investigators are amazing as always! The one getting baptized in two weeks is heaven sent I can't even fathom how blessed we are to work with her, but I am glad we are! She was at church yesterday and said a comment in class about how since she decided to get baptized, the adversary has been working on her and she has been getting texts like everyday from her friends and family about not being Mormon. She hasn't even told any of her family about her decision of being baptized, it's so annoying how much Satan attacks. But is it so strong and her husband is coming around! It so cool to watch!

 

It sounds like everyone is doing so good, I loved being able to hear from everyone with the card you sent and being about to see how they are doing. I bet Aubrey is doing so good, I remember when she was pregnant with Wes that was fun. I can't wait to see my babies again.

 

This week was a whole lot of Plan of Salvation talking in church all our our lessons including Sacrament meeting was on the Plan of Salvation. We even taught someone this week on  the P.O.S it was very interesting. I love learning new things about something you think you have down and know. In 2 Nephi 2:11 "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things." We were given the gift of agency which is the ability to choose between two different choices. With out this would never be able to learn, we would never be able to grow. Because the only way we do learn is if we make a mistake and have to figure out how to do it the right way. The Lord is merciful and know that if we want to because like him we have to make mistakes, time and time again. But through His Son we can repent, and change for the better in order to become the person we desire and are designed to become. I am so thankful we have a merciful Lord who is willing to help us change and become better through an infinite atonement.

 

Thank you for everything, you are in my prayers and I hope and pray that you have a wonderful week.

Love you.

 

 Love Sister Tincher

 

 

Some good news...

This week was pretty good, the weather wasn't too horrible, or maybe I have just been blessed enough to not remember it! Oh just kidding I just remembered that the kids were out of school because it was too cold to go... haha BUT its all good,  we got some good things done and met some wonderful people through our hard work and dedication.

We have been looking for service opportunities to be able to talk to more people, so we went to the hospital to see if we could talk to people who were in crisis. Haha well it turns out we can't because of a contract people sign and the respect for religion and such, anyways we got to talk to the head Chaplin of this area of Spirituality and Mission office of the Hospital and it was pretty cool because she was really interested in the Mormon faith we were able to share our beliefs with her and answer all of her questions. There are a lot of stereo types about Mormons and rumors, so it's so nice to be able to talk to someone and tell them what we believe. We believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior and only through Him we can be able to return to out Heavenly Father. We believe that Joseph Smith is a prophet called by God to Restored God's church and that the Book of Mormon is evidence that we can hold in our hands, read and pray to know for out selves of the truthfulness of the things Joseph Smith brought forth as well as how the Christs church is ran. I love the Book of Mormon and what it was done for me. It is just one book, but has been able to answer any questions or concerns I have for life. In 1 Nephi it talks about the Liahona which is a ball that directs Lehi and His family. I like to compare this ball to the scriptures. When we use the scriptures for guidance in our daily lives The Lord Promises us blessing. He will show you the way. When we want to talk to our Heavenly Father we pray, when we need to hear from him we read the Scriptures. Its so nice to be able to have this book, to be a Latter-Day Saint and have the privilege of being able to share it with everyone who needs it.

There are people looking for answers and there is a Book who has all of them and a God who is more than willing to show you them.

We have been showing a Mormon message video called "How the book of Mormon Changed my life" I love this video because it shows 3 different people, with 3 different challenges, but the SAME book giving them hope for the future.

So here is some exciting news. We have been working with this couple since November... and they are awesome. The wife is just top notch and so ready to follow the Lord and do His will. She called us last week and said she wanted to schedule her baptism!! I was fainting..." wait what? you wanna do what?" That's what happened in my head for a sec. So she is getting baptized this month! She and her husband came to church yesterday and are planning on coming the next Sunday so that they can get baptized! I am straight up so excited. I can't even believe the blessing I have to be able to know her and see her testimony grow of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Guys! This is the True Church! THIS is CHRIST's church. 

In this area there are a lot of wealthy and big nice homes, as well as tons of churches, more than Mormon churches ;) hah when we tract so many people say well I already belong to this church, or I am a devote ____ It's great. We need more people to follow Christ. But this Church is Christ's Church with the fullness of His teachings. Do you understand what that brings? The Fullness of everlasting Joy, the Fullness of hope, the Fullness of peace, the Fullness of Happiness. It's a wonderful thing and it's so cool to be able to see people come to a realization of that for themselves. You don't know until you try it! Just read the Book of Mormon, what can you lose? Haha I love this Church and I love this Gospel. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet who Restored Christ's Church through the priesthood authority given to him by God. I know we have a living day prophet who leads and guides us through the direct communication with God. I love the fact that my family can be together forever, and that death is not the end of the relationships I have made here on this earth.

I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful week, you all deserve it!

Love, Sister Tincher :)