we TESTIFIED

Family and friends :)
Before I begin my story I want to notify you all that this email is
not meant to bash those of the Jehova's Witness' faith. It's just my
experience that I've had here. Understand? Thanks :)
So last week we were leaving the apartment of a member when we ran
into a friendly JW in the elevator. We talked religion for a bit and
then she gave us her number. We met with her this last friday night.
For those of you who are familiar with this "religion", they are quite
dilligent and passionate in what they believe. I think besides us
Mormons, they are the most passionate and faithful church to their
beliefs. They usually know the bible inside and out and man it can be
tough talking with them. We started our meeting with a prayer and
before we could start our lesson she began asking us soooo many
questions about our beliefs. She loved listening to our answer and
then telling us what she believed and then proving that her belief was
right becasue she had "biblical proof". She did this very kindly
actually which I appreciated, but still it wasn't exactly fun. But I
was actually very surpirsed with how I felt throughout the entire
meeting. You see before my mission I was always so nervous when people
asked me questions about my beliefs becasue I wanted to make sure to
give the right answers and also make sure they didnt think I was
weird, etc. But this time it was different. While this lady tried to
prove her points with us, we were able to calmy explain what we
believe, and most importantly, we TESTIFIED. We told her what we knew,
we tried our best to avoid "bible-bashing" and we simple declared what
we knew, and that we knew it becasue of the Bible AND the Book of
Mormon.
Have I told you how much I love the Book of Mormon???? ;) Seriously,
if you want to strengthen your testimony of ANYTHING in the gospel, or
if you have a question. The Book of Mormon will solve everything.
Think about it. If you truly KNOW the Book of Mormon is true, then you
already KNOW: 1- Jospeh Smith was a prophet 2- Joseph Smith restored
God's true church 3- Christ is our Savior and redeemer and our way
back to our Heavenly home. 4- That our church is establised on living
prophets and what they ask us to do is revelation and direction from
GOD 5- We have the priesthood power on earth that allow us to make the
covenants we must make to return to God. AND SO FORTH. I could go on
and on. By you knowing the Book of Mormon is true, you essentially
have a solid testimony of every single gospel principle.
So don't worry. All you need to do is read the Book of Mormon.
Everyday. And I promise you everything in life will work out. And The
JW's wont even scare you one bit ;)
I love you all! Thank you for your love and support. Keep me in your
prayers always :) LOVE Sister Tenney

THANK YOU!

FAMILY!
oh my gosh the wedding sounded like the best thing ever. THANK YOU to
everyone who emailed me and told me all about it. And "I am honored!"
(pink panther) to have had "Swing Swing" dedicated to me!! Even though
I wasn't there I feel like I was a part.
So I was super nervous this week I would just be sad all week, but I
wasn't! God blessed me with a deep sense of peace and assurasnce. As I
thought about Britt and everything I was missing I smiled and was
happy for her. It was a miracle! I was also blessed becasue I hardly
had time to think about anything besides Angela, my favorite
investigator. She's 19, writes music, and is planning to study writing
music in Vienna. She is amazing and inspiring and just listen to this.
Yesterday I texted her and told her to read Moroni 10. 5 minutes later
she texted me back. "I'm reading it right now and I believe it is
true!"
I couldn't help but cry. It may seem small but I know this is the
beginning of a new life for her. I have never been so happy.
SO this week right as I thought I was beggining to be able to speak
Russian, at our district meeting I went to say that we as
missionaries need to develop. "Develop" in Russian is razVEEvatsya,
but I made the mistake of saying razDEEvatsya. As I said this everyone
just started laughing and I tried to ignore it and finally just yelled
"WHAT DID I SAY!" haha instead of saying we need to develop I said we
need to undress. HAHAHAHAHA. The difference a tiny mistake can make.
Hilar.
Anyways I love you all! Jack good luck with your tooth ;)
have a great week everyone, love sister Tenney

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! i love you

Family and friends!
For all of my family and friends who will be at Britt's wedding this
week PLEASE do me a HUGE favor and EMAIL me. ALLLL ABOUT IT. I want
pics, and I want details, and i want similes :) haha.
So this mission stuff is SUCH a rollar coaster. We had SUCH an amazing
week. 4 new investigators! and more new ones will be coming :) I
seriously couldn't have been happier. But also this week we called our
best investigator and she told us she doesnt want to see us again and
doesn't want us to call her and then she hung up. I just forced it out
of my mind so i wouldn't be sad, but then the next day my favorite
investigator, an older man who is SOOOO kind (he owns a hospital here
in St. petes for kids who don't have money), when I called him he said
so kindly "Tenney, I love you and your goodness and your church but I
know its not for me". My heart broke and I just started crying right
there. (secretly.....well I hope he didn't know I was crying on the
phone haha). I dont know where I'm going with this email, I just want
you all to know that life is always up and down. It's never what you
expect it to be and its often not what you thought you wanted. But
there's always a reason for everything, and at the end of the day
somehow I always go to bed with a smile. Sometimes its annoying cuz I
had a bad day and I feel I have the right to be mopey and sad! but
somehow God always gives me a reason to smile as I go to bed. SO
unfair! ;)
And I hope you can go to bed with a smile each night too!
I love you all! and EVERYONE, don't forget to give me a report on the
wedding, and Britt and Jarman: I'm totes excited for you! Dont forget
to "party hardy and boogy oogy!"
love, sis Tenney

He has a plan

Family and friends,
Again this week I was reminded of how little I know and how God really
does have a better plan than me. He just is sooo tricky sometimes
haha.
So on saturday I was pumped. 3 investigators were gonna come to church
on sunday! We had made plans with each of them so they were all ready
to come. And we even called almost the whole ward to tell them we were
having investigators come and that we needed their help. I prayed ALL
week and just knew sunday was gonna be awesome.
SO then sunday morning..... not ONE of them answered their phones. And
NOT one of them came.
I could have cried.
.....
BUT then we had to meet the elders investigator at the metro and walk
her to chruch. SHE is amazing. She is golden. My comp and I were SOOOO
SAD but as we walked with her to church our spirits quickly rose.
Church was PERFECT for her. I thought all the work I had put into
getting my investigators to church was a waste, but on the contrary!
Because of our hard work they ward welcomed the elder's investigator
with loving arms. SHE LOVED IT. I sat next to her every hour and here
are a few of her comments (just so you know shes only met with the
elders 2 times and this was her very 1st sunday at chruch)
"I've prayed my whole life to find support and friends and I know God
has lead me here and know I've found it"
"I want to know ALL of the commandments so I can keep them all"
"When can I get baptized?"
OH MY GOSH SUCH A MIRACLE! God really is a so tricky sometimes. Right
when we want to throw our hands up and yelll " i give up!" He opens
our eyes and helps us to see that HE has a plan. And HE has a reason.
Gosh I've learned this over and over and yet I always forget! So don't
be like me. ALways remember God is the master planner. He knows us.
And He loves us. And He has a reason for everything.
i love you all! Thank you for your love and support! peace out, sister Tenney