March 30, 2015

There is member that whenever she hears anyone say hello she always says, "Stop saying Hello, Hell low, we need to say Hi! As in high pointing to Heaven."

So HI!!

LOVE THIS LADY!

So this week we had zone conference in Montego Bay!!! Sister Mundle (Munchi) is serving in Mo Bay and for weeks I had been looking forward to seeing her. Inspiring messages from the AP's and President Brown. They fed us pizza and banana cake (and that is why I love zone conference...plus all the spiritual stuff.) After lunch we watched MEET THE MORMONS!!!  Have you ever seen it? Let me tell you something, before my mission I loved to obsess over things. American flags, cats, Harry Potter on and on. Being on a mission there are not many things you can obsess over. Let's see I have my scriptures. I have to admit I love Nephi. But other than that there is nothing. Well besides Meet the Mormons. I am obsessed with that movie. It is sooooo good. As soon as it was over I just wanted them to start it over. It was a really fun day.

I will never stop sending beach pictures. 

When we got back from Mo Bay, our investigator Sonia had her baptismal interview. YAYAYA. Our district leader said she did really well and she was ready to be baptized on Saturday.

Friday night we stopped by the beach to see if it would be quiet for the baptism on Saturday. It was perfect. Quiet and not very many people.

Oh goodness, Saturday. What a day. It started in the morning when not a single soul would let us see them. Days like that are just funny to me now. Seriously, how is it possible that we can call 30 people and NO ONE is home. We eventually decided just to show up at one of our less actives homes. She wasn't there so we visited a member. His name is Brother Francis. Brother Francis was baptized by some elders about 2 years ago. He is a great member. He is actually the only member in Ochi that occasionally feeds us. He is great. We read the Book of Mormon with him and chatted for awhile. He tells us all of his dating stories. It is hilarious. As we were walking out we noticed that one of our front wheels was really flat. Like not all the way flat, but clearly losing air. Bad. Sister Thompson called the office elders (bad idea. Office elders can't stand sisters and their car troubles. It is just a fact). I ended up talking to them. They kept telling me to get the jack from the back but THERE WAS NO JACK. The conversation went something like this:
"Sister Tuttle, the jack is behind the seat."
"Okay well it is not there."
"Do you know what a jack is?"
"Of course I know what a jack is, okay it's okay I am going to figure this out"
I get off the phone and see Brother Francis marching down the drive way with a bike pump. I was just thinking, "A bike pump? What good is that going to do??" We called the senior couple and while I was talking to Elder Hardy, Brother Francis starts pumping up the tire with the bike pump. Oh man, it was so funny. I was laughing, but Sister Thompson was stressing. She kept saying stuff like:
"It is so hot"
"I am so hungry"
"My belly is hurting"
"Why is this happening"
"I am so stressed"
"We have people to see"
"My belly is hurting"
I was just there laughing and taking pictures of the scene. Anyways, it turned out that Brother Francis was able to pump it up enough that it could take us into town.

lol at Sister Thompson's swear face 

BROTHER FRANCIS SAVED US!

On the way to the gas station I bought some chinese food for Sister Thompson and me (priorities) and this funny old rasta man shot a patch into the tire. Quick and easy. The whole time I was just praying that Satan was putting all his focus on us and leaving Sonia alone. We finally made to the church at around 5 o'clock. Sonia was already there. She said that her day had gone so smoothly. She was able to finish work early and get everything done that she needed to. We were so happy for her.  After the service we all walked over to the beach. While everyone was changing Sister Thompson and I walked down to the water. The scene was completely different than what we had seen the night before. There were tons of people on the beach and loud music playing. STRESSING! We talked to the lifeguard and he said it was going to die down in the next 20 minutes. We all walked down to the water together and took pictures. Eventually people left and they were able to preform the ordinance. It was just the best thing ever. So spiritual. I just know this gospel is true. We went back to the church and watched the woman's conference. I love the woman's conference and I am so looking forward to general conference!

Sunday was fast and testimony meeting. Sonia received the gift of the Holy Ghost. She bore her testimony about the past few weeks. It was really great.

SONIA!!!

I don't know if this picture does any justice to the ridiculously small road I was forced to drive on. Trust me it was tiny...and terrifying.

Well, you know that I love you! Have a great week!

Love,
Sister Tuttle!
xoxoxo

March 23, 2015

Watafalls!

Well, what can I say. This week was just plain average. The best kind of average though.

Just taking Jaxon's advice by chillin on our veranda. 

So nothing really cool or out of the ordinary happened this week so I am just going to tell you about all the people we are teaching.

Beach! Please excuse the random people in the background

Sonya: Oh Sonya. She is so great! She is just this sweet tiny lady. Her sister was recently baptized in another branch and Sonya was referred to us. Sister Garrett and Thompson started teaching her before I got here. This woman is so prepared! The biggest problem we were facing with her was coming to church on time. We had to push back her baptismal date because she wasn't coming on time. Every time we went we testified of the sacrament and it's importance. She came almost an hour early yesterday so I think she got the message. lol. If everything goes as planned this week and Satan stays away she will be baptized this coming Saturday!! YAYAYA! So exciting.

Beach and tan lines

Kristine: We met Kristine through this other lady we were teaching. She works at the craft market in Ochi. Despite it's name the craft market is not a place you go to do adorable crafts, as much as I wish it was. The craft market is just a one stop shop for all your Jamaican souvenirs. I secretly love it in there. Anyways, back to Kristine. We have taught her the Restoration and the Book of Mormon. She lives pretty close to the church, but she still didn't come yesterday. I don't know why. Excuses, excuses. She is super nice to us though. She gave us bracelets the other day so pretty much she is my favorite.

BEAACCH!!

Nigel: One day we were walking around Parry Town to meet new people. As we were walking by he called to us. He asked us if we knew Elder Martin and Elder Beck. Of course we know Elder Martin and Elder Beck. He told us that they were teaching him about a year ago. He said that with the changing missionaries he was forgotten and the missionaries stopped seeing him. When he told us he was 24 I was like, YES this guy can still go on a mission. Then he told us that he has a 4 month old son. Well, he can still marry his baby mother and get married in the temple. He was supposed to come to church yesterday, but his boss made him pick up some chickens for the cook shop. Darn. Next week. The only problem with Nigel is whenever we go to see him there are always distractions in the lesson. Since we can only see him while he is working he occasionally has to get up out of the lesson to make deliveries. Also there is this guy Shilo that loves to hang around during the lessons. Shilo is a Nazerite.  It is kind of creepy. He talks about all these visions God has given him. He talks about things to come that he can't tell us about them because we wouldn't believe him. Anyways, we just make sure we always have a member in that lesson....

Inside the dollhouse

So those are just a few of the investigators that we have been working with lately. Other than that everything is great. Sister Thompson is kinda cryie lately because she goes home soon, but I tell her that she still needs to smile. Lol it is working out. The branch it great. Tourists come to church pretty regularly. I love it because most of them are from Utah. They are so nice and they just feel like a piece of home. And that is pretty much it.

Inside the dollhouse

I hope you all have a fabulous week!

Sour sap. Delicious

I love you all with all my heart!

Love,
Sister Tuttle

xoxoxo


Following is an email chat between Hannah and her dad.
Hannah: HIIII DAD!!! Loved the pictures from you this week! Especially the mountains! BEAUTIFUL!

Dad: Good to hear from you!!!

Hannah: You too! I love the man cave too! So cool!! are you going to put some up in my room??

Dad: Your room? We've turned your old room into man-cave #2.
Just kidding.
Mom is looking forward to painting your room. I don't think I could convince her to clad your room in rusty steel sheets.

Hannah: ANOTHER MAN CAVE? NO!  hahaha. What color is she going to paint it. You can tell her to throw everything in there away. Except for my clothes. And my medals.

Dad: We won't throw anything away. We'll either put everything in boxes or back on the shelves. That will give you something to do when you get home. Actually, I think you were supposed to do that before you left. Maybe we could ask your mission president if you could come home for a week to clean your room.
I've already drywalled and mudded the area of your room that was affected by the door addition. It's almost ready to paint. We've been using your room for tool storage (and other storage: dressers, dress-ups, etc.). I tried to take some bags of salt into the mechanical room the other day and gave up. I left them at your doorway.
I will vote to paint your colors the same as the guest room. It turned out really well. But if mom has other ideas, I'm sure I could be persuaded. Mom would like to start painting your room now that the bathroom is done. I'd rather to jump back in the laundry room. So much to do . . . so little time.

Hannah: Ya do you realize that you have barely over a year to finish the whole house?? Dad I am almost at 6 months!!!! 6 months sounds like such a significant amount of time!! crazy stuff!! I really wouldn't mind if you painted my room white. Just a white room. OR a nice light gray. I am growing up dad. no more bright purple and green.

Dad: You've been living in pink houses. I thought you'd want pink. (Sarcasm).
White, gray, and/or brownish-gray. It will look good, trust me.

Hannah: HAHA that is probably the reason I want white gray or brown... I trust you. I cant wait to see it! Take down those cork boards and that collage of me.

Dad: Take down the collage of you? No way. Half of the house looks like a shrine to Sister Tuttle. We love Hannah collages!

Hannah: Are you serious?? I want to see pictures of that!! Speaking of that is my plaque up in the church? How does it look?

Dad: Yes, your plaque is up at the church and has been moved from the 2nd ward to the 3rd ward. You are not at the bottom any more (meaning there are other missionaries who come home later than you). We like to see you move toward the top. But don't get trunky. Keep working hard and think about what you can do TODAY.
Your picture looks good at the stake offices, too. Eileen Waite revised the missionary display at the stake. It looks much better and you look great.
Jerry Howard (junior) had his picture rejected from the stake. He had a pin-striped shirt on. They made him take another one with a white shirt.
I'm debating on whether to show you the Hannah Shrine. When I started, mom said, "That's a little weird" We just have a bunch of pictures stuck to the wall. No statues of you (at least not yet).

Hannah: hahaha show me anyways I want to see the pictures you like enough to print out!

March 16, 2015

HELLLOOOOO!!!

Pretty outlook

So last week Monday I was told that a few of my Aunts and Uncles were on a cruise that was stopping in Ochi. Let me tell you I spent all of Monday in the most touristee places I could think of. I even prayed that I would randomly be able to find them. Well, all things are possible through the Lord, but I think he kept them from me for a reason. I probably would have gotten on the ship with them and left. lol.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTER THOMPSON

Anyways, this week has been great. I don't know what I did or how I did it, but I broke down a wall with Sister Thompson. Where there was tension and stress there is just laughter. Seriously, I think that was the key. Just laughing. Sister Thompson is the funniest companion I have had yet. Sometimes I am laughing so hard that tears fall and my belly is aching. It is so great. Of course there are still times where I can feel the tension building, but I have officially learned how to handle it. Everything is great. I am not kidding right now. No sarcasm at all. I LOVE SISTER THOMPSON.

An adorable little boy

Wednesday night there was a young single adult fireside broadcasted from the Dominican Republic. Pretty much the whole thing was about marriage. My favorite topic..... (I know you can't hear sarcasm over the internet, but trust me it is there.) Elder Holland spoke and he said, "We need to take the Y and S out of YSA you are no longer young and you are no longer single! It is time to be adults!!!"  I am pretty sure that missionaries should not have been invited to that devotional. Actually now that I think about it, I don't think we were invited.... we just showed up. lol it was fun anyways.

Fern Gully 

Saturday was Sister Thompson's birthday. We washed for an investigator and then went to lunch and for ice cream. We spent the rest of the day teaching. I checked the calendar. My one and only birthday on my mission is on a p-day....SWEEET!

Sister Thompson's seashells

Our investigator Sonya is supposed to be baptized this Saturday, but unfortunately she didn't come to church on time yesterday. Church attendance. Everybody and their dogs problem. I just don't understand why it is a problem. Most of the people we teach have grown up in churches where Sunday service starts at 9 in the morning and goes until 8 at night. All day at church?? All the Lord asks of us is 3 hours once a week. WHY IS IT SO HARD!!??? Other than coming to church on time Sonya is doing great! We still have quite a few things to teach her, but we think she can be ready by the 28th. Also did I mention that they baptize in the ocean here?? SWEET!!!

The view from a members house. We went on a hike straight up the mountain to get here, it was really great.

Jungle

Yesterday I spoke in church. I think I almost spoke for 30 minutes... There is something about being a missionary that just turns you into a talker. Seriously, I hardly planned anything for my talk, but I got up there and talked and talked. I even put a few people to sleep. Lol that is when I ended. The branch is really small so I may have a few chances to speak in church. YAAYA (only slight sarcasm, I really don't mind speaking).

Pretty flowers

Last night we were eating dinner outside a members house. It was dark and all of a sudden all these little fire flies came out. It was magical. Probably the most magical thing I have ever seen in my life. The member said he will catch some for me. Pictures to come!

Frying my own breadfruit... Lol I am turning Jamaican

Well, I love you all very much!!!! I hope you have a great week!!

really really pretty

Love,
Sister Tuttle
xoxoxoxo

Mar. 9, 2015

Hello!
Thank goodness for Monday mornings. I am living for these hours.

Ya that's right. BEACH!

So good news. The driving is getting better. I still hate driving at night (everyone drives with their brights on at night) but I am much more comfortable. You should see some of the streets that I drive on. First of all Jamaica is famous for potholes and I can attest to that! POTHOLE central. Also I drive up and down these tiny tiny dirt roads that I only pray I wont meet someone coming the opposite direction. It is all part of the experience though and all is well!

Sonya's granddaughter, Sonya. She is adorable

So I am in Ocho Rios right? And it is beautiful. Everyday we pass a bunch of tourist places. Just to name a few (you can go Google them, but don't be jealous because I can't even go to them):
Duns River
Mystic Mountain
Dolphin Cove
Calypso Rafting
The Riu hotel
Beach after beach after beach....
It is going to make a great trip back. Mom and Dad, start planning, and saving because we will have to pay the tourist price....

Misty Mountains

So Wednesday as missionaries we have District Meeting. In May Pen we just had district meeting at the church, but Ochi is so much better. Every Wednesday we have district meeting at the senior couples apartment. Oh man, it is so nice. Their apartment over looks the city of Ochi and you can see the ocean and at the end we always get a homemade treat from Sister Hardy. I can honestly say I have never looked forward to district meeting until now. It's great.

Tourist place

So as for the people that we are teaching. We have a super solid investigator named Sonya. Her sister was just baptized in a different branch a few weeks ago so Sonya has a really great example to look to. She reads her Book of Mormon, and comes to church every week (except the past two weeks she has missed sacrament meeting...grrrrr). Her date is for March 21st so we are praying that she continues to progress.

Just a cool little shop on the side of the road

We are working to reactivate a less active named Brother Wayne. Brother Wayne was baptized about a year and a half ago. When the missionaries met him he couldn't read at all. It has gotten better, but we are really working with him. He has such a desire to read well so that he can pass the sacrament and give talks and teach classes. He is the most humble man I have ever met and just meeting with him two times I have learned so much. As we were reading with him I felt the power of the Book of Mormon. Not only does the Book of Mormon teach us what we need to do to obtain eternal life, it has the power to help someone learn to read. Whenever we walk away from his little cottage my heart is full.

Wayne's Cottage. Pretty, right??

If I thought we didn't get fed in May Pen, Ochi is worse. The members live far and most are very poor. It's okay though I am still loving my tacos and sandwiches.

Just this sweet old lady we met the other day

I hope you all have a great week!!!!
Thanks for the prayers!

Love,
Sister Tuttle

March 2, 2015

My new house. Adorable right?

Saying goodbye to Allisa!! Love this girl so so so much!!

Goodbye May Pen!

Another Monday. Well, Well, Well... Here we are again, except this time I am sitting in an email shop in OCHO RIOS!!

Ocho Rios!

I have to say that this truly has been the hardest week of my mission so far. So many tears and so much stress.

First of all, I took my SD card to this electronics place and the man said it has a virus. He told me he would try to get the pictures back, but it might not work. It didn't work. My last night going to Anna-Kay's yard was ridiculously hard. I was walking up to the house and everyone just started giving me all these little Jamaican souvenirs. Bracelets, necklaces, and a little plate that says, "someone who loves me very much went to Jamaica and got me this plate". Oh man, it was so hard to say goodbye, but hopefully I will be back soon! When we got home I still hadn't started to pack.... Mom, I need you. Sister Dill helped me pack up, but we went to sleep pretty late. Okay well 11:30 is late for a missionary.

My cute Trudy

The kiddies in the yard

Wednesday morning the Sister Training Leaders picked us up to take us to transfers. We got there and I met my new companion. Her name is Sister Thompson. We had transfer meeting (Sister Dill will be training a sister from South Africa!!) and I finally talked to the office elders about the driving situation, which by the way is a very bad situation. Sister Thompson is Jamaican and doesn't know how to drive and we had to get back to Ochi that night. I knew that there was a missionary driving video I was supposed to watch, but May Pen doesn't have one because they are walking. Also I assumed that there was some kind of paper work to fill out that I most definitetly had not filled out. Anyways, the elders hadn't realized that I had never driven in Jamaica before so they went to talk to President Brown. President Brown came and brought me into this little meeting with other missionaries that were going to start driving. Actually it was just me and 5 elders....Awkward. lol lol. He talked to us about safety and driving like a representative of Jesus Christ.  And then they threw me in this big silver truck and told me to drive to Ochi. I made it home before I cried.

Ohco Rios!

We went out and saw a few people that night and it was the scariest thing I have ever done to drive home in the dark. My driving is getting better everyday...I think. I am getting used to the streets and being on the left side of the street. I am working on managing our miles, but our area is HUGE! We have 2500 miles for the month and just yesterday we drove over 90 miles. 90 miles in one day! Not even a full day!

Sister Thompson

Sister Thompson is a Jamaican and she has 6 weeks left of her mission.

So I have always heard that the first 3-4 months of your missions go really slowly and then the rest fly by. Well, that was kinda true. My training felt like forever, and when I was with Sister Dill I don't even know where the time went. It is also kind of untrue because the second I stepped in to Ocho Rios the time stopped. Everyday feels like at least 3 days.  I know I shouldn't, but I pray everyday that the time will go quickly here.

Anyways, other than all of that everything is good. Our house is adorable and the branch is great. The branch is tiny, but they know how to fellowship. I see the ocean everyday and the area is beautiful.

I love you all so much and I am so grateful for the many prayers on my behalf. Thank you! Thank you!!

Love,
Sister Tuttle

February 23, 2015

Where to begin? Where to begin?

This week has been crazy and it has just flown by! Seriously, I can't believe I am sitting here again writing another letter!

With all my little kiddies

So on Monday I finally got the Valentines package (I loved it so so much). There were a bunch of Valentine cards in it and I just had no idea what to do with all of them. I decided I was going to make a Valentine for every person in Anna-Kay's yard. We went to Anna-Kay's house and I had her name everyone in the yard. Okay so you may be thinking 10-15 people, right? Oh no, I made up over 50 valentines! I bought some sweeties (Jamaican for candy) to attach and wrote each persons name on the card. You should have seen it. I had all of the Valentines categorized in alphabetical order and separated in bags. lol it was great. I passed some of them out on Wednesday night and left the rest with Anna-Kay. I just love all those people so much!

We had zone meeting in Mandeville on Wednesday. 3 cheers for another bus ride to Mandeville (so much sarcasm). Wednesday was Ash Wednesday which apparently is recognized as a real holiday here, So it took forever to fill the bus. Good news was that there was no one on the road so we got there really quickly.  We talked about how to get our investigators to church. Nothing really that I haven't been studying lately. We did talk about the importance of bearing testimony and sharing personal experience. That is when the spirit is the strongest and when investigators are most likely to understand the importance.

A little rasta boy and his brother. They are adorable.

Well, I have been putting this off, but I guess I better tell you. Transfer calls came on Saturday morning......I am being transferred to........OCHO RIOS!!!! Did you ever think this day would come?? I didn't and let me tell you, I was not ready for it. As soon as the sister training leaders said I would be leaving May Pen tears came to my eyes. Sister Dill is staying in May Pen and she will be training. We both cried all morning. We haven't had enough time together. I HAVEN'T EATEN ENOUGH OF HER FRIED CHICKEN!! Every where we went on Saturday I started crying. I mean not a lot of crying, just a few tears, that is until we saw Anna-Kay. I was having a really hard time saying it to her, but once I did we all cried. I AM GOING TO MISS THESE PEOPLE SOOOO MUCH.  When I was leaving home I just could not wait to be done saying goodbyes. My eyes were swollen and red and my nose was raw. I was just ready to get out into the field and be done with goodbyes. I cannot tell you how silly I was to think that. Leaving May Pen feels almost like leaving my home home. There has been less crying, but this is still hard!  These people have become family. I love them so much! They have changed me and made me better.

BUT good news is I am going to Ochi. Let me tell you a little bit about what everyone tells me about Ocho Rios....TOURIST SPOT. Everyone tells me I will be seeing a lot more white people...That will be weird. White people in May Pen are very rare and every time there is one you can spot them from a mile away. Anyways, Ochi is right by the ocean, Sooo yayayaya for that. Bad news is that I will be driving a truck (seriously, my worst nightmare!). I am so terrified to drive here. Everything is opposite. The wheel is on the right side and they drive on the left side. Confusing enough??? I don't know we will see how it goes.

Well I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful week. Thanks for all the prayers!!
I love you! I love you! I love you!!
Love,
Sister Tuttle
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

February 16, 2015

Great news: I GOT MY VAL DAY PACKAGE TODAY!!!!! And it was only 2 days late!

Cuties

More good news: I think my home sickness is dying down a little bit... I didn't even cry as I opened the package. Believe it or not, I am growing up (just a little bit).

Even more good news: My new mission card came! My district leader forgot to bring it to me today, but at least it is in May Pen!!!

YAYAYAYAYAYAAYAYA!! So much good news!!!

Lizard eggs that were in our mail box

So this week has been really hard (especially with Munchie leaving), but it has been full of laughs. That's what I love about Sister Dill, we are always laughing! The laughs started last Monday as we were walking to a less actives house. It was dark and we were just walking down the street when all of a sudden I feel something hit me in the head. I start freaking out and laughing at the same time, and Sister Dill has no idea what is going on. When I finally caught my breath I told her that a bird just pooped on my face. A BIRD POOPED ON MY FACE. Luckily sister dill had tissues in her bag. Oh man, we laughed and laughed.

My Jamaican Sistas

Because Sister Dill and I are struggling with investigators we have been teaching a lot of less actives lately. Sister _____ is a less active that was baptized just over a year ago. We went to her house Sunday after church to have a lesson. I asked her why she hadn't come to church, and she gave me some excuse (there are so many I can't even remember the one she gave). I pointed out to her that she hasn't been to church for the past six weeks. She got defensive and tried to tell me that she had come within the past few weeks. When I was able to kindly list the things that have been going on in the branch lately(district conference, Caribbean conference) she changed the subject. These people don't realize how long they have been away from church. They keep telling themselves "it hasn't been that long, I will go next week" but something always comes up. Church attendance is the thing that all of the people we teach are struggling with. Seriously, I think Stephano and Allisa are the only people can always count on to be at church.

Pretty sunrise

We have two investigators that are pretty close to baptism. Lisa and Ray. Their only problem is church attendance. Last week when President Brown was here he suggested that Sister Dill and I go up to Ray's house early Sunday morning and wake him up for church. We did it last week so of course he was on time. He told us he was going to come on time on his own this week, but he never showed up. As for Lisa she had to go to a baby christening so she didn't come to church either. I guess we are just not teaching Sabbath day right. These people just don't understand the importance of church attendance!  We are having a zone meeting on revelation through church attendance on Wednesday so hopefully we will learn some new teaching ideas.

Sister Horrnet enjoying her banana chips

When Sister Rampersad and I were together we were teaching this girl Renaye. A few weeks before Sister Rampersad left Renaye got a job in Kingston and was gone all day every day. It was sad, I always loved teaching Renaye. She is adorable and hilarious! Last week her work transferred her into May Pen so we get to start teaching her again! I am so happy!

How many missionaries does it take to open the church gate??

So even through our many afflictions we can see God guiding us (I think Nephi said something like that, He is such a good guy).

All is well and this week is going to be great!

Lol at the Elders trying to open the broken gate with their own strength

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
xoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxo

Love,
Sister Tuttle