Monday, September 24, 2012

Irma Tingey & Irma Boshard
Serving in the city of Olhao, Portugal
Sunrise jog ...... below Irma Tingey & Irma Boshard with our ward mission leader Nato & Paulo Matos (ward family )

by small and simple things, great things come to pass

My sweet little ones :) I love you. If i don´t say enough i am sorry.. I LOVE YOU. Mom, I got your puzzle letter and boomer and hannahs letters. Thank you so much. There is nothing like going to the mail box and getting a letter. It made me so happy. Boom and Hannah.. You are in high school together.. Umm i feel like i was just in high school with Drew, if feels like it was just yesterday. Be good. Make good choices and BE AN EXAMPLE! There are so many paths to walk, so many temptations and i want you to know that the Lord trusts you two to be good examples to your friends and schoolmates. If you are wondering what kind of example you need to be.. go read the strength of youth.. I love you and care about you and your future.

Our second week in Olhão was awesome but getting progressing investigators was a wee bit difficult. We´re not making too much progress with baptisms however, we are really getting to know the members and recent converts and we are working through them to get references. Yesterday Irmã Tingey and i went to a members house- Paulo Matos.. He is a DJ here in the Algarve and he is pretty cool. He knows people and he´s got friends.. so we told him we want to teach his friends and last night we made a list of his friends, prayed about the names together and after the prayer we all felt one specific name and knew that we needed to work with her this week. Paulo was on a high.. He felt so good after the prayer and said this is what you do all day? We said, yep! and we do it for hours!! He was like jumping.. calling his friends and seriously on cloud 9. I love the revelation we receive and we get to show members how the work goes.. We´re making a difference here little by little and the little efforts i know do not go unnoticed.

One of the youth in our branch, Isabela gave us a reference of her friend, Emma who wants to hear the missionary discussions.. Tingey and i were STOKED.. We prepared for the lesson and went to the appointment and Emma wasn´t there. She couldn´t make it. We were so bummed. She didn´t make it to Church either until the end of sacrament meeting.. but we marked with her again this week and PRAY FOR HER. Pray for Emma. Pray for Isabela too. She wants to fill up the chapel with youth and she is gonna help us do it.

This morning i was studying the talk, forget me not by President Uchtdorf i was comparing a lot of this talk to my mission. I am on this incredible journey.. searching for those to accept the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.. along the way we find the elect, we get rejection, we´re happy, we´re sad, we´re exhausted, we have random bursts of energy.. along this path i seem to find myself frustrated because we don´t see the success that should be our end result.. baptism.. I ready this quote from the talk and it says, "God is fully aware that you and i are not perfect." "our journey toward perfection is long, but we can find wonder and delight in even the tinest steps in that journey." President Uchtdorf talked about the story of the golden ticket.. There are so many of us waiting for our golden ticket.. That perfect life.. or which we think is perfect and holds the keys to happiness and what we have always dreamed of.. There is nothing wrong with righteous desires but the problem is that when we put our happiness on hold as we wait for future events.

So i have realized that we´ve gotta step it up.. we´ve gotta stop worrying about next week. What are we going to do TODAY that will change tomorrow? What did you learn from yesterday that is going to help you today, and to prepare for tomorrow?? I´ve gotta do this and fam.. you should do it with me. We´ll recognize the small and sweet little forget me nots along the way.

I can see the difference we are making with the members.They trust us and want us to teach their friends. I LOVE IT. I have never had this in my mission before. the members here are dedicated and so willing to work with us. We can feel your prayers. I am eternally grateful for you. I know the lord is preparing the way for the the return of our savior.

Stay strong, fight the good fight this week and take care.
XOXO 
Com amor,
Irmã Boshard



Friday, September 21, 2012

4TH OF DECEMBER, 2012....

Estou animado para anunciar o retorno de Irma Mackenzie Leigh Boshard, 4 de dezembro de 2012. Festa na TBA o Boshard mesmo!!

PRIDE in the Lisbon Portugal Mission and Momma Bragging. ....

Mon Sept 17, Irma Boshard wrote ...........
" How did you get my mailing address? ....you really are so amazing mom.. i took for granted what i had at home."


On Mon, Sep 17, 2012 at 12:45 PM, Boshard, Roxanne wrote:

oh sorry.....I may have explained that in a written letter you wont get for a week....
I called the Mission Office.....Elder Ferreria was soooo nice and said you are a great missionary, Irma Boshard is getting many baptisms and your mission is the number one in Europe !!!  #1 by numbers of
Baptisms !  Preparing them for the TEMPLE !

Monday, September 17, 2012

Hello!!!

Irmã Tingey and i have made it down to the Algarve and lemme just tell you it is nothing of what i imagined.. for some reason i was thinking it would be really green and beautiful but it is the complete opposite.. i still love it down here though. I love love Irmã Tingey.. She is wonderful... I was really sad to leave Irmã Baer because she taught me so much and we grew together.. we were like sisters/ BFs but the lord knows Tingey has some important things to teach me. Irmã Tingey is American but currently her fam lives in England.. She is so sweet, hilarious and is helping me understand the importance of goals for the end of my mission and after the mish..
I really need her..

SO OLHÃO! This city is amazing and the branch is even better! Our members down here are so pumped to do the work with us.. they told us during ward counsel yesterday that we shouldn´t worry about knocking doors and doing street contacts because all our members have references for us ready to learn!!!! legit huh?

Our Branch president has been a member for 2 years and a branch president for 6 months.. He is young and on fire.. he is like our best friend.. so is his first counselor Nato.. they give us "bones" or you can say "pound it" every time they see us. At ward counsel everyone has an opinion and talks over each other. It was entertaining. I don´t know what i did to deserve this but i am EXTREMELY blessed to be serving down here. White washing an area is certainly not easy but the missionaries in the past have done a great job and the members are really helping us find our way around they city. Highlights from this week.. One day tingey and i were walking down a row of houses and these men started to call our attention. We stopped to talk to them and these men were baptized just a few months ago but one of them had a bottle of beer hiding behind his chair.. I asked him.. ahem, is that your beer bottle? he said yes. I said do you remember what you learned about the word of wisdom when you were baptized? he said yes.. Irmã Tingey then said "pode tomar" which means can i try it.. and i laughed hysterically and said.. "não, pode tirar" meaning can i take it.. She got her words mixed up and asked to drink his beer.. ha ha anyway he immediately dumped out the beer on the ground and threw the bottle away. He said he wants to change but really needs help. It was a miracle heavenly father guided us to him.

One day we took a dinner break by the dock and looked out at the water and ships that passed by while we ate greasy, buttered up ham and cheese sandwiches.. It was fun.. We were walking down the street of an apartment complex 2 days ago and a older woman called for our attention and we thought she must be a member or know the missionaries.. so we started talking to her and she knew nothing about us... Obviously we contacted her and made me laugh so hard.. She told me that my teeth were beautiful and asked if they were real.. ha ha i said i think so.. i tried to pull on them as if they would come out and she said.. well mine aren´t.. and she pulled out both sets, top adn bottom of her dentchers.. ha ha ah aha i couldn´t control myself.. i was dying..
There are not enough words to describe how amazing this area is and how blessed i am to be with Irmã Tingey doing this white wash.. We have to laugh off everything especially when all our plans and plan b´s fall through. I gotta go..

LOVE YOU ALL XOXOXOXOXO
Beijos Com amor,
Irmã Boshard
3360064771

Monday, September 10, 2012

LAST WEEK IN ODIVELAS ~

We got transfer calls today! I am so sad!!! I am leaving Odivelas.. tomorrow i am catching a bus to the Algarve and i will be doing a white wash in Olhão with Irmã Tingey. I am so split. I am sad to leave Irmã Baer and Odivelas and all our recent converts.. but i am excited to go WAY SOUTH and white wash this new area. PRAY FOR ME AND TINGEY. Irmã Baer is stayin in Odivelas and she is serving with my little child, Irmã Walton... whom i trained. I´m excited for them.

This week has BEEN THE BEST WEEK EVER.. 1. as you can see in the email before i received 6 cans of Dr. Pepper.. It was a dream come true! Enjoy the pictures! I enjoyed taking them ha ha
2. Irmã Baer and i were able to overcome a lot of distractions from Satan.. He really worked on us this week and basically we hate him.. but we are learning.. our numbers were low and we didn´t have a baptism.. but hey.. we are still making a difference along the way. 3. We had a mission conference in Lapa on Saturday with Elder and sister Rasband, Elder Kent Richards and his wife, Bishop Causeé, Elder Rocha and his wife, and also Elder Texeira and his wife.. We were able to hear from 4 members of the seventy.. IT WAS INCREDIBLE! One of the greatest days in the mission... All the men and their wives stood in a line and we all got to shake their hands.. SO COOL! He said when he shook our hands we were being interviewed. He could tell there are some that are struggling, some that are happy, some seem sad.. but whatever it may be keep going. don´t give up. He said he didn´t prepare a speech but he wanted to open the meeting to a question and answer deal.. so missionaries started asking questions.. the first question an elder asked, "what can i do for the last 6 weeks of my mission?" Elder Rasband responded and said, make goals and don´t give up.. but i have a response for what you can do for the rest of your life... He said always live your life to be worthy to hold a temple recomend. He said it may sound silly and easy.. but once you are back in the world Satan will tempt you and try you. He said Waste and Wear out your lives.. Read D&C 123:13-14.. It´s awesome. Bishop Causeé said, everyone asks me, what is the secret to the mission in Portugal?? He said now seeing our misson, he can tell that we have been taught the importance of faith and prayer.. WE know our purpose and and we rely on the lord and not our own abilities. We have the Torgans to thank for that.. I have been SO BLESSED and i don´t even deserve it. I have been blessed to serve under two of the most amazing men in the world to lead and guide the work. The Lord is so good to us out here in Portugal.

Elder Rasband told us that we can always do better and we can be more like our savior. We are the most important convert in our mission. I can truly say that i am. I have changed so much for the better! We got to hear President and Sister Fluckiger´s testimony in Portuguese and they have been extremely blessed with the gift of tongues. They are so humble and so sweet. I cant imagine what they have been going through since they arrived here. They just picked up and ran with the mission. They´re incredible.

On Sunday we got to have another conference with the stake of Lisboa, Santárem and Oeiras.. It was huge in Lapa at a conference center and over 1,300 members and investigators were there! Elder Rasband talked about the temple being built here in Portugal and if things run according to plan, the temple should be ready in a few years and it should be the 156th temple in the church.. I think.. I forgot all my notes about the conference so i will tell you about it next week... but just know.. the lord is preparing his children to receive his house.. We´re just not quite ready enough so we need to step it up!!! We´re making a difference little by little.. but i have not doubts that every effort counts.

President Fluckiger has given all of us the challenge to memorize D&C 58:26-28.. I´ve got it i English and now i am working on it in Portuguese.. It makes me want to be better.. So i repeat it out loud to Irmã Baer all the time.. ha ha Do it with me.. Memorize it and show heavenly father what kind of servant you want to be.

I am so grateful i am still here serving, learning, growing, being stretched and changing everyday. The Lord truly knows better than i and he gave me this opportunity to serve when i didn´t want it. Don´t worry, i´ve regretted those feelings everyday and i´ll never take this opportunity for granted. I´m doing everything i can to serve my companion, the ward and our investigators.. Pray for me.. I need all the strength i can get right now..

Oh.. to everyone who has written me and i have not written you back.. I am sorry! I hope to get a letter off to you all soon! I´m sorry.

TAKE CARE!!! I LOVE YOU..
XOXO
Com amor,
Irmã Boshard

Wednesday, September 5, 2012























Little Black Name Tag ...

I am so humbled to wear my sweet little black name tag every single day. I know my name tag has power and people recognize the saviors name first before they even recognize mine. Ya know, I don´t care that we get rejected everyday, i don´t care that drunk men make fun of us and yell at us.. I am actually grateful i don´t understand half the stuff they yell at us, because for every trial the lord blessed us ten fold. Irmã Baer and i have been working a lot with the less actives this transfer.

We have passed by SO many houses and either they have moved, wrong house, or they want nothing to do with the church.. It´s been heart breaking, but there is a sweet woman named Sandy.. She has come and gone from the church for the last few years since she was baptized and for the last year she has completely left the church.. She was dating someone who wouldn´t let her believe in god, he wouldn´t let her read books that talk about god and it seemed to be an abusive relationship but she put up with him.. i have no idea why.. but the lord teaches us all in different ways what we need to learn ya know. Irmã Baer and i made and appointment to go and visit her and Sandy said why don´t you just come over for dinner and bring me some light.. i need your light.. Well.. that is exactly what we did.. we took her more light than she could handle! She was overwhelmed and is going to start the small and simple things again.. like reading the book of mormon everyday, she is coming to a woman's conference in Lisboa with us this weekend and she wants us to come back and teach her all of the missionary discussions again! I am realizing that truly NO ONE IS PERFECT!!! NO ONE.. but guess what.. with all of our weaknesses and sins.. the lord will NEVER GIVE UP ON US. He loves us so much he will do anything so that we will return to his teaching and follow him.. ahhh Sandy.. I am so excited for her.

Another miracle.. we had 3 BAPTISMS YESTERDAY!!!!! as we were walking down the hall way to the baptismal font, i saw 4 (the three being baptized and Mariano who baptized them) incredible men dressed in white and i was picturing what it will be like in the temple for these men doing the work of the lord.. We baptized Lourindo, Isidoro and Avelino! THEY ARE ELECT! they were a gift from Heavenly Father to irmã Bear and i. I can´t stop thanking the lord for trusting me with his children. Sometimes i sit in my study chair and just think about the work i am doing and it blows my mind.. Isidoro has been so excited all week thinking about his baptism.. he said.. Why can´t it just be tomorrow.. I need this new life. I can´t wait.. Avelino reads and reads and reads in the book of mormon and always has questions from the reading for us.. lourindo has been praying so hard all week that he can have the courage and strength to stop drinking and smoking.. HE did it!!! All of these men are future leaders of the church. i am so excited to see what they will do.. they can´t wait to make it to the temple.

Fatima was confirmed yesterday too! She is happier than i have ever seen her.. I attached her baptism picture from last week to the email.. fyi. I am so blessed. sometimes i don´t even feel worthy of these blessing yet they still come. We had 12 investigators in church.. our members are incredible and continually bring their friends and family to church with them. We are seriously getting ready for this temple out here..

Thank you for your support, your prayers and all that you do for me. I love you all. Take care.
XOXO
Beijos
Com amor,
Irmã Boshard