Hey Mom, Dad, Hope, Family, and good Friends!
First of all...HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY Hope! I´m sorry I couldn´t be there for it, but like I said in my letter before, I´ll be there for number 12! I hope you had a great time at the new Sparetime Fun Center. And I can´t tell you how jealous I am that you guys still get to go to the Bear Lake House. When I read Mom´s Dear Elder that she sent from the cabin I just about cried as I remembered how beautiful it is up there. That´s one of the first places I want to go when I get home, okay? Just a peaceful, beautiful weekend at Bear Lake. Mmmm....
Anyways! More news from Guatemala: Today I got two DearElders (one from Mom and one from Elder Ivey) and one other letter from the Hunter Family. All good news, but here´s the bad part...I think I´ve figured out how long it takes everything to get to me here through the mail. DearElders, I believe, take about 8-10 days to get to me and regular letter sent through USPS take about 10-15 days to get to me. Keep two things in mind though, 1) I only get my mail on Tuesdays here in the Guatemala MTC and 2) I still receive them. I have NOT received Mom´s pouched letter or Grandma Welling´s second letter yet, but I´m sure they will get to me soon. =) Any letters/words/news are good, even if I dont get them for two weeks. =) So keep writing. Remember how much I love to hear from you all. Hunter Family, your words of encouragement were well received and I really appreciate the love that you guys have for me. Elder Ivey, I dont know if you´re ever going to see this, but thank you so much for your help and support. Know that everything is okay now. My emotions are under control, my spirits are high, and my Spanish is improving every day as I continue to blow the teaching practices (both English and Spanish) out of the water! ;) And Mom, dear, sweet Mother: I cannot express with an earthly tongue how much I love and adore you. Your words always help my spirits to soar! I miss my family EVERY day and I think of you all at least once an hour (which is definately a lot when you consider how many other things my brain has to jam into one hour here learning in the CCM). I wish you the best of feelings throughout your last six weeks of the school year. Finish strong and listen for the promptings of the Spirit. I´ve asked the Lord in the Temple to help you with your decision about your work and I know in my heart of hearts that if you will listen carefully, He has an answer waiting for you. Also, Mom, I think you are ABLE to send packages, but I dont know if it would be wise to send me anything. Yes, I´ve seen a package get through to another Elder here, but I dont know how long it takes to get here and how much the shipping costs are. Plus, I really am not lacking in ANY neccessities. I have everything I need to survive, I believe. The only thing you could really send me is more pictures of family and friends and maybe...candy. I´ve learned that candy, sugar, sweets are all like gold here in the CCM. Wanna talk about a diet? We get plenty of food here three times a day, but in between meals and sleeping there isn´t much else to munch on. Anyways, there´s really nothing else that I NEED. Oh, and thank you so much for sending me the Forever stamp books! I haven´t received them yet, but I´m sure they will be an extremely large blessing once I´m out in the field! And one more thing for someone very special in my life. Grandma Welling, I received the card you send me. Yes, I love your spanish! I will teach you more when i get home. And I´m really looking forward to any and every comminication that you send me in these next 99 weeks. =) I love you so much. Stay strong and loving for me and I´ll be home before you know it.
Everything here in Guatemala is going well! I would love to share all of the details of my last week here, but I dont have the time. So let me just share so highlights with you. Last Wednesday I was able to attend a meeting where we met our Central American Area Seventy President, Elder Clark. He is a joyful, yet stern man. He had many pieces of advice that I know will help me in my mission and life afterwards. Thursday we all took a fieldtrip into the City to attend a devotional by Elder Quintin L. Cook! He was one of the main instigators and editors of Preach My Gospel, and as an Apostle of the Lord, his words and adice completely fixated my attention. I´ve been the the Guatemala Temple twice and have loved every second inside it´s walls. I put many names on the Prayer Roll and have called down Heavenly Blessings on you all with the faith of my spirit. I have made many good friendships with my latino roommates and have used them to improve my Spanish by leaps and bounds. My Spanish is improving every day and I´m beginning to teach well in my mission language. I´ve lost 15 pounds since I get here and Dad´s jeans are getting to be way too big to wear. I´m going to need to pull out my own jeans earlier than i thought. =) I´m nailing all of my practice teaching sessions, in English and in Spanish. My confidence and power is growing. I can feel it every day! I have my first divisionals tomorrow and get to spend a day in the field. I´m very excited and everything is well with me. I love you all so much and cant wait until next week to here more.
Love Always,
-Elder Preston William Tucker
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