Dear Family and Beloved Friends,
I know you all are really interested to hear about what happened with the changes this week, so I`m not going to disappoint. I`ll tell you all about it in this letter, but first I wanted to thank everyone for their prayers, thoughts, and support. I don't think you all, or even I, will be able to fully comprehend the magnitude of what your thoughts and prayers do for me in the mission. Just knowing that my family and friends are supporting me every step of the way and that your prayers are always with me is a comfort beyond description. I`ve met a lot of missionaries (too many in my opinion =/) that have little or no support from home, and I`ve seen and know the difference it makes when that support is present. I can't imagine how I would feel or work without your support, so eternal thanks I send to you all, with love, from me. =) And just to soothe a lot of irritated (yeah, i know that was an overstatement Dad ;P) people about me sending pictures, I plan on writing a few letters back to the States this week, and my memory card will be included on the one I send to my family. It`s got just a little more than 200 pictures on it, ready for your viewing pleasure, so I hope you all will be more than a little satisfied when it gets home. =) I AM very sorry that I haven`t been very good about sending those cards home, but with a new change comes a new opportunity to develope a new routine too. I hope to improve my studies, my letter writing, and my picture sending drastically from here on out. So dont worry, be happy! =D
Okay, so about these changes...I know you all must be dying to hear what happened to me...And that`s good because I`m dying to tell you. I had a lot of things going FOR me in this change, so everything I have to say is wonderful! I was moved to a new area (my second) and I also received a new companion (my third in the field). My area is in the Amatitlan Zone, it`s called La Sonora, and it`s still really close to the capital, although it is still classified as a mountain zone...I think. In fact, I can almost see my old area from where we live, which is really cool for me. =) It was tough to leave my old area in Promision because of the deep, spiritual relationships I had the opportunity to develope with a large portion of our ward members and many new converts. I will always remember what good times and trials we helped each other through, and I know that I will want to visit that area again someday. I would love for you, Mom, Dad, and Hope, to meet those people who had such a large impact on me and took care of me while the Lord took care of them. =) They all would love to meet my family, so you have that to look forward to! Now, about my companion. Elder Rodriguez left to return to his house in El Salvador yesterday and I imagine that he is very happy to be home. However, this is not what is important to me now. My new companion is a North American from Bountidul, Utah, named Elder Child. =) He is almost 21 years old, and has about 18 months so far in the mission. He is also our District Leader, which will be awesome because I`ll have the opportunity to learn how to be a leader in the mission a lot better by his example. Everything that I`ve heard about Elder Child from other missionaries is wonderful and I have a strong feeling that I`m going to really enjoy this change with him. =) He is obedient, well-spoken, has awesome spanish, and teaches with power and authority. We are going to work very well and very hard together, I already know this to be true. After hearing about my last change, I`m sure all of you understand how excited I am for the opportunities that I will have in this change, and how grateful I am for the confidence that the Lord has shown me by blessing me in so many wonderful ways. I`ve only been with Elder Child for two days, but we`ve already taught 6 lessons and found a new, small family to teach. We`ve also already given a bit of service, and might have new teaching opportunities from that experience too. =P The members and recent converts that I`ve met in my new area so far are excellent, and support the missionary work whole-heartedly. I`m happy that my family can identify with that, as you all are praying, writing, and supporting the missionary effort through me as well. I do urge you all, though, that if you have missionaries assigned to your wards, to do everything you can to help them. Give them suggestions of friends that they can teach, people who might be ready to accept the Gospel. The best work in all the mission is done through the members of the Church. As Latter-Day Saints, you all have an opportunity and responsibility to help the Lord advance his work, so please, support your OWN missionaries too, not just me. Sound like a good deal? I hope so. =D
We live in a small, two-floor house in a nice colony named San Miguel, but the coolest thing is that we live with two other latin elders, both named Elder Lopez. It`ll be great to live and work with these two other elders and to share our experiences and give advise when it is needed. We dont have a regular cook, and we are on our own for breakfast and dinner. I`m trying a bunch of soups, and some local common dishes, so that I can learn to cook them and not starve in the process. (haha, Preston...starve? Oh please... =P) We DO, however, have certain members that cook lunch for us and certain days, and the food that we`ve had so far is really good. Not extremely filling, but still really cool.
Okay, so my computer just yelled at me that I only have five minutes left, so I`m gunna wrap it up. Sorry I didn`t have a lot of time to email today, I had a lot of notices from the mission and letters from my old area to read too. Next week you all will get more information, but I hope you are satisfied and happy with how my changes went. Please know that my only feelings about this change are wonderful. I`m so excited to keep working, in a new and improved way than before. Keep praying for me and I know your prayers will bless others that I will encounter in my path. Yes, I will ¨Enjoy¨ my mission, I`m dedicated to not just ¨Complete¨ it now. My outlook has changed, and I`m sure you all will see those changes very apparently in the next letters that I write. Okay, well, for now know that more letters and pictures will bve on their way soon, I love you to eternity and back, and I wish you the best of everything.
Love Always,
-Elder Preston William Tucker
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