Hey Family! I love you more than anything in the whole world! This week was FULL of meetings, activities, and traveling to and from Xela for me and Elder B. Thus, we didn`t get much of a chance to workin our area like we would like to. However, I am completing my role as a District Leader and a Senior Companion, and I am finding happiness in the things that we ARE able to achieve in th time that is given us.As you all know, last Monday w had the Christmas Lunch of the whole Mission of Xela. It was fun and we were served good food, even though we didn`t receive nearly as much portion-wise as we all paid for. haha It was like eating in a French restaurant...super small portions, but they were all very pretty and very flavorful. All the zones in the mission put on an act of sang hymns. Most of them were good, but like always, they didn`t give any of us much time to practice or prepare,so some of them didn`t turn out so well. hahaha The only thing that got on my nerves was that a couple zones decided that they didn`t care about the rules that President set for the skits, and decided to break them all for the sake of making it funnier or more fun for them. One zone reminded me REALLY badly of High School, where there is always a certain group of punk kids that think that they`re all that and that the rules dont apply to them, so they do whatever they want and don`t care if they make themselves look like fools in the process. haha It`s obvious that not ALL elders mature to manhood during their missions.Anyways, that was Monday and we all enjoyed. Then on Tuesday we were supposed to have a P-Day, but the Assistants tried to organize an activity last minute and made it SUPER difficult for anyone to really"prepare" themselves for the week. The results were that I had to rush to organize my district so that we all could use Internet at the same time in the same place, and that result difficult. This is why I ended up having to write you all on Wednesday, because there were no Internet cafes that had enough working computers that I could write at the same time that my district was writing. SO I took one for the team and waited until Wednesday to write, I hope I didn`t stress anyone out too much at home. (ahem...Mom, Whitney, Grandma Welling...ahem) hahaha=P So lately the stake presidency has become VERY involved with the mission work here in the Quetzaltenango Zone. The had set expectations and goals for us to reach by the end of January of next year. The stake needs to provide two new, strong wards of 150 members in order to help organize the fourth stake in the city of Quetzaltenango. We,here in San Carlos Sija, have to lift up the branch to the point of150 active members in order for it to become a ward in the new year.It wont be easy, but we`ll do everything the Lord asks us to do in order to make it happen. I don`t think it`ll happen while I`m still here, but we can try as hard as possible while I have time. Also, the First Presidency of the Church have set new standards for full-time missionaries all over the world. They have asked us to find at least one full family and one future Melchizedek Priesthood holder everyday. They have asked us to baptize two full families and two higher priesthood holders every month per companionship. All I can say is that it`ll be tough to do almost anywhere...but we`ll do our best and the Lord with qualify us for the task. Elder Bergquist and I try our hardest every day to keep me working to the very end and to lift the attendance in the Branch and help the members become truly converted to the Gospel. The work is going well, and we try every day to help it move along faster. As a result of our new assignment of reactivating and retaining members and new converts, Elder B and I have no positive investigators right now, but this week will change that. I appreciate your prayers and all the support and spiritual help you send us across the miles. I look forward to the day that I can step off the plane and thank you all personally for what you helped me achieve here in Guatemala. I`m thinking you`ll all be rather impressed with the Preston William Tucker that comes home to you. =)
Well, as you all know, it`s about that time. I think I really wrote a novel this week. I still haven`t gotten anything that you have sent me for Christmas, whether it be packages or letters. I verified with Whitney the correct mailing address of the Mission Office and I think you`ve had the right address the whole time. Who knows what`s been happening to everything...I don`t. But I`m being patient. Just 7 more weeks until I`m with you all in person, so I`m not going to complain. Oh, I almost forgot to explain the subject line of this email. Because the Quetzaltenango Stake has so many high expectations and they`ve put so much effort into training us missionaries in our zone to achieve this goals, President Lorenzana has decided that unless someone in the zone wants changes, he`s not going to change anyone in our zone from where they are now. So that means that I`m going to get my wish. I`m going to finish my mission, my last change, here in San Carlos Sija,with Elder Bergquist, doing what I do best, reactivating, retaining,and converting the "chosen people of Guatemala" to the Everlasting Gospel of Christ. =) I`m very happy about that, as you can tell! =)I`m going to celebrate Christmas, New Years, and my 21st Birthday herewith my companions, the Perez Family, and all the people I`ve come to love so much here in Sija. The hard part will be to leave this all behind when my time is up, but I will leave a legacy of service and love behind and many will remember the Tucker name with love and respect for years to come here in San Carlos Sija. =) I love you, Family. I`m so grateful every day that I have you. I ask Heavenly Father, on my knees, day and night, that He helps you and protects you. I know you do the same for me. Can`t wait to show you how much I love you in person. Just do me a favor and save a little of the Christmas chocolate for me, okay?! =P A bag of Peanut Butter M&M`sand a half pound Symphony Milk Chocolate bar would be awesome "welcome home presents"! ;)
Love Always,-Elder Preston William Tucker
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