Good Morning Family!
WOW! Sounds like almost EVERYBODY had a very intense week this week! hahaha Mine was awesome, but it almost sounds like everyone else was stressin way bad. I hope that after you get this email that everyone can just take a deep breath, realize that I´m coming home on Thursday, realize that I am very aware of everyone and their desires to have personal time with me, realize that I am defiantly NOT the Preston William Tucker that left on his mission two years ago, realize that the "new" me is very improved and much more mature, and just exhale and be at peace. hahaha It seems to me that everyone is stressing out, but there´s almost absolutely no reason to. Yes, I´m coming home this week. Yes, our schedule will be intense and I will have to manage my time well and not be selfish. Yes, a lot of things in our family and our lives are going to change soon. BUT, it´s going to be OK! haha Everything will be fine. It will all go smoothly and everyone will be satisfied. And if someone ISN´T satisfied, all you gotta do is tell me and I´ll make sure I do better on my part. Okay? Get it? Got it? Good! =) I love you all, and as long as we all can just chill out a little, everything will be absolutely wonderful!
Okay, this week was intense and wonderful and FULL of memories that will last a lifetime. On Monday night we were told about a special conference that President Lorenzana wanted to have with the two zones of Huehuetenango and the zone of the city of Totonicapan. It was planned quickly, but thoroughly, and it was an incredible experience. President rented a place in Xela called "El Rancho" for 2 days and 60 missionaries. We all brought regular clothes to relax in and clothes for sports. We also brought blankets and pillows to be able to sleep there, in the outdoors. We were basically as close o "camping out" as possible in the mission field here in Guate. On Tuesday we all went down to Xela after our meetings and we stayed in a hotel for the night. FYI It takes a while to get from Huehue to Xela. On Wednesday, my 21st Birthday, we went to "El Rancho" and everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to me and one of the Assistants that was turning 24 as well. After that we were all separated into teams and given colored shirts with team names for the two day conference. My team was "Companía Hinckley" and our shirt is bright orange. I think it immediately became my favorite shirt. =) We then picked team captains and started competing in sports events to earn points for our team. I was selected as our team captain and the first event, from cold start, was wind sprints! haha I had to run the sprints and pick up the members of my team to run with me. haha Needless to say, I was not prepared for that, and ended up throwing up after that event. haha It was awesome. It´s okay though, it let me know that I gave my all for my team. Anyways, after that we had a few more events, and then a couple of hours of conference given by President. I have awesome notes on all of his conference sections and I´ll tell you all more about it once I´m home. It was INCREDIBLE! So that was the pattern of our two days: sports, conference, food, sports, conference, food, and then sleep. Unfortunately, my team didn´t win any events, but we still had an AWESOME time and gave it our all. That night, President had four huge cakes brought in and we celebrated my birthday all together. It was incredible. The next day we woke up and climbed a mountain to have a devotional led by the Assistants, which was also excellent. After that, more sports, more conference, Sister Lorenzana taught us all how to take good care of our bodies and how to cook good meals. And then, we closed the conference with another short conference section by President Lorenzana. During this entire time I had the opportunity to talk a little to President personally, and thank him for my best birthday yet. He then told me a few things about our personal relationship, the "why" of my recent changes in the last few weeks, and then reassured me once again that I am ready to go home and I have earned my Honor. My 21st birthday was the best I could have asked for here in the mission and I will never forget it.
Tomorrow I will have my last interview with President, and I believe at the same time I will renew my Temple Recommend with him. On Wednesday it´s possible that I will get to go to my last Mission Conference, and then head in bus to the Capital. I will stay at the CCM for the night, and the Thursday morning I will get on a plane, homeward bound.
I love you. Thank you for preparing so much for my Homecoming. I´m very excited to get home and thank you for everything you have done for me over these two years. I will miss Guatemala. I will miss the Mission. I will miss the people I have served. I will miss my companions. I will miss the spiritual high...and I will miss President Lorenzana. But I am ready to come home. Get ready...cuz here I come! =D
Love Always,
-Elder Preston William Tucker
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