Good Morning Family,
I love you! Just thought you should know. =)
I missed you all very much this week and I thought about you all day on Thanksgiving. I didn´t have time to write a letter to you all for Thanksgiving, expressing my gratitude for everything you are and do for me as your son, brother, nephew, cousin, grandchild, and boyfriend...but I kept reviewing all day in my heart just how GOOD I´ve got it in life because my family is so awesome! =D Truly I was selected for great, powerful blessings in this life. That means I gotta work extra hard to keep those blessings flowin. =) I missed out on the Thanksgiving dinner this year. My zone did an activity, but really it was just weekly planning and Wendy´s. Not gunna lie, it was a good treat for us all, but it just wasn´t anything compared to a true Tucker Family Thanksgiving. haha
This week not a lot has happened. We´ve found investigators, we´ve left investigators behind, the cycle continues...Elder B and I are still goin strong and we´re becoming better friends every day. Elder Solis was worried about his mom all week, and unfortunately she is still sick and has not entered surgery yet...but we´ll keep praying for her and everything will be okay. Elder Barrios had an interview with President Lorenzana and seems to have gotten over the majority of his homesickness and desires to end his mission early. So everything here is going well. My old District Leader, Elder Chamle, was assigned along with his companion to a special travelling team of missionaries to help support and teach the missionaries all over the mission, so I was appointed to the vacant post. So now I´m the District Leader of 4 sisters and 6 elders. It´s nothing new and I´ve got the necessary experience to make the responsibility seem routine, so it´s nothing big, but it was a surprise, nonetheless. I´m thinking that because they put me in as a DL, I´ll stay in San Carlos Sija next change and finish my mission there. ´That´s what I would love to do...but I don´t know for sure what will happen in 2 weeks when the ealry change comes.
My super experience of the week was last Monday after we got done emailing. All the of the zones here in Xela were invited to a chapel to play sport together for the whole afternoon. My back was hurting for harvesting corn all week, so I didn´t play, but I definitely enjoyed the day. What I really wanted was the chance to have a short interview with President, so I asked for a little of his time and he said we would talk. I´ve been repenting daily lately and I know very well now where I stand with the Lord, but I hadn´t had personal time with President Lorenzana for almost 4 months now, so I had a doubt in my heart. I wanted to ask President how he sees me as a missionary now, in comparison with when I switched missions. I had sent him a text the week before, but because of his attendance to a Seminary for Mission Presidents in Guatemala City, he couldn´t answer me. So last Monday I asked for his time. Eventually, because the sister missionaries were hoggin all President´s attention, I had to wait for 3 hours to get 2 minutes with him. But in those two minutes President Lorenzana changed my mission yet again! He answered my question and blew my mind at the same time. He said that when I came to Xela Mission, he saw an incredible potential in me that I didn´t know about. He had told me about this before, but after being a ZL with Elder Kahawaii, he told me that he felt like I had hid that potential and that I didn´t want to progress or grow. That was that last thing I heard from him 4 months ago. So I asked him on Monday if anything had changed. This is what he said: (forgive the grammar, this is my best attempt as directly translating his words) "Elder Tucker, I feel like you´ve finally pulled that potential out of wherever you were hiding it, you came to know what you´re TRUELY capable of, and you´ve begun to fulfill that GIGANTIC spiritual and temporal potential that I saw in you the first time I saw you." Then he said "I call you an "Uncalled AP" because I could have called you to be my Asistant...and you would have done great things in that position. However, I didn´t call you because the Spirit whispered to me that you would develop and grow MUCH more personally and spiritually if I allowed you to stay in the field, teaching, and converting companions, members and investigators alike! So I obeyed and I didn´t call you as an AP, and you know what?! The Lord was right!" Then he finished with, "Elder Tucker, you DID IT! You achieved it! you´ve converted yourselves and you´ve gained the power to convert anyone that will truly listen to your Spirit and your voice. You have GAINED your Honor! If you called me tomorrow and told me that you felt like it was time for you to go home and finish you mission...I would send you without thinking twice...because you did it, you truly achieved honor and glory in you mission. Thank you. I love you. We´ll have a formal interview soon."
That was my experience with my Mission President, one the men I most respect in this entire world. The man that helped me repent and change my life around, the man that taught me how to really use the Atonement every day of my life, that man feels like I have already gained my Honor and that I can go home with my head held high, offering an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord. That was one of the most important moments of my life, hearing that come from President Lorenzana´s mouth. Mom, Dad, Hope, Family...I DID IT! I´m going to finish and come home having won our family Honor and the gratitude of hundred of converts that I had left in my wake. I truly thank the Lord for my mission and know that I will never truly understand the worth of my service until I enter into my Father´s Kingdom and see the faces of all those I helped gain their conversions to the only and True Gospel of Christ.=)
I finish my email saying that I love you all and if it weren´t for you and your influence in my life, I would have never gotten to where I am. =) Thank you, I love you, and I´m comin home soon! =D
Love Always,
-Preston William Tucker
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Good Week, Almost There!
My Dear, Wonderful Family...sigh...I miss you!haha
Hey everyone!
So, it`s Monday again and I get to check off another week. It was a wonderful week full of service and learning and bonding with Elder Bergquist and finding new investigators. I had a LOT of fun, ate a LOT of good food with good people, and suffered through a LOT of body aches for the most wonderful cause in the world. Here is San Carlos Sija, everyone plants and harvests corn all year, every year. If you were to ride a bus from Xela towards Sija, most of what you would see are big houses made of cinder block (just like the rest of Guatemala!) and rolling corn fields everywhere! From the business man that commutes to Xela every day, to the humble farmer, EVERYONE has corn to harvest. So...what my companions and I did almost all week was to help our members and investigators with their harvests, lighten the load as much as we could, and use the spare time we gave them to teach the Gospel. It was so much fun for me, I love hard labor...hahaha Dad...stop laughing! =P Seriously, I loved learning how to do everything by hand and I loved helping everyone through true charitable service. Not gunna lie though...the body aches weren`t fun. haha By Thursday I was hurting pretty bad...the whole left side of my back was super sore and I had to go to bed early a couple nights just because I couldn`t stay sitting up any longer. =) It hurt so good! We learned how to cut the corn stalk, pull off the corn cobs, shuck the corn, and I already knew how to take the dried corn kernels off the cob, cook them, mill them, and turn it all into tortillas...the life blood of the Guatemalan people. The words for all those actions in Spanish are, in order, cortar la caña, desgajar la masorca, pelar el maiz, desgranar, cocer el nixtamal, moler la masa, y echar las tortillas! haha I`m really not sure if most of those words exist in real, academic Spanish, but they exist here, so I felt like sharing. Besides all the service, all four of us had very good luck in finding new investigators this week! In one day, Elder B and I were able to find TEN new investigators...that`s something that I`ve only done ONCE before in my mission, and it felt very good to dedicate a whole afternoon to finding instead of hitting constant dead ends. The only bad part was that no one could come to Church and start progressing towards baptism this Sunday...I guess we`ll just pay for better results for this Sunday.
This week we will be making sure that the investigators we found last week are worth our time and want to progress and complete their commitments, and at the same time we will be contacting and finding more new investigators to fill the "possible baptism pool". I hope it`s obvious to everyone at home that even though I only have 10 weeks left in the mission, that I`m trying hard to work hard, serve hard, and love hard until the very end. Yes, I`m very excited about everything that I will be enjoying and experiencing at home, but I`m staying focused on blessing the people and teaching my companion so he can be a very successful, intelligent, spiritual mission for the next two year. I feel great. =)As for the news you shared with me today, I`m very glad that even though winter has set in and everybody is ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays to get here, everyone is trying to stay busy and happy. Never forget to keep up on the family prayers and family Scripture study, because that will be the source from which we all draw on for the energy to carry on. I have come to know this week that the true worth of my mission does not lie in how many people I contacted, taught, or baptized. The true worth of my mission is found in the number of families I have blessed with my testimony of the truth and the efficiency with which I shared the Teachings of Christ with those families. I have, to date, only 13 baptisms, and probably will not have many more before I come home, but...after reflecting on the worth and impact that my mission has had on the people whom I have been called to serve...I have realized something very important. A dear friend and member of the San Carlos Sija Branch explained this to me yesterday during Sunday School... In two years I may not have had many baptisms or seen grand signs and miracles or healed many sick...but because I did my best to teach anyone that would listen, especially the inactive and less active members and families of the Church, I have gained hundreds of CONVERTS! I have helped all those that never really achieved a true testimony of the Church and the Gospel, I have helped them to understand, ask for, and obtain TRUE conversion to their Savior and His Church.
Looking back...I cant remember all the names...unfortunately, time robbed me of that (my own fault for not writing a journal, i know)... but I know that I can count several hundreds of converts that I have helped come unto Christ. Our missionary objective, as stated in Preach My Gospel, does not just say "Invite all those who don`t know Christ or His Gospel to com unto Christ." No, the missionary objective says "Invite all people to come unto Christ" and that is what I have done for almost two years...and I have succeeded! =D I`m going to work my hardest for these last two months so I can come home tired, but strong...but now I know that my offering is acceptable before my Brother and Savior. =) I can come home honorable, knowing that I did the Lord`s work, I was obedient to His voice, and I myself became truly converted to His Gospel in the process! =D Just a couple quick things before I finish and write to other people... Elder Solis` mom`s name is Sonia Arevalo and she goes into surgery on Wednesday. I don`t know what for, but I know that she is weak and needs prayers in order to pull through. Elder Barrios is having a very hard time staying in the mission and says often that he wants to go home. He has almost 10 months in the mission and is a great missionary, but has lost sight of why he his hear...or, like me, the reasons for him being here are being obscured by Satan and his evil influence. I don`t know what will happen to him, he wants to speak to President about it today...I`ll let you know what happens. Elder Bergquist is doing VERY well. He learns fast, and gets along with anyone. He is funny, smart, and genuine, just like Josh Timothy...actually he makes me miss Josh a lot. =P But I`m glad I got a companion like him towards the end of my mission. The Lopez family went to the coast this week and we haven´t heard anything from them. You can also pray for the Diaz, Vicente, and De Leon families. =) They need to have the desire to receive us, come to church, and progress.I love you all and miss you constantly. Nothing special will happen for me for Thanksgiving, but I want everyone to eat as much as they possibly can, in my honor...maybe I`ll be able to taste it if you eat enough. ;)Love Always,-Elder Preston William Tucker
Hey everyone!
So, it`s Monday again and I get to check off another week. It was a wonderful week full of service and learning and bonding with Elder Bergquist and finding new investigators. I had a LOT of fun, ate a LOT of good food with good people, and suffered through a LOT of body aches for the most wonderful cause in the world. Here is San Carlos Sija, everyone plants and harvests corn all year, every year. If you were to ride a bus from Xela towards Sija, most of what you would see are big houses made of cinder block (just like the rest of Guatemala!) and rolling corn fields everywhere! From the business man that commutes to Xela every day, to the humble farmer, EVERYONE has corn to harvest. So...what my companions and I did almost all week was to help our members and investigators with their harvests, lighten the load as much as we could, and use the spare time we gave them to teach the Gospel. It was so much fun for me, I love hard labor...hahaha Dad...stop laughing! =P Seriously, I loved learning how to do everything by hand and I loved helping everyone through true charitable service. Not gunna lie though...the body aches weren`t fun. haha By Thursday I was hurting pretty bad...the whole left side of my back was super sore and I had to go to bed early a couple nights just because I couldn`t stay sitting up any longer. =) It hurt so good! We learned how to cut the corn stalk, pull off the corn cobs, shuck the corn, and I already knew how to take the dried corn kernels off the cob, cook them, mill them, and turn it all into tortillas...the life blood of the Guatemalan people. The words for all those actions in Spanish are, in order, cortar la caña, desgajar la masorca, pelar el maiz, desgranar, cocer el nixtamal, moler la masa, y echar las tortillas! haha I`m really not sure if most of those words exist in real, academic Spanish, but they exist here, so I felt like sharing. Besides all the service, all four of us had very good luck in finding new investigators this week! In one day, Elder B and I were able to find TEN new investigators...that`s something that I`ve only done ONCE before in my mission, and it felt very good to dedicate a whole afternoon to finding instead of hitting constant dead ends. The only bad part was that no one could come to Church and start progressing towards baptism this Sunday...I guess we`ll just pay for better results for this Sunday.
This week we will be making sure that the investigators we found last week are worth our time and want to progress and complete their commitments, and at the same time we will be contacting and finding more new investigators to fill the "possible baptism pool". I hope it`s obvious to everyone at home that even though I only have 10 weeks left in the mission, that I`m trying hard to work hard, serve hard, and love hard until the very end. Yes, I`m very excited about everything that I will be enjoying and experiencing at home, but I`m staying focused on blessing the people and teaching my companion so he can be a very successful, intelligent, spiritual mission for the next two year. I feel great. =)As for the news you shared with me today, I`m very glad that even though winter has set in and everybody is ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays to get here, everyone is trying to stay busy and happy. Never forget to keep up on the family prayers and family Scripture study, because that will be the source from which we all draw on for the energy to carry on. I have come to know this week that the true worth of my mission does not lie in how many people I contacted, taught, or baptized. The true worth of my mission is found in the number of families I have blessed with my testimony of the truth and the efficiency with which I shared the Teachings of Christ with those families. I have, to date, only 13 baptisms, and probably will not have many more before I come home, but...after reflecting on the worth and impact that my mission has had on the people whom I have been called to serve...I have realized something very important. A dear friend and member of the San Carlos Sija Branch explained this to me yesterday during Sunday School... In two years I may not have had many baptisms or seen grand signs and miracles or healed many sick...but because I did my best to teach anyone that would listen, especially the inactive and less active members and families of the Church, I have gained hundreds of CONVERTS! I have helped all those that never really achieved a true testimony of the Church and the Gospel, I have helped them to understand, ask for, and obtain TRUE conversion to their Savior and His Church.
Looking back...I cant remember all the names...unfortunately, time robbed me of that (my own fault for not writing a journal, i know)... but I know that I can count several hundreds of converts that I have helped come unto Christ. Our missionary objective, as stated in Preach My Gospel, does not just say "Invite all those who don`t know Christ or His Gospel to com unto Christ." No, the missionary objective says "Invite all people to come unto Christ" and that is what I have done for almost two years...and I have succeeded! =D I`m going to work my hardest for these last two months so I can come home tired, but strong...but now I know that my offering is acceptable before my Brother and Savior. =) I can come home honorable, knowing that I did the Lord`s work, I was obedient to His voice, and I myself became truly converted to His Gospel in the process! =D Just a couple quick things before I finish and write to other people... Elder Solis` mom`s name is Sonia Arevalo and she goes into surgery on Wednesday. I don`t know what for, but I know that she is weak and needs prayers in order to pull through. Elder Barrios is having a very hard time staying in the mission and says often that he wants to go home. He has almost 10 months in the mission and is a great missionary, but has lost sight of why he his hear...or, like me, the reasons for him being here are being obscured by Satan and his evil influence. I don`t know what will happen to him, he wants to speak to President about it today...I`ll let you know what happens. Elder Bergquist is doing VERY well. He learns fast, and gets along with anyone. He is funny, smart, and genuine, just like Josh Timothy...actually he makes me miss Josh a lot. =P But I`m glad I got a companion like him towards the end of my mission. The Lopez family went to the coast this week and we haven´t heard anything from them. You can also pray for the Diaz, Vicente, and De Leon families. =) They need to have the desire to receive us, come to church, and progress.I love you all and miss you constantly. Nothing special will happen for me for Thanksgiving, but I want everyone to eat as much as they possibly can, in my honor...maybe I`ll be able to taste it if you eat enough. ;)Love Always,-Elder Preston William Tucker
Monday, November 15, 2010
Change Week!
Hey Family! I love you! This week has been a very...FULL week for me here in San Carlos Sija. This week was a change week, but luckily I did not suffer many changes at all. I was REALLY anxious about these changes because I feel wonderful in my area and my companion Elder Solis and I are able to get along excellently and we teach with power and authority and the power of Spirit unto repentance. However, not everything was destined to stay the same for me. Luckily, the Lord did not change my situation completely. Here`s what happened: instead of taking both of usout of San Carlos Sija, the Presidente decided to send two MORE missionaries to our branch to help baptize and grow the branch together, the four of us. Elder Solis and I were separated and then given one new elder each. Elder Solis is now with Elder Barrios, an Elder that I served with in Momos West zone when I was a zone leader over there. My new companion is Elder Bergquist (the "g" is silent, it`s pronounced "Ber-quist"). He is in his second change in the mission and he is learning VERY quickly. He reminds me of me when I started the mission...hahaha just kidding, I`m not that arrogant. =P
But seriously, Elder B is awesome. He always has the desire to work and learn, but he`s laid back like me so we basically have fun ALL the time. We are NOT planning on dividing the area geographically, just because it would make it super hard to get everything done that needs to be done for the branch. So, we will be working separately, but together at the same time. We will find our own investigators, but plan for them all together. We will visit members separately, but serve them together. We feel really good about this plan because we`ve tried it out since Wednesday and it`s worked wonderfully. Elder B and I have a new family that we are teaching, the Family Lopez (Wilson, Alicia, and their three small kids). Elders Solis and Barrios are doing well as well. And the best part is that we all still have time to visit the members, serve them, strengthen them, and teach them to Gospel. We`re also living together, the four of us. It makes the schedule a little complicated, but it makes study and down time SUPER fun. =) As you can probably tell, I`m loving the way things are going for me right now. I`m very grateful for the opportunity that the Lord has given me to be with Elder Bergquist because there are still a lot of holes in his training that I can fill. He is attentive and fun and always willing to listen. He asks me good, productive questions and is always willing to spek in Spanish so he can get better quickly. I have the opportunity with his to recount experiences from my WHOLE mission and then teach him the deep life-lessons that I learned throughout my time here in Guatemala. It`s helping me to realize the deep and lasting value of my mission as a whole and the importance of passing on knowledge from generation to generation so that, as time goes by, the Church and WE as God`s children become stronger an wiser with each passing year.
Elder B is from Weiser, Idaho and has 4 older brothers and one older sister and one younger brother. His dad and his older brothers have all served missions and they love and support him always. He`s got a pure heart like Josh Timothy does and he`s just fun to be around. He`s maybe not as dorky as I am, but he`s definitely as genuine and gentle. We`re a good companionship and I have faith that we`ll achieve wonderful things this change. The only other weird part of my week was that I was told that this change will be shortened by a week. So, instead of us have 6 weeks to work, it`ll be just 5. I think the Church is doing this throughout the world so that the missionaries can get home in time for Christmas with their families and have time to register on time for Spring semester in school. This doesn`t effect my departure date at all, so don`t freak out. =P It just means that my last change will be 7 weeks long. Well, Family, I love you and I miss you. I use our stories and experiences every day in our teaching and other can relate to and understand the trials we have and the blessings we receive as members of Christ`s True Church. I love the testimony that my family has and the effort that they make to be constant in keeping the commandments and serve our Lord and Savior. I`ve expressed many facets of my testimony in these last few weeks, so I believe anyone that reads my letters and blog know at least the surface of my now deep, immovable testimony of the Truth. =) I love my mission, I appreciate ALL the trials and challenges that it`s thrown at me. I realize the depth and value of my mission and know that it will be a source of blessing and wisdom in my life forevermore. Can`t wait until I can tell you all about it in person. =D 11 weeks! Love Always,-Elder Preston William Tucker
But seriously, Elder B is awesome. He always has the desire to work and learn, but he`s laid back like me so we basically have fun ALL the time. We are NOT planning on dividing the area geographically, just because it would make it super hard to get everything done that needs to be done for the branch. So, we will be working separately, but together at the same time. We will find our own investigators, but plan for them all together. We will visit members separately, but serve them together. We feel really good about this plan because we`ve tried it out since Wednesday and it`s worked wonderfully. Elder B and I have a new family that we are teaching, the Family Lopez (Wilson, Alicia, and their three small kids). Elders Solis and Barrios are doing well as well. And the best part is that we all still have time to visit the members, serve them, strengthen them, and teach them to Gospel. We`re also living together, the four of us. It makes the schedule a little complicated, but it makes study and down time SUPER fun. =) As you can probably tell, I`m loving the way things are going for me right now. I`m very grateful for the opportunity that the Lord has given me to be with Elder Bergquist because there are still a lot of holes in his training that I can fill. He is attentive and fun and always willing to listen. He asks me good, productive questions and is always willing to spek in Spanish so he can get better quickly. I have the opportunity with his to recount experiences from my WHOLE mission and then teach him the deep life-lessons that I learned throughout my time here in Guatemala. It`s helping me to realize the deep and lasting value of my mission as a whole and the importance of passing on knowledge from generation to generation so that, as time goes by, the Church and WE as God`s children become stronger an wiser with each passing year.
Elder B is from Weiser, Idaho and has 4 older brothers and one older sister and one younger brother. His dad and his older brothers have all served missions and they love and support him always. He`s got a pure heart like Josh Timothy does and he`s just fun to be around. He`s maybe not as dorky as I am, but he`s definitely as genuine and gentle. We`re a good companionship and I have faith that we`ll achieve wonderful things this change. The only other weird part of my week was that I was told that this change will be shortened by a week. So, instead of us have 6 weeks to work, it`ll be just 5. I think the Church is doing this throughout the world so that the missionaries can get home in time for Christmas with their families and have time to register on time for Spring semester in school. This doesn`t effect my departure date at all, so don`t freak out. =P It just means that my last change will be 7 weeks long. Well, Family, I love you and I miss you. I use our stories and experiences every day in our teaching and other can relate to and understand the trials we have and the blessings we receive as members of Christ`s True Church. I love the testimony that my family has and the effort that they make to be constant in keeping the commandments and serve our Lord and Savior. I`ve expressed many facets of my testimony in these last few weeks, so I believe anyone that reads my letters and blog know at least the surface of my now deep, immovable testimony of the Truth. =) I love my mission, I appreciate ALL the trials and challenges that it`s thrown at me. I realize the depth and value of my mission and know that it will be a source of blessing and wisdom in my life forevermore. Can`t wait until I can tell you all about it in person. =D 11 weeks! Love Always,-Elder Preston William Tucker
Monday, November 8, 2010
Two Changes Left!
Good Morning Family,
Today marks day 1 of my second to last change in the mission. You received my flight plans this week, which I`m sure was a little bit of a shock for Mom and Dad, but also a big source of happiness and anxiousness. Trust me, it is for me too. I`m trying my hardest to keep my head in the game and focus on the mission and the goals I still have to complete before my time is up. I remember several of my good friends in the mission that turned SUPER baggy in their last couple of changes and it made it really hard for their companions to stay focused too. Elder Solis will soon have 9 complete months in the mission, and I don`t want to make him suffer the same that I did with my "old, dying companions." He is such a good friend and companion to me, I really appreciate everything that he is and does for me. I try my best to impart my knowledge and experience to him as he faces some of the same challenges that I did early in my mission, and I believe that we have a special ability to help each other. Elder Solis is another of those people that I feel like I knew in the Pre-Existence, the people I knew I would meet and have the opportunity to help and love during my mortal life. I have a special request this week from my parents and Whitney too, if she`d like to participate. My request is that your first priority this week be writing a special email to Elder Solis, telling him anything that you`d like to say to him, and then make your second priority writing me an email for the week. I`d also like my family to say a few special prayers for Elder Solis to help him in the rest of his mission, prayers for his sick, single mother, so that she can regain her health and strength, prayers for his sisters and their families, so that Elder Solis` nieces can grow in good homes and so that his sisters can make ends meet. I really share a strong love for this companion, and I`d like my family to be able to feel the spirit of service through prayers sent his way. Thank you, if you accept my request. =) His email address es elvis.arnoldo.arevalo@myldsmail.net.
This week the only big bit of news that I feel inspired to share is that Elder Don R. Clark of the First Quorum of the Seventy, the President of the Area Presidency of Central America, came on a mission tour of Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission. Thus, we had special conferences throughout the mission directed and taught by Elder Clark himself. In the Xela Mission there has occurred a big change in that most of the old missionaries have left for home and that mission is now FULL of new missionaries, most of them being North American. So, there is a unique challenge in the mission. Many of the missionaries dont know Spanish well enough to express themselves, there aren`t many experienced missionaries to be able to teach them quickly, so they must learn on their own, and most of the new missionaries are being trained by other new missionaries that only have a change or two in the field. So Elder Clark`s teachings and comments were mostly directed towards the new missionaries, but they helped us all. He talked a lot about basic principles that will help missionaries both North American and Latino have successful missions. He spoke about the importance of learning and speaking Spanish. He spoke of the importance of loving our companions and loving the people. He spoke of the importance of opening our mouths and talking to everyone.and at least sharing our testimonies. I took many notes and learned many things through the Spirit that will help me complete my mission with success. He also taught us how to measure the success and value of our missions...and I was elated to finally know of a surety that my mission has been EXTREMELY successful in its own right. I`ll be able to explain more once I`m home, but for now I know that my mission is valuable and acceptable to the Lord because first I, myself, became truly converted the the Restored Gospel of Christ, I came to know my Savior and love Him completely, and I came to understand and use the Atonement in my daily life. Second, I know my mission was successful because I loved the people and I served them with my whole heart, and they loved me in return. I cannot remember many families that didn`t have a true love and respect for Preston William Tucker and the Tucker Family by the time I was change out of the area. Most of those that I truly helped were members. I baptized a few, I reactivated many, and I taught them all through the Spirit. So, in summary, I have come to know for myself the value of my mission and the eternal significance that it has in my life in the lives of many of our brothers and sisters in this world. That was the value that Elder Clark`s conference had for me. I love my mission and the challenges that it presented me with all because I grew and changed and progressed. In about 12 weeks I will be able to step on the plane and leave Guatemala knowing that I`m coming home having become the man that Heavenly Father planned for me to become up to this point in my life. I`m excited to continue progressing and helping those around me, especially my family, and I know that because I have these desires, my mission will never truly end. =) I love my Family and I love my Father in Heaven even more for blessing me so completely and deeply in my honorable full-time mission. =)
Until next week...I love you. I`ll tell you all about the changes if we receive any, but let`s keep our fingers crossed that everything stays the way it is for me for at least one change more. =) Oh, also, I had forgotten to mention...for the first time in my mission a leader of my branch, a member of the branch presidency, and a high counselor all told me that they requested that the Stake President request of President Lorenzana that I and my companion stay in our area together. That was a good sign, I think. =P
Love Always,
-Elder Preston William Tucker
P.S. Mom, Dad, Hope, Whitney...try not to get TOO baggy or trunky now that I can almost count my remaining weeks on my two hands. ;P Love you!
Today marks day 1 of my second to last change in the mission. You received my flight plans this week, which I`m sure was a little bit of a shock for Mom and Dad, but also a big source of happiness and anxiousness. Trust me, it is for me too. I`m trying my hardest to keep my head in the game and focus on the mission and the goals I still have to complete before my time is up. I remember several of my good friends in the mission that turned SUPER baggy in their last couple of changes and it made it really hard for their companions to stay focused too. Elder Solis will soon have 9 complete months in the mission, and I don`t want to make him suffer the same that I did with my "old, dying companions." He is such a good friend and companion to me, I really appreciate everything that he is and does for me. I try my best to impart my knowledge and experience to him as he faces some of the same challenges that I did early in my mission, and I believe that we have a special ability to help each other. Elder Solis is another of those people that I feel like I knew in the Pre-Existence, the people I knew I would meet and have the opportunity to help and love during my mortal life. I have a special request this week from my parents and Whitney too, if she`d like to participate. My request is that your first priority this week be writing a special email to Elder Solis, telling him anything that you`d like to say to him, and then make your second priority writing me an email for the week. I`d also like my family to say a few special prayers for Elder Solis to help him in the rest of his mission, prayers for his sick, single mother, so that she can regain her health and strength, prayers for his sisters and their families, so that Elder Solis` nieces can grow in good homes and so that his sisters can make ends meet. I really share a strong love for this companion, and I`d like my family to be able to feel the spirit of service through prayers sent his way. Thank you, if you accept my request. =) His email address es elvis.arnoldo.arevalo@myldsmail.net.
This week the only big bit of news that I feel inspired to share is that Elder Don R. Clark of the First Quorum of the Seventy, the President of the Area Presidency of Central America, came on a mission tour of Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission. Thus, we had special conferences throughout the mission directed and taught by Elder Clark himself. In the Xela Mission there has occurred a big change in that most of the old missionaries have left for home and that mission is now FULL of new missionaries, most of them being North American. So, there is a unique challenge in the mission. Many of the missionaries dont know Spanish well enough to express themselves, there aren`t many experienced missionaries to be able to teach them quickly, so they must learn on their own, and most of the new missionaries are being trained by other new missionaries that only have a change or two in the field. So Elder Clark`s teachings and comments were mostly directed towards the new missionaries, but they helped us all. He talked a lot about basic principles that will help missionaries both North American and Latino have successful missions. He spoke about the importance of learning and speaking Spanish. He spoke of the importance of loving our companions and loving the people. He spoke of the importance of opening our mouths and talking to everyone.and at least sharing our testimonies. I took many notes and learned many things through the Spirit that will help me complete my mission with success. He also taught us how to measure the success and value of our missions...and I was elated to finally know of a surety that my mission has been EXTREMELY successful in its own right. I`ll be able to explain more once I`m home, but for now I know that my mission is valuable and acceptable to the Lord because first I, myself, became truly converted the the Restored Gospel of Christ, I came to know my Savior and love Him completely, and I came to understand and use the Atonement in my daily life. Second, I know my mission was successful because I loved the people and I served them with my whole heart, and they loved me in return. I cannot remember many families that didn`t have a true love and respect for Preston William Tucker and the Tucker Family by the time I was change out of the area. Most of those that I truly helped were members. I baptized a few, I reactivated many, and I taught them all through the Spirit. So, in summary, I have come to know for myself the value of my mission and the eternal significance that it has in my life in the lives of many of our brothers and sisters in this world. That was the value that Elder Clark`s conference had for me. I love my mission and the challenges that it presented me with all because I grew and changed and progressed. In about 12 weeks I will be able to step on the plane and leave Guatemala knowing that I`m coming home having become the man that Heavenly Father planned for me to become up to this point in my life. I`m excited to continue progressing and helping those around me, especially my family, and I know that because I have these desires, my mission will never truly end. =) I love my Family and I love my Father in Heaven even more for blessing me so completely and deeply in my honorable full-time mission. =)
Until next week...I love you. I`ll tell you all about the changes if we receive any, but let`s keep our fingers crossed that everything stays the way it is for me for at least one change more. =) Oh, also, I had forgotten to mention...for the first time in my mission a leader of my branch, a member of the branch presidency, and a high counselor all told me that they requested that the Stake President request of President Lorenzana that I and my companion stay in our area together. That was a good sign, I think. =P
Love Always,
-Elder Preston William Tucker
P.S. Mom, Dad, Hope, Whitney...try not to get TOO baggy or trunky now that I can almost count my remaining weeks on my two hands. ;P Love you!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Good Results After a Good Week!
Hey Family and Friends!This last week was the fifth week of this change, so it was a week in which we NEEDED to show results in the branch if we want things to stay the way that they are in our area. Elder Solis and I would like to be together until I end me mission, and in order to make that even possible, we needed to work hard and show results to our leaders in church attendance, finding new investigators, teaching lessons, and all the little tasks and datos (statistics) that are asked of modern day missionaries. So...my companion and I and the branch presidency all of us put our shoulders to the wheel and worked hard this week. We had fun in the process, of course, but we got a lot of stuff done at the same time. We worked especially hard trying to find mew investigators and to reactivate inactive and less active members all around San Carlos Sija. Here are the results of our labor: we found 8 new investigators, three families, but all of them ended up letting us know one way or the other that they aren`t interested in changing their lives and accepting the gospel (but that`s okay, we continue pushing forward), we visited MANY inactive and less active families to solve their problems with gospel and priesthood power, and we visited almost ALL of the active families to support them, teach them, and prepare them to receive the lost sheep back into the fold. Yesterday the church attendance jumped from 63 total last week with 5 in actives and 5 recent converts to 79 total this week with 9 in actives, and 10 less actives, and the same 5 recent converts! =D How awesome it THAT! It was a miracle and we were extremely grateful for the blessings we received. As a result also, several families of inactive families have accepted our offer to reteach them the missionary lessons and help them accomplish a true and lasting testimony of the True Church. The San Carlos Sija branch wasn`t to become the San Carlos Sija Ward so this is exactly the things that it needs...for the lost sheep to come home and the offended sheep to trust the shepherd, forgive the past, and come back to the true fold. =) We`re feeling really positive about the possibility that next change Elder Solis and I will be able to stay together in our area and continue working to achieve even more success than we have so far. =)The best thing I could ask for when it comes to the support everyone at home could give us would be for you all to keep in mind the goals of our branch in San Carlos Sija, and pray and fast for the families that I will be telling you all about in the coming weeks (that is IF I get to stay in this area =P) Here are the goals that the branch needs to achieve to turn into a ward: we need to up the church attendance to 125 every week steady, we need to have 25 worthy holders of the Higher Priesthood, and also 25 full tithe payers. Those are the basics...we can do it, I know we can. It`ll be rough and it`ll take a LOT of work, but I know that if I stay in Sija until I come back home...my companion and I can at least get us most of the way there. =) All through the Spirit of course...we`ll only be instruments in the Lord`s hands...but we`ll be the ones putting in the footwork at least. =P Okay, so if you want to support us, pray that we can continue to progress and achieve those goals. Also, two families that need our prayers are the Aguilar Family (4, young mom and dad and two tiny children) and the Hill Ramirez Family (older mom and dad and 10 children and their families). The Devil worked hard on those families to bring them down and take them into the "forbidden paths", so we gotta have the Spirit strong with us to bring them back. We can do it, nothing is impossible with the Lord`s help. =PFamily, I love you...just wanted you to know that.I loved all the news about Halloween...not gunna lie...I missed it last night. But that`s okay...no big deal. Just a couple more holidays to watch pass by, and then you`ll never be able to get rid of me. haha No, seriously, it`s okay. We`re gunna have a Thanksgiving dinner Guatemala style with a family of members just for me. =P They love me in this area. =) And I love them. Christmas will be great because it`ll mark one more month until I`m 21. and New years will literally be a blast here with all the fireworks and the whole city blowing up at midnight. So I`m not getting baggy cuz of the holidays, don`t worry. Just know that I`m enjoying my mission, I`m being good, I continue learning from the Spirit and the scriptures, and I love my family to the end of time!
Love Eternally,-Elder Preston William Tucker
P.S. When Thanksgiving comes around, I would really love it if you all took pictures together and send them to me. I`ll get jealous of the food, but most of all I`ll just enjoy seeing the smiling faces of my beloved family. I love you guys!
Love Eternally,-Elder Preston William Tucker
P.S. When Thanksgiving comes around, I would really love it if you all took pictures together and send them to me. I`ll get jealous of the food, but most of all I`ll just enjoy seeing the smiling faces of my beloved family. I love you guys!
Good Results After A Good Week!
Hey Family and Friends!
This last week was the fifth week of this change, so it was a week in which we NEEDED to show results in the branch if we want things to stay the way that they are in our area. Elder Solis and I would like to be together until I end me mission, and in order to make that even possible, we needed to work hard and show results to our leaders in church attendance, finding new investigators, teaching lessons, and all the little tasks and datos that are asked of modern day missionaries. So...my companion and I and the branch presidency all of us put our shoulders to the wheel and worked hard this week. We had fun in the process, of course, but we got a lot of stuff done at the same time. We worked especially hard trying to find mew investigators and to reactivate inactive and less active members all around San Carlos Sija. Here are the results of our labor: we found 8 new investigators, three families, but all of them ended up letting us know one way or the other that they aren`t interested in changing their lives and accepting the gospel (but that`s okay, we continue pushing forward), we visited MANY inactive and less active families to solve their problems with gospel and priesthood power, and we visited almost ALL of the active families to support them, teach them, and prepare them to receive the lost sheep back into the fold. Yesterday the church attendance jumped from 63 total last week with 5 inactives and 5 recent converts to 79 total this week with 9 inactives, and 10 less actives, and the same 5 recent converts! =D How awesome it THAT! It was a miracle and we were extremely grateful for the blessings we received. As a result also, several families of inactive families have accepted our offer to reteach them the missionary lessons and help them accomplish a true and lasting testimony of the True Church. The San Carlos Sija branch wasn`t to become the San Carlos Sija Ward so this is exactly the things that it needs...for the lost sheep to come home and the offended sheep to trust the shepherd, forgive the past, and come back to the true fold. =) We`re feeling really positive about the possibility that next change Elder Solis and I will be able to stay together in our area and continue working to achieve even more success than we have so far. =)
The best thing I could ask for when it comes to the support everyone at home could give us would be for you all to keep in mind the goals of our branch in San Carlos Sija, and pray and fast for the families that I will be telling you all about in the coming weeks (that is IF I get to stay in this area =P) Here are the goals that the branch needs to achieve to turn into a ward: we need to up the church attendance to 125 every week steady, we need to have 25 worthy holders of the Higher Priesthood, and also 25 full tithe payers. Those are the basics...we can do it, I know we can. It`ll be rough and it`ll take a LOT of work, but I know that if I stay in Sija until I come back home...my companion and I can at least get us most of the way there. =) All through the Spirit of course...we`ll only be instruments in the Lord`s hands...but we`ll be the ones putting in the footwork at least. =P Okay, so if you want to support us, pray that we can continue to progress and achieve those goals. Also, two families that need our prayers are the Aguilar Family (4, young mom and dad and two tiny children) and the Hill Ramirez Family (older mom and dad and 10 children and their families). The Devil worked hard on those families to bring them down and take them into the "forbidden paths", so we gotta have the Spirit strong with us to bring them back. We can do it, nothing is impossible with the Lord`s help. =P
Family, I love you...just wanted you to know that.
I loved all the news about Halloween...not gunna lie...I missed it last night. But that`s okay...no big deal. Just a couple more holidays to watch pass by, and then you`ll never be able to get rid of me. haha No, seriously, it`s okay. We`re gunna have a Thanksgiving dinner Guatemala style with a family of members just for me. =P They love me in this area. =) And I love them. Christmas will be great because it`ll mark one more month until I`m 21. and New years will literally be a blast here with all the fireworks and the whole city blowing up at midnight. So I`m not getting baggy cuz of the holidays, don`t worry. Just know that I`m enjoying my mission, I`m being good, I continue learning from the Spirit and the scriptures, and I love my family to the end of time!
Love Eternally,
-Elder Preston William Tucker
P.S. When Thanksgiving comes around, I would really love it if you all took pictures together and send them to me. I`ll get jealous of the food, but most of all I`ll just enjoy seeing the smiling faces of my beloved family. I love you guys!
This last week was the fifth week of this change, so it was a week in which we NEEDED to show results in the branch if we want things to stay the way that they are in our area. Elder Solis and I would like to be together until I end me mission, and in order to make that even possible, we needed to work hard and show results to our leaders in church attendance, finding new investigators, teaching lessons, and all the little tasks and datos that are asked of modern day missionaries. So...my companion and I and the branch presidency all of us put our shoulders to the wheel and worked hard this week. We had fun in the process, of course, but we got a lot of stuff done at the same time. We worked especially hard trying to find mew investigators and to reactivate inactive and less active members all around San Carlos Sija. Here are the results of our labor: we found 8 new investigators, three families, but all of them ended up letting us know one way or the other that they aren`t interested in changing their lives and accepting the gospel (but that`s okay, we continue pushing forward), we visited MANY inactive and less active families to solve their problems with gospel and priesthood power, and we visited almost ALL of the active families to support them, teach them, and prepare them to receive the lost sheep back into the fold. Yesterday the church attendance jumped from 63 total last week with 5 inactives and 5 recent converts to 79 total this week with 9 inactives, and 10 less actives, and the same 5 recent converts! =D How awesome it THAT! It was a miracle and we were extremely grateful for the blessings we received. As a result also, several families of inactive families have accepted our offer to reteach them the missionary lessons and help them accomplish a true and lasting testimony of the True Church. The San Carlos Sija branch wasn`t to become the San Carlos Sija Ward so this is exactly the things that it needs...for the lost sheep to come home and the offended sheep to trust the shepherd, forgive the past, and come back to the true fold. =) We`re feeling really positive about the possibility that next change Elder Solis and I will be able to stay together in our area and continue working to achieve even more success than we have so far. =)
The best thing I could ask for when it comes to the support everyone at home could give us would be for you all to keep in mind the goals of our branch in San Carlos Sija, and pray and fast for the families that I will be telling you all about in the coming weeks (that is IF I get to stay in this area =P) Here are the goals that the branch needs to achieve to turn into a ward: we need to up the church attendance to 125 every week steady, we need to have 25 worthy holders of the Higher Priesthood, and also 25 full tithe payers. Those are the basics...we can do it, I know we can. It`ll be rough and it`ll take a LOT of work, but I know that if I stay in Sija until I come back home...my companion and I can at least get us most of the way there. =) All through the Spirit of course...we`ll only be instruments in the Lord`s hands...but we`ll be the ones putting in the footwork at least. =P Okay, so if you want to support us, pray that we can continue to progress and achieve those goals. Also, two families that need our prayers are the Aguilar Family (4, young mom and dad and two tiny children) and the Hill Ramirez Family (older mom and dad and 10 children and their families). The Devil worked hard on those families to bring them down and take them into the "forbidden paths", so we gotta have the Spirit strong with us to bring them back. We can do it, nothing is impossible with the Lord`s help. =P
Family, I love you...just wanted you to know that.
I loved all the news about Halloween...not gunna lie...I missed it last night. But that`s okay...no big deal. Just a couple more holidays to watch pass by, and then you`ll never be able to get rid of me. haha No, seriously, it`s okay. We`re gunna have a Thanksgiving dinner Guatemala style with a family of members just for me. =P They love me in this area. =) And I love them. Christmas will be great because it`ll mark one more month until I`m 21. and New years will literally be a blast here with all the fireworks and the whole city blowing up at midnight. So I`m not getting baggy cuz of the holidays, don`t worry. Just know that I`m enjoying my mission, I`m being good, I continue learning from the Spirit and the scriptures, and I love my family to the end of time!
Love Eternally,
-Elder Preston William Tucker
P.S. When Thanksgiving comes around, I would really love it if you all took pictures together and send them to me. I`ll get jealous of the food, but most of all I`ll just enjoy seeing the smiling faces of my beloved family. I love you guys!
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