May 22-24 & 29 2012

     This is Kristi's Mom updating about Sister Tucker. She left the MTC this morning at 4 am! There were 11 missionaries being transported to the Salt Lake Airport. One Elder was going to Michigan, but the others were all traveling to Iowa! There were four Sisters and 6 Elders going out. They were taking turns calling family from the airport. We got called at 6:30 am and talked about 15-20 minutes. It was so wonderful to hear her voice and she sounds so happy, excited, and ready to enter the Mission Field! Her excitement spilled to us and we are very thankful she has had such a positive and spiritual experience in the MTC. The plane left at 7:30 am and should have arrived about 1 pm. Her address will now be: Sister Kristina Tucker, Iowa Des Moines Mission, 8515 Douglas Ave. Ste 19, Urbandale, IA 50322. I know she would love to hear from you! Since she will have more time to write and her letters will be longer we will post only part of her letters on the blog. Hope you enjoy!

May 29, 2012

Hello One and All!!
     Today is my last day in the MTC! It's been so nice to have this as our P-day. I have most of my bags packed and I should have no problem with the weight restriction. So far today I slept in till 6:30, ate a nice breakfast, did laundry, picked up a few shirts at the alterations (I had a couple of shirts that could be taken in). There are some very nice older women who volunteer to do alterations and they only charge 50 cents per item. Had I known they could do alterations so inexpensively, I would have had them fix the hem on that skirt and dress of mine :) Sorry Mom! We also went to the bookstore and used up the remaining amount on my MTC card. I had 15 dollars to spend! At noon we had lunch, then went to the MTC, came back and packed, ate dinner, now I'm writing this email. At 7:00 we have a devotional, followed by a Devotional Review with our district and then my companion and another sister from our district will eat popcorn, paint our nails and do some last minute cleaning. My companion, Sister Babbitt and I leave tomorrow morning at 4:00am for the airport so I will plan on calling as soon as we get past security. For $5.00 we purchased a calling card at the bookstore that has 500 minutes on it. It's only good for 90 days after purchase, so we'll share the card and get more use out of it.
     I'll send more in a little while, I just ran out of time. Love you!

May 22-24, 2012

Dear Family,

     The sisters in my district went to the Provo Temple to do Initiatories. We all had a nice time there and felt the spirit. Afterwards, we met up with the Elders in our district and had a photo taken in front of the Temple. I couldn't help but take a few pictures of the pink roses on the Temple grounds. What's a birthday without flowers? I remember Mom would always cut some flowers off the snowball bush and the Rhododendron bush.

     Last Tuesday we had a Devotional and L. Tom Perry was our main speaker! The room was packed with around 2,000 missionaries, mostly Elders with a few Sisters sprinkled here and there. The opening hymn we sang was "Called To Serve" and the spirit was felt so strong. It was amazing! We don't know who the speaker is tonight (Tuesday, May 22nd), but I joined choir on Sunday and will be singing in that. There are a lot of missionaries in choir. They have the sister missionaries in the middle section of seats with the Elders surrounding us on all sides. It is so powerful when they all join in and sing.
     L. Tom Perry talked about the restoration of the gospel and really emphasized the Priesthood. One of the first things that he brought to our remembrance was that the Priesthood was restored on that very day to the earth 183 years ago (May 15th). His talk came at such a great time because we had just been learning more about the restoration of the gospel.
     Each day except Sunday and P-Day, we have two classroom instruction sessions that last three hours each. During the classroom instruction we have two progressing investigators. Each teacher takes on the role of a progressing investigator like someone they knew well on their mission. Once a day we teach one of them and then the other day we switch. We've learned the first two discussions and are working on the third. It feels as if there is never enough time to study these lessons like we all want. We are learning how to teach by the spirit and to teach according to the investigators needs. We are able to do this as we ask inspired questions about them.
     We also have two investigators at the TRC (Training Resource Center). We've met three times with a lady, Holy and her husband, Jose. On Monday we asked how her reading of the Book of Mormon has been and she shared Alma 7 that she was asked by some other missionaries to read. We asked if she has received an answer for herself that the Book of Mormon is true and she said she knows it is the word of God. We extended the baptismal challenge and she will let us know this coming Wednesday after she talks with her husband.
      Another lady we are working with is LuAnn. She believes she was baptized when she was eight, but her family never went back after that. She is now in her 60's and is living here in Utah. She moved five years ago from California. We told the front desk that she doesn't know if she was baptized and if they could find out for us. They will let us know this coming Thursday.
     This last Sunday for the evening fireside, Robert Daines, President of the Provo Temple, came and spoke with us along with his wife. They had some very interesting insights. Oh, I forgot to mention that as we were teaching these two sisters it felt so good. It felt so real (I think they are real investigators, but I'm not certain). It feels real when we are talking with them.
     A typical day is outlined below.
               6:30 - 7:00 am                   Arrive and Prepare (6:00 for me)
               7:00 - 7:20                          Daily Planning Session (I usually use this time to finish getting    ready :)
               7:20 - 7:50                          Breakfast
               8:00 - 9:00                          Workshop
               9:30 - 10:20                        Gym
               11:00 - 12:00                      TRC (Progressing Investigator
               12:00 - 12:45                      Lunch
               1:00 - 2:00                          TRC or Personal Study Time
               2:00 - 5:00                          Classroom Instruction
               5:00 - 5:45                          Dinner
               5:45 - 8:45                          Classroom Instruction
               8:45 - 9:30                          Zone Teaching
               9:30 - 10:15                        Personal Time/Companionship Prayer (this time flies!)
               10:15 - 10:30                     Quiet Time
               10:30                                   Lights Out
     We usually have our meals at 7:20, 12:00 and 5:00. My favorite meals thus far has been Kahlua pork and rice (I got some pineapple to go along with it :)  Chicken Cordon Blue (they like to throw in the vegetables in there like beans and peas, but I eat them). Lela would be proud! Potato Soup and New England Clam Chowder are really good as well. Some evenings they will have an ice cream bar and they have at least eight different kinds!
     Sundays are my favorite here at the MTC. The day is really scheduled, but I feel the spirit so strong that day and spiritually energized. At 9:30 we watch The Spoken Word. 10:00 is Relief Society with all the sisters. 11:30 is Lunch. Sacrament Meeting is from 12:15 - 1:15. Then, we have Interviews/Study Time/Branch Meetings 2:45 - 3:45. District Meeting 3:45 - 4:15. Study Time/Temple walk. Dinner 4:15. 4:45 - 7:00 Study Time. 7:00 MTC Fireside. 8:00 attend taped talk. 9:00 - 9:30 Daily Planning Session.
     Thanks so much for all your letters. I LOVE hearing from everyone!!!
Love you all lots!
Sister Tucker