October 29, 2012

Dear Family,

 

This last week has gone well, it went by super fast though. We had exchanges that started on Monday evening with the Sisters from West Des Moines until Wednesday night. We met them at the stake center in Des Moines and Sister Neville and Sister Robinson took off for Iowa City and Ottumwa. Sister Neville was training Sister Robinson to be a Sister Rep, kind of like a Zone Leader, but just over some sisters in the mission. I drove Sister Lloyd and myself back up to Ankeny and we worked in our area for the next couple of days. It was really fun being able to drive again. It's been a while.

 

On Tuesday we had a great lesson with a less active in the ward and the spirit was so strong. I was amazed at the end when he invited us to come back and begin teaching him the lessons again. He joined the church 12 years ago and only feels the need to come to church occasionally. His mother passed away in April and one thing that he mentioned he would like to take her name to the temple and complete her work. This would be a great experience for him and we will help him work towards obtaining a temple recommend. But that will entail him coming to church more :) I love it when the spirit is so strong during lessons!

 

With our area being so large, we have very few miles left and so the last couple of days we've been walking. On Saturday we walked around 10 to 15 miles. I'm so thankful for the warm clothes that I have, they are such a blessing! The temperature has been around the 40's the last few days. Luckily there's not much wind. My legs and shoulders are tired but it's making me stronger in the long run. I can't wait till the beginning of the month, that's for sure!

 

As I read our weekly letter from the mission President, he shared a few things that I wanted to pass along to you all. He writes,

 

"What a wonderful time to be a missionary!  It was announced that the age limits for missionaries was lowered to 18 for Elders and 19 for Sisters at the October General Conference.            

“As Church leaders had anticipated when the change was announced, the number of individuals who have begun the missionary application process has increased significantly.  Typically approximately 700 new applications are started each week.  The last two weeks that number has increased to approximately 4,000 per week.           

Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland predicted that lowering the age limits for young Mormon missionaries would trigger a "dramatic" uptick in their numbers. Turns out, dramatic was an understatement. Try a 471 percent jump in applications — so far! "Slightly more than half of the applicants are women," LDS Church spokesman Scott Trotter said Monday in a news release. That represents a massive shift. Typically, women make up fewer than a fifth of the LDS missionary force, which currently stands at more than 58,000 worldwide.           

At a news conference after the historic change, Elder Holland said The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was gearing up immediately to accommodate a larger missionary force — reducing by a third the time missionaries spend in training centers and hiring additional staff to manage the budding proselytizers’ language skills            

 "The Lord is hastening this work," Elder Holland said, "and he needs more and more willing missionaries."

 

Isn't that amazing!! It is so exciting to be a part of the Lord's work and to be serving at this time as a full time missionary! Just imagine everyone, the influence you are having on those around you and how you are involved in moving the Lord's work wherever you are. I feel, as does Elder Holland that the Lord truly is hastening his work. That is what I felt as I listened to President Monson make the announcement.

 

It has been so hard being in a different area and not being able to communicate with former companions. I hear from Sister Neville who was in Iowa City this last week for a few days, that Paul, who speaks french, was baptized! I wish I could have been there!

 

Love,

Sister Tucker