Hello Family!!
Drum Roll please... I'm now serving in Ankeny. My companion, Sister Neville and I will be Pink Washing this area!! Pink Washing means the same as white washing. There were Elders in this ward previously, but they took them out and put us Sisters here. So this means that neither one of us know the area, which makes it a little challenging, but we are up for the challenge. The ward members that we have met so far are really nice and they are SO excited to have Sisters here. For some of the younger children in the families this is their first time seeing Sister Missionaries. We've learned so far that we don't have any progressing investigators and that a large portion of the ward in inactive. We've met with the Relief Society President and she said that there are 80 or more sisters that are less active. We've got a lot of work to do here! Many of these less active families are also part member, so we may see baptisms in this way. We will also be working hard to increase our teaching pool and to be lead to those who are being prepared at this time to receive the gospel.
The apartment that we are in used to house Elders. Which was very apparent as we discovered old white shirts and suits hanging up in the closet, a bag of ties, some shoes, and men's deodorant and cologne in the bathroom. We tried to give away some items to the Elders in our district, but we still have a trunk full of things. To Goodwill they will go.
We were going to be in a car share, but at the end of our first day here we learned that we will have a car full time!! Which works out great because our ward covers Ankeny, Altoona, Mitchelville, Bonderant, and a small portion of Des Moines. We will definitely have to plan our days well!
Oh, on Thursday Gladys Knight will be performing in Des Moines and we have tickets to go if we find an investigator to go with us. The performance is called Saints United Voice.
Conference was amazing! We watched it at the church building which is about 5 minutes or less away from the apartment. We all loved hearing Russell M. Nelson's talk, especially when he kept saying "Ask the Missionaries"!! When President Monson's announcement about the age limit was being lowered for missionaries, I felt that the Lord is really hastening his work. Preach my Gospel is a wonderful tool that they prophet and apostles have put together and it truly is how the Lord would direct his missionary work. We are taught to study and use all that is in that manual.
As I listened to Marcus F. Nash's talk and as he shared the story of Ann Rowley, I turned to my companion and said that she was my Great, Great, Great, Great Grandmother. I was also reminded that I have her experience in one of my binders that had been copied off before I left for the mission. She said, "No way!!" and thought that was so neat and she was reminded of 17 Miracles.
Things are going great between my companion Sister Neville and I. We are excited to be Pink Washing this area and we are ready to get to work!!
It was hard to listen to conference without any investigators with us :( I kept thinking back to Iowa City and knowing that we had at least 7 that would be watching. I wish I could be with them what they thought about it!! It's a killer!! But I know this is where I'm supposed to be and I'm happy to be here.
Oh, one thing that came to mind as President Monson was talking lowering the age limit for Elders, is that Tyler could go before he's 19!! Crazy!! That's just a few years away now!!
Well, I think that's all for now. I'm really excited to get to work here in Ankeny! Our mission is at 275 baptisms so far and we are working hard to reach 400 for Christ. We know this is an inspired goal and that there are 400 souls that are being prepared in Iowa to hear the gospel. We just have to go forward in faith and open our mouths :)
Love ya lots!!
Sister Tucker
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