December 17, 2012

Family,

Thank you, Mom, for your email. It was so touching to me and brought happy tears to my eyes. Thank you so much for sharing your experience as a new convert with me, I greatly appreciate this.

Tasha was baptized this last March and she invited us over for Christmas Dinner. She lives with her older brother and his wife. I don't believe they are members. She is 19 and will be going to school at BYU-Idaho in January. She's a little nervous to go, but I keep reassuring her that she will have a great time!

I did receive the three boxes you sent. I had so much fun the previous week decorating the apartment and setting up my little Christmas tree! I placed all the presents and the 12 days of Christmas packages around the little tree. It sure looks cute!! It has been so much fun to open a package each day, we do it during our companion study.

This last Tuesday we were to have Sister Jergensen join us for the evening, but President Jergensen had to arrange an emergency transfer so she was unable to come. It worked out well because our appointment canceled because she had the flu. I felt impressed to stop by the home of two less active sisters in the ward. These visits went so well and we have plans to meet with them this week too. To our great surprise, one of the families showed up at the Ward Christmas Party. The mother said she came because we had invited them. So this woman came with her elderly mother who lives with them, her husband who is not a member and a four year old boy whom she babysits. The older woman's name is Mabel and she has Alsheimers. She is so sweet and has the cutest smile that lights up her whole face. The little boy had a hard time remembering Sister Neville's name and kept calling her all sorts of other names. It was so cute to hear him say my name. He would say, "Hey Tucker..."

On Wednesday we had exchanges with the Spanish Sisters. That was interesting as I know basically nothing about Spanish. We taught the restoration during one lesson and I would say a few sentences in English and my companion, Sister McGrath would translate it into Spanish. I felt like my tounge was littlerally tied. At one point with the other Sister we had run out of things to do, so we said a prayer and I took a few moment afterwards to pray for her that she would know who we need to contact. She sorted through some papers and came upon a woman who was less active. We went over and miraculously she came to the door, it was one of those apartments you have to ring them in order for the main door to open. Come to find out that she thought the ward met at an earlier time and the reason she wasn't coming was that she worked and couldn't get off till church was half way done. When she found out the ward met later on she was so happy and said that she'll be coming now on. She has been a member for four years and all of her family in Mexico are members too.

At District Meeting on Thursday we received a gift bag with a card from the First Presidency and a letter from President and Sister Jergensen. In the bag, President and Sister Jergensen included a framed, autographed pring of Joseph Smith. It was from Brother David Lindsley and the print is titled "Brother Joseph". This was so special and very thoughtful. I wasn't expecting to receive something like this. This last week I reflecting on how I was called to preach the gospel at this time. We met with the Weatheralls for lunch this last Friday, they wanted to take us out to an Italian restaurant. Willie was trying to teach us about the Trinity. We shared Joseph's experience in the Sacred Grove of seeing God the Father and Jesus Christ, two separate beings. I mentioned also about Stephen seeing them as two separate beings as well. We read in 3 Nephi 11 where it talks about baptism and we pointed out the three that make up the Godhead. He picked up on the part of the Name and was trying to explain the Trinity. I listened, but nothing made sense. I thought about what I knew and the testimonies of so many prophets and apostles and my own feelings and I felt the spirit confirm to me that what we were sharing was true. In that situation I didn't feel scared or nervous, I knew what I knew and I knew it was true. I felt really at ease. Willie wasn't open to hearing about what we had to share, but we did notice that Maragret was more open and wanted to hear from us. We will try setting up a church presentation with them this week. I was reading in Preach My Gospel this last week and I came across a scripture that talks about how we learn and that if we are to learn we need to have ears, a heart and a mind that are open. That is something Willie didn't have at the time. I felt I was open to hearing truth, but I didn't feel any truth in what he was saying.

A new food coordinator was called on Sunday. We are really happy to work with Sister Ray, she is so sweet and has had us over for dinner a number of times. She has a little great granddaughter, Morgan, who is four and loves to join us for dinners. One Sunday we sat next to the two and after a while Morgan was tired of listening. I drew her a picture and had her color it for me. She thought that was so cool and had a great time coloring it.

Saturday we went Caroling with our Relief Society President and another sister in the ward. It was a great experience for this sister and she thoroughly enjoyed it. We carried canning jars that had been painted and had a message tied around the top with a battery powered light inside. We gave these to the sisters whom we visited. At the end, Sister Petersen gave each of us our very own jar and we got a multi colored light. We turn it on and the one you gave us as well each time we do nightly planning :)

Well, I think that is about all. We will be speaking on the 23rd in Sacrament so that will be exciting. I am finally getting over this cold. I received a blessing on Wednesday and a few days afterwards I no longer needed to take a Clariten D in the morning. It feels so good to be healthy!!

I'm looking forward to talking with you all on Christmas Day. I hope you all have a great week and stay well!!

Love you all!!
Sister Tucker