July 8, 2013

Hello Family!!!

Happy Birthday again Masie!! I can't believe you're a year old! I can't wait to meet you in about 4 months!! (But just like you said Dad, who's counting?)

This last week went really well for us!! We have been so blessed! Last Wednesday the 3rd we had Zone Conference and were able to meet President and Sister Jensen. They are a really nice couple and have a great sense of humor. President said he had heard that many thought he would be stern and a very unhappy man, but he reassured us that he's a happy man. They both have such strong testimonies of the gospel and I'm excited to have them as our new mission president and wife. During the conference President Jensen also updated us on Elder Dutson who was seriously injured in a car accident last Saturday. President Jensen said he had received a call about the accident just an hour after President and Sister Jergensen had left the mission home. Elder Dutson had some brain trama and it took him a few days before he recognized his dad. At that point he couldn't recognize his mom. The latest we heard is that he is continuing to improve and has begun to recognize a few more people. He doesn't have any recollection of the accident. President informed us that someone had run a red light and had hit the car on the driver side and Elder Dutson was the driver. After zone conference we were encouraged to send in a get well card and the assistants would deliver all of them to him shortly. As a mission we also fasted and prayed for him and his companion.

After Zone conference in Iowa City we came back and Jenna had her baptism interview! She did really well (we listened in just a little bit). She is really excited to get baptized this Saturday! Everything has been figured out for the program and as we took a look at the baptismal clothing we found a plain white dress that fits her perfect! While she's changing after her baptism, Sister Moldogalii and I will be presenting the restoration. Oh, we also made some little invitations because Sister Harding mentioned how they were going to invite their family and friends to come and so I typed up an invitation and we glued them onto some pretty paper and gave them to Sister Harding yesterday. She was so excited and said they would start passing some out that very day!

This last week we were also able to meet with the Helgenbergers and after teaching about the gospel of Jesus Christ we invited Monica and Jamal to be baptized and they gladly accepted! Monica is 11 and Jamal is 9 years old. On Friday we were on exchanges and so Sister Moldogalii and Sister Dixon went over to verify our appointment with them for next week and they were all ready to be taught some more. They ended up teaching about the restoration and setting a baptism date for August 3rd! They are going to check with their dad and make sure that he's ok with that. When the sisters asked if they had been reading they were so excited to say that they had and they had read it together! It's so interesting how many children around the ages of 11 and 9 that I've taught on my mission. My mind at times will go to a line from my patriarchal blessing and It is such a blessing to see how that is being fulfilled.

For the 4th of July we had BBQ chicken with some members and it was really yummy. Oh, earlier that day as we drove down a street we saw some kids selling lemonade at a lemonade stand. Sister Moldogalii had heard of a lemonade stand but had never seen one in person so we had to pull over and buy some. She even took a picture!
We didn't see any fireworks that night but we did hear some! The night before there were some fireworks closer to the Anderson's home and so we saw them from their back window. They did a good job and I really enjoyed seeing the fireworks in different shapes, I saw a heart shaped one, a spiral one, and a star shaped one as well. That evening we also planned for our exchange that we were going to have the next day with our Sister Training Leaders, Sister Dixon and Sister Robinson. Sister Robinson is my sister on the mission (We have the same trainer, Sister Whitaker) I enjoyed working with both of them as we did a lot of finding. While I worked with Sister Robinson I asked her how she's feeling because she'll finish her mission in two weeks. She said she's excited for the next phase of life and she's grateful for all the things she has learned on her mission. I think as the time draws nearer I imagine I'll feel the same way.

I almost forgot, but I asked around to see if there were any parades going on the 4th of July and sadly there wasn't. I was a little disappointed and kept thinking back to last year when Sister Whitaker and I were able to go to the parade in Iowa City. A few weeks ago we did go to the Fairfax parade and while we walked up and down the parade route we thought that next year the ward should be a part of the parade and that us missionaries should be in it too and give out pass along cards! I'm glad to hear that you all were able to see a parade on the 4th and how exciting to have the missionaries in it!! That's what needs to happen here!! :)

I love you all so much and I hope you have a wonderful week!! Take Care!!

Love to all!!
Sister Tucker

P.S. This coming Sunday the bishopric wants a missionary from each companionship to give a talk on the restoration. We flipped a coin and I'll be one who gives a talk on Sunday. I'll have to make sure to change it up because the night before we'll be teaching the restoration at Jenna's baptism :)