First Week in Queenstown!

This place is crazy beautiful!

My companion and I on a rock!  This lake surrounds our city!

We were knocking doors and I just had to stop and take a picture!  It seems like I am on a vacation but I promise we do work! 

More beautiful scenery, again, not vacationing and I am not sure I deserve this but I love it! I am so blessed to be serving here.   This was from a trip that we took for our district meeting. We had to drive 3 hours for a two hour meeting then a 3 hour drive home.  The whole thing took 8 hours.  I think we should just Skype or do a conference call.  It would save a lot of time.  We have a car but we only have a certain number of kilometers, so we still do a lot of biking. 

From the road trip to our district meeting.

This is the view from my bedroom window.  My flat isn't as nice as the one in Napier, but the shower has a lot more water pressure, and it is homey!

This is our branch building!

This is inside the building. This is my companion, Elder Edwards, he is from somewhere in UT, can't remember where, and he has only been out 6 weeks so he is still learning and just finished his training.  We preside at the meetings, and I gave a talk that lasted 45 minutes on Sunday Attendance. It was wonderful.  I am scared to think that an 18 year old and 19 year old are presiding over the branch.  We have 6 active members and we had a family on vacation join us so we had 13 total. They doubled the attendance. We teach Sunday School too, so I will be busy here!

The weather has not been that bad, however, it was raining today.  At least it is not snowing!

Love you, 

Elder Tuckett

Five days later, I made it!

This is the only picture I have of Queenstown, It is crazy beautiful here, I took this on the way to the Internet cafe.

What a week!  I just landed about an hour ago in Queenstown.  I left Napier on Thursday and have been stuck in Christchurch since then.  Wow!  So here is how it went down....  I got on my flight to Christchurch with all my luggage, and my bike as usual.  I get to Christchurch all fine and dandy, waited an hour for my plane to Queenstown.  Got on my plane, we spend 30 minutes on the plane, then turned around because the weather in Queenstown was too bad to land! So, I went back to Christchurch, got my bags, and asked myself how I was going to contact the missionaries here.  [he was alone] Well, I noticed there was a bike box that looked just like mine, so I went to it and it said Elder on it!  Yes!  There has to be another Elder around here somewhere.  Sure enough, I found a new Elder at the wrong baggage claim!  Elder Hepworth is brand new, and he is opening a new area so he had a cellphone!  So we were able to call the office and send the Zone Leaders!  The Zone Leaders were amazing!  So, since Thursday, I have been re-booking flights to come to Queenstown!  They were cancelled every day until today!  I finally made it though so all is good!  My bike box is wrecked though because of the rain and taking it in and out of the airport daily!  So, I got to go to church at Christchurch  yesterday and met all the members there and now I am ready to go there on my mission too!  I think I should count this for an area -- I was there 5 days!  I did get to see the whole area of Christchurch because I have been staying with the Zone Leaders, man, it is a MESS!  [from the earthquakes]  They have wood holding up every building.  There are huge piles of rubble everywhere!  It is sad, I didn't get very many pictures.  

Elder Hepworth and I in the airport at Christchurch

Here I am with the awesome Zone leaders... I spent some time at this airport this week!

Building held up by wood in Christchurch

Please put some money in my account so I can buy some warm clothes. I had to leave a coat in Napier, but bought a new one in Christchurch.  He gave me 50% off because I am a missionary.  I also need more deoderant and a sonicare head.   And in my next package, will you send me an ipod loaded with every singer you know singing a hymn.  Vocal Point has a new CD out of hymns, for sure get that one -- I know dad would like it. [we already have it, of course]. Everyone here has ipods that we listen to in the car or at the house -- just make sure you send me a USB cord with it.  The Zone Leaders in Christchurch had them, so I asked President, and he said YES, they are allowed.  Only hymn music though -- Mormon Tabernacle Choir is okay, but it gets boring, I know you know tons of others that you can load an ipod with.  Actually, just send me your green ipod, don't buy a new one.  

Well, that was my week.  I think I was meant to be on all of those planes because I gave out 2 copies of the Book of  Mormon and 4 pass along cards out of the 4 planes that I was on.  Planes are great because you are forced to talk to people.  The last one, I got her number and address!  I am definitely sending the missionaries over!

I have only been to my flat once, and I don't know much about my companion either,  so next week I will fill you in on all your questions about my new area, as well as the branch.  I have heard that there are only 8 active members here so I might be in the Bishopric [branch presidency].  

It's freezing here, but I love it!

Elder Tuckett

                                           

Look!  Mary Street in Christchurch!

Heading South for the Winter

I am mainly sending pictures this week... so get ready for picture overload!  I hope you don't mind!  We don't have very many people we are teaching, just lots of potential investigators (that need to move forward)!  and lots of knocking.  

We went around to the outer limits of our area (Omahu area) this week, 

the chapel is to the right.

some of the countryside we went riding in

beautiful skies...

this waterfall is in downtown Napier -- my comp and a member that took us.

Do you like the feature I figured out on my camera?

This was looking down to the port from a bluff above.  

It was fun to watch -- looked like toy trucks!

We got to go to a basketball game this week.  

We were invited by an investigator.

#8 and #51 are members.  #8 has a mormon.org profile.  His name is Paora if you want to search him.  

He is my favorite.  #51 is less active.  This is a professional team in NZ, however, I think the BYU Basketball team could beat them. 

Ryan cooked us a traditional Chinese meal this week.  We had to improvise

and use the apple cutter as a steamer.  My bundle had fruit and rice, my 

companions had rice and meat which I am pretty sure was dog meat.

I chose well.

This is my new favorite shopping place!  There is also a store called Amazon's that we go to a lot too.  

We did a lot of shopping on Monday too.

Congratulations to Dakota! [his friend called to Washington DC South], and Merissa in Australia?  Which mission?  A lot of people go to Australia on missions from here -- I will have them look for her.  And that is cool to think that the Stokers had a family farewell. [his roommate and best friend Cameron is leaving for El Salvador, his sister will be serving in Australia, and the parents, will be serving as Mission President in New Hampshire]

This week has been the best with me and my companion -- we have really connected.  Look at all these photos, and the riding that we did in the countryside was amazing.  It was a fun week.  We got a lot done too this week.  We talked to 161 people about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Yes, I heard about next weeks broadcast.  I hope it is something big and kicks these wards into missionary work too!  I am excited to see what it is all about!!!!  

I found out where I am being transferred this week!  I am going to Queenstown!  It is a small tourist town on the south island [my friend in NZ tells me it is like a Park City, and is BEAUTIFUL.  She also said that there is a very small branch and he is really needed there].  Elder Dorius covered that area for a transfer in a threesome for a bit so he is going to tell me all about it.  I leave Thursday morning at 6:00 am.  I fly to Christ Church and then connect to Queenstown.  I have been praying to to there this entire transfer.  That area is all that my companion talks about.  It is going to be freezing cold, but I am so excited!  

I love you guys!

Elder Tuckett

It's FREEZING !

It is hard to believe that it is getting hot in Mesa, it is FREEZING here.  I have been wearing my thermals almost every day.  I need some more.  I am going shopping again today.  I am also sending you a letter today if I make it to the post office! [can't wait!]  

Other than the cold weather... I am falling in love with our ward with Elder Doruis here!  However, we are really struggling on finding people to teach, but we are getting there!.  I really hope your missionaries always have someone to teach!  We have no progressing investigators now with Ryan gone.  But it is all good.  We will keep looking and preparing ourselves for someone! 

Our ward is really starting to change.  In a good way.  Elder Dorius has helped the ward so much.  It is amazing what one person can do.  I am also learning a lot about how our church runs and how things are supposed to be done.  There is order to all things and people must just do their responsibility the best they can.  I know Elder Dorius was sent here to train and help this ward.  Things are going well.

I don't know for sure, but I think I will be leaving this area next transfer.  So sad, but I am ready for new challenges.  I am starting to get too comfortable in this area.  Maybe I will go south to the really freezing area.  Elder Dorius says it is crazy beautiful down there.  It really stinks because it is getting dark here around 5:00 pm and people are complaining about getting knocks on the door at 5:30.  That is the only time we find a lot of people at home though, so I would rather get yelled at for how "late" it is than not find anyone at home.  Plus, you really find out who the nice people are when you knock at that time!  If they yell at you to get off the porch, you know for sure they are not ready for the gospel.  

I was able to give Ryan the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday. That made up for missing out on the confirmation if you ask me.  It was really great.  

Today we are just going to hang our 

with a member and do some shopping and maybe I will get some pictures.  Uncle Matt sent me the funniest email ever -- it looks like you guys all  had a fun time at the game.  I wish I was able to go to the game with you!  [d-backs]

Miss You,

Elder Tuckett

morning sunrise -- around 8:00 am

Eventful Week!!!!

I really didn't read your letter this week, because I am so excited to tell you about my last three days! [hope he printed it out and took it home]  Saturday was Ryan's baptism and I had to conduct the meeting because we weren't sure our mission leader was going to make it [he's 86 years old].  He is really sick right now and Elder Dorius doesn't think he will make it through but I have faith in him and that his work isn't done!  Anyway, I got to conduct, and Elder Dorius baptized.  Ryan didn't bend his knees so he was like a plank going into the water so I am happy my companion did it because they are both so tall.  It was a wonderful day!  That night, Ryan came to our flat and we had a great talk with him and took a walk with him and we talked for a long time.  He is so humble and nice, and very loving. I love that he is so straight up and there are no hidden parts to him.  I hope that I will be able to see him when I come home as he is planning on going to BYU - UT.  He is the best!  He still has a lot to learn about the church and he still is learning English, so we will see!

Sunday we had ward council.  They do ward council all wrong here, and we just got a new Relief Society President, and she totally told everyone in the room how to do things, and that they were doing it all wrong, and they need to do it how the church tells us to, so hopefully things will change for the better because she spoke what was on her mind.  We need to get more work done effectively.  

When we went to church, we noticed that the person that was to bring Ryan was not there and neither was Ryan, so we got another member and we went to pick him up and we got back right before the sacrament.  Everyone bore their testimonies, including Ryan.  He just said how he met the missionaries and told of his strong testimony of the Book of Mormon.  He is a beast, I just love him.  He spoke very humbly, in his broken English.  When they called him up for the confirmation, which I was going to do, the second counselor in the bishopric just started saying it, and confirmed him.  He did not do it right and the bishop had to whisper in his ear the whole time.  I later found out from the Bishops wife that the 2nd Counselor is new to the church himself, and he thought that whoever conducted the meeting did the confirmation.  I didn't care, what was important was that he got the Holy Ghost.

I taught Gospel Principles class that Sunday, and it was on spiritual gifts, and it was very good and going great until the end when a lady who had just been coming back to church started saying that God was talking to her and wanted her to be in a gang.  My companion put her in her place nicely, however she ended up leaving.  So you see, my Sunday was pretty eventful.

This week we also went to a less active members home and she read our palms.  She told me I am only going to live for 50 years, but it is OK, because palms change a lot, so the reading doesn't really mean anything.  

Monday was eventful too.  We played a hard core soccer game with all these Chinese people from 9-12.  It was a real soccer game, that was so much fun.  Then we biked up to the Napier ward to meet the Zone Leaders, and played 4 hours of basketball.  While we were there a drunk lady came in and interrupted our game.  So, do you see how eventful my week was.  After yesterday and all that exercising, my legs are dead and can't even move them without hurting.  But it was so fun and worth it!  

Things are great here!  I love my companion.  He is just great.  We are so close and we tell each other everything!  Hope you enjoyed all these stories and pictures!  My hand hurts from so much typing, I am sure this is the longest email I have ever sent!  

Love you! 
Elder Tuckett

This is a picture our investigator drew of me!

My New Zealand Sky Picture this week!  I love the skies here!