A Fond Farewell

His first email today said...."Do I really have to email you today Mom, I am  going to see you in 2 days."

I had asked him to think about a lot of questions while he was on the LONG plane ride (16-17 hours), like What do you want for your first meal?  Where do you want to go, What do you want to do?"

His response:

I am planning on spending every spare moment finishing my study of the Doctrine and Covenants.  I have been trying to finish reading and studying it. I only have 3 more sections until the end.  And now--you are giving me more things to think about.  I have no idea what I want to do, or what I want to eat,  I am missing New Zealand already.  I know that American food is going to seem weird to me. (I thought that New Zealand food was weird when I first got here)

Truthfully-- leaving my mission is going to be hard,  everything is going to be so foreign to me again,  but it is OK.  I just need to trust in The Lord.  I really don't know where the past 24 months have gone.  

I am looking forward to seeing Maggie and the truck. I am having a rough time remembering Maggie,  I hope she remembers me.  It all just sees unreal to me.  I don't know if I am spending the night in the mission home or with some Elders.  It is going to be fun though.  I was worried about leaving my area with Elder Inglis, but he is leaving the area too now, and Elder Christensen is going to take over my area, so all is good!  

I love you so much!  I will see you in 2 days!  

Elder Tuckett

I had to say goodbye to all the ward today.  It was hard.

This was from our baptism last week,  she got confirmed this week.  I am personally taking the baptismal record to the mission office myself!  She is in good hands,  I don't have to worry about her being less active with a family like that.

This is the part member family we have been teaching.  I wish that I could be here longer for his baptism.  

BTW... I lost that brand new shirt that you sent me to come home in.  I am sorry,  I have heaps of souvenirs to bring home though!  That is what I want to do first!  Unpack!  I do not like living out of a suitcase! 

An example to the very end!

This week was just amazing.  Our baptism went through and it all worked out great!  I took pictures, but I have some sort of virus on my flash drive so I am having some difficulty getting my pictures off!  UGH!  She got baptized by her boyfriend, and I know they will get married in the temple someday.  

Yesterday was our Zone Conference.  We were combined with Palmerston North.  There were heaps of missionaries, and I got to see heaps of old friends.  It was just great.  We were visited by Elder Pearson and it was a great motivation for me to finish the last week the hardest that I can!  It was so wonderful yesterday, I may have even started crying!  So, I am really looking forward to this last week and making this area a lot better than when I found it.

My companion is still a bit of a challenge.  He has a strong testimony and can be a great teacher when he wants to be.  He follows me around and waits for me to tell him what to do.  8 days though!!!  Enduring to the end, and being an example to the very end!  

I will be able to email you one last time -- next Monday.  My bus leaves Hastings Tuesday afternoon.  I can't believe the end is coming.  

Love you!

Elder Tuckett

This is the letter I got with my travel plans!

This is my companion, and a member... Double rainbow!

P.S.  -- I can't find my temple clothes -- we need to go shopping!

I love Hastings!!!

It was a great week!  Our baptism is probably going to be Sunday, after church.  We still need to figure out the little details but it should be an awesome baptism.  The one for the week after may have to be pushed back a bit.  He missed church yesterday, sadly because a member didn't pick him up.  We need to work with the members a bit. We have another investigator that came to church yesterday as well named Jessica. She is a single mother that has lots of questions because she met with the Jehovah Witnesses!  Great for us!  We are hopefully going to have a baptismal date with her as well soon.  I love Hastings so much, I wish that I could stay longer.  I have just loved my mission. 

I only have 2 more times to email.  How weird is that?  Next week I will be emailing on Tuesday because we have our Zone Conference on Monday for some reason.  

I am looking forward to seeing you guys, and mostly.... Maggie and my truck.  I saw an avalanche this week and it got me so excited!   I love you so much!

Love, Elder Tuckett

Exciting times!!!!

This Christmas season is going to be awesome in the mission for everyone!!!  First off, in the mission we are having combined Zone Conference with Palmerston North on the 8th.  It is going to be awesome.  Secondly, for the whole church, the church is making this cool christmas.mormon.org website that will be opening I think on the 27th.  Please go check it out and put your email in.  The church is putting a lot of money into this "He is the Gift" message.  It is going to be awesome.  I don't know how much I am allowed to tell.  I kind of like it being a secret though.  

This is me and Elder Cunningham on exchanges this week.  He was my Zone Leader in Featherston!  He is the best!  He is leaving the same day as me, so hopefully we will be on the same bus down to Wellington.  Exciting!  

This is the calendar for our investigator with the baptismal date on the 6th.  She is so ready.  She is getting interviewed this week.  She is so ready.  Filling this calendar out made me realize how close the end of my mission is.  It is scary.  I still need 2 more baptisms for my goal of three in this area.  We have another that I think will be happening on the 13th.  I am pretty sure I will reach this goal.  The members are so helpful in this area.  

I am thinking I am going to be leaving a lot of stuff here.  I left that one suitcase at the MTC and came here with 2 and I am thinking of only coming home with one.  I have been getting some gifts for people... Don't get too excited though.  

I love you so much, and please pray for my baptisms!

Elder Tuckett

P.S.  I was able to see Rodney, a new convert when I first came on my mission.  We had a great catch up session!  

Exchanges, and a miracle!

I had two exchanges this week. As district leader, I go on exchanges with everyone in the district at least once during the transfer to see how they are doing.  Sometimes more if they are having a rough time.  Then I go on exchanges with the zone leaders so they can make sure that I am doing a good job.  This week was full of teaching and service and miracles.  While on one of the exchanges, I got to work with Elder Yarrington .  We were able to go to a farm to give service.   We were fixing a fence, mowing lawns and catching sheep.  Farm jobs are so fun.  I was out there a couple of days and got to meet some awesome people and see some awesome scenery. I am going to miss New Zealand so much. There are so many green rolling hills here.  There is no where in the United States that is as beautiful as New Zealand. 

This is a picture of the lambs tail that I got to watch them cut off.  Some people eat them but he told us that this one wasn't much of a feed.   This was out in Waipukurau if you want to google it.

I was also on exchanges with Elder Cuthbrathsen this week.  He was my zone leader in Palmy so it was good to catch up with him.  He just finished being the Assistant to the President so he knows all about what is going on in the mission.  It was with him that we had a miracle story.  It is too long to write out, but I will try to tell you a short version.  He had found a guy that was out of his way and he talked to him.   He had a heavy African accent and he got a street and a time to come back.  However, the street was wrong!  We found a street that sounded like it and went to the house on the street.  We knock on the door, and tell the man that we are looking for an African man, and he told us that there was a group that moved in across the street!!!  We went,  and it was him!  We walked inside and there were all these Africans laying around watching TV.  We find the guy, and start doing the missionary thing and talking to him, then everyone started listening to us.  There were 10 in all and they all believed in Christ and were happy to listen to our message.  We were able to leave 2 book of Mormons there and asked them to read them.  I know they were just there waiting for us. It was a challenge to find them, but we were diligent in our efforts and finally got the prize!  I just love it!!!

Here are some of the rolling hills.  I was thinking that they were just beautiful, and the guy we were with just didn't think a thing about it. We have a solid baptismal date for December 6.  We taught the law of chastity this week and she passed so there will be nothing holding her back.  We are also going to a part member family this week where we will hopefully be setting 2 more baptismal dates with them.  

It is raining today so we will probably just go to the chapel and play some sports.  I love you! 

Elder Tuckett

p.s.  Thanks for getting me signed up for classes.  I am worried about learning math again let alone Calculus.  I was having a hard time remembering what 6x3 was the other day.  Yikes!!!

A week of memories!

Kia Ora!

My week was amazing. I can't believe another week is gone.  I am starting to realize how much I am going to miss this place.  I have noticed how I say really wierd words like rubbish, heaps and Ofa Atu!  I am going to miss this mission so much!  This week is going to go by fast too.... I have exchanges at the beginning and the end of the week.

I am glad you loved your conference. It sounds like you learned some amazing things about the light.  It reminded me of something, did you know that if you look up temple in the bible dictionary it says that the temple is the most sacred place, and the home is the 2nd.  Pretty cool, that our homes can be just like the temples.  Even more why we should be careful what Internet we allow and what TV we watch and allow into our homes.  It can instantly take away the spirit and the peaceful feeling we find in our homes.  

This is me and Elder Richardson helping out the Salvation Army!  We got to smash some things, lift some couches, and organize the beds they were selling.  It was great! 

I had exchanges this week with my son, Elder Richardson. We had a blast together.  We had fun remembering the old times that we had down in Queenstown.  We even made some of the crazy foods that we used to make when we were together and talked a lot about the people we taught.  It was great to hear how some came around from totally hating us to letting the missionaries in.  It was so good to hear.  While we were in Napier, we had splits with the members and got to see a lot of the members from Napier.  Then the member I saw at a baptism in Featherston was here and we got to go on splits with him here!  It is great to know that I have really good friends from my first area that still remember me after heaps of missionaries have been through their ward  since I was here.    I also got a new Elder in my District that was from my old District at Titahi bay!  I don't know why he got moved here, but it was sure great to see him. Then, I got to see an older couple from Featherston!  They were up here going to a funeral, then they came to our ward on Sunday.  And.....  one more, today as we were riding to the Internet shop, I saw a member from the Omahu Ward, my first ward.  I got to stop and talk to him.  So you can see, I have just had a flood of memories come over me this week.  

Also this week we got to have district meeting with President and Sister Hudsen.  The whole meeting was on the Holy Ghost.  It was another big eye opening meeting for me.  I loved it.  We listened to a talk from Elder Holland about the Holy Ghost, and just like every one of his talks, it just changes who you are.  The Holy Ghost is a member of the godhead and we as members of the church can have the Holy Ghost with us as all times (if we are worthy) to help us through this life.  There are just so many things that he does for us.  I just can't imagine how busy he is.  He protects us, teaches us, brings us to remembrance, he guides us and comforts us.  There is just so much, we could talk for ages about all he does for us.  Who wouldn't want him to be with us all the time.  I just love it.  So this week I grew a great love for the Holy Ghost and all that he has taught me and I know that he will always be with me. Jesus Christ and God the Father and the Holy Ghost are all one.  One in perfection, and purpose and direction but all different personages.  I love this work! 

Love, Elder Tuckett

P.S.  Would you ask Bishop Garn what he would like me to talk about?  And I am going to be inviting my friends!  I still have heaps of missionary work to do in Arizona when I get home!

The Lord will ease our burdens

I read this scripture in Mosiah this week, and fell in love with it all over again. I am so grateful for The Lord making our burdens light if we turn to Him.

We found this awesome Chinese park this week. It is just so cool.  I want to show it to Ryan!!!!

So this week the Ward Mission Leader gave us a list of homes of people to see if people still live there or not.  Most of the houses in New Zealand have a large fence around them, and one of the houses we were checking had a fence about as big as me.  We walked in and my companion shuts the gate locking it behind us.  As I am walking up to the house, and a massive bulldog comes around the car with a toy in his mouth!  It got much closer to us and rather just stopped and stared and started growling.  We just freeze and don't move.  We know that bulldogs have killed people in New Zealand.  I kind of crouch down, thinking that it might let me pet it.  But instead, it just started twitching its lip and growling louder.  Then it just started coming at me so fast.  It jumped straight at my leg to bite it, and I jumped and it barely missed me and then it trotted off as if it was so proud.  I have never seen anything like that before in my life, and i was shaking so hard when I left that I had to stop and say a prayer to my Heavenly Father thanking Him for not letting that dog kill me.  There must have been an angel telling that dog to turn around and leave us alone.   We are going to go back this week and get a picture of that ugly dog to always remember that moment.  I still can't believe that there was no "Beware of Dog" sign to warn us!!!

I can't believe the news about Ryan!!! [His friend who he baptized the very first part of his mission, is coming to spend Christmas with us] I am so excited to see him,  I am probably going to start crying when I see him.  This is going to be the best Christmas ever.  We also had a trunk or treat this week. It wasn't as big as in the states, but it was fun to see people doing something for Halloween.

If you can't tell from the pictures I've been sending, it is spring and it is getting hot!  I am going to be hot, then come back to AZ and it just going to be a little cold, the back up to Idaho to freeze.

This week flew by and we had a fantastic week.  I officially know the area better than my companion already!  I love doing missionary work here because everyone has been really prepared for us and ready to jump into the water!  

I totally forgot to take pictures of our flat again this week. We did some more deep cleaning this week, the water was totally yellow when I was done from scrubbing the shower,  but you can see the metal again.  Some people think that because you get clean in the shower means the shower doesn't get dirty!  

Sorry I didn't get much time with you today.  I had to spend my computer time making a flyer to use on exchanges with the Zone Leaders this week!  We are going to hang with the zone leaders today, which means Elder Richardson!   It should be a fun week!

I love you so much!!!

Elder Tuckett

Hastings

My travels to Hasting were great.  I got to ride the bus!  It was a three hour bus ride.  I sat next to this wonderful old lady on the very front row of the bus and she gave me a tour the entire way telling me what the names of all of the rivers are, what places were and why they are named what they are. For example, Porirua means 2 harbors in Maori.  I never knew all of these facts until I jumped on the bus with her!  So, the route we took took us up to Paraparaumu instead of Featherston so I got to see all of the east coast.  I was able to talk with her the entire way about the church. Come to find out her brother married a Mormon, then converted and moved to the states.  I asked if we could come and visit her and she said yes, and gave me her phone number.  I plan on looking her up this week.  It was a good trip.

Our flat is sort of rubbish! I did not get to take any pictures this week because I have been so busy cleaning. So many nasty Elders have been here.    I got a whole tub full of dirt out of the vacuum today.  

Being back up here in the north has been good,  it has just been a flood of memories.  At first I was kind of dreading it, but then I counted all my blessings and all of the people that I would be able to see and everything.  I am hoping to see some of them soon.

My companion is Elder Ingles and he is from the north of Australia.  He just came from Queenstown where he was trained and has been out for 8 months,  he is still learning how to work in a hard working missionary area.  It is very different than what he had in Queenstown. He is from a really small branch in Australia with only 70 people, so this ward is massive to him.

The very first day I was here we were able to set a baptismal date with a 15 year old boy.  We are planning on setting 2 more this week too!  I really am excited to be in here in Hastings in a large ward.  The members have so many activities and I feel like that is why they are so successfully with missionary work here.  

How awesome is this?  Do you remember me going to a basketball game with Ryan in Napier?  Well, this is the famous basketball player we saw, and he is in the Hastings 1st ward and they organized this fireside.  He is the 2nd counselor in their ward.  (I'm in the Hastings 2nd ward). But.... This is happeed this weekend.  He did  the fireside. We showed up Saturday and had a hymn and a prayer and then had basketball games.    In the morning we and a few other missionaries did a short MTC thing.  We taught them how to door knock, and teach.  Then after that we went and invited all of the boys to come to the fireside. Yesterday, church was all about missionary work.  It was an awesome experience for them and they sort of saw what we go through each day.  Then we all went to the Hastings 1st ward. So I haven't even been to my ward yet.    We also had a preach my gospel study night with them.  We studied from it and learned the importance of the Book of Mormon, then they had a fireside to end it all.  It was really busy, but it was just great!

This is beautiful Hastings!  We share a car with the sisters, and we usually don't need it, so I have mostly been biking. I can't believe this is my last transfer!    

I love you so much!

Ofa Atu

Elder Tuckett

This is Elder Lawrence.(on the right)  Do you remember him?  He was in my intake.  He has 2 more transfers.  He is the only one that is not going home early.  I can't stay until the next transfer at the end of January though because not only do I need to be back for school, but sadly, my visa will be expiring before that transfer is over.  

Back Where I Began

I am being transferred to Hastings.  It is up in the area where I started my mission so I am excited to see some of the friends that I made up there.  Elder Richardson (who I trained) will be my zone leader so I am excited for that.  I can't wait to see him!!!!  I don't know my companion, but I know it is going to be a great 8 weeks.  I will also be back in a car! 

I can't believe you went to the Phoenix temple open house again!  We are going to go to all of these temples when I get home, right?  The Phoenix temple looks beautiful!  

I got your package.  Thank you so much!  The big bag of sweet tarts are already gone.  And of course I loved the pens.  Thanks for the shirt and socks.  I am going to give several of my shirts to Elder Machee as well as socks.   He really needs them.  Thank you so much.  I forgot to ask for some space bags.  Mine are worn out but if I give away a bunch of clothes, then I think I can come home with only one suitcase.  We will see.  I am scared that I will have no clothes that fit when I come home, or have you sold them all?  

We had a surprise mustache party for this guy at district meeting today.  It was his birthday a couple weeks ago, and we forgot, so we wanted to do something fun today... So mustache party!  It lasted for 10 minutes, then we got straight to the district meeting. 

We had a great exchange this week in Johnsonville with this guy -- Elder Hamilton.  Got to see lots of friends that I met when I was in that area with Elder Holladay.  

Here we are at a recent converts house!

An amazing thing happened yesterday.  There is a recent convert in our ward that said to one of members that she didn't think the church was true any more and she was never coming to church again.  Then, she showed up yesterday, and said that she was sorry and confessed that she knew the church is true and the Book of Mormon is true.  It is great to see her come back to the church.  And even better that she invited us over before I left!  

D & C 88:104

"And this shall be the sound of his trump, saying to all people, both in heaven and earth, and that are under  the earth -- for every ear shall hear it, and every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess, while they hear the sound of the trump, saying: Fear God, and give glory to him who sitteth upon the throne, forever and ever; for the hour of his judgement is come."

I love you all and I know this is the Lord's work!

See you in Hastings!

Love, Elder Tuckett

Perspective

The Phoenix Temple looks so flat to me.  I know you say that it is an hour away and you will probably not go to that temple.  But Mom, an hour is not far at all, it seems really close to me.  Right now I would give anything to be able to go to a temple that is an hour away.  I guess it is how you look at it.  We are so blessed to have 5 temples in Arizona right now.  And before we know it, it will be 6.  

This week was so great with the exchanges that we had.  I got to be with my best friend, Elder Christensen.  I am sad it is over.  It is amazing that we have known each other for almost 2 years now. [they got to New Zealand at the same time, and will leave together, Elder Christensen is from Spain, and could hardly speak any English when he arrived] This is a picture of us in Titahi Bay.  Lots of missionaries here draw on the sidewalk the plan of salvation, and teach people like that.  Here in the bay, there is not a good place to do that, so we decided to draw it on the beach. I forgot to get a picture of the whole thing when we were done, but it turned out really awesome.  We got to talk to heaps of people, and we had a great view while doing it.  I  just wish we could take our shoes off while doing it.  Anyway, it was a great exchange.  I love the beach now more than ever!

So.... General Conference!  We got to watch it this weekend.  Elder Christensen and I kept saying that General Conference is right up there with Christmas for us!  So true!!!!  I just love how conference always answers questions that I have.  I feel like it was all on the things that I have been studying in the scriptures!  I really love how Elder Bednars talk was totally devoted to our investigators.  This week, I am totally sharing his talk with at least 2 of our investigators.  I am going to let them know everything they missed.  I also loved the talk by President Eyring.  I have really have learned how God reveals things to us and to our leaders and anyone who needs revelation.  I have the responsibility to receive revelation for my district and my investigators and if I ask The Lord , then I will hear the words that they need to hear to grow.  And I loved Elder Callisters talk on moderation and reading a book.  I am so grateful, for books now and not for mindless TV watching that does nothing for us. 

This week I read "But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth." D&C 93:40. I am so grateful for everything my parents have done for me. I remember one time, I was being a butt, an I made you cry and you said "Sorry for being a bad parent", I know that you and dad were not being bad parents,  but you just loved me enough to rebuke me (D&C 95:1-2).  I am so thankful for everything that you and dad have done for me.  You have raised me and Mary in the light.  I can't wait until we can all be in the temple together.  I love you so much!

About "Meet the Mormons"....  We haven't heard a thing about it.  We did read about it in the Ensign though.  I hope I can see it when I get back.  I haven't got my package yet.  The Zone Leaders told me that I would be moving next week so I hope that I get it after I move then I won't have to carry it to my new area.  We will see what happens at transfers.  

There is a quote that has been on our staircase since the day I moved in that says "Serve everyday as is if is your last". That just keeps getting more and more personal everyday.  

I love you all,

Elder Tuckett 

This is a "Lion King" rock that is here in the bay.

This is the Maori flag.... And me and Elder Christensen with our Maori faces!

A walk along the beach

We had a great week!  It started off when we had a super fun P Day last week.  We went to Paraparumu with our disctrict.  We took a hike along the beach.  It was so fun just walking along with our district.  

Yep, this is life on the island..... Relaxing in Paradise.

This is St. Mary.  Some of our district and a random member from Paraparumu.  

Today, we are going to play basketball with President Hudson and the Zone Leaders and then hopefully get a quick hike in.  Today we have been blessed with great and perfect weather.  However, last night at exactly 9:00 pm it just started pouring and was so windy, so I thought it was not going to be good for today.  In fact, this morning when I woke up, there were rain drops hitting my face.  (My window leaks). Then when we a started personal scripture study this morning it like magically disappeared and cleared up in 5 minutes.  We got cleaned up and ready, got on our bikes, and it is just the most beautiful day!  I love it!  

So here is the spiritual part of my week.... you know you can't just pull out your camera for the spiritual stuff.  But it was a great week for us spiritually too!  Anyway, a less active family we visit had their newborn baby blessed this Sunday so the entire family came to church.  (I have never seen them even once at the church the whole time I have been here).  It really shows that the Father who is a Returned Missionary still knows the importance of the church and that it is true, so that was cool.  I just really wish that the father could have blessed the baby, or at least the son who is our age.  So, we still have some work to do!  

This week I have 2 exchanges!  I will be in Pararumu this Tuesday, then on Thursday, Elder Christiansen and I will be in Titahi Bay!  So it will be a really fast and fun week ahead!

I am still studying the Doctrine and Covenants.  This week I studied about the Word of Wisdom.  I have enjoyed studying the D&C and seeing what the Lord has revealed through his prophet Joseph Smith.  Even though he had trials, he was able to receive revelation for the church.  It is amazing everything that he went through to restore this church.  Then, I think about his family and all that they went through as well as the other saints at that time.  They did so much, it makes me realize how easy our day is compared to them.  These are the last days though, and the Lord is "coming quickly" and I am looking forward to that!  I am so grateful for the scriptures and the knowledge they give us.  

The missionary work right now is going about the same as always, so nothing new to report on!  I will tell you for sure if something new and exciting happens!!!

I love you so much!

Elder Tuckett

On the train ride home on P-Day -- It was so beautiful...

And.... this is Bob Marley.... He eats all the bugs outside our windows.  They are an accessory to every house here....  UGH!

Machete Mowing

Why are you getting so much rain?  That is crazy!!!!  I thought that God promised that he would not flood the Earth again!  It  has been rainy here too, but today it is going to be a sunny spring day.  

The time is flying by.  Rebecca wrote me this week that I have less than 80 days.  I can hardly believe that!  It is crazy.  Shannon sent me some pictures of Maggie and it reminded me how much I miss her. I wish I could take her to school with me.  

This week is Temple week for our stake.  Everyone is going to be gone for the whole week while they are gone to the temple.  I don't know what we are going to do without them!!!  General Conference is coming up too, so it is going to be a really spiritual couple of weeks for our ward.  

This week we were helping an older lady with service and I was just thinking about you!  I was hoping someone was able to help you too this week somehow.  [I love how he equates me with the old people]. We were able to pull all of her weeds and move some wood for her.  This is a picture of Machee with the machete, he says that is how they cut the lawn in Samoa.  He has some crazy machete skills.  

We had heaps of miracles this week.  Since the transfer ended this week I have been really pushing Elder MaChee to lead the area more and do what he wants to do.  It has been cool to see him follow the spirit and see him do all of these miracles.  So last night, I asked him what he wanted to do and he said to visit this one guy that I would have never thought of visiting and so we went there.  He had a friend over that used to meet with the missionaries but had stopped.  So we met him and he said that he really wanted to be baptized.  We had a great lesson with him and his less active friend that we went to see.  So, we got another new investigator.  I love this work so much, and the spirit that God has given us to guide us in these last days!

I love you all so much!

Elder Tuckett

I got another lava lava.... I love them!!!!

Bipolar Weather

This week's weather has been bipolar.  One day it is spring, and then the next we are back to cold rainy winter,  it is no good!  And.... An Elder took my nice rain jacket, so I am wearing a crappy one that just barely gets by.  It is all good though... 3 months.  I am away staying here in Porirua this transfer.  This transfer is only going to be 4 weeks.  I am staying with Elder Machee and I am still district leader.  I like being district leader.  I have it figured out now pretty good.  We are also getting 3 new elders in our district which will be fun.   The other benefit of not getting transferred is that you don't have to pack up.

This week I learned a lot about repentance (it wasn't for me, I promise, it was for one of our members). I am just so grateful for the tender mercies of The Lord that he shows on us.  We get to repent for things we do every week when we partake of the sacrament.  It is the whole reason we go to church to show humility to The Lord that we will remember him and follow him.  

I also found out that's one of the recent converts from about a year ago went to the temple this week and got sealed to her husband.  (I think that this was the sister he baptized in Queenstown) This was the greatest news to hear.    This reminded me of how grateful I am for this gospel and that I am sealed to my parents that I love, and my sister too.  

Well, we are going to play basketball today at the chapel.  We are going to play against the other district.   I love basketball so much now,   It is a good game!!!!

We go on daylight savings time next weekend, we lose an hour of sleep.  I really don't like all this changing of times every season.

I love you!!!

Love, Elder Tuckett

Changes!

This week has been Mission Changing!  We had Zone Conference and were able to meet with President Hudson!  It was so great to see everyone again.  So, at the meeting President Hudson announced that we can teach girls now as long as a responsible adult is there.  This means that the sisters don't get all the baptisms and aren't having to travel everywhere to teach everyone!  This was so great to hear, and we are really excited to see this change the mission and see more baptisms!  We are able to teach everyone that is in our area now and we know that we will be able to get more members involved in teaching too as we use them to help teach the sister investigators.  Already this week, we have been given 2 new investigators and a couple of other potential investigators that the sisters were never able to catch up with.  I am really looking forward to this week.  

Elder Christensen and Vimahi had a baptism yesterday and we got to go because one of our investigators said he was coming, however, he didn't show up though, even though his wife sounded so excited for it... UGH!!!  So this baptism was a wife getting baptized by her recent convert husband who got baptized about 2 months ago.  It was so spiritual as we got to see this recent convert baptize his own wife.  Their two children were sitting and watching.  It was so cute!  Plus, his brothers came and it was just so awesome,  I love to see families enter the gospel!  

There are also two 9 year old girls that we are going to start working with that we can teach now!  They are both so awesome!  I just had this great idea for them to become friends and we can teach and baptize them at the same time,  they both have great families to help them but they are both on the edge of whether they want to be baptized,  so, lots of work to be done with the members and less actives.  I love these new changes!!!!

Love, Elder Tuckett

 More from Zone Conference

Elder Machee holding the full moon this week!

Have a great week!!!

Exchanges this week!

I think I might be getting transferred this month, but I don't know.  Transfers are in two weeks.  So, do not send any more letters to this address for now. It's not for sure, but just in case.  President Hudson is still pretty new, so I don't know for sure what will happen this transfer.  But most likely, Elder Machee or I will be leaving.  I am really hoping to go to the Nelson district.  I have heard that it is just beautiful and I want to drive again.  I miss driving.  This week, someone asked me what the first thing that am doing when I get back to America.  I told them that the first thing that I am going to do is to go straight to the Gilbert Temple.  I want to see the new temple and I haven't been to the temple in 2 years.  If that is not possible, I want to take my truck out for a joy ride! So fill up the tank!  

This week we had a district meeting and Elder Angilou taught the lesson.    He came the same time as Elder Machee.  It was so cool to hear him talk after 2.5 months.  What an improvement!  I know that we have the gift of tongues in this church, and especially as missionaries.  

I have been reading the D & C a lot lately.  It is an amazing book.  It proves that God loves us and sent a prophet to set up the church on the earth today!  I am so grateful for all the trial and tribulations and hard work they went through. There are so many revelations that the prophet asked for and received, and they all still apply to us today.  

I love this church.  I know it to be be true!  I am grateful for my Father and everything he has done for me and given me. Both my earthly Father and my Heavenly Father.  They have both provided me with a home and a way to return to them. They both love me more than I can imagine and I feel that love every day.  I can't wait to see the both again and give them a big hug and tell them how much I love them!  In about 100 days I will see one of them!

I love you so much! 

Elder Tuckett

These are some pictures from exchanges this week....  We found an Indian guy that is interested in learning about Jesus and we were able to teach him this week.  Our other investigator is running away from us, but we are going to catch him later today!

I was being like Jesus and walking on water, no big deal, just keep your eye single to the Lord!

Pretending to go for a swim!

This is a Tui bird.  We were able to get really close to one this week.  You should look them up, they make really funky sounds.  

Elder Machee made me a gift yesterday because it was Father's Day, was it Father's Day for you?  I can't remember when it is in America.  

I love you!!!!