Helping hands and reunited with friends.

First of all -- to respond to everything in your letter Mom...

1 - Congrats on all the broken bones, Porter boys.

2 - I have missed seeing the Olympics.  One time this week, we were tracking, and they were too busy watching the Olympics.  I got a slight peek, but that was it!  

3 - Tell Laural, thanks for telling me she drove the truck. You let her and all the girls at the office know that I am brushing and flossing everyday.  I am trying to be the miracle missionary that comes home after not seeing the dentist for 2 years and still has perfect teeth.  

4 - I loved your scripture thought for me mom, it was perfect and such good insight!

The big thing that we did this week was Saturday!  We had Helping Hands at the Marae, which is very special to the church. The Marae is a sacred place that social, religious, and other activities are held in the Polynesian culture.  Anyway, I don't know if you remember me telling  you about it last year, but the Maori prophets made prophecies that the church would come to New Zealand.  The Marae that we did was actually the Chief's Marae.  His grave is here and everything.  The people that run it now still adhere to all the Maori customs and things though.  There is a lot of history on it and it is hard to make sense on what is true.  Anyway we had a best time giving service there.  We were cleaning and painting up the place.  My companion and I got stuck washing the nasty grease covered kitchen.  We cleaned the walls and the grease traps, I am sure that it would never pass a health code.  Others painted and weeded, and scrubbed bathrooms.  It was a great success!   

This picture is of the entire Hutt Zone!  See who I a standing with?  Elder Edwards!  I was so happy to be reunited with him!!!!  As you can see, missionaries can't sit still for a minute to get a picture!

This was almost my entire Southland District from Queenstown.  I love these guys!  

My current district and our zone leader, and some random kids that wanted in the picture.  

I guess I should of got some pictures of us doing the actual service.  My bad!  

After the service we went home and changed and went to a baptism of a young guy that the elders have been working with for about 2 months and we have gotten to know him well too!  The baptism was very spiritual and lasted like 2 hours, but it was so great.  

The guy we met from Arizona is so much fun!  We got to do do some service for him as well this week.  I got to drive with the trailer again.  I am loving the practice with the trailer I am getting on my mission.  We took branches and stuff to the dump for him.  Then afterwards, we had a deep and spiritual discussion with him.  

Another investigator is teaching us how to juggle!  I almost have it down!  The rest of the investigators are doing alright -- I was able to lead here in Carterton on splits this week, and we had a great time and we found a very interesting guy that we will follow up with this week.  

I have got to go -- we are going to Masterton today, and I have got to go catch a bus.  I love you guys!

Elder Tuckett