December 25 - Merry Christmas

Dear Family and Friends,

We hope you all have a very nice Christmas.

We we've been pretty busy the past couple of weeks so we haven't written. Because our work in ICS is light right now, I've (Sister Tucker) started working in the dental clinic at the MTC a few hours each morning. It's nice to find more ways to contribute here.

Elder Tucker and I were blessed to be able to go to the MTC to do some caroling on Friday night. The new group of missionaries arrived on Tuesday instead of Friday last week. It was nice they could arrive a few days early and get settled before Christmas Day. The MTC president and his wife have planned some great activities this weekend to bring the spirit of Christmas to the elders and sisters. They have had special decorations in the cafeteria and special meals are planned. While caroling, we took a little gift and a special personal reading list for the missionaries. For Christmas Eve they had a special devotional with the Area Presidency and included music the elders and sisters prepared. Today, Christmas Day, they have arranged a service project (assembling hygiene kits) that we get to help with and a fun program and each missionary got a filled stocking. It has been sweet to be invited to help with the missionaries at this special time of year. Their light and enthusiasm warms our hearts.

During this past week there has been an increase in the number of children and families in the street (literally in the streets) asking for money. They come into the street between the lines of cars at stop lights and when traffic is heavy. We have been told that they are brought in from the country areas the week before Christmas and the ones who bring them get a cut of the money they bring in. We have also been cautioned not to give them money. We decided to do something a little different. We packed some ziploc bags with food - a drink, chips, vienna sausages, small pouches of cheez whiz, cookies and crackers - and we handed those out. It is fun to see their faces when they get food, we think they get to keep the food they get. One little boy did a happy dance as he left our car with his bag. It didn't feel right to take their pictures so I don't have a picture of that but I am including a picture of a stop light. If you look closely, you will see it is in the shape of a star. The green light is in the shape of a Christmas Tree but when the light is green, we do not slow down so no pic of that.

I've also included a picture of a nativity in a display in one of the shop windows near us. I thought the sign was sweet. you may have to enlarge the picture to read the sign.

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:7. Like you, we have been reading more about Christ in the scriptures this month. It is hard to grasp the enormity of who our Savior is and all he has done for us. His time on earth began like all of our lives, as a baby. He was born in very humble circumstances. He learned line upon line. He loved and healed and served and taught. He felt our pains and our joys. He died that we might all live again. He is our light, our Redeemer, our brother, our friend. He made it possible for us to return to our heavenly home. Now it is up to us to do our part. May we each determine to become more like our Savior during the coming year. That will be our gift to Him...and to ourselves for we will be better for it.

Love,
The Tuckers

December 10 - Light the World

Dear Family and Friends,

We hope you are well and finding the joy this season can bring. "Light the World" is such a great way to help us remember Christ and all he is and was as well as encourage us to follow His example. I love the short videos and challenges on Mormon.org. The lights on the Philippine Temple grounds were lit on Friday (picture) - they are another light in our world this Christmas season.

We had a special Christmas devotional last week. The Area Presidency did a program with many beautiful musical numbers and Pres. Bowan shared an inspirational Christmas message. Each department was asked to prepare a song for the second part of the program. Our manager chose one that I love called,"Christmas in Our Hearts" I had never heard it before. It is a beautiful song with a beautiful message. Listen to it here:

Our assistant in Davao invited us to come and help with a training he had last week. Davao is in an area which hasn’t had non-native missionaries there for quite some time. The members there treated us so kindly. We could feel the power and responsibility that wearing the missionary name tag represents. The meetings there went well with a great turnout. 30 were expected and about 60 actually came. It was great to have so many there. Afterward we were able to drive around Davao with a driver and a few of our new friends. We stopped and had a drink of fresh young coconut water called “buko”. After the liquid is gone, the man cuts open the coconut and we ate some of the young coconut meat which is nothing like the dried coconut we get in the U. S. The next day we went to church and again were so warmly received. We both were able to teach and bear our testimonies at the training and in Sacrament meeting. The Lord truely does help us beyond our natural abilities when we are in His service. A member family invited us to their house for dinner after church. I have to say they served the best Filipino food I've tasted! The sister made a pork roast called Hamonada that was amazing - so good! She also served a chicken and vegetable dish called Afritada that was delicious. She had a lovely fresh salad and fresh fruit and of course there was rice. Everyone we met was so very kind - it is easy to love these wonderful people.

As we were reading the scriptures together last night in 2 Nephi 32:3- "....I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry." I felt a sweet witness from the spirit that what Nephi wrote was true. God does hear our all of our prayers. There are so many things in this world that we individually have no control over. We cannot control others-their attitudes or actions or words- only ourselves and we can choose to have faith that God will take care of all of our loved ones (and us) in ways we may not even be able to imagine. He is a loving Heavenly Father and knows how to help and comfort us perfectly. Sometimes I want to fix things in my human way yet find that if I wait, God has a much better plan than I could imagine - it isn't aslways without pain but it is always right and sometimes a lovely surprise!

Much Love,
Elder and Sister Tucker

November 28 - Happy Thanksgiving

Dear Family and Friends,

Greetings! It seems so strange to be in a place so warm and green for the holidays - no freezing temperatures or snow. We love seeing all the decorations that are going up.

We have enjoyed being Pathway missionaries. There are gatherings every week that the students lead, we're just there to facilitate. This semester the lessons have all been about Life Skills. The students love having a religious basis to their learning. They have scriptures and a hymn that goes with every lesson and the lessons are filled with quotes from church leaders. It has been good to see how Pathway works. We recommend it to anyone who is considering it.

Thanksgiving was interesting this year. I think getting together with family on Thanksgiving has gotten into our DNA. :) It isn't a holiday they celebrate here so we were on our own. Actually the senior missionaries had a Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday but we were due to be at a meeting about 3 1/2 hours away on that day so we had our Thanksgiving dinner at Outback on Thursday night. Kent had ribs and coconut shrimp and I had salmon. It just wasn't the same but it was a celebration.:) We had a really good experience at our meeting. Kent did the presentation and I was able to bear my testimony. One sweet sister made us a plate of food after the Senior Thanksgiving meal and gave it to us the next day. When I opened it and saw the turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables and pie, I felt for a minute that we had been transported to the U.S for dinner. It was great.  Don't get me wrong, we have found food here that is really good but that holiday meal was special. 

On the last Senior Missionary outing, we went to a village south of Manila called Paete, where they are known for their many wood carvers. We saw some beautiful work. We were even able to see one family's workshop. It is an area outside their home that they have covered with tarps. They have only a couple of power tools that they use to cut the big logs, everything else is done by hand. (Pictures of his shop, him working and some finished products). We also had our first tricycle ride there (pic of me and the driver) - needless to say, they are made for smaller people than we are. We have seen 9 Filipinos on one of these but they also ride behind the driver so not all are inside. I've included a picture of a street corner church (there is a church inside the ironwork with an alter and benches) and a sarisari store (they have little stores here where the people go buy things they need that day. They don't go in the store, just buy what they need at the window. Most sarisari stores are about this size.)

While we were at our meeting on Saturday, the priesthood leader shared a thought about 1 Nephi 18:1. I've read it many times before but he pointed out the fact that Nephi was not a shipbuilder, he had been a hunter since leaving Jerusalem. The scripture says that'"the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship." When I've read that part in the past, I've thought about how the Lord can show us how to do things we don't know how to do but this leader emphasized "from time to time". Nephi didn't know everything all at once but received guidance a little at a time. So many times I have wanted to know how things were going to turn out, I wanted the whole picture before I began but often, we need to get started and receive inspiration and guidance as we go along. It was a good lesson for me and has been confirmed many times as we have learned what we are supposed to do on our mission.

We love you. Your prayers and support have strengthened us many times.

Love,
The Tuckers