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
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