May 20 - Tacloban

Dear Family and Friends,

Mabuhay! (Filipino greeting meaning Life/Live!)

Kent and I traveled to the Island of Tacloban for a couple of meetings on Saturday. This is a beautiful island with a challenging past. This is also one of the islands that Gen. McAuthur promised to return to and reclaim during WWII. The people are grateful for his return and freeing them from the Japanese. They have erected the McArthur Landing Memorial National Park (picture) We met with a sister who had been 4 years old during the war. She told us about her experiences of hiding from the Japanese during the day in the trenches with her uncles and of the Japanese atrocities she saw or was told. I hope she will write her story. We also learned about Typhoon Yolanda from a young man who had been on the island when it hit in 2013. He told us that most houses are built to withstand the wind and rain (they are built out of concrete) but no one expected the storm surge. The water rose so fast that it was up to his chest before they left their home. The water rose enough to cover two story houses. There was only one home in their village that was three stories and most of the people went there. Many homes and lives were lost in a very short time. Their family was blessed to have relatives in Cebu who bought airline tickets for them to come and stay with them. Their family stayed 2 months until electricity was restored on Tacloban. Many places have been rebuilt but a few things remain as they were left by the storm. Big ships were brought to shore and came to rest on top of houses that had been covered by water. So much devastation yet the people carry on and the earth heals. Tacloban is a beautiful place.

The Pathway students we work with are really wonderful. This week their assignment was to write an essay about something they believe. Some of them read their essays to the class. One shared his essay about being able to go to college and his Dad telling him that now the cycle of poverty could stop in their family because of his education. One shared about always loving to be physically active and being outdoors but when she had a child born with physical problems and they were at the hospital and doctor's office so much, she started running with a friend and they ran marathons; that got her through a very difficult time. One wrote about miracles using examples from the scriptures and a miracle of healing that he was part of because he was able to help give a Priesthood blessing to the woman. Besides their assignments, the class has become good friends with each other. A couple of weeks ago, a member of the class had his house burn down. The fire started in another house near them and burned several houses. Someone in the class gave us money to give to him so he wouldn't know who gave him the money. He was so grateful and humbled by the kindness. It is so sweet to see how this class has come together and really cares about each other.

The Primary President was not able to be at church today and asked me to do sharing time for her. She had it all prepared and ready to go. The subject was tithing and the scripture was Malachi 3:10; "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house; and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it." In Senior Primary, one boy shared how when their Dad was in college and they were very poor and often wondered what they were going to eat. He said they paid their tithing. Then one evening, they went to the door (this is Primary so we don't get all the details like if someone knocked or rang the door bell so use your imagination) and there was a pizza. They didn't know who had left it but they were very grateful for the food. My heart was touched not only by his story but by the fact that he knew the story and he was just a toddler at the time. That meant his parents were teaching their family about tithing and sharing their testimonies. How about you? As you read this, take a minute and think about blessings you have received through paying your tithing. The windows of heaven truly are open and pouring out blessings as we obey this command.

We love you and pray for God's blessings to be upon you.

Love,
The Tuckers

Picture 1 - The plaque at McAuthur Landing

Picture 2 - A local tricycle (they are a little different in each area)
Picture 3 - A solar powered Jeepney (if you look closely, you can see a TV inside)

Picture 4 - Memorial Landing
The last two pictures are of some of our Pathway Group

We were talking to Tiffani the other evening and started talking about pictures. She said I should share more pictures but as Senior missionaries we have been counseled not to put our pictures of having fun on social media or any public place. Tiffani said I could share more pictures with the family. I'd love to share more of what we do with you so I will be sending extra pictures to you and no one else.

In our last letter, I told you about the storm surge after typhoon Yolanda. They cut off part of one of the ships that got pushed onto the land and came to rest on many houses. I'm also sending a picture from the back of the ship of the houses that have been built between where it landed and the shore. The ship ends at the stairs to the back of it.

I also told you about my new friend Belen who was 4 during WWII. Here's a picture of the two of us (Yes, I feel like a giant next to many of the Filipinos).

Finally I am sending a picture of Filipino life - the Ice cream man - he played the tinkling music that ice cream trucks in the U.S. play and a Tacloban jeepney.