August 28 - Tuguegrao and Pathway

Dear Friends and Family,

This past week we were in Tuguegarao to do some training. We stayed for church on Sunday and attended a ward that met in a rented house. It was a wonderful experience. So exciting that the Spirit attends every meeting no matter where the meeting is held. In wards we attend other than our own, the people sing the hymns, read the scriptures and say the Sacrament prayers in English. Other than those things, most speak in their local language or dialect. We can usually follow along with the main ideas of the talks or lessons but not the details. One brother who spoke in Sacrament meeting read something in Illicano or Tagalog but then when he started to speak, it almost sounded like he was singing or chanting a beautiful song. Afterward, the friend we attended with said he spoke a dialect that they nicknamed the "language of the birds". It was delightful to hear him speak and feel the Spirit even though we didn't understand a word. In Relief Society, the teacher asked me a question. I was able to answer the question before anyone else so it wasn't too intimidating. We usually don't make comments in classes because we don't know what has been said and don't know if what we say will go along with what they are talking about or not.

Another great thing that happened this past week was Pathway graduation. It was the first graduating class from the Area Office site. We have come to love each of the students and will miss our weekly gathering with them. Because most of the students work at the Area Office, they have advanced education degrees but they took the class to learn and improve their English skills which in turn will improve their opportunities for promotions. We have been happy to see not only their English improve but also their confidence in speaking English and standing in front of a group. They gained so much more from the class than English. Two students cut up their credit cards during the first semester as they learned about life skills and personal finance. I didn't realize how much I had grown to love and would miss these students until they were lining up in the hallway getting ready to march into graduation. It was then that I realized that our gatherings really were done. Elder Tucker and I, another missionary couple, the the wonderful wife of the DTA (Director of Temporal Affairs in the Philippines), will be able to continue to facilitate the next group that starts in September. Last year we didn't have a clue about what we were doing or what to expect when we started with the first group. Now that we've done it for a year, we are excited to start again and look forward to the growth that we will see in the group as well as in ourselves . This has been an awesome experience!

While doing some reading in the June Ensign this week, I found a scripture that I hadn't really noticed before in an article by Elder Gary B. Sabin titled, "Place Your Trust in Him". This verse is in Nahum 1:7 " The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him". It is such a sweet reminder that the Lord knows us, is aware of us, and will help us - each and every one of us! I don't know how it is done but I do know that it is true. He knows each of us and our circumstances. He loves us and watches over us. We are never alone.

We love you all - 

Love,
The Tuckers

Picture 1 - Elder Tucker and our friend in front of their church after the meetings

Picture 2 - Our Pathway graduates lined up ready to go in

Picture 3 - The Pathway graduating class. Pres. Wakolo (2nd counselor in the Area Presidency) is in the center front with Bro. Almeida (the DTA), Elder Tucker and Elder Kaneen (the two on the front left)

Picture 4 - Just a snapshot of life -Mothers walking with their little ones to school.

August 13 - Rainy Season

Dear Family and Friends,

It seems like a bit of a cliche to start this week's letter with news about the weather. Last year when we arrived in the Philippines, we were told it was the rainy season. It rained some everyday but not a lot. We thought the rainy season was like living in Florida in the summer when the storms came in, it rained and then cleared up and was sunny again. We learned this year that last year was a very mild rainy season. This year is more normal. It has been cloudy and rainy for the past several weeks but the last five days have been crazy. We will have howling winds and a driving downpour for 30 to 60 minutes then it will be calm and the streets and sidewalks will begin to dry. Before we know it, the wind and rain begin again. There have been landslides and a lot of flooding. The first picture is of the only way out of the neighborhood where our department manager lives. Her home and family were fine but they were stuck at home for a while.

I learned a fun fact last week. I brought a "bucket"of crackers (see picture) and brought them to the office. When our co-worker saw them, he said that there are bigger containers of these crackers that people buy and bring to funerals here. We have funeral potatoes and they have funeral crackers. :) Actually they have a week long wake where people come to the home of the family who has had someone pass away. There they talk and eat. It is sometimes very expensive for the bereaved family. Often those who visit will bring food with them or donate money to the family that is used for all the food they serve.

My picture of the crackers also includes the most used hand sanitizer here - plain Isopropyl alcohol. They keep several bottles around the office.

Every Tuesday morning the Area Office has an employee devotional at 9 am. Today the subject was about Pathway Connect. The employees are encouraged to take this course to help them advance in their jobs. Kent gave a great talk encouraging the employees to enroll. I think most left the meeting ready to do it. I'll share more about Pathway Connect in my next letter.

Elder Stevenson and his wife were here this past week for the Face to Face that was broadcast from the MTC Activity Center. Following the broadcast, they both spoke to the missionaries who are currently at the MTC . We were blessed to be invited to that meeting (we were not invited to the Face to Face because that is an event just for the youth). Elder Stevenson is amazing! He knows the whole "Preach My Gospel" manual forwards and backwards! He taught so powerfully from that book. (3rd Picture)

We close with a scripture he shared and told the missionaries to remember by memorizing 2-2-2 -
2 Nephi 2:2 "Nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain." The word consecrate adds so much power to this statement. Knowing that God will "make sacred" our afflictions and that they will make us more than we would have been without them brings us all hope that those afflictions are creating something beautiful and powerful within us, that no trial is wasted.

It is an honor to be serving and having the learning opportunities we experience. The gospel of Jesus Christ heals the wounded heart, lifts up the down trodden, and blesses everyone in individual ways as needed. We witness the work of God moves forward and his kingdom is rolling forth to fill the earth. We love the work…

Love,
The Tuckers

August 2 - Train, Teach, Travel

Dear Family and Friends,

Greetings!

This month has been especially busy with training. Which means we've been away from Manila a lot. More AATS (Assistant Area Technology Specialists) are being called and we need to train them in their responsibilities. We were in Tacloban last weekend and were able to train 2 new AATS and had a group training with technology specialists serving on the islands of Samar and Leyte. The week before, we were in Cagayan De Oro training new AATS there. The AATS are key to technology success in every area of the Philippines. Two of the biggest differences between us teaching and the local AATS teaching is they know the language and circumstances of the people in each of the stakes and districts in their areas. Some of the areas speak more than one language. Most of the Filipinos we've met speak at least 3 languages or more. Our main goal is really to get the Filipinos self-reliant with their technology needs and this seems to be the best plan to address their needs. So we travel.

Most of the airports we visit are small. I thought in this email, I would share through pictures a little about the places we spend a lot of our time on weekends.You'll recognize the airport pictures for what they are. It's pretty easy to spot Elder Tucker at the baggage claim area. I had walked away and when I turned around and saw him, he seemed to glow - white shirt, grey hair, tall, good looking.

While we were waiting in Tacloban, Elder T picked up a newspaper to read. I peeked over his shoulder and happened to see this full page notice. I was impressed with the stand of the local churches. It has words like "mass" and "holy communion" in the text so we know it isn't a notice from our church - but if a few words were changed, it could be. Take a few minutes to read it, even if you have to enlarge it. It's worth the effort.

We are so grateful for all of our blessings. 2 Nephi 22 seems to put into words the feelings of our hearts.

"And in that day though shalt say: O Lord, I will praise thee; though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation.
Therefore, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation
And in that day shall ye say: Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted
Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things; this is known in all the earth
Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee."

Love,
The Tuckers