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

November 17 - Hello

Dear Family,

Hello!

We loved our trip to 100 Islands. The first day there we hired a boat for the day. The boatman would take us to different islands and wait for us while we explored. We ziplined between islands, snorkled, did a helmet dive, had a picnic (some places only sell Filipino food so we brought peanut butter and honey). The day was perfect! The water was just right for snorkeling - not cold at all! We saw a couple of giant fruit bats flying - they are as big as a good-sized hawk. There is a huge statue of Christ on one of the islands.

Our second day there, we went to a beautiful waterfall. The picture doesn't show all it's beauty. There were smaller pools cascading down the ravine that were so pretty but I wasn't able to get a picture of them. The really nice part was that the water is refreshing, not cold. The waterfall is on private land and was just opened to the public two weeks ago.

Now that our AATS Conference, we are settling into a schedule during our days.I am spending half of every day in the dental clinic while Dad works on our technology business. I have been organizing records and labeling/organizing the dental inventory. I'm learning about burs, paper points and all kinds of things. I help with panoramic x-rays on missionary intake days. Today I was asked if I would like to learn how to be a dental assistant. I figured I might as well, I enjoy all opportunities to learn. I just hope I can learn quickly and actually be of help to the dentists. I hear it's a pretty steep learning curve. :)

Just so you know, we won't be able to mail Christmas presents to you this year. We are buying some little treasures that we will bring for you when we come home. We have found a few things here that we haven't seen anywhere else so we have started a collection.

You are always in our thoughts. We hope you will call us on the holidays when you are available. Our Thanksgiving isn't celebrated here so it will just be another day in our schedule. I know we get Christmas and New Year's day off but we're not sure about any of the other days.

We love you and miss you.

Love,
Mom and Dad
XXXO

#1 Waterfall

#2 Zipline

#3Some islands

#4 The bat is flying above the tree

#5 that is Turtle Island on the left

November 16 - Thank You Pres. Trump

Dear Friends and Family,

Hello!

This past week the Area Office was closed for three days because of the ASEAN Summit (Association of South East Asian Nations). Almost all of Manila has the day off because of the traffic and security. There are really no "alternate routes" for some of the streets. So we went with two of the Area Office couples on an excursion to visit 100 Islands National Park. Our choices were to have an adventure outside Manila or sit in our apartments for 3 days. I couldn't decide whether I should admit that or just not write for two weeks. Not every missionary couple has this kind of opportunity and we are grateful to have a chance to see more of the Philippines. We have heard about how beautiful this country is but having spent most of our time in the city, we just haven't seen it. We saw some very beautiful places on this trip - the Philippines really is a land of many sights to inspire.

The beautiful things we saw reminded me of a truth that the world denies or tries to explain with a "Big Bang" theory or other theories. I am grateful to know that the heavens and earth were created by God and not a random happening. 3 Nephi 9:15 -"Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are..."

I will close with a scripture that I love and yet too often forget to heed. Philippians 4:8-"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." I love this reminder from Paul that we need to look at the good around us. I do not deny there are troubles and problems but I know if we focus on the good, we will be better, we will see the good in others and feel the peace of God.

Warmly,
The Tuckers

November 7 - Conference

Hello Family and Friends,

We had a really nice conference with 12 of our 15 AATS last week. We were very happy that so many could join us. It was great to have one of the Area Presidency as well as the DTA each give devotional talks for our conference. There were a few snafus but I learned a long time ago that when planning any activity from wedding receptions to conferences, if you plan on something going wrong, which it always does, you are better prepared to handle it because in your mind, you've allowed for it.

Pres. Haynie from the Area Presidency shared some statistics about the Philippines that I thought were very interesting. The Philippines ranks 4th in LDS population in the world. The U.S, Mexico and Brazil are 1,2,and 3. Out of 156 functioning temples, Manila is the 3rd highest for live sealings. 70% of the people in Asia who attend Sacrament Meeting are in the Philippines. That number does not include the Filipinos who are working in other countries (there are many families here whose primary income is from a family member working outside the Philippines). His main message however, was encouraging each of us to ask ourselves, "What can we do to help thr rising generation?" The younger generation today doesn't remember a time without electronic devices. He shared with us Elder Ballard's statement that we should "Make technology your servant, not your master." Technology is such a great blessing but it has many challenges associated with it. It can be both good and bad depending on how we use it but it seems to be the language of the rising generation so we need to help them to learn how to use it for good. The following quote was also shared with us. every time I hear it, I feel a witness that it is true and am grateful to live in such a time as this.

“I maintain that had there been no restoration of the gospel, and no organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there would have been no radio; there would have been no airplane, and there would not have been the wonderful discoveries in medicine, chemistry, electricity, and the many other things wherein the world has been benefited by such discoveries. Under such conditions these blessings would have been withheld, for they belong to the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times." 

Joseph Fielding Smith Oct 1926

This time I am including a pictures from our AATS who attended the conference as well as pictures from a zoo we visited with two other missionary couples on our day off. The zoo is built in an area where there are bunkers from WWII. They have used the bunkers for shelters, exhibits, shops and storage.

A little explanation about the bunker picture - it includes some locals in front of the bunker. Yes, the woman just has a cloth on her head - they wear cloths on their heads a lot. Often they will tuck a cloth (small towel or washcloth or bandanna or whatever) into the back collar of their shirts. All just evidence of how hot it is here, sweating is a problem and they want to protect themselves from the sun.

The crocodiles are being fed pieces of chicken. You can buy a piece of chicken for $4, they give it to you attached to a string on a pole, then you dangle the chicken until you get it low enough that one of those bad boys will jump up and get it. The walkway above the crocs is made of a heavy metal with high mesh fence sides. :)...just don't lean over too far!

All our best to you,
The Tuckers

October 29 - Visitors

Dear Family and Friends,

Greetings!

We didn't write last week because we were blessed to have our daughter, Tiffani, and her family come to visit us. We spent all the time we could with them so our letter is delayed. All our pictures this week are taken during our time spent with them because those are the funnest things we did this week. We really enjoyed our visit to a place called "In Art Island" in Quezon City. I think that was our top rated activity, bowling was probably our next favorite. I won't label the pictures because you can tell the difference between the two. :)

This is the week we've been making final preparations for the conference we've been planning the past couple of months. Our AATS will be coming to the Area Office on Thursday and the conference will continues until Saturday. One of the things we've planned for them is a session at the temple. Most of them look forward to our conference so they can have time at the temple. Travel is so expensive that it prohibits them from attending very often. As we talked to our co-workers about some of the details for the conference, we found out that most Filipinos do not have temple clothes. The more I learn about life in the Philippines, the more I realize just how much I take for granted having lived in the U.S. all my life. Today I am especially grateful for temples within traveling distance, comfortable cars to travel in, and temple clothes that patrons can rent at the temple. Temple patron housing is across the street from the temple. What a blessing that is that the members can stay there during the time of their temple service. It provides a place to sleep, eat, change and bathe before going to the temple. It isn't air-conditioned but that doesn't matter at all to them.

2 Nephi 9:52 -"Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God: pray unto him continually by day and give thanks unto his holy name by night. Let your hearts rejoice.

Love, The Tuckers

ps. I just realized that I didn't send this last week as I planned - oops!

October 13 - Details

Dear Family and Friends,

Hello!

We've been busily working on details for our upcoming conference this week. I think by default, Kent got the teaching part and I got the details like: food, hotel, emails, making sure fights were scheduled and getting acquainted activities. Somehow when I type that list, it doesn't seem like I was very busy but the time seems to have been gobbled up with the details.

There really isn't a lot more to write this week so I won't drag this on. I do want to share a picture of some shoes I saw at the mall last week. I also want to express my gratitude for a wonderful General Conference this month. What a joy it is to hear from apostles and prophets speaking to us and the challenges we face today. Every talk carried such a sweet spirit of love for our Heavenly Father, our Savior and all of our brothers and sisters on this earth and beyond. What a grand spiritual feast we had and look forward to enjoying again and again. In honor of dear Elder Hales, I end with the 3 sentences Elder Anderson shared with us that would have been part of Elder Hales' talk:" When we choose to have faith, we are prepared to stand in the presence of God. ...After the Savior's Crucifixion, He appeared only to those 'who had been faithful in the testimony of (Him) while they lived in mortality.' Those 'who rejected the testimonies...of the...prophets (could not) behold (the Savior's) presence, nor look upon his face.'...Our faith prepares us to be in the presence of the Lord."

We love you all,
The Tuckers

October 6 - Clark

Dear Family and Friends,

Happy Fall to you!!! No Fall here, still the rainy season.

This past weekend we went on an outing with the senior missionaries to what used to be Clark Air Force Base. The Philippines did not renew the lease with the U.S. military in 1992 so the military left and the land returned to the Filipino people. There is a lot of the original military housing but new buildings are being built too. One of the big businesses there is 'Call Centers'. There are 3 major ones there but I can only remember two - aol.com and T-mobile. There are 2 big hotels Hilton and Marriott being built there and a water park that is huge and looks like it will be tons of fun when it is finished. One of the missionaries in our group had been stationed at Clark during the Vietnam war and he said it looked nothing like when he was there. It was nice to be there and see the place where some of our friends has spent time while they were serving in the military and on missions.

While we were at Clark, we had a traditional Filipino meal. Some of the senior missionaries here have never had Filipino food so they were surprised by the menu. I'm including a picture of our meal. It actually looks pretty good. I'd tell you what everything is except the names of the dishes are all in Tagalog so that wouldn't help. Basically we had rice, talapia, pork stew, vegetables in sauce, mustard leaves, fermented rice and shrimp paste as condiments and for dessert ice cream with taro root and cheese. This was our fist time trying the fish. Mostly they cook them whole here and I have a hard time eating a fish that is looking at me but this one had been cooked with some kind of breading on it so I couldn't see the eyes. Most Filipinos think the head is the best part. It was pretty good once I got past the outside of the fish. :) I'm also sending a picture of the cute native Filipino server that we had at the restaurant with one of the other missionaries. She is a descendant of the Aetas, an indigenous Filipino group in the area.

Our Conference watching schedule is really different here. Our scheduled week to watch is this weekend. We can go to the church but most people have good enough internet connection to be able to watch it at home. We have been listening to talks one at a time but I miss the sweet spirit that seems to increase as the meetings go on so we are going to watch on the internet on Saturday and Sunday and pretend it is happening live. There is something about the full experience with announcements, music, talks, and prayers that enriches the experience that I don't feel when we listen to the talks separately.

I will close with something that touched my heart while I was reading in Moroni 8:3 today. Some of Moroni's parting words to his son are words I believe many parents pray for their own children. "I am mindful of you always in my prayers, continually praying unto God the Father in the name of his Holy Child, Jesus, that he, through his infinite goodness and grace, will keep you through the endurance of faith on his name to the end."

Love,
The Tuckers

I have also included a picture of the latest "activity" at our mall. We were not able to attend so I cannot explain. :)