Salutations! Yes, so the subject
of the letter is best read if read like you're in the ensemble of Les
Miserables...I am loving it here in Provo. The MTC is pretty much neck and neck
with Disneyland in "happiest place on earth" points, I think. I have
loved learning here and I think it is amazing how much I've learned since
arriving. If you open yourself up to it, it is amazing what the Spirit can help
you to understand. But, even though I have loved it, I am so excited to go to
Korea. I am so nervous and am sort of freaking out inside, but I am excited for
the unknown and for really being a missionary. And the time is fast
approaching...I can count the number of days left on two hands (though
technically I'd need at least one hand with six fingers or maybe I'd just count
one toe. I have 11 days)! Tomorrow I pick up my flight plans so I will
keep you in the loop as to departures and arrivals....eeek! I'm so excited!
This week in choir we sang a
pretty easy and pleasantly powerful song, Hurrah for Israel. I'd never
heard of it before we received the music. but it was easy to learn. It was a
two page unison piece and most of it was sung in triumphant forte! It was
great, we were singing about Israel and the gathering of Israel. Like always I
loved Brother Eggett's commentary. Being the seminary and institute teacher
that he is he explained to us the Abrahamic covenant (the 3 P's: a place--promised land, blessings of the priesthood, and an endless posterity. Plus, all of the promises
made to him are available to all of the righteous children of Abraham), a brief
history of the Children of Israel and their wanderings, their settlement in the
promised land, the two kingdoms, and the breaking off of the top 10 tribes, and
their eventual capture and escape. Pretty much Israel is scattered and the lost
10 tribes spread out across the globe. My calling (and that of all of the
missionaries) is to go out, find those lost 10 tribes, and bring them back to
the fold. So neat!
The guest speaker this past
Tuesday (the one we sang our song for) was Brother John H. Groberg, an
emeritus general authority. You know Brother Groberg, the missionary from The Other Side of Heaven. He was pretty spectacular. He shared with us the
importance of frequent, fervent testimony as well as some clips and
lessons from his experience as a missionary. One particular experience I found
especially profound. While serving on a small island on Tonga, Elder Groberg
heard word of a family on another island who wanted to hear the gospel. So he
and three other brethren took off in a sail boat for the island. At first the
wind was favorable but soon after they were on the way the wind stopped and
they couldn't move anywhere. They prayed for a tailwind but alas, nothing. Then
they all got down and prayed for a "good wind". Again nothing. They
waited awhile then one of the brethren gathered the necessary supplies and with
Elder Groberg got into a little rowboat and began to row the two of them to the
island to teach the family. The man said to Brother Groberg that he had lived a
long hard life and didn't begin to follow Jesus Christ until he was an older
man. He wanted to do all that he could for the Lord. He couldn't do everything
but that day he could help Brother Groberg to share the Lord's word. He could
be the Lord's wind. He could answer both Elder Groberg's prayer and his own. I
think that is amazing and that so often our prayers and the prayers of others
will be answered though us. Oft times in order to fill our sails and to sail
onward and upward in life we have to be the Lord's wind that pushes us a little
further or that rows across the ocean for a while. And then, if we follow
D&C 123:17 and cheerfully do all things that lie in our power then we can
stand back and with the utmost assurance wait for the hand of the Lord to be
revealed. The Lord helps those who help themselves and those who follow Nephi's
example in 1 Nephi 4:6 and follow the promptings of the spirit even if they
don't know beforehand where the Lord is taking them. His vision is grander. He
is all knowing and is in charge and if we will do what he asks of us, when he
asks it of us, then we will receive so many blessings! He is the
gardener here! He knows what is best for us; He knows what he wants us to
become and though that vision may include cutting us down at times, it is so we
can be lifted higher.
2.0
A thought. So this week I
attended Branch Leadership Meeting and I was struck by a series of
thoughts.
President Monson said once that
"It is our duty to live our lives as examples of righteousness that others
may follow." We have to be those good examples because we are the light on
the hill that is shining and is showing others what to do. President Monson
also said "We should never do anything that we wouldn't want our children
to do." Wise words. I was also struck by the observation that children
will imitate what they see. Most people will imitate what they see others
doing. We need to be good examples so others know what to imitate, but for us,
we need to carefully select those we imitate and try to emulate. I am so
strongly influenced by my family, my leaders, my teachers, the living prophets
and those in the scriptures, and I am continually striving to be more like
Christ. As I seek to copy what they did I get closer and closer every time.
Just like imitating an accent or an impression, the more you repeatedly strive
to do copy, the closer you get. I also think that when we are thrown into new
circumstances, when we are new, we are more sponge-like and seek to imitate and
follow what is being done. I have felt this as I've been thrown into the
missionary life and also when I go to a new school or when any other new thing
goes on. The cool thing is that through the Savior's atonement I can be given a new
heart! Everyday day, multiple times a day even, I( can be given a new
heart and be in that frame of mind where I can better imitate those righteous
examples. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the central doctrine of the church
and I am continually striving to make it the center of my life. Doing this
brings me peace and happiness. This church is true. I love it and I know it can
bless everyone's life! Try it out. It will change you for the better.. for
forever!
I love you all and am
so grateful for your prayers. I feel them. They buoy me up and know
that you are in mine.
Keep the faith! It is true.
Continue forward with Christ, Onward and Upward!
Elder Tucker
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| Me and good O'l Samuel Smith (the 1st missionary) He had his laundry in a nap sack; I have mine. |
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| Me and Elder Powell in the rain. It's been surprisingly rainy this week. I love it! |
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| the rainy mountains #crazyclouds |
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| Favorite Japs! I love these Elders. They were my volleyball buds. Elder Woods on the right in the suit. We were probably closest with the Japs. |
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| Me and some of my favorite Japs. Elder Christensen, Elder Siebach and then Elder Woods |
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| Here's me for the next 22 months! |