Sunday, September 28, 2014

Week 16: Transfer 1 check. Transfer 2 Yikes. Here we come. Where is the rosary?

Better question, what is rosary? I don't actually know for sure but I remember Billy Joel singing about it in "Only the Good Die Young" or whatever the title is. Whatever it is, I need some because I am now a Senior Companion.

What?! No worries. Elder Hollingsworth and I are still going strong together but my group of missionaries are the first to pilot a new 12 week program in the mission. We did the First 12 Weeks intro to missionary life book in six weeks and then spend the second transfer switching off from senior comp to co-senior comp for six weeks. Then after that who knows where I'll go or who I'll be with but potentially I might never be junior again. Yay! Yikes! I don't know how I feel. Mostly overwhelmed but oddly okay with the situation. Formula for success: work hard. pray hard. The Lord qualifies who He calls. What are you called to do? ...missionary work!! It's true I wear the tag over my heart with His name on it but we all have His name written on our hearts. So share! I've found the more joy in my short service than in all of my short 18 years preceding it. (And there is a difference between joy and happiness, I've found. You have joy in the journey, even if it's a crazy uphill climb. The view always brings happiness too, though. Just a thought.) Share! It's the best!

Fun fact about being eighteen. I have no idea why, but Koreans do age really weird. Rather than count the number of years you've been alive they count the calendar years you've been involved with. Then they go up one. Yeah, it's weird but here I'm 19. Technically because my birthday is in February I could even say I'm 20 because they do that too. It makes no sense. But I don't feel 18. I'm way bigger than most people. But it's always good.

2.0

I received a sweet pep talk from God in my personal study and wanted to share it with you today.

So I can't recall with certainty which movie because the mission veil has descended and obscured most all of my pop culture knowledge, but the quote is "Sometimes you just need 30 seconds of insane courage" or something to that effect. [Editor's note:  He is referring to We Bought a Zoo.] I subscribe to that philosophy. Often times I am afraid to move and I just need 30 seconds to get moving. I need that little "umph" to get my tires moving and get me out of life's ruts and onto the path that God has for me. I love the words of Paul because he so often talks of grace and "fighting the good fight," and my heart takes courage form that. I like what Paul said to the Timothy in 2 Timothy1:6-7 from Rome when Paul was sent before Nero for the second time. I'm sure he wrote because Timothy was going through a rough time. He probably felt under-qualified or was facing a lot of opposition, or perhaps life was not being fair (is it ever?), or maybe he felt like God wasn't hearing him, or this whole church thing was too hard or not worth it. Paul counseled him: "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up thy gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands (i.e. the Holy Ghost, comforter, the Revelator, and spirit of promise) For God hath nor given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love, and of a sound mind."

Take courage (maybe of the crazy 30 second variety) square your shoulders. Apply unto him for power, love others because charity will transform you and put new wind in your sails, and keep a sound mind. Realize that God, the Creator of the Universe is on your side and his purpose in life is your success and happiness. All will work out in the end and if it's not alright it's not the end.

I love all of you and wish I could say more but I am called another way..

Take courage. Fight the good fight. Onward and Upward.

사랑해요
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Elder Tucker

The Library.  I may have never been happier in life.

The view from my apartment.

The view from my apartment.

Me wearing Ben's tie because I needed a boost.  And because he wore mine to his farewell.
So sweet!  Love you....

Elder Ben Denton wearing my tie at his mission farewell.  

The ties that bind:  Best friends for Life.
Ben and McKay saying goodbye, last June, for nearly 2 1/2 years.