Week 39: And another one bites the dust...‏

So I threw out that Queen reference because ladies and gentlemen I have come to the end of yet another transfer here in Cheongju. We just got our transfer calls from the AP's and Elder Wagner and I are stating the same. Nice! I am pretty excited because some great things should be happening this transfer! #baptism

This week was pretty exciting because of both my split with Elder Parker in a neighboring district (which is notable because I was senior--which is funny because he is 26! Yeah, that means he was born in 1988, eight years before I was born! weird. He has a great life story) All went well.

Also this week was Stake conference! Nice! This is my second one in Korea, and I liked it so much more because I could actually understand part of it. It's not all there of course but I love this awesome relationship I'm developing where the better I get at Korean, the less I day dream in church. Progress baby! I'm on the up and up! But really it was great. Our most progressing investigator, Anna came to church and loved it! It was awesome because she said she needed to leave a half hour early  to get to work next door, but she just had this feeling and she couldn't  leave. Nice work Spirit! So yep, she is doing great and is most likely going to get baptized in the middle of April. I am so excited! She just has to kick that whole smoking thing! But things are on the up and up! What can I say? I'm a positive guy and I'm really happy that things are going great!

I also Love personal study! My favorite is when a whole study is spurred by one footnote. Enter ...

2.0

Matt 3:2 John the Baptist in the wilderness proclaiming repentance and he said to the people: "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand"

The Greek on the word "repent" denotes "A change of heart" i.e. "a conversion"

Wow. I love that take on repentance. I love the idea that repentance is never a negative word but is perhaps one of the most hopeful I know, synonymous with grace. Repentance allows an escape. Repentance is the cocoon process that turns all of us sill squishy caterpillars into really nice butterflies! Looking at repentance and its significance took me to Alma 9:27-28 "And behold, he cometh to redeem those who will be baptized unto repentance through faith on his name." Some pondering and reflective notes on this section spurred a great study and scripture chase on the Gospel of Jesus Christ (our third lesson we teach) and it culminated in 3 Nephi 27. I still need another study session to attack chapter 27 because it is so rich, but I just love the scriptures. I love how they are living scriptures in the idea that they will grow and change as we change and come back to them. I have grown so much through them. I love the word of God! (and I'm really excited for conference.a.k.a. the Superbowl of the mission world) and I hope that as we each reflect day by day on who we are and seek that change of heart to not only be  a better person, but as is sometimes in my own life, pray to want to change or improve, that we will! That is my testimony and I am sorry that I am so out of time!

Love you all

Onward and upward!

Elder Tucker

Ok, so this week we had a FHE at the church and I snapped a pic with some of my favorite Korean My good friend with the glasses is HoYong and he is fantastic. He graduated from high school a little early to hit the mission field in Seoul and has also already done his two years of mandatory military service. He is great, is going to BYU Hawaii soon and helps us out on member lessons all the time. so great! members! They are all awesome but I only had time for a few.

Here is a picture of the cutest kid ever.  Picture and blur don't do him justice.  His Korean name sounds like Danny.  Cutest!

Also despite appearences, Elder Wagner is not from Idaho.  He just looks like a potato.
It's what happens when we forget to turn on the floor heat at night then try to do studies.... missenprobs

Week 38: Hello Everybody!

Hello Everybody! (These are my people!)

I know that most people won't get the reference of my salutation, but I was making a subtle shout out to my adorable cousin Dakota! She is the greatest and so cute. I hope she and all of you can feel my love. Sometimes it's hard to convey love through the internet....but I try. Gotta love the internet.

This week there is very little time and though it isn't my first choice I fell like the tactics of my great compadre are appropriate here. Yes, I am indeed invoking a list!

1. This week I rode a train for the first time since the Polar Express. I wonder how many people out there know that there is a real polar express and that it happens to be in northern Arizona. Fun fact! The train was nice and Korea was beautiful!

2. I had a split this week with my good old friend from the MTC district Elder Godfrey. He is my 6'7" Canadian friend and even though he had a terrible cold we both survived and it was a great senior moment for both of us because we were the oldest missionaries in the house and got to help others: the Best!

3. Ok. a two item list is pretty lame but I am out of time.

2.0

The lesson from this week come s from Moses 4:23 and is also reflected in Genesis 3. Essentially God tells Adam and Eve after their little experience with tree that he will curse the ground for their sake. He will curse the ground for their sake! The point is that God gives us challenges, there are literal and figurative thorns and thistles in all of our lives, but he does it all because he loves us. Remember that he is always about his business of forwarding our eternal life and salvation. I love and regularly recall Elder Christofferson: "I am the Gardener here and I know what I want you to be." in this life it is critical to remember that He is God. He knows what is best and He will do that for us. Sweat and tears and blood are to be expected in this, our mortal sojourn here. The great thing is that there is Hope. He is hope! I love being a missionary and that I get to tell people about this every day. It is pretty much the best thing ever!

I love you all

Onward and upward

Elder Tucker

So the jury is in and we decide I look more like James Potter than Harry.  No prob.  I like James better anyway!
District meeting was great too!

Week 37: Tribute email!

Hello family and friends!

What a wonderful day it is here in Korea! I'm excited because it looks like spring is finally on the way. I was so distraught when I realized a few weeks ago that I did in fact have a winter birthday. I was trying to refute the fact so I didn't wear a coat last Tuesday, just my birthday suit. ...editorial note: the suit that was a birthday present to myself from me....not an actual "birthday suit"...^^ Elder Wagner made us go back to the apartment and get it after district meeting due to the drizzle.. I'm still in denial. :)

But I am excited because exactly one week after my birthday is the birthday of an individual who is most definitely the most Christ-like and wonderful and extraordinary and lovely and awesome person who I know in this large and exciting world: MY MOTHER! Happy Birthday Mom! I know that who I am is due to the innumerable folks who made up the village that raise me. (I have lots of great moms: Mom Denton and Mom Sirrine and Mom Cole, I have lovely Aunts, and I have three first rate, fantastic sisters who have been the best kind of motherly to me.) But I cannot help but conclude that the greatest impact goes to my Mom!! Thank you MOM! I love you more than words can express, but I will try!

Throughout my life I've kind of been blessed to learn lots of lessons. (Some the hard way and lots with grumbling of some sort but they were distilled!) I wanted to enumerate a few of the greats. They are innumerable but as time is short I will have to be limited.

First. Look at the big picture. Life is tough and life is short and is is so much harder when we don't have the right perspective. One of the most invaluable lessons is that of looking beyond yourself. It is about looking at my behavior, my actions, the actions of others, seeing how they impact not only me but the group then acting appropriately. I am still trying to get the big picture in my head and I must thank Mom for laying out the canvas for that big picture. (Think big picture and remember that the biggest picture is the Plan.)

Second. Service is the price you pay to dwell in someone's heart. This quote lives in our kitchen above a painting my Minerva T--whatever her name is of Jesus with Martha and Mary. It is written on the wall and I'd like to think is written in my heart because it has come in handy and directed my actions on several occasions since I've been in Korea. Thanks,, Mom!

Third. Come what may and love it. Ok, this actually came from Elder Wirthlin's mom, but My mom says it all the time so I also accredit it to her that it is part of me! This quote is essential not only because it promotes my eternal quest for optimism and thanking the Lord not matter the circumstance, but because it reinforces that love really is the essence of the gospel as President Monson said. There will be hard times. Said Sherri Dew, "if life were easy then it wouldn't be hard." The fact of the matter is that there will be hard times. There will be trying moments because that is our lot as members of the brotherhood (and sisterhood) of man. But with the life of the savior in view, we need not fear, truly because of Him no matter what comes we really can love it because All things are made Right through Christ.

Mom taught me to work hard--that we don't halt until it's through. It was our heritage to show early to help set up then be last to leave so we could vacuum and mop. Hard work is a part of life --thanks mom for helping me come to love it and not letting me quit football when I was a tired and tender eighth grader. But I think the thing that I will be most grateful for through out the rest of the eternities is her example to me and her aid in cultivating and conditioning my love of church, my love of the scriptures, my love of God. She taught me how and why we must all be exactly obedient, how obedience is the bedrock of the gospel, and how it is through our Savior Jesus Christ, through the power of His atonement (both cleansing and enabling) that I can be made whole. That I can be made His! And that I can be happy and successful in this life. So, Thank you Mom! Thank you so much! And though I can not be there myself I hope you have the most splendid birthday ever! I love you more that my words can say.

I love you a 1,000,000 red Swedish fish!

Onward and upward!

Your baby boy,

Elder Tucker