Please give us a drop so we can eat.

Good Morning People.  To Explain the subject would be this last Saturday.  My comp and I Elder G. made sandwiches for lunch. Our first appointment was at eleven so we didn't want to eat before that because it's too early, so we packed it up and left.  Well noon hit and i was starving. All I could think about was my sandwich in the back of the car.  So we continued on trying to make our lessons go fast to have a break but everyone held.  Very unusual for a Saturday but we pressed on. It came to about five and I told my companion that I could not continue without food so we stopped and ate it was nice!

Stories for this week. One was agitating, the other awesome!

#1:

 Tuesday we went to meet an investigator who I had never met before (taught on exchanges). Apparently he was quite awesome. When we got there there was a man sitting there with him and I don't remember his name, but he was a pastor of the International Faith Temple Church or whatever.  We do what you always do and did some "how to begin teaching" then "following up".  When we did that we were told, "this guy had done what we asked and had a few questions about Joseph Smith".  We were stoked so we asked to open with a prayer.  We did. They didn't want to pray. From that we were a little bit shaky. Then his friends butts in.  "Who is Joseph Smith?" We share with him a bit about him. He hands me a bible and says, "WHERE IS HE IN THE BIBLE?!"  I was like whoa man calm down. My companion starts talking and the guy doesn't want to hear it. So I throw some Ezekiel his way. Yeah that's right 37: 16-20.  He tossed it aside as "an assumption". Then asked "how I knew he was a prophet" and I told him.  He asked "how old I was" so I told him. THEN This man had the audacity to say someone of my age could not receive an answer from God. That threw me a new one. My comp testified, I testified and said " to have a nice day". Then we left, it sucked.

#2:

On Thursday our Elders quorum president had told us we needed to fellowship a less active brother.  He didn't know why but he knew we needed to go there.  We went and usually when we tried to see this guy he is never home. This time we went and had a super powerful lesson with him. The president had found out it's because he was going through a lot of the same stuff he had already gone through.  It was awesome and he was at church on Sunday and told us he will never miss a sunday again! This was cool because the Elders quorum president listened to the spirit and knew we were supposed to go see this man! Listen to the spirit my friends, you never know whose life you'll change.

Sincerly,

Elder Tucker ( TEA-CAR) The French Pronunciation

Ezekiel 37: 16-20  Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions; Then take another stick and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:

17 And join them one to another into one stick: and they shall become one in thine hand. 

18 And when the children of the people shall speak unto them saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?

19 Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God;Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one mine hand. 

Before you get too high. Do you have a minute we could share with you the Book of Mormon?

It's Elder Tuckers weekly email time, we hope you will enjoy the script! bah bah bah bah  ( to the tune of sergeant peppers lonely hearts club band)

Anywho Good morning friends and family around the world. So first of let me tell you a little something I have been finding here on my mission.  If we don't visit people they come to church.  Why? no idea, but when we try to visit people we don't see them at church sometimes. It's strange but it works.

There are still people to see and souls to save! In other words I would like to sleep. But! That's not why you're here, you want to read a funny story or a spiritual story. 

Story number one

The Subject comes from a lesson we had in Langa on exchanges, we were trying to visit an investigator and teach about the Book of Mormon. Unfortunately he was not home. We saw another gentleman just across the way beckoning to us, or so we thought.  We went running and went in to find about ten or so people all in a circle, we looked at them and said,  "Hello, we are Elders M. and Tucker and we want to teach you about KaYesu Krestu, Do you have a few minutes?" They did and they let us teach and it was a pretty good lesson.  One guy was a little bit confrontational but said he would read the book and it was pretty convincing.  But as we were teaching I was thinking. Why are they in a circle?  So I looked around for clues and saw lighters and a guy with a joint in his hand but hey get thee hence satan right? 

Story Numero Dos

When we get dropped we usually go test the promises of God.  When I was in Langa my companion and the guy that was with him did this. They met a super powerful young woman. When testing the promises you say a prayer and set hard goals. One of the goals we set was to find an investigator that will get baptized.  Needless to say they only taught one lesson that time.  So we had a follow up appointment and we were sharing the restoration again because there was a lot of new people there.  We had the investigators that had heard the lesson before help us. We wanted to see how much they remembered. They remembered quite a bit of the restoration. Turned into just an incredible lesson!  We invited them to read the pamphlet and pray about it, they said they would! Then they asked us where the church was? We get this a lot so we gave them directions and hoping they would show up on sunday.  AND THEY DID!  It was fantastic. So it just goes to show If you ask ye shall receive, if you knock it will be opened unto you.

I wish you all the best of luck in your endeavors and have a beautious week

Elder Tucker

As good as free food is, I think sleep is more fun.

I was thinking of trying to do a movie greeting but my quotes are very limited. Now I do not see many shows or movies. So hello there, hows it?

Anywho to explain the subject line.  During the transfer the Assistants go on exchanges with the zone leaders of the different zones and sometimes because of the size of the mission they have to fly.  The Assistants to the Assistants, we call them the Asians, couldn't take them to the airport because they had an early appointment.  So we are next in line to ask.  They gave us free food, which was very very good, and then asked us to wake up and take them to the air port at five in the morning.  So we did. Then we went back to pick up the elder that was coming here whose name was Elder A. Then we did the same thing the next day to get the Elders back where they belong.  Those teaching days were super hard.  But we got through them.

Some emails asked about our investigators.  So just to share most are doing great and progressing very well, but we have a hard time getting some of them to church because of transport money and things like that. We did have a baptism this Sunday.  Which I will share more about and also were having another baptism in a couple weeks.Both investigators were brought to us by a young man that was just ordained to a priest.

The investigator that got baptized this Sunday is super powerful and his name is Koko (nickname).  But the hard part is he is just fourteen and so we needed to teach his mom in order for him to be baptized. The previous missionaries that taught him before me, and taught his Mom once. We found his mom and taught her again! However we still needed to teach her one more time and she had dropped two appointments. This was Friday so we were hoping she would be there for this lesson. Before we went to check, I looked at Elder Gillis and said, "In the words of my mother, WE NEED TO PRAY!" So we PRAYED and we went and she wasn't there. His uncle was there and he knew where she was. The uncle got her but Koko wasn't there. We tried calling him and tried to find him but to no avail. He eventually came in the middle of the lesson with his mother though so it was awesome. His mother committed to coming to church to see the baptism. His Mom said "that she didn't want to change churches but she wanted to sit in on the lessons from now on". KoKo's mom is friends with the branch president. We will keep teaching her. 

Mom was there the day Koko got baptized by his friend that brought him and was our new priest.  It was absolutely incredible! The new priest also brought his mother. She will be baptized in a few weeks that was the first baptism she saw, and it was performed by her son! Mom was super happy and it was just an incredible day!  

The highlights of my week that I hope you have enjoyed. Elder Tucker

New Campanero, New-ish Area

Goooooooood morning People around the world.  I would have specified but that just worked better.

Anywho welcome to this weeks email of Elder Tucker #1's adventures in Gugulethu (googooletoo). Today We wish to fill you in on a story I forgot last week but is very funny.

To begin with that, remember how I said that we had to shower in the other missionaries boarding? So last monday I went down because it was my turn to shower.  Once I was down there and showering they all left because they were hiking up and over table mountain that day; which takes about six hours for them all together.  Luckily they left me a key, unluckily the key didn't work.  There door doesn't lock but the security gate does.  When I finished up I went to leave and the key wasn't unlocking the gate.  I didn't have a phone nor could I yell to the other Elders because apparently one of our neighbors hates us. Dont know why, she hasn't bothered us with anything since I have been here; but I don't want to make that change.  I was stuck in the AP's boarding for thirty minutes trying to unlock the gate. Finally another Elder that stayed with us came down and asked what was going on. I Explained.  We both started laughing because they had been joking that I was stuck.  NOT BOTHERING TO CHECK EARLIER THOUGH! But then I got out almost breaking the gate but its better than being stuck. It looks like Elder Tucker and locks don't get along well.

Two More Stories:

One because we merged areas, that's why its new-ish,  We were over scheduled.  As in we had three appointment scheduled for five on saturday, which we ended up dropping all of them. Unfortunately because we were asked by a member to help him move. Now being the muscles I am we went and helped him move. The day was Kushushu kakulu (very hot).  To make things better we were fasting but we got everything done and rescheduled with everyone.  I am crazy sore!

Next story, we have an investigator that goes by the name of Koko. He is super powerful and is getting baptized this week.  We teach a mission prep class for the branch for all those that desire to serve missions.  And he wants to serve a mission so he came. We were talking about teaching the restoration simply.  Later that night we were seeing his mother because we still need to teach her a few lessons in order for him to be baptized. The lesson was on teaching the restoration, so we had an idea. Lets have Koko teach. Which went awesome! He taught incredibly and we just bore testimony at the end. We are seeing his mom this thursday, and he invited his mother to be baptized which was incredible! 

That's what I have for you this week, except my companions name is Elder G and He sleep talks. I have been trying to help him with his Xhosa (click like beckoning a horse then osa) and we were working on q's which is like a popping a cork type click. Now fast forward to two nights ago and this guy was practicing in his sleep. AT FOUR IN THE FREAKING MORNING!! It scared the heebeejeebees out of me. But so is missionary life.

Cheers

Alrighty, so I don't have a wonderful interlude to my email today sorry folks its been a crazy week.

We started out on Monday playing soccer with some other missionaries after spending like an hour at the office. We found out that our whole bathroom is getting redone, so we would be without a shower or bath for a few days. Luckily The AP's live just downstairs so we get to use their shower. Hopefully shower will be fixed soon our tile guy had to postpone, still waiting.

Our car sucks for one, and then something going on with the brakes. So we talk to the fleet coordinator to get it checked out. We had to take the car in on Wednesday. Dropping off our car and doing weekly planning at the same time so it was a very busy morning!  

Thursday we got a curve ball, we were to be a tripanionship that day with another Elder whose companion went home. So we were post elders/office elders for about half the day. It was kinda fun at first then super boring. Luckily we all got to go to our appointments for the rest of the day.

On Friday we are going to pick up our car. We asked the Senior Elder to take us to the dealership to get the car which is new to us. I named her-the car- Addison by the way if you were wondering. 

We do service each week.  Visit members kinda like home teaching. Visit new members, teach about Christ to anyone that will listen. Mom I am safe people are great here. They just ask us for money but are pretty nice when we don't have any. 

The Mission President was at the office and gave us some hints of the transfers going on. He looked at my comp and said, " Your getting a new companion". Turns out Elder K is going to Port Elizabeth. He is a super Elder and has done a great job as my trainer. 

Then the president turned to me and said "Elder Tucker are you ready to work?" I was quite confused. He then proceeded to tell me they were combining the two areas of Gugulethu.  My soon to be new companion Elder G. was in the other area of Gugulethu and since I know my half and he knows his half, together we will know the area. He and I have been frantically trying to plan to make sure we can funnel these two areas into the one, its been fun. The Lord will help us though to make it work so it will be nice.  

With the new area change we have about twenty five or so people with Baptismal dates! One for the twelfth of March that is the closest I think. 

Have a wonderful week everyone. Elder Jeron

Good morning star shine South Africa says hello.

Molweni Ikhaya, Ninjani? (Loose translation of above statement)

Thanks for all of the wonderful emails its great to hear from you guys. But I know why your really here, to learn about how the mission is going. 

We went on two exchanges in our district this week one because one of the elders strained a muscle in his neck. Stupid bathtub. It was all good because both my companion and I can drive so it worked out. He came into my area did exchanges. We had a wonderful day of magic tricks. Yes he is magic not me, but I did learn how to do one of the tricks. Then the next day he still couldn't drive and there is only one companionship that has two driving elders so we did another set of exchanges which didn't turn out to be very exciting.

Honestly there is not much else that happened except for having zone conference with one of the seventies. Elder Ellis if you know him.  He is very funny and an incredible speaker. He talked about working hard and teaching by the spirit. Elder Hamilton is also a great speaker, who we heard from on Sunday because it was stake conference.  That guy is super powerful. I got the chance to sing in the stake choir and found out that my singing is not bad. The choir director lady was intense, probably just nerves but it was kind of scary, but very fun.

Like I said there isn't much going on this week. So I hope you all have a wonderful week.

Elder Tucker

"My get up and go just got up and went"

If you are wondering about the subject line. That quote is what the senior missionary said to break the news to us. He also said "in our boarding there is a leak in the shower head that has caused wall cancer".  We have talked to just about everyone about it and they are working on getting us another boarding and fixing it. The actual owners of the flat have asked that we don't use the shower and so we have to use the tub.  

The first half of the week was just a ton of lessons that started to dwindle out by the latter half. Then Thursday came around and it was the State of the Nation address from President Zuma here in SA.  We saw glimpses of the broadcast when we went to houses and man it was sweet.  A whole party got thrown out by the security team and a guy jumped off a desk and tackled a dude. 

Then we got to Sunday and it was nice! Mama Joyce destroyed us again. She gives us so much food!  Later on that night we were going to head home but we had an impression to go see a less active family that we had tried to see quite a few times to no prevail. You know when the spirit tells you something, you don't ask questions, so we went. We actually found them there and met an investigator that had moved from Zimbabwe that actually had attended our church and taken discussions. She was really considering baptism until she moved to Cape Town. We're going to reignite that spark she had.

Today was also very fun we went hiking almost to the top of table mountain but it was very cloudy.  We couldn't really see anything. I have some pictures of what we could see it was super cool. Walking up lots of stairs though. Going up was nice but coming down was kind of difficult because it is pretty much just controlled falling.  

Shop chomies!( Don't know what this is a store? Definition is a close friend, or a best friend Mom)  

Love Elder Tucker