Sept. 11, 2017- The Spanish is improving!

This has definitely been my best week here. I want to start by talking

about how crazy my Sunday was.

On Sunday we helped this family move, Ecuadorian style (JK this is not

typically how they move). So we get back from Church at 3 and are

getting ready to go out and work when we receive this call from a less

active family that their stuff is in the street. This is an extremely

poor family comprising of a 22 year old son and an old mother who has

really bad eyesight. So we call the Elders Quorum President and rush

over to their house to help them. We get to their house and everything

is out on their street. Now this family is extremely poor but they had

a lot of things. I would say that 80% of the stuff was trash though

but it was a ton of stuff.

There was no way that Elder Pontón and I could move it all so we

needed a miracle from the Elders Quorum President. We received a

miracle when him and 4 others showed up to help us move. We had to go

find a truck to move the stuff which took a while. The mother wanted

us to move all the stuff but we knew it was not feasible so in the end

we moved about 50% of it. Elder Pontón swears that one of the bags we

moved has human poop in it but I think it might have just been dog

poop. But the move took all night and we were dirty and exhausted by

the end. But I would not have felt like a missionary without helping

someone move.

So that is like the crazy thing that happened this week. Tuesday was

amazing because we got to see the other new missionaries and trainers.

I do not know if I told you this but I am in Elder Williams last area.

It was so cool talking to the other new missionaries and seeing how we

were are going through the same struggles. Also I think my ward has

pretty normal food because other missionaries had to eat some crazy

things. Verification was in central Quito and it was so weird being

there because it feels like a different country. Everything is super

fancy and nice. It is really fun talking about Guamani with
Elder Williams. Elder Smith is also doing well. I love him so much and
really want to room with him at BYU after the mission. Also I think I
am progressing very rapidly at my Spanish. President Barlow
complimented me on it. Elder Pontón and I are growing even closer now
that we can talk more.

On Wednesday we had zone conference. This was awesome because I got to

see President and Sister Barlow twice this week. They are amazing!

Every time I am with them I feel their love and they are so inspired.

They really push miracles and since zone conference I have seen

miracles every day. For example, one of our investigators, Manuel,

would watch videos on the Internet about the church. This caused him

to ask the dopest questions. He has asked us about the 3 Nephites and

the Stonemasons. But this week he said he has stopped watching this

videos. Miracle.

Also President Barlow gave us all a new copy of the Book of Mormon in

our native language and challenged us to underline every time God or

Christ are mentioned. This has been amazing to do and I love studying

now. Also President Barlow said if we get organized we will stress

less. I have done that and it has been such a blessing. My stress has

really gone down.

I love studying. I do it whenever I can. I have realized studying with

a writing utensil handy and studying at a table means I get a lot more

out of my studying. I really hope I can maintain this love for

studying after the mission because I know it will help me out at BYU.

Another change in my life. The dogs really do not bother me as much as

they used to. I have realized that the dogs are just wimps because one

rock scares them all away. Messing with the dogs is super fun and a

great way to relieve stress. Sometimes if I flex my muscles at the

dogs they run away scared. It is very satisfying. I know that God is

watching over me and now when dogs come at us it does not affect me

like it used to.

On Friday we did intercambios exchanges with the Zone Leader which was awesome.

I learned that my area has way more dogs than anywhere else which is

awesome because that will make it easier later. But for a day I was

companions with Elder Bothell. He only has 4 months left in the

mission and I learned so much from him. He will do studies where he

will find something he wants to learn and study it. I have done this

and it has been awesome. For example, I studied the phrase in Alma

5:14 Is his image in our countenance. I learned a ton from that. I

learned from Elder Bothell how to have more fun while tracting.

Whenever someone rejects us he imagines God using their words against

them on judgment day. You get some pretty funny results.

My Spanish has really improved and people were surprised that I have

only been here for 1 month when I went on exchanges intercambios. They

complimented my Spanish which felt good.

Here in South America people do not really call us Elder. They call us

Hermanito. Also whenever the kids read my name they call me Tukisimo.

I was wondering if you experienced the same thing in Chile Dad.

This week I really felt like I grew a lot which I love. It is easier

for me to work which is a blessing. Our investigators are awesome but

we are having difficulty with them progressing. It stinks but I know

that it will start to look up. Sorry for the long letter.

One thing that has helped me pay attention when I study the BOM is
underlining every time God or Christ is mentioned. It really helps me
appreciate how this book is really about them and helped me come to a
knowledge of who they are. Also I tally how many times in every
chapter they are mentioned. Maybe making a contest with your students
as to who can find every mention per chapter would help them focus and
see how much joy there is in reading the scriptures and how it really
is another testament of Jesus Christ.

 Sorry this is just one photo from verification. Next week for Pday we

are going up a mountain on a ski lift which has me super excited.

Today we went to KFC. It is definitely the biggest fast food restaurant

here. It was pretty tasty and cheap but I like CFA better. Also I

swear I saw a KFC on our bus ride to verification that was 3 stories.

It was huge. I am doing really well and am starting to really enjoy

being here. I am a little run down today from the move yesterday but I

just need time. Talking with Elder Bothell was awesome because he says

in a couple months you get totally in the groove and used to it. He

said every transfer goes by faster and that now every time he checks

the calendar he gets mad because the time flies. The Barlows are

amazing and I love them.  They are so good at showing love. Every time
I am with them they just raise me up.

I love you so much and everything that you write me is so awesome.

Please write me a ton. Every week gets easier.

Love

Elder Tucker

 New Missionary and their trainers
Follow up training
They survived their first three weeks!

 Chillogallo Zone

MTC companion Elder Smith