Visa Trip

Hi all,  I will start with great news! I am staying in Krasnodar with Elder Gerritesen for another transfer! Last transfer was crazy because every companionship changed except three and this transfer was crazy because only three companionships changed! We have no new missionaries and no one leaving for a few months so we get to stay put for now! I am pretty pumped to get to serve in this area longer.  I really like it here!

Big event of the week was of course the Visa Trip.. My alarm went off at 1:30 AM on Thursday morning to get ready to head to the Krasnodar Airport. We first flew up to Moscow and then all the way down to Armenia. In Armenia we ran into the Elders and Sisters from the Volgograd Zone so I got to see Elder Thayer and some other friends serving there! They flew with us from Armenia back to Moscow. On that flight, I got to sit in between Elder Gerritsen who is my size and Elder Clark. Luckily, Elder Clark is one of the newer missionaries I have not met so I had a great chat with him the whole flight while stealing some of his leg room, haha. Elder Clark and I became pretty good friends, he is a great guy! I will attach a pic of us! We got to Moscow and waited for about 7 hours there where I realized how unique our mission is. I said at 11:30 PM "Most missionaries are fast asleep at this time but we are not even in our mission!" We eventually got to Krasnodar and got to our apartment just before 3 AM with some swollen legs, plugged ears, and greasy hair. Not a huge fan of visa trips just because they really take a toll on us and our work, but we gotta do what we gotta do, to legally live here!! 

The next day we had a great District Meeting where Elder Johnstun and Elder Barnes led discussions on urgency, something our mission is working on. I have wanted to improve my urgency and that meeting really helped me to know how I can, it was an answer to my prayers! I love what Elder Johnstun said as he compared our missions to paying tithing. When we pay tithing we give a full 10%, we don't hold back a percent or two. For us missionaries, 2 years is 10% of our lives and we cannot hold back a percent or two of this sacred time! 

Had an awesome meeting with our investigator Oveg. We started from scratch with him and we kind of doubted there would be any progress, but this week was a lot better. He even said his first prayer in his own words in his life! It was short but powerful! Also had a few service opportunities this week!

Sunday was great as always! In sacrament meeting, there were a few mentions about missionaries! One speaker called us "mini saviors" and another talked about how there is a visible light around us that draws people to us. It was funny to hear, sitting in the chapel as a missionary, but I cannot deny the uniqueness of missionaries, and not just because we are Americans surrounded by Russians! 

It was the 3rd Sunday of the month which means, the missionaries teach the second hour. Elder Gerritsen and I taught Gospel Principles class on The Covenant People of the Lord. It went very well and one of the sisters' investigators was answering all the questions! 

3rd hour we were in the primary helping teach the Restoration! My mind was blown away, when one of the little girls stood up and practically taught the whole Restoration plainly and powerfully, better than I can! Her name is Sasha and she now has my name memorized and talks to me every Sunday. She has started giving me hugs but she is pretty tiny so she only hugs my leg. 

That is all for my week! Have a great week!! Thanks for all the love, support and prayers!!

Much love! 

-Elder Tucker//Старейшина Таккер

Pictures - District, Visa Trip

General Conference/Christmas

Hi All, with a late P-Day last week and Conference Weekend, we only had 3 days to fit in a week's worth of work, it was wild! Saw lots of miracles though! In just two days last week we found two new investigators which means we have five current investigators!! Both were found in our Area Book, one was an investigator about a year ago, and the other was an investigator in 2008! They are both very friendly and have a lot of potential to progress to the waters of baptism! Alexye and Roman are their names and we are very blessed to have found them! We were very blessed to be guided to them! In those short days we also found 4 other potential investigators, a couple of which we have already scheduled a meeting with. We were so busy, it was even a little stressful at times coordinating who to meet with and when- a great problem to have as a Russian Missionary!! As Elder G said this week, "It is amazing what we can do with a little faith!"  

We were also able to work with our incredible Recent Converts. All are still doing great and progressing in the Gospel. I have made a pretty special bond with Sister Lena, who told me this week "If I lived in Utah, I would go to the temple everyday!" She wants to go to the temple so bad and also would give a lot to receive a patriarchal blessing- and unfortunately the Patriarch will not be coming to our mission this year. Just another major "count your many blessings" moment, I never appreciated all we have in Utah! I get taught that lesson almost daily here by the diehard members! 

Well now for the good stuff, Conference!! I was just blown away by Conference, my chest was just on fire throughout. What an opportunity! It truly is like Christmas as a missionary of the Lord! Here is what I loved:

I loved the common themes throughout  such as the importance of families, the Spirit, the Sacrament and my favorite, remembering who we are and our divine nature as sons and daughters of God! With that being said one of my favorite talks came from Donald L Hallstrom about remembering that above all else we are sons and daughters of a loving heavenly father (the first principle we teach as missionaries)! "Remember who you are" has always been a common phrase from mom and  my grandparents, but this conference really made me think about it! 

I enjoyed Kevin P. Duncan's words on forgiveness, although when he said we must forgive others even if they cheer for rival sports teams the whole district looked at me and laughed. Elder Barnes said that was a call out to me haha. 

Mervyn B. Arnold gave us missionaries great council about going to the rescue- it is never too late, never give up! 

M. Russell Ballard's talk about Family Council reminded me of the "Round Table" tradition in the Tucker Family! That is something I always want to have with friends and family, I even told the district we should start calling District Meeting/Coordination Meeting Family Council instead.

It was very special to hear from our beloved Prophet Thomas S. Monson. His messages were short but profound, I cannot help but smile when he is speaking. I loved his guidance to choose a harder right than an easier wrong, he truly is God's Prophet on the Earth today! 

Sister Oscarson's talk made me think about myself and my own conversion. It is important to ask ourselves if we really believe all the incredible things we know! We have tasted of the fruit but must keep feasting on the things we have been taught. 

I thought of Dad so much when D. Todd Christofferson spoke and then the next talk started about the Bangkok Thailand temple! 

I loved President Uchtdorf's talk about how our obedience allows Heavenly Father to rebuild us from the dust that we are- his story from his childhood in Germany was really awesome!

I have studied a lot throughout my mission how our trials are a blessing and Elder Oaks gave a great talk about that. Opposition and trials are all part of the plan. I really liked when he said, "The Lord does not make it easy, but does make it possible!"

Of course the absolute best message came from my favorite apostle, Elder Holland. That man is so powerful in his teaching because he teaches simply and with emotion (and of course a little humor). I really needed his advice on how we come down from peak experiences like Conference. We can follow what we were told and change! Tomorrow can be as good as Conference Weekend because He loves us and wants to bless us and is cheering us on as we endure to the end. Luckily in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are not perfect, but we get credit just for trying! 

Priesthood was also great, mostly gave me future council as the focus was on marriage and family but I did love Stephen W. Owen's words about how the greatest leaders are followers!

That is just a piece of my take away from an incredible Conference! 

We have been in short sleeved shirts and without suit coats a few times this week, it is hot! 

I am off to some district volleyball in the rain, but also going to Armenia this Thursday so pray for our safe travels and then transfer calls will be coming on Friday so pray that I will stay in K Dar! Cant believe transfers are happening again so soon!  Happy for all of those that got their mission calls this week. You all will be great missionaries!!  Thanks for all the love, support and prayers!!  It truly does help!!

Love you all!  

 

-Elder Tucker//Старейшина Таккер

Pictures of Zone Conference 

Zone Conference

Helloo family and friends,

Hope you all remembered I would be writing a day late, due to Zone Conference! Really wish you could all see Krasnodar right now, sunny, blue skies, so warm, I love this city! 

It has been a great, busy week like usual! 

I hope you all had a great Conference weekend! We will get to watch this weekend and as we say in Russian, "I am waiting without patience." Honestly, so excited!! 

Mom- Sister Diana called last night and said (this wont translate exactly) "Give your mom a big big big hi from me with love, warmth, happiness, and  thankfulness for your great son of ours. I will be his Russian Mother for the next 17 months!" 

I saw some pretty cool miracles this week! We were going to drop Edward as an investigator this week because we have not met with him once. However, he called us the other day to talk about baptism! It was so unexpected, especially because he usually only calls with an English question or to see how we are doing! We also got a referral from the Sochi Elders and he became a new investigator! His name is Oveg, we have met with him once and he came to church on Sunday! Also we have found some people in the Area Book who we have set up to meet with this week, so the work is rollin'!

Had an awesome lesson the other night with my Russian Family! We were invited over by Vitya (return missionary from Yekaterinburg) but he got caught up at work so we just met with his incredible mom who is the Primary President. We discussed the "Behold, Thy Mother" talk from last conference. I love that family so much, they have quite the conversion story! My brother Vitya told me to tell you all hi and that you have a Russian son/brother! 

We did service for Aleksye, I will attach a pic of that! (The hole we have been digging). Also went back to the Rinok with Brot. Rustam!  We did some service there as well. This morning we also served some members with the Johnstuns, it was great! 

All of our Recent Converts are doing great! Had a great lesson with Lena about Temples, by the end she said "I have to go!" She will hit her year mark in the Church this month! She told President Miner that I am a great English teacher and to leave me in K-Dar, lol. Met with Mihael and Maxim, they are both doing great, just working with them to get the priesthood!  

Sunday was a great fast sunday! Pretty busy day at Church because we had the Miners, Johnstuns, and then the Reids and the Taylors both in town from Moscow! It was so awesome! Lots of translating opportunities. The Reids and Taylors are incredible! 

Zone Conference was simply the best. Very powerful! President Miner led the discussion on Faith. He ended up comparing it to a mountain climb,  he did with his sons. We as missionaries have all signed up to climb the mountain. Sometimes we have to take the first step in the dark but the Lord will light the rest of the way if we are humble enough to let him. I loved part of a quote he shared, "Life can be faith filled and stress-free!" The Taylors are the Area Doctors (Elder Taylor is a doctor and Sister Taylor is a psychiatrist) they gave great trainings. Sister Taylor, who called me Elder Sunshine when she met me on Sunday, talked about our mindsets. Most missionaries have a fixed mindset which mostly invloves our desire to be perfect that results in fears and negative thoughts. We must have Growth Mindsets which means that you do not want to be the best or perfect right now because that means you cant get better! Instead of thinking "I cannot do this", think "I can't do this yet!" The Reids are over Addiction Recovery and trained us on how to help ourselves and those we work with work through addictions. We all have our different addictions or weakness, and we all are doing the 12 Step AddictionRecovery program! They are very powerful teachers with lots of experience with addiction recovery and the help we receive through the Atonement! 

We also had a bunch of other good trainings but wont bore you with all the details!! Had some great chats with the Miners, I love them so dearly!  Love you all, thanks for the prayers, love and support!!

Till next week!  

-Elder Tucker//Старейшина Таккер

Picture of the deep hole, we have been digging(love to help and serve others)

Family Traditions

Hi All - another busy week down!!

We had multiple service opportunities this week! 1st we got to help Rustam, an older Recent Convert with his groceries at the Rinok. Rinok means market and it is quite the experience, there is alive, large fish being sold and some meat that is way fresh, handled by all these ladies, with bare hands. Quite fun. 

2nd we got to serve another Recent Convert named Olya with the Young Men! We got to paint some trees white for her,  while her little kitten sat on my shoulders. Almost every tree in Russia is painted white, she said it helps protect against beetles and some other bugs. 

3rd we served Aleksye like usual. The hole is now much deeper than I am tall and it is pretty fun getting in and out of it. Alexye actually came to the activity Saturday night and then to church on Sunday in a way nice suit and tie! 

As of now we do not have any investigators. But we have been staying busy with service and working with our Recent Converts. The Krasnodar banch is the best in the mission for retention of new members! I love our Recent Converts, they are incredible, it baffles me that they have all been members for less than a year. We have been working with one named Maxim to prepare him to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood, when President is here this weekend! Also we have been continuing to work with Mihael, he should be getting the Aaronic Priesthood soon! 

Friday we got to see the Miners for a minute as they stopped by Krasnodar on their way to Tuapse. We had to go lock up the branch, so they gave us a ride home. It was great to see them for a minute and the mission driver Vasili. They will be back at the end of this week!

Saturday night was the big Family Traditions night that our Recent Convert Olya was in charge of. It was an awesome activity. She interviewed everyone, weeks back, about their family traditions and traced everyone's hands. Everyone had their own paper with their name, family traditions, hand traced, and a picture. (picture of mine is below).

Sunday was great. Everyone talked about temples again because the youth in the Branch are all working so hard to get to the temple in July! They have a program that they follow with scripture reading, seminary attendance, etc. and then they will all go to the Finland Temple in July. They are all really excited! 

This week Elder Gerritsen and I will be focusing on finding! We have planned some locations to contact in and we have some new ways of starting conversations with people. We really need and want to find some prepared people! 

This week I had some very powerful experiences while studying the scriptures. I got emotional the other day while studying the Bible because I received such powerful, personal guidance from my Father in Heaven. I love the scriptures and how, if we pray and prepare ourselves, we can receive answers no matter what the question or situation! We have a big zone conference next week, so our P-day will be on Tuesday, instead of Monday.

New church video in Russian - SledovatZahim.mormon.org - check it out.

Love you all soo much!! 

-Elder Tucker//Старейшина Таккер

Happy Easter

Hey Friends and Family,

I am sure some of you heard about the disaster in Rostov, that was pretty sad news for this area. Big time prayers to those that were involved, and very thankful all the missionaries are safe. (airplane crash at the airport). 

I had a great week! It started with a good Coordination Meeting, we have been focusing on the fact that the work with less actives is a process! It is not simply one phone call or visit and they are reactivated, we might not even see the end of the process while we are here, but we are getting it rolling for the future missionaries. So I have been calling less actives just to befriend them rather than invite them to Church as if they don't know when and where it is. It has been really awesome to get to know some incredible people! One less active we visited at her hat shop, told me I look very Russian and I have gotten that comment a few times on my mission, so I guess I really do look Russian after all. 

We had Zone Training this week led by the Zone Leaders, my two former companions. They did a great job. We discussed how we can respect other people's agency better, after all, we are here to invite, not force. We also discussed new ideas for street teaching rather than the typical routine that is unfruitful. We are trying to eliminate the line, "Hi we are missionaries from our Church..." and just trying to be normal people and have natural conversations before the gospel inevitably gets brought up! So far, so good!!

All is going great with Elder Gerrittsen and I. He is an awesome cook and made Borsch for us this week, as well as some other goodies. I love his cooking! We are getting along really well and working well together. We both love Krasnodar! 

We are continuing to serve Aleksye. The hole we started is now about 6 feet deep, it is huge! We still have lots of work to do out there and he continues to be more and more open to hearing about the Gospel. 

We have gotten close with Sister Sveta this week, the Seminary teacher. She thought I had been on my mission almost 2 years already, and about died when I said how short I have been here. She then told me one night "Elder Tucker, I heard you have the most beautiful family." She LOVED the photo book especially my beautiful sisters and mom. 

Both our meetings with investigators fell through, both were sick- lots of people are sick right now. However, I had a great phone call with Edward. When I called he said, "Talk of the devil, I just thought to myself 'I wonder what Tucker is doing right now.'" After he asked if that was correct to say and I told him it is "speak of the devil" then after the call he texted us and wrote "In your case I should say, "Speak of the Holy Ghost." I got a good kick out of that. Hope we can meet with him and Denis this week! 

There is nothing quite like a sunny Sunday in Krasnodar. It was a great day. We taught Gospel Principles class on the Atonement and it went pretty well. We were also invited to Primary to teach the hand symbols for the 10 Commandments which was really fun. I was asked to give a couple blessings after church. After one, the Sister stood up and put her hand to her heart and said something that only makes sense in Russian but she really felt the power of the Priesthood. She thanked me and I explained that it is all by the Spirit. Priesthood blessings are so powerful and the feelings are just undeniable! 

Yesterday after Church I was just looking out the window eating dinner and thought to myself 'what in the world did I do to deserve this blessing of serving here?' I honestly cannot explain how much I love this city and the Branch here. Had it been my choice, I would have never put myself in Krasnodar, Russia but I know with all my heart and mind that there is no where else in the world I should be right now. I am so thankful for a Heavenly Father who knows me so well and for the Atonement of Jesus Christ, that makes this all possible.  Happy Easter!!

I love you all! Thanks for all you do for me!!  Til' next time!! 

-Elder Tucker//Старейшина Таккер

Picture of Zone/District

Out with the Old, In with the New!!

Hi everyone! 

Another week down in the streets of Russia!

It was transfer week, which is always a little different with missionaries leaving and missionaries coming to the area. Tuesday we helped the missionaries leaving Krasnodar, get their bags onto to the train and waved goodbye as they left! Then Wednesday morning,  we got the call that the new missionaries would be arriving in 3 hours. So we headed back to the train station and welcomed our new missionaries,  right off the train from Rostov. 

My new companion is Elder Gerritsen from West Valley, Utah who just marked one year on the mission, as of Friday. He went to Innovations High School. The jury is still out on which one of us is taller, we definitely stand out, especially with his red hair!  It is very different and pretty challenging to be the experienced one in the area. I have been pretty reliant on my companions, up until now,  when it comes to getting around and finding places, but that has all quickly changed!!

Thursday we had District Meeting with the new District. All 3 of the companions I have had are in my same district now! It was fun to reunite with Elder Barnes, he filled me in on all that has happened in Volzhky since I left. Most importantly, Fergie is active now, teaching Sunday School, and she even gave them a referral! That made me so happy! I gave the spiritual thought on "walking the walk."

We have had a good amount of service opportunities again this week. We have been digging a massive hole for Aleksye, as we continue to build his home. He wants the hole 3 meters which is 3 feet taller than me. Elder T and I started the hole last week and it is up to 1.5 meters already! The best part is that Aleksye has been coming to church, 2 weeks in a row now, and it has been so awesome to see the fruits of what service can do! 

We are now required to do 2-3 hours a day teaching on the streets. Street teaching has always been something I feared big time, but this week I have really enjoyed it. I have prayed for and received a new mindset and now I look forward to the opportunity to get out and find the elect. Besides, I can't complain about  it too much when I live in the big, beautiful city of Krasnodar! 

Church was so great yesterday- we had over 90 people! Usually there is only 60 or 70 but yesterday was packed! When President heard that, he had to give us a call, he was one happy man! The talks in sacrament were about giving talks and they were so good! Brother Sergei K. compared writing a talk to making a Russian soup. Gave the recipe very clearly and everyone got a good laugh out of it. Wrote it all down, it was great! 

This transfer, Elder Gerritsen and I will be with the Young Men for the 3rd hour of Church! We have one deacon, one teacher, and one priest! It is so awesome to be able to spend time with them, they are great examples for each other and for me! The one priest, Anton, gave a spiritual thought on why we have trials and he did a great job. The return missionary, Vitya, is the President.  Vitya and I have become pretty close so I am going to really enjoy being in there with the Young Men!!

I definitely learned more about the power of prayer, the scriptures, and the sacrament this week. Found much comfort in those fundamentals in times of need! I love this Gospel! 

Thanks for all the updates, love, support and prayers!!  GO UTES!!  Until next time!!

Much Love!

-Elder Tucker//Старейшина Таккер

Staying in K-Dar!!!

Greetings, we received transfer calls on Thursday night and I am staying in Krasnodar! Unfortunately, I will not be with Elder Tolokonnikov anymore. But he will still be in Krasnodar, so we will see each other almost daily. All I know about my new companion is his name is Elder Garretson, he is 6'5" so we will be the tallest companionship in the mission, and he is our only red headed missionary. Every time I have told the members my new companion has red hair, they respond by saying, "I thought that was not allowed on a mission?" (too funny)  He will get here later this week from Rostov. Elder Barnes, my trainer, will also be coming to Krasnodar to serve with Elder T as Zone Leader so I am excited to reunite with him! 

It was a good week. Elder T led a great District Meeting about happiness and he did it all in English! Usually he leads meetings in Russian and we translate for the Johnstun's but he wrote it all down in English and everyone was just smiling hearing him speak in English, maybe that was his trick to get us all happy! It worked! He said, "Jesus won death, so our souls should be happy." Loved that line! 

I was on splits all weekend as Elder T and our other Zone Leader Elder Lord went up to Rostov for Leadership Conference. We had a very humbling service opportunity, helping a member who's apartment had a fire. This apartment was burnt to a crisp. Every wall, ceiling, piece of furniture was black. We had some members come as well as the Johnstuns and we got a lot done for them! Still lots more to do and the Krasnodar Family will continue to help, until it is all taken care of! Our faces looked like we had just stepped out of the coal mines. We got some interesting stares on the train ride home. 

I had a very powerful lesson with Edward this week. He told us how,  as he grew up he would read the Bible to feel better and he gets those same feelings from the Book of Mormon. We asked him to describe that feeling and he said it feels like "correctness." After I prayed to close he said, "Tucker, as you prayed I felt so calm." He is starting to feel the Spirit! 

Saturday night we went to a member's house and gave a lesson using Mosiah 9-10 about putting our strength in the Lord. In these chapters, the People of Zeniff put their trust and strength in the Lord and are victorious in the war with the Lamanites. We then had everyone right down a weakness or something they could work on and challenged them all to put their strength in the Lord. It was a good lesson, and I had the opportunity to lead the lesson because no older missionary was there, just a few of us newbies. 

Fast Sunday was great, fasting is great. We have 4 missionaries getting transferred and they were asked to testify. They all did such a great job, it is always hard for the members to see missionaries go, they are so loving towards us. Yesterday was especially hard for them because Elder Lord is being transferred. Elder Lord started his mission here and one year later is leaving to a new area. The branch loves him, and he will be missed big time! 

All the brothers sang to the sisters, at church because it is Women's Day tomorrow! Happy Women's Day to all the gals in my life, especially Megan, Lexi, and the most important woman in my life, MY MOM! I love you three so much! I would not be where I am today without you three! 

We had Break the Fast at the Johnstuns and I really loved Elder Johnstun's spiritual thought. He talked about how essentially we teach and learn the same basics every single week, every single general conference, and even every single day for us missionaries. But, the Holy Ghost is the real teacher and if we prepare for meetings, lessons, etc. we will learn something new every time. Without preparation, however, the same messages will get old. I have seen that the Gospel is the same always but we always change and can receive new revelation. I can literally read the same talk or same chapter in the Book of Mormon multiple times and get something new out of it every time, based on what I need at that time. The Spirit is the real teacher! 

I cannot believe it is already another transfer! I am so happy to be staying in Krasnodar!!

Love you all!!!

-Elder Tucker//Старейшина Таккер

Picture of the District