"Hauskii Baridi" Kenyan mommas

Everywhere me and my companion go, Kenyan mamas will ask us this question.  Which translates to "you don't hear that cold?"  and it seems like they will ask you this no matter what is going on with the weather, it can be deathly hot, windy, extremely dusty, or really anything but if you are wearing a short sleeved shirt they will ask you this.  It has been the joke between me and my comp the last few days, but STORIES!!!

1: Suck it computer!!!! 

This week me and my companion were trying to help our RC's work on their family history.  And we had to set up LDS accounts for them.  For some reason I was deemed as the I.T. guy so I was handling creating the accounts.  And every time we needed to register the account, the computer would freeze.  Luckily I found a back door and was able to get everyone an account.  After I finished the accounts I paraded around the church like champion of the world, and gave the primary kids treats to follow me and cheer for me,  it was lit!

2:She KNOWS PANDA!!!!!!!!!

This week I was really privileged to find this less active who served in the temple square mission in like 2002.  We had a super nice conversation about her mission and her telling how a temple square mission works. After beating stories for about fifteen minutes i asked her what she missed about Utah.  The response that followed was mostly a shock but just really really funny to me cause this is one of the biggest things I miss as well.  So after thinking for a minute she looks at me and goes..."there is this really good restaurant that is called "Panda experts" or something like that... i miss that a lot."  I freaked out and was almost screaming 'THAT IS PANDA EXPRESS I LOVE PANDA,YOU KNOW PANDA?!?!?  It was a wonderful memory from home and a highlight of my week.

In other news, I jumped around on the roof of a really tall building and had fun  I haven't got all the pics cause the other elders have to send them to me but it was fun. I will share with you guys the ones that I took.

Love you guys!

Elder Tucker

FINISH THE LESSON SO WE CAN FIGHT-Random lady

I will include an explanation in the stories today.  But yah this week was definitely interesting to say the least.  Quite a few ridiculous scenarios.  Me and my companion are both a little insane so we have a lot of fun..... but anyways STORIES!

1:Subject

We went to visit a wonderful wonderful lady who we visit every week.  She is always very happy, but she is also very outspoken.  Well we ended up visiting at a very inopportune time. As we showed up there were two women just yelling at each other, one of them being our investigator.  Now we didn't want to intrude but as soon as she saw us, she invited us in and then we had a lesson while the other lady just kept banging the door. "Telling us to finish the lesson so that she could fight" our investigator.  Luckily as missionaries we have a lot to share as back up plans, so we ended up using most of them.  We stayed long enough for the other lady to get tired of waiting and left.  Sometimes peacemakers work in mysterious ways.  As far as we learned the other lady never returned.

2:Old numbers

While looking for new investigators to teach, me and my comp decided to call all the numbers that we had on the phone.  We found some interesting people.  Well the most interesting one was a man who was very very interested in meeting with us.  Well we set up the time and found out he was a piki piki driver ( essentially taxis but with motorcycles) and we were telling him about the church.  Then he just stops us mid sentence and says , " Dude you know member so and so?" we responding with an affirmative, and he was like THAT IS MY BROTHER! HE GOES TO CHURCH WITH YOU! WHY DID HE NEVER TELL ME? I WOULD HAVE COME FOREVER AGO!"

Moral of the story is to give your referrals to missionaries, and family members are awesome referrals.  Cause if you don't give them we will find them by other means and it will just be a big bowl of awkward.

Anyways love you guys! have a good week

Elder Tucker

"yup,he's gone..." speaking about the branch 2 yr. old escape artist. Me

Whats up docs? Well my week has been awesome, another transfer come and gone. I am still here, with the same companion, and SUPER stoked about it!  But you don't really care where I live do you... no you just want stories huh? alright lets do em

Number 1: max

Max is the above mentioned escape artist.  He is adorable and one of my best friends, but don't be fooled, if you take your eyes of him for a second he is gone faster than a bullet from a gun. The reason he makes it into stories today is because of the amazing feat this kid did.  Twice this week have we encountered him on the streets of Kitengela booking it, followed by a flailing mother.  (fun fact, at least I can still beat a two year old in a race.)  Well when he is caught he just looks all disappointed then starts making plans for his next great escape.  

So while me and my comp were on our way to priesthood yesterday, we thought we would pass by primary and see how the kids were.  We were surprised to see all the kids sitting at the window with no teacher... Turns out that Max, pulled a trick and this little two year old were making these two  sister's run in circles trying to catch him, joined by the mother and the father. It was HILARIOUS, they only caught him cause a goat cut in front of him, and he doesn't like goats.

Number 2: Hammocks and Hamburgers!

This week I also had two highlights which have been blessing from heaven!  We moved from our old flat recently and in the process I  found an old bed-sheet.  We  have a really nice balcony in our new flat with a beautiful view of the sunset.  So I washed the old bed sheet, tied it on the balcony and made a hammock! it is dope! and surprisingly strong I have really enjoyed it.  As well we went to a place called urban burger and for the second time in twenty months. I was able to eat a BACON CHEESEBURGER!!! it was wonderful.  We also got to re-watch the world cup finals so that was super dope.  

I am still with Elder Molutsi and we are killing it here in Kitengela.  We just had a baptism yesterday and it was AWESOME!! I love the people here.  We should have another one in a few weeks depending on when president can meet with our investigator. The work is going great.  Also I get a grandson this transfer so that is cool. (my trainee is training)  I am super excited to be here.  Honestly I think I will be here until the end of my mission, and I think I would be okay with that! 

Anywho love all you guys!!

Elder Tucker

Photo bombed this girl in our branch.

 BAPTISM!

 My Curls before the haircut.

Grass-real grass!!

New Flat!!!

Well guys, this week was a whole lot of running around like a chicken with his head cut off, but I managed to survive, mostly...

1: New flat! New flat!!

So our last flat was a nightmare. The last missionaries just got sick of dealing with it, and they got the mission to move us out. One of the sinks wouldn't turn off, one wouldn't turn on, and the shower was broken. We just washed with buckets everyday, also the windows wouldn't close fully. Now my new flat is super freaking awesome, and the best part... there is grass there!!!! Real grass! I took a nap on it, it was wonderful.  Our landlady is the coolest lady ever, she rocks.  And the water filter looks like a freaking turbo for a car so it works really well, its sick! So I got to move again, which makes four houses, and two transfers.  I am now in the process of making a hammock to set up on the balcony for drinking juice and watching sunsets.  Just FYI sunsets in Kenya are fetching beautiful.

2:"She wants you to take her to South Africa"-random lady

So this quote literally dropped me on my butt, and lead to the most awkward goodbye ever.  During the week, we came in contact with some ladies who seemed very interested in learning what we had to say. While we were contacting we mentioned the places we are from.  One of them had a very small baby, who was absolutely adorable.  Well she reached for my companion to carry her, and he said 'yes! come I will take you to South Africa"  then the mother said the above quote while gesturing to the other lady!  My companion was too shocked to say anything and I just fell on the floor, after about a minute of awkward silence he explained why he can't do that.  Then very awkwardly just walked away, it was so funny.

Sorry I don't have much crazy stories today. I mostly just rode buses all day, but I have become a big fan of trap music due to that so hey, its fun.

Later!

Elder Tucker 

Mom,

Well I would just like to start by sending you  a HAPPY BIRTHDAY email!!

I know you know that I love you, but i just like to make sure.  Thank you so much for all the support that you give to me and all the encouragement that you have given to me.

  I hope that you have had a wonderful birthday mom.  I really miss you and tell all my companions about how fun you are. I tell them stuff like this, "Elder, did you remember to brush your teeth?? Cause if not my mom will probably break in at midnight and brush them for you!"  or every time we leave the flat I have to yell "PRAYER!!!!"  just to alert him.  Or my personal favorite (sometimes my companion will be talking tswana to the other South Africans, and then accidentally talk to me in it then say 'sorry you don't understand that one") then I respond with " nah its cool, made more sense than whatever language my mom speaks on thursday mornings after she worked her 3/12's.   Thank you so much for everything mom, I love you so much!! Happy Birthday.

Love,

Teron

I did it-me

Whats up everybody? My week has been pretty okay.  Had some few adventures and it has been kinda fun.  We had zone conference, very inspiring! I got to eat rice krispies and that was so fun, cause i haven't had those on my mission.  I am going to be honest with you my brain is super fried right now so if you wanna skip this one, it is okay. I don't know how much sense it is going to make haha.

Story 1: "Yes sir I need that sweater"

Yes you read that right I got a sweater here in the heat of Africa.  Turns out if you live here long enough you start to feel the cold too.  Well walking down the street I saw this sweater out of the corner of my eye. I saw a wonderful sweater.  The sweater it self is a panda bear, ridding a giraffe, withe sunglasses on both animals, and the panda holding a red solo cup.  I turned on my Kenyan bargaining skills, bought that sweater and I love it.I  don't have a picture on it because it, because I forgot my camera cord so i cannot send any this week, but next week I will.

2:  "Sometimes I feel useless elder"

Now you might read that and think it is something bad, but actually this is a great statement.  The branch I am in, is one of the best branches I have ever been in.  On Sunday we just had investigators come in and even bear testimonies!! That is right investigators bore TESTIMONIES! and not like weird ones, but the whole nine yards including the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith everything, it was so dope!! After church we met with these guys a little more, and almost all of them have been taught by only the members!  So I turned to my companion and said the above quote.  I just want each of you to know, you don't need a nametag to teach the gospel, sometimes it is just through example.

Love y'all

Elder Tucker