Just when you think that you have a lot to do, Physical Preparation

It is time for another update, when we were called they informed us that our mission would begin around the first of July. When in actuality our lives have not been the same since the day of our call. And our lives have certainly not been ours. One of the main tasks is to get the dental and physical exams completed. May I just say that they leave no stone unturned, and no part of the body unchecked.
If you think that the exams are tough as a young missionary, add 30 plus years of wear and tare on your body, maybe some additional weight and of course the list goes on. Then increase the types of diseases that naturally come with age and the world and there you have it.
Now try and coordinate your life with the different medical professions, and you end up getting 2 hours of work here, then off to a physical or dental exam, back to work, and then meet with the Gastroenterologists to schedule that wonderful colonoscopy. And of course we are grateful that we are going to Mississippi and do not need every immunization available. That is just the first week, then you try and mesh all of those appointments with each other, I first of all thought it would only take a month, but i was sorely mistaken.

Tender Mercies, General Conference

After receiving our call, we were informed that we could attend General Conference in April if we chose, and of course we chose. The main conflict is that we had already booked tickets to North Carolina leaving the Wednesday before conference to visit our family in North Carolina and then attend a practice round at The Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta Georgia. So Sister Tucker being a gifted and determined unpaid travel agent she got us flights that allowed us to fly to North Carolina on Wednesday, visit and then fly back to Salt Lake on Friday. Pick up materials for our mission attend Conference during the Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning sessions.

After the Sunday morning session we left the Conference Center and flew back to North Carolina continued a wonderful visit with our families, and then attended the Masters. We then flew back to Twin Falls on Wednesday, quite a week of travel for us.

The Tender Mercy? We chose the Saturday Afternoon and Sunday Morning sessions, it just so happened unknown to us, a dear friend with whom I have served many years with in Bishopric, Stake Presidence etc...was called and sustained as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy Elder Brent H. Nielson. What a blessing to sit right behind their family as he was sustained, and we witneseed this great event in their life.

Spiritual Preparation

Now that your lives are in turmoil and flux and you are already asking how did this call come in the first place. One of the first fears that went through my mind was: How can I teach as well as my Mission President? Then here comes the Lord to the rescue again: "Preach My Gospel" our next tasks to mix into our medical and dental probes was trying to schedule our weekly "Preach My Gospel" lesson with Brother Smith of the MTC. This has turned out to be an amazing experience, it would not seem possible for the spirit to be that strong over the telephone.

It seemed like almost every week all kinds of distractions would attempt to distract, or derail our meeting with Brother Smith. Most weeks I would almost laugh outloud and say how could this type of timing happen on such a regular basis.

One of our main goals is to be an effective "Preach My Gospel" Mission President & Wife, our testimony of this work has grown so much since studying and applying this inspired amazing resource.