Crabs in a Bucket

Hello my dear family!

So, update: Jessica was baptized on Saturday and confirmed a member of the Church of Sunday! She is absolutely amazing. Right after Bishop opened up the meeting for bearing testimonies, she was the first one up there! She has such a sweet spirit, and everyone in the room could feel the power of her conversion. Already she's changed so much from having the spirit with her 24/7.

Saturday was a pretty eventful day. We borrowed a cello from a member and Sister Matheson and I did a musical number for Jessica's baptism. Sister Matheson is an amazing cellist! After we were done planning for the day, we were just waiting for the assistants to call us and tell us about transfers. Usually this is a pretty stressful time, and I'm usually a nervous wreck: I can't focus, I pace, and I just stare at the phone. But this time, I asked Sister Matheson to teach me how to play the cello while we waited. It's a whole lot harder than I thought! But, I learned how to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star by the time we got our call! :) I have been called to serve in the Carlsbad Spanish area with Sister Russell! :D So, not only am I going to a SPANISH area, but I'm going to be with my MTC companion! And back in New Mexico too! I love New Mexico. :) I'm really sad to leave all of the members here in YSA, I've grown to love them. But, I'm also grateful to get away from the stress of proselyting on a college campus! It's something else, let me tell you.

So, to explain my subject line, yesterday in Relief Society we had a lesson on the purpose of Relief Society. Part of that is to seek out and help those in need, and I thought about crabs. :)

If you put one crab in a bucket, by itself, it will just scamper out. But the second you put another crab in, they'll keep each other in the bucket. The more crabs you have, the more that rings true. And so we came up with Relief Society (and by extension, the Church) is a bucket of crabs. We all keep each other in. :) That's the purpose of this life. We're all running a race, but it's not a matter of who can cross the finish line first--the only way we'll win is if we all cross it together.

I love this gospel! I love this Church and all of the good things it has taught me. I am so grateful to be a missionary and to have this opportunity to learn and grow for 18 (now 9) months. Time goes by so fast. Part of me wants it to speed up and the other part wants it to slow down! Find Joy in the Journey! Carpe Diem! #YOSAMO (youonlyserveamissiononce) ;)

I love y'all a bushel and a peck :)

Love, Sister Tycksen

p.s. sorry I don't have a picture with Jessica right now! We're going to get one tonight and I'll send it next week!