February 23rd

Hello Family!! Hope you are all doing well!! Are you on vacation this week!? I don't know why but I keep dreaming about Disneyland... If you are on vacation I want to hear ALL ABOUT IT!! As in all the details as if I were there with you :)

This week was.. another week! But amazing as always. I'll start with the baptism. Sister Cutie is every missionary's dream investigator. She has been investigating the church for more than 3 years now but at the time wasn't yet 18 so she needed parent consent to be baptized but her mother is against the church. Her best friend is a member (convert) and has brought Cutie to church with her numerous times. It wasn't until recently that Cutie decided she wanted to listen to the missionaries again and since she's old enough now she can really decide for herself. This is the best train of thought for an investigator to have because they are SEARCHING for that truth and when the spirit testifies to them in a lesson, at church and in their own studies... they can't deny the truth! It's amazing. She basically has just been waiting to be baptized since we've started teaching her (we have to teach all the required lessons based on her crazy schedule) but it's been really special to have that time with her. For example after a lesson one day as we were leaving she asked us what's it's like to be a missionary so we went back inside, sat down and bore our testimony about missionary work and how amazing it is. She's really interested in serving a mission! The spirit was so strong and it just amazes me how she's really been prepared over all this time and through her good friend to finally be baptized. The last time we met with her, her friend Mary was there and bore her testimony of how happy she is to see Cutie be baptized. The spirit was so so so strong. All 4 of us are 21 years old and after we were done crying and bearing our testimonies we just all started laughing. haha it was so funny and cute to see this best friend relationship and to feel that love that Heavenly Father has for them! I love them so much too:)

Sige now for the random stuff of the week. I can now recite the 1st vision in Hiligaynon without sounding like I'm having a mild stroke! It's so embarrassing because I start reciting it and it's so explicitly obvious that I've been practicing trying to memorize this. haha Then I forget a line and it's sooo hard for me to trust that the spirit will make up the difference. My companion is a convert and she often tries to comfort me when I feel like I'm not a good enough teacher in Ilonggo by telling me all she remembers from when the missionaries taught her is the way she felt when they shared the 1st vision. So of course when we teach the 1st vision and it's my part NO PRESSURE! But Sister Cruz is so patient with me and such a good trainer. All these weeks I've been struggling not to punch her inside (jokes of course) because she makes me do the 1st vision and every time up till this week I just feel like a failure (... SATAN). But this week (I think Thursday) we taught the 1st vision to a new investigator and yup I had another mild stroke and made everyone really uncomfortable in the lesson because they were embarrassed for me. But late that day when I tried again it just clicked and it was SO powerful! Like not because of me but because of the spirit that was felt, the room full of big brown eyed Filippinos intently listening to every single word Sister Cruz and I said. It was amazing. Like When we were done everyone still sat there looking at us and Sister Cruz and I thought.. should we teach the next lesson?? haha So I'm hoping this small milestone is an example for the rest of my mission. That I can just keep trying and even though it takes much more time than I'd prefer it works out and it feels AMAZING!!

So random little thing. I made the mistake of showing a picture of my family in a lesson and there was no more focus of temples and eternal marriage but on my "GWAPO" brothers and twin sister and gamay mom and huge family. I felt bad and won't make that mistake again. Americans are like Justin Bieber aliens here. (Gwen I STILL can't remember if it's Beiber or Bieber. #hateme #iwillneverknowforsure #psihateyoufornotwritingme #notreallyhatebutsortof). Another small mistake on my part was the next day showing a picture of the Mesa Arizona temple in a lesson... all the kids were like "SA IMO BALAY?! DAKO DAKO!" They thought it was my house... uhhhhh nope! Heavenly Father's house! They have this ridiculous expectation of all Americans. But tell them you've seen snow and you're about 10 times cooler. haha

So this week I hit my head SO HARD on a roof that I actually lifted the roof. I had a huge bump on the top of my head for like 3 days. So embarrassing.

So another really powerful lesson learned this week is to have patience and faith in our investigators! We have this one girl Elaine that has been an investigator for sooo long and has a speech problem that makes her SO shy to talk. Like she is the shyest person on this planet. But it makes it really really hard for us to see her progress because she won't answer any of our questions let alone pray or read in a lesson. But we decided to teach her alone instead of with her family members that make fun of her and neighbors that make her more shy and it made all the difference!! We went and picked her up for church and she waited for an hour and a half for us because she was so excited to finally come to church! She just has been a little too looked over all this time. We're so excited to have made just that little bit more effort and know that Heavenly Father doesn't want us to exclude ANYONE from hearing this message of the restored gospel. Another investigator this week Princess (yes, real name) broke down in the lesson appologizing for the way she's been ignoring us and resisting opening up to us but she's told us she's glad that we didn't give up on her or ever ignore her. She figured what we have to share must really be for her if we never stop asking her to join the lessons and then started coming just to teach her. She finally knows she should be baptized and is so excited to be cleansed from all her sins. (this is all her words in short). It's little things like this that help me realize that ALL of our efforts as missionaries are not wasted. They are building blocks. Whether they are blocks to continue being built upon 3 months from now, next week or decades down the rode... they matter! There are so many people we can build blocks on a missionaries and as members of the church! Never give up an opportunity to share a short testimony of what you believe with someone- if you're only comfortable with places a small block that's okay!

That reminded me. We taught this less active family and their floor was still wet from the tide! Their "bed" is lifted about 2 feet up because they live on the "beach". It was crazy to me! I want to go back when it's high tide but they told us not to because they're huya (shy). There's a lot of trash everywhere when the water is high and the water is really dirty. But I still want to!

Love you all bunches!!

This picture is kinda hard to tell what it is but it's dried fish! It's a really nice way to do it too. Usually people put the fish in a pan or on a plate and place it in the street. I've never tried it but it's like a staple to people's daily food here and is supposedly really good. I forget what's it's called here.. anyway it's pretty smelly haha but really cool! The fish are really small too.

Sister CUTIE! Yes that's her real name. Our baptism this week!

This is Winston!! This was my FIRST baptism. I look rough. haha but hey that's okay! Sorry it took so long to get this picture to you! It means a lot to me so I didn't want to forget. Winston is amazing and has really become a good friend. He will be leaving soon to work abroad and it's amazing how we had this opportunity during his short stay here in Bacolod to teach him!

February 16th

Wow HELLO FAMILY!!! First off pic overload sorry! I just want to share so much with you all! If you have something particular you want to see I can try and take a pic and send it next week! We found this awesome internet shop that hopefully isn't being used next week because it's way fast!
K so I shared a little bit about the baptism in the picture messages but man was it amazing!!!!! So much happiness and the spirit was felt so so so strong. Especially as they each bore their testimonies. Recent converts are overwhelmed with the love that they feel from their Heavenly Father. It really puts things into perspective as a missionary as I realize how many people are missing out on those special and one of a kind feelings! Also as daughter of God. That love that they feel is the same love that I feel and can feel each and every day. As members we need to really seek to recognize and feel that love every day and especially when we take the sacrament each Sunday when we renew our baptismal covenants. How sweet is this work. I LOVE IT!!! You can imagine how the ward must have felt on Sunday with 7 confirmations back to back.. #sorrynotsorry all :) (slashtag- Gwen) hahaha
Also. I ate whale this week. I don't know if that is as weird to all you as it was to me. It smelt really good and I told Sister Cruz that it smelt way good as we walked past and she was like "It is really good! Let's have you try it!" So as she introduced the cooker person to the gospel and got him talking about his family I paid and just started eating what he handed me... not until he asked me how it is did I find out it's whale (and extras- he said haha). It's called tempura here and it's fried and then with this sweet sauce on top. it's chewy but not the gross kind of chewy- kind of like bread. I don't know how to explain it but it's soooo good!

Oh also I took out a little bit of money out of my account the other day just so you know! I think it was only like the equivalent of 20 bucks in US dollars though. Our gas ran out in our house and we didn't have enough at the time. It was my goal not to use that account.. so I'm still going to try not to!!

How did you send the package? I asked around a little bit about the best way and heard that FEDEX is the worst way. This will be way awkward if you sent it fedex... I appologize in advance for that awkwardness if so! Thank you so much for sending something off to me and I reaaaaaallly hope it's not too expensive!!!!

Man I have like no time today I feel like I haven't wrote anything... :(

Last monday I did laundry in rain... hanging clothes that you are almost collapsing from exhaustion from wringing out on a clothes line in the pouring ran was not a highlight so far of my experience here :) Oh and washing sheets by hand is the hardest thing ever.

People love to laugh at me walking on their bridges... Filipinos have really good balance!!!! I can't really think about anything else to write.. Other than I went on exchanges with an American! It was pretty sweet! Made me look even worse at the language though;) Helped me feel like all the thoughts I have here are justified and I'm not just crazy. But she'd never been to this area and I had to lead it! Every neighborhood here is like a mouse maze/a haunted house. Haha not because it's so scary but becuase at night it's dark you can't see what's in front of you and the walls are the width of my shoulders. Good thing I'm not caustrophobic! We only got lost once :) It was alot of fun and I learned so much! Crazy how much you surprise yourself sometimes. K Well I have to go!

Once again, I love you all SOOOO MUCH! Can't believe I've been here for over a month!

Si you are a beast. Stu congrats on B BALL. HEBER keep up the hard work and have fun with football! HAVE SO MUCH FUN ALL ON SPRING BREAK!!!

Gwen, say hi to Barney's (HIMYM) dad for me at the Price is Right.. even if he is only there in spirit. And I'll be praying you win a new car for me!!!!!:))))) Dude but on the real that sounds like SOOO much fun!! HAVE A BLAST :D Especially if you go to Universal! The rides are off the chaaang! So FUN! Also mom, don't stress too much about where to live. Heavenly Father knows best and will help you know where to live that will be best for you all! Also, I could see you doing an office job like as a receptionist because you're costumer service is so good and you're way organized and such. Maybe just something to think about for the future? Also dad. I already said this is your message but you're a beast. Don't wear yourself out too much but thank you for your hard work for our family! Family! Don't forget to thank mom and dad every single day.. a couple times a day. And Thank Heavenly Father too! A couple times a day. You might not be aware, but you are so blessed :) I love you all so so much! Watch Frozen for me. And kiss the Hoopers for me. Scott too;) Oh and eat a cheese crisp for me.

Also thank you dad and Kort for the recipes!

Prayers go out to Britton family!!!

All my love,

Sister Judd

A few pictures:



Dawn sent me a package!!! THANK YOU DAWN! LOVE YOU MUCHO MUCHO MUCHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





FAST COMPUTER= lots of pics:)
Sign says "We love you Sister Rich!!" (roommate from BYUI with us serving in FIJI) LOVE SISTER MANWARING!!!!!!!!!
Ps this is on my birthday:) She even gave me a gift. I can't tell you how much I love her!!!!




Birthday treat! I'm all too excited for this ice cream cone.. way good though!



Brother Benny. Oh boy what to say about him. He is the FUNNIEST old guy ever. He doesn't understand any english so whenever it's my turn to teach he just repeats the last word of every sentence I say. "Heavenly Father loves His Children." "CHILDREN" "Through Christ, we can be cleansed from sin" "SIN". Sweetest guy ever and He has this faith that is nearly tangible. SO AWESOME!

And no, he's not about to do karate or go to prison... he is going to be baptized and he's actually really really excited ;)



Rase family! With a member in the ward that is good friends with them. (It's impossible not to play favorites) But there's something SO special about teaching a family. They don't look very happy- Sister Cruz said that they aren't used to having their pictures taken and they're all so shy so hence no happy smiles! But they are the funnest family!!!!!

EVERYONE IN WHITE!! Rase Family (Larry Imelda, Dianne and Irish), Brother Benny, Sister Angela the 2 elders in our ward and us :) HAPPY DAY!
PS there was one other girl baptized that the elders taught that isn't in the picture. We didn't leave her out she was just 40 minutes late.. haha

February 9th

Hello Family! I’m trying to focus on this letter knowing you’re at the computer right now… haha So first off we had our first baptism this week! So awesome! Winston (sorry if I already told you all this) is 20 years old, from Manila and is living in Bacolod to try and find work. He is living with members in the ward who are the referral masters. So naturally, he goes to church with them, gets interested and we started teaching him! He was actually the 1st lesson I ever went to. He mostly speaks Tagolog which Sister Cruz speaks (her first language) but he understands a lot of Ilonggo and some English (from college) so we taught him between those 3 languages and he would either reply in Tagolog or English most of the time. He’s sooo funny and just so awesome! He is always so excited to learn more and will be receiving the priesthood next week! The ward here really needs active priesthood holders. This week the Bishop almost had to pass the sacrament.. is that allowed? And there is a big number coming for next week with how many baptisms we have this Saturday… boy oh boy am I excited!!! I will reveal the news next week and tell you all about it (: Sister Cruz and I are working our tails off and it’s nice to see the fruits of our labors and our joyful investigators.. the Lord is really blessing us putting awesome people in our path!! For example we met this woman names Alicia. She is househelp (maid) at a members house in the ward and has been coming to church without the missionaries knowing that she is investigating the church! We thought she was a member always greeting everyone and just the sweetest happiest person in the world! So we visit her and teach the doctrine of Christ, I invite her to be baptized and she pauses , thinks really hard, makes us really nervous and then throws her arms to her sides and excaimes “sige! (okay) I’m ready!!!” and has this most joyful look on her face ever! Like the difference between that reaction and the normal reaction here is night and day. I just love her!!!!! There is so much love an happiness as we teach her and it’s the perfect setting for the spirit as we teach her about the restored gospel. We just started teaching her son yesterday too so we’re way excited!
So the funniest thing happened on Saturday. We were in a meeting with the bishop after the baptism and I got distracted (not being able to understand all that is being said but trying to still be sincerely engaged.. so hard) and started thinking “why am I craving a cookie like so bad right now?” and realized that it’s because usually after baptisms there’s sweets! Which made me chuckle because it’s soooo different here. Some people can’t come to their own baptism because they can’t pay to travel. Then in the midst of these thoughts this little girl comes in the bishop office and puts this box of chocolate cookies on my lap and whispers something in Ilonggo to me. The bishop counselor looks at me and explains that’s his daughter and that means his wife is here (supposedly she always buys cookies for the missionaries). I was sitting there in serious AWE. Like WHAAAT? Cookies like this exist here?! And Oh my gosh can I eat these all RIGHT NOW! I waited 5 hours to eat them as they sat in my bag but I was okay because I was just so grateful that Heavenly Father loves me and helps me even in the most ridiculous ways J Best cookies ever.
So Megs and I are in the same district!!! She got transferred and now I’ll see her every Tuesday for sure at district meeting and hopefully Mondays at the shopping center. Best thing everJ We rode a Jeepney together (with our companions of course) this past week at zone training and we just couldn’t believe it.. it’s really serial. (spell check?)
So Sister Cruz I noticed alwayyyyys as in always wishes people happy birthday and at first I was like so impressed “how does she remember all these people’s birthdays? That’s awesome!” and then I started to catch on.. wait we just met this person right now and they just acted really awkward about her wishing them happy birthday. So I asked her about it and she said if you wear red here there’s this joke that it’s your birthday so she uses it as a way to talk to every person wearing red as like a convo starter. Haha brilliant and so funny to me now.

I had so many little things to tell but no time!

I’m sooo behind on emails it’s ridiculous. I apologize to all that email YOUR MESSAGES MEAN EVERYTHING TO ME! I’m such a baby I don’t know what I’d do without email time- so don’t think I don’t read your messages because I DO! I just can’t find the time to email back. SO SORRY! I got Dear Elders from when I was in MTC. Shout out to Autumn Halls and Family… I love you all so much!!! Hi BROD!:) Lavonne thank you for your messages and sweet words! You rock! Grandma Marilyn love ya!!


LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!
SISTER JUDD

Some more pictures! 

the beach a block from our apartment! We went there last monday during some Pday time- I was in heaven! The people here don't even notice these sun sets and the beautiful water!

our apt- sorry no time to send the inside pictures. but out apt is ginormous (supposedly) we house the SDLs (sister leaders that travel to mission home and zones) and our apt is I guess the most expensive in the mission? So I'm in for a wake up call come transfer time!

February 2nd

Sister Cruz cooks so good. She made us fish. She salted it. Put it in oil on a pan and we ate it. And it was sooo good! She said usually they eat everything even the head and eyes and such but I didn't like the way the brain mush tasted so I didn't try the eye balls this time. Oh and the sauce that goes with it is pork liver sauce and it's pretty good! We ate that with the rice. She said that's like their gravy here used with all different meats and such. The skin of the fish was the best part too. Oh and they eat with their hands here which I actually love.


Hello family!! Thank you for your letters! You have no idea how much it helps me! Mondays are the best. I don't think any missionary could last without Mondays... then again they did before email was invented so they were much stronger than me!! Thank you SOO much Gwen for updating my blog! It means so much and I get letters from people to me so grateful for my blog so props to you!!! Mom thanks for sending my email to the elderly (your mom and whoever else:) Did you get an email from Elder Neff here yet? He worked on Dad's grandpa's dairy in Thatcher way back in the day! So crazy huh! He remembers Reece and all the little boys that got into trouble and caused havik ;) He loves to talk with me about it and I love hearing about it!

So something that I have figured out that I seriously love do so much is small acts of service for the people (other than sharing the gospel:) We carry well-water for people back to their houses, help them bag fish and shrimps and clams etc. and we haven't yet got them to let us help with their laundry or dishes but we'll keep trying! Doing the little things like that and walking through water up to my knees makes me remember that I'm here as a missionary doing a one-of-a-kind work. It gives me this excitement for the work and really fuels my days and weeks here! Heavenly Father is truly answering my prayers as I have asked for ways to feel the joy that comes from serving to help me feel the gratitude of being here despite the difficulties and hard times. He nearly immediately blesses me when I ask for these things it's amazing and I'm so grateful because it has made this week much easier for me! I hope every week bring improvement like this. I'm just striving to have more faith and trust every single day.

The people here are amazing. I love them!!!! Example- If you walk by anyone eating (whether it be a meal with their family or a piece of fruit) they will offer it to you. Almost without fail. We always say no but Sister Cruz said that sometimes they will insist and you can't say no or you'll seriously offend them. It still kind of catches me off guard when a half naked old man next to his Sikad offers me some fruit in a bag or something. haha And people are so friendly they greet you so much! Like that's our job to say hi to everyone but they beat us to it! We say "goodmorning (maayong aga) goodafternoon (maayong hapon) and goodnight evening (maayong gabi)" approximately 5.678 billion times a day :) Also it's weird to be an American here. The attention sometimes makes me super uncomfortable and I'm so so awkward. haha always. (Gwen I just want to record my every day awkward encounters with people so that you can laugh at me like I know you would. Like it's the pinkaka-awkward (most)) They call American girls Barbies. and it's like a greeting to call someone "guapa". Then they laugh because I blush. But I'm getting better trying to introduce the church and myself when they call out to us as we walk by. Maybe eventually I'll find a way not to be awkward about it.. Sister Cruz just laughs :)

So something that I've realized is how important member missionary work is! Holy Moly like members are JUST as important (if not more) than the missionaries! PLEASSE i beg you, reach out to the investigators in the church. There are SOOOOOOO many less actives here. Like it's unreal. Without feeling comfortable and having a support system of love and kindness people will go back to their old lives and forget the spirit that can be felt through going to church and the importance of going to church. It's so sad. A lot of our time is trying to reach out to less actives. Another big part of it here is money. People don't have the money to get to church. We met a family whose grandparents are long-time members and the rest is part-members (like 10 other people living in the house) and the grandfather can only send two of his grandchildren to church on the weeks that they made enough from their chungee. It's so hard to continue in a lesson to teach Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy and the importance of the Sacrament after that. It breaks my heart. I can't understand completely the way these people live. It's completely mind blowing. Our investigator that is going to be baptized next saturday Benny says that he is trying to live all the commandments (problems with word of wisdom too) one step at a time, but for now he has to do at least 2 trips on his sikad on sundays so that he can buy a can of sardines that day or else he won't eat and won't have enough energy to work the next day. and he has to work to eat. so instead of working from dawn to sunset each sunday he will work for enough to eat and that's it. He walks the miles to church instead of paying for fare and is so faithful it's so awesome! Watching people change their lives as they gain a testimony of restored gospel is so inspiring. I know Heavenly Father loves these people so much (all people) and WILL bless them based on their faith.


PS. tender mercy right now: the kids next to me are listening to the FROZEN soundtrack right now. I'm dying not singing along.


PS we have a baptism this week!! YAY!!! Can't wait to tell you all about it on Monday:)


PPS What is in FRIKIADILLERS? and what is a short recipe for potatoe soup?


I am so happy that you had such an awesome experience at the temple Mom (and I'm sure Gwen)!!! That is so so so special. Mom keep answering those questions at work and planting those seeds! Heavenly Father is using you to continue to prepare people to hear the gospel! Our examples of happines and the light of Christ can be the best tool of missionary work. Share a short testimony about eternal families and that Heavenly Father has a plan for all His children. So amazing!!! I feel way to excited about all of that:) I will take pics of my apartment to send next week! Mom, tell grandma thanks so much for emailing!! Can't wait to see and go to the Gilbert temple in 17 months :) Congrats Heber on FOOTBALL! You're a stud. Gwen I miss you. Dad glad work is keeping busy! I am so so grateful for you and mom and the hard work that you do to support our family and to give us way more than we even need. I feel your love and support from way over here half way around the world! All of your letters mean so so much to me even a short message so thank you so much! (in this very moment all the kids in this internet shop are talking about me crying at the computer and how fast I'm typing...) haha


ALL my love,

Sister Judd


Here are some pictures that she sent this week.

It flooded here!! Like a lot. Up to our knees in most parts! Unfortunately this is normal for them.. it rained really hard all night and some of the houses are nearly almost completely under water. So sad. This was only a stage 1 storm and Yolanda was a stage 4... so that kinda puts into perspective how bad it can get here!

Ps I gave up and let my skirt get wet really quickly...

The fish that Sister Judd ate!! (ewww)

              

I was standing on a little bridge when I took this. This is part of one of the neighborhoods in our area (Riverside). As you can see there is no such things as garbage cans here. Even in people's houses after I give the kids a sucker or something they drop it between the bamboo so that it all gathers beneath their house. :/

We walked on this obstacle course yesterday to get to a house! It was a challenge and scary and unfortunately the 2 families that we were looking for don't live there any more.