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.