Sunday, June 29, 2014
Last Week
Hello family and friends! This week we had an amazing baptism (all baptisms are amazing :) and let me just once again tell you all how much I LOVE this work! I wrote about Brother Totong the other week- but he is so awesome. He doesn't have a family of his own but he is relative to the 1st counselor in the bishopric here in 5th ward and was a member referral from their family. He works at their small store (called a "tiange") and seriously member referrals are the best thing ever!! I am so grateful that I was still here for his baptism (sister cruz was sad that she would miss it from being transferred) but I really can see this crazy potential in Brother Totong. I just know that one day he will be a leader in the church! He also is such an awesome example to his friends and loves to work with us when we go to teach them. For example yesterday (Sunday- after his confirmation) we visited him and a couple hours later he went with us to teach his friends (there's like 8 of them- investigators) and in the lesson I asked him if he would like to share his feelings and experience about baptism and he said "sis, I already told them all about I was so excited! they already know:)". It's so humbling to me to see these new members so excited about missionary work and I look back and think how many things I could have done differently to be a better member missionary before serving a mission. I was so oblivious! It is so powerful and simple to share with the people that we come in contact with and especially the people that we love and are close with about the restored gospel. "For what great reason have we to rejoice" as members of this church! I am so grateful to be a member of the true church on this earth and I am even more grateful for the testimony that I have of this church. From serving a mission (keep in mind I'm only 1/3 of the way done) I feel that testimony growing deeper and stronger every day and I know that the root of that growth is from daily scripture study and faithful prayer. I still have so much room to grow! But what I do know is that this is the way to gain a testimony of Jesus Christ and of His restored gospel. This is the way to know what Heavenly Father's plan is for His children and what we should do in order to have true happiness and eternal life! I see this excitement and growth in the people that we teach and I know that it is possible for every person to gain this testimony and conviction. I love you all so very much and I miss you all tons!! Thank you for your love and support! Things are still great here and it's now the rainy season! It's not allowed to swim but when the roads flood we don't have much choice!! :) No, I'm just joking (mostly) but at least we fixed our apartment so it doesn't flood any more! I will buy a new card reader later today so that I can send pictures next Monday!!! I am sorry this is such a short email but I don't know where the time goes! Until next week!!!
June 2nd
Dear Family! Wow am I so excited to hear how awesome your Mexico vacation was!! This week has been challenging but great gihapon! (just the same greatness) (: I can’t believe that this week is my 6 month mark as a missionary!!I plan to celebrate with a mango float- in which I can’t wait to make for you when I get home! OH AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY KORT!!!!! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAVE A HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! (: Also I have so many funny things to tell you all about Sister Vargas but not only will I run out of time if I try to tell you all, but I am afraid it just will not do it justice to tell through email, but rest assured I haven’t laughed this hard in soo long- Sister Vargas is a crack up!! Also funny circumstances happen with her- for example she cannot drink soda it hurts her stomach but when members want to give us a snack they usually buy soda and when they’re not looking Sister Vargas and I have to trade my empty bottle with her full bottle.. it’s like a win-win for me!! And she’s always sooo grateful when we can pull it off, so I feel like an awesome companion because really, I’m just doing her a favor (: Also the other day this cute little kid asked me “bata ko siya?” which means “Is she your child?” haha so funny.
So our baptism this week was Brother Char! He’s 10 years old and his dad and older sister are less active- his mom passed away a couple of years ago and his step mom is not a member. As we started teaching him his aunt has come back to church and is so awesome! Also his older sister has come back to church! Also we’ve started teaching his step mom and his uncle and one of his cousins! One of his uncles is in the bishopric here and the baptism was AMAZING- I’ve never seen such a great turn out here at a baptism! It was a great day and it was so nice to see this family come together despite how long it’s been for all of them in such a spiritual and uplifting setting!
My favorite thing about this work is the people. The people are soo loving and the love I feel for them too is unreal!! I love to see them change and prepare themselves to be baptized! It is always motivating to me to always be worthy of my baptismal covenant as well. As we keep our promises with Heavenly Father to TAKE UPON OURSELVES HIS NAME, ALWAYS REMEMBER HIM, KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS AND ENDURE TO THE END he will always provide for us!!
So earlier this week I came across this scripture and it really inspired me! I am so determined to more fully lose my life in this work! Mark 8:35 "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's sake, the same shall save it." As we put aside ourselves and serve the Lord, we are preparing ourselves for a brighter and better future. You don’t have to be a full-time missionary to apply this either! Heavenly Father can bless us and will bless us with anything and all that we need as we exercise our faith and keep the commandments. Something else that I discovered this week as I was reading from Preach My Gospel is the importance of scripture study- I made a little reminder for myself to always remember that if I need more help no matter what I’m going through- the answer and help can be found in the scriptures and the divine guidance from above will be given as I exercise faith and study the scriptures diligently!
So our baptism this week was Brother Char! He’s 10 years old and his dad and older sister are less active- his mom passed away a couple of years ago and his step mom is not a member. As we started teaching him his aunt has come back to church and is so awesome! Also his older sister has come back to church! Also we’ve started teaching his step mom and his uncle and one of his cousins! One of his uncles is in the bishopric here and the baptism was AMAZING- I’ve never seen such a great turn out here at a baptism! It was a great day and it was so nice to see this family come together despite how long it’s been for all of them in such a spiritual and uplifting setting!
My favorite thing about this work is the people. The people are soo loving and the love I feel for them too is unreal!! I love to see them change and prepare themselves to be baptized! It is always motivating to me to always be worthy of my baptismal covenant as well. As we keep our promises with Heavenly Father to TAKE UPON OURSELVES HIS NAME, ALWAYS REMEMBER HIM, KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS AND ENDURE TO THE END he will always provide for us!!
So earlier this week I came across this scripture and it really inspired me! I am so determined to more fully lose my life in this work! Mark 8:35 "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's sake, the same shall save it." As we put aside ourselves and serve the Lord, we are preparing ourselves for a brighter and better future. You don’t have to be a full-time missionary to apply this either! Heavenly Father can bless us and will bless us with anything and all that we need as we exercise our faith and keep the commandments. Something else that I discovered this week as I was reading from Preach My Gospel is the importance of scripture study- I made a little reminder for myself to always remember that if I need more help no matter what I’m going through- the answer and help can be found in the scriptures and the divine guidance from above will be given as I exercise faith and study the scriptures diligently!
How oftEn am i diLigently studying the scriPtures???: HELP
We can all apply this in our lives and more fully and I know that it is the BEST medicine for any of life's troubles and hardships when coupled with faithful prayer!
LOVE YOU ALL!! Sorry for the short email. Good luck with the move!!
Thank you all for your love and support!!
Love, Sister Judd
May 25th
Hello Family!! It’s so exciting that you will be in Mexico this week!!! Have a blast and swim for me!!!
This week has been crazy. Haha First of all TRANSFERS! Sister Cruz is now a STL (Sister Training Leader- it’s kind of like a zone leader for a sister) and I have a new companion! Sister Vargas. She was just an STL where Sister Cruz is now. She is AMAZING!!!! Elder Doane I think had some pull in who my next companion was and let me just tell you that he is looking out for me because Sister Vargas is the answer to my prayers! She is I think one of the funniest people I know because she’s just this tiny little happy always laughing Filippina. She’s always joking and is so fun to be around! It really helps me because sometimes I’m so awkward I’m really learning how to interact with people in a way that I would be able to if it wasn’t in a different language. We’re so alike in some ways as in our sense of humor and I automatically felt so comfortable with her! And she is such a hard working missionary. It’s insane how much I have learned from her in just 4 days!! A little bit about her- her mom passed away just months before her coming on a mission and her dad passed away when she was really young. She’s the only member in all her family and she doesn’t have any support. She goes home in August and has the best attitude about the work. I feel like myself around her and I’m so grateful for her!!!!
So yes I mentioned Elder Doane- we finally got to see each other! It was the best thing ever I had to wait for kind of a long time for Sister Vargas since she came from far away and so we got to talk the entire time! I am so exciting for him going home this week and just seriously have missed him like crazy! He is such a great missionary and such a great example to me!! Best thing ever that we served in the same mission!!!
So we had a baptism this week! Sister Julliane- she comes from a part member family and has been coming to church for years but was never baptized because her mom is less active and she has been going to church with her grandma. Her uncle served a mission and is a stake leader and was able to baptize her. Her mom has been coming to church since we have been teaching her and even wants to start working with us to become more active! SO AWESOME!
So the Philippines is still great!! I can feel the language progressing and have really been stretched to lead this area. We have some absolutely amazing investigators that are stopping smoking and drinking and are excited to be baptized. I love you all and keep you all in my prayers! All my love, Sister Judd
This week has been crazy. Haha First of all TRANSFERS! Sister Cruz is now a STL (Sister Training Leader- it’s kind of like a zone leader for a sister) and I have a new companion! Sister Vargas. She was just an STL where Sister Cruz is now. She is AMAZING!!!! Elder Doane I think had some pull in who my next companion was and let me just tell you that he is looking out for me because Sister Vargas is the answer to my prayers! She is I think one of the funniest people I know because she’s just this tiny little happy always laughing Filippina. She’s always joking and is so fun to be around! It really helps me because sometimes I’m so awkward I’m really learning how to interact with people in a way that I would be able to if it wasn’t in a different language. We’re so alike in some ways as in our sense of humor and I automatically felt so comfortable with her! And she is such a hard working missionary. It’s insane how much I have learned from her in just 4 days!! A little bit about her- her mom passed away just months before her coming on a mission and her dad passed away when she was really young. She’s the only member in all her family and she doesn’t have any support. She goes home in August and has the best attitude about the work. I feel like myself around her and I’m so grateful for her!!!!
So yes I mentioned Elder Doane- we finally got to see each other! It was the best thing ever I had to wait for kind of a long time for Sister Vargas since she came from far away and so we got to talk the entire time! I am so exciting for him going home this week and just seriously have missed him like crazy! He is such a great missionary and such a great example to me!! Best thing ever that we served in the same mission!!!
So we had a baptism this week! Sister Julliane- she comes from a part member family and has been coming to church for years but was never baptized because her mom is less active and she has been going to church with her grandma. Her uncle served a mission and is a stake leader and was able to baptize her. Her mom has been coming to church since we have been teaching her and even wants to start working with us to become more active! SO AWESOME!
So the Philippines is still great!! I can feel the language progressing and have really been stretched to lead this area. We have some absolutely amazing investigators that are stopping smoking and drinking and are excited to be baptized. I love you all and keep you all in my prayers! All my love, Sister Judd