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