Hello Hello family dear!
So what a week! Now that I'm sitting here it kinda feels like a blur. We've been so busy and it makes the weeks feel like days and the days feel like weeks. Oh ya it was New Years this week. Well the people just continue cooking from Christmas and just don't stop! So much food! Thankfully there is a family here in the ward that graciously fed us :) Oh speaking of which the people are SO hospitable!! They felt so bad that News Years morning (the people of Cabanbanan) that there was nothing left of their "feast" last night so they gave us the only food they had.. bread which they buried in mayonnaise (they loooove mayo here) and warm, flat coke. They can't stand to NOT feed their guests- especially on a holiday! Another house gave us cold spaghetti at 9:30 in the morning (we proselyted in the morning for the first time ever) and this delicious frozen salad thing that is my favorite here. That's something that I just adore about these people is how kind and giving they are!!! Sometimes no matter how much you don't want their food you don't even think about turning it down because they're so happy to GIVE!
I actually lost my voice this week and no matter what I couldn't convince the people that it was NOT because I stayed up late on new years and sang karaoke ("the ancient chinese art of ka-reoke") like all the other people.. I've never lost my voice before so it was a weird experience for me.. Sister Silos kind of had to take the reigns and even though I sounded horrible I felt okay so we just kept being busy and I realized how hard it is to be a missionary without a voice. haha
But even with no voice we had a wonderful baptism on New Years day! Lola Deling :) (lola means grandma). Sister Candilaria is her real name and she is 85 years old! She is just my absolute favorite!! Oh how I wish I could just pack her in my suitcase when I come home and we could just adopt her as a 3rd grandma :) It was a special baptism. Her grandson Brother Junide baptized her. He has been a member for a little over a year now and it was his fist experience to baptize someone. He is preparing to serve a mission and WAIT you all met him! haha He was at the computer shop when I skyped you all on Christmas! Ya so that's him. Well Lola's testimony was so sweet. She shared how happy she is that her grandson (that she raised as her own) met "that tall, skinny american" and was baptized and she's really seen the change in him and that's what gave her the desire to take the missionaries more seriously. She also shared how supporting Junide with his desire to serve a mission used to be difficult but now that she has come to know that this church is true, her idea about missionaries has changed and she loves the gospel. She's such a rock! She used to be SO active in the Catholic church (she was a teacher for the Catholic church for sooo long) and she's come a long way as we've taught her. She has chewed tabacco her entire life (since she was 8) (no wonder why she has no teeth) hehe:) and has been drinking coffee since she was a toddler (that's normal here). She is raising 3 more of her grandchildren (ages 9, 7 and 5) by herself (with Junide's help) and they really live in humble circumstances. Brother Junide is so pisan nga magwork sa amon (always works with us!) and we've just grown so close to their little family I just love Lola so much!!
One of the miracles from this week was finding a new family!! They are from Cabanbanan and they just came back from Ilo-Ilo. We found out that Brother Sanchez (the father) was baptized in Manila years ago and though he is less active now he was ridiculously pumped to see missionaries in his home village of Cabanbanan and automatically his wife and 3 children (above 8) and the baby were all equally excited as well!! They all want to be baptized and Brother Sanchez (he didn't have the money to send his entire family) so he sent his 2 oldest children (age 14 and 13) to church and is so excited for them to be baptized. It is really a tender mercy to meet this golden family that has full 100% support from the father of the family. This is the first time I've ever seen this! I'm so excited to see brother make the changes that he needs to make in his life to return to activity in the church and bring his family into the waters of baptism! Someday.. they will be sealed in the temple :)
Another tender mercy from this week is the FIRST return missionary from Calumangan just got home from her mission this week! The members are so inspired by her and I know that she will be just what this ward needs to step it up and make 2015 a "changing" year for this area. No pressure for her or anything:) But really, she's awesome and like a legend here.
This change in the year is exciting and the message that I want to leave with all of you to help us this new year is something that I found in my studies. Mormon 5:23 "In The Hands of God" - Elder W. Craig Zwick
"Everyone one of us needs to know that we can go on in the strength of the Lord. We can put our hand in His, and we will feel His sustaining presence lift us to heights unattainable alone. How do we learn to extend our hand and connect to the comfort provided by the Lord?... learn, listen, seek the spirit and pray always. The Lord will provide sustenance and support if we are willing to open the door to receive His hand of divine assistance. Imagine the wounds in His hands. His weathered hands, yes, even His hands of torn flesh and physical sacrifice, give our own hands greater power and direction. It is the wounded Christ who leads us through our moments of difficulty. It is He who bears us up when we need more air to breathe or direction to follow or even more courage to continue. If we will keep the commandments of God and walk hand in hand with Him in His paths, we will go forward with faith and never feel alone".
With our many desires and goals this New Years- let us not forget to take the extended hand of the Lord into our own and rely on Him. We cannot fail if we do this :) I love the Savior our Redeemer! He is so willing to guide us, lift us and comfort us if we simply turn to Him and SEEK. I am so grateful to be a part of HIS work here in the Philippines. And I know and receive comfort each day knowing that He is also protecting, helping and guiding you all at home. Love you all so so very much!!!
Happy Belated New Year :)
Sister Judd
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Dec. 28 Christmas Baptism! & Noche Buena
Hello Family!! This week has been great! People are on vacation (no school and some no work) so we've been able to teach a lot this week! We even worked on Christmas! While the ward was having their Christmas party at the church we went out in the rain and found some members that were too shy to go to the party and taught them and then brought them to the church and then went around wishing a lot of people Merry Christmas. haha It wasn't ideal but President really pushes us to work no matter what- even Christmas :)
I wish I had miracle stories to share from this Christmas but it was a pretty normal week this week!!
If your interested to know how the people here celebrate Christmas it's ALL ABOUT FOOD! Pork is a luxury, lots and lots and lots of chickens are killed and cooked up and they make this ridiculously yummy (and so bad for you) "fruit" salad. haha it's my absolute favorite! So the people cook all day Christmas Eve until midnight Christmas Eve and then right at midnight it's feast time! No one sleeps. They call it "noche buena". Then Christmas is all about party, family, food, kareoke, and allllooootttt of drinking. We were given a roasted chicken from the relief society president in the ward and I feel like it's Thanksgiving eating it plain out of the fridge the last couple of days. YUM! That's been a tender mercy for me :)
Oh! I guess I can inform everyone that I was able to skype my family on Christmas and it was such a special experience for me!!! My brothers are ginormous I wanted to die when I saw them.. and it was very special to say goodbye to GwenElise who will leave in a couple of week on her mission! The next time we will be able to skype is Christmas 2015! I am so extremely excited for her to experience being a full-time missionary and that she will serve in New Zealand! But of course I will miss her so so much!! Love ya GwenElise!! It was so great to talk to my family and answer some of their questions like what "a normal day" as a missionary is like, to share with them a letter from one of my recent converts, to tell them about the amazing people here from Cabanbanan, and to pray with them in Hiligaynon. I was so touched and overwhelmed with love and gratitude as a was praying I was trying to keep myself together but couldn't keep myself from crying. I was worried that because I was crying they wouldn't be able to understand what I was praying for but then they reminded me that they couldn't understand me anyways- they only caught the word "missionary". haha But I am seriously so blessed with such a supportive family. I felt overwhelmed with love as I was skyping them! Hence the waterfall tears. haha Mother's Day again :)
So our Christmas Baptism was great!!! (with a lot of bloopers that I think I will just wait until I get home to tell you about. just remind me :) haha)
So Brother JollyBen (yes that's his real name) is 20 years old and is on fire! He's so talkative it's so awesome. He LOVES coming to church. And he can't really read (he only went to school until 3rd grade) but his testimony is so strong! He's been taught by missionaries for about 4 months now. He is the oldest in his family and all of them have stopped going to school after about 3rd grade because they live so far away from schools and really struggle financially. Brother JollyBen is such a hard worker and for years now has helped support his family and younger siblings. He's such a rock!
Brother Sanny and Brother Charly are brothers! Their mom was the first convert from Cabanbanan. They are cousins to Brother JollyBen. Brother Sanny (26) and Brother Charly (18) have come a really really long way struggling with word of wisdom (cigarettes) but the long wait and struggle has been well worth it! They are both working also in the rice fields to support their family and make huge sacrifices to come to church on Sunday. Brother Charly also has a huge group of friends that we are also working with trying to teach step-by-step but I really think that Brother Charly is the beginning of a long chain of converts from Cabanbanan! Brother Sanny wants to serve a mission but he is over the age limit.. he will be a great leader!
Sister Angelica is the niece of Brother Sanny and Brother Charly. She is actually legally adopted by her grandparents though. She is 9 years old and hasn't had very much schooling. We're trying to teach her how to read. She has many friends at church and loves primary!!
So I feel like I've literally squeezed my brain right now and have told you all that I can think of to tell you all :) Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! Mom and dad don't worry about us this New Year, we have to be home by 6pm on the 31st and 1st because it's a "zombie town" of drunks here and President is worried about "flying stray bullets". Sounds like I'll finally be able to get caught up on my journal this week with the "free time" at home this New Years! Stay safe everyone!! LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!
Sister Judd
I wish I had miracle stories to share from this Christmas but it was a pretty normal week this week!!
If your interested to know how the people here celebrate Christmas it's ALL ABOUT FOOD! Pork is a luxury, lots and lots and lots of chickens are killed and cooked up and they make this ridiculously yummy (and so bad for you) "fruit" salad. haha it's my absolute favorite! So the people cook all day Christmas Eve until midnight Christmas Eve and then right at midnight it's feast time! No one sleeps. They call it "noche buena". Then Christmas is all about party, family, food, kareoke, and allllooootttt of drinking. We were given a roasted chicken from the relief society president in the ward and I feel like it's Thanksgiving eating it plain out of the fridge the last couple of days. YUM! That's been a tender mercy for me :)
Oh! I guess I can inform everyone that I was able to skype my family on Christmas and it was such a special experience for me!!! My brothers are ginormous I wanted to die when I saw them.. and it was very special to say goodbye to GwenElise who will leave in a couple of week on her mission! The next time we will be able to skype is Christmas 2015! I am so extremely excited for her to experience being a full-time missionary and that she will serve in New Zealand! But of course I will miss her so so much!! Love ya GwenElise!! It was so great to talk to my family and answer some of their questions like what "a normal day" as a missionary is like, to share with them a letter from one of my recent converts, to tell them about the amazing people here from Cabanbanan, and to pray with them in Hiligaynon. I was so touched and overwhelmed with love and gratitude as a was praying I was trying to keep myself together but couldn't keep myself from crying. I was worried that because I was crying they wouldn't be able to understand what I was praying for but then they reminded me that they couldn't understand me anyways- they only caught the word "missionary". haha But I am seriously so blessed with such a supportive family. I felt overwhelmed with love as I was skyping them! Hence the waterfall tears. haha Mother's Day again :)
So our Christmas Baptism was great!!! (with a lot of bloopers that I think I will just wait until I get home to tell you about. just remind me :) haha)
So Brother JollyBen (yes that's his real name) is 20 years old and is on fire! He's so talkative it's so awesome. He LOVES coming to church. And he can't really read (he only went to school until 3rd grade) but his testimony is so strong! He's been taught by missionaries for about 4 months now. He is the oldest in his family and all of them have stopped going to school after about 3rd grade because they live so far away from schools and really struggle financially. Brother JollyBen is such a hard worker and for years now has helped support his family and younger siblings. He's such a rock!
Brother Sanny and Brother Charly are brothers! Their mom was the first convert from Cabanbanan. They are cousins to Brother JollyBen. Brother Sanny (26) and Brother Charly (18) have come a really really long way struggling with word of wisdom (cigarettes) but the long wait and struggle has been well worth it! They are both working also in the rice fields to support their family and make huge sacrifices to come to church on Sunday. Brother Charly also has a huge group of friends that we are also working with trying to teach step-by-step but I really think that Brother Charly is the beginning of a long chain of converts from Cabanbanan! Brother Sanny wants to serve a mission but he is over the age limit.. he will be a great leader!
Sister Angelica is the niece of Brother Sanny and Brother Charly. She is actually legally adopted by her grandparents though. She is 9 years old and hasn't had very much schooling. We're trying to teach her how to read. She has many friends at church and loves primary!!
So I feel like I've literally squeezed my brain right now and have told you all that I can think of to tell you all :) Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! Mom and dad don't worry about us this New Year, we have to be home by 6pm on the 31st and 1st because it's a "zombie town" of drunks here and President is worried about "flying stray bullets". Sounds like I'll finally be able to get caught up on my journal this week with the "free time" at home this New Years! Stay safe everyone!! LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!
Sister Judd
Dec.21 Don't Give Up on Others, LOVEly CHRISTmas
Hello Family and Friends!! I hope you all have an amazing Christmas this week!! More about Christmas to come later in this email :)
Let me tell you about something that I've learned this week. There is a recent convert here whose name is Sister Beth. She is in her early 20s and was recently baptized from a set of missionaries before me here in Calumangan. But she hasn't been to church for months now. Well ever since I've been here Sister Beth has given every reason in the book why we cannot teach her/visit her, no matter what time we walk by her home. She has a small son who she always uses as her excuse.. it's been difficult for me to keep coming back and coming back and coming back and trying to help Sister Beth come back to church. We've slowly been trying to get to know Sister Beth (since my last companion here as well) and we finally saw a huge change in Sister Beth this week. We were finally able to teach Sister Beth this week when we stopped by her neighbor and started to help them do their laundry. Sister Beth was there in the room and we were able to better connect with her within this time that we were doing the laundry. Well by the time we were finished they let us share a message and Sister Beth really opened up. She shared how these past couple of months have been so difficult for her with so many personal challenges and she feels like there is something really missing in her life. She really cried and just let it all out we were there to listen. It was amazing to help her realize where the Lord has been reaching out to her, trying to help her remember the things that she should be doing to keep her covenants with Him. She apologized for never giving us her time but expressed her gratitude for us not giving up to reach out to her and teach her. She explained that there were days when she wouldn't let us teach and that next week was even harder than the last. She felt like she was at her breaking point but knew that she needed to come back to church and agreed to come to church the next Sunday and we went and picked her up because she was so shy to go by herself. Later that day after church we visited her again and I'm not joking she looked like a different person! She wasn't scowling like usual. She wasn't mad at her little son. She was laughing, joking, smiling, excited to invite us in, sharing spiritual experiences in the lesson and WE were really the ones learning from her! I was so taken-back from the stark difference between the Sister Beth that I used to dread trying to teach and the Sister Beth that was so kind and big-hearted and full of faith! One of the things that touched me the most from this experience is her sharing the way that she was touched from the talk that I gave in sacrament meeting and how she knows that Heavenly Father has sent us to help "rescue" her. She felt "rescued" or "freed" by coming back to church and renewing her covenant with our Heavenly Father. I don't have the time to explain all that we can possibly learn from this simple story about Sister Beth but let me just tell you... I don't ever want to give up visiting these people no matter how much they make it seem like they don't want us to "bother them" sometimes- because Heavenly Father is working on their hearts.. we all need to reach out to others! We don't know how Heavenly Father will surprise the receiver AND the giver in the life that can be touched and changed through persistent reaching out!
My outlook about Christmas has really been changed this Christmas!! I don't desire expensive gifts like past Christmases have been wasted about.. and yes of course I desire to be with my family this Christmas but even though I am so far away from you all I still feel love this Christmas. I am grateful for this opportunity to serve this Christmas. To share with others about Jesus Christ because this is the reason why Christmas has changed for me! One of the biggest lessons that I have learned on my mission is about the LOVE that Heavenly Father has for all of His children. Well that's what Christmas is all about.. isn't that why we give gifts? Isn't that what we feel when we receive gifts and spend time with family? Well the greatest and most perfect love is from our Savior Jesus Christ whose birth we celebrate on Christmas :) That's why I still feel "love" this Christmas and it's is multiplied through sharing this message with others. Especially those that don't have the means here to have "Christmas".. but we all can feel love and peace this Christmas no matter how meager our means are.. through remembering Jesus Christ! And the best way to show our love back to our Heavenly Father is through obedience. That's the other huge lesson that I have been learning on my mission. Obedience is the way to receiving blessings and the way to show our love and gratitude to our Heavenly Father. The people here have little to nothing and yet realize how much they have to be grateful for to God: life, health, children, a home, faith, and many more simple blessings that we all should never overlook. I am humbled this Christmas to finally learning the meaning of Christmas. It's about love! I love you all so much and miss you all like crazy! And I look forward to the many many Christmases that we will have together in the future!
Please send pictures from Christmas! (Pictures are THE BEST!!!)
Love you all so so much!!
I am SO looking forward to skyping this week!!
Keep the faith. I am so grateful for all of your prayers, love and support! It means the world!
Sister Judd
Let me tell you about something that I've learned this week. There is a recent convert here whose name is Sister Beth. She is in her early 20s and was recently baptized from a set of missionaries before me here in Calumangan. But she hasn't been to church for months now. Well ever since I've been here Sister Beth has given every reason in the book why we cannot teach her/visit her, no matter what time we walk by her home. She has a small son who she always uses as her excuse.. it's been difficult for me to keep coming back and coming back and coming back and trying to help Sister Beth come back to church. We've slowly been trying to get to know Sister Beth (since my last companion here as well) and we finally saw a huge change in Sister Beth this week. We were finally able to teach Sister Beth this week when we stopped by her neighbor and started to help them do their laundry. Sister Beth was there in the room and we were able to better connect with her within this time that we were doing the laundry. Well by the time we were finished they let us share a message and Sister Beth really opened up. She shared how these past couple of months have been so difficult for her with so many personal challenges and she feels like there is something really missing in her life. She really cried and just let it all out we were there to listen. It was amazing to help her realize where the Lord has been reaching out to her, trying to help her remember the things that she should be doing to keep her covenants with Him. She apologized for never giving us her time but expressed her gratitude for us not giving up to reach out to her and teach her. She explained that there were days when she wouldn't let us teach and that next week was even harder than the last. She felt like she was at her breaking point but knew that she needed to come back to church and agreed to come to church the next Sunday and we went and picked her up because she was so shy to go by herself. Later that day after church we visited her again and I'm not joking she looked like a different person! She wasn't scowling like usual. She wasn't mad at her little son. She was laughing, joking, smiling, excited to invite us in, sharing spiritual experiences in the lesson and WE were really the ones learning from her! I was so taken-back from the stark difference between the Sister Beth that I used to dread trying to teach and the Sister Beth that was so kind and big-hearted and full of faith! One of the things that touched me the most from this experience is her sharing the way that she was touched from the talk that I gave in sacrament meeting and how she knows that Heavenly Father has sent us to help "rescue" her. She felt "rescued" or "freed" by coming back to church and renewing her covenant with our Heavenly Father. I don't have the time to explain all that we can possibly learn from this simple story about Sister Beth but let me just tell you... I don't ever want to give up visiting these people no matter how much they make it seem like they don't want us to "bother them" sometimes- because Heavenly Father is working on their hearts.. we all need to reach out to others! We don't know how Heavenly Father will surprise the receiver AND the giver in the life that can be touched and changed through persistent reaching out!
My outlook about Christmas has really been changed this Christmas!! I don't desire expensive gifts like past Christmases have been wasted about.. and yes of course I desire to be with my family this Christmas but even though I am so far away from you all I still feel love this Christmas. I am grateful for this opportunity to serve this Christmas. To share with others about Jesus Christ because this is the reason why Christmas has changed for me! One of the biggest lessons that I have learned on my mission is about the LOVE that Heavenly Father has for all of His children. Well that's what Christmas is all about.. isn't that why we give gifts? Isn't that what we feel when we receive gifts and spend time with family? Well the greatest and most perfect love is from our Savior Jesus Christ whose birth we celebrate on Christmas :) That's why I still feel "love" this Christmas and it's is multiplied through sharing this message with others. Especially those that don't have the means here to have "Christmas".. but we all can feel love and peace this Christmas no matter how meager our means are.. through remembering Jesus Christ! And the best way to show our love back to our Heavenly Father is through obedience. That's the other huge lesson that I have been learning on my mission. Obedience is the way to receiving blessings and the way to show our love and gratitude to our Heavenly Father. The people here have little to nothing and yet realize how much they have to be grateful for to God: life, health, children, a home, faith, and many more simple blessings that we all should never overlook. I am humbled this Christmas to finally learning the meaning of Christmas. It's about love! I love you all so much and miss you all like crazy! And I look forward to the many many Christmases that we will have together in the future!
Please send pictures from Christmas! (Pictures are THE BEST!!!)
Love you all so so much!!
I am SO looking forward to skyping this week!!
Keep the faith. I am so grateful for all of your prayers, love and support! It means the world!
Sister Judd
Dec.14 He will Make our Burdens Light
Hello Family!! It's been a great week! I LOVE MY NEW COMPANION!!! Sister Silos is brand new! When we became companions she only had 1 week left of her training.. she must just be so awesome they cut her training 1 week short ;) She is from Bicol Philippines (they speak a different language than Tagolog AND also Tagolog). So I'm learning some Tagolog through her because she doesn't know very much Hiligaynon yet. But at the same time she does for only being here for not even 3 months! She so awesome! We get along really well and it's so easy to teach and work with her!! She's so so kind and the people love her! Oh how I'm going to enjoy this transfer :) You will meet her on Christmas! :)
So with the amount of missionaries going home this week we are losing almost 40% of our missionaries here in the Bacolod Mission!! That's a lot! So there are a lot of changes here!
So this area is doing pretty well!! We are really enjoying how "progressing" our really far area is right now! It's pretty darn far from the church- (it's in the middle of Sugar Cane and Rice Fields) and it's not cheap to travel in and out of their place because the tricycles have to go out of their way for like 20 minutes on a bumpy rode.. but these people are amazing!! Even though they are so far, they find a way to come to church! For example they fill up a tricycle and share the plete (money it costs) and then we were suprised that another group of them showed up after church had started and the other (who are also from there) were also surprised because they knew that they had no money.. but that didn't stop them! They WALKED. And then they caught a ride on the highway.. but their walk was probably about 4 miles! They were dirty and sweaty by the time they got to the church and shy to come in but I am consistently so surprised by their strength and their faith! It's hard to teach people across the street from the church (about 20 steps away LITERALLY) and they have all the reasons in the world why they don't even plan on going to church.. uhhhhhh ya that just shows how AWESOME the people from Cabanbanan are!!!
Speaking of the people from Cabanbanan... the other day while we were making the long walk to their houses, we passed a group of teenagers that we are teaching that we passing us going the other direction. We asked where they were going and they said to the computer shop (about 2 miles away) and I surprisingly asked "You will walk that far just to get on Facebook??" and they replied "No way! We'll catch a ride!" Then they ran past us towards their "ride". A Caribou!! hahaha Their friend Brother Andrew (who we are also teaching) was sitting riding on this wooden contraption (kind of like a sled on the ground) being pulled by his ginourmas cauribou and had a long whip-type thing in his hand made out of banana leaves to keep the caribou walking. That's how the group of 5 or 6 teenagers ages ranging 13-17 went to get on facebook from Cabanbanan on a Saturday afternoon. Only in the Philippines :)
So Christmas is next week! I enjoyed watching the Christmas Devotional from the First Presidency last night and I hope you all also watch it! I was so touched by the story that was shared about a boy suffering from Leukemia and how through the light of Christ we can become more like Christ! The Christmas season is such a special time where hearts are especially soft and charitable acts are just that much more special :)
The other day we visited a family who is less active who are going through some big trials right now. The parents have separated and the children have been left without a mother. There are 6 of them ranging from 14 to 1 years old. Brother Jasper is 14 years old. He goes to school and then is filling in the gaps of his currently broken family. To see this hurting 14 year old that isn't able to come to church but that has this strong desire to go to church just like all his church friends and someday serve a mission.. I was so touched as we were teaching him knowing and feeling that Heavenly Father really does have a plan for 14 year old Jasper and he loves him so much! He shared to us how he does the laundry, cooks, cleans, buys the food, watched his siblings, is going to school and basically does it ALL at his home. His dad is tries his best each day to find money so that they can eat and is not willing to give us his time to let us teach right now. But I know that with the strength of Jasper he can influence his father and his 5 younger siblings. We have challenged him to read the book of mormon and working with members to see if they can help him come to church. I know that Brother Jasper is one of MANY that is facing trials in his life that seem unbearable. But the greatest blessing that Heavenly Father promises us is that Christ has suffered all so that he can comfort us no matter what we're going through (Alma 7:11-12). The Atonement of Jesus Christ is eternal and has no bounds and can strengthen us when all hope seems lost! Through our faith and diligence we will witness miracles in our lives that are only possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This knowledge and testimony can become our rock through trials and hardships that we ALL will face throughout this mortal life! I have witnessed this in my own life and since serving a mission have seen this in the lives of many others.
Let's all remember the Savior daily especially this Christmas season. And no matter what are burdens are.. I know that through Him they can be made light!
I love you all so so much! I am missing you this Christmas season!! But the love I feel from my Savior, from these people and in turn the love that I feel for them makes it okay that I will miss one more Christmas. There are many more Christmases to come but only one more left for me to serve the Lord :)
LOVE YOU ALL!!
Sister Judd
So with the amount of missionaries going home this week we are losing almost 40% of our missionaries here in the Bacolod Mission!! That's a lot! So there are a lot of changes here!
So this area is doing pretty well!! We are really enjoying how "progressing" our really far area is right now! It's pretty darn far from the church- (it's in the middle of Sugar Cane and Rice Fields) and it's not cheap to travel in and out of their place because the tricycles have to go out of their way for like 20 minutes on a bumpy rode.. but these people are amazing!! Even though they are so far, they find a way to come to church! For example they fill up a tricycle and share the plete (money it costs) and then we were suprised that another group of them showed up after church had started and the other (who are also from there) were also surprised because they knew that they had no money.. but that didn't stop them! They WALKED. And then they caught a ride on the highway.. but their walk was probably about 4 miles! They were dirty and sweaty by the time they got to the church and shy to come in but I am consistently so surprised by their strength and their faith! It's hard to teach people across the street from the church (about 20 steps away LITERALLY) and they have all the reasons in the world why they don't even plan on going to church.. uhhhhhh ya that just shows how AWESOME the people from Cabanbanan are!!!
Speaking of the people from Cabanbanan... the other day while we were making the long walk to their houses, we passed a group of teenagers that we are teaching that we passing us going the other direction. We asked where they were going and they said to the computer shop (about 2 miles away) and I surprisingly asked "You will walk that far just to get on Facebook??" and they replied "No way! We'll catch a ride!" Then they ran past us towards their "ride". A Caribou!! hahaha Their friend Brother Andrew (who we are also teaching) was sitting riding on this wooden contraption (kind of like a sled on the ground) being pulled by his ginourmas cauribou and had a long whip-type thing in his hand made out of banana leaves to keep the caribou walking. That's how the group of 5 or 6 teenagers ages ranging 13-17 went to get on facebook from Cabanbanan on a Saturday afternoon. Only in the Philippines :)
So Christmas is next week! I enjoyed watching the Christmas Devotional from the First Presidency last night and I hope you all also watch it! I was so touched by the story that was shared about a boy suffering from Leukemia and how through the light of Christ we can become more like Christ! The Christmas season is such a special time where hearts are especially soft and charitable acts are just that much more special :)
The other day we visited a family who is less active who are going through some big trials right now. The parents have separated and the children have been left without a mother. There are 6 of them ranging from 14 to 1 years old. Brother Jasper is 14 years old. He goes to school and then is filling in the gaps of his currently broken family. To see this hurting 14 year old that isn't able to come to church but that has this strong desire to go to church just like all his church friends and someday serve a mission.. I was so touched as we were teaching him knowing and feeling that Heavenly Father really does have a plan for 14 year old Jasper and he loves him so much! He shared to us how he does the laundry, cooks, cleans, buys the food, watched his siblings, is going to school and basically does it ALL at his home. His dad is tries his best each day to find money so that they can eat and is not willing to give us his time to let us teach right now. But I know that with the strength of Jasper he can influence his father and his 5 younger siblings. We have challenged him to read the book of mormon and working with members to see if they can help him come to church. I know that Brother Jasper is one of MANY that is facing trials in his life that seem unbearable. But the greatest blessing that Heavenly Father promises us is that Christ has suffered all so that he can comfort us no matter what we're going through (Alma 7:11-12). The Atonement of Jesus Christ is eternal and has no bounds and can strengthen us when all hope seems lost! Through our faith and diligence we will witness miracles in our lives that are only possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This knowledge and testimony can become our rock through trials and hardships that we ALL will face throughout this mortal life! I have witnessed this in my own life and since serving a mission have seen this in the lives of many others.
Let's all remember the Savior daily especially this Christmas season. And no matter what are burdens are.. I know that through Him they can be made light!
I love you all so so much! I am missing you this Christmas season!! But the love I feel from my Savior, from these people and in turn the love that I feel for them makes it okay that I will miss one more Christmas. There are many more Christmases to come but only one more left for me to serve the Lord :)
LOVE YOU ALL!!
Sister Judd
Dec. 07 Typhoon Sprinkles and Service is a life-changer!
Hello Family!! I know you all heard about Super Typhoon Ruby that scared us all but ended up just being sprinkles and wind with serious overcast for like 3 days here. Many prayers have been answered!! So hope you all didn't worry your brains out. Glad that Thanksgiving was a success for all!!
This week was kind of weird because of the mission lock down- not being able to proselyte/go out of the house for more than 24 hours... I got caught up on my journal finally!! I think I wrote more nearly 50 pages no joke. haha Who do I think I am an author?? haha
The baptism that we were supposed to have on Sunday (yesterday) was canceled but I am excited to tell you all about next week! :)
I am waiting for my new companion right now... it's sometimes so nerve-racking to have transfers! We really weren't expecting it! Sister Rey only had about one hour to pack this morning. I learned a lot this last transfer and have really been stretched. But I know ever companion that I have is inspired and I am really applying the things that I have learned!!
Next week I will be telling you who my new companion is and the adjusting starts all over again :)
But transfers are good for a lot of things. They aren't easy! But it gives me the opportunity to reflect and ask myself "what kind of a missionary am I?" "what kind of a missionary and companion will my new companion see me as?" and I can reflect and virtually start all over again! Transfers should be about recommitting to be the best missionary that we can be. All change that we encounter in our life gives us this opportunity to continually strive to be better and progress in this path of conversion and discipleship!
I am now 1 year as a missionary! I am in my 3rd are and will receive my 7th companion today (9th including the MTC). I have a lot of goals for myself this remaining 6 months and am really looking forward to enjoying the rest of my time here in beautiful Negros :) I love being a missionary! I know you all know that but I can't say it enough.
So something that I am so grateful for is Home and Visiting Teaching! Do we realize how great of a blessing this is to serve one another and allow others to serve us. To make friends, and keep our covenant that we made at baptism to "bear one another's burdens that they may be light". We had an experience teaching a member this week that could really really benefit from having visiting teachers. She has struggled with her testimony since her husband suddenly passed away 2 years ago and she says that sometimes the greatest comfort that she receives to continue with the trials in her life is to sit down, and sing hymns to herself. She was so touched by our visit and for the opportunity to open up and let out the way she feels, the hard things she is experiencing and receive a little bit of encouragement to just continue in her faith! I know that this life sometimes feels more difficult than we feel that we can bear and that when tragedies or hard things happen to us we feel like it's the end of everything. But what we sometimes forget is this life is so short! These experiences that we are having are shaping our eternity and the decisions that we make (no matter how hard it seems at times) shape our eternal character and state of happiness in the life to come! Of course we want this eternal happiness with our families! A rest from all of our cares! How can we achieve that great blessing?! Through keeping our covenants and baptism and through making and keeping sacred covenants in the temple. The scriptures and prayer and church attendance guide us on this path to achieve that goal that we are all seeking. And we all have the responsibility to help each other on the way. Visiting Teaching and Home Teaching is such a great responsibility. Oh how Sister Besa could use Visiting Teachers.. this ward hasn't gotten that far yet but I know at home we all (you all) have that great blessing! Please don't take it for granted and for the meantime.. while I'm still here in Calumangan. I am determined to do all that I can to help them fulfill this responsibility that we all have to help each other and serve one another through Home and Visiting Teaching. The way that I felt and the experience that I had teaching and visiting Sister Besa gave me this determination and drive and I will so my best to get her (and the many many others in her situation) Visiting Teachers! :)
This work is more than baptisms. It reaches way further than full-time missionaries with black name-tags. It's about individual members with strong faith and the desire to build up God's kingdom here on the earth. One day we will rest from all our labors and will rejoice when we see on the other side all the people that we reached out to help and also all those people that reached out to help us. Service is the key to a happy life! :)
I love you all!! As in. I am so blessed to have the best family and friends in the world! Keep the faith and let's all find ways to serve others this week and in the weeks to come :)
Sister Judd
This week was kind of weird because of the mission lock down- not being able to proselyte/go out of the house for more than 24 hours... I got caught up on my journal finally!! I think I wrote more nearly 50 pages no joke. haha Who do I think I am an author?? haha
The baptism that we were supposed to have on Sunday (yesterday) was canceled but I am excited to tell you all about next week! :)
I am waiting for my new companion right now... it's sometimes so nerve-racking to have transfers! We really weren't expecting it! Sister Rey only had about one hour to pack this morning. I learned a lot this last transfer and have really been stretched. But I know ever companion that I have is inspired and I am really applying the things that I have learned!!
Next week I will be telling you who my new companion is and the adjusting starts all over again :)
But transfers are good for a lot of things. They aren't easy! But it gives me the opportunity to reflect and ask myself "what kind of a missionary am I?" "what kind of a missionary and companion will my new companion see me as?" and I can reflect and virtually start all over again! Transfers should be about recommitting to be the best missionary that we can be. All change that we encounter in our life gives us this opportunity to continually strive to be better and progress in this path of conversion and discipleship!
I am now 1 year as a missionary! I am in my 3rd are and will receive my 7th companion today (9th including the MTC). I have a lot of goals for myself this remaining 6 months and am really looking forward to enjoying the rest of my time here in beautiful Negros :) I love being a missionary! I know you all know that but I can't say it enough.
So something that I am so grateful for is Home and Visiting Teaching! Do we realize how great of a blessing this is to serve one another and allow others to serve us. To make friends, and keep our covenant that we made at baptism to "bear one another's burdens that they may be light". We had an experience teaching a member this week that could really really benefit from having visiting teachers. She has struggled with her testimony since her husband suddenly passed away 2 years ago and she says that sometimes the greatest comfort that she receives to continue with the trials in her life is to sit down, and sing hymns to herself. She was so touched by our visit and for the opportunity to open up and let out the way she feels, the hard things she is experiencing and receive a little bit of encouragement to just continue in her faith! I know that this life sometimes feels more difficult than we feel that we can bear and that when tragedies or hard things happen to us we feel like it's the end of everything. But what we sometimes forget is this life is so short! These experiences that we are having are shaping our eternity and the decisions that we make (no matter how hard it seems at times) shape our eternal character and state of happiness in the life to come! Of course we want this eternal happiness with our families! A rest from all of our cares! How can we achieve that great blessing?! Through keeping our covenants and baptism and through making and keeping sacred covenants in the temple. The scriptures and prayer and church attendance guide us on this path to achieve that goal that we are all seeking. And we all have the responsibility to help each other on the way. Visiting Teaching and Home Teaching is such a great responsibility. Oh how Sister Besa could use Visiting Teachers.. this ward hasn't gotten that far yet but I know at home we all (you all) have that great blessing! Please don't take it for granted and for the meantime.. while I'm still here in Calumangan. I am determined to do all that I can to help them fulfill this responsibility that we all have to help each other and serve one another through Home and Visiting Teaching. The way that I felt and the experience that I had teaching and visiting Sister Besa gave me this determination and drive and I will so my best to get her (and the many many others in her situation) Visiting Teachers! :)
This work is more than baptisms. It reaches way further than full-time missionaries with black name-tags. It's about individual members with strong faith and the desire to build up God's kingdom here on the earth. One day we will rest from all our labors and will rejoice when we see on the other side all the people that we reached out to help and also all those people that reached out to help us. Service is the key to a happy life! :)
I love you all!! As in. I am so blessed to have the best family and friends in the world! Keep the faith and let's all find ways to serve others this week and in the weeks to come :)
Sister Judd
ThanksGIVING from these people, Promised Blessings
Hello Family!!
I just want to start by apologizing again telling everyone of a reminder we got from President Lopez not to email individually. So friends and family! I love you! I LOVE reading your emails! I just can't reply... I'm begging you not to stop emailing me but understand that I cannot reply. I read your emails still and it gives me strength and helps me! So don't stop :)
So! What a week. But I don't have much to update you all on. So let me tell you about how amazing these people are! We are teaching in this area where there is a BUNCH of workers that are working on this huge sugar cane field away from their homes. They are so so awesome and are so receptive and so kind! For example the other day we passed by and half of them weren't home from the field yet so we told them we would come back in about a half hour after we went to another appointment and when we came back we taught them and they were our last appointment for the night. Then right as we were about to leave one of the brothers said that between the time that we passed by earlier and came back they had all pitched in a bit of their rice and some dried fish to feed us!! We were so shy to eat their food because they literally work all day so so so hard (you have no idea what their work entails of.. haha if only I could record them and send it) and then they eat like once or twice a day because they send all that they have and make to their families that are depending on them to send food and money. But they sacrificed that tiny bit that they left over from their making for themselves.. to give to us!! We were hungry yes, but I'm always immediately not hungry any more when they offer me their food when they really honestly don't have extra to just offer they are giving and offering what little they already have. It was a good opportunity to get to know them a little better as we ate (just us 3- me and sister rey and the member that was working with us) while they were all probably hungry but refusing to eat with us. Seriously the people here are a whole nother level of kind and giving!! And it's not ironic at all that this meal was given on Thanksgiving.
A tender mercy this week was receiving a homemade loaf of cinnamon bread from the wife of bishop!! Of course my family all knows how this is my ABSOLUTE favorite! They own a bakery and gives us way too much free bread when we are able to stop by there (it's not in our area and is really far but the elders luckily get free bread every day) :)
So we have been reminded again that our emailing time is strictly one hour. The internet here is ridiculously fast so I can send as many pictures as I want- I'm taking advantage of this opportunity! But I will keep my emails short and sweet. I want you all to know how much I love serving a mission. I love this wonderful opportunity to serve my Father in Heaven. My love for these people cannot be measured. I will hit my one year mark this week and have a lot of goals for myself to (when the time comes) have no regrets when I look back and remember what I did as a missionary. This work is not easy but it's the most fulfilling and sweet experience (bundled up of a million of those experiences in one).
I know that this church is true. How could I live thousands of miles away from my family and friends and all those that are dear to me if I didn't know that this message that I share all day every day wasn't true? To say it without a bunch of double-negatives.. I know that this message that I share is true! It has blessed my life personally. It has blessed my family. And it continues to bless us all! My life has truly been changed as I have seen it bless so many other people's lives here in this far away place. I love this beautiful island and I know that these sacrifices are nothing compared to the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for all of us. But "sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven" and "He will always bless us many more times than the measure of what we give to Him". One of the treasures in the scriptures that I came across again this week is found in Helamen 10:4-5. Let us seek not for our own lives (selfish and worldly desires) but seek for the will of God with UNWEARYINGNESS and always keep His commandments to receive the amazing blessing that is available to us in vs 5... HE WILL BLESS US FOREVER! How? Through peace and happiness in this life and in the life to come. Oh how great are His promises! Our Heavenly Father loves us all so much :)
Thank you all so very much for your love and support! I love you all!!!
Sister Judd
I just want to start by apologizing again telling everyone of a reminder we got from President Lopez not to email individually. So friends and family! I love you! I LOVE reading your emails! I just can't reply... I'm begging you not to stop emailing me but understand that I cannot reply. I read your emails still and it gives me strength and helps me! So don't stop :)
So! What a week. But I don't have much to update you all on. So let me tell you about how amazing these people are! We are teaching in this area where there is a BUNCH of workers that are working on this huge sugar cane field away from their homes. They are so so awesome and are so receptive and so kind! For example the other day we passed by and half of them weren't home from the field yet so we told them we would come back in about a half hour after we went to another appointment and when we came back we taught them and they were our last appointment for the night. Then right as we were about to leave one of the brothers said that between the time that we passed by earlier and came back they had all pitched in a bit of their rice and some dried fish to feed us!! We were so shy to eat their food because they literally work all day so so so hard (you have no idea what their work entails of.. haha if only I could record them and send it) and then they eat like once or twice a day because they send all that they have and make to their families that are depending on them to send food and money. But they sacrificed that tiny bit that they left over from their making for themselves.. to give to us!! We were hungry yes, but I'm always immediately not hungry any more when they offer me their food when they really honestly don't have extra to just offer they are giving and offering what little they already have. It was a good opportunity to get to know them a little better as we ate (just us 3- me and sister rey and the member that was working with us) while they were all probably hungry but refusing to eat with us. Seriously the people here are a whole nother level of kind and giving!! And it's not ironic at all that this meal was given on Thanksgiving.
A tender mercy this week was receiving a homemade loaf of cinnamon bread from the wife of bishop!! Of course my family all knows how this is my ABSOLUTE favorite! They own a bakery and gives us way too much free bread when we are able to stop by there (it's not in our area and is really far but the elders luckily get free bread every day) :)
So we have been reminded again that our emailing time is strictly one hour. The internet here is ridiculously fast so I can send as many pictures as I want- I'm taking advantage of this opportunity! But I will keep my emails short and sweet. I want you all to know how much I love serving a mission. I love this wonderful opportunity to serve my Father in Heaven. My love for these people cannot be measured. I will hit my one year mark this week and have a lot of goals for myself to (when the time comes) have no regrets when I look back and remember what I did as a missionary. This work is not easy but it's the most fulfilling and sweet experience (bundled up of a million of those experiences in one).
I know that this church is true. How could I live thousands of miles away from my family and friends and all those that are dear to me if I didn't know that this message that I share all day every day wasn't true? To say it without a bunch of double-negatives.. I know that this message that I share is true! It has blessed my life personally. It has blessed my family. And it continues to bless us all! My life has truly been changed as I have seen it bless so many other people's lives here in this far away place. I love this beautiful island and I know that these sacrifices are nothing compared to the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for all of us. But "sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven" and "He will always bless us many more times than the measure of what we give to Him". One of the treasures in the scriptures that I came across again this week is found in Helamen 10:4-5. Let us seek not for our own lives (selfish and worldly desires) but seek for the will of God with UNWEARYINGNESS and always keep His commandments to receive the amazing blessing that is available to us in vs 5... HE WILL BLESS US FOREVER! How? Through peace and happiness in this life and in the life to come. Oh how great are His promises! Our Heavenly Father loves us all so much :)
Thank you all so very much for your love and support! I love you all!!!
Sister Judd