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
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