February 9,2015

This past week has been full of change which is usually the only thing constant in our lives. New companion, Elder Stratton, (really motivated and ambitious) and amazingly still in Tarrafal, my first area, and every new day brings new lessons. I have said it before but I wouldnºt mind staying here my whole mission, the people here are incredible! 

  This past week this 18 year old young man from Nigeria made a truly perilious and inspiring journey all the way from the heart of Africa to here in Cabo Verde. As we conversed in English we learned a lot about the story of his life and his beliefs, but all throughout he was smiling and laughing. He knows basically no one and doesnºt know how to speak portuguese or crioule therefore making him virtually alone. He smiles and laugh because he is friends with God. Truly inspiring and what an amazing experience it was to be the first missionary to talk to him.

  2 weeks ago I got a small little feeling like I would want another English Book of Mormon, it kinda made sense because my set is pretty old and beat up, so I called up Praia and they said they would get it to me as soon as possible. Really something pretty strange though but I didnºt think much of it afterwards. I got it and the day afterwards we met Libat, the 18 year old Nigerian boy that can only read English. I hadnºt even opened it yet but instead gave it to him, it now makes sense why I needed the book because he needed it. It was truly a miracle to help the spiritual journey along that Libat didnºt realize that he was on.  

  Also, we have found 2 more couples that are already married!... that last sentence canºt really be appreciated like it should but nobody gets married here! Yeah, they are married! Anyways, that was something really amazing and the number one thing that brings the most joy in my mission: seeing happiness as a family. Cute little kids getting there clothes all dirty playing marbles in the dust. The grandparents being cared for in the house of their now adult children. And the parents being married and helping reach the dreams that their best friend and spouse has. The family unit really is eternal in two ways: that it will continue growing and increasing and that we can live with those who we are closest to forever after this life.

  Yeah, life goes on, it Always will. For this I am grateful that we have the Son to brighten our days. He always will. 

Elder Judd

Feb 2, 2015 (I'm finally caught up!)

After about 6 months spending everyday (besides divisions) with Elder Drawe it is incredible strange to not even been on the same island as him. We are both the best of friends and I know for a fact that for the rest of our lives we will always be visiting each other. Transfers just happened and I will be staying here in Tarrafal which is such a blessing in my life. I love this area so much and I love this people. Even though I still am in my first area I know that this is where I need to be and Iºm super excited to meet my new companion this week, Elder Stratton. I think he is from Utah and I think he has over a year in the mission but the only thing I do know is that he is a wonderful missionary. Iºve heard great things about him and he is coming from an island where President sends some of the best missionaries.

  Elder Drawe will be going up to the northern islands to be a Zone Leader there. Iºm super excited for him and canºt even express how grateful I am for him.

  This past Sunday not one of our investigators showed up nor did the less actives that have been attending... and I have never been more grateful for this. It was a blessing from God that they somehow All didnºt come. We had something kind of crazy happen in church (although it is sad to say that we were not suprised)... A member got up to bear their testimony in front of the ward and began to pour out accusations against many members of the church. Regardless if it was true or not the pure anger and hatred and frustration really brought in the spirit of contention. By the maturity of many truly converted members the spirit was brought back in.They got up afterward those long minutes of listening to yelling but with love and patience and power bore their testimonies and the Spirit of the Lord returned. It was truly an amazing thing to witness that the work of the Lord cannot be stopped because, as humans, we have the divine potencial to be as our loving Heavenly Father.

  The work continues to go on every day and I am grateful for how the Lord allows us and helps us to change. I love you all so very much!

From,

Elder Judd

Jan 26, 2015

 Once again I saw this week of how the Lordºs perfect nature doesnºt change and that is why the change is the only constant thing in life... regardless is it that makes sense to us, haha. For us in these latter days we call change the hastening of the work. But our ward was turned from a ward into a branch this past week and whether we think it is a step back or not it is always a step forward in the eternal plan of God. Assomada is now a district and we were blessed enough to have the Area 70, Elder Morreira, come and speak to us. Everything that we see being done here is obviously preparing Cabo Verde for a temple in the next 5 years or so.

  ...This past week the Lord handed 3 married couples into our laps and what a miraculous opportunity we have been given. Elder Drawe and I have been trying to be a lot more obedient to what is right by following the spirit because situations can be different because, as we all know, God can work in mysterious ways.

  The brother of the first counselor in the Tarrafal Branch Presidency passed away this past week. Another death claimed by alcohol but the thing that was most comforting was the strength of the members. It just deepened the richness of their lives because of that experience rather than dulled them spiritually. All this comes from the wonderful Understanding of the Plan of Happiness. That death was balanced by another birth into the world. Our great friend Valdo has just become a father. Super exciting to see the new light that has entered into their lives.

  The English class that we have been holding has been a great way to help get these kids (and anyone that cares) to be more excited about learning. Plus playing head shoulders knees and toes in English is pretty fun too.

  That is some of what happened this week. I love you all and am grateful for everything. Have the best week ever!

Elder Judd

Jan 19, 2015

Dear family and friends,

  To start of this past week we had an interview with the Mission President, President Mathews, and the love that I felt during that interview (both for and from him) was something that I will not soon forget. The amount of time that President and his wife give up to the Lord is rather superhuman not to mention the time the make for each of the missionaries. Truly inspired and full of light.

  This past week the Lord has given us couples who want to get married. This is truly a miracle here because people that have been living together for 20 years still think it is too early to get married. I am so grateful for the Family Proclamation to the World. Scripture that has been revealed to benefit all of us as we become closer as families: the most important structure in society. Here in Tarrafal I have been able to see children grow up, parents get married, and also many funerals.
  One of my greatest friends here in the ward has become a parent recently to a new baby boy. This tiny little blessing in the hands of the father is truly a sight to see. The dad is a tall, strong, and big man with hands worn by years of manual labor but seeing the gentleness in which he held his son and how soft his heart was really stopped time for me. In that little african home I had a moment, a moment in which I realized better what heaven really is.
  The relationships that have grown from the ground up as Iºve been here have been the greatest reward for me. That is how the Lord can bless us, with greater appreciation to our families. Dear Family, no words that I could ever say would amount to anything compared to the love that I have felt. That is why Iºm glad the Lord is so loving, but still, I love you all and I will not ever stop saying it.

  A party bigger than New Years and Christmas combined happened this past week: Santo Amaro! Not one person in Tarrafal knows who that is but the festival itself was almost too big for Tarrafal to handle. Buses full of people from almost all the cities on this island came to drop off the people here, well actually the drivers came to party too. Haha, we will be having Carnival here pretty soon, we will probably have to stay inside for that one.

  Later in the week we got news that we will be turned from a Stake into a District here in Assomada and that Tarrafal is now a branch. Pretty fantastic news for the strength of the church here. Then on Sunday I got to give a surprise talk (only about 30 minutes to prepare) on the topic of Conversion. It is the adventure of life to be more consecrated by being more faithful to the testimony we have. It is more important what we are doing to be true to our testimony rather than how large and grand it is. This is why the Atonement is a Continuous Atonement rather than a ºone and done purificationº at the end of our lives. This is why we must not procrastinate the day of our repentance. And so this is why families are so important, we have each other. A shoulder to cry on, a kind word to be given, and regardless of petty arguments we will always be family. Another time... I love you family and friends.

Until next week,
Elder Judd

Jan 12, 2015

Dearest Family,

  It is rather hard to express the feelings of my heart right now because the Lord has been so good to me. Iºm sorry for how empty some of my words have been in the past but am so glad we all have this opportunity together to learn and grow. This past week has been full of emotions. I have never felt such sorrow before for the decisions some people are making, it makes me really sad. I would be acting ignorantly if I only focused on these things though, this past week has been so full of miracles, some of which are even too personal to share. Hebrews 11 truly demonstrates the miracles wrought through the faith of the weak.

  I finished the New Testament this past week and am so grateful for the words those pages hold. So many things spoken through the spirit testify of the things we deal with in our lives. The Gospel is awe inspiringly grand yet so applicable and relevant in this life.

  An Elder that has been serving in Mozambique returned home to the ward in which we are serving and it was wonderful to hear that he is great friends with all those whom I became so close to in the MTC. He is a great help in finding golden investigators.

  The work is going well but the Cape Verdean parties are really a hinderance. From 6pm to 8am these concerts, parties, and dances are relentless in robbing so many of control over themselves through worldly desires. This has been a major contributor to the feelings of our hearts for these people. The sweetest people donºt need to be bittered by alcohol and the aftertaste of broken hearts.

  But on the other hand I have been completely hypocritical because of the addiction to food I have aquired, haha. While in a lesson where everything was going wonderfully I was explaining about how the church broke and fell. Right on cue the chair under me broke and fell! Luckily I was able to move fast enough and not meet the same fate as the primitive church and that primitive chair. Haha, we all laughed for a good long while.

  Sorry for how short this one is, but life goes on. I love you all! Make it a fantastic week!

Elder Judd

Jan 5, 2015

  This past week Tata got baptized (20 years old) and it was the day after she got word that she needed to go right then to visit her grandmother who is on the edge of death. She had the choice to go and see her for the last time or get baptized. We talked with her but mostly listened and let her make her own decision. I had the opportunity to promise her as a representative of Christ that her grandma would not die until after she received the gift of the Holy Ghost and visit her.... Tata was baptized, received the Holy Ghost, and then bore one of the most pure testimonies I have ever heard in front of the whole congregation. For some more background on Tata: she is also so timid and embarrassed she will not look at us during lessons and went through all our visits with her head in her hands.. sometimes responding but always listening. It was a truly amazing baptism and, just like all the others, there was a big trial of faith before the decision could be made.

  The past two weeks I have eaten duck, seaweed, octopus, shark, intestines, cow tongue and of course lots of rice. We also had a couple drunk guys show up to church the past week. One came right up to me and embraced me and cried on my shoulder for a good minute or two. Yeah, New Years was insane here in Cabo Verde. We almost had to go home early because of the parties getting out of hand but the Lord protected us and allowed us to keep working. 

   I love this time of year where we can make goals to improve ourselves. However strange it sounds it is true that self improvement is fun for us when we can see our progress. 

  My main goal for this new year is to get completely lost in the work. Iºve decided not to email home anymore.

  Anyways, The last little news is that a really good friend out here in the mission has just become AP which I just heard minutes ago. Things are going amazing out here. I love you all!

  I love you especially mother!!!! Happy Birthday!!! And I was just kidding about not emailing you anymore, hahaha.

From,

Elder Judd

December 29, 2014

Here are our awesome Cape Verdean presents! Jon's tie, my dress, Parker's shirt, Kennedi's shoes, Isabelle's necklace

Dear Family,

  This past Christmas was honestly the best one that I have ever had! I got to be with my ºfamilyº here in Cape Verde and to talk with you all there in Utah. I really hope that this past Christmas was wonderful for all of you and that we can be just as close as a family throughout the rest of the year. I cannot even express how wonderful it is to be a part of our family. I would never ask for anyone different in our family, and am so grateful that I have the best parents in the world.

  Christmas eve Elder Drawe and I built a quick fort in our kitchen with blankets and both slept in there that night. It was wonderful waking up at the usual time but with extra love in our hearts for the amazing gift we have all been given. He is perfect and Iºm so glad I see Godºs hand in our lives every day. We visited a lot of recent converts of ours and stopped by some wonderful members in our ward. I have never eaten so much in my entire life and am sure you enjoyed seeing how large I truly am. I have to apologize for how short the skype call was and also for how ungrateful I have been with writing you all. Iºm sorry mom, yeah, I could use some legitamate excuses but youºve already heard 19 years of excuses, haha.

  We got the opportunity to have a division the day after Christmas and it is always wonderful to see the amazing missionaries that the Lord has. I also love hearing about all the missionaries that have been leaving from our ward lately, it is sooo awesome!

  May this next year be so full of family. We canºt ever forget what we should be using our time for. We will never be on our death bed wishing that we spent more time in the office or running about for superficial activities. People is what this life is about and so I hope that for all of us we can have ºPeopleº as one of our New Years Resolutions. Whatever it may be: call old friends, visit old members, something with renewing so that we may be continually renewed this new year. I pray that we may find gratitude and joy in the changes that will occur in the future that will bring about self improvement. Every day of our lives can be a little better than the last. No day is just ºanother dayº.

It was wonderful getting to see how you have all changed and I hope that you got that peice of dust out of your eye mother. It really was making you cry.

With Love,

Elder Judd

Elder McKissick is home!

MERRY CHRISTMAS to us!!!!

40 minutes was not near long enough!!!!!!

December 22, 2014

To the blog,

  Thanks to all of those who wished me a happy birthday! It was the happiest birthday that I have ever had! It has been said many times before but I truly mean it when I say that I can feel your prayers of loving support out here on this Island. The Lord will generously reward all kind words said. Thank you.

  This Christmas season has been a great time to share the video ºHe is the Giftº with anyone we can. We have the priceless opportunity to take part in inviting the whole world to ponder... What present will I give to the Christ Child this Christmas? The Loving Father of our spirits has given His Son, whose name is Wonderful, so that through Him all love may be felt. Christ sacrificed every waking moment of His life to focus both heart and mind on ALL the children of His Father. Then, at the end of his short life, gave up the ghost on that fateful night in Calvary.

  What can we, as imperfect humans, give to Him who was perfect? We must be as the innocent drummer boy: play our best for him. It is my prayer that we think. That we thank. That we play our best for him. I testify with all the energy of my heart that we find no seperation of life and gospel. May the Spirit of Christ permeate our homes and fill our hearts so that these days may be merry and bright. Once again, how wonderful it would be to watch ºHe is the Giftº and to find the gift we will give to Him. I love you all so very much! Have a holly jolly Christmas and the happiest new year!

With love,

Elder Judd 

December 15, 2014

I KNOW THAT I AM THE WORST OF ALL TIME AT WRITING MY FAMILY! I really cannot say how terrible I feel, I will go and repent. I could go on forever telling you have sorry I am and how terrible I feel but instead Iºll just write as much as I can... I also heard Iºm your second favorite missionary now... Well, I deserve that, haha. I feel terrible!

  Transfers were last night and I will be staying in Tarrafal with Elder Drawe as my companion again. I will need to support him even more as he serves as District Leader this transfer. Today one of my best friends on the mission, Elder Mckissick, left Tarrafal to go to Praia. The thing is there are not any more transfers for him, he will be flying back to Utah tomorrow. Who he is proves how well he served the Lord during his lifetime. I know that he will be so blessed back in his house.

  We will be going to Praia on Wednesday for the Mission Christmas Devotional, which will be another time to listen to the inspired words of our wonderful Mission President Mathews and his wife.

  This past transfer we baptized this wonderful family, who are so close to my heart and to the Lord. Dulcilena is the single mother of the family and, like her name closely resembles in Portuguese, she is the sweetest! She reminds me so much of you, dear mother, because, for example, she makes food and takes it to the hospital just about every day of the week. Beyond this, she is always washing clothes for her neighbors, babysitting, or doing some other act of service. Her story is truly remarkable and rather hard to believe. She is open to share that she spent 3 years in prison for getting into smuggling and wouldºve staying imprisoned longer if it were not for her good behavior. She has done more for this ward already than any other member in the ward besides our Bishop, really more than everyone.

  We had our ward Christmas party this past week and it was a HUGE success. We as the missionaries planned it and the ward executed it, the amount of help was really a blessing as well. In the end Elder Drawe and I sang the First Noel or Quando Anjo Proclamou in Portuguese and we then watched this new movie about the period leading up to Christ's birth and, of course, the miraculous advent of His arrival to the earth. What an incredible film, it was even longer than I thought it would be too.

  80-90 people came to the activity. We have less people than that come to church on Sunday so it was really a success! Tons of rice and cake afterwards which was wonderful. (by the way Iºve still been gaining weight, Iºm actually really fat now, not kidding, haha) The wonderful this is that Dulcilena, without having a calling, came to help out and when she found people being slackers she got things going. She also invited 6 friends to the party that we are currently teaching because of this.

  All these things came from receiving a reference from Bishop to go and teach this family. That small act was the greatest miracle we have had in this past transfer.

  On the other side of missionary work we have some struggles. It is so difficult to see people who have been prepared by the Lord to be presented the Gospel and they are progressing but then something comes in their way and decided to choose to go in a different direction. We have so much confidence that they can choose to receive help from the Lord but they choose not to. Arguably the biggest factor that is at play is tradition. Traditions have taken deep root here in Cabo Verde and it just goes to show that people that are completely open will have the better relationship with our Loving Heavenly Father. Also the culture of guys being able to have multiple women and leaving them whenever they see fit has been very difficult on me. What a blessing that this mission has to teach of the prophetºs proclomation: A Family Proclamation to the World! If the establishment of solid families was introduced here 95% of all problems would stop.

  I am just so grateful for the family that I have that has been my life. I apologize again for not emailing, Iºm sure it has been killing you. I love you all more than you know, my love has just grown on the mission and I apologize for not showing it. Iºm glad that you have been enjoying Elder Draweºs emails. Love you family!

Merry Christmas!

Elder Judd

in honor of Chandler... Buddy the elf is trying to be a missionary