Transfers to a crazy Island and PICTURES finally!!!

Hello Mom!

 Iºm in Boa Vista right now! I just flew out of Praia a few hours ago and now am in a new world. This is my first time being transferred and when I heard I was coming here I was overjoyed!! Even though I already miss my family in Tarrafal I have already fallen in love with this place. 

  Boa Vista is just a big beach: all sand! Really flat. Really different. Really beautiful. There are a lot of tourists from Europe drivinº around on their fourwheelers... so strange! The thing about Boa Vista is that you rarely meet someone that was actually born and raised here. People speaking all types of crioule, with a lot from mainland Africa too. Yeah... I donºt really understand very many people right now at all. At least it will be easier to learn and adapt than the first time, haha, Iºve already been through it once. 

  I am one of the 4 missionaries on this Island and with how uncommon it is to serve here it is even more amazing that Elder Conway, my AWESOME MTC Companion is here too!!! My companion is from Assomada on the Island of Santiago. I love that city! It is great to have a native speaker with me but the thing is that people donºt understand portuguese at all here. We arenºt allowed to speak crioule in lessons but Iºm going to have to begin learning to survive everywhere outside of lessons. I thought that with all this change that it would be harder to adjust but it has been tranquilo. Sorry for my Portuglish mixture. Iºve always been told by everyone that has served on a small island that small islands break you, break you completely and then help build you back up...Great, haha. Iºm really excited for this opportunity to practice my agency, like all of us I need a lot more practice. It is my prayer to be the window and not the source of light so that Christºs light can shine through to this people. 

  I love you so much mother! Thanks for being the window so that Christºs light can brighten the 37th ward as well as our family. It is good to hear about the good and bad that happen in our ward and Iºm really glad for Parker sticking it out with tennis, he is so excited to be there to see his own progress. Those will be such great memories for him. You better know that you have probably the best husband ever. He is the best Dad that I could ever ask for.

Love forever,

Elder Judd

Boa Vista

Boa Vista

Terrafal

Terrafal

Boa Vista

Terrafal

Bishop in Terrafal

Ward party in Terrafal

Elder Judd

February 23rd 2015

Sorry that I didnºt email this past week! These weeks have gone by so fast that it feels like it hasnºt even been one week yet! So much has happened though, ranging from the best day of my mission to the hardest day of my mission.

  Before Carnival (Brazilian Holiday) we were told we wouldnºt be allowed to go outside at all that day. Tarrafal lucked out because our ward was doing an activity all day that we would be allowed to attend. It would be held out in the wilderness outside of the city, far away from the parade of worldliness, haha. It was so great to be out in nature in the world but not of the world. It was a pretty ºtechnicalº hike even for experienced hikers so I got to help an older sister in our ward get there alright. It was amazing to see the unity we had as we all helped one another. Jamilla, a wonderful recent convert, was lifted up into a boat as well as her wheelchair and taken to the activity by boat. After we all pushed it out to sea her support group waved to her from the beach. What a touching sight it was to see.

  We learned that Libat, our nigerian investigator, is practically in servitude to those who paid for his travel to make it to Cape Verde. The owner calls himself ºmasterº and requires that Libat does the same. He is completely under their command for the next 5 years until he has paid his debt off. We learned that his name, Libat, is Ebu for Liberty. Liberty is the only thing an 18 year old boy wants in his life. The irony of the matter is that the ºmasterº does not let him use that name but rather the name he was given by the dominant church in Nigeria, which is Peter. I will call him Liberty every time I see him, that is the name he wants to go by.

  

  This past week God blessed us with almost 10 different investigators in church and an attendance of almost 90! I have been here it Tarrafal to watch it grow from being a ward of 40 members to turning into a branch of 60 then growing to about 90. Too much to say, too little time. While reading the Liahona today I could clearly see the revelations the apostles and prophets recieve for us in these latter days. The Lordºs work cannot be stopped but will grow until everyone shall understand the veracity of the message. Every knee bow, every tongue confess. I am so grateful that I WE have this opportunity to be a part of the greatest movement the world has ever seen. ºGreatest movementº because of its size, truthfulness, and especially because it is a movement towards personal perfection. I love seeing the change that the Gospel brings in peopleºs lives. I know, I testify that we can return to God after this life but happier than before, and more like him than before.

  May Jeppson is continuing in the love of our Father. Iºm so happy to know about the resurrection made possible by Christ that she will once again be able to enjoy running, dancing, seeing, and hearing as she did when she was in her youth. I love you all and am so grateful for the support I always recieve. I love you family!

Elder Judd

PS. From Mom:  I have delved more into the situation and he is there on his own will not under forced labor. But for a week I was worried to death and did a ton of research. There are currently 21 million people in the world in forced labor (slavery) right now. About half are sex slaves. This is a great cause to learn about and get involved in.
http://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/lang--en/index.htm
https://www.ourrescue.org/

February 16, 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