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/