July 4, 2015

Dear Family,

  I have decided that Iºm finally going to send you the email that you all so greatly deserve, haha. I am also so appreciative of your wonderful emails, I mean, I get at least 2 from both my parents each week, how incredible is that!? 

  I take comfort that many hearts are going out to the Simmonºs family, (as well as the Packer and Perry families). That really is heartbreaking. I know that he will have a great mission nonetheless. Mom, it is heartwarming how others can be such great supports through difficult times. Mom and Dad, you really have absolutely no idea how much you have supported me to help me through my most difficult times. Not only that but also to make my most wonderful times so special: Thanks. Thanks from the bottom of my heart.

  This past week has been such a rich week for me, I feel like Iºm able to see such needed progress in me having more patience with people. I just feel that Iºve just kicked all my patience out the window these past couple months, so it was good to see it coming back little by little, haha.
  With one of Godºs investigators, Silva, I learned a really important lesson: donºt doubt what God tells you. We had a baptismal date marked and he was progressing practically perfectly. One day we were praying for Silva felt like he should be baptized on a later date ºbut he is preparing perfectlyº I thought, (plus we are recieving huge pressure from our leaders to baptize him). The date drew near and the service was already being prepared. While we were talking to him a few days before the date we just felt inspired to tell him that he would be baptized on a later date, which came as a surprise as those words left our mouths. We learned in a few minutes the reason the Lord wanted him to be baptized on that later date, it became apparent. If we had given in to peer pressure, even from good people, we would not have followed the Lord, found out His reasoning, or felt His peace. Yeah, that is kind of a generic experience when you first think about it but it does not feel generic to us.

  We also have dealt with a lot of flood control this week. Saturday the church building flooded really badly so it was fun to help to care of it alongside with these great members. We thought it had been resolved until we were in Sacrament Meeting on Sunday and water started creeping under the doors... haha, that was an interesting experience. The water did not smell like water nor like popcorn. 

 One of the funnest days of this year was the 4th of July with my Awesome companion, Elder Hughes! It was so much fun to make so much american food! (as you can see in the attachment that there was a lot of food, yup, for just my companion and I, haha. We have been eating a lot of cheap bread and rice these days to save up some good money.) Elder Hughes make some super great fried chicken and we had been given a water lemon from a great investigator family, and Elder Hughes taught me how to make ice cream. 

  Then the day after was the 5º de Julho: Cape Verdeºs independence day! So to celebrate we ate CusCus, one of the traditional dishes here.  (traditional food from Senegal in the second picture)

Have an amazing week all of you!

Elder Judd

June 29, 2015 He stinks!

  I stink! I litterally smell sooo bad, haha. This past week we have been without water, plus our reserve has already gone dry too. Soo... Today is the first day Iºve showered in 4 days.... Yes mother, I know what you are probably thinking, hahaha. Donºt worry though, Iºve been using deodorant!

  Hahaha, everything has been going really great though, Iºve been finding a lot more happiness lately after realizing that Iºve kind of just been in the missionary mode. It was almost like coming out of a daydream. There is no real excuse for falling into that rut but Iºm repenting at least, hahaha. Caring more about the people than caring about the pressure being put on your back to reach the numbers. Always staying awake to what truly matters is pretty important, well very important, well actually essencial. You can loosely connect it to when the apostles were fishing on the boat and couldnºt catch anything. Hours of no success to have someone say try the other side. Haha, the ocean is huge and the boat is tiny so you could ask any fisherman and they would just laugh and say it wouldnºt matter but these apostles tried anyway. We can do the same thing in two ways, the exact same thing with 2 different results: 1. keep living or... 2. Start truly living as we follow the Lordºs command to fish on the other side (no difference at all just a different understanding, a different attitude)

  This past week an Area Seventy from Europe spoke to the islanders of Sal which was then broadcasted to Boa Vista (Yay for technology!). He said a lot of interesting things of course. Iºll share something this next week. Got to go, Iºm sorry again that this email still is not good!!!

I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just had a revelation come to me! I canºt believe that I didnºt think of this before! Good thing God is perfectly smart so he can help those who are perfect at forgetting things, like Mother and I.

  I could send you a part of my email to President so you can get more indepth of what is going on in the work. Weºll try it out and see how it is. 

(President Mathews,

This past week a lot of heavenly gifts have been given from our loving Heavenly Father. Even if we pray all day and night to Him we would still be unprofitable servants for everything that He has given us, haha. One of the most obvious miracles this past week: we have gone from only 4 dates marked to 17, and it has been great to see how our faith has increased. It has been something we have needed to repent for: caring more about what investigators would think of us rather than truly caring about what God thinks of us. As we have been trying hard to reach our goals we have been given more people that have been prepared by the Lord. It was great to see an increase in church attendance. We will be focusing on teaching these progressing investigators in the homes of members that can help them even more. We should begin to see baptisms again in the area of Barraca. The division with the APºs was a great way to ºwake upº the area and we will do our best to continue going in this direction. Do all within our circle of control and be in a spirit of prayer and fasting for the things outside of our control.
I had the opportunity to talk to Elder Biddulph today and he has really helped me understand the enemy and understand the weapons that God has given to me and so with this knowledge we have decided that our little calls our done but if I need to call him for extra support than I can. It has been great to recieve the support from you as well, President. We also enjoyed your talks that you and your wife gave at the District Conference.
Elder Hughes is also doing better and we are teaching with a lot more unity recently. Everything is going in a good direction and so I will try extra hard these days to pour out my heart in gratitude to Him, our loving Teacher.

Elder Judd)

June 22, 2015

Iºm so sorry that this week Iºm not able to send a big email. I spent a lot of time with a couple people that really needed it. I love you. Iºm doing great! It is so great to here from you. I hope you get the journal soon. Iºm sorry again about the email. I promise though that next week will be better! I know I suck, ahaha.

Ate proxima semana!

Elder Judd

June 15, 2015

DAD!

HAPPY EARLY FATHERºS DAY!!! YOU ARE LITERALLY THE BEST DAD IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD!!!! AND I LOVE YOU SOOO MUCH!!!!!! I just wanted to tell you that because I mean it with all the bones, fibers, and fat in my body! I wonºt even trash talk you in this letter is how much I love you! 

  Dad, I wish you could just see yourself from my eyes, when I say you are the best dad in the world I literally mean this: I donºt know how God blessed me enough to put me under your loving care while we were in the premortal existance but I could literally work all my days for you and would still be an unprofitable servant. There are great people in the world but I would trade my dad for the world. Literally the whole world doesnºt even compare. Thanks Dad!

ELder Judd

Mother Dearest!

  Her drawing is super great! She is getting more and more talented, haha. You all look so different in the house picture, haha. (oh by the way I sent my journal home a little while ago but it was sent to our old house. So if they owners of the house have my stuff then thatºs why.
  It was so great to get your emailS this week! That sounds like more craziness with the new house! Sheesh! Iºm grateful that I donºt even have to deal with weeds! 

  To answer your questions: 1. well (haha, just kidding, Iºm doing better than just well! This last week was really great!)

2. This week was a miracle week so I kinda am biased towards the miracles, haha. We have just been working as hard as we can with success not as much as it should be in the eyes of the world, haha, and in our own eyes a bit too but God placed some people in our path to help increase our faith. We had a less active lady, Mina, that came to church that we had never heard of before and so when we tried looking for her the next day the Lord has something else in mind. We went to the place where she told us to go and so when we went there we began to ask around where Mina lives, everyone pointed to this one house so we went there and when we knocked on the door she told us to come in. We had brought a big warm peice of coconut bread to say ºsorry we are a little lateº (we were waiting for a member to come with us to help teach the lesson). It was kind of dark in the house but this lady still didnºt look like Mina. After 30 seconds she told us that she isnºt the person we are looking for because Mina doesnºt even live around there. She continued to explain that her name is Onisi and that she had been praying for God to send help to her because she was in serious need of support. All while she was talking you could tell that she had just been crying a lot. She then pulled out her book of mormon out of the dust and told us that she promises to start reading. She says she talked to missionaries a long long time ago. She was so grateful for the small visit. I was grateful as well, that I was able to follow the spirit and get that delicious coconut bread for her, hahaha. Truly all was in the plan of God. All glory to Him.

  The next day we passed by her and listened to her tell us what had just happened that day. She decided to pray for guidance before she picked up her book of mormon to read a little. Right as she began reading in the book she was interrupted by a phone call... it was the bank manager saying that a miracle had just happened and they were able to resolve the problem with a very large sum of money that had been in question. She has been trying to resolve this problem for many many months by this point. She is able to send enough money to her child in Praia so they can live without hunger. She bore the sweetest testimony about how she knows the love of God for His children.

3. Some investigators are passing through txeu kuza. Or in other words, are really struggling. We struggle right along with them because it is so hard to see and watch them turn to the things of the world rather than to the things of God. Don, right before his baptism got in a really big fight with his ex-wife and is now back into drinking and smoking. A member offended him so he says he will never come back to church. That is just one of the many examples of things that are just so heartbreaking to see. 

4. Yes, of course I know you love me soooo much! You all do such an incredible job of not just telling me but showing me. I can feel it everyday, I hope YOU know that. I love you all as well. I love you so so much! To the moon and back a billion times. 

  I had a moment while reading Mosiah 2, 3, and 4. I realized how absolutely and disgustingly ungrateful I have been to the sacrafices that you and Dad have made to make it possible for me to be out here. Paying for over half of my mission and paying for any other fees that occur. That is not all because it is dwarfed by the level of sacrifices that you have always made for me before the mission. It blows my mind, especially with how willing you both are in making these sacrifices. I know you donºt want me to apologize but Iºm sorry that I wasnºt more grateful before the mission. Always asking for money to go on dates or be with friends and  probably never turning back while running out the door just to say a simple ºthank youº. So if it isnºt too late, I want to tell you with my whole heart and soul: Thank you Mom and Dad!

 

Iºll pray for the Robertºs family. Also, how did Parker like Kodiak, did he go? Is he doing, okay? He is such a nice Brother, he always tells me how Iºm his hero and it makes me feel so much love from him. I love him so much. I Even if the progress is tiny it is still progress. Iºve been doing good though, I am so much more patient with myself which is a really wonderful blessing from God. Even when I wasnºt as patient with myself I was still really happy, which sounds weird but it is true. I am even happier now, telling the truth and being open about it really helps.

Love, Elder Judd

LAST house picture

June 8, 2015

....Wow.... That is so much going on! How can you handle it all?? Haha, I guess that you have a lot of practice... A lot!

Iºm so glad that Parker had such a great time at conference. He looks like a European, hahaha. I see a lot of tourists that look just like him, haha. I met a Nigerian named Harrison, it caught me off guard, haha, because that is so not a Nigerian name. Well, Iºm so sorry that I donºt have much time to send you an actual email, You should get my journals in about a month. 

  Haha, it is cool that we wonºt be in such a big house. I would literally not be able to handle it when I will get back. I sent a longer email to your husband this week so you can all read that one as well.  I love you so much sweet mother. I pray for you all specifically multiple times per day and the Lord has blessed me with the ability to never let my love for you all turn into longing to get out of the mission feild. 

(Do you remember the talk from this last conference where he compared everything to instruments and music? That one was super good)

Thanks so much for all your loving support! I love you forever Iºll like you for always as long as youºre living my mommy youºll be.

Elder Judd

This photo was taken at the perfect moment to capture my true natural beauty, haha.

oh also, Elder Conway, my super amazing MTC comp. just got transfered to Fogo. It has been so fun to be on such a tiny island with him for so long. We have become best friends! I already miss him because I probably wonºt see him at all for the rest of my mission but it was such a blessing to be on Boa Vista together again.

and... Elder Drawe, will be having his homecoming in a couple months in Saint George and so you are all invited to that, haha. It is obviously super far away but he said he will talk about me in his talk, haha. He will come up and visit you guys a little while after he comes home, I just wanted to let you know. (:

Have a maybe less crazy week!

Elder Judd

My great Dad,

  Hahaha, please donºt apologize for not writing me this past week. Thanks. Because where was my email to you last week? Doesnºt exist, haha, and I understand how crazy life is these days. Iºm sorry that I havenºt been giving the weekly emails to update about everything like I used to. Well, it was so great to get your email! It had such timeless wisdom and priceless advice in it.
  Everything has been going great out here. In terms of my happiness, Iºm really really happy. It is bittersweet how fast the time flies by though. The work was quite hard this last week. We havenºt had a baptism in a long time and our super solid baptism fell shortly before his baptism. His ex-wife just randomly moved back in with him, it literally came out of nowhere. But we are happy because that just means there is a possibility of helping them get married and then baptized. Life is so much better when we think outside the box in a positive way. 

  My companion and I will be together for at least another transfer and I am so grateful for it because this last week is when we really became great friends. He is a lot happier lately and it is fun to be friends rather than just companions. I have so much to learn from you, Dad, I love and appreciate your advice so much. I hope you know that. To be honest, I took you so much for granted but Iºve really been seeing lately the life lessons you have taught me that are helping me out so much! 

  Elder Drawe, my first companion in Cape Verde and best friend, is going to be opening up a new area here in Cabo Verde. A city that has SOOO many people in it and has always been mysteriously kept closed... for no apparent reason. Well, now my trainer is opening it with the last AP, super great news!

Well, Dad, I just want you to know without a doubt that I love you so much, Dad. Donºt ever doubt that for a second. Love you!!!! (: 

Elder Judd 

June 1, 2015

This week was so much fun! We are still working as hard as we can but I love every second of it! My companion is doing sooooooooo much better! It makes me so happy to see! The branch will be having a baptism this next week for a wise nigerian man named Don. God led us to him only about a week and a half ago but he is so humble and ready to follow God. He recieved his answer that the Book of Mormon is true through his dreams (which is the way 75% of people recieve their answer from God here in most African countries, it is very interesting) and he reads everything that we leave for him. I know a lot of Nigerians here and so I am asking how to say basic phrases in their tribal language of Ebu...(I donºt know how to spell the name of the language)

  I hope that everything is doing alright back at home, I pray for you all multiple times a day. I will be sending my journal home either this week or next week so you will get a ton of information (still havenºt missed a day yet). I love you all with all my heart and hope that this week goes wonderfully. I canºt believe it is already summer! Parker is going to be a Senior and Kennedi is in High School! I just have a quick question.... and I feel terrible asking it: what day is Dadºs birthday again? I could make up some excuse why I forgot my own fatherºs birthday but regardless of anything... I still forgot it. 

  Love you, Mother!

Elder Judd

May 25, 2015

.... What? Marin is getting married? That is too weird!!! Here she wouldnºt get married if she lived in Cape Verde until she was over 50 years old.  Oh yeah I forgot to tell you, I started writing this girl from Brasil that is friends with one of the Brazilian missionaries here. Her name is Lucinda and weºve decided we are getting married in the Recife temple...

  Just kidding! Iºm not writing any brazilians and anyways my heart is locked up like Fort Knox. Sorry, I just have a bad habit of making dumb jokes and seeing how you would react. I can imagine how you reacted and it was pretty funny, haha.

  Donºt worry at all about the package, silly. I donºt really need any packages at all. Donºt even worry about it until you have tons of free time and are bored. Iºm actually really glad that I might be coming home to a new house, it will be good overall. Iºve been praying a lot for our family and for the Lockºs and Edwardºs. 

  Haha, I really am loving it as much as I say, dead serious.  My comp. is still struggling but is doing slightly better overall. It has kind of changed though. He acts like he doesnºt like me but I know deep down he actually does, ahah. Today I made his bed then I come back in the room two seconds later to see that he purposely unfolded the blanket and made a mess of his bed. I smiled to myself as I made it again. I soon came back in and found it messed up again. After repeating the process one more time for good luck I decided that maybe he doesnºt like the way a neat bed looks. The blankets flow better and are more artistic when it isnºt made. He wonºt really talk to me or stay in the same room as me but Iºve learned so much from him. Mostly about my own faults but amazingly I havenºt gotten discouraged about it. All because of the Lord. My companion really has one of the biggest hearts and does such a great job of not exploding when he frequently is about to, haha, even if that means locking himself in the bathroom for a solid half hour. Haha, Iºve never had as many lessons as we did this past week, 35 lessons taught overall. He is very obedient and willing to work really hard. Even though I like just focusing on his weaknesses in this email I know that the Lord put us together because he can help me in a way no one else can. He really is such a great companion.

  It makes me so happy to hear that everything is crazily normal. I love you so much, Mother and Father! I hope you got a couple laughes out of this email because we all need to laugh and smile more. Thanks for everything!

Your dork son,

Elder Judd

May 18, 2015

M.O.M.,

  Well, it still hasnºt changed: I still love you and am still so grateful for all the emails you so faithfully send me. I have fasted twice for Parker and have been praying for him like crazy! And I couldnºt be more happy to hear that he is doing well and will be able to go back to school tomorrow. I had my whole district praying for him as well, haha. Anyways, to answer some questions you have in life:

-choose to be a temple worker, haha, just kidding. The Lord will decide but Iºm just bias.

-keep trying to downsize if you feel it is the Lordºs will and the Lord will recognize your efforts and desires and will bless you with a smaller.

-I have not read those talks but if you could send them I can take a pic with my camera of the computer screen and read it later. I have to ask a monumental favor: because it is so hard to get good church resources here could you send me a flashdrive with lots and lots of your favorites talks that could help missionaries or could help Cabo Verdeanos? Anything about breaking tradition, one true church, and stuff like that would be extra appreciated. I feel SOOO terrible for always just asking instead of just giving and anything I say is only a suggestion if you want to and have time to.

-My week was super great. the last couple days have been hard though. My companion is really really having a hard time staying happy in his mission. Please pray for Elder Hughes, he needs it so badly. Iºm keeping in touch with President though and so I know that my comp. will be able to become happier and more open on his mission. 

-The branch president likes the missionaries again so the island is good, haha. (he was just trying to cancel one of our baptisms but we went ahead with it anyways and so he was Super mad at us. He is super super super awesome so he forgave and forgot really quickly though.)

-We still have some glasses so I think we should be good. Maybe my next area though, Iºm sure it would be a super huge help to change so many lives. People need to be able to see to be able to read the best book in the world! Thanks again, from the bottom of my heart, for sending those glasses. Also if you could send an 8g flashdrive in the next package that would be super awesome, along with the new journal. I already finished my last one so Iºll be sending that to you next week. 

-Go ahead with your sleeping-in plan. I sleep in every single day to whatever hour I want! Except that hour always happens to be 6:30 weirdly enough...

-That was news to me to hear about the Bangerters! Iºm super happy and excited for them!!! What mission in Brasil? Because all the Portuguese speaking countries have connections and so I might know a few people in their mission possibly. Brasil, where they speak pure, pretty, and perfect portuguese! Super cool!

-That is super great to hear about RS! Iºm sure it has been great to have a little more time to focus on that now that Womenºs Conference is over.

-Also, I heard that Baltimore had some insane rioting going on and that Elder Leavitt had to be moved from his area.

I love you so much, Parents! And entire family! Iºm especially proud of you Parker! Can you believe how fast time has gone?? 

-Elder Judd

May 11, 2015

Christi!

  Mother I love you, mother I do, Father in Heaven has sent me to you, when I am near you I love to hear you singing so softly that you love me too. Mother I love you, I love you, I do.

  Mom, donºt you worry at all about the conversation last night. I couldnºt have been more happy!! But Iºm sorry to inform you that I do Not have a weird accent... it must have just been my cold or the webcam. Haha, anyways, I hope you know that Iºve been praying extra hard for the family! Everything will turn all just as it is supposed to which will be good, so donºt worry. I didnºt really know about his surgery beforehand. So much more serious than I was thinking! I really feel bad for not being nicer to Parker last night, I canºt even imagine what he is going through. 

  (sorry, to ask this of you but Iºm in real need of another journal. Could send two this time, that would be a major blessing! Iºll be sending one home really soon. Also if you have Jackson Aubreyºs email, thanks!)

The reading glasses have made such an amazing impact. Within the first 3 days of that package being opened most of the glasses were already gone and given out to well deserving people. The people here (all the members too) told me to tell the Judd family thank you so much for blessings their lives. Even though we are far away this people loves you so much! Thanks for everything mother!

May Father give you all the bounteous blessings you deserve!

Elder Judd

(We ended up talking to him all squished into the ER room at Primary Childrens because Parker has some major complications from his surgery and had to be readmitted. What a blessing modern technology is! We grabbed the computer on our way to the hospital)

May 4, 2015

Mother!

  It will be so great to hear all about womens conference during Christmas... because we canºt call anymore on motherºs day, sorry.

Hahaha, Iºm SO mean! Just kidding! So Iºm thinking that we will be doing skype at around 3 our time which should be around 10am your time, I believe. Life sounds light it has been more than crazy. But it makes me SOOOOO happy to hear that Womenºs conference was such a good experience. (Elder Conway just told me that his family told him that Sister Nelson talked about his brother in her talk. When she was talking about a missionary from Armenia that is Elder Conwayºs brother... so many connections!)
Anyways, Life is great with me. My comp. Elder Fontes, has great health now and is happy in Praia. Then my new companion is relatively new in the mission and has just completed his 12 week training. Iºve grateful for this opportunity to be senior companion and even though it is my first time having a responsibility like this it has been such a blessing. Elder Hughes and I have gone through really similar life experiences and are already really great friends! 

 
  My new comp, Elder Hughes (from Las Vegas), is really into running so Iºve been going for early morning long distance sprints with him. I just love how relaxing it is to feel like my legs will fall off or my lungs will burst into flames, haha. So I would like to share a scripture or two with you, mother, that applies to how crazy life has been lately. It is like running a race!

-1 Corinthians 9:24-27 really we can all win the prize and it just matters that we cross the finish line. 

-In a talk by Sis. Dalton(?) she talks about her running a race and her recieving the rally cry of ªgo Utahª,ªyou can do it Utahª,etc. and isnºt it such a blessing to have great support groups?? 

-In this race Christ is running right next to us, helping us along. Some people think that when we canºt go any farther and fall that he will pick us up and carry us through the finish line. But this is Not how it works, Christ doesnºt just make up the difference... he makes all the difference. ºBy grace we are saved after all we can doº does not mean at the finish line. If all we can do is take one more step this is when His enabling power (grace) will be sufficient. By grace we are saved after each step in the race.

Love your little baby,

Elder Judd

April 20, 2015

 Dad,

Marriage is still the biggest problem. People here in Boa Vista are from all over Africa and everywhere really so some of the people from mainland Africa are more humble and get married easier but their documents are super hard to get over and so Cape Verde government makes it really hard for them to get married, ugh. The islands are quite different though, yes, and I love the diversity here though, it is definetly not as catholic as Tarrafal was but there are a lot of muslims here. It is funnier that my comp is a cape verdean but it can be harder at times too but I would say overall it is easier that he is a native. 

  Please pray for Du and Natalino because they are preparing for marriage but making these changes in their lives is a big deal. Please pray for Parker and Harrison with more hope and frequency. Please pray for my companion, Elder Fontes. Please pray for the other elderºs investigator, Antonia, that she may be comforted in her decision to be baptized. That is the most help that you can do for me, Dad. Thanks so much Dad! I love you soooooooooo much!!!!!

Your #1 fan, 

Elder Judd 

April 27, 2015

ºGod is a God of miraclesº as Iºm sure we have all heard many times: itºs true. I heard something else though that we donºt hear very often we, as missionaries, are Godºs investigators. ºOurº investigators are not even ours but are also Godºs, haha. I learned this lesson this past week in a way that I cannot and will not ever forget.
  Having the amazing opportunity to be on the tiny island of Boa Vista is such a blessing but on the downside it is very isolated and ºout-of-touchº with the rest of Cabo Verde. Everything was going great until my companion started having tooth pain, which is one of the reasons this miracle happened. We had to travel to Praia, the capitol city, where there are 200,000 people, half of the whole nationºs population. Itºs a big city in perspective. So we got there not knowing with whom we would be spending the night (nor did they). We then got the results that my companion would need 2 root canal surgeries... haha, the miracle isnºt about him having his teeth healed but something that happened because his teeth were destroyed.
  That night we found out where we were staying and split up with those elders working in that area. I had already known that Elder and so we went to our appointment... but he just had this smurk on his face like he was hiding something. When we got to the house the lady kindly let us in with her crioule distinctly from the northern islands. Anyways, after a minute of small talk she asks if she should call Jacinto in.... then I knew why this Elder had the smurk on his face. Jacinto. One of the Lordºs Recent Converts that I was blessed to help to baptism in Tarrafal. My best friend in all of Cape Verde! He came walking in the door to see me in his sisterºs house and what a miracle it was. He lives 2 hours, by car, from the capitol and would only be spending one day there. We had come many many hours from Boa Vista and I would only be spending one day there as well! And we just ºhappenedº to go to the same house within 5 minutes of each other without the knowledge of the other! There are miles and miles of apartments stacked next to each other on top of each other and every which way. Literally 1 in 100 million chance, maybe more. I could go on and on but it sufficieth to say that this lesson was the most spiritual lessons I have ever had the priviledge of feeling in my life. The Elder told me that it was all just one of the Lordºs ºcoincidencesº He makes, haha. I had never gotten to say goodbye to him and give him my tie he asked for because I had to leave in such a hurry so as we were sitting down in that lesson I took off my tie and fulfilled my promise. The rest of the night I had no tie but people wouldnºt notice, my smile was too big and too distracting.

  Then this Elder took me up to the highest point in Praia and didnºt allow me to see the night view until he sat me on a ledge of an abandoned building with my feet hanging hundreds of feet above the houses below. When I lifted up my head I saw all the lights but as we began talking the lights became blurred as tears filled my eyes. This Elder thanked me for my help and example and told me he was talking to some other missionaries the day before about the most wise things he has ever heard. He told the others, ºIt was what Elder Judd told me when I asked him how he was doing, really asked him, he said with a smile, ªBetter than I deserveª.º We prayed over the city. Full of sin and confusion but so full of great people and laughter.

Elder Judd

April 13, 2015

Dear Mother,

  I first off just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your concern and your prayers. I have felt more spiritual strength than I ever have before, perhaps even in my entire life. I have been SOO incredibly happy this past week! It has been great! 

  Right now I am actually in Praia... just found out my companion has to get a root canal procedure done on two teeth... ouch! He doesn't know what a root canal is so I had to tell him that it will probably hurt a little. Yeah, we thought we'd just be here a day but it looks like will be here for at least a week.

  Boa Vista has some really good grocery stores, they even have shaving cream here! I've just been using ''some water on the face'' technique for the past while, haha. I've been eating a lot healthier to be honest (the picture I sent you is me in Tarrafal... I was barely puffing out, serious!) 

  Yeah, I love my companion! He is such a funny guy, basically all cape verdeans are really funny. Sometimes I lose my patience with him but it isn't because of him it is because of me. He has such a pure heart though.

  I haven't gotten the package you've sent yet but I will one day, haha. You don't need to worry about me, mother, I'm 19 years old. Today I wasn't even afraid to ask for directions when we were lost in Praia, haha, because I'm a big boy now.

  I've lost my voice because my companion loves singing and so we have been nonstop singing for the past few days. I'm dead serious when I say I've lost my voice. (it makes me smile everytime because my companion is tone-deaf, haha.)

  Love you all so very much!

Elder Judd

March 30, 2015

Hi Mom!

  How are you doing? How is the ward? How is our family? How is BYU? Is it warming up there? How is the house? Why is your jacket so big? (that last one was from the movie ELF if you were wondering, haha) Just kidding, mom, I would love to answer your questions.

-We will be broadcasting the womenºs meeting this weekend

-We get conference on the computer, download it, play it on the plasma TV we have.

-Branch of 50 active members and we meet in a nice rented out building.

-No idea on the Population but it is small when you subtract all the tourists, haha

-We run every morning (my companion used to run A TON before the mission so he works me well, haha), we study, teach in our area, have lunch, then teach in our area some more, then we go home, then plan, then sleep, and I LOVE every second of it!

-There is plenty to keep busy in our area! We donºt spend very long in the street because we usually walk a little ways and then we are in another personºs house teaching them. We have about 25ish lessons to investigators every week.

-I ABSOLUTELY LOVE my companion! He is such a funny guy! He cracks me up just thinking about him right now, haha. I love every cape verdean Iºve met. 

-Our apartment is great! It is on the 5th floor so the stairs are helping my belly and the view. It has a lot of broken stuff and we take bucket showers with no actually shower just the drain in the bathroom and we only have running water about half the time and light goes out sometimes but I still love it! My bed is super comfortable too!

-It hasnºt been hot, it has been perfect! I actually have worn my cardigan a few times already, never thought I would have to do that!

-No, haha, those were the shoes of a missionary who has already gone home, my shoes are still holding up like champs! It is way easy to walk in the sand and not get my shoes dirty too.

-Worst part of Boa Vista is personal problems and the best part is working in the Barraka. We find miracle people so often! It is so different and SO much easier in that sense than Tarrafal.

I am in need of three things

1. a 4g pendrive or an 8g pendrive (they are SOOO expensive here in Boa Vista especially)

2. A new Journal (yes, Iºve already gone through another one, haha, I hope youºll enjoy this next one)

3. and, if possible, some easy to ship magnifying glasses because I would say about 1\2 of our investigators have bad eyesight and donºt have the money to go get eye glasses. It would be wonderful if we could get quite a few because this will open up the door for a lot of people. 

4. Your prayers especially, Iºm in need of extra help to overcome something in my life.

March 23rd 2015

Dear Family,

  Week after week it never ceases to amaze me the love that I can feel from each one of you. I stand as a testimony that parents can say exactly what their children need to hear. It is incredible. Thank you Dad. Thank you Mom. This past week here in Boa Vista has been incredible and seems to have gone by faster than the 30 minute plane ride over to this island, haha. 

  I work in the Barraka... or the Hole, in other words. It is the shanty town, more or less, of the island but the hearts of these people are rich! Many people from mainland Africa, the island of Santiago, and tourists. They are all tied together by crioule...except the tourists... I need to love them more... it is just harder to do that, haha. 

  My comp, Elder Fontes, and I have become super great friends already and I know that this companionship is going to be awesome! I played soccer for the first time on my mission just a few days ago. The outcome was very predictable in that I was terrible but it was equal in that it was terribly fun. Then I got to teach the English Class of about 15 people. We played head, shoulders, knees and toes at the end, and even though Iºm not very original it was still really fun! Before it started this european showed up and began talking to me (english with a Czech accent) telling me that he found a couple cape verdeans that would like to learn english so he brought them to the class. He then told me that he brought food for the class too! My companion has been here for 5 months and hasnºt ever seen this guy. The thought came to my mind: whether this guy is sent from God or not he is still an angel to these people. He was taught english in the Czech Republic by Elders and then came here to try and help out others and even though he isnºt a member of the church yet he is an incredible man with an incredible story!

  

  So much sand here, but to say, ºthis island is only sandº would be unfair, there are a few trees. They dig their roots below the sand into the fresh water that is all over this island, just buried. Something nobody would ever think. In Jeremiah 17:7-8 (please read) we can see that these trees will be able to withstand the scorching sun that beats upon their green leaves. They will stand unfazed, healthy, and as testimonies of the living water buried under the things of the earth. The roots must push past the tough things of the world to reach the water. As must we. And it all starts with a seed. The seed(personºs faith) must study the holy scriptures, pray, and feel the spirit in church or it will be like the seed in Alma 32:38. It must stand in holy places, (and regardless of where we are in the world we can do this) or it will have the same fate as in verse 39. With patience, verse 41, this simple seed can grow into a tree of life. With its sweet fruits bringing joy to all those who taste them.

  But seeds are so small, so cheap, and not indespensible at all. How do they have worth if not in large numbers? ~ºCompared to God we are nothing but TO God we are everything.º (translated from portuguese, sorry) -Elder Utchdorf.

  Even though this world seems to be falling to ruins, becoming desolate, there are green trees everywhere. We need to get our head out of the sand and enjoy the beauty of the good people that are all over the world. They are the green trees. 

I love you all!

Elder Judd

Contact info

Cape Verde Mission Office Address(letters)

Elder Chandler James Judd

Cape Verde Praia Mission

Caixa Postal 420

Praia, Ilha de Santiago

Sao Tiago

Cape Verde

Package address

Elder Chandler James Judd

Cape Verde Praia Mission

Rua Povoacao Velha #17

Palmarejo, Ilha de Santiago

420 Praia

Cape Verde