August 17, 2015

Jonathan,

How was Your week? I really hope that it was as great or even better than mine! Iºm totally settled in now and I LOVE my companion and my area! The most beautiful area so far! Our apartment has everything! Hot water! Even water period is a blessing! Also it has a fan and it is really big and beautiful. From our window we see out over a good portion of the city and all the sheer cliff faces on either side of us. Plus we can hear the ocean if the parties die down, haha. 

  The rains have kinda started. Driving from the highest point of Santo Antao down we literally were above the clouds and had to drive down through them. They were full of water and really cool. The sisters in the district were freezing, haha. 

  I canºt wait for you both to meet Elder Drawe, he can tell you some amazing stories! He is an incredible, basically legendary, missionary. (haha, that dream is kinda funny)

  While you are in the US with that trial I am over here with 6 weeks (consecutive) where not one investigator has come to church. It is kind of unheard of for someone to not have ANY investigators on any given week let alone 6 weeks in a row. To be 100% honest, I am Perfectly content with the work we did this past week to find prepared people and bring all our investigators to church and so even if our number was zero, Iºm happy. 

  As long as you are doing what is in YOUR circle of control than you should be happy, even though Iºm sure it is super tough. Dad, you are the number one example of hard worker. I love you so much and canºt wait to see you cry after our next ping pong game, haha.

Your son Forever and ever,

Elder Judd

August 10, 2015 Cute outfit

Christi!

  You know how I always call you by your first name? Christi! Few people call their parents by their first name but you know why I always did? Because I know that you are the most Christlike person that I know. I love you. Iºm trying to develop my Christi-like qualities every day. My Patriarchal Blessing tells me the rather obvious fact that I have been born unto a King and Queen of the most High God. It blows my mind to think that I got placed under the care of you, how did I get so lucky? The blessings also tells me of the blessings that will come from getting to know you and the stories of your life better... I definitely could and should do a better job at that, but that is why it was sooo wonderful seeing those pictures you sent me. Haha, they were really touching both to my heart strings and my laugh box, haha. 

  My companion and I are working really hard but we havenºt had an investigator come to church, not one, in over a month. Before this area Iºve always had investigators show up and now it has been a month without them, haha, but the Lord is blessing us with the excitement and happiness to keep going and working even harder. If we get down on ourselves where is the fun in that? ... Iºve tried looking for it but have never found it, haha. 

  FYI, I have forgotten how to speak english as well. I have to have my comp type my emails for me. 

  Haha, short little story: We were traveling back from Zone Meeting to Santo Antao and we missed our boat. The next one was supposed to leave at 5:30 but didnºt leave until almost 9 o clock. So we finally got to the island but after that a 1 hr bus ride to our area persued. We got home at almost midnight. Hahaha, on the bus ride a boyfriend and girlfriend got in a hideous fight and the bus driver had to stop the bus to break it up. The whole bus chanted to kick them off the bus. He then had the descision to let them stay or walk into the night. He chose to be merciful and not listen to the crowd, unlike Pilate. The rest of the drive ... no more time. Love you

August 3, 2015

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PARKER AND ISABELLE!!!

  I HOPE YOUR BIRTHDAYS ARE WORTHY OF ALL CAPS!!! I WANT YOU BOTH TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE BOTH BEDJU! WHICH IS CRIOULE FOR REALLY OLD! I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU!!!!!! EVEN THOUGH I AM KINDA FAR AWAY I CAN STILL CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY!!! AND GOOD JOB ISABELLE AND BEING A GENIUS AND GIVING YOURSELF A PARTY!!! 

  I CANºT BELIEVE HOW OLD YOU ARE BECOMING! YOU ARE GROWING UP TOO FAST!

PARABENS!!!

ELDER JUDD

MORE July 27, 2015

Daddy!!!

  Iºm in a strange land where I donºt understand the language! I have just been transported back to my first transfers, haha. The crioule here is the hardest crioule in Cabo Verde and Iºve only been on islands that speak Bidyu (there are 2 types: bidyu and sanpajud, both of those were spelled incorrectly, fyi, aahaha) and now I am trying to understand the other one. Haha, it is great though, I canºt still handle myself easily enough though. 

  I am ABSOLUTELY LOVING it here!!!!!! I absolutely loved my old area but this area just canºt be beat!!! It is so different and so beautiful! Well, to answer your question... everything is different about this island! It is going to be getting real green when the rain comes here shortly. Boa Vista has peoples from all over africa but Santo Antao is just people from Santo Antao (there are very few jews and muslims here though) The church is basically the same island to island in regards to the way they believe, haha, but they are so different at the same time. 

  I am working with a branch that has about 20 people and is really struggling but the people are super awesome. My companion is super awesome as well! He is just getting out of training and has a good desire to work and is humble enough to learn the large amount he still has to learn. His name is Elder Karl and he is from Canada. Yes, he does say ºehº a lot, haha. But even though we have sooo much work ahead of us here in this area we are so grateful for the Lordºs loving guidance, eh?

  I was just reading in the war chapters of Alma and in Alma 56:27 I was instantely reminded of you, Dad. You are my support, the reason Iºm still going. I am not afraid in this battle against evil, why? because of my parents examples. I know you know that God exists and he will protect our family. It is hard to see siblings break off from the righteous traditions of their fathers but the modern prophets have taught us the sealing power due to righteous parents is stronger than we can now comprehend. I love you sooooo much and pray for you constantly! Haha, the Lordºs will is always done and it is always a good will, well, actually a perfect will, haha. Love you!!!

ELder Judd

July 27, 2015

Pictures by Isabelle

Hahahaha, that is super great!!!!

I was in English Class a couple weeks ago and an investigators little daughter (who reminds me of Isabelle) made me... no, she Forced me to draw this hand house just the way she wanted it, hahaha. So that is such a coincidence that now our whole hand family can move into the new hand house, haha. 

  Also Isabelle, I just wanted to say that I heard the song ºLove is an open doorº a few days ago. That is our song! Our duet was so great!!! Do you remember when you fell of the table and wouldnºt sing with me more? (: I love you sweet Isabelly!!!

Dear Christi Judd,

  Haha, tooooo many things happened this first week to tell about them all. Iºll tell most of them in these next weeks though. 

  The card wasnºt in the package when I first quickly looked but I can look again really well just to double check. It is crazy to hear about Elijah and Treven! I can barely believe it really!

  This next package would be super great if you achasdkf as kfajskdf asdjkfja liwej. If you could send that for me I would be SOOO happy!!! I mean I just love alksdj asd kj!!!! Haha, but really it would be super appreciated if I could get a small picture of Christ getting baptized. (an investigator stole my picture I used to use). And maybe an updated photo of the family with a picture of stefano included. (or if you can find a picture with all of us and stefano that would be ideal) Haha, because I only have one picture of our family and it is getting a little dirty, haha.  

  Mother, I love you so much! You can read dadºs email too. Anyways, there is a man named Antonio that said he really needs our whole church to pray for him these days and so that reminded me of the prayer roll in the temple if you could put in Antonioºs name that would make all the difference in the world. Thanks! 

  This past week we took a truck up and over the mountain to another little town where quite a few members live and it is really green and lush up there. So as we were walking we decided to go down this tiny little path that most people would have not noticed because the foliage was blocking the entrance a bit. We decided to go down this little path for a little while until we found a house with some people outside. We began talking to them... of course. Anyways, I asked the younger woman there if she was a teacher. She was caught completely off guard and replied ºyeah! Why??º ... I had known her in Tarrafal (santiago). About 8 months ago I was a little young missionary and we were walking in the street and decided to talk to a lady, she said she was from Santo Antao and so I understood nothing else that she said... until she started talking in english because that is what she teaches. Anyways, she was really great but after a while of trying to teach her she moved houses (out of the blue) and we were never able to find her again in Tarrafal. Then in the most random, deep, unlikely place in all of Cabo Verde and we find her again. It was super incredible! We then helped for the next hour carry sand (it is black here in Santo Antao) and dump it by their house. We carried it on our shoulders while the little girls were carrying WAY more on their heads! Anyways, in the attached picture she is on the far left. 

  Haha, in church on sunday the branch president came up to me during the sacrament hymn and told me that I would be giving a 20 minute talk on ºFastingº because the speakers didnºt show up. Haha, I gladly gave it but just thought it was really funny the way he asked, haha. Anyways, whether there are 200 members or 20 members church is still such an uplifting experience. Mother, you are doing a great job. You need to be told that more, much more. You are doing a fantastic job at motherhood. You will always be a mother and for that fact I will always be grateful for you and will always love you. 

Bigger and more gigantic hugs!!!

Elder Judd 

July 20, 2015 Santo Antao!!!

Mother Dearest!!!

  I have just traveled for the past two days and have just now got to my new area here in........ Santo Antao!!!!!! My life has completely changed, hahaha! I am in Ribeira Grande and President told me that it is his favorite area in the whole mission... which makes sense because it is absolutely incredible here! (I canºt figure out how to send pics from this cyber so maybe next week)

  I told you that this next email would be a really long one and I plan on keeping my promise! So back in Boa Vista my companion and I had become absolute best friends (Elder Hughes and I) and then he got transfered to Fogo and I got transfered to Santo Antao (another of the islands that most missionaries never get to be on, which I feel really blessed to be here in Santo Antao)

  While I was in Praia yesterday I got to do a division with my last companion, Elder Fontes (from Assomada, Santiago) and while we were out in the back streets of Praia, wondering what we will eat tonight for dinner, a pomba (dove) fell from the sky and landed right in front of us. The owner was nowhere to be found and so there was nothing to do but take it. We later went home and killed the dove and cooked it and ate it. Even though it didnºt have a ton of meat it was enough for us.

  I got the package that you sent dear mother! Thanks doesnºt even cut it! Double thank you! TRIPLE thank you!!! Just what I needed right when I needed it.  

  Well, I feel like the most blessed person on earth. The best family in the world, the best mission in the world, what more could anyone want?? I could never be grateful enough to my parents, siblings, and to God.

I was just thinking the other day about how you always cared so much about me to make any sacrifice for me. All these memories came flooding into my mind in that moment. Swimming lessons, piano lessons, tennis lessons, soccer teams, act prep, school help. You have giving me anything I could have every dreamed of.

Love you ALL!

Elder Judd

July 13, 2015 It's a monkey!

I. Canºt. Believe. It. SORRY!

  The computer has been acting weird and so I donºt have the time to send you and Dad the emails that you both so incredibly deserve. I just want you to know that I have been praying a lot for you to find a job, dad. Sometimes I have to be really careful to not boast in my parents but instead to boast in God. 

  Next week, without a doubt I will send you the longest email that you have ever recieved!

  I had my 1 year mark this past week and it was literally just like any other day. I may have been out for over a year but it still hasnºt caught up yet. Well, I have to go. I love you so much!!!!! I wish I had more time!

I love you Parker, Kennedi, Harrison, Stefano, Sadie, Charlie, Isabelle, Christi, and Jonathan... and anyone else I forgot.

-Elder Judd 

(Here is me with a beautiful monkey from Brasil. She even has her ears pierced, haha. The dudes name is Jonathan and his brotherºs name is Harrison... how weird)