Hey Everyone,

 

It has been a great first week out here in Vista, California. I am serving in the Vista YSA Ward and my new companion is Elder Miles who is from Parkcity, Utah. We are having so much fun and learning quite a lot.

 

Since I am in Vista, there are quite a few Hispanic people who only speak Spanish. I have had to use what little Spanish I do know to talk to them but I have learned a few words and phrases that help to get our message across.

 

I feel like I am a little spoiled though because I am in the YSA Ward my first transfer which means I cover all of the Vista and Fallbrooke area so I have to have a car which is really nice. I also get to go to bbqs every week and have FHE and Book of Mormon read activities.

 

Being here has really humbled me and helped me to realize how blessed I am seeing all of these places where people live that is not in the best of conditions.

 

So the very first day they stuck me out in the field contacting people and that was an interesting experience but now that I look back at it, I am glad that they did that because it forced me to get out of my comfort zone and talk to people on the street. BY the end of the week this week we had contacted 260 people. I now know the importance of talking to everyone.

 

Also my first Sunday in the YSA Ward was pretty interesting considering they made me give a talk. That is always fun but I felt much more prepared to do that since I had already prepared a talk in the MTC and had practiced it.

 

I know that Christ lives and through Him, we can all be cleansed from guilt and pain. I have seen this in my own life and in the lives of those whom I have taught. I also know that by reading the Book of Mormon, we can have peace and joy in our life.

 

Thank you everyone for all of your support and birthday wishes. I love hearing from every one of you!

 

I love you!

 

Love,

Elder Rudd

October 19, 2015


Hey everyone,

I had such a great week at the MTC this past week. I have learned and grown so much. While being here I have learned so much about the Savior and about my purpose as a missionary which is to invite and help others to come unto Christ.

I have learned so much during the TRC program which is where we talk to investigators that can be either real investigators or teachers that are acting like investigators. 

My favorite person is Sharon, she is from Tennessee and has an awesome southern accent. She is a very talkative and strong opinionated person but talking to her and really getting to know her has helped me so much in my teaching skills. We found out that she really loves videos so we showed her a Mormon message and that helped her so much in realizing that the Book of Mormon and the Bible go hand in hand and help to explain each other. One thing that I learned the most is that you have to act on the promptings of the Spirit to be a successful missionary, for instance we were talking with Sharon and she was saying that she did not see that God ever really blessed her because all she could see were the bad things that happened in her life. I had the prompting to have her make a list with all of her blessings with us so that she could see Heavenly Father's hand in her life. I know that is not something that I normally would have thought about and that it is only through the Holy Ghost that those we teach are able to learn.

I know that my Savior lives and that He loves me and He loves every single one of you. I know that through the Atonement we can be made clean again and can feel a sense of peace and joy. I am so happy to be a member of this church and that I am able to serve the Lord for the next two years. The Book of Mormon is another testimony of Christ and I am so thankful for how it has helped to influence my life for the better. 

I love you all and am thankful for all of the emails that y'all have sent me!!

Love,

Elder Rudd

Hey everyone,

My first week at the MTC was amazing!! I learned so much and the Spirit here is something else! I never knew I could feel it this strongly!

I have an awesome district and an even better companionship with Elder Hopkins and Elder Watts. They are such great companions and we all get along very well. We have already had a couple of lessons and have committed one person to be baptized and they said "yes"! 

I love it here so much because of all of the things that I have learned. It has really helped me to get out of my comfort zone as I have had to help teach lessons. Another thing that I learned is that the needs of the person I am teaching is my number one priority.

Thank you to everyone who has emailed me and continue to help support me! 

I can't express enough my love for my Heavenly Father and for the love that he has for every single one of his children. I know that this church is true without a doubt and that by following Christ's example we can bless others lives by helping them receive the restored gospel on the Earth today.

I love you all!

Elder Rudd