Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Hey Everyone,

 

This week was a week that I will never forget! It all started last Monday at FHE. First we had this game where we had to eat these super disgusting jelly beans. They were skunk, soap, barf, etc. tasting. Oh the life of YSA missionaries, we do some of the weirdest things.

 

So the big thing that happened was that I got to be part of a sting operation in which they arrested someone that was schizophrenic and was saying that he was going to commit suicide. That was so much fun and crazy all at the same time, because what we had to do was lure him in by saying that we wanted to discuss some deep doctrine with him. We then went into a room and let him teach us, while someone else called to cops. It felt like an hour before they finally showed up, but when they did he was like, "I knew you called the cops on me." The freaky part was that the same night that he got arrested, he was calling us at like midnight...needless to say we did not sleep very well that night. Now don't worry.  Everyone that needed to be notified was and he has not tried to contact us since. Vista is a place where every day is a whole new adventure.

Another crazy and awesome thing that happened this week was that during Stake Conference there was this guy that was baptized and called as a Stake Young Men's counselor all on the same day. Apparently he had been investigating the church for the past 10 years and had been coming regularly, but never had gotten baptized. I thought that was so AWESOME!

 

So I have been reading the Book of Mormon again and have been coloring in yellow all of the references to Christ. It is so cool to see how on every page Christ is mentioned. It has helped me to strengthen my testimony of the Book of Mormon and I know it can for you as well, so that is why I am going to invite you to start from the beginning of the Book of Mormon and to highlight or color in yellow all of the references there are to Jesus Christ. I know that what you find will help you to either strengthen your testimony of the Book of Mormon or help you to

gain a testimony of its truthfulness as Another Testament of Jesus Christ!!

 

I hope y'all have a great week!! I love and miss y'all!!

 

Love,

Elder Rudd

One of the FHE jelly beans... ick!

The room where is all went down...the cops left their gloves on the floor.

Walking "like Missionaries do"

The view on our way up to dinner

Another picture on our way up to dinner

Monday, February 8, 2016

Hey Everyone!

This week was a very eventful week! 

To start it all off I had to go to the person who's dog bit me and make sure that their dog had its rabies shots. It did and that was such a relief so that I didn't have to get shots. (Let's hope they were honest)

We also had a really fun FHE activity, where we had a scavenger hunt and talked to people about the gospel. One of the things we had to do was pass out a Book of Mormon. That was really fun and a great way to get our ward involved in missionary work. 

We also were able to find a new investigator named Peter this week. He has a real desire to learn and come closer to our Heavenly Father. Acey is doing well and we are working with her to set up an appointment to teach her some more. Yesterday we were able to teach Xavier the Plan of Salvation and it really meant a lot to him and he learned quite a lot about why we are here on Earth.

 

We also went on exchanges this week and I was with Elder Harris. He is such an awesome missionary that sets such a great example for all of us. I had so much fun with him on exchanges!

I learned this week that everyone has something that they can improve on and that as we work hard to attain our goals we will achieve them. I know that we can come closer to our Lord and Savior through prayer and scripture reading and attending church. Church is a place where we truly can feel the Spirit and I enjoy going every single week! 

I hope y'all have a great week!

Love Y'all!!

Love,

Elder Rudd

District Photo

Kissing a horse (Part of our FHE schavenger hunt activity)

Riding a horse (Part of our FHE activity)

District Photo (Looking at Goliath)

Exchanges with Elder Harris

Monday, February 1, 2016

Hey Everyone,

Well this week was a pretty good week. We were able to do quite a lot of things.

First off we were able to see Acey yesterday and were able to set up an appointment with her today. We are excited to be able to teach her some more and she has a real desire to learn about the gospel.

So we got a new bishop this week, his name is Bishop Conk, he was the first councilor before. We are excited to have him as our new bishop, he is awesome.

Another thing that happened this week was that we had a service project for this 95 year old man who's yard was in disrepair and needed help. He is such a nice man and I am so glad to have met him.

We also had some crazy rain and wind yesterday and so what do missionaries do...well we go out and talk to people. We have a goal of 200 contacts every single week and yesterday we still had 56 left so we decided we would spend the last hour of the night contacting and even though it was cold and super windy and people were telling us to get under shelter, we knew we could do it and we did. We were able to get 75 contacts which was awesome!

I know that as we follow the Prophet and his council we will not be led astray. I know that the Book of Mormon is truly Another Testament of Jesus Christ and that as we read it we can come closer to our Savior.

If you have not read the Book of Mormon before or haven't in a while I would invite you to do so because the words in that book are meant for us and help us strengthen our relationship with our Lord and Savior.

I hope y'all have a great week and I love y'all!

Love,

Elder Rudd

Monday, January 25, 2016

Another Week in the Life of a Missionary


Hey Everyone!

This week was pretty good. There were quite a lot of things that happened. First off we went over to this less active members house looking for his brother Toa who is a potential investigator but he wasn't there. Instead his brother gave us a Thrasher Shark that he had just caught the day before and told us exactly how to cook it. So wee took it and since it was like 10 lbs of meat that we knew we would not be able to eat by ourselves, we took it to the BBQ the next day. We prepared it and cooked it exactly how he said and it turned out to be so delicious! I was very impressed and so was everyone there. We also got to pet some llama's at dinner last night which was really cool. Thankfully they didn't spit on me.

The only sad thing that happened this week was that our investigator, Angel, dropped us because he has been talking with this pastor friend of his. When he told me that, I was heart broken, because I know he has felt the Spirit before, but I know that he will one day come to know of the truthfulness of the things we teach.

We did, however, get to teach the Restoration to these three guys on the street and one of them committed to baptism. That was such a great experience learning that the Lord really does put people in our paths, so that we can teach then about the Restored truth.

We also were able to teach a man named Sean, who is in the military, and he is such a a great guy with such a desire to know the truthfulness of the things we teach.

I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to serve here and those that I am able to meet and help them come to know how they can live a truly happy life. I know that God will only give us as much as we can handle, even if it seems like we can't handle it sometimes. If we pray to him and ask for help, He will answer our prayers and give us the strength that we need.

I hope you all have a great week!!

Thank you for all of your love and support!

Love,

Elder Rudd

Thrasher Shark... it's what's for dinner. 

This definitely wasn't his Momma's recipe.

The Elders visiting the llamas.

The Emperor's New Groove.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Hey Everyone,

There were quite a few things that went on this weekend! First off Angel sadly did not get baptized because of something that came up but he is still taking the lessons with us and progressing towards baptism an January 29th. 

I also got a new companion this week who's name is Elder Urey. He is from Seattle, Washington and he is pretty cool. We are getting along pretty well.

We also are teaching a couple of new investigators now named Xavier and Acey who are both on date and are progressing towards baptism. 

This week we also got chased by a dog which was pretty fun. And picked up a chicken!

I know that this Church is true and I know that as we live by the standards of the gospel, we truly will be blessed.

Love,

Elder Rudd

 

 

The district at FHE

More of the District

(Serving in Vista YSA Ward & Vista 10th Ward)

Elder Urey & Elder Rudd

I'll never look at chicken the same way!

This sidewalk makes no sense?!?

 

Monday, January 11, 2016

Hey Everyone,

This week was AMAZING!! First off we had some crazy flash flooding at the beginning of the week! Like the sidewalks were completely under water and we were driving through over a foot of water at some points. Being boys it was very fun!

 

So another crazy thing that happened was when we went to a potential investigators house and their dog started chasing us. Then it bit at our feet, I am glad I was wearing my waterproof shoes because I stuck my foot out and it just bit my shoe. Haha.

 

We also got transfer calls on Saturday and I am going to be staying in the Vista YSA training a new missionary as well as being a DL (District Leader). Elder Miles is going to Murrieta.

 

So now the most exciting news of all!! We met with this man named Angel this week and had a couple of lessons with him. At the end of the first lesson we asked him to specifically pray to know if the Book of Mormon was true and if Joseph Smith was a prophet and in his prayer he said that he knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the Book of Mormon was true. Then we committed him to baptism first for the 22nd of January and then as we were leaving we realized that he had been to church 3 times already and in order to get baptized in our mission, you have to go to church at least twice. So we prayed about it and felt like we should ask him if he wanted to move his date to the 11th and he said yes! So today at 6 PM Angel is going to be baptized! I am so excited that I was able to have the opportunity to help Angel enter into the Kingdom of God.

 

I know that as we pray and ask our Heavenly Father for things with a sincere heart he will bless us. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to serve here and all of the people that I am able to meet. I know that as we truly ask to know if the Book of Mormon is true, we will receive the answer that it is!!

 

I hope you all have a great week!!

 

Love,

Elder Rudd

 

 

 

That river was dry before this week

 Flash Flooding in the Area

 Flash Flooding in the Area

  Flash Flooding in the Area

 Flash Flooding in the Area 

Cool Aquarium at Bishopric Councilor's House

I'm guessing Elder Rudd was missing the show "Tanked"

 

 Glow in the Dark Volleyball

Monday, January 4, 2016

Miracles are So Real

Hey Everyone,

This week was an amazing week.

 

New Years was pretty fun and we had some great things happened this week. The miracle that happened this week on Saturday was when we were able to contact quite a few people. It all started in the morning when we were able to get our SOE (Standard of Excellence) by 12. That like never happens. So Elder Miles and I look at each other and then say we are going to beat the Fallbrook 1st Ward sisters who recently got 65 contacts in one day. Then by 3 we have about 80 contacts and then we look at each other and say, we are going to get over 100 contacts today and so we say a prayer and ask that we will be guided by the Spirit and we truly were. We were able to get 101 contacts in one day and 3 of the people that we contacted we were able to set up lessons with. 

Then at the end of the day when we were biking back I got in a crash which was actually pretty fun since I am okay and so is my bike and watch. There were so many people honking and waving which was pretty fun.

 

We also were able to go up to Camp Pendleton to teach some of the recruits there. That was one of my best experiences because of the fact that they are so humble and ready to hear the gospel. I had one lesson with one of the recruits and everything made sense to him and he said he would get baptized in a couple of weeks. 

 

I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the same Church that Christ established when he was here on the Earth. I also know that as we heed to the promptings of the Spirit, the Lord will work miracles in our lives.

 

I love y'all so much and am appreciative of all of you love and support.

 

Have a great week!!

 

Love,

Elder Rudd 

 

 

Cool Wall Art

 

 

 

 

New Years Eve Tradition

Sparkling Grape Juice

Heading to Camp Pendleton to Teach the Recruits