Monday, September 19, 2016

When One of Your Investigators Gets Married...

Hey Everyone!

I hope y'all had a great week!

This week was pretty good for us. We were able to go to one of our investigators, Rosy, wedding. It was so cool. And the best part is that now she can get baptized and then in a year they can get sealed in the temple together for time and all eternity!

Also this week we were able to go to this volunteer appreciation luncheon for the Fallbrook Food Pantry and we received a Certificate from the Senator for LDS Missionaries as a whole for there 758 Service hours this past year. It was a great experience being there and being able to help out so many people and get to know all of those around the community.

This week we picked up a new investigator named Richard and he is on date for Baptism on the 15th of October! I am super excited for him and I am so grateful that we were able to meet such a great and spiritual man.

I also learned something really neat in Sunday school yesterday. WE were talking about obedience and the thing that was pointed out about why we don't keep all of the commandments is because we lack knowledge. If you think about it, everything that we do and are is dependent upon our knowledge of Jesus Christ and our willingness to be like Him. One scripture that we talked a little bit about that talks about the source of our happiness in this life is in D&C 93:28. I love that scripture and I know that it is true.

I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to serve a mission and to be an instrument in the Lord's hands. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is Christ's church here on the earth today. If you want proof of that, read the Book of Mormon and then go ahead and test God and ask Him if it is not true. I know that if you sincerely do, you too will come to the same knowledge as I have that the Book of Mormon was translated by Joseph Smith and that the Church that Christ established is truly here again and that it will never again leave this Earth! What an amazing thing it is to have that knowledge.

Thank y'all for all of your love and support!

I love and miss y'all!

Love,
Elder Rudd

Senator's Certificate of Appreciation

Rosy and Jose cutting the cake

In the Apartment

(Zip ties so Elder Rudd wouldn't scratch his eyes that are driving him nuts)

Heading to the eye doctor for exam & prescriptions!!

Monday, September 12, 2016

It's Been a Good Week!

Hey Everyone!

This week has been great!

We were able to find a couple of new investigators and we were also able to see quite a few Less Active members which is always nice!

This week I saw God's hand in my life in many ways, first off, we were able to stop by this great person who was very welcoming in letting us come in and talk and he talked about how he had gone through all of these trials to get to this point in his life.

We were also able to help out this man who had met with missionaries in the past and agreed with a lot of what we believed and we asked if he was still willing to learn and he said he was so we are going to go and see him later this week.

We also were able to teach one of our recent converts how to do FHE. Those same people, we had a cool experience with earlier in the week as we were going to all of these people that we thought for sure would be there but they were not and then I had the feeling that we should stop by them earlier in the day even though we were going to be going there later that night. We did and it turned out that they needed us there at that time to be able to help them through some of the trials that they were facing at that time. One of the recent converts opened up to us more than before and we were able to help him through his trials. My testimony of God's hand being in the right place at the right time is growing each and every day that I serve!

I know that this is where I need to be and that there is no other place that I can feel the Spirit as strongly and in such great abundance than on a mission. I would invite all that may be thinking about serving a mission to go to the Lord and ask Him if you should, I have a feeling I know what His answer will be. I know that this church is true without a doubt and I know that the Book of Mormon is true. If you have a testimony of the Book of Mormon, I can testify that everything else will fall into place and that you will understand and agree with everything else. If you have not read and asked Heavenly Father if the Book of Mormon is true, I would invite you to do so.

I hope y'all have an AMAZING week!

I love and miss y'all and am so grateful for all of your love and support!!

Love,

Elder Rudd

Biking at a nature preserve

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Dinner at Trupianos, in Fallbrook

A nice surprise for the Fallbrook 3rd Ward Elders 

from a member visiting from outside the area!

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

What a Week!

Hey Everyone!

This week was awesome! We saw so many miracles!

The first story I want to share with you is a story about how I was able to grow my testimony even stronger of how God has His hand in all things. So it started off with us going to track down a referral that we got from the Fallbrook 1st Ward sisters. This referral was a bit further out in our area so we got a ride from a member of our ward. All we had was their name and directions to their house. Well we spent about 45 minutes looking for this house but could not find it, we asked the neighbors and everyone around and no one seemed to know. So our member, Bro. Erard, thought we should stop by a member that knows the area pretty well. So we went over to his place to talk with him and he wasn't there. We then called him and he mentioned a less active member who was in the area, which we had actually planned as a back up to go and see that night. Anyways, we knock on this members door and he invites us in almost immediately. We sat down and we talked with him and his wife for a little while and found out that he had never lost his testimony and had been waiting for someone from the church to stop by. He told us that night that he wanted to come back to church and that he would. He also said that he would like us to teach his wife the missionary discussions as she is not a member of the church and he would like to be a part of that as well. It was a very spiritual meeting and I am so glad that we were able to listen to the Spirit to direct us to this wonderful home!

Another miracle that happened was when we were able to meet with our investigator, Don! We have been meeting with him for about 2 months now and originally he said he would get baptized in 6 months but we were teaching him the Gospel of Jesus Christ and he realized that he didn't always have to be perfect and that it was okay to mess up because of the Atonement. After he realized that and the Spirit testified to him that he could get baptized, he turned to us and said, "You guys have yourself a deal, I will get baptized." We set a date with him for September 24th and we are excited for him!

I know that this church is led by Christ Himself. He is at the head of this church and that His hand is in all things! I know that we have a prophet that is called of God and that he is the mouthpiece for God. I know that with the Spirit, we can accomplish all things and that as we rely on it, it will help us to a line our will with God's will. I know that the Book of Mormon is true because I feel the Spirit as I read from it and it confirms to me of its truthfulness.

Thank you for all of your love and support!

I love and miss y'all!

Love,
Elder Rudd

Monday, August 29, 2016

Parker Got Baptized!!!

Hey Everyone!

I hope y'all had a great week! I know that we did!

So this week was a busy week for us. We were able to go and have a meeting with one of the Seventy. Elder de Hoyos and it was so neat to be able to meet with him and to receive council on how we can become even better missionaries. We also like it said in the title, were able to have a baptism!

Parker is an awesome kid and has been being taught by the Zone Leaders but recently moved into our ward and decided to get baptized into our ward. Parker is awesome, I was able to teach him while on exchanges with Elder Major and also help their family out with moving. They are a really special family to me. I am so grateful that I was able to witness their baptism.

Today we were able to go to some caves and go exploring! It was so much fun, definitely one of my favorite zone activities! It is crazy to see all of the graffiti on the rocks! We had so much fun going too that!

I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to serve here and to help others come unto Christ! I am grateful for Parkers decision to be baptized and be an example for his family. It truly is amazing to see how much people can change all because of one decision to act. I am grateful for the Spirit and how much I can rely on it to help me to help others. I know that this church is true, there is no doubt in my mind. Someone asked me if I couldn't be a Mormon, what would I be and I said, quite honestly I have never given it much thought because I love being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! I feel as though I am blessed that I have the knowledge that I do and for the examples that I have had in my life!

Thank y'all for all of your love and support!

I love and miss y'all! 

Love,
Elder Rudd

Elder Rudd & Elder Castillo

(At a 4 zone meeting. Vista, Fallbrook, Murrieta, and Temecula)

Filling the font

At Parker's baptism

Zone P-Day Activity exploring caves!

The Fallbrook Zone includes missionaries serving in the following wards:

Fallbrook 1st / Fallbrook 2nd / Fallbrook 5th

Mormons Gettin' Freaky

Not sure if that was a recent addition or not???

Go Gators!!

California sunset over the mountains

Monday, August 22, 2016

Life is Great!

Hey Everyone!

This week was a pretty good week!

I learned a lot of things and felt the Spirit very strongly on multiple instances. I also learned that there must be some kind of pattern because every other day is a good day and then the other days are a bit more difficult. I guess those difficult days help us to appreciate the other days.

This week we were able to meet with many of our investigators and set expectations with them about why we are even there. We found that some of them understood and some did not. Koree and Don are the most solid investigators right now and are really progressing.

We also have a baptism this Saturday for a 10 year old named Parker Wallace who just moved into our ward and has been being taught by my Zone Leaders for a while. He is an awesome kid and I am so excited to bring our investigators to his baptism!

I know that God blesses us every single day if we will just look for His hand in our lives. Recently I started a new journal where I am writing down how I saw God's hand in my life. It is so cool to see how much He plays a part in our lives. Even from the most miniscule things. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that as we read from it, we will come closer to our Lord and Savior.

Thank y'all for all of your love and support!

I love and miss y'all!

Love,

Elder Rudd

Fallbrook Summer Nights was a pretty cool Festival. 

And we actually were able to find a new investigator when 

he came up to us and asked to learn more.

Monday, August 15, 2016

Have I Really Been Out For 7 Transfers?!

Hey Everyone!

This week has been crazy! From bike crashes (not me) to meetings after meetings to attending baptisms with investigators to biking long distances on hot days to finding out who is getting transferred and who is not, it has been one fun filled week!

So this week we had a lot going on with transfers and new missionaries coming in and out. It turns out that we will have 5 greenies (new missionaries) in our zone! Oh and I am also not getting transferred. I am staying here in Fallbrook for the next 6 weeks and I am really excited! I love it here in Fallbrook!

So we had Zone Training Meeting this week and it was really good and helped me to refocus on my purpose as a missionary and how we need to help our investigators know why we are there and figure out what they expect from us being there. 

I am grateful for the protection of missionaries as my companion was riding down a big hill and crashed into a fence going 20mph flipped up in the air and landed in the road. He thankfully was not that injured and only had a couple of scratches on him. There were also 2 nurses that stopped to make sure that he was okay. 

I know that the as we work hard and are obedient, we will be blessed, I have seen it time and time again while on my mission. I know that through the Savior, we can be healed of all of our short comings, mistakes, pains, and sorrows. I know that the Book of Mormon is true! If you have not read it, please read it and I can promise you that you will find that life becomes a lot easier as you do.We have been reading with one of our investigators named Don and he is really enjoying the Book of Mormon and applying it too himself in many ways. I know that there is a proghet on the Earth today, President Thomas S. Monson, and he leads us, just as in times of old.

I am grateful for all of y'all and for all of your love and support! 

I love and miss y'all! 

Love,
Elder Rudd

Part of the Fallbrook Zone

Row 3: Elder Romney, Elder Major, Sister Bradley

Row 2: Elder Emerick, Elder Hernandez, Elder Rudd
Row 1: Hermana Frei, Hermana Terron, Hermana Hawkins, Hermana Parris, Sister Froisland, Elder Adams

Ice cream truck selfie. Ice cream is cheap here!

Hanging out with Nita!

One of his many bike crashed this week.