Tuesday, May 31, 2016

What an AMAZING Week!

Hey Everyone!!

This week has been fantastic! We had so much success and this past week has probably been one of my busiest and most productive weeks ever!

We ended up having 11 lessons and we found 6 New Investigators which means that we are now teaching 16 investigators! I can not believe it!

We also had a couple of church tours this week and we were able to invite Krystal to baptism and she said yes. She will be getting baptized on June 25th. Please keep her in your prayers as she has some struggles that she will be going through to get to that point.

We also had 4 of our investigators at church that day and it was amazing! They all loved it and felt a very warm welcome from the congregation.

Not too many crazy things happened to me this week, like I said we have been really busy with lesson after lesson. 

I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to serve here. I know that Christ attoned for each and every one of our sins and made it possible for us to get back to live with Heavenly Father. I know that the Spirit is what really is the teacher and that as we stay worthy of the Spirit, we NEVER will be led astray. I know as you put your faith in Him who knows all, every thing that you may be worrying or stressing about will go away and you will feel of His love for you. I know that reading the Book of Mormon is an amazing thing and really invites the Spirit. You can get answers to your prayers through the Book of Mormon.

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

I love and miss y'all!

Love,
Elder Rudd

Eating Panda Express

Solar Panels Galore

Solar Panel Selfie

Monday, May 23, 2016

Transfer Calls

Hey Everyone!

I hope y'all had a great week!

For me, this week was amazing!! We had exchanges this week and I went with Elder Anderson to his area. He is an awesome missionary and has a great Spirit about him. I learned so much from him and we had what he said was one of his most productive exchanges on his missions. Mine too!

This week was also great because of all of the people that we were able to see and all new investigators that we were able to find. Machyla and David are an awesome couple that we found last week and are so ready for the gospel in their lives. I am so glad that I have the opportunity to teach such great people.

This week we also had Zone Conference (which is where a bunch of missionaries meet together), we were able to have a really great meeting and a really Spiritual time. I was able to learn so much there and know how best I could help those whom we are teaching.

Oh, by the way, I am staying here in Fallbrook with Elder Parkinson for another transfer!

I know that this is the Church that Christ established when he was here on the Earth. I know that as we follow the commandments do as the prophet asks, we are truly blessed. Although last week was a little tough of a week, as I endured, Heavenly Father truly did bless me. I know that as we do what is right and strive to always have the Spirit with us that we too can have the spirit with us ALWAYS!

Thank you for all of your love and support!

I love and miss y'all!!

Love,
Elder Rudd

The other week, Elder Rudd's watch band was damaged during a minor bike accident.  Below was included in a follow-up email.

Oh and I got my watch fixed.  I went into a jeweler and at first the guy was like, I'm not interested, and I was like, "well I wasn't coming in here to try and convert you, I have a watch problem." So we talked while he fixed it for me and then at the end he said, "it's no charge, I wouldn't want you to be late for your meetings."

I was knocking on this and it scared Elder Parkinson,

since it was vibrating against his shirt.

Elder Anderson and I were on exchanges. Nice views too!

(Fallbrook 5th Ward, one ward south of where I am currently serving)

Lighting makes all the difference in a photograph.

Monday, May 16, 2016

Another Good Week as a Missionary

Hey Everyone!

I hope that y'all had a great week!

This week wasn't too eventful but there were a couple of things that happened.

First off, I got in another bike crash. It was pretty fun! And I am not sure how exactly it happened but it did and the only bad thing that happened was that my watch and my water bottle broke. I actually got up from it without any scratches on me. I tend to do that a lot. I guess my skin has gotten tougher out here and the Lord really does protect His missionaries.

So this week we had about 4 lessons set up and every single one of them cancelled but what I  got from that is that Heavenly Father is teaching us patience and one there is someone out there that is being prepared right now for us to teach. I relate this to one of my favorite quotes, "Every trial and experience that you pass through is necessary to your salvation." -Pres. Brigham Young. Everything we go through is for our good and God truly does have a plan for EACH and every one of us!

We also had Zone Training Meeting (for those of you who don't know what that is, its where a big group of missionaries meet and we train on different stuff and how to become better missionaries) this week. It was a really good meeting and the Spirit was definitely present there. I was able to receive answers to my prayers and know how best I can help my area. We also worked on how we could become better at contacting people and that was a really big help to me in realizing how best to go about talking to people. The best way is first to break the ice and then quickly relate the message of The Restoration into what you are talking about because that is when the Spirit is able to come in and testify of the truthfulness of the things you are talking about.

I was able to learn so much this week and learn how best we can help the members to play a bigger part in missionary work.

I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to be here at this time in my life to serve those around me. I know with all my heart that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the same exact Church that Christ established when he was here on the Earth and I am so grateful I am able to be part of such a great cause. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, I know that because I have asked Heavenly Father if it is true and I have gotten my answer that it is and I know that if you don't have a testimony of its truthfulness then I would encourage you to take a little step of faith and read the Book of Mormon and then ask if it is true. I know you will find your answer as you do so.

Thank you for all of your love and support!

I love and miss y'all!!

Love,
Elder Rudd

I found a sombrero in our apartment!

Maybe this hat should be considered for addition to the 

approved hat styles missionaries can wear!

Monday, May 9, 2016

It's Always Nice to Talk to Family

Hey Everyone!!

I hope that y'all had an amazing week and for all of the Mother's out there, I hope that you were able to enjoy Mother's day and I want to personally thank you for all that you do for us each and every day!

 

This week was great! Although we didn't find any new investigators, it was still a great week. Right now we are in the searching mode and are talking to everyone that we meet. I think that pretty soon we will be able to find a new investigator.

 

Anyways, this week was some what eventful. On Thursday I got to call the cops for the third time on my mission as I heard someone screaming and then someone else telling them to drop the knife. Just another day in the life of a missionary. Haha.

 

Oh and on Monday, Elder Urey and I were able to teach Rachel (the one from my last area) and commit her to baptism. She is going to be getting baptized on the 28th of this month! It is so great and it is amazing to see how much she has changed since the first time that we met with her!

 

This week I also got to go on exchanges with one of the Spanish Elders. It was so cool because I got to practice my Spanish and improve it even more!

 

Skyping with my parents for Mother's Day was also awesome and I really enjoyed getting to see all of their faces and see how much everyone has grown!

 

I know that this church is true without a doubt. I have had so many experiences in my life that have confirmed to me of its truthfulness and I could never deny them. I know that each of us can have those types of experiences as well as we work hard and have an open hear and are ready to receive those amazing spiritual experiences. I know that we have a Prophet here on the Earth today, that leads and guides us and I am so grateful for all of the knowledge that I am able to gain through reading the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is truly Another Testament of Jesus Christ and as we come to know of its truthfulness, everything else will make sense. I am so grateful for all of the opportunities that I have been given to serve others and to help them to have a better relationship with their Lord and Savior!

 

I love and miss y'all!!

 

Have a great week!

 

Love,

Elder Rudd

 

At the intersection of Elder & Mission....

For the next 17 months!

District Line-Up

Sis. Gallacher, Sis. Vainuku, Elder Rudd, Elder Parkinson,

Elder Clark, Elder Sedgwick, Elder Anderson, Elder Wight

Left to Right

 

Fallbrook District

Monday, May 2, 2016

Rachel Got Baptized!!!

Hey Everyone!!

This week was amazing! I don't know how else to explain it.

 

Yesterday Rachel Smith was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and it was one of the most powerful and spiritual things I have ever experienced in my life! She is such a sweet daughter of a loving Heavenly Father and she knows that this is the right path for her. After she received the Holy Ghost, she said, " I have gone through so many trials and tribulations in the past 22 years, more than I ever thought that I would and for the first time in my life, I feel light, I feel true happiness, I feel at peace. I want to share this with everyone and that is what I am going to do when I get home, I am going to share it with my family." I was pretty much in tears at this point because the Spirit was so strong there. Rachel is going to do amazing things in this world and is going to help so many people!

 

Then after the baptism, Rachel (the one that was my investigator in Vista), came up to me and said, "thank you for inviting me to this baptism. This was exactly what I needed." I have a feeling that she will be getting baptized in the near future too and will be able to receive that same joy that Rachel felt when she was baptized!

 

Later that night, we went out contacting and I felt impressed to stop by this man named Joe and sadly he was not home. So we started walking down the street and guess who we found...Joe! He was on the side of the road and so we talked to him some. That too was a really spiritual lesson and we were able to commit him to reading the Book of Mormon and asking whether or not it is true. Last night was an amazing night!

 

So last Monday, we hiked up this mountain and it was so much fun!! We were able to see so much around us. All the way from the ocean to the far parts of Fallbrook and Vista! It was such a neat experience. It was sad that we couldn't all make it up there but I am glad I was one of them that was able to.

 

We also stopped by Nita's house and she is probably one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met and we talked with her for a while and she told us about her brass collection and how she wanted to give us something so she gave me a brass face which was pretty cool. She is such a great woman!

 

Yesterday, we also were able to meet this lady that just showed up at church and sad that she was looking for a church to go to so we are going to be teaching her this coming Wednesday!

 

So today I was reading in the Ensign and I came across a quote by President Howard W. Hunter that really struck me and it said, " If our lives and our faith are centered upon Jesus Christ and His restored gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong...If our lives are not centered on the Savior and His teachings, no other success can ever be permanently right." That was just such a profound statement to me that as we do what is right and follow Christ, then everything will always work out in the end.

 

I just want to close with saying that the Spirit is real and it is truly an amazing feeling. Every single one of us has felt it and as we desire to have it more and more, we will feel of Christ's love for each and everyone of us. I know that this Church is true, no where else could I feel so good every time that a truth is taught. I know that what Rachel said is true, that as we are baptized, we truly do feel light! Through Christ's Atonement, we can all feel that way and feel that we have been forgiven of EVERYTHING we have ever done wrong. It is truly an amazing feeling and I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to share this message with everyone that I see. If you don't know whether or not this Church is true, I will invite you to do one simple thing, read the Book of Mormon and sincerely ask Heavenly Father if it is true. If you do that then everything else will work out. Just remember, Heavenly Father has a plan for each and everyone of us and it is truly a perfect plan! I can testify of that.

 

Thank y'all for all of your love and support! I love and miss each and every one of you!

 

Love,

Elder Rudd

 

 

 

 

Baptism of Rachel Smith

 

 

 

 

Top of the Mountain

Hermana Young, Elder Rudd, Elder Wokenfuss, Elder Parkinson

Elder Emerick, Elder Wight, Hermana Robison

Mountain View Selfie

Brass face from Nita

Part of a Military Convoy that passes by the apartment every week