'Just do the little things.'

Hello fam and friends!  I’m sorry my email is late.  We had some car trouble in our district.

Just to start things off, Elder D. Todd Chistofferson will be coming to our mission for a Mission Wide Conference on May 6th!  So excited, and so blessed to be able to hear from 2 of the Lord's annointed in the same mission! Just in case you all forgot, we had Elder Ballard come at Christmas time. Our mission is either really really righteous, or needs some serious chastisement…hopefully that first one;)  

The week was a long one, but a good one. You have a lot of those on the mission,I have noticed. But all is well! Patrick and Nicole are doing great, and are so excited for their wedding on the 4th, and then their baptism a week later on the 13th! 

With all of these Baptisms we have been putting a lot of focus on finding, and keeping the work going forward! We know that we are promised directly form the Lord several time in the scriptures that "The field is white already to Harvest." And that means baptisms. We just have to be willing, ready to receive the miracles with great humility. Which means we look as we learn in 1Cor 3 that "God gives the increase." The Lord provides…this truly is HIS vineyard, and HIS work. If we are not willing, he will find someone else. 

Diana, Melissa, and Christina are doing okay. They still are struggling with the Word of Wisdom, and are dealing with a lot of family problems, unfortunately. And every time I go over, I come out thanking my Heavenly Father for putting me in a family where the Savior and his Gospel would be at the center. Which indeed it was, and that is where it will remain as long as my parents are alive!  

The hardest part about this work is when people feel the Spirit, and choose not to grow. It made me think though. How often do we do that as members, in less significant ways? We choose not to grow. When The Prophet asks us to read the BOM everyday, and we don't, or when we don't fulfill our callings, or keep our covenants. These little slips lead to much larger ones, until we as well may be "past hearing" and "past feeling." JUST DO THE LITTLE THINGS and we will never fall away. God is in the small details! 

Love you all! Have a great week!

Love, Elder Judd

'Firm and Undaunted'

Hello family!

Easter Sunday truly was a delight, and with it came the baptism of Travis! I hope you all enjoyed celebrating the Ressurection of Our Lord and Savio,r Jesus Christ. 

I love you all, and pray that you will all set a goal to become a true "Follower" of Christ, not just a "Fan." It's easier to be a Fan. But that's the 1st mile. The Lord once again told us to go the 2nd mile. That's where all the blessing are at! Go claim 'em, and come to know Him! So sorry for the shorty!

"Firm and Undaunted”

Love, Elder Judd

Ward Easter Egg Hunt

My new comp, Elder Deason from Nampa, Idaho

Me, impersonating Taylor, impersonating Michael Jackson

Travis' baptism

Wonderful ward members who feed us

'Baptisms, a screwdriver, and new assignment!'

Hey hey hey from Lompoc!

The baptisms of Becca and Megan Jones this past Thursday and Saturday were soooo good!  They are so solid, and we cannot wait to see what  the future holds for both of these two.  Megan has a younger brother who is 12 that isn't baptized yet, so hopefully he will jump on board!

Travis Topete will be baptized by his father this Saturday so that is exciting. It's been really neat to see the change that can come over a whole family, just from one person making the decision to be baptized. We really think this family is back for good which is what we want. :)

Patrick and Nicole are so ready for their date on the 6th of May! It is seriously just a matter of time with them. They are also excited for their wedding on the 4th, which is also a blessing! They are so elect that they decided that they are going to handout Book of Mormon's to everyone as a party favor at the wedding! I mean, c'mon that is so cool! 

As we are so blessed with work here in Lompoc, we are also striving to teach when we find, and find when we teach. We gotta keep this Escalator moving up, up, up!  So we are doing just that.  

We have a family of 3 named George, Sandra, and Anthony. They are so amazing, and show so much potential. This family is one of those you look at and say: "They would all make really good members of the church." Although that is true with all:) They have committed to be baptized, and hope to set them all with a date in late May:) 

We also found a young woman who seems to be in her late 20's who has a couple of kids. She is so cool, and her name is Crisol. We have an appointment with her this Wednesday and plan to set her with a date! Along with Diana Fuentez, her daughters are now interested! One of them is 16, and the other is in her late 20's and has 3 kids with one more on the way! They all will be coming to Church this next week! Please pray for them all!

I have also been assigned to be a District Leader. I am so excited, and so ready for another round! Therefore transfers are here and my new comp is Elder Deason. No idea who he is, but he better be ready to Thrash the Nation, and Preach the Gospel! 

My Thought for you all this week is given here in Verse 30 of 2nd Nephi 28. "Hearken" People!  Because it is through this very principle, that we both learn what we need to from the Lord. And then we obtain the Faith to Act in whatever we receive. Be Patient in Progression. That is something I have learned so much about while here on my mission. But at the same time, never settle! We are commanded to progress, to become as he is. As it says here, "Lend an ear" and then go back for more!

30 For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.

Love, Elder Judd

Megan's baptism

This is Patrick.  Two years ago he was working in his yard with this sword of a Screwdriver in his hand and then got hit by a car. And the screwdriver then stabbed him, and totally went all the way through and out the other side.

Becca's baptism

GC, a new car, and preppin' for a splash party!

Oh what week it has been indeed!

To start the week we had Zone Conference on Wednesday, and that was so good! We got issued a challenge by our President to read the BOM from start to finish by June 20! What a great commitment huh? He did the math and that is 6.6 pages a day starting last Wednesday.

(Feel free to join us!) But here's the even better part…we are to highlight every Attribute/Characteristic of Christ! How awesome is that? Do it. Find Joy in it.

And with it will come a more convincing and illuminating understanding and testimony of the Power, and Divinity of our Savior Jesus Christ. Along with our prophet this past Conference, I add my testimony to his that the book is true. It is of God. That is why any time we read it with a new Investigator or even a member sometimes. They cannot describe the power/feeling that the book provides when they study it's pages. Why? Because of the Power that comes from this book. 531 pages. Study it. Partake of it. Then most importantly, pray about it. And that is when you will get your answer. When you "ask in Faith, nothing wavering”. 

I hope you all loved General Conference as much as I did! Bet you didn't. I just love this quote by Elder Costa of the Seventy: "Nothing will bring us closer to the Lord Jesus Christ than a desire to Change." What a great quote, and restored truth. We all want to have Helaman 5:12 as the quote for our lives. But noone ever seems to find out the "how" to the scripture. (Ironically.) It's my testimony that when you choose to follow Christ, you choose to be changed. God is in the details, people. Where change in oneself is longed for, an open mind and a willing heart is required. That means Humility. The antidote for Pride.

Elder Jeffery R. Holland: "Come as you are, a loving Father says to each of us, but He adds, don't plan to stay as you are" I have said it before, and I will say it once again. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is meant to comfort the afflicted, but it is also meant to afflict the comfortable. 

I have learned to find Joy in Change. From our family of 7, now to a family of 10.  When your childhood heroes, who happened to be your older siblings, grow up, get married, and move away.  All in all, things just change. Never to be the same.

I testify that "The Family" in God's plan as we learned in General Conference several times, is essential to our happiness in this life. But more importantly, in the life to come. We must all begin with the end in mind with where we want our lives and families going.

Our recent convert Jordan is doing great, and we have 2 Baptisms this week with Megan and Becca. And then the following week we have Travis Topete, a 9 year old on the 15th! Oh what a great time to be a missionary, and an even better time to be a member of the only true and living Church of Jesus Christ. 

Isaiah 9:6

#PrinceofPeace

Love, Elder Judd

We got a new car!

 A missionary buddy sent this to me: