There's No Place Like Home!

Dear Mom, Fam, and Friends,

Well, as my subject line states I am back home! I am here in the West Lake Village family ward where I served my 2nd transfer. Wow time really does fly. So many changes, and even some new faces. Well, apparently some of the members were even excited to hear I was coming back haha.  Go figure. I love all of these people so much. 

I am with Elder Iongi! My Tongan brother from Portland Oregon. We came out together and he was in the classroom next to mine in the MTC, and we hit it off from the get go. It's crazy how the Lord works! #Dothework

Well just to show you how Westkale operates, I'll give you a quick example…it’s a very affluent area.  In our ward there are:

- CEO's of multiple companies 

- Owners of Restaurants

- Doctors

- Surgeons 

- Writers

- Authors

- Directors

- Presidents of Corporations  

- Entrepreneurs of every kind

- Lawyers 

- Attorneys 

- Singer Song writers

- Miss California (haha) 

- Professional Athletes 

- and MORE! 

And the best part is that these people are some the most humble folks I have ever met. And they give, give, give! And love, love, love. They are such good examples in every way and I am excited to work with them even more. What a blessing indeed.

So as we were “surprise" visiting the gated homes. (where an active family in the ward lives). We stopped by and saw they weren't home after we had gone through the gate.  We got a call from Sister Gates telling us that they were not home, but that a realtor was showing their home to an "NBA Player”.  As soon as she said that our jaws dropped. We waited outside the home for a while, talking to his driver.  Anyways, we took a selfie with him after he told us he was driving with Anthony Davis (NBA Center for the Pelicans!)  We showed no reaction but inside we were dying!  Just as we turned to leave, the castle doors open and AD walks out, along with his friends and fam. Who all get in the car. We were 10 feet from him! But we were told by his driver that if we were to take a pic with him he could lose his job, because he told us who it was. Man it was quite the night!  

We have MLC this week so it should be fun! Always excited to see what Pres. Nakken has up his sleeve. 

We currently have 6 in our teaching pool which includes a family of 4! 

As we continue to press forward we will harvest fruit according to our faith. They invited me to speak in Sacrament meeting my first Sunday in the ward. Haha it was so much fun. I spoke about the Doctrine of Christ and it's role in coming unto Christ. I invite you all to peek at Alma 5 to learn more. So much gold in there! 

Love, Elder Judd

From the bottom to the top to the top to the bottom!

Well, as my subject line states, transfers are here! 

Two transfers ago I came from nearly the bottom of the mission in Thousand Oaks, to almost the very top of Atascadero.  But I guess now the Lord wants me back down low. We got our transfer calls this past week and I will be going back to where I spent the second transfer of my mission! (light years ago) 

I will be serving in the WLV (Westlake Village) family ward:) I was there first with Elder Morgan but now I will be with another one of my best buddies, Elder Longi. He's Tongan and is from Oregon. #Imlikefamiilytoallthepolys.

We will have the chance to serve as ZL's together so this should be a blessing. I am so excited to get started here again and to see my first 2 converts ever who are living there still:)

As I will most likely finish off my mission here, I am so excited to see what the Lord has in store. 12 more weeks to give 'till I drop and teach until all men know. 

This past Sunday, the final speaker for sacrament meeting didn't show up, so the two departing elders,  Elder Jarman and myself were able to share two brief testimonies. This ward will be missed. There are a lot of good people here in A-town, who have impacted me more than they will ever know. Oh, how grateful we are for the power and influence of good examples in our lives!

Love, Elder Judd 

Comin at ya live, from the 805

Dear Fam and Friends,

So you know those times when you just wish things could just kind of slow down..? Yeah well it's one of those times!  Finding joy in the journey every single day. It's the little things in life we must treasure, because in the end, the little things will not be so little.

That being said we had a wonderful week. From Zone Conference, to the TEMPLE, to Facebook! The most important of the 3: the Temple. It was such a blessing to find peace in the house of the Lord. It was a wonderful experience that I will cherish forever. I was able to go to the Fresno Temple for the first time so that was a blessing! I know and testify that the temple is where God dwells on earth. It is a place of refuge, comfort, and belonging. As we consistently make a conscious effort to attend the temple regularly, as we learn in D&C 38, we can be endowed with "Power from on high."

Zone Conference was amazing! We were able to be trained by President Nakken. That man can inspire anybody. What a blesing to have such trusted, inspiring, and loving leaders instruct and edify missionaries. 

As I sure some of you already know, we have Facebook!  What a blessing it is to have this amazing TOOL to invite others to come unto Christ. We will be using Faceook for online Proselyting Purposes ONLY. I am able to friend anyone who I know, but am not able to view anyone's posts except members and Investigators in the current area. But please accept my friend request (if you know me) so we can get our messages as wide spread as possible! You can also like and comment on my posts:) But just know that I am NOT able to respond to any comments or likes. And as for facebook messenger we are only allowed to use it with members and Investiagotrs as well. So the one common thread for contact will still be my personal email. You can follow me @Benji Judd.

This past Sunday a young woman gave a talk on virtue. This was her defintion of virtue, which I love: "Virture is a pattern of thought and behavior based on moral standards." She did a wonderful job. Viture is clean, innocent, and pure. Not just that but real, vibrant and alive! Not fake, lustful, or insecure. I know that we must be virtuous at all times in our action, dress, words, and especially our thoughts. We learn in D&C 121:

45 "Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.

46 The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever."

What greater promise is there than that our "Confidnece shall wax strong in the presence of God”? Light = Confidence that stems from Virtue. While Pride = Insecurity that stems from a loss of our true identity.  Growing up I have known many people, girls and boys, who struggled knowing who they are. Let's all try to be little bit more virtuous every day! 

Confidence is quiet, Insecurities are loud.

Love, Elder Judd

Zone Conference

 

Stake Primary Missionary Activity

 

Fresno Temple Trip

100 days

Dear Fam and Friends, 

I hope all is well back in the (801). Because we're comin' at ya live from the (805). This week was great!  Besides the work, the weather has been AMAZING. After all that rain it makes everything so green! God truly did give us a wonderful place to live and I am so grateful.

Well as my subject line states, 100 days is what I got. As I have been reflecting more and more on my mission, and specifically General Conference, I find myself thinking so often about how grateful I am that I belong to the Lord's true and living church.  With that in mind, this only adds to my drive to share this knowledge we have with all of or father's children. It's time to turn up the game sliders even more!

Al and Joan are doing well. They were unable to make it to church though:( But they are still reading every day and are making progress regarding the Word of Wisdom. We set a goal with them to have Sunday be their day OR whenever the coffee runs out. They commited a long time ago that after this one can runs out, they are buying no more! So it's this Sunday or until it runs out, whatever comes first. They both want to be baptized, and understand the "Why" behind all that we teach. That's why FAITH is so crucial. As we show FAITH, we then receive the witness, according to our FAITH, and of course the will and and ways of the Lord. 

Cesar although came to church and is progressing wonderfully! He is such a good guy, who just thirsts after truth. Joseph Smith said that "A man can be saved no faster than he obtains knowledge." I know that this is true.

As seek truth, and "treasure up the words of life" and seek learning "also by faith" we, through the power of the Holy Ghost receive the witness. Which means knowledge. Which then in turn means Salvation. Bruce R. McConckie also said that "God either stands revealed, or remains forever unknown." I know that it's by FAITH that we obtain knowledge .

As I have been serving my mission I am trying to come to know God more.  I pay a price. And I plan on paying this price for time and all eternity. But I know that Lord is the pay master. I didn’t know what the price was before my mission.  And the rewards are 100 fold more than I could ever give. Cast your bread upon the water, and it comes back buttered and toasted.  Why? Because he is our Father in Heaven. He loves us, and wants us to return to him again some day. And because of this, "I stand all amazed". 

Learn 

Live

Love

Love, Elder Judd

My cup runneth over.

Well, my subject line tells it how it is. I could go on and on about why this is the case but I will do you all a favor and shorten it up. ;)

Happy late Easter everyone. I hope you all found joy in 'Beholding Him' this past weekend and will continue to 'Behold Him' every day. I am so grateful for the Atoning Sacrigice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I add my simple and sure testimony to President Uchtdorf's that the most important day to ever occur is when our Savior broke the bands of sin and death. I know He rose again the 3rd day.

I hope you all felt the strong, penetrating, simple and powerful spirit that came from the "Rushing of Revelation". It is a wonderfu time to be alive. There is an excitement in the air here in the field. The Lord is hastening his work, and the next stage of preparation has begun. President Russell M. Nelson is the LEGEND.  He is the man whom the Master has chosen. He was foreordained before the world was to be so. He is a prophet of the Living God and he speaks for Him! 

And I can't forget to give a shout out to my my man, Elder Walkalo of the Seventy! He came it visit our mission as a newly set apart General Authority and he was AMAZING. He is a big Fijian who loves everyone for who they are and you just feel perfect joy when you are in his presence. 

Meekness was an answer to one of my many prayers. And it came through one of his chosen servants. Let us all try and be a little more meek. He taught us that "Meekness is distinguished by righteous responsiveness. Meekness is strong, modest, gracious, and loving. Spiritual receptivity is what sets meekness apart. Meekness comes from desire, agency, and always wanting ton retain a remission of our sins." 

Al, Joan and Lorna were all able to watch conference! We watched it just with Al and Joann for the Saturday morning session. The spirit was so strong, it made Joan cry. People, she never cries!  Please, please pray!

As I approach my last 100 days as a full time missionary the Lord has been so good to me in providing me a sense of guidance, clarity, and direction in moving forward. All I want to do is work, work, work, work, work. And then love, love, love, love, love. The Savior lives. He is coming. And I have been called and set apart to represent him. To say and do the things he he would say and do if he were here, personally ministering to the people here. 

The Book of Mormon is the word of God. There are prophets in the land again. Hoo Rah!

Love, Elder Judd