Letter #21

August 30, 2010

Wow, opposition in all things!

Thank you for the letters!!! I am so grateful for them. I love smelling so good every day! What a great feeling of cleanliness, thanks again loving the lotions still too! Tasha what's going on, you need to write me an e-mail or letter so that I can get caught up in your life! Love you glad you got to visit mom and dad and family wish I was there, but I'm here doing well. :D Yeahoo! I love missionary work! Even when it hurts, it's a good hurt because it means we are getting closer! Love Tomball, love my heavenly father and my ASESOME FAMILY AND FREINDS! Thank you for the support so very much!

A funny thing: well, more of a draining week, but something funny was about Brenda: ha ha ha!!! So funny! I love how the Lord works to help his children keep their commitments! Read I tell about it latter ha ha! I’ve been reading "Our search for Happiness" WOW!! I encourage all to read this short powerful book, and then read the book of Mormon again! WOW! Learning so much! Thanks for telling me mom about dad's necklace so glad to hear his heart is getting big and strong again! :D I pray every day for that and for mom to get blessings for enduring through everything and for the kids and everyone. JULIE and JED's b-day's are coming up!!! YAHOO! Do you know that September 22nd 183 years ago in 1827 Joseph Smith was led by the resurrected angel Moroni to receive the Gold Plates that we know now as the book of Mormon! :) What a day to be born babes!!! You are special you know that! And I love you so much, and all my family and my dear true friends.

There is opposition in all things!
This week we got to go to zone conference with Elder Kikuchi from the 70's he is incredible, there couldn’t have been a better talk to change and uplift my heart then the things he said.
He taught us how to do better door approaches and teach the second we open our mouths, but first get permission and explain we will only stay 1 or 2 minutes. Ask them "do you know you are a daughter/son of god?" Do you know he has a plan for you and your family to return back home with him in heaven?" "What do you know about that plan?" that's where the change has happened. When we ask what people know of the plan of salvation and happiness they stop and say, I don't know, or fumble to answer with the knowledge they have. Their hearts are humbled and they’re more open to hear the true plan God has for his children. We have implemented this in the field and my companion and I have seen great miraculous things happen! 1st we got 4 new investigators on Saturday and 2 on Sunday! This is UN-Heard of here in the Tomball mission. (called the hardest sister mission in the area) how funny, because it's also my favorite!!!! I love LOVE LOVE it here! The ward is incredible, there is just so much work to do, and patience has been my struggle with working at a pace both me and my companion can, or are willing to work at.

We found a set of twin girls while we were tracting on Saturday and found out it was their birthday, I instantly said, "that's why we're here to sing you happy birthday!" I looked at my companion and she saw my eyes and jumped right in singing "happy birthday to Christina and Alisha" then we asked them the questions we were taught to ask. Incredibly I felt impressed to continue into the 1st vision and invited them to pay attention to how they feel while I recite these words Jospeh Smith Spoke as a 14 year old boy. Alisha was staring in awe and kept saying "WOW"....when I finished she said "wow, I have goose pumps" I expressed the love heavenly father has for them and gave them a birthday present the book of Mormon and a Joseph Smith Pamphlet explaining a little more and asked if we could come back Sunday (yesterday). We got her number and she said yes. We came back last night with a member and (I had felt something with Alisha, just an incredible daughter, choice daughter, they were turning 19) when we got there the father came to the door and yelled at us saying "we are Lutheran and we are not doing this, and they are not interested!" I tried my best without strangling him to express how important the message is and how his girls were interested. I walked back to the car after he slammed the door in my face my heart broken, aching and turned to our member and asked "how many swear words can a missionary say?" I was so mad, I can imagine how mad Emma Smith must have been after everything she went through, dieing babies, losing home after home, her family never converting or telling how proud they were of her, I can imagine she had some feelings of wanting to just run up to people scream until they listened. I questioned the Lord and asked, why? Why did we even go there if their father was just going to take away their agency and yell at us to leave? And then I remembered the feelings I had of Alisha. She knows the truth, she has the book of Mormon, and she remembers what she felt. I am going to call her today and tell her what happened, and give her a chance to still learn if she wants to. (Interesting that she just turned 19) and now she is an adult and no one can stop her from learning if she chooses to.

Brenda has committed to be baptized on October 2nd, she is doing ok on quitting smoking. Something funny happened though, the night she promised she wouldn't smoke any more she finished her 2/3rds of her cigarette and then the next day guess what happened? Her air conditioning broke and she has no money at all, she borrows her cigarettes and her daughter doesn’t want her kids to be around Brenda smoking, so she never comes by. And Brenda's phone is off, because she can't pay for it. And now her air conditioning is broken too! I told her, "you know sometimes the Lord reminds us of our commitments we have made in ways we don't want, like shutting off our air conditioning in the hottest part of the summer in the TEXAS HEAT and humidity!” Oh no, but not my air conditioner" she said. We prayed and read together, she is reading the book of Mormon and so far is doing well. What a miracle for us as the Lord's servants to know that the Lord will back up his servants by the power of God.

Speaking of that, we taught a less active, Sean and I felt impressed to tell him, if he started coming back to church and stayed strong and paid his tithing that his family would follow his example and Rachel, (his wife) would be baptized. He looked at me and quickly said...."I'll see you Sunday" he actually did come, he left right after sacrament meeting, but he did come. Miracle, the Lord is testing and trying me, there is something coming I can feel it also, Katie you had mentioned it too. I feel something is going to happen, we must always be ready for the promptings of the Holy Spirit, for it is the only way the Lord wills commune with us, with out it, we stand alone in a world with out knowledge. Like Moroni, I often feel sad and angry because of the choices of the members and children of God all around, my heart breaks, when I hear of yet another child of God that has just no time to hear the great Plan of Happiness the Lord knows will bring to each of us the Joys we are seeking and answer the un-answered questions we yurn to find out: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God" simple truth, and yet so many forget to ask. Even when Christ Himself comes in 3rd Nephi and teaches the people, he says prove me, ask the father if what I have taught you is true and faithful, and he will manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the holy ghost and by this power, ye may know the truth of all things.

I cannot really explain the change in me lately, almost a feeling of giving up who I was to become who I need to be. Things I am learning to say and striving to master not for myself or for praise but for the pure joy of Knowing my sister or brother has finally found the truth, or because the Lord is beginning to trust me, he will pave the way for me as his servant. Hmm....where true faith is miracles occur. ...Bible dictionary.....hope....it's what the world has that doesn’t' know, Truth...it's what we have and sometimes will not share...why?...

Where would you be individually right now if you were not a member of the Restored gospel of Jesus Christ? Where would you find true joy that lasts? Would you have a family? Would you be close to your own family, what would the point be? We are taught in Thessalonians 5:21" Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" by their fruits ye shall know them. Name one bad thing that came from the restoration of the gospel, not by the mistakes of man, but strictly the doctrine of the Book of Mormon, find one thing that teaches bad? NOT ONE! Only good, we invite all to read, ponder and pray about the book of Mormon and then Ask God your father who will never lie to you in the name of the son Jesus Christ if the book is the word of God!

It's incredible the feeling if you ask with real intent with humble heart searching for truth ONLY you will witness a miracle. I promise you that!

I love you, miss you dearly and pray for these next months miracles will be happening, if only we open our eyes.

Love you all from here to heaven, home
Sister Judkins
Transfers this SATURDAY!!!

Letter #19

August 23, 2010

I love TEXAS!!!!

Ok 1st thank you for all you do for me thank you! I am behind on letters, but I will return them! Don’t give up on me! :) being a missionary takes just a little bit of time :) ha! But I loved the soap and lotions mom WOW! GREAT JOB< the smell lasts longer then those cheap lotions I get at Wal-Mart and yours feel great, not too greasy but not like water, perfectly blended. Love all of them, fun fruity ones for every. Day and when your serious the big one the ginger milk I think...YUM!!! I was squeaky clean with those "Soaps of Many Colors" LOVE THEM! They are so much nicer to look at when you are wakeing up at 6:30 AM, not white mush, but BAMB....COLORFUL SPLASH OF "HAPPY SOAPS" so impressed with you mom....so impressed! Go for it girl! You can get little stickers for your logo, have John help if you want, and Julie she's our little beauty queen! Joni Vandyke I bet would love to help you make a logo etc. so you can sell and have it all professional like! And get business cards (free) where I got mine online, look for free business cards oh mom, I am so proud to say I am so much like you! Staying busy and always doing something! :) GO FOR IT GIRL!!!! You should put it on your blog, or have Meagan help you make a blog for your soaps and stuff! Oh cool, I want you to teach me and I'll help when I get home! In ....mom.....??? I don't know, next year when I get home. I can either come home in September before the twin’s b-day or in November. Before general conference or after! What you think?

Dad what's that necklace you’re wearing!? You’ve got me wondering for weeks now. How’s the business! I can hardly believe. Just last night I was just bawling thinking of everything....just been holding it in and last night I let it all out. With by blanket and samba wrapped in my arms and a box of tissues. I'm such a baby sometimes. Mom I get it from you Hugh! :) Well it was good, I am realizing sacrifice, what it means: to give up the natural man for my Heavenly Father and follow him. Wow! I think that's why sometimes we don’t think some things are a sacrifice, because when we get to that point of ”going to the temple instead of going on our weekly date isn't a sacrifice" we have given up a little bit of our natural man inside and so the sacrifice is understood as true Joy and happiness. I'm giving up 1 1/2 years with my family 13 more months so that other families can find out why I did it. "Families can be together forever" why is it every time we sing that song, not a single eye is dry by the end? Because our cup runneth over. Our heart burns within as we close our eyes and find the happiest times of our lives....vacation with family, fishing with brothers and sisters, having john untangle the fishing pull every 5 minutes, steeling dad's worms so when he wants to fish he finds 5 buckets of worms dried up on the dock, making my little brother eat a fish eye and never paying him, watching a best friend overcome her childhood fear, on the verge of tears when my dad walks in the store and looks at me, within seconds just knowing how to lift me up, crying with my mother hugging me tight, having faith while you watch your daughter walk down the airport security line while you know you have to say good bye, seeing the miracles that occur even when we never thought they would. These are just a few. I know my savior lives and because he lives we know!

Mom and dad last night I was thinking wow, aren't we supposed to be blessed from me serving.... come on Lord, aren't you going to at least show me some so I know it's true!? And this morning mom you wrote about the miracle of the zero balance 12,000 dollar bills! It brought tears to my eyes, my heart burned hot and I knew my father in Heaven said "Janna, my daughter, your father might not be right here to give you a blessing and you might not be there to help with work and home and family, but I am always with you and you are a dear special daughter that I need serving and finding my children that you knew before, that you have promised to find and share the gifts I've given you, so that when you see them they will know you and remember, for you are my choice daughter whom I've chosen, called and set apart to preach the true love of God, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ. For there are some who are waiting and will not listen unless their hearts are pricked with the power of remembrance! my daughter, I send you here, now trust me that I will take care of your loved ones, for I created and will provide, "be still" my daughter "and know that I am God."

This week my companion and I talked with President and I expressed to him my feelings of concern and heartbreak with finding happiness with my companion. I love the area and I love working hard, real hard, I guess I don't know any other way to work either REAL HARD...or not at all! On the flip I play real hard too! It’s got to be Judkins things. :) But my comp doesn’t do that, she works relaxingly and plays relaxingly. So picture a lion trying to win a "3 legged" race with a turtle....both will get there eventually, but imagine how much that lion would be tempted to bite the turtle, hold it in his mouth and run to the finish line! DOSN"T WORK WELL on a mission! So PATIENCE!!! The Lord is teaching me to slow down and depend on him through prayer and faith and work! I've learned so much.

Oh a funny happened tracting, we ran into this guy mowing his lawn and he said "oh no, I don't want no Joseph Smith on my yard." coming over and showing us with his hands, I looked down to realize I wasn’t' on his lawn. He proceeded to say "I pray that every door you knock on slams in your fa----" "Thank you, I said" staring at him with eyes of a lion ready to pounce and a smile that could kill... "your welcome" he quickly blurted out, confused and double taking ..."you enjoy your yard" he didn't say another word after I said that and we although we wanted to keep knocking out of spite!, left. When I got in the car, anyone that truly knows me knows what I was saying and how my companion just kept quiet as we left and I prayed to wipe the dust of our feet off at this mans house and that his mouth would be shut NOW! It was a blessing when I heard in my head..."that every person needs to have the opportunity to hear the word, and I have much to rejoice about! Just as Alma did when the city rejected him and he was them asked to go back!

Sometimes we have to do hard things, and we get kicked down and feel like failures, there’s only one spirit that wants you to feel that way and that is the devil the one that laughs at our faces and when we fall and scrape our knee, you know why he is so spiteful, because he knows he is NOT in charge! How does it feel when your whole family is having fun and you are bound to do what everyone else tells you to do, I’d be mad too! Well he has NOTHING we have everything! A body, choices, opportunity possibility for life eternal with our Father, he has no chance! Why do we let him win sometimes?

Brenda is doing well, and came to church as well as Clark for the 1st time came to all 3 hours! And is committing and following his commitments! His g-friend left last night and hopefully he'll continue to follow through! Brenda is getting baptized October sometime as long as she quits smoking and we have lots of tracting and finding to do.

We have received lots of rejection, and then one time we found a less active family not even on our list and she had her Mormon friend over and we talked and she said she might be interested in taking the new member lessons with another less active (got baptized 3 years ago and hasn't been coming) and Mike the new member.

I am realizing that this week we need to look for the miracles that the Lord has blessed us each with. So far today I have found dozens, and am ready VERY READY to see the rest and follow through. We have exchanges tonight! So EXCITED!!! Sister Schlauter and me are getting together and working hard tomorrow! Want to really badly get super soakers and have a very appropriate water fight ...mom you remember those elders back when Sarah Evans lived in those apt and they did that. The same ones I gave salt cookies and poop brownies to! Oh man, that was to fun! Do you remember that!? Ha! I've been craving a super soaker for months now! Maybe an extra early Memorial Day present mom!??? $15 :) maybe...ok don’t answer me now, you just think about it! :) He!

Last night I was taught by the spirit, I got sad because I felt we were supposed to find someone and it was getting late and I didn't know where to go, and my companion has been struggling for weeks....I prayed and then prayed again and started tearing up, "father, can't you just tell me where to go and who to find?" "Follow your companion" the spirit whispered. "Oh great, she wants to go home and sleep" I thought. But I was done and stomached all my courage and pride and said "the spirit says to follow you" she then said "oh well I want to go home and sleep, but let me pray" she then said I have been really needing a blessing because I've been off these past couple of weeks. I said "ok, lets go." We went to our ward mission leader’s house and he gave her a blessing and I wanted one, but said I didn't need one. (This was last night) I wrote down her blessing for her, I saw sis Davis do that and I thought it was an incredible act of charity. So I did it. she was so grateful that I listened to the spirit, I felt bad and sad leaving, then when I got home I just cried, I wanted a blessing but I didn't want anyone to give it to me but my dad....that night while I was crying I looked in the mirror and I said I want to see my dad and know that he's here. I looked in my red puffy water filled eyes, closed them and when I woke up this morning and received mom's letter I realized I received my fathers blessing last night!

You see all these miracles I would never have realized them unless I slowed down and was quiet and listened and paid attention! The spirit is with us. I'm grateful for it! I love missionary work and I love working hard. And I love you all!

From here to home,
Sister Judkins

P.s. Oh hey, I stacked 130 bails of 55 lb hay this week! SO MUCH FUN!!!! I LOVED IT! Not even kidding my comp was going to fall over and about die, which she kind of did, ha! But wow! So fun and great and sweaty and my arms still hurt from doing it. Dad I can't believe you used to get to do that! Ok it's not fun by your self but with a bunch of people it is really fun and feels GREAT!!!! Hard work = happy heart!

Letter #18

August 16, 2010

Hello loved ones,

Wow I have been truly touched by the words of encouragement I received today from my dear family and friends. Thank you so very much! I feel silly bawling in the library, my eyes glued on the computer....ha ha! That’s ok....thank you, they have been tender mercies of the Lord and an answer to a prayer....yes EXPECT MIRACLES! And I am today expecting a special miracle of re-commitment!

So this week we have a woman named Brenda except a baptismal date for Oct. 16th, 2010. She smokes, but is very poor and borrows her cigarettes every day. We made a game plan to smoke 2 this week, 1 next week each day and then 1/2 the 3rd week and then on Sept 4th STOP! Not sure of her commitment to it yet. She is very VERY needy and is only 62 and well, just needy and makes lots of excuses. But the Lord wants all his children to have the chance to except and follow and keep his commandments. It’s NEVER too late to turn a new leaf! YES me too! (Funny this ties into my re-commitment to my mission)

Ok, so I studied Word of Wisdom on food and am restructuring how I eat so I don't come home 548 3/4 lbs! Mom, you’d have to roll me home. Or just leave me here, because you could see me from Oregon! ha ha! No, but really that actually led me to a sacred gift my Father in Heaven wanted me to learn today. The blessings of following the word of wisdom in D&C:89 READ THIS!!! And 88 too!

19: "Shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge"...

D&C 84:19

"Any man that shall go and preach this gospel of the kingdom and Fail NOT to CONTINUE FAITHFUL in all things, shall not be weary in mind, neither, darkened, neither in body limb, and or joint: and a hair of his head shall not fall to the ground unnoticed, and they shall not go an hungered neither athirst".

So my mind will not get tired or darkened: I won’t' forget things, my body will work how it is supposed to! I will be taken care of always. The Lord keeps his promises. It’s us that decide whether we want to show our love through obedience! Did you guess my re-commitment yet!? Yes food and..... OBEDIANCE!!! Isn’t the atonement a great thing!? I tell you something: the Atonement makes the same change in every heart! You 1st must do the hard part and gain a humble sincere desire!!! Ok I'm humbled today truly! Obedience came up in EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY LETTERS I GOT TODAY and in my personal study.....maybe my father in heaven is trying to tell me something...hnmmmmm....maybe....naw!!! ok just kidding.....SO TODAY is going to be a day of reconciling with my savior and my father and re-committing myself to my father's will which is in Heaven by following my savior and brother Jesus Christ who paved the way for each us to follow and partake of not only the fullness of the gospel but also the fullness of HAPPINESS! I feel like some of you reading this are struggling with this? Finding fullness of joy and happiness in your life....Dan. 1:17 (6-20) Mysteries of God will be revealed to those He chooses to reveal them to....D&C 42:14 and through a prayer of faith ye may have the spirit"...."and by the spirit ye may know the truth of all things"...1 Nephi 1: 20 " I will show unto you the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance!"

The Lord knows his children, even though sometimes we don't want him to know us or we don't feel worthy for his gaze to come towards us. So we hang our heads like the leaper until someone says "Jesus is his name"....He is not this overwhelming person we cannot know and he testifies of his father in heaven who sent him, he came to do his father's will. We are children of GOD. Should our purpose not be the same to build the kingdom of God and in reality isn't that simple to invite our brothers and sister to partake of that true Joy or utmost happiness every living soul longs for? WE HAVE IT. Share it with all your heart and the spirit will teach and testify and connect with their spirit (who know each other) and the feeling of peace, love and true joy will come when they find where they belong...when they find home....is in heaven with our family and heavenly family and parents. This is the gift we have to share as members of the one true church on the face of the earth. There is no other way but by and through Jesus Christ and his patterned life. If we could all be saved and live in God's presence because Christ died for us....who would the test of been for? Not me and not you....

It's been a challenging week, but it's a climb to get to the peak, then we get to jump off and hit our knees on a knee board (prayer) and grab the rope (spirit) and hold on for dear life as the spirit leads and guides us, but if I get lazy and jump late or lose strength I'll fail...but not if I have the right board (obedience) the one dad got with the clips that you put the rope in the ease the burden on your arms so that you can keep going. And then take hold again! (The lord takes our burdens Luke 5) if we ask. Ok can you tell its summer and I MISS OUR MALABU!!!!! Is she doing ok!? I hope ya'll are play'n with her and having fun for me!!! Daddy, It’s time to have fun!!! No more worries k!?

My companion and I have been struggling, I am just telling her how I feel with out yelling and getting mad, but sometimes she is so good at helping me make my blood BOIL!!!! She doesn’t want to be here in Tomball anymore. I can see it, she's done here. She told me that she feels like she is leaving and the mantel is coming off, so I have 3 more weeks with her and we need to make them count!! It's important not to give up and this is a HUGE part of my re-commitment today being P-day....a re-commitment to my companion so that I can help keep the peace and lift her up and keep the peace and oh did I mention keep the peace!!! Through the spirit nothing is impossible, right!? Ok breathe in and out and grab the rope and fake it till you MAKE IT!!! BOOYAAA BABY@!!!!! I can so do that....John I just thought of me and you dog fighting on the knee boards (boogie boards) :) totally better be ready for one when we see each other again! :D YEAH DOG FIGHT!!! Miss you bro. :) I haven’t gotten a letter from ya'll for a while maybe you could show some love yeah!? And send a letter!!!??? Thank you! Been miss'n you every day! specially when I feel the wind (which hardly ever blows) and I close my eyes and dream I'm sitt'n in the front of the Malibu....mmmm.....ok....RE-COMMITMENT!!!! :D ha ha!!! I feel good today. I feel something is going to happen very well and I need to be prepared!!

I got a fortune that said "someone in my family is going to do something that will make me proud" .....it's true now....I'm so PROUD.....yes I used it...the p-word...and I liked it!

Ok we have Zone conference and guess what!!!! ELDER CACOCHKIE is coming!! Can’t spell his name he's Chinese, SO AMAZING!!! It’s in 2 weeks, and oh boy I was asked to give the opening prayer....!!! :D I think they got me confused with somebody else....I'm a little baby greenie! YUP and always want to be! But I feel honored by being asked to do that. What another tender mercy there must be something the Lord wants me to learn or say to someone. Hmmm.....COOL!.....can't wait to figure out what it is!

We also met this awesome guy names Jesse and he is so cool, old musician his son is something Dakota he is Mormon and a musician, but not sure about the rest. He has a book of Mormon and has read it for inspiration sometimes; he is not a fan of organized religion and wow!!! He is just so cool. he lives in a nice trailer house and has cd's hanging on his trees (he planted 50 years ago) and has bottled trees too.....so, my comp went there before when we were on splits and he wasn't interested, when we were walking my comp said that and I said, "ok, lets talk to him again" and said "HEY!" he talked and said didn't ya'll come bay a few days ago, and I said "yea, she did, but I didn't get to!" And he laughed and we talked for 30 minutes about life and God and the book of Mormon and Joseph Smith and he said he had a book of Mormon and read from it...I asked "have you ever prayed to know if it was truly the word of God?" he looked at me with childlike eyes and looked up to think and said..."ya know what....no....I haven’t". WOW!!! He is very neat. What a blessing to talk to him.

Well I love you thank you for writing and caring about me! Oh and mom, sister Cottle sent me the "getting to know you" about you!!! I LOVED IT! It lifted my spirits. It was fun to read about you and your likes and how dang similar we are momma! Ha ha! Oh and I'm not in the missionary news part, must have forgotten. At first I was sad, then I just wrote myself in and said, "oh, how sweet!" ha ha!!! I love LOVE LOVE OUR WARD!!!! GO LAKE OSWEGO!!!! Tell them how much I love them and thank sister Cottle give her a big hug and tell her congrats to the mission!!! WOW!! I'll write her too, but if you see her before, I want her to know how much I appreciated her thinking of me!!!

Lots of love family!!! Lots of love friends......now I have to go work hard and stay HAPPY!!! :D

Love you from here to home!

-Sister Judkins

Letter #17

August 9, 2010

LONGEST WEEK OF MY MISSION....... but wow what a big BANG for the finale of the week!!!

1st thanks to all the letters and love notes....so appreciated!! :D I love you! There were so many miracles that happened this week, even though it was so tough, and some really funny things and crazy wild things too....ok here is the gist:

Panaira bread YUM with members the VIETS LOVE THEM who by the way dad and family know your brother in TEXAS!!! they are so cool, they said that one day he's going to invite them down to have a BBQ and invite us over and visit!!! :) YEAH!!! they are great friends and I was so excited to see them and know they knew my JUDKINS FAMILY HERE IN TEXAS!! I also met Jessica PACK and Maureen PACK Meagan’s mother's sister and cousin!!! MEAGEN they are so cool and Jessica totally looks like you which is weird cause your not blood related, but I LOVE HER!!! and her boy is so cute too...they saw me sitting in the foyer and she kneeled down and whispered to her son "that's sister Judkins" I was like ugh.... then she said hey I'm Meagan’s cousin!!! I was so excited I probably knocked her down and scared her son. and then we talked it was a miracles cause that Sunday (yesterday started our very hard ) I was asked to give a talk which I'll tell you about after this story of the crazy CHINESE people and the motorcyclist! SO back at Pinara Bread, I invited Sarah, behind the counter to take a card and told her about us having prophets and apostles, then one of the guys went over the his friend put his arm around his and said...these girls are Mormon.....I was like oh crud....then Houston (the guy that said that) said "I just got baptized on Sunday!!!" I was thinking "yeah right" ...no but really he did, the AP's had taught him and he was awesome!!!! so cool! so we chatted and got our lemonades and ate.

Ok so after a little chatting with the Veit family I saw a bunch of people outside the window of Panaira Bread and I was like "what's going on?" so then you know me I've always got to be where the action is...I told them to come with me and see what’s going on and we walked outside and saw a motorcycle smashed and crumbled and a really crappy truck pulled over with these 2 Chinese people freak'n out over a popped tire. Then I start going up to EVERYONE asking "what’s going on" so the story was they heard this big rev like a motorcycle trying to speed off the freeway and in front of the truck and then the BANG!!! He apparently got his front tire of his bike caught in the truck's back left tire and flipped the bike a few times and the guy flipped over the car and then landing in the ditch, then jumped up and jumped into a car and drove off!!! Weird, then I saw him coming back out. His arms were all bloodied up and his side and legs and OH MAN IT WAS AWESOME! But I was thinking man 1. Why isn't he even in pain and why is his pupils the size of quarters and eyes blood shot and can't sit still.... and then I looked at the Chinese people and they weren't even worried or wondering if he was ok or anything they were just yelling about how he was so stupid and smashed into his car and popped his tire!!! Ha ha!!! So funny in their broken accent!!! Their expressions are priceless. So funny I stayed out there for a while and then the ambulance came and cut all of his clothes off!! Ha ha!!! Poor guy, here he is all bloodied up, Chinese people yelling at him 100+ people staring at him and he's lying on the grass helpless while these ambulance people are cutting his clothes off....poor guy. So we left and that was what we thought was the end of that...

That night we went and played monopoly with our favorite neighbors Nichole and Steve the Baptists who are moving to Salt Lake COOLEST FAMILY EVER!! Like my extended Baptist family/....and then sis Mullins answered the phone and was like "ugh, what? Oh, here’s sister Judkins." I was thinking who this....maybe an investigator is!? WELLL!.....I was wrong...it was the guy at Panaira Bread not the one that got baptized but the one he put his arm around and said "these girls are Mormon." he said hey this is ----- what are you doing tomorrow?" I was thinking oh no...Here we are playing a game of monopoly with our Nichol and her boys and I'm being asked out on the phone. Ha ha!!! I had to laugh in my mind. But it was so funny....I said "well ----- we are preaching the gospel to those who would like to hear about Jesus Christ" he said. "Oh yeah...so what are you doing tomorrow" ha ha!! Poor kid, I don't think he was all the way there, I'm pretty sure he had a few drinks...."As missionaries" I started "we teach people about Jesus Christ, do you want to learn about his gospel?" he said..."ugh....ugh....well Houston’s teaching me"....: I said "ok well if you want we can all schedule a time to have a lesson..." oh man. I didn't expect that to happen on my MISSION!!! Ha ha!! So funny....but who knows, maybe he is really interested in the gospel or will be at some point.

Members of the church just kept popping up that day!! OK those were the funny and exciting moments of the week!!!

Now to the miracles: this past Sunday I was asked to give a talk on converts and their testimonies. Well the entire week my mind was in a stupor of thought, I just couldn't get the right words out or anything. So I was getting anxious, Sis Mullins had hers done days before, so I felt un prepared. But I knew there was something very specific I needed to say and so I studied. On our way to our Sunday meetings I had prepared a hodgepodge of things, and then it clicked, the song came on in the car " I heard him come" there it is, this is what I was suppose to talk on.

I started scribbling down the words to the song, then remembered a story that stuck so strong in my heart in Luke 15 about the prodigal son (which I would challenge all of you to read and ask for personal inspiration for the Lord to you specifically!) and I thought of what Tyler Minetto said in his final Letter home about D&C 18:15.... Ok....I started writing and praying in my heart for my slowness of speech not to distract from the message Our heavenly father wanted his children to hear.

So I stood up and started to speak. I expressed my gratitude to the youth speakers and their testimonies and how finding people are very much like tackling them down. Then I began to tell them how I had been in a stupor of thought when asked to give my talk on converts and their testimonies and I expressed to them that 2 hours ago I had changed my entire talk and had felt prompted to do so. My heart grew warm as I said those words. I expressed that I was going to speak on: "How we can be Truly Converted" because at one time or another in our lives we are all converts, weather we are born in the church and have to find our own testimony, or have found the church, or we at some point knew the church were baptized and have fallen away for a time. we all have the choice of when our true conversion will take place. The spirit burned hotter as I said these words. And read the parable of the Prodigal Son. How he wanted to find "happiness," in other ways the same way his father did. We know the story; he wasted his money and was feeding swine when he realized that his father's servants eat better and so he decided that he would ask his father if he could be his hired help saying: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee. And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants." Luke: 15:17-18...what sorrowful words to speak and for a father to listen to....so the son wondered back home ready to beg his father for mercy...."But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and RAN, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." the son tried to say he was not worthy for his love, but the father said to his servants bring forth the BEST ROBE, and put it on him and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it and let us eat and be merry for this my son was dead and is alive again and he was lost and is found."

My eyes began to water as I expressed how many of us hang our heads down feeling unworthy to talk and be with our heavenly father...but the point here is that he took courage and humbled CAME back to his father to beg for mercy, but before he even said anything before he even reached him.... the father "RAN" to him and fell on his neck and kissed him. how many of us forget that the father will succor his people. the root word for succor is "to run to" in Alma 7:12 it reads :

"And he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, and according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor (Run to) his people according to their infirmities."

I then finished with the 2nd son how he was sad, and stayed out of the party,” therefore came his father OUT, and entreated him" expressing his love and gratitude and telling him that "son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine." And finishes with. “It was necessary that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again: and was lost and is found."

I then read the words to I heard him come. I saw his very face, I wondered who would come into this place....where dead man walk and were the dying talk of life before the curse upon them came......

He looked on me....he must have felt my gaze, he came towards me, through the crowded maze and I a leaper, with shame hung my head, till someone said. JESUS is his name....

"are we not all beggars?" Do we not all hang our heads, and will not the father still come to us through the crowded maze...but first we must gaze, we must be humbled and come unto him and when he sees us come unto him he will RUN to us and fall on our necks and kiss us!

The scripture that comes to mind is "I cannot forget thee, for I have engraven thee upon the palms of my hands"

I expressed my love of knowing this and then ended with what a deer missionary and old friend said about D&C 18:15 "and if it so be that you should labor all your days and bring but one soul unto me how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my father!" how humbled I was when I heard how he finally understood what that scripture truly meant at least to him, because for 21 years I thought that one soul might just be on my mission, someone I saved by teaching them the gospel. But no! In fact it's exactly the opposite. He expressed how he felt that his 1st convert was HIM. I with a heavy heart and trying to hold back hot tears welling up in my eyes from falling expressed how deeply I know that this is as true for him and it is for me. That if I am not truly converted to my savior and have the burning testimony of his atonement and the love and mercy my father in heaven has for anyone that turns unto him, HOW CAN I HELP ANYTHING!? Let alone anyone. I know the gospel is true and that the word of god is not just in the bible and book of Mormon but will continue coming forward throughout all time and we will come to know and the words which will come from the ground will testify of the ONE and only Savior of the World and of the one that sent him; our Father in Heaven and the one true GOD. Brothers and sisters, I will end with this "Behold, you have my gospel before you, and my rock and my salvation. ask the father in my name in faith believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the holy ghost, which manifested all things which are expedient unto the children of men." for behold how great shall be your joy if you bring but ONE SOUL ( pointed to myself at this time) unto me". In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

I received words from several people of the gift that I have with speaking and how they really needed to hear that....how incredibly humbled I was to know, not one of those words were mine. Not one, I will take no credit. But I will rejoice in my God, who runs to his children. One child specifically needed to here what the Lord had me say. And she gave me a letter expressing how she knew that my talk was changed specifically for her. and that some issues she's been struggling with were answered with words and scriptures she's heard thousands of time, but now look at them a different way... she expressed her love and gratitude to me for listening to the spirit. WOW! I am so blessed that the Lord entrusted such an important task to me. How humbled I am. I feel happy.

I love you all, so much, my heart is full, and my joy is overwhelming. Thank you for your support! Thank you for staying strong in the gospel! You’re such examples to me!

-Love you all from here to Home

_Sister Judkins

Letter 16

August 2, 2010

Familia y Amiga’s,

This week has been incredible. I love missionary work....Mom thanks for the package :).....but HOW DID you get Katie to write on the beach ball,....you said it was her idea,....I loved it blew it up the second I saw it! So fun!!! Thank you!!! I loved my melted chocolate hmmm....I put it in the freezer with my stash!!!! :) Thank you! Loved all the love notes on the ball too!

So many wonderful things happened just in one day SUNDAY!!! Ok so miracles are being expected. I learned about fasting this week and so for the 1st time I read Isaiah 58 telling us the true order to fast and the blessings that God our Father promises to give us,. AMAZING, So for the 1st time I fasted the right way knowing the blessings promised.
1. No vanity
2. No pointing the finger

1. Light will rise in obscurity
2. Darkness be as noonday
3. The lord shall guide thee continually
4. Thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations and though shalt be called, the repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in.
READ THIS CHAPTER: ISAIAH 58 with the spirit, and let your heart and mind be taught by the spirit!! REMARKABLE

THE CHURCH IS TRUE! I know it, I know GOD knows it and I WILL NOT deny it!

So fasting this Sunday started out normal. But then everything started to happen.
1. An investigator called us and we went over (Saturday) and wanted to come to church and said she'd be baptized when she knew it was true.
2.. We visited a less active couple who are struggling, but we had a conversation let by the spirit and little by little he will testify to them again.
3. Then we stopped by another part member and less active family (been trying for 4 months, haven’t let the missionaries in) THEY let us in! Rachel and Sean, she isn't a member, but he is less active since 10 years old. We laughed and they talked and we have an appointment with them Friday at 3pm.
4. After that we felt pretty good, but then we ran into our good neighbors Nichole and Steve (Baptists) :) they are so awesome I LOVE THEM!!! And they said our missionary boys came by and they told them that they talked to us all the time and their Baptist and not converting!! Ha ha!!! Funny...well they started asking questions out the wazoo!

Do you believe you can become like God?
Do you believe Jesus Christ is the son of God?
How do you know that Joseph Smith was not deceived by Satan, it says "beware of false prophets"
Plural marriage
Persecutions of the early saints.

etc..... It was so great!!!

We set up a meeting tonight at 7pm to answer questions and we called a member of the Magnolia Ward to come along with us, (they are not in our area) but they love us and want us to answer questions, before they are interested. They didn’t know a member was coming, they won’t mind, they're awesome. What’s really cool about this member is that he was studying to be a Baptist Preacher!!!!!! AHAHAHH!!!! How perfect yes!!! But he found things that didn’t' connect with the bible that the Baptist’s believe in. so needless to say he is also a Latter-day Saint. So excited for that! I hope they are not intimidated, I just wanted someone who can better answer their questions. PRAY!!! I love them so much and they are moving to SALT LAKE TOO!!! They are wonderful and would be incredible members, their trying to quit smoking.

EXPECT MIRACLES!!!!

I am so grateful for the responsibility we have as members of the church to share the gospel with our friends and family and those we see, DON'T be AFRAID!!! Someone is looking every second of the day...it's our job to find them, if every one of us members were sharing with everyone by example or not being nervous to just tell them that we are members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints wow!!! The world would be taught so quickly of the restored gospel.

I love it!! Family I love you and I love the ward and my deer friends that are supporting me our here!!! How I love and cherish our kin-ship through God or Eternal Father in Heaven.

The work I feel is finally starting to pick up; my back is actually a neck issue mama! I'm having Sister Weenig (a member) help put my vertebra back in line in my neck, it's out and I have to lay down on my bed with my head dropped off the end stretching my neck to get it back into place, 3 times a day with a cold and hot pack. It hurts and now my shoulder is giving me issues, mom, what does the pain in your shoulder feel like, I will tell Sister Weenig, she is a deep tissue massage therapist and a miracle worker too.

Mom if you want to talk with her:

Betty Weenig
Massage Therapist
LMT,NCTMB, Certified Color Puncturist, MTI
email@bettyweenig,com
281-795-1782
832-422-9014

just incase you want it. she is also relief society President.

Loved your treats you sent me mom.

Oh last funny story: so we knocked in a gated community the other day and got a return appointment with this guy Efton, ha ha...well we came with members and he wasn’t' there, so we walked back to our car and then saw this guy in a black shirt come out and motion for us to come over. I was like "cool" we came over and then this guy proceeded to start yelling at me "what do you want? Why are you here" I said "we have an appointment with Efton, is he your son?" "No" he said "why are you here?" Ha ha by this point I was like, dude I just told you silly. Ha ha....he yelled more and I said we’re missionaries and he stopped me and said he pays lots of money to not get solicitations like us I said "what is your idea of solicitation" ha ha...couldn't help it...."the more we talk about this the more I don't like it"....he said. He said don’t' come back to this house. I said "ok," and stuck my hand out with my Sister Janna Judkins smile and said "Thank you" he flung his hands up and away from me like I was pointing a gun at him or something!!! Ha ha and said "NO, NO!" oh no handshake I said....ok....you have a GREAT day...see you latter! :D

I started walking back with the biggest smile on my face...then I realized my companion and the 2 members were WAY FAR AWAY!!! They were scared and said "oh this is bad, this is bad" I laughed our loud when the guy went inside and said "that's my favorite" I love missionary work, don’t' you I tolled them!!! It was the best. I just thought, he can’t' touch me, I am called of God and as long as I am following him, he will protect me. SO FUNNY THOUGH!!!! Made my whole day, the members started laughing when I said this was my favorite. Ha ha !!!! Sister Mullins didn't laugh!!!! :D oh boy, this Sunday we learned how laughing at hard things makes you happier and live longer. I better live till I'm 400!!!! ha ha!!!!

Found a cockroach and screamed and then stepped on it, it played dead and then ran right for me!!! I screamed ha ahahhaha~ but then the member sprayed some stuff on him and he died.
WINDEX kills EVERYTHING!!! Mom remember how I would spray big flies with Windex....my Big Fat Greek wedding is so true about Windex. Ok sorry for so many spelling errors.

I love this work, getting along with companions are the hardest part, the work is true and faithful and so it is of God and there is nothing wrong with it, we as the members have everything wrong with us....but it's ok....:) because through Jesus Christ we are commanded to be perfect like Our heavenly Father is perfect and so the lord will not give a commandment unto the children of men save he shall prepare a way for them to accomplish the things he's commanded!!! TRUE WORDS..... REMEMBER and don't forget. I tell myself this.

I love you all:
from here to Home

Sister Judkins