Letter #52

Friends and Family,

MOM, DAD, KATIE, kids..... YOU ARE SO SNEAKY! Y! Y!!Y!Y!Y!YY!

I HAD THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER! THANK YOU FOR THE FLOWERS AND PACKAGE OF GREAT SCRIPTURES THAT LIFT ME UP EVERY TIME I LOOK AT THEM.

I read and got the package and SUPER GOOD cake at Rabevera's house (Sister Little's daughter) we've become really close with this incredible family!!! They are so involved with missionary work. sister little brought out the package and I was like "WHAT!??" and then my mom's writing was on it, and I was like "you sneaky mom"....yes mom she loved the soap...I'm loving it too and all my good perfect things you spend so much time putting all this together all the Scriptures and quotes. Thank you, I loved all of it. I love that you spent so much time and you worked so hard on it for me. Thank you!

You will be happy to know that I followed the directions!!! ha ha! Everyone got a BIG laugh out of that mom, that you had written directions for me, Rabevera said "wow, your mom knows you".... yup....she does. Thanks mom, dad, Katie. I love the flowers they are so beautiful, I took lots of pictures, but I forgot to bring my cord, I'll send them tonight. I just cried, because none of you have any money to be doing any of this, and this 22nd birthday I will NEVER forget this birthday. The day when everyone sacrificed to make my day special! Thank you. I am truly SPOILED!!!! Ya’ll are so incredible and kind. thank you for the letters, Tasha, g-ma and mom and dad for the videos and packages, the roses of the rainbow, the crown and uplifting words and cake it really did make me feel a lack of words because I've never been so spoiled on my birthday!!! The lord must be pleased with me to send so many of his best to be in my life!!! Thank you. My birthday was the BEST!!! You sneaky things!!! I really had no idea you would send it to sister little and have it in front of everyone at Rabevera's at FHE (with our investigators etc.), had no idea!! It was cool because I got to share this experience with those I have taught, and they saw 1st hand a missionary that had a birthday without family, but how god provides for his servants.

GARY SAID SATURDAY THAT HE WOULD BE BAPTIZED!!!!!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!! He is AWESOME!!! Came to church 2 Sundays now and he is so incredible!! He said when he read the Book of Mormon and after taking missionary lessons and praying he prayed and asked "is this church true" and said he felt warm and peace, and he knows. He will need to change things in his life, but in a world where peace is hard to feel, he knows that the church is true and God's plan of happiness is not a mystery anymore. His father that passed away last year can be with him forever after this life he will be his dad. He doesn’t understand all, but he knows enough to know it's true.

Mom your letter was perfect for our last lesson. The foundation to live before you can truly live the gospel of Jesus Christ, you have to follow 3 things as a foundation
1. Read Scriptures EVERY DAY
2. Say prayers EVERY DAY
3. Attend church EVERY WEEK.....I have learned a new importance of church attendance, that's when you know an investigator is progressing, when they are attending church. And on the other hand when someone is becoming less active and losing that foundation it starts with forgetting to do these 3 things.

the sacrament is so important, God knew that we would need reassurance and a new start as often as we could, and so he provided a way where Jesus Christ could suffer for us physically so we could remember his broken body and know that our own body will be resurrected at the resurrection, but then we take the water and this is in remembrance of his blood. What does that mean?

"He was bruised for our iniquities, "

And when he was at the place, he "fell on his face crying, Abba...father if it be thy will let this cup pass from me, but not my will thine be done"....

"...Surely he has born our grieves and carried our sorrows"

The blood is to remember and take his name upon me and remember my covenants that I've made when I was baptized. To bare others grieve and sorrows. Are we not promising to repent of our sins and become clean again through the savior, so that we can take that step and in a very small way become a savior for those around us. Become like Christ?..."I am the light and life of the world"..."ye are a light,...{the salt of the earth} put it on a candle stick and not under a bushel"...."come unto me all ye that labor...and I shall give you rest"..."reach out to the hands that hang down"..."become as a child submissive meek and mild"..."father I thank thee that thou hast heard me and purified those whom I have chosen".

"for God so loved the world that that he gave his only begotten son, that who so believes in him, shall not parish, but have everlasting life" -john 3:16

Going to church is the hardest thing for investigators to commit to. And same with those who have been offended and those members who are fallen away, going back to church is the hardest for them, because they feel others will judge them... "How oft have I gathered you....how oft would I gather you...how oft will I gather you....as a hen gathered her chicks.....

....and ye would not....

"O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?" .......verily....if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will com, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me...behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God." -3 Nephi 9:13-15 -

Wow....my heat is so full when I think of this "if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life..." here is our savior, he just was beaten, scourged with a leather whip with bones braided in, having just suffered all the pains of every damned soul that would ever live. yours and mine included which caused him to bleed from every pore, they nailed huge nails into his hands, wrists and feet, and stabbed him in the side blood drying down his face from the crown of thorns the mocking soldiers had crafted as they laughed and gambled at their savior......and then the words are spoken...."Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do"....

"I will be my brother’s keeper, I will show a healers heart to the wounded and the weary I will show a gentle heart. I will be my brother’s keeper, Lord, I will follow thee"....

I know this church is Jesus Christ's church which he organized almost 2000 years ago, and the priesthood has been restored to the earth through the power of God and his great merciful plan of happiness. Through resurrection beings we have the priesthood that gives us the authority to pass and bless the sacrament and baptize and perform temple work to fulfill God's merciful and perfect unstoppable plan. We have a living prophet of the world. His name is President Thomas S. Monson. He has been called by God and because we are literal spirit children of God, and we lived with him before he loves us enough to all way sends prophets and apostles to teach his children because he cannot be here physically. But the end of the plan of happiness is this "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man"....to live with God our Heavenly Father and with our families together united with those that have died also. God has a way for mothers to be with their daughters and families to be together forever. This is what we as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints know to be true!!! how many of our dearest loved ones and friends are ready to hear the message that all is not lost, but those who have never heard will hear and "if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the holy ghost, and by the power of the holy ghost ye may know the truth of ALL THINGS". -Book of Mormon (Moroni 10-4-5) "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God....but let him ask in faith, nothing wavering" -James 1:5

To those of you who receive the truth hold fast to it, ask God. I would ask those who want to know truth.... read the Book of Mormon, and then ask God.....is the Book of Mormon true? You will receive an answer as you ask with a sincere heart and real intent having faith that God will answer you! My heart burns as I share this, I wish with all my heart that I could read with you and join you in your fervent prayer to know. I love you with all my heart.

-Love you my dear family, brothers and sisters.

From here to home ( Heaven) -Sister Judkins