January 29, 2018 - Long Haul, 7 1/2 Months! - Canandaigua, NY

Exciting news.... I'm staying another transfer in the chosen spot of Canandaigua!! And I couldn’t be more sure that this is what needs to happen. This transfer we are going to be baptizing nonstop! Miracles. My NEW companion is Elder Gardner from Kaysville, Utah. He came out a transfer before me and we served in the Fairport Ward together so it will be a great transfer. Very excited!! 

Elder Churchill will be heading to Buffalo! 

Well... I have no time at all today since I got to help Elder Churchill pack his bags. So this email will be brief. Sorry about it.

We were able to meet with Thomas a couple times this week and he is showing great progress until he called us drunk Sunday night... we stopped by earlier today and blessed his home, and gave him a priesthood blessing. I love Thomas.

Thursday we were tracting in the miracle hours of 8-9pm and we found a cute little family!!! They invited us back the next day, we came back and had a member there to fellowship. We taught the restoration and the 10 year old son asked if he could come to church, we invited the whole family and they committed to come and they showed up and absolutely loved church!! 

We had 5 investigators at church this Sunday. Nichole, Andrea and Anglo, Colleen, and Amanda! It was great! We should have some more next week!! 

Recently for the past couple months I have focused on studying the sons of Mosiah, and their mission experience and how I can gain faith like them and I really have seen a huge change in my heart since doing so. I desire to do no evil but good continually and I desire to preach the gospel to every living creature. I know the lord can change our hearts and heal us from all things in life. I love him and am so very grateful for a savior. 

Love you all!!

Elder Judy

January 22, 2018 - Whatta Week!! - Canandaigua, NY

Alma 26:35

“Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will believe on his name.”

My joy is full. I know that my Savior lives. Even through the toughest of times he will manifest himself to us as we work our hardest and give him our all. This week I have come to know the true power of Jesus Christ. I've come to Love Him more than anything in this world as well. 

In this weekly instead of a day by day I will just tell of the experiences that have brought me joy and reason to rejoice. 

Tuesday night, a member in our ward had us over for dinner along with their nonmember friend named Amy. Amy has been going through a really hard time recently... and is looking for more direction and hope and faith for her life. Amy has been prepared by god and put in the path of missionaries. As we shared the restoration after dinner she was blown away and ate it up. She asked for a priesthood blessing and afterwards she couldn’t even describe with words of how she felt. This is GOD’S work.

Wednesday we got Facebook, the weirdest thing ever to be back on social media...lol

Thursday we had couple great lessons. My companion has been asking me anti-mormon questions.. that's a struggle. We did some tracting in a trailer park. The 3rd door we knock on the guy wasn't interested but we asked him if he knew anyone that could use the help of Christ. He points at a trailer and says “that man can use some saving.” We go and knock on the door and Thomas opened it up and immediately invited us in. We went in and there were beer cans everywhere... it was a really sad sight to see. He started telling us his beliefs but that he felt abandoned by God. As I was listening to him I had the thoughts of this is wasting our time, he's intoxicated and wont even remember this. Then the Mormon Message “The Savior Wants to Forgive” came to my mind and we asked if we could show it to him. As he watched he began to bawl... after the video ended Thomas got down on his knees and pleaded with god for forgiveness and to love him... as this was happening I felt so much love for Thomas and a desire to help him. Thomas begged us to come back and to teach him more about Jesus Christ. We told him we would come back the next day. As we came back for our return appointment he didn't answer the door and we thought maybe he was passed out from drinking so much. We gave him a call and he answered, and said he was in the Hospital in Clifton Springs detoxing and he thanked us so much for coming over and helping him make this decision in his life. We will begin to meet with Thomas this week. This experience has shown me the love that god has for us and that he is a merciful Being. I Love my Savior. Later Thursday night we met with a part member family who has been going through a hard time and is more than ready to accept the restored gospel. 

Alma 26:37

“Now my brethren, we see that god is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving, yea, and I will give thanks unto my god forever. Amen.”

I love you all. I hope you all have a great week and will notice how merciful the Lord is to you. Be grateful for we have much to be grateful for. I love my savior Jesus Christ and he has power to heal our souls in times of trial. 

Love,

Elder Judy

January 15, 2018 - Helloooo From NY - Canandaigua, NY

Hey Y’all!

It was a great week in the freezing cold. Lol. It was actually really nice this week at the beginning, then we got pounded with snow!! So awesome. This week we focused on doing the will of god and following the spirit in all things. We saw MIRACLES! 

Monday, was a chill p-day. Our fridge was empty so we did lots of shopping. The pipes at the church building burst from the freezing cold and flooded half the building so that was cool. Monday evening we had a couple hours of finding. We found 2 people! Jordan and Laurie. Adam and Megan Record, a less active couple got married! They are making great steps in the gospel! We had a lesson with Colleen! She’s getting so close! 1 week smoke free.

Tuesday, I had a conference call with all the district leaders in the mission and we were trained by president.  It was great. Then we went straight to district meeting. I trained more on goal setting and made a Canandaigua district standard of excellence:

4 baptized a month

3 people invited to be baptized weekly per companionship

8 people at church a week as a district 

22 new investigators a week as a district

Some gnarly goals! I’m excited to see the miracles! We helped set up for a funeral in the ward, then finished our studies. It was full day of finding. I made a promise at district meeting that all areas will be able to find 1 new investigator today. It came true in our area at the last minute. We found a guy from Africa. His name is Second and he loved the restoration and wants to worship in Christ's church.

Wednesday, we had lunch with Brother Hansen at Pontillo's Pizza, then went to our lesson with Sarah.... I will not be going back into that house to say the least. Haha we had to drop her cause she's not in a environment to live the gospel at all. We did some street contacting and found 3 people! That’s a miracle. 

Thursday, ohhh boy. Needless to say, we might have gotten bed bugs by helping a member clean his apartment. Lol. It was Bad.  We had a full day of lessons and still found 2 people to teach! We met Stephanie. She accepted baptism and a date all in the first contact. 

Friday, we helped the Fenn family move their mother's stuff to a storage unit. Then did weekly planning. We did some finding in Farmington and found a couple other people! Had dinner then knocked doors in an ice storm. Lol. Exchanged with the zone leaders and had a lesson with Amanda Steele. She’s getting tough to teach.

Saturday, we woke up to a lot of snow! Colleen had her interview for her baptism and passed!! Then we drove down to Penn Yan and interviewed another man for baptism. Lots of things happening in my district right now it’s awesome! We did some finding. During dinner I burnt the poo outta my fingers and the mission nurse said to stay in the rest of the night and soak my hands in cold water. So we did that and watched online proselyting videos in preparation for getting Facebook in the next week! 

Sunday, TERA CAME TO CHURCH!!!! This was huge. My whole time in Canandaigua I've invited her and she has never came. She loved it and felt the spirit so strongly! It was awesome. The other 5 that were suppose to come bailed last minute... after church we did some finding in Bloomfield and found a old man named Rick who had a Book of Mormon sitting on his coffee table and he's excited to meet with us! 

It was a great week! 

“The attitude you have toward your mission experience is a reflection of your love toward your Heavenly Father and His son and your respect for the priesthood.”

- PMG pg 151 “accountability”

Love,

Elder Judy 

January 8, 2018 - -25 Degrees, Still Truckin'! - Canandaigua, NY

Hello family and friends! 

This week was one for the books! Freezing cold and I've been sicker than a dog! Still got out and got work done though. 

Monday, was a great pday, we got to see Colleen that evening and she quit smoking and is shooting to be baptized on the 27th of January. I love Colleen. I tracted into her on exchanges with Elder Harvey and we have been teaching her ever since. She is eating up the Book of Mormon. She loves the spirit she feels as she reads and desires to change her life.

Tuesday, we helped a lady named Lindsey move her apartment. She posted a video of water pouring out of her ceiling on facebook and one of the members in the ward saw it and sent her a message saying she knew two guys that would love to help her move. We got a member with a truck and helped her out. We will be teaching Lindsey this coming week:) Elder Churchill had a doctor appointment to get some happy pills and also had 1 hour of contacting so not much happened this afternoon. We got out after dinner and did some tracting in the cold! It was a good day.

Wednesday, we did lots of finding... got the cops called on us twice and started a fight in a group home... it was interesting. We’ve had to drop lots of people recently because they are flakey... stinks!!  So we are doing lots pf finding.  After dinner we did some more finding and tracted into this lady named Mariah!  She’s super cool, kinda anti... but willing to read and pray to know if this is true. She worked at the Palmyra Inn for a little bit and knows lots of things about Joseph Smith that aren’t necessarily true... we run into a lot of that in this mission. 

Thursday, we had district meeting to start off the day. We had interviews right after with President.  He gave me some good advice for the things that I’m going through right now... talked a lot about my district and how I can help them improve their areas and help them baptize. President is awesome. Love him lots. We came back and did studies then went out for a little bit before dinner. We had dinner with the Fallentine's and then had a night full of finding and teaching. We saw Mariah and taught her the full restoration. She is having contradicting beliefs, she wants to believe it so bad. Haha It cool to see her reaction to the spirit. We also saw Colleen and she's still going strong for not smoking!! She’s doing it and I’m so proud of her.

Friday, we did some weekly planning and I have been sick all week with a nasty cough, chest pain, and throwing up. It has been rough. So Elder and Sister O’Brian from Driggs,ID came and picked me up and took me to the doctor and I got some medication!  I am doing much better today, thank the lord! After my doctor visit we finished up planning then hit the streets. It was one of the coldest days!!!!  We did finding until 9.

Saturday, was the was the coldest day of the week!!  We went out first thing in the morning to some lessons and they all fell through so we did burst tracting, we would find for 30 minutes and then sit in the car or building for 10 mintues to warm up and call people. Time is precious and we can't let Satan win! We found 3 new investigators that day. They all seems very solid as well! 

Sunday, fast sundays are my favorite. A less active couple we have been working with bore there testimonies today! That was awesome. They get married today (Monday) so excited for them! We tried contacting formers right after church but had no luck, came back and planned the rest of the day then went back out finding. We found a FAMILY!! The others name is Megan and as we did our approach and promised her the blessings that come from receiving the restored gospel.  She said she could really use those in her life and with her family. She knows a couple members in Utah and is excited to meet with us this coming week. We also had a lesson with Tera Dusenbery and threw down the law for commitment keeping as in coming to church and the importance it will have in her conversion. She’s great. She committed to come this Sunday. We did some finding to end the night off. 

I love Canandaigua, but I’ve been here for awhile now. 5 months. Working on my 3rd go round tracting the streets here. Lol. God still is preparing his children and it’s humbling to watch. I love this gospel.

Hebrews 13:6

“So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and i will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

Love,

Elder Judy 

January 1, 2018 - I'm Freezing!! - Canandaigua, NY

Oh boy, I’m not prepared for this winter at all... haha!  I’ve lived off of hot hands for this past week shoving them in my shoes and in my pockets to keep my feet and hands warm. Haha its been a struggle but we are still out knocking doors in 3 degree weather with a -15 wind chill. Ohhhh yeah! Love it! 

Monday, was windy and snow Christmas Day we almost went off the road only a couple times..  there was like 6 inches of snow on the road and we were cruising around in our fusion from members to members!  We had breakfast with the Simpson family, they also let us do our laundry.  We watched their kids open their presents and it brought back memories! We had lunch and FaceTimed from the Record's house! They are awesome! I love the Records. We had dinner at the Martins, they are another great family! Then from 6pm-9pm we tracted! The very last door we knocked on was a lady named Thina whose been reading the Book of Mormon every day! She’s excited to meet with us and be baptized! So awesome!

Tuesday, I woke up and my head felt like it was going to blow right off my shoulders and I had the chills really bad. So we stayed in and I slept until about 4:30 and I was going crazy by sitting in the apartment so I bundled up and we went and did work from 5-9. It was freezing cold. We met some great people. I don’t know if i made my cold worse or not... oops. 

Wednesday, first thing was exchanges and I went with Elder Kelly to Geneva! Elder Kelly is a wonderful missionary. He’s awesome. We had a good time. We found a family! Got to go to their church building which is the Peter Whitmer Farm... where the church was organized. So awesome!  

Thursday, we had district meeting. I gave a training on missionary work & the Atonement. It went really well, our Tiwi was broken so we couldn’t drive back to Canandaigua until we got it fixed. We spent a half hour on the phone and finally got it fixed. We had a lesson with Tracy, it was a disaster... she wouldn’t stop telling her stories to the member we brought a long and we didn't even get to teach... we had a lesson with colleen, we read alma 22 and talked about “burying our weapons of rebellion” it was a very spirit filled lesson. She made a plan of how she will “bury” her cigerettes. She quit yestarday! We had a lesson with Amanda Steele, she's still not receiving answers. We are at another road block with her.

Friday, we did weekly planning, Elder Churchill had a counselor meeting. Then we got out to start working. We did a little bit of street contacting in downtown. It was good! We had dinner back here at the apartment. We had a lesson with Betty. She’s a 73 year old lady who struggles with dementia, so we are not sure if we can continue to teach her. We did some finding in Manchester, got the cops called on us! Lol. He put us in his car, and took us back to our car. It was great! Haha!

Saturday, we had a couple lessons in the morning with Brother Schwab! Also Meagan and Adam! They are getting married next Monday!! So awesome! They are both members and returning! It’s been really cool to see them change. We did some finding before dinner which was with the Meadows in Bloomfield. We did some finding in Bloomfield until 8 and then came back to teach the recent converts in the ward, John and Kenny. 

Sunday, was great! We had Nichole, Amanda, and Betty at church! Also Brother Schwab, Adam and Megan,  and Brad Boyce. We had a baptism after church! And we had 2 of our investigators there to feel the spirit! It was awesome! We helped one of our investigators, Sarah move some furniture to a storage locker. We finished the night off finding and found Don, she was just given a Book of Mormon and has been reading it and wants to change her life and immediately set an appointment with us. It was great! Found some solid people this week! 

I hope you all know that god is well aware of you and what you going through, I felt that a lot this week with freezing my tail off and also some other struggles I am having. I know as we lean on the lord and not to our own understanding he can change us and make us who he wants us to be. I love the lord and the power that comes into my life from reading his words.

Love,

Elder Judy