Letter - July 22, 2008

Hey Fam how is everyone?!?! I hope that you all had a good week. I know that i have. It has been a little different week this week. Last monday night, i think it was the 14th, i found out that i was getting transferred. We find out monday night from the zone leaders. So i just had Tuesday to pack and get everything ready for Wednesday. I was really really nervous to leave Swindon and Elder Brower but as soon as i got to Rugby, all that went away and i knew that there was alot of work for me to do here. I am loving it. Elder Wear (pronounced Weer) is from Santaquin, Utah. He has been out about 8 months, so we are a pretty young companionship. We are both really excited about this transfer though. We have some pretty high goals and we are working as hard as we can to acheive those. Yesterday we put extra emphasis on finding someone to baptize. We found quite a few people and i feel really really good about all of them. I can't tell you how strong the spirit is. WOW!!!! It's amazing. I absolutely love being a missionary.

So i am living in a house with this old lady. She is about 80 years old and has had the missionaries living with her for almost 20 years!! She is not a member of the church but she is a great lady. We just get one room and then we use the kitchen and the bathroom. It is pretty good. I like it alot.

Also this week we taught a guy who used to be the Cruiser Weight Boxing World Champion. His name is Franco Wanyama. You can go on the internet and watch him fight I think. But he was awesome and he gave us an autographed picture of him. He was the world champion back in the 90's so he hasn't fought for a while but we talked to him for a while and it was really cool. He seems pretty interested in religion as well. So that is my cool story of the week.

Also i don't know if i ever told you but about two weeks ago me and elder brower were on our way to district meeting. We were riding our bikes to the church and it was raining of course but i was in front of elder brower and i was riding pretty fast. We were on the sidewalk and this car was starting to pull out of the gas station. I thought she saw me so i kept riding but i guess she didn't so she starts pulling out and i slammed on my breaks but they just slid and so i hit the wheel of the car, flew over my handle bars and hit the hood of the car and slid off onto the road. It was pretty cool!! I got up and this lady started getting mad at me for riding on the sidewalk and wearing all black. I said what would you like me to do instead and then her mom came and was really worried about me getting hurt. I wasn't hurt at all so don't worry. It was pretty fun and all that happened was i got a little cut on my chin. That's all though. So that was a pretty fun experience.

The weather here never gets better and it rains pretty much every day. You think i am exaggerating but i'm not. It really does. The english accent hurts my ears. I don't like it. I can't understand alot of people and so i feel like dad at dairy queens squack box. But i am working hard and i love being a missionary. I am so thankful for the gospel in my life. It really does bless our lives in so many different ways than we know. I absolutely love it. Missionary work is amazing. The spirit is so strong out here and i wish that i would have done more back home to feel it stronger but i know that we can always repent and do better. The gospel brings happiness to peoples lives. It is amazing to see people change their lives around. I know that only the gospel can do that. It really is the Lord's work. It has to be. Why would anyone else send 19 - 21 year olds throughout the world away from their families to do this. My testimony has grown so much out here and i know without a dobut in my mind that this church is true. I love it with all my heart. Thank you for being the best family in the world. I love you guys so much. I think about you all the time and i know that you are doing what our Lord wants you to do. Keep it up. You guys are the best. I love you so much!!!

Love Elder Sam Rudd