Letter - September 23, 2008

Hello there!!!! Thank you for the emails. They mean alot. I love hearing about everything that is going on. It makes me feel good to know that everyone is happy and safe. I love you all.

Well this week was a pretty good week. We had a baptism on Saturday. Her name was Jennifer Ferrell and she is 10 years old. She didn't get baptized when she was 8 but she comes to church every week and rarely ever misses. Since she was over the age of 9 she counted as a convert baptism. It was a great service. Also Trisha was supposed to get baptized this upcoming Saturday. President Moffat came teaching with us to her house and sorted the past concern out and now all she needed to do was give up smoking. She was doing great until yesterday. We call her at 7 in the morning every morning to make sure she doesn't smoke and then multiple times throughout the day. We talked to her at about 5 30 and then again at about 7 30 and when i talked to her at 7 30 she told me that she had smoked a couple hours ago. I was devestated. My heart just dropped and felt like it shattered into a million pieces. I told her that was not good and she said she knew. It really just broke my heart when she told me that she smoked. I honestly have not cared about an investigator as much as Trisha. She is a great lady. Me and Elder Wear both feel that way. We are going to teach her tonight with our new ward mission leader, (who reminds me exactly like Mark Hulet. It's scary. But he is exactly like him ), and we are just going to be bold with her and help her through it. It is so hard to see people not keep commitments that are so important. I want Trisha to be baptized so much because i know that it will bless her life so much. It will bless her family. I never thought that i could love people as much as i do out here. I really do care about all of our investigators. It is still hard to love everyone that i talk to because we meet some real winners and some real jerks but i pray for that help every time i pray. Also this week Rosemary, blanket lady, walked into church again. She is out of control. We didn't really understand what happened but we did not expect it at all. She walked in and then we asked her to be baptized on October 11th. She accepted and we stressed that it has to be different this time and that she needs to hold her appointments. Hopefully she will understand. We also found a guy named Lee and set a date with him on the 11th as well. Also BIG NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!! WE FOUND ELVIS!!!!!!! HE IS STILL ALIVE!!!! DONT WORRY!!!!! THE KING IS BACK IN THE BUILDING!!!! Hahaha we found this guy yesterday who thinks that he is Elvis. He goes and does shows and immitates Elvis. He played a cd of him singing which was actually pretty good but he told us that one day he will make it big. He told us that he is the next best singer next to Elvis. It was pretty funny. I was laughing and also worried because this guy was nuts. That is our interesting story for yesterday. This week should be a good week. I am excited about General Conference but i'm not at the same time. That means that i only have 18 months left. Time absolutely flies out here. I remember Elder Nordquist told me that he had 9 months left when he got here and now he only has 3. It seems like yesterday that i was sitting in the MTC watching General Conference and watching our brand new prophet wiggle his ears. It is amazing how time goes.

WHAT IS UP WITH UTAH???? DISCIPLINE KYLE, DISCIPLINE. Why are we having so many penalties? I don't get it. You are right it is a good thing i am 10,000 miles away. Kyle would definately be hearing from me. That is great though that we are ranked again. I love it. GO UTES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well i think that i have gotten everything you have sent me. I haven't gotten the package yet that you sent last week but im sure i will get it soon. I haven't sent that package home that i was going to a few weeks ago but i am today. Thats about it for this week. I am loving every minute of my service. I love it so much. Alma 29:9 sums it up. I love the gospel. It brings so much happiness into peoples lives. I think i took it for granted back home but i realize now more than ever how important it is. The gospel truly is the only way to true happiness. I testify that Jesus Christ lives. He is our savior and our redeemer. I love him more than ever. Joseph Smith truly is a prophet and he did look up and see through the trees Our loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I love the Prophet Joseph. I know that Thomas S. Monson leads this church today. He is an inspired man. I love him. This gospel is so true and i love it with all my heart. I love all of you and i am so greatful for your love and support. You don't know how much it helps me and how much it means to me. I love you.

Love Elder Sam Rudd

p.s. i cut my own hair and we don't have too many dinner appointments. I am still starving but you know that even if i eat i am still hungry. Send me some jif peanut butter. They have jars that say peanut butter over here but it ain't no peanut butter.