Letter - April 14, 2009

Hey there it was really good to hear about all that has gone on this last week. It has been a great week and full of blessings from the Lord. I just love this work more than anything else. So this week was really slow. We didn't have a lot of new people to teach. We were out there working hard each day, all day long. I was so tired. We found a really nice lady named Sharon and we taught her a couple times during the week. She read part of the Book of Mormon and she said that she really enjoyed it. Too bad her boyfriend isn't too interested and so she didn't want to take it any further without him. We were really disappointed from that. So that is really about the only person we taught this last week.

Saturday night came and we had no one that was committed to church. I was not very happy. I was very frustrated and i wasn't quite sure what else i could have done. So i went to bed and i just pleaded with the Lord that someone would come to church. I pleaded with him. So sunday morning came and we walked to church with Lauren and I was just hoping that someone would show up. We got to church and i looked into the chapel where the Relief Society meets and i saw a lady who was recently baptized and she had a friend with her. I was hoping that she wasn't a member. So i was in Priesthood opening exercises and the Ward Mission Leader came and got me and brought me out in the hall. He explained that this member had brought a friend and that she wanted us to teach her and her son! I was shocked. I asked him if he was serious and he said yes. So i was about to jump through the chapel roof, but i didn't and so i went back in to priesthood.

After priesthood got out i went out in the hallway and the member stopped me and told me she wanted me to meet her friend. I shook her hand and introduced myself. I set up an appointment for Sunday night to go and teach her at the members home. I was still in shock at this time. I had no idea why this was happening. After sacrament meeting got over i went and talked to Jean and her son Gareth. They said that they really enjoyed church and that they wanted to come again next week. So obviously with that in place i asked them if they would be baptized. They said yes and were very very excited about it. WOW!!! Jean and Gareth will be baptized on the 2nd of May. I can't tell you how excited i am. The Lord truly did bless us. I am so thankful for a loving Father in Heaven who looks after us and who prepares his children to enter into the waters of baptism. I know that this is the Lords work. I know that the Lord prepared and made a way for Jean and Gareth to come to church, to have a spiritual experience, and then have a desire to be baptized. I know that without a doubt in my mind. I love the Lord. Please pray for Jean and Gareth. They both have dislexia and Jean has a slight case of epilepsy. They struggle very very much to read the Book of Mormon. They want to be baptized though and i know that the Lord will provide the way. I know with all my heart that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. Well other than that we had Zone Conference this week. It was such a good one. We learned about how to become a successful missionary from Preach My Gospel pg. 10. The England Birmingham Mission (EBM) has the best missionaries in the world. We really do. It is amazing to see all of these other missionaries working so hard. President Moffat is the best mission president that anyone could have. He takes his job very seriously and he has accomplished miracles while out here. We all love him and we will all miss him very very much.

I am pleased to hear that Stake Conference went well. I miss coming to stake conference and learning from the leaders of our stake. We are very very lucky to have leaders like we do in our ward and our stake. Leadership over here is good, but its not great like it is in the states. Church members have a lot to learn in those regards. They are coming along though.

I can't believe our condo changed. You will have to send me pictures. Also send me pictures of the basement. You can send pictures in emails. Just attach them to the email and i will get them. I haven't seen a lot of things. The basement, dad's car, mom's car (if she got a new one yet), etc. I wont even recognize anything when i get home.

Well the church is true. I know it is with all of my heart. I will be devastated when my mission is over but i hope that the Lord will bless me with opportunities to share the Gospel with pepole. I love Jesus Christ. He is my best friend. I have felt his love. I love serving the people of England. Even though they are a pain most of the time. I love all of you and i hope that you are all doing well. My prayers are with you.

Love Elder Sam Rudd