2 John 1:12 Sunday at 9:00 and/or 11:00

2 John 1:12
Sunday at 11:00.

Juventina FINALLY accepted a date. I won't be here for it, but that's not what matters. Happiest. Tender mercies. 

See you soon. 

Love you all. Stay in the boat. See you all soon.

Wow conference was killer! We have a living day Prophet and this is the true and restored gospel! I feel like everything was about the restoration and the importance of our dear Prophet. I felt like Sunday afternoons session was literally the answer to every prayer, thought, question and worry. I feel at peace about what's about to happen. Obviously it's scary, but it's a good thing.

Also, my last interview with President was this week and that was the best. Went in feeling nervous, but like always that man knows just what to say. 

Attatched: Photo of us as the Zone of the month. Nice work Toncontin! And some poor hungry Elders. Our accounts didn't have money until tuesday last week, so the Elders had a rough Pday and we decided to have mercy on them. 

Well, I guess I'll see you guys next week. I think. It still doesn't feel real... maybe when the cold hits.

Love you all. 

Stay in the boat. 

Be there soon. 

FELIZ NAVIDAD. Because our district leader has started saying it. WOO!

Hermana Ludlow

 

 

 

I was forced to sign saying that I "voluntariamente" am giving up my residency

Alright. As you all have probably already observed, it's a little hard for me to collect my thoughts lately, but here goes...

These past two weeks have been rough. The work is super slow in our area, and we don't really have any progressing investigators, contacting is a bust lately, and our only hope is references. We've been doing a lot of walking and I've gotten to know my area and my companion a lot more. It's a little frustrating because all anyone really wants for the last few weeks of their mission is to have a ton of success, but I've learned a lot a lot a lot. 

My companion is amazing. She's the most patient, humble person on the planet, which is the exact opposite of me, so we make a good team. We laugh about literally everything, until one of us is crying or can't breath, so THATS GREAT. She's had a rough week with some family stuff that's going on, but that hasn't gotten her down. Throw in a few prayers for her. (And for the both of us in general.) 

I'm doing really great though. The Elders in my zone and the members are counting down the days more than I am. But I just want to make the most of these last few weeks.

The office Elders have taken my residency and sent me my plane ticket. (photo included with me and a paper that I was forced to sign saying that I "voluntariamente" am giving up my residency.) But I'm happy. The mission has been the best, hardest, time of my life and the good news is, it's not quite over. 

LOVE YOU ALL. 

Be good and take care of each other. 

Enjoy General Conference... Tan, I'll be looking for Paula for SURE. And make sure you all eat so much good food and think of me, because the food here is killin me. Probably I wont ever want to eat chicken or rice or eggs or beans ever again. 

Hermana Ludlow

P.S. Mosiah 10: 8 and 9 made me think of Lord of the Rings this morning. So that was cool.

 8 And it came to pass that they came up upon the north of the land of Shilom, with their numerous hosts, men armed with bows, and with arrows, and with swords, and with cimeters, and with stones, and with slings; and they had their heads shaved that they were naked; and they were girded with a leathern girdle about their loins.

 9 And it came to pass that I caused that the women and children of my people should be hid in the wilderness; and I also caused that all my old men that could bear arms, and also all my young men that were able to bear arms, should gather themselves together to go to battle against the Lamanites; and I did place them in their ranks, every man according to his age.

The B word "Baptism"

This is how my week went.

Love you all. 

See you soon. 

Don't expect a lot of words these next few emails. 

Wow. I've seen the district toooooo many times.

Cool. 

Hermana Ludlow

PS Got letters from Caitlyn Nibley and The Goodmans. Thanks so much! Shout out to Brother Goodmans nephew. Hope youre ready to serve in the best mission on the planet! 

Stay strong. TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER

Me and my cutie bestie companion in front of the temple. Love her.

Also included is a photo of "Sunday night phone calls" which is about an hour and a half of calling all the sisters and their district leaders to see how their week went. (exausting) Obviously included are the American flag socks (Happy Patriots Day), peanutbutter Captain Crunch, and my beanie from Talanga. (Also can we talk about how if I'm cold here at night that my bones will probably literally shrivle up when I step off the plane? Cool.)

This week has been hard, but good. Hermana Rosales is amazing and reminds me to have patience everyday.

Hermana Ludlow

Stay strong.

TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER

I'm inviting you all to join me, This Thursday we're going to the temple

When adventure's lost its meaning, I'll be homeward bound in time.

Transfers were this week and guess what everyone? HERMANA ROSALES AND I STAYED TOGETHER. So obviously the church is true and God answers prayers. She's the best. We're excited to have these next few weeks together in La Peña, to see our investigators baptized. We're working with an amazing family who we found last week and already love so much. Familia Gonzalez Torres. They couldn't make it to church yesterday, but they're going to come this week. Alix (the husband) has had multiple dreams of people telling him the church is true. (More about them next week, because like always, I'm out of time.)
This Thursday we're going to the temple, so once again I'm inviting you all to join me. If you can't do it Thursday, at least go this week. If you can't go in, at least go walk around outside. Let me know about your experience and send photos too!

Love you all so much.

"In the quiet misty morning, when the moon has gone to bed,
When the sparrows stop their singing and the sky is clear and red,
When the summer's ceased its gleaming, when the corn is past its prime,
When adventure's lost its meaning, I'll be homeward bound in time.
Bind me not to the pasture. Chain me not to the plow.
Set me free to find my calling and I'll return to you somehow.
If you find it's me you're missing, if you're hoping I'll return,
To your thought I'll soon be list'ning; in the road I'll stop and turn.
Then the wind will set me racing as my journey nears its end,
And the path I'll be retracing when I'm homeward bound again.
Bind me not to the pasture. Chain me not to the plow.
Set me free to find my calling and I'll return to you somehow.
In the quiet misty morning when the moon has gone to bed,
When the sparrows stop their singing, I'll be homeward bound again."
Hermana Ludlow
BE GOOD
TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER

Enterchanges with the sisters

Well this week was great. It came and went like always. The work is amazing. I'm happy and healthy. Love you all. 

Hermana Ludlow  

Anyway. The mission's the best. Love you all. Be good. Take care of each other.

My mind is all over the place, so this is going to be brief. (Also for the lack of time. 40 minutes never gets easier. Even after 16 months.)

This week was crazy. It included a lot of interchanges and trips to the hospital to help the sisters who have dengue, our Zone conference, giving orientation to the new trainers and their companions who came last transfer, coming home to having the house full of water because the tube to our pila broke the day the water came, and loosing our cell phone along with 400 lempiras in the bus. So yeah, just your average week as a missionary.

 

 

It was a good week though. Good times spent with the sisters and with my companion in the long bus and taxi rides. I love Hermana Rosales so much. Easily one of my favorites. She is one of the most selfless people I've ever met. She's amazing. We just hope and pray we don't have transfers next week, because I really want her to be my last companion, but we'll see. The best news though is that our investigator who's boyfriend is a member FINALLY came to church yesterday. She has a date for the 13th, but we still need to convince them to get married. (Prayers are appreciated)

Anyway. The mission's the best. Love you all. Be good. Take care of each other.

Hermana Ludlow

PS... recognize Presidents tie anyone?

Niels. Are you still alive? I read some letters from you the other day. I opened up that red box with your name on it in my memories. Hope real life is treatin' you alright.

helped us remember how important it is just to work hard and also enjoy the mission. WOO!

Guys. Should I start every single email by talking about how fast the week went by? Cool.

This week we had exchanges with cutie Hermana Prince and Hermana Moran from Boulevar. Hermana Prince has almost 4 weeks in the field and her and Hermana Moran are stressers, so it was good for them to have a little break from each other. Hermana Prince is super great and super pumped to be a missionary. I stayed here in La Peña with her and we visited 3 of the families we're teaching and  challenged all three of them to baptism. This exchange was full of a lot of reflection for Hermana Rosales and I. It helped us remember how important it is just to work hard and also enjoy the mission. WOO! 

Also, both the sisters that we share a ward with have DENGUE. So that's been fun. They're both in the hospital and we've been running around like crazy trying to make sure they're ok, getting their family married and baptized all while trying to keep up our area. The good thing is I love Hermana Rosales so so much, or else I think I would've gone crazy by now. 

I love this work, and my calling. I love being able to help the sisters, it makes the time go by so fast. 

Well, I feel like that's about all I have to say... besides the fact that yesterday we went to go visit one of the recent convert/ less active families and she told us she was way to busy to let us come in but that she wanted to give us something. After waiting there in her doorway for approx. 7 minutes, she then came out with two packages of Top Ramen. SO THATS COOL. Honduras is so ghetto. I love it so much. I feel so ghetto, and I'm so happy about it. 

Love you all. 

Hermana Ludlow

Press forward, Saints, with steadfast faith in Christ. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

 

This week went by so fast. Like what?

This week we went to the Multi Zone Conference for Boulevar and Torocagua. We talked about the doctorine of Christ and changing our feelings of fear into faith. It actually went really well. This week we are in charge of the Multi Zone Conference for Country and La Quezada, so that'll be great because we'll be able to work out the kinks in our presentation. I love my calling, both as a missionary and a sister training leader and am happy and humbled to be a part of this amazing work.

We also had interchanges with the sisters from Residenciales who have been stuggling a little bit in their area. I went with Hermana Rojas who came to take my place in La Paz when I left there. We mostly talked about La Paz and the members/investigators from there. We were able to place a date with the family they are teaching and they will be baptized the 30th of this month. It's already been such an amazing experiance to be able to help the sisters.

As for our area, we don't have a ton of progressing investigators, but we are working with Juventina who's 55 and has a boyfriend who's a member. We placed a date with her for the 30th too. So now we just need to get them married, have her come to church and be reading the Book of Mormon in these next 3 weeks. No sweat.

I'm doing great. Trying not to think too much about the time. It's a little distracting, but having this calling is keeping me focused.

I was missin' Moab BIG TIME this week. Moab nostalgia will kill me.

Thanks for everything. I love you all. Too much.

Take care of eachother.

Look up the hymn Press Forward Saints. 1 because I'm out of time to write out the words, and 2 because I'm too lazy.

Hermana Ludlow

Jacob... can you figure out a way to send me ¨Homeward Bound¨?

Silvia Watts... I know youre busy being engaged, but write me! Ya'idiot.

I LOVE EVERYONE

Press Forward, Saints

1. Press forward, Saints, with steadfast faith in Christ,
    With hope's bright flame alight in heart and mind,
    With love of God and love of all mankind.
 (Chorus)
    Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
2. Press forward, feasting on the word of Christ.
    Receive his name, rejoicing in his might.
    Come unto God; find everlasting light.
 (Chorus)
    Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
3. Press on, enduring in the ways of Christ.
    His love proclaim thru days of mortal strife.
    Thus saith our God: "Ye have eternal life!"
 (Chorus)
    Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Well everyone. NEWS FLASH. This week went by SO fast.

Well everyone. NEWS FLASH. This week went by SO fast.

To start off, I already love my calling. It's stressful and super hard to not be able to magically fix the problems the sisters have in their companionships, or in their areas, but this week has been amazing. On Tuesday I went to my first Consejo de lLideres (Leadership Counsel) where we basically talked about what's going on in the mission and what we need to do better as leaders to change the culture of the mission. It was a lot of information, numbers, stats, and a lot of talking and discussing for one day, but it was super great. President Fortuna is such an amazing man and he loves us, and this work so much. We all left super excited for this month, and especially because August has 5 Saturdays! (5 weekends to baptize! WOO!) 

We are over 6 companionships of sisters who are all amazing. 

-Hermana Gonzalez and Hermana Balbuena :La Peña C. We share a ward/area with them, so we have them close, which is nice because it's easier to help them. 

-Hermana Fuentes and Hermana Martinez :Moterrey (Training and opening and area. WOO!) Hermana Fuentes and I go home together. She's super great and was in fact my sister training leader last transfer. 

-Hermana Castillo and Hermana Kuhns: La Quezada (Hermana Kuhns, she was in my district in the MTC.)

-Hermana Rojas and Hermana Poroj: Residenciales (I don't really know them yet, other than through the phone, but we have interchanges with them tomorrow.) 

-Hermana Moran and Hermana Prince: Boulevard (Yes my old companion from La Paz... She's training and a little stressed, but they're doing great.) 

-Hermana Ixcoy and Hermana Hansen (Just baptized a family of 5 and are rockin!) 

Anyway, if you care. Ha ha. I guess I've probably thought about myself for a total of 3 and a half seconds this week and that's why I don't really have much to say. But it's great. These last two transfers are going to fly by.

I'm happy. The happiest I've been in a while and for sure on my whole mission and it really is just because I'm loosing myself in this amazing work. 

WOW. Sister Missionary Email for sure. But hey, I'm a sister missionary. 

I DONT KNOW ENGLISH. So its fine. 

I LOVE EVERYONE. 

Take care of each other. 

Be good. 

Hermanita Ludlow 

''The Lord doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called.''

I´m a missionary

I´m in La Peña, Honduras

I´m happy. 

I´m a sister training leader. 

I'm with Hermana Rosales 

(Yes, Hermana WATTS, your old area. Everyone loves you here, and I love it here.) 

This week has been amazing. I'm short on time, like always, but just know that I´m well and happy. This calling is so amazing already and I can already tell that the little time I have left is going to FLY by.

Highlight of this week was for sure the meeting we had as sister training leaders with President. He is such an amazing man. He told as that we are his eyes and his hands here in the mission and that he has a lot of trust and confidence in us. These next few weeks are going to be full of going on echanges with the 6 companionships of Hermanas, speaking in 3 Zone Conferences, doing the evaluations for those that are in their training/being trained and giving orientation to the new missionaries that come to the field this next transfer. I´m happy and excited to be where I am. And hey, if your not happy, get happy, because there's not enough time to wish for what we don't have. 

I love you all so much and think and pray for each of you daily.
''The Lord doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called.''

Be good and take care of each other.

I LOVE EVERYONE 

Hermana Ludlow

I love this work so much. And I love these people.

Hats off to two weeks in a row with emails from friends who got proposed to! Just over here gearin' up for what next Monday brings. But honestly, congratulations Tiff and Sylvia. Love you both too much and am so happy for you.

This week was another good one. My last week here in Tiloarque. Wednesdays' transfers and we know I'm heading out for two reasons. One, as you all know Hermana Bradshaw's training, and honestly, though I'm a bit nervous to leave the area in her hands, I know she'll do great and training will be just what she needs to forget herself and get to work. It'll be good for her. Also, when we went to the meeting for the missionaries that are going to train last Wednesday, President Fortuna called me into his office. What I thought would be mostly just talking about my companion turned into ''Hermana Ludlow, How do you feel about being a Sister Training Leader?''  (obviously said in spanish)

So, I'm excited to help the sisters out in the best way I can and am grateful for the oportunity. I'm a lil nervous, but like my Dad told me, ''The Lord qualifies us'' and that's so true. I'm sad to leave Tiloarque, but the mission and life are all about change, so it'll be good. (I'm also anxious to see where I'm going to go, as it will most likely be my last area.)

Yesterday was a little rough though. Durning the Sacrament hymn I looked up to see the the bishopric and some beloved members singing with the biggest smiles on their faces and remembered I was leaving and totally started to cry. I AM MY MOTHERS DAUGHTER everyone. Anyway then after the bishop was like ''You're leaving arent you?'' Tiloarque is an amazing area and the members here are so wonderful. I've decided that leaving areas here is way harder than leaving home because at least I know you'll all be there when I get back.

I love this work so much. And I love these people.

God is so good.

Be good k? I'll see you soon.

Hermana Ludlow

PS I feel like the pictures are pretty self explanitory, but just so we all know I have been in the mission long enough to use a 625 count box of qtips. So thats cool.

PS Happy Birthday Leah Damron, Quinn and Eomer this week. Love you all.

I LOVE EVERYONE

Take care of each other.

SO I guess Kent's got a point. Are you guys all sick of me saying how fast time goes by yet? COOL. Well this week went by super fast again. I feel like I don't have enough to say from Monday to Monday, but will hope that you all still love me anyway... and keep reading my emails. (I always send pictures, so they're not boring...)

But really. Time is a crazy thing. And its not even ours. On top of everything God gives us, he gives us our time. Everything we have is his. The only thing he doesn't already have is the way we use our time or our will. All we can do to repay him for everything he gives us is give him our will. But I mean give it all to him. I'm not just talking about half assing it... (Whoops.) But really. I want my point to get across. I've learned that honestly, giving him our will is really the easiest way to live too. He's a lot smarter than we are and can see what we will become, so it's really in our best interest to give him everything we are. 

In other news... (and to step off my sister missionary soap box) Argentina lost the world cup (Sorry Bay, I was cheering for you guys too) I'm just glad that it's all over so people can stop using that as an excuse to not let us in. 

This week was Germans 38th birthday. They didn't have money for a cake, so we made them one and took it over along with some ties from the Elders. I've really learned to enjoy the simplicity that is Honduras. 

My companion still struggles everyday with her desire to be here, but I'm doing my best to be happy enough for the both of us and make our experience together a good one. I've come to love the mission so much and am trying to enjoy every single moment of it. 

Love you all.
Take care of each other. 

Be good. 

Missionary friends... You're all BABES! All of ya! 

Tiff. YOU SNEAKY MOM. Wait for me k? 

H Gallarado & H Watts. Sorry I never have time to write you. Love you both. 

Chris. You know I love you. 

Family. Love you all. Take care of each other. Celeborn! I love you. So proud of you! Stay strong k? 

Hermana Ludlow 

4th of July Honduras style

Hey Everyone!

Thanks for all the 4th of July lovin/ photos/ videos... not like they made me a little homesick or anything.... What? Never. But really. The 4th of July was definitely just another day here, but it was a good one. All us white kids dressed for the occasion for our Zone Meeting, said the pledge and sang the national anthem. Then we went to Wendy's after the meeting.

We had interchanges this week with the sister training leaders this week and it was actually super great. I went to Loarque for the night (and had to sleep on this very freaky bunny blanket.... not cool). But it was good to be with a companion that has about the same time in the mission because our lessons flowed so well together. 

The Ochoa Family is rockin' and giving us a bunch of references to work with. They are so great and have such strong, sweet testimonies. (of which they bore yesterday.) German's testimony made me cry like a little baby. They are such an amazing family and I am so happy for the chance I got to be here with them. 

Anyway I ran out of time as always, but the work is good. Its a little slow, but good. God is so great and we are seeing little miracles every day. I love this gospel and I love ALL of you. 

Be good k?

Hermana Ludlow 

Family: Love you all!!! ( Happy Birthday Leah and Moss) 

Friends on missions: You're all too good to be true.

I LOVE EVERYONE.

Lisa and Sara Ross. Send me photos of yourselves k? 

I was the little, scared, crying sister missionary in Talanga that wanted to go home.

This is who we sent to Honduras! Lucky Honduras!

If there's anything I hope to teach my dear sweet companion is to pattern mix and not shave her legs... and guess what everyone? It's working! She's great. We're not the same, and there's a lot of things that we don't do the same way, but I love her so much. Hermana Bradshaw is me 1 year ago. Struggling to find a reason to want to be here, but working on it everyday. Does anyone remember back to one year ago from this week? Probably not, because I only sent out two emails. One, to my mother informing her that I was so sorry, but that I was going to come home because I couldn't handle being here, and the other to Chris Bennion basically saying the same thing. I would like to thank you all for your prayers, emails, letters and thoughts that week, now, and all the time that's passed in between. Every one of those has helped me through the hard moments that I've accumulated in this short time of being here in Honduras. Thank you all for willing me to stay here on what's been the best, hardest, most amazing adventure of my entire life. The mission really is so amazing, and I'm so glad I'm still here working, struggling, and enjoying every minute of it.

 

This week was great. Lot's happened.
-Rootbeer (which I didn't even like that much before the mission) for the first time in 14 months. You really learn to appreciate those little things like rootbeer, nutella and peanut butter.

-Going to 3 birthday parties of which only one of them we knew about and planned on being there for. (So much cheap, nasty Honduran cake)

-Having interviews with President and not even crying. (big accomplishments) No but really I love interviews. President Fortuna really is such a great man. He talked to me a lot about how far I've coming since I was the little, scared, crying sister missionary in Talanga that wanted to go home. He also told Hermana Bradshaw that she will be training this next transfer, which sadly for  me, means leaving Tiloarque next month. This is such a good area and the members are so amazing and pumped about the work. But, that just means if my next ward isn't the same, it'll be up to me to help them. Change is good. It's hard, but it's good.

-Familia Ochoa is rockin` strong and giving us a ton of references that we've been working with this past week. One of which is Digna. She's super great. We had a family home evening with her and her kids with Family Ochoa and she accepted the challenge to be baptized. Now we just need to work on her husband and getting them to church.

Anyway. I'm doing great. Just here, jammin in Honduras.
I love everyone. For real though!

Take care of each other k? And be good.

 

Hermana Ludlow

 

Dan!!!! I sent you a letter this week! Hope you get it soon!

Niels. I literally had a dream you were two towns from me. Got to sleep spent the whole night running. But for real. It was a Blind Pilot moment for sure.

LOVE YOU ALL:

 

Sorry bout the fact that there's no photos. I'll send extras next week.

Seriously time for new shoes!

This week was super great. We had a conference with Elder Ochoa from the 70 and that was super powerful. He then choose one sister and one Elder to give a talk about faith leading to repentance that we had all prepared, and guess who? Yours truely. That was a little scary, but it was a good experience. He mostly talked about our purpose here as missionaries really just is to baptize and retain. We can love everyone here, but if they don't get baptized, what's the point? At first when he said that, it kinda freaked me out a little bit. But its so true. We are giving these people the gift of eternal life, the chance to be with their families forever and to return to live with God. If we just visit them for 3 1/2 months and they don't take the gift we´re offering, we have to let them go to find the people who are ready. I always remember something Niels said in one of his emails too. "Everyone's ready, just some more than others." We're here to find the people that are ready. (Like the Ochoa family. They were so ready and are so amazing. I love them so much.)

 

I'm finding that time is flying by faster and faster and now being here with Hermana Bradshaw reminds me of how far I've come in these past 14 months. The gospel is so good and so true and will carry us in the moments when we are too weak to walk. (Sometimes literally...) I'm grateful for the little everyday miracles and always try to look for them. For the way that God makes constant daily connections in our lives and that every experience really is for our benefit. Wow. I sound like a sister missionary....

 

Times up. As always.

But I love you all.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHOUT OUTS TO MOM AND MAYSIE. Love you both.

 

Take care of each other and BE GOOD.

 

Hermana Ludlow

Hey America! (And Chile, and Argentina, and Spain and Nicaragua and Japan, and anyone else reading this)

Hey America! (And Chile, and Argentina, and Spain and Nicaragua and Japan, and anyone else reading this)

We had TRANSFERS this week. I'm still here in Tiloarque with Hermana ALEANNDRA BRADSHAW. Shes cute and nice and from Ogden (well South Weber... but no one probably even knew that existed so she always says Ogden.) She just finished her training so has the time that I have left. So crazy. I'm starting to feel old here. But the best part is that she totally reminds me of myself 10 months ago. She had a rough time in her training and wanted to go home. (Ring a bell anyone?) So, now its my turn to be the companion Hermana Gallardo (shout out) was for me. President thinks he so tricky like that. But no, I'm super excited. She's super great. And I have an American companion for the 4th of July everyone. (God even anwers our selfish prayers. :))

The Ochoas got baptised this week! AMAZING experience. They were so happy and Lisandro (the 4 year old wanted to get baptized too. Bless his heart) But no, the service was amazing and tons of the members came to support. Then after the baptism German (the dad) was like "This means we get to wear white shirts and ties to church now right?" Love them. They are so great and were so prepared for this gospel. 

Gotta go. 

I love EVERYONE. 

Be good. 

Take care of each other.

Hermana Ludlow

 

 

 

This week was a good one.

More than anything the best news is that Leticia and German are now married (only after living together for 15 years and knowing eachother for 18... Good one Honduras.)

Though it was hell getting all the paperwork together and running from bank to bank and to the mission office a million times, it was worth it. Their baptism is tomorrow night and the whole ward is super excited because it's the first full family to get baptized in almost 2 years. 

Attatched are some photos from this week:

The wedding... (outfitt shout out to some favorite RM's... Hermana Watts and Hermana Gallardo. Love you both.) 

My watch that broke this week. Major bummer since it only needed to hold out a few more months. But then to my suprise I got a package from LOGAN HALL that had a new watch in it. Thanks a million Logan! That was definately inspired! It's crazy how much the mission makes you realize all the little blessings and tender mercies in life, and Gods hand in LITERALLY EVERYTHING. 

After being frustrated with my companion, tired from moving all our stuff from our wet appartment to our new, dry one and just being tired because its a normal part of missionary life, I went to the fridge and to my surprise found the last peanut butter egg that I hid from myself in the freezer. So that was another tender mercy and yes I did cry with joy while eating it.

 

 

Like mentioned by Tan and Bay, the mission life is so so GHETTO and so so GREAT. 

I'm just jammin here in Honduras like it's nothing. 

Transfers are on Wednesday... already. So that's crazy, but also good news. Its time for a change. What that change will be, who knows, but I'll make the most of it whatever it is. 

Love you all. Thanks for your thoughts, prayers, letters and emails.... Feel free to send more letters since they all got wet. :) 

Be good

Take care of eachother. 

Hermana Bek

PS. Got your packages Mum. Youre the best. My district loves you because I always share my treats (besides the peanut butter eggs, those were not to be shared...)

As mentioned above, got your package too Logan. Thanks so much!!! Youre the best! 

All I'm going to say is CHRIS and NIELS. 

This week was NUTS.

This week was NUTS.

The mission is for sure full of its ups and downs.
MONDAY, down... We didn't have Pday since we were going to go to the temple on Thursday.

TUESDAY, normal

WEDNESDAY, normal

THURSDAY, up Temple trip! It was so great to finally go back to the temple. We were going to go to the 8:00 session with our zone but since we had a member drive us, we got there late and had to wait for the 10 session which turned out to be better because we were in the same session as three of the sisters from my goup that I havent seen in like 3 months. President also was in our session too so that was another bonus. He's such an amazing man.
My temple day was amazing. It was mostly full of thoughtful prayers for all of you (mostly my family) and I felt so much at peace with the things that I prayed about. I love being in the temple so much. Its such an amazing opportunity to just be in silence (pretty sure its the ONLY place in Honduras that's quiet) If you didn't take up my offer and go this week, GUESS WHAT? I'ts not too late. Go this week!

DOWN.... That night when we got home our house was FLOODED from the excessive amonts of rain. At 9:30pm we grabbed what we could and headed for the sisters house in Roble Oeste (close to the temple) and slept there for the night. It was super wierd because 1 year ago from that day I was sleeping there my first night here in Honduras.

Anyway. I'm out of time, as always, but the moral of the story is that the mission and life are full of ups and downs and rain and storms and things that suck, but then we just pick up, and start over again.

 

God is good

The Gospel is true.

Love you all.
Be Good.

Stay safe

& take care of eachother.

 

Hermana Ludlow

 

 

 

 

Temple day Thursday : ) Join me!

This week was another good one. We've been having Family Home Evenings with the members and the Ochoa Family all this week to get them ready for their baptism the 7th. Honestly I have never met more prepared people my entire mission. We haven't even really had to do anything. We were a bit nervous to teach them Word of Wisdom and Law of Chastity this week since they've got problems with both, but they were quick to accept both challenges. They haven't drink coffee for over a week now and German (the dad) hasn't been drinking or smoking for 3 weeks (since the first day we met him.) This gospel is so amazing and so life changing.

The atonement is so real and so powerful and can and will change ANYONE.(everyone)

I feel like a loser because as the weeks go by I feel like I have less and less to write you all. Just know that I'm doing good, just jammin here in Honduras.

God is so good.

Be good. 

Take care of eachother. 

 

Hermana Ludlow

 

ALSO, We're going to the temple this week on Thursday so I was thinkin' it would be cool if anyone reading this would also like to go on Thursday (or any day this week) so we can share our experiences next week. You're all invited! And hey, if it just means going to be there on temple grounds, do it! 

 

Scott: Happy Birthday on Sunday!!!! Thanks for marrying my sister and being a part of our crazy family's lives. 

 

Niels and Chris: You're grounded until you write me. Love you both. 

 

Attatched is a photo of me with two dumb turtles and with German and Leticia's ID's... probably against all kinds of rules/laws to be taking pictures of them and sending them to you all, but hey. they're getting married!!!!!! 

 

Also a photo of a Family Home Evening we had with them at a members house this week. 

 

ENJOYYYY

 

Missionary life

Missionary life. This is my usual night time routine for real though...

Reading mission aproved material (Our Legacy) and eating chewy sprees in my bed. Woo!

This week was great and as usual went by way too fast. We placed a date with the Ochoa Family for the 7th of June and they came to church again yesterday. They also came to the activites we had this week to strengthen the family. They're progressing like crazy and its almost too good to be true. Yesterday we taught them about the Word of Wisdom which we were a little nervous how they would take it because they're heavy coffee drinkers, but all 5 of them said they would start now. German (the dad) hasnt been drinking or smoking since we met him (two weeks ago) and they said that their prayers in family have given him strength to not even have the desire to do it. God is really preparing people everywhere, we just have to be diligent enough to look for them and in tune enough with the spirit to recognize them. 

Our President told us in a Zone Conference once that there is no such thing as bad areas in the mission just missionaries that lack faith. As much as we hate to admit it, its true. Everyone is ready to hear this gospel, just some more than others. But more than anything the faith we have in them will help carry them through the moments where they don't feel ready

I love this gospel so much. God is so good.

I love EVERYONE. 

Be good and take care of each other. 

Hermana Ludlow

Cristina... WHAT. I still can't call you that (Hermana Gallardo) I love you so much. Thanks for visiting my cute parents. They love you too. See you in 5 when we're sister-in-laws. 

Chris and Niels. Y ENTONCES.... Where are you? Send me some lovin. And Chris send me AND BAY some hymns before we die out here. LOVE YOU MOST. 

Jake and Alta. Super bummed I didnt get to see you guys last week, but just know that I love you both so much. Hope youre doing well.

"a little friend we found in our house"

This week was great. Got to see my cute family and Chris yesterday, so I'm a happy camper. Its amazing to see how much you've all changed, and how much I have too. But really, we're all still the same and we all still love each other so life is good. Compared to when I called at Christmas... Yeah. CRAZY. I wasn't an emotional wreck after or anything. Woo!

The work is sweet. We're working with a new family (the Ochoa's) that we met this week and they came to church yesterday.(miracle) They're super great, so we hope all goes well. The bishop is going to have them over today for a Family Home Evening at his house. The Acosta family are still hangin in there. We think they're getting cold feet, but they're ready, they just need to come to church a couple more times and they'll be rockin.

 

 

 

A lack of photos were taken this week, so attached is a little friend we found in our house a couple weeks ago and a picture of our huge bedroom. 

Love you all. 

God is good. 

The gospel is true. 

Be good. 

Take care of each other.

Hermana Ludlow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NIELS... I cant... its too crazy. You and CHRIS have homework to do this week. Send me a picture of the two a ya together. Yep. Do it. Love you both. 

Got letters from TIFF AND MIESH!!! Loved it too much. From Chris, and from the ward cub scouts.
Thanks everyone. You're the best!!!

Inversion and Zip-lock bags.

Should I start every email by saying how fast this week went by? Ok, cool.

Well its been a smoggy week here in the city. The inversion's worse than Salt Lake, but it makes me think of home a little. So that's nice. It finally started raining which sucked a ton at first because it was 1000 times more humid, but now its a little bit less hot and we can see the blue sky for the first time in about 2 weeks. I sure do love this grungy ghetto city.

I thought I'd also send a photo of this s

Sundays dinner. A nice old lady invited us over for dinner last night and after choking down about half the freaky sausages that for sure weren't meat, soggy eggs and greasy plantanos, I remembered the handy zip-lock I keep in my backpack just for times like these. I guess that's what time in the mission will give ya. Always keep a zip-lock bag on hand, even better with toilet paper because not everyone here realizes it's been invented. I LOVE HONDURAS.

The Acosta Family came to church yesterday for all 3 hours and loved it. The plan is to baptize them the 17th, so we're hoping all runs smooth from here on out and that they come to church next week too. They really are the best though. There really is something so beautiful and different about teaching and baptizing an entire family rather that just one person. Don't get me wrong, I love all of it, but teaching an entire family, especially this family and the family I baptized in Talanga are moments I'm never going to forget. Being a small part of such a big change in the lives of these people is so amazing. 

This gospel is so real and so true.

Love you all.

Be good.

Hermana Ludlow

Oh and P.S. we didn't have transfers, so I'm still here in Tiloarque with Hermana Mendez. It wasn't what I expected at all to happen, but it just means I've got more to learn from here.

P.S.S Happy Mothers Day this week to all the mothers I love. My own included (see you Sunday) McKinley Brown, Merideth Jensen, Natalie Jeffs, Niki Crandall, Leah Hall, Alta Stringham, Julie Hall and all the rest of you. Thank you for your divine influence in my life. Each of you are such an example to me and I love you so much.

So this was Sunday lunch. Gotta love Honduras though.

 

So this was Sunday lunch. Gotta love Honduras though.

This week was pretty great. We challenged the Acosta Family to baptism and they accepted! Woo! They are so amazing. Vanessa and Cesar have changed so much in these past weeks that we've been teaching them. Especially after the Temple Activity. When we were showing them their teaching record and making a plan for what lessons they still needed and what lessons they have, Cesar asked us what an investigator means because he didn't feel like he was investigating anything and said the title made him feel like a police officer investigating the scene of the crime. Then he said "And once we're baptized we become recent converts right?" They are so excited, its so awesome. 

We also found a part member family this week. Hooray for family finding. The wife (Veronica) is a less active and her husband Leandro isnt a member... YET. (well theyre not married, so I guess they're not husband and wife, but you get it.) One of my first weeks in the area we went to visit Veronica's family and the police and military where violently taking Leandro to jail. They came to the activity we had in the temple and I kind of recognized him, but couldn't remember why when my companion reminded me. When we went to visit them yesterday, I honestly didn't have high hopes, but turns out he hasnt been drinking or using drugs for two weeks. We challenged him to baptism and he also accepted. Sometimes the Lord reminds us that we need to have a little bit more faith. So amazing and I was so humbled to see the change in him. 

Life is good. Transfers are on Wednesday... again. SO CRAZY. Time warp. I'm thinkin I'm staying here in Tiloarque and Hermana Mendez is leaving. But, we wont know until tomorrow, and YOU won't know until next week. 

Love you all. Too much. 

Be good. 

Hermana Ludlow

Hope everyone had a great Easter weekend

 

 

 

 

Hope everyone had a great Easter weekend, and that you all took a little bit of time to remember the reason we celebrate it. I gave a talk in sacrament meeting for the first time in my entire mission yesterday about the Atonement and its healing power.

Later in the afternoon we had an activity comemorative for "Semana Santa" with all of our investigators, less actives and recent converts. The Acosta Family (who we've been working with this whole transfer with almost no progress) came! And they loved it. It was with all of the missionaries from the city and all the sisters and two zones of Elders, sang in a choir that turned out sounding pretty alright. We sang a bunch of hymns including "This is the Christ" which was the kicker, if you ask me, and the church was PACKED. President said there were over 600 in attendence and everyone could feel the spirit. It was amazing.

Anyway, we have a FHE planned with the Acosta Family and the Bishops Family tonight and we're planning on setting the date. They're ready. They're so amazing, AND THEYRE MARRIED, which almost never happens in this country. Win win.

Love you all.

Hermana B.

Just a little side note...

 

Also, cool news. My G's were starting to fit me like potato sacks (due to the loss of some weight) so we went to the Distribution Center on Saturday and I'm now rockin' G's that fit and that are 2 sizes smaller. So that's cool. Thanks Honduras.

 

I hit the one year mark on Thursday. It's been an amazingly beautiful, difficult, spiritually building, self-trying, amazing year. Here's to the next 6 months. Easter, 1 year, annnnnd a cutie member made me a cake.

 

ALSO God bless Reeses Peanut Butter Eggs

 

God is so good

 

Hermana B.