December 17

Another great week in the San Clemente zone! This is the best place ever! Unfortunately transfers are here and Elder Farrer is leaving, it's a bummer, he is a good guy. Elder Whitchurch and I are staying in the promised land. This week we saw even more many mighty miracles! We had 7 people at church this week! It was crazy! this has never happens! Here are a couple awesome things that happened this week...

1. We were able to teach the Brazilian family 3 times this week. It was so great. At our second lesson we really hit a breakthrough. At first they were more interested in us teaching their son about Jesus Christ but then when we started talking about the gift of the Holy Ghost it really hit Henry (the Father). He then told us about an experience he had, one night he had a dream and he saw a pure bright light that over came him it was so powerful, he related the feeling to the rush you get on a roller coaster. He told us that this is the feeling he has been searching for in a church. Elder Farrer then said "I have only felt that feeling twice in my life, the first was when I prayed about the Book of Mormon for the first time and the second is right now" Henry replied "Amen". We also came to find out that he has had some bad experiences with organized religion which lead him to being skeptical but he believes that the true church is out there, after he said that we testified that this Church is true and invited him to baptism and he said "For a while I started to believe that the true church wasn't out there, but then you guys started to teach me and I feel something different, I feel it right, but I am not ready yet, but thank you" They are still waiting for a sign to tell them that this is the right, but we know it will come to them soon. I am so grateful for this family, the are special, I can feel it. I know they will be baptized, they all have contrite spirits and are looking for truth.

2. We were able to teach the members Girlfriend (Jamie), and it was great. Her biggest concern is her family who are ex-Catholics and are very antagonistic about our Church. We talked to her about having faith and courage, we pulled a quote from a talk called "The Carpenter Story" and told her that she could not join our church and show her family that she loves them for the rest of this life, our be baptized and show her family she loves them for eternity, but more important she would show her Heavenly father how much she loves him. She knows this church is true and totally believes in our living prophet and wants to be baptized soon, she just needs to tell her family all of that. We Promised that if she read the Book of Mormon everyday she would have the courage to tell her parents she wants to be baptized. Her and her boyfriend are working on a plan to do that, and they will have a Baptismal date when she comes back after new year. We are so happy for them.

I am so grateful for all the work that is happening here. I know that God has prepared people for us and trusts us enough to teach them his gospel. 

I have been pondering faith recently, and realized how much faith I lack. The size of my faith is truly the size of my faith is even smaller than a mustard seed. I have been thinking about the faith of the brother of Jared, and the fact that he had to show his faith in Christ before he was able to see his hand. 

Ether 12:3 

And the Lord said unto him: Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood; and never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so ye could not have seen my finger. Sawest thou more than this?

I know that faith takes action, The Brother of Jared had to bring the rocks to God before the give them light and that I can't grow my faith until it has been tested. This next transfer I will be working on growing my faith, and I know God will give me trials to test me but in return my faith will grow.

I love this great and marvelous work!

Stay Excellent!

Love, Elder Judd