"And now ... I would ask if all is done?"

Dear family and friends,

There is so much in my heart right now. It is hard to put it all in words. It has been such a great week.

On Wednesday I went to the temple with President and Sister Van Cott and the other departing missionaries. I love the temple!

This week we made another new friend. I'll call him Brad. After facing a difficult change in his life, Brad found himself chatting online with missionaries. They referred him to us, and we began teaching him. We LOVE Brad. As we began teaching him he said:

I know that it's not a coincidence that I'm here with you guys. I need this right now. I even had a dream of this moment, with a park table, and 2 guys like you, and a tree in the back, just like I see it right now.

We had a lesson with another man I'll call David, who is not a member of the church. David loves music and is great at singing, so we decided to sing "I'm Trying to Be like Jesus" with him at the beginning of the lesson. Just as we finished, we heard a surprise from the kitchen:

Another! ... 'I Am a Child of God'.

We could not hold back the smiles. It was David's wife, who has never joined us for a lesson and is also not a member of the church. We learned she had been to an Inside-ut concert some time ago and had always wanted to know how the real version sounded. We fulfilled her request; the Spirit filled the room. 

On Saturday I went to the baptism of one of my favorite people in Indio. When I asked him what his college plans are he said: I'm going on my mission first.

It was such a great, great thing to hear.

Thank you to those who have supported and encouraged me throughout my mission with emails, letters, and gifts. I have felt love from heaven through you.

Tomorrow I fly home. I am so grateful for my mission. Heavenly Father has been so good to me. I am so grateful for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Our Father in Heaven loves us. Jesus is the Savior of the world. Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. The Book of Mormon is true. I know these things are true!

Love,

Elder Judd

"angels did minister unto him daily"

Dear Family,

I am so grateful for my mission. I am grateful for Elder Gunter and for all of my companions and all the wonderful experiences Heavenly Father has given me in my mission. It was a really really great week.

Here are some miracles:

On Wednesday after dinner we stopped by a few members in a certain area to give them prayer lists (small lists of people we are teaching and their needs, so people can pray for them). On the way, we met a small group of people talking outside of their home and digging a walkway. We talked with them and they agreed to learn more about the Restoration. (It was fun, because it's not often that we get to talk with large groups of people at a time. It felt like a street meeting, almost)

Well, we began teaching the couple that owned the home and we love them. They have such solid faith! After our second lesson, the husband told us:

You guys are like angels. I mean, growing up, I would see you different places and other people would joke about you guys or say rude things. But I've always seen you as angels.

I love the privilege I have to be on the Lord's errand, serving and teaching in His behalf.

On Sunday morning we went to visit several of our friends to remind them about church and help them get there. After stopping by a certain man in a certain complex, we began to head back to our car. Just as we were getting in we noticed a man and his son several houses down the street. A strong feeling told both my companion and me:

 

Invite them to church too.

So we went to them. The man was now inside, and the boy began shooting us with his toy gun, which made laser noises. From outside their chain link fence we called through their open front door: Hello!

Eventually the wife came and asked: What do you want?

The husband now came out too, carrying a big box. We invited them to church, and they politely declined and said they were moving. We offered to help them pack and move, and they again declined. Something kept pulling us to keep talking with them, so we did. The wife now inside, we talked with the husband by the fence gate. Then, the man confessed:

Yeah, I actually know about you guys, and Mormons. Because, I was actually baptized Mormon.

We learned that he had joined the church, and his whole family too, some years ago. He began meeting with missionaries after they knocked at his door. He decided to be baptized after having a powerful dream that told him personally that it is all true. But, years after baptism, his family faced difficulties and divided, a new job pulled him away from the sacrament on Sundays, and he fell away from his faith.

We did not know any of these things—but God did. It is our Father in Heaven who sent us to the man and his family. He knows us by name and loves us! I know that He is aware of us!

I love you all,

Elder Judd