Finding, Finding and More Finding August 29, 2016

I love being a missionary. 

This week we did 33 1/2 hours of finding. We taught many many lessons but still have not had a proper sit down lesson. Appointments keep falling through but I am loving the work. We have a bunch of potentials and I have faith we will find some that will progress.

I realised that last week I didn't really talk about my companion Elder Tate. He is amazing. We get along really well and we work very hard. He is a great trainer and is teaching me lots. This past week he did some really kind acts of service for me that meant a lot. He polished my shoes out of the blue, wrote me a very nice note and says very uplifting things in our nightly prayer. I am grateful for him. Also, we have not missed a single bus or train. Meaning, we talk with at least one person on every single bus or train we go on. I am determined to not miss one my whole mission. 

There are so many parks in England. I swear the whole country is one big park. Well at least Warrington is haha. Everything is very green and I love it. 

In Sacrament meeting yesterday our ward did a hymn testimony meeting. So people would go up to the stand and talk about their favorite hymn or a hymn they wanted to sing and would bear their testimony and then the congregation would sing the first verse! It was neat. 

This morning we did an endowment session at the Preston temple and I loved it. Brought so much peace and was much needed. 

The weather this week was wonderful. A little bit of rain of course, but lots of sunshine! Elder Tate says I have gotten a little bit more tan, which is crazy haha. 

Random thing, but we are not allowed to say these words in our mission and I want to tell you all so you can call me out if I say any of them: cool, awesome, guy, man, bro, dude, sick and a few others. It has been hard to adjust to this but it is good that I really have to think about what I am saying. 

Thought of the week: One thing that I have learned that is so important in missionary work and just in life is praying and setting goals. I invite all of you to think of something that you want to work on and tell your Heavenly Father about it and ask Him for His help to accomplish it as you work hard to achieve it. 

You all are amazing and I am praying for all of you constantly. 

-Elder Ludlow

First Week in the Field August 22, 2016

My first week in the field was one of the best weeks of my life! Talked to and met so many people. Sharing the Gospel full time brings so much joy and is so rewarding.

President and Sister Ulrich are amazing. They are strict but they are inspired. Our ward mission leader is Stephen and he is amazing also. He is so enthusiastic. He is from Croatia and he calls us his "sons."

The Warrington ward covers a very large area but there are only about 70 active members. I have enjoyed meeting lots of them. We meet with lots of members, recent converts and less actives each week. I have become close to a few of the members. I had the opportunity to bear my Testimony in sacrament meeting and that was wonderful. 

We had our first tea appointments (tea is what they call dinner here, not breaking the Word of Wisdom) and they were great. One of them was with a man from Bangladesh and he is amazing. We ate curry and rice and actually ate with our hands haha. I also spoke some arabic with him which was neat! The other tea appointment was with a big recent convert family and we had BBQ ribs and it was amazing. I have been eating a lot and have already gained some weight haha. I have eaten more curry this past week than I did this whole year before my mission. 

Because we don't have a ton of progressing investigators, we are doing a TON of finding. We go tracting, bus contacting, park contacting, street contacting. I honestly love it so much. I have become a lot more comfortable with it and I know we will get some good investigators soon. 

We did a street display on saturday. We go to the town centre and set up a little table with Books of Mormon and we try to talk to as many people walking by. That helped me a lot with becoming more comfortable with talking to random people. 

The other day I had a prompting to go tract a certain street and we found some potential investigators! One of the girls we gave a pass along card to went onto Mormon.org and referred herself! That is really rare and made us happy. Sadly, the sister will teach her but I hope she gets baptised. 

On the bus the other day we gave some pass along cards to some kids and one of them went around asking all the people on the bus if they believe in God and gave them a pass along card. He kept saying to his dad: "I'm helping them do their job" haha. 

It rained a bunch this week and I loved it. President Ulrich likes to call it "liquid sunshine." 

My district consists of 3 sets of elders and a trio of sisters. Our district leader is Elder Cossa and he is from Zimbabwe and is so neat. In our mission we have people from 51 different countries! 

I love being a missionary so much. Miss you all, hope you're doing well. 

-Elder Ludlow

First Assignment: Warrington; Liverpool Zone August 16, 2016

I have been assigned to the Warrington area in the Liverpool zone! My trainer is Elder Tate from South Jordan, Utah. Yes of course he is a ute fan and will be attending that university after his mission. Go cougars. But he is a stud. He will be great for me. 

Last week in the MTC was great! I loved the MTC. Last thursday we went out to downtown Manchester and did some street contacting. It was an amazing experience. We talked to a few people and it helped me feel better about heading out into the field today! 

On Sunday our zone in the MTC sang "I know that my Redeemer lives" and it was so powerful. 

Hope you all are doing well. 

-Elder Ludlow

More Pictures August 10, 2016

President Hinckley lived here as a missionary

MTC District

President Preston August 10, 2016

How many people have the opportunity of having the MTC president as their "member present" when teaching an "investigator"? Well, me and Elder Humphries did this past week! Yes, the President of the Preston MTC is actually named President Preston. He is such a wonderful, English old man. It was a little scary to teach with him, but he was role playing as the bishop in our ward and the lesson was great! 

The fieldtrip to early church history sites last week was great. England is so green and it started pouring rain on us and it made me very happy. The people here really aren't very happy but we will change that. We went to the place where the first baptisms were performed in Britain and also visited where President Hinckley's apartment was when he was here serving as a missionary. 

Sadly, the temple has been closed until this week. So we only get to do one session while we are in the MTC and that was earlier today. It was amazing, I stayed in the Celestial room for a while and the Spirit was unbelievable. 

I have developed a deep love for the hymns since I've been on my mission. It's the only music we have and I love singing them and whistling has become a new passion haha. 

We only have a few days left in the MTC so I would like to talk more about it. A normal day consists of breakfast, personal study, exercise (basketball or football (soccer)), TRC, lunch, classes, companion study, dinner, more classes, teach investigator, planning and then snack time. I love it. I have really enjoyed the MTC and have learned so much. Next tuesday we will head out into the field! 

Thought for the week:

"When you choose to follow God and keep His commandments, you grow in wisdom and strength of character. You can experience joy even in times of trial and you can face life's challenges with a spirit of peace."

-Find it :)

First Week Pictures- England MTC August 3, 2016

Here we go!

 Shaquille Walker and his wife were in England and gave a devotional at the Preston England MTC my first Sunday there. He sent this picture to my Young Men's Leader at home (who shared it with my parents)

 Here are some pictures of the Preston England MTC

First Week! August 3, 2016

Wow what an eventful week. I have learned so much and changed so much this a past week. It kind of was torture to have to wait a whole week to tell you guys about everything but its been good. The goodbyes were hard but I was excited. There were 30 elders on the flight and a bunch of sisters. The flights were long but we finally made it to Manchester and the drive to the MTC was great. Everyone who works here at the MTC has some kind of accent and I love it. There are about 96 missionaries here which is actually a record for the Preston MTC. Wearing a name tag all the time is brilliant and I love that also. Being a missionary is the greatest. 

My companion is Elder Humphries from Bountiful, Utah and like I predicted he is a Utah fan and is planning on going to the u. I have said go cougars many times this week. We are in the Jacob district along with 4 other elders and 2 sisters. I am the district leader and it is fun. We all get along pretty well. We have classes almost all day and have lots of studying. Its hard but ive learned so much and i love having a schedule. 

I found out that the Manchester mission is in fact an iPad mission so that will be good. We have been teaching progressing investigators here and it was really rough at first but I have improved so much as a teacher already and cant wait to continue to work hard to improve. 

There have been many ups and downs but it is good. I was homesick on friday and saturday but all of you are my motivation. 

My thought for this week is from Elder Holland: 

"Everything in the conversion process must happen to you before it can happen to them"

Thank you all for your support, hope you all are doing well. Hope you enjoy these pictures. 

Love, 

Elder Ludlow