First Transfer Survived September 27, 2016

Hello my favourite people!

Me and Elder Tate will be staying in Warrington for another transfer!

So more details for last weeks letter: We saw Kieran on Tuesday and
helped resolve some of his concerns and helped him understand the Book
of Mormon more. Then we saw him on Sunday and he had read 8 chapters
and said he feels a tingling down his spine when he reads and it makes
him want to keep reading. So amazing. We have some big obstacles to
overcome with him but he knows these things are true. Liverpool last
Monday was really fun! The docks were great and had lots of fun with
the district.

This past week was brilliant! We weren't able to have appointments
with two of our progressing investigators because of sickness but we
did stop by Kate's house to make sure she was alright and she seemed
to appreciate it. Please pray for our investigators to feel better.
But we were able to see Stephen another one of our progressing
investigators multiple times and he is amazing. He is preparing for
baptism on the 22nd of October and is SO determined to live the Word
of Wisdom! He has such a desire to change and he is a great man.

On Wednesday we had first 5 weeks training where all the trainers and
trainees come together for a meeting to learn and practice skills to
become better missionaries! We got to hear inspiring and uplifting
words from President and Sister Ulrich and also did some role plays
and learned some tricks on how to better find people. It was fun to
see all the missionaries who came out at the same time as me and
overall it was lots of fun! At the end, we all got our iPads which is
nice. 👍🏿

Random highlights: everyone here in England mentions the Osmonds
(Donny Osmond) when we bring up "Mormons". He has given us a good
light though!

Thought of the week: Alma 26: 12,16,35-37. These scriptures describe
exactly how I feel. I know our Heavenly Father is watching out for
each one of us. I cannot do this work on my own, but with His help I
can do anything.

I love being a missionary so much. Being able to represent my Saviour
full time is the greatest blessing on the planet.

Hope you all have a fantastic week.

Love,
Elder Ludlow

September 19, 2016

I had a long email written out when the computer froze and so I will have to write more details next week!

We saw Keiran and Kate multiple times this past week and both are progressing and reading the Book of Mormon! Keiran has been feeling the Holy Ghost while he has been reading! We saw Kate with the Relief Society president and another sister and they clicked really well with her and she will be coming to church this next week. She also prayed for the first time with us which was amazing. 

I got a new mini quad which was a major highlight! I am excited to mark them up and use them as my mission scriptures. 

Weather has been sunny, but its getting colder. There was a big thunder storm a few days ago which is rare for England, oddly enough, but it was so beautiful. 

We went as a district to Liverpool today which was way fun! I will attach a bunch of pictures!

Sorry again, I am frustrated that you can't hear more details. 

Love,

Elder Ludlow

The First Vision September 12, 2016

Hello all! Hope you had a great week. 

Last Monday after emailing, we went to a golf driving range which was really fun. Then after we went to the barbershop so that Elder Tate could get a haircut (he ended up cutting my hair later in the week) and in the barbershop there was music playing and it was torture. The new Justin Bieber song came on. Anyone who knows me knows that JB is my favorite singer and I was finally adjusted to being away from music at home. Also, it brought back lots of memories and emotions which made me homesick. So that was rough. 

On Wednesday we had mission tour with Elder Leimer of the Area Seventy. A mission tour is where a general authority comes to our mission and tours around and has a meeting with each of the zones in the mission. We had our meeting with him on Wednesday. It was amazing. The spirit was so strong. We ended up being in the building for 7 hours and 40 minutes but it was good! After the meeting, I finally got the package from my family with all of the stuff that I forgot to bring on my mission and there was also a wonderful blanket that my mother made! (picture attached) 

This past week we had many appointments but many fell through. We randomly tried by a former investigator and set up an appointment. We reviewed the Restoration with her and focused on the First Vision and the Book of Mormon. When I was reading the First Vision in JSH the Spirit was so strong that I almost started crying and our investigator was emotional also. It was amazing. We are working towards baptism with her. We haven't been able to contact Kieran all week. We have a new investigator who self referred himself. He has potential and we have a few other potentials. 

We had many wonderful experiences this past week sharing the First Vision. Peoples faces light up when we say it, it is amazing. One girl we shared it with got so excited when we shared it and we asked her if she came to know these things were true would she be baptised and she immediately said yes but then was like wait, what did I just say. Elder Tate said it was probably the Spirit that told her to say yes that fast haha. 

I invite you all to read JSH 1:10-20 this week and pray about it and reconfirm or develop your testimony of Joseph Smith and the truthfulness of the Gospel. I know for myself that it is true and that the First Vision really did happen. I have the amazing opportunity of sharing it with others every day and each time I share it my testimony of it is strengthened. 

You all are the best!

Elder Ludlow

Pictures:

Blanket my Mom made for me

Me and Elder Tate with a huge bottle of Vimto, a very popular drink that all people here in England drink. 

Golf driving range

Power of the Book of Mormon September 5, 2016

This past week was great. FINALLY had some proper sit down lessons! One with an 85 year old lady named Dorothy who is super sweet, which was fine. In that lesson, she told me that I am super smiley and so everyone has been calling me Elder Smiley haha. Then we had a lesson with Kieran, our main investigator which was super good! We taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we are working towards baptism with him, just needing to sort some things out! So that is great. We also have found many new investigators who seem solid and we have lots more appointments set up this week. Thank you all for the prayers, please continue to pray for appointments to work out. 

On Tuesday we had exchanges! I went with the district leader Elder Cossa who is from Zimbabwe! It was lots of fun. He is a super humble,wise Elder and he is fun to be around. He made me breakfast on Wednesday His prayers are super meaningful and I really liked that. It is so important that we have meaningful prayers everyday because we are communicating with our loving Heavenly Father and it brings lots of happiness. 

Random highlights from the week: Had crumpets for the first time, which was good. Had them with jam. What even are crumpets though? haha. We did some service, pulling out some bushes at a members home on Thursday.I gave the lesson in Gospel Principles yesterday. Also, our neighbor below us got mad at us for being "too loud" because the night before Elder Tate turned the washer on at 10:15 and the washer ended up going crazy and moved like 6 inches haha. We slept through it. Elder Tate also burned some toast and the whole flat got filled with smoke another night. We have lots of fun. 

We handed out many Book of Mormon's this past week. I had some really powerful experiences testifying of it as we gave the book to the person. I have truly loved reading the Book of Mormon every morning for personal study. It brings me so much joy and comfort. It is so important that we all are setting aside time to read it. Every. Single. Day. I know without a doubt that the Book of Mormon is true and it is the keystone of our religion. 

I truly and genuinely love being a missionary. Sharing the Gospel with others brings so much joy. Our mission slogan is Proverbs 28:1. I am working hard at being as bold as a lion. I am feeling so much more comfortable with everything and I feel settled in. 

Thank you all for all you do! 

-Elder Ludlow

P.S. Shoutout to my brother JJ and my sister in law Emily who have birthdays this next Thursday! Love you both. 

Here are pictures of his "flat"...