The Walk-Off Grand Slam . . . .

Que sepa el mundo que en marcha estoy! Que voy a cumplir mi misión!! 

So a little bit on this week Percy and Gerald got baptized. I baptized the both of them and it was an incredible way to go out. I do have to say that it changed me. I'm so happy I got to be apart of that. That was definitely a walk-off grand slam.

Haha well, now that I got that out of the way I just want to let you all know that I love you so much! So pretty much I spoke a lot in my recording seeing as it's 30 minutes long. Sorry about that!! Haha, looks like you have your FHE lesson already done! Anyway, I would like to focus my email not on what happened this week but rather what has happened in these two years. Bear with me as much of it is the same as the recording. I'm doing them both just in case you don't have time to listen to the recording. 

The hardest thing I´ve ever loved to do:

I started my first 6 months in Puno, Chanu Chanu where I learned much of just how to be a missionary how to work and all that good stuff. I loved so much the ward that I was in and had no desire to leave at all.

Sadly enough I was transferred and 6 months later I was at the same point I was in Chanu Chanu, feeling like I don't want to have a change because I loved the ward so much, but this time in Cusco, Los Alamos. There I learned really how to love my companions. I went through some hard times in Los Alamos but I have to say I learned so much from that experience and it really helped me trust more in God.

Change day came and I was so pleasantly surprised to hear that I was going back to Puno!!! This time in Bellavista. In Bellavista I really learned how to solve problems. In a leadership position, I was faced with many problems from all sorts of missionaries, the key was to just trust in God and follow the Spirit. Once again hoping for another change in Puno, I got transferred to Quillbamba... This was the only transfer I actually cried because I didn't want to go that bad.

Now here I am here in Quillabamba. All I can say is that I love this place. Here I really learned how to just love everyone. Although I still need lots of help as I looked across the sacrament room, as I bore my final testimony yesterday, I was so moved as I saw so many faces of people that I love.

And that's just a little bit of these two years of my life. I would like to share two of the greatest things I learned and testimonies I gained as I was out here serving.

1. Jesus Christ is my Savior. I think when I started the mission I had a little testimony of that and I always believed it cause I was born believing it. But I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I know that He is my Savior and that He lives. I don't know where I would be in my life know if I didn't know that. It's something that has truly changed me and I am so grateful for the experiences I have had to come to know my Savior more. Testify of Him always. What an incredible experience it has been to be His representative. 

2. The Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon helped me come closer to my Savior. It has changed me in so many ways I can't even explain it. With my time on the mission I have had the opportunity to read it a couple of times and the only thing I can say about it is that it's true. My testimony of the Book of Mormon has been strengthed through the experience that I had with hno Percy. As he shared his testimony in his baptism about the Book of Mormon, I was brought to tears. The book is true. I know it. I have lived it. I love it.

This family has changed my life. I love them so much!

-- 

Love, Elder Ludlow

So this week president Herrera sent me a subliminal message of where I am going to be transferred. Here's a picture!

This family has changed my life. I love them so much!

For ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

Well, I just have to say God is a God of miracles! I do have to say this week was a pretty incredible week of seeing God's hand in this work. 

Now to be honest I was a little down this week because Kevin, our investigator that was progressing so well, failed our appts.  He kinda disappeared and now he won't be baptized the 24th of September.

The good thing is Percy is going to be baptized. It's incredible the change I have seen in Percy. He's so awesome! I am so excited for him and his family!!!!

So a huge miracle passed this week. It is explained way better in the recording but here is a summary.

So the sisters in our branch are teaching an investigator. He's the husband of a member and their daughters are also members. He had a date for the 24th of September. Well, The Sisters called us I think Wednesday or Thursday to tell us that the inv. called them to tell them that he no longer wants to meet with them, and no longer wants to be baptized. The sisters were devastated and called us not knowing what to do. We tried to help them and we just prayed. Well, long story short we got a call Saturday morning from the sisters, asking if we had the keys to the church. When I asked why they needed them they told me that this inv. was going to have his baptismal interview. Which he passed and will now be baptized on Saturday. Honestly, God is so loving. Sometimes we don't understand why we pass through difficulties, but I know that God knows. He knows best. Have faith stay strong. See you soon! 

Love you all!!

fotos

Me with Percy and his family

With part of the zone in a waterfall

-- 

Love, Elder Ludlow

Lawn Mowing til it Hurts!

Okay, so this week was pretty great!

So Monday to Wednesday we were in Cusco, Monday was one of the greatest P-days on my mission, it was soo funny! Cusco is always a great time!!!

Tuesday we had leadership meeting which was really good! President Herrera has some new goals for the mission which is really cool, I am excited to see what is going to happen, although I won't see much. 

Wednesday we travelled back to Quillabamba, I do have to say I love Quillabamba. It is such a great place!!! 

Thursday through Sunday we were just teaching lessons and doing good ole missionary work. We found a new investigator named Mindy who could really progress, she works with our pension's husband. 

Kevin is doing well. We only met with him once this week for time issues, but he came to church and we were happy and he is happy.

Percy is also doing well, we had a great lesson with him about faith and repentance and he is just eating it all up. I love it so much. The gospel changes lives. It really does. He is just another huge testimony to me!

We also did a service where we mowed a less active's lawn! First time in two years!!! My back actually was little sore... haha you will see why!!

Well, thanks to everyone for everything! I miss you all like crazy and am so grateful for your support!! I love you all and wish you the best!!!

The picture is me with the most updated, fashionable lawn mower in all of Quillabamba.

-- 

Love, Elder Ludlow

I'm guessing Zach will never complain about mowing our lawn when he comes home
after having to mow a lawn using this thing.

Wake Me Up When September Ends!

Ok, so I promise I'm not trunky!!! haha I just have been waiting like 2 years to put that title on my email! haha 

Honestly, I would prefer if you just wouldn't even let me sleep!!! The work of the Lord needs no rest, unfortunately, His missionaries do.

So I have to apologize this week I wasn't able to do a recording. Yesterday, Sunday, we had to travel to Cusco for leadership meeting!! My last one!!! (HALLELUJAH) haha, not! Actually those are one of my favorite parts of being a zone leader. Anyway, so another lame thing about this week was I was super sick almost the entire week. I spent a couple nights up all night diahrreaing, and then vomiting..... but that doesn't even matter cause we worked super hard this week and it was awesome.

So I'm gonna give you an update on Kevin, he's doing great and he's starting to mesh with the Young Men and Young Women 😏 you know we hook it up all day, every day! He's on date for the 24th of this month!!! YEES! 

Okay, so we had another great experience on Friday! So Thursday night we were supposed to go to a family home evening with the ward, they are doing like big family home evening to invite friends and everything (actually a great idea) but we didn't go because one, it was really late and we got late out of an appt, and two, I was a little sick so we didn't go (by a little sick I mean almost going in my pants) . . .ya sometimes its really gross! haha! So Friday that same family calls and says that they want to do an FHE with us. Now this family is a part member family, the husband isn't a member. So we go and we teach a small lesson and then he starts talking to us. He expresses to us some personal feelings and then says,  "Elders I want to be baptized. I wanted to wait til my birthday the 12th of October but I want to be baptized sooner." He's about to be baptized on the 24th of September!! God is a God of miracles!! I love this work so much!! I love you all and miss you so much. Thanks for all of your support!!

Okay, so on other news we were by the Plaza de Armas in Cusco and this guy is like, hey hermanitos (that's what everyone calls us) come check out my store. Here, this is Zoraida, she will help you. Then Zoraida grabs all theses ponchos and chullos and says here try them on so we definitely snapped a quick pic in there. Don't worry we also got a selfie with Zoraida!! Have a great week!!!!

-- 

Love, Elder Ludlow

No bags, No Problem! No toilet.... big problem!!!

So this week was a very interesting week! We spent a lot of time helping two new sisters, who opened up an area here, find a room, a pension, and get all the stuff they need, like chairs, beds, desks, a dresser. We almost have everything, they may or may not have gone like two days without chairs, but the most important part was they definitely had a room right when they got here. We literally got the room rented like 20 minutes before they got here. No big deal. 

Then the other part of the week, we spent teaching lessons as always! It was great, Kevin is doing great and I am so happy for him!! He's gonna be a great convert!! Okay, so also this week we were taking stuff over to the sisters then realized we had to go to a lesson. We didn't have our bags or anything, and seeing as we aren't one of the rich missions, rather a very humble one, we don't have a mini ipad that just fits right into our pocket or we can't just leave our bags in our car, so we went to the lesson without our bags and totally taught a great lesson!! It was awesome! We just had the sister bring  her scriptures and used those! 

And the last part of our week was spent holding in our feces (sorry for the graphic images) because our toilet broke. Seriously, the worst week for me to get sick to my stomach. Our toilet broke and we tried everything to get it fixed and finally Sunday afternoon it was fixed. But from Tuesday to Sunday we went to the church every time we had to go. The problem is the church is far from our sector so we couldn't just go whenever we wanted... so let's just say I understand the phrase "dropping a load" now... Because I really experienced that!! haha, sorry I'm so descriptive!! Love you all hope you have a great week!!

-- 

Love, Elder Ludlow

A little bonus:

I emailed Zach some questions that I need him to answer for his application to the University of Utah, here are his responses:

1. What are my unique interests or special talents?

 I worked for about 4 months in a chicken restaurant in Peru and learned how to manage a chicken restaurant and may possibly bring pollo a la brasa to the United States.

2. Why am I interested in attending the University of Utah? 
I want to attend the U cause it's a good school, it has good programs, and even though I am a BYU fan my parents are obligating me.

3. How will I contribute to the diverse campus community? 
Well, I personally don't litter, I can speak to both greengos and Mexicans, and I know how to say a couple phrases in quechua just in case there is a panay on campus. I am extremely attractive and would motivate everyone to look better, thus bringing the number of cute girls higher thus attracting more people to come to the U.

HE IS FOR SURE GOING TO GET INTO THE U WITH THOSE ANSWERS!!

The Last Melon . . . .

Okay so maybe it's not the last melon, but today I start my last change in the mission. My new comp is Elder Bravo, he actually went to Hillcrest and I know him, so things will be good :).

This week was good, to give it to you quick, here's the update:

We were saying bye to a lot of people for my comp. 

Kevin is doing well and he is getting fellowshipped in the branch little by little which is going well. #SuperBigFamilyNight

Julio, a referral from a member has a date now for the 24th of September :) His difficulty is coming to church :(, because he has school... #lamesauce! #MemberReferralsareGreat

The Olympics Quillabamba 2016 has taken way and the missionaries took a great part! #Goldornothing

Elder Cortijo said goodbye and that was really sad, the good thing was he sat right next to a cute young girl on his way home. He called me and told me it was his favorite trip #BuscandoLaExaltacion

Well love you all and hope you have a great week!! This was our Olympic attire!

-- 

Love, Elder Ludlow

Machu Picchu

So this week I am not gonna write much, it's all said in the recording, but yes as you guessed it I went to Macchu Picchu yesterday!! Oh my gosh it was incredible!! Seriously great day!!! 

This week work wise was decent, kinda a slow week but the good thing is Kevin came to church! He is progressing really well and we are excited so keep him in your prayers!! Love you all have a great week!!

Happy birthday to Josh and Heather and everyone else!!!🎂🎉🎊🎉🎊

-- 

Love, Elder Ludlow