Transfer 7 Week 5 1/6/14

Dear family and friends, 

How grateful I am for this new year!!! I hope that each of you had the chance, as I did, to sit down and write up some New Year's resolutions.:) If not...it is only January 6th! there is still time to set some meaningful goals.:) 

This week was so packed full of fun things!!! I am dying to tell you about some investigators! 

This week we met with our ami, Laurentine, who is a young African girl living and working here in Versailles. She first met the office Elders but got passed to us (YES!!!) to begin teaching. This week we visited her with an incredible member, and we shared the story of the First Vision and the restoration of Priesthood power. I felt inspired to recite, word for word, Joseph Smith's account of seeing God the Father and Jesus Christ, and the entire room was full of the Holy Spirit. It was clear that Laurentine could feel the exact same Spirit, so without hesitation, we invited her to be baptised, and she accepted.:) It was a miracle!!! We are so grateful for the help and comfort we recieved from the Spirit, and look forward to these next couple of weeks up to her baptism, which will be on the 19th of January. Please keep her in your prayers.

Later this week, for the first time this transfer, I finally got the chance to meet a beautiful young family named Tavarez. The sisters have been working with this family for several months, but because of their really busy schedule, they are rarely able to find time to have rendez-vous. Soeur Stahly and I have been praying and fasting for an opportunity to teach them, and it finally came!!! On Saturday we visited their family for dinner, answered questions they had about the Book of Mormon, and then talked about the Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ. After reading several verses and inviting them to pray about knowing the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, we invited them to be baptised. To our greatest JOY!!! the two daughters, Mathilde and Louise, accepted the invitation and are now preparing for a date in late February. As sincere and faithful as they are, the two parents, Emanuelle and Margojata, are nervous to accept the invitation because they were both baptised Catholic as children. So as of now, they are also praying about the restoration of the Priesthood and a date in to be baptised with their daughters in February. PLEASE keep them in your prayers. They are so ready to accept the Gospel into their lives. We hope to find a time to meet with them this week. 

Remember that you can make a difference, wherever you are. Find someone to help. And always, always remember to smile.:) 

I love you with all of my heart,

Soeur Laura Lee Judd 

Transfer 7 Semaine 3 12/23/13

Dear family and friends, 

Merry Christmas! Oh it is has been so fun being a missionary at this time of year! At the beginning of last week, the assistants gave the GREATEST training about contacting and door to door during this Christmas season. Although it is NOT AT ALL Christmas tradition in France to go carolling, the assistants asked that the entire mission incorporate that into their finding. If that doesn't quite make sense, I guess that means that everywhere we go, we invite people if we can help them more fully place their focus during Christmas on the Savior by coming to their home; sing a Christmas carol; share a message about the birth, life, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; and pray with their family, leaving the Spirit of Christmas and blessing in their home. Although to us this tactic may seem perfectly normal, it is NOT AT ALL normal to the French.:) haha, but we have seen miracles unfold more than ever before.

Last night, Soeur Stahly and I had a little bit of time at the very end of the night, and although it could have been very easy to hit the hay and head home,  we decided to do a little contacting from door to door in a town not far from ours. At the first door I said a little something like this: "Hello, my name is Soeur Judd, and I am from the United States. During this Christmas time, where we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we would love to sing a Christmas song and pray with you and your family so that the Spirit of Christmas may be in your home. May we come in?" And IMMEDIATELY the mom at the door said, "Yes! Please come in!" We then spent the next half hour singing songs, praying, and sharing a message about Christ with this family of five. Soeur Stahly and I were so happy afterwards, our hearts were so full, that on the way home in the metro, we sang Christmas carols for the entire train car.:) It was the most memorable Christmas experience I have ever had. 

For this Christmas, what are you doing to invite the Spirit of Christ? You could sing, you could read the scriptural accounts in the Bible AND the Book of Mormon, you could do a little service. No matter what it is! do it with the Savior in mind. I testify that He is our Savior and Redeemer. He was born in a lowly stable, lived a perfect life, suffered pain in the garden and death on the cross, and was resurrected to fulfill the perfect plan our Father in Heaven created in the beginning. I testify that He lives in our hearts through the power and influence of the Holy Ghost. He is never too far, especially as we seek Him. I know He will come again, at a time not too  distant from now. He knows us, He knows you, and He loves you. Of this knowledge I have, I humbly testify in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Remember that you can make a difference, wherever you are. Find someone to help, and always, always remember to smile.:) 

I love you with all of my heart.

Soeur Laura Lee Judd

P.S. one of our investigators, Manon, had a baby girl this week. in honor of the Christmas season, she named her Emmanuella.:) I hope you like the picture.:)