Olá!!
This week was awesome!! We had such a good week. The weather is continuing to improve, which is super nice. I have missed the sun for the last couple months of grey skies and rain.
We did tons of service projects this last week, including building a stone wall. It was actually pretty cool and turned out really good. It is always fun to get to do some service and help people out.
We also went on an exchange with the Lakeview Elders this week. Elder Streadbeck came with Elder Ludgate and me. It was fun because he was originally in Brasil for 2 or so transfers. He got to go with us to some portuguese appointments, so that was cool.
We had several really cool promptings this week. We were on a mini teaching exchange with the Totem Lake 2 Elders, so it was just Elder Ludgate and I in our area. All of our appointments of the night had been cancelled, so we figured there must have been some reason and someone for us to find that night. We said a prayer and asked the Lord to guide us. After the prayer, Elder Ludgate felt inspired to go to a particular street. On the fourth house, a man named Jon opened up. He was actually super cool!! We ended up teaching him the Restoration and talking with him for an hour. We left a Book of Mormon with him and it was super cool!!
Another cool miracle happened as well. Elder Ludgate was going through area book, and he felt inspired to visit an investigator from a really long time ago named Mari. She had been taught a couple times and then the missionaries dropped her right before covid. We tried to visit her, but we found out she didn't live there anymore because she has cancer. We called her, and we ended up getting a video call set up with her. On Wednesday, we had the call, and it was super sweet. She was just on her sick bed, and we taught her about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The Spirit was amazing. The cool thing is that she has almost beaten cancer. She was super nice, and I am excited to get to work with her more.
We had a really good lesson with Jairton and Karoline on Thursday. We talked to them about how important it is to come to church. They promised us that they would come, and they did!! They came to church and they loved it!!!
The highlight of the week was definitely on Sunday for fast and testimony meeting. Rita, who got baptized last transfer, got up and bore her testimony. She told her entire conversion story, and it was incredible. The Spirit was so strong. Everyone was crying. I cannot describe how incredible that was for me. The change that has come over here and her daughters is incredible. That moment made everything worth it.
THe other highlight of the week was MLC. President Sister Beardall officially confirmed that the Bothell stake is officially joining our mission and our coordinating council. That is exciting because it means that we should finally be able to officially have the Portuguese group because the attendees of the group will not be split between the two coordinating councils. It is also exciting because we will be able to visit a lot more of the Brazilian members, and we will be able to finally teach all of the Braziians that live up there. We have gotten in contact with so many Brazilians that live in Bothell and never ever been able to really teach them. That will now change. It is super exciting!!
Besides that news, MLC was an absolutely spirit filled meeting. I learned so much from being there. One of my big takeaways was how important it is to always be striving to receive personal revelation. As we do our best to take time and look for the Lord, He will show us great and marvellous things. All we need are "eyes to see" and "ears to hear." Jesus Christ taught repeatedly, "let him who has ears hear." I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that knows us and will guide and direct us.
Doctrine and Covenants 4:7
7 Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.
I love representing the Savior in Brasil and Washington, I love the Gospel and Atonement of Christ, I love my family, and I love my Redeemer. I am ready and excited to work harder, learn more, and love better this week!
Love,
Elder Warren Matthew Dudley
Photo 1 - Elder Streadbeck and Elder Ludgate goofing around on an exchange
Photo 2 - The trio going to dinner at Rita, Liv, and Luiza’s house
Photos 3-4 - the beauty of Washington by day and by night
