The last email…..
Well, as much as I might be in a state of denial, I cannot change the fact that my two year service as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is over. It has been the most incredible experience. I have loved everything about being a missionary. The good thing is that I will be benefiting from this experience my entire life and that I do not need to stop sharing the “reason for the hope within me”. The gospel of Jesus Christ is so amazing! My missionary service might be over, but my mission is not yet over. I will continue always as a disciple of Jesus Christ, tag or no tag.
The last week of my mission was the perfect end to my missionary service. It was a week full of miracles and miraculous events. We had a super busy week that included exit interviews with our mission president, dinner at the mission president’s house, a meeting with the temple presidency, a portuguese group activity, and a baptism!!!
So, our friend Savia was on date for a July 18th baptismal date as of last Sunday. She was still drinking coffee every once in a while, though she was down to one cup every once in a while. We had taught her all the lessons, and she was so excited to get baptized.
On Monday, Elisangela (who has been fellowshipping her) texted us and told us that Savia all of a sudden that morning and told her that July 18th was not going to work and that she needed to get baptized sooner. That was cool to hear because she was so excited, but we knew that would not work. Typically, when people are addicted to something, they need to go at least 2-3 weeks without it before they can get baptized. Savia had her last coffee the day before. We told Elisangela that there was no way that Savia was going to be able to get baptized this week.
We went about the rest of our P-Day like normal. It was a good P-Day; we got to have a fun District Activity at the church. We had an interesting thing happen while we were at the church. A man just walked in and asked us for a priesthood blessing. Elder Ward and I went with him into another room and talked with him for a little while to figure out the situation and try to see if we should give him a priesthood blessing. He was a member that was kind of down on his luck. We did, and it was a really spiritual experience. After he left, I was wondering about how he managed to get into the locked church. I asked Elder Ward, and Elder Ward said that before we started the activity, he had an impression to go unlock and prop open the back door. He did so, and we got to have that cool experience.
We finished up P-Day and then we went out tracting at 6:00. After about 2 hours, we got a text from Savia telling us that she wanted to talk to us immediately. We typically teach her on zoom from the church, so we told her that we were heading over to the church to call her right then. We figured that it was about wanting to get baptized. We had a discussion within our companionship on the way over of what to do and how to respond. I felt pretty strongly that unless something truly miraculous happened, we should not even consider trying to figure out a way for her to get baptized.
So, we got on the call and the first thing that Savia said was: “Guess what? I decided that I will be baptized this Sunday!!” She proceeded to tell us that she finally felt completely prepared and that she could not wait any longer. She said that she also really wanted us to be at the baptism.
We then had to tell her that she needed to wait at least 2 or 3 more weeks without coffee. We also told her that the reason to get baptized is not because we were going home, but because she really had the desire and knew that the gospel is true. She then told us that she knew she wasn’t going to ever drink coffee again and that she had been completely prepared. She told us that the reason she wanted to get baptized was because she knew the gospel was true. She then told us that she needed to get baptized that weekend. We again told her that she would have to wait to get off of coffee.
Savia then told us that the reason she knew that she would never drink coffee again was because that morning as she was preparing her coffee, she had this strange feeling that there was someone else in the room watching her. She looked about and couldn’t see anyone. She went back to making the coffee and just had the strongest feeling that the person in the room with her was just so disappointed with her.
I don’t know if it was a ministering angel or not, but I do believe that it was a miracle. Savia completely lost her desire to drink even the occasional coffee once every several days. She promised us that she would never drink coffee again and that we didn’t need to worry about her drinking coffee. She told us that she was completely prepared and wanted to get baptized. She told us if we wouldn’t baptize her that weekend, she would baptize herself.
We realized then that something incredibly miraculous had happened, so we asked her if we could pause the video call and take 5 minutes to talk about it as a companionship. She said yes, but that she wouldn’t accept no as an answer.
We got off the call and were just blown away. We decided to call President Beardall to ask him what we should do. We talked with him and explained the situation. He told us that as long as she didn’t drink that coffee that week, she could get baptized that Sunday!!
We got back on the call and told her that she could get baptized that Sunday on the condition that she didn’t drink coffee at all that week and that we would also have a lesson with her every day that week.
Preparing Savia for baptism was our biggest focus of the week. There were some crazy things that happened leading up to the baptism. Once coffee was no longer impeding her from being baptized, Satan used a lot of other things to try and distract her. On Wednesday, she got super offended by something one of the members told her. She told us during our lesson that she almost blocked us and all of the members and cancelled the baptism. Elisangela ended up going over to Savia’s house and banging on the door until Savia came out and talked with her. Elisangela talked through things with her and helped her realize that she was way overreacting and that Satan was just blowing things out of proportion. Elisangela is the best.
The next day, Savia’s husband ended up in the hospital, but again, Elisangela came to the rescue. She drove them to the hospital and then just stayed talking with Savia the entire time. In another situation, something like that could have easily deterred Savia from being baptized. I am so grateful that we have so many amazing members and disciples of Christ in this church.
We had lessons almost every day of the week, and she continued to progress and prepare for baptism. She passed her interview and did not drink any coffee!! On Sunday, Savia was baptized after church. If there were any doubt in my mind that she was ready to be baptized, it was gone once the baptism started. We began singing that classic baptism song about looking for rainbows, and the Spirit was so strong. Savia just had tears streaming down her face. The entire baptism was full of the Spirit. When Elder Almeida baptized her, she came out of the water with the biggest smile on her face. She stuck her arms up in the air and yelled, “Woooooohhoooooooo!!!” She was so excited to get baptized.
After the baptism, Elder Ward and I had to say good-bye to Savia, the other recent converts, and all the other Brazilian members. It was so hard. I have seen so many miracles happen in so many ways. It has been so incredible. These people have been my family since August of last year. I was so sad to say good-bye to all of them.
The rest of that day was kind of a blur. We went to the mission office for dinner with President and Sister Beardall, as well as all the other missionaries that were going home. It was really good. We then went to the temple, where we had a meeting with the temple president. For two hours, we were allowed to ask him any question about the gospel. I took tons of notes and learned a ton. I really loved one particular thing that he said. He said, “The topical guide should be your right arm.” Some of the questions were really good, and he ended his response by saying that we should look up and study every scripture on those topics. That is how he has gained all of his spiritual knowledge - diligent study and intentional prayer.
Saying goodbye to President and Sister Beardall in the airport was one of the hardest things I have done on my mission. I cried pretty much the entire ride to the airport and I was crying a whole bunch when I hugged them good-bye. This mission has meant so much to me. The two of them mean so much to me. Serving a mission has been the greatest blessing of my life besides my family. Every experience, every opportunity, all the learning, all the trials - it has all worked together for my good, and for the good of so many others. Covid-19 was such a huge blessing and opportunity for me.
I am amazed by how much the Lord trusts us to do His work. Though we can barely stretch ourselves to grow a mustard seed of faith in the Lord, He has perfect faith in us. Our responsibility is so great. This work is so great.
I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true and that there is power in the gospel. It is a gospel of repentance and change. I have witnessed the great change that is brought about by the gospel both in my life and the life of many others. That gospel was truly and fully restored to the earth by God through the prophet Joseph Smith.
With Paul, I would say I have fought a good fight, but I know that this fight isn’t over. I have concluded my service as a missionary, but my mission is not over. I got a whole life ahead of me to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. These last two years have prepared me for my entire life.
Scripture of my mission
2 Nephi 2:6-8
6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.
7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.
8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.
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 - Immediately after our miracle lesson with Savia
Photo2 - Sunny skies
Photo 3 - last time at the mission office
Photo 4 - Janaina Fokes made an amazing dinner for us. She made bolo de rolo Pernambucano and it was so good!!
Photo 5 - last picture with the Portuguese elders
Photo 6 - Elder Ludgate and I
Photo 7 - Elder Beardall and I
Photo 8 - Elder Diago and I
Photo 9 - Elder Almeida, Elder Ward, and I
Photo 10 - Elder Schelin and I
Photos 11-12 - Savia’s baptism
Photo 13 Elder Schelin and I with Raymond and Janaina Fowkes at the group activity
Photo 14 The missionaries at the activity with Rita, Liv, and Luiza
Photo 15 Elder Schelin, Elder Beardall and I with Rosi
Photo 16 Picture after the baptism
Photo 17 The Zone. Left to right: (Back row) Sister Callahan, Sister Wagner, Sister Schnebly, Sister Rees, Sister Crookshank, Elder Depew, Elder Keil, Elder Dudley, Elder Carpenter, Elder Whitley, Elder Williams. (Next Row) Sister Crabb, Hermana Zacarias, Hermana Covert, Elder Robb, (Front) Elder Ward, Elder Almeida
Photo 18 - The temple with all the departing missionaries.
Photo 19 - President and Sister Beardall and I
