The Start of a New Day

I am finally back behind the controls of the blog. I've taken some time off since I've been back but I feel this blog is good and mainly for me anyways. This will be a place where I can vent and share how I feel and all of you folk can see it too. I'm hoping to give updates each week from my life, but will primarily focus on how things go after serving my mission. It was a big part of my life, a right of passage if you will, that has deeply affected me and always will. Life is a bumpy road and this will be my way of tracking it.

Since I've been back I've caught up on movies and shows, read some good books, given 5 talks in church, been to the temple, made some new friends, rekindled old friendships, saw family, spent time with family, look for a job, looked some more for a job, looked at going to school, etc, etc, etc... Most importantly I've striven to keep the good habits I developed. I feel a bit overwhelmed some times but those habits keep me going and saying "it's the start of a new day."

Dear Fam,

 

Hey it's been another long week. We had a lot going on this week. I had to exchange with the other Elders from monday to wednesday. It was a lot and a lot of finding. To be honest I really hate finding. We spend far too much time knocking doors and talking to people on the street and then have our members tell us, "Why do you go work in nicer areas?" Well if you don't like the people we find then you can go and find someone for us please. We then had a blitz with the zone leaders for half the day on wednesday. That was after the district meeting the I had to do. I have to do another one this week too. I then had a District leader council meeting on saturday that I had to report about the district and the individual missionaries etc... crazy stuff.

 

I feel a lot like I am hitting the wall lately. Like I'm trying to sprint to the end but something  keeps getting on my way. I don't know what it is. I want to do better just lacking something. So ya. Things will hopefully start looking up this week. It needs to this week. We got to get people to church or they won't be able to get baptized before I go.

 

Elder Brown is difficult. He's up and down. Some days he's really good and other days he's just not bothered. He'll find some potentially people and then forget about them and not mention them to me. Ugh. I know he wants to but he doesn't show me much support. It's difficult when you have a load to do and to report upon.

 

Well I don't know much to report upon this week. We had some little miracles here and there but no luck with getting people to church. We have such great and nice people we are teaching and finding but they aren't going forward like we want them to. So this week is going to change. We'll fix it. I know that it'll be way better.

 

Thanks mom for the £££ so I can get a new suit. Devin I hoped you had a fun birthday. It sounds like a blast. I'm jealous of the snowboarding. I hope the snow is still good. Myranda... you should look up a SNL skit that Taylor Lautner was in. It's him and someone else trying to get the sibling to surprise their parents that they are expecting. One of the siblings (Kristen Wiig) just goes completely nuts. That should've been my reaction. ;) I remember it from before I left. It's hilarious. Anyways I hope you all have good weeks.

 

Love Elder Dudgeon

Dear Folks at home,

 

Well so this was an interesting week. We had new years which was alright. Everything just full working days still. Kind of tough with how crazy people are. As well as Grimsby Town had a football match on New Years Day so you can imagine how rowdy people were, how cranky they were, how drunk they were, and how much they wanted to talk to us. Well not too much that last one.

 

It's a bit of a struggle to keep everyone excited right now about the work. It's trying to keep them positive and excited for the right reasons. It's hard during this holiday time but I know that it will get better. I can't think of many crazy exciting stories right now. Our zone leaders want to do a nerf gun war for our zone pday. Elder Brown and I are a bit dissappointed because thats kind of lame and we don't want to waste our money. Plus I would rather go do something really enlgishy for my last p-day as a zone. Oh well. Luckily Elder Brown and I have some flogged guns in the flat that we can use so no worries. The other elders in the district just went out and bought some for like £40 or $75 really. No way would I ever do that. So ya thats not too exciting.

 

Oh I do remember a story. We got back in contact with the couple I found on exchange and so Elder Brown and I are teaching them. Well this last weekend the Louth Elders had a baptism and since they just have a rented hall and not their own chapel they come to us for the font. So it was easy to get people there for us and we got this couple to come. They showed up and looked really nice. All in their Sunday best and they really enjoyed the service. It was pretty neat. So we have them scheduled for baptism our last weekend in the mission and we hope they will achieve it. We got a couple more people we are working with too. I hope to have at least one before I leave. Then it'll be a baptism in every area.

 

Well I hope you are all good. Thanks everyone for telling me how much longer I have left and that the time will go by really quick.. Cheers. I am excited about seeing all of you though. I miss you. Ta for now

 

Love Elder Dudgeon

Dear Family,

 

Hey so good to hear from all of you this week. It's been a tough week. A bit of a struggle really but we will continue. We just got some devestating news that the 2.1 is closing down and they are splitting up the Elders. It's because of the missionaries going home before Christmas. So I've had to deal with 2 complaining missionaries this weekend. Not too fun. I was a also a bit frustrated because I liked having the larger district and and a 4 man flat now it gets smaller and just me and Elder Brown. I'm alright with it but I felt it helped me stretch myself further. But After praying about it and contemplating it a lot I realize that it's been a real answer to my prayers. One of the things I wanted when moving to Grimsby was to start learning all the lessons I needed to and that I could before I go home. I think these 4 weeks with these Elders has provided me with more opporunities to learn and now with them leaving I have even more to learn. So the Lord is just blessing me with more opportunities.

 

As I said though this week was rough. It was a bit slow but this week will sure keep u busy with taking over the potentials and investigators 2.1 had. Including the lady we found on exchange. They got back in contact with her because she didn't hold her next appintment but it turned out that her husband had a heart attack. She also has another friend in the hospital who's really sick. She is such a wonderful lady and has probably been at the hospital nonstop with everything. I hope we get to keep teaching her though and help them feel the peace and comfort of the gospel.

 

Elder Brown and I are going to be taking some pictures today and doing a bit of souvenir shopping. So i hope to find some things for everyone and send some nice pictures next week.

 

Well I got to keep this short so we can get the 2.1 elders over to the train station with all their luggage. It's a lot of stuff. I love you all though and send my love and Christmas wishes.

 

Elder DUDGEON

Dear Family,

 

It's been an ok week. We have had some hard times this week around the zone. We are having a hard time getting people to come to church which is not good. This last week though Grimsby 2.1 and us found 9 new investigators. Some of them are really good. Some will drop by the wayside pretty quick I feel if they haven't already but it's just neat to see how many people are here and willing to listen in this area. I went on exchange this week with one of the 2.1 elders. We knocked into a woman who was kind of standoffish at first but as I was persistent with her she said out of nowhere that we could come in out of the cold. (which was great because like 10 minutes later it started down pouring.) Well we hear how she lost her faith in God because of her old church and how the leaders of it treated her and her husband, She just had a lot of questions too which weren't answered. It was scary at first because the way she was describing her church sounded a lot like ours like word of wisdom qualities and law of chastity. Well. it wasn't our church though just another strange christian church. It sounded like the kept her from helping others because she wasn't a full member of their church nor apart of it's leadership. Well she was very prepared for the message of the restoration and the gospel in it's fullness. It's amazing to see how it can bless some one just to start receiving true answers and understanding the things God has told us to do. She prayed at the end which was amazing and she thanked God for sending us to help her renew her faith. The other elders are left to teach her this week and see how things progress.

 

Today I have to leave it short though. We are just getting back to grimsby at 5:00pm because we had a inter zone P-day. We played american football against the Sheffield zone and we whooped them. I scored the first touch down. One of the receivers tried to catch the ball under pressure and it just bounced off of him and into my hands and I was able to run it pass a couple defenders to the end zone. We then played a game of football and beat them there. I keep playing goalie and everyone asks if I played in high school or college. Nope. I just got a sense of what I am doing. So that was fun today to see a lot fo people. It was good to get out of the way because it took a lot of planning and things to get it done and so I am really tired. Oh well I move on.

 

I hope you are all doing well. I miss you. I hope things go well this winter with Myranda wrapping up school and Sarah too. I'm praying for both of you. I hope mom and devin start feeling better. And mom enjoys not being a disabled orangutan any more. Love you all

 

Elder dudgeon

Dear Family,

 

So the excitement of the transfer has sort of worn off and now the real hard work begins. We had some disappointments this week with some solid people who we thought were going to investigate the church. I've never had as many people give us their details and say we can come by but then flog us later. The whole district is facing this problem so we are finding ways to work harder and stay excited. We have a really young missionary in our district who's from Norway who's really gotten excited and is doing some good hard work and it's wearing off a bit on the district which is great. I have a few ideas to band the elders together to really push hard. Grimsby is a blessed area but it is a difficult one.

 

So on Sunday we went and bore our testimonies (the missionaries). I kind of rebuked the ward. The first Sunday was a stake conference and so there was multiple missionaries and multiple wards there but nobody really in any of the wards came and introduced themselves to us. Some of the excuses were they didn't know which ward we were over but it doesn't really matter. If you are a warm and friendly person and not embarrassed of who you are you would go up to everyone and say who you are. So I told the ward that I was a bit saddened because I know that they are better then that. I mean I can go and introduce myself to people which I was doing but it's sad when you say 'hello I'm Elder Dudgeon' and they just say hello and walk by. But I bore some powerful testimony after wards and I know that it hit several of the members because they did come up to me and introduce themselves. As well as our Bishop reached out to the other Grimsby 1 missionaries and asked if there was anything he could do for them. I really appreciated that. The wards here have what they call friendly rivalries but really those things can get in the way from working and growing together. So Sunday was good. we got some LA there but no investigators yet. We'll keep trying though.

 

It was good to hear that Devon and Whitney had a great weekend. I was really happy for both of them. It's neat to hear about Taylor coming home soon as well. Too bad he'll be going straight out to school. I would've loved to catch up with him again. Oh well though theres always more time and more people. Well I miss you all. Talk to you soon.

 

Cheerio

Elder Dudgeon

Hey family,

 

How goes it this week. Sounds like everyone is doing well. Getting ready for the holiday season I see. It sure is hear they have been putting out the big Christmas trees around the towns. Let me tell you about my first few days in Grimsby. It is so beautiful! We go running on the beach for morning exercise. It has been cold but not too cold. My companion, Elder Brown and I are planning on going even in the cold. It gets us going and awake in the morning. Elder Brown is so great. He's a great missionary. He's from Bountiful Utah. He really knows how to work hard and keeps me organized. I really can help him with getting out there a bit more and being constantly bold. We really Help each others strengths and weaknesses which is great! More about the area. It's quite small and it's split into 2 with the Grimsby 1 Elders. then we have a third team, Grimsby 2.1 who can go into both areas. They are white washing but they live with us. They are so fantastic. Both kind of young missionaries but hard workers and have a lot of faith and we all get along really well. We really excite one another. One is from Las Vegas and the other one is from Sweden.

 

This week we have a had a lot of finding. We found 3 people though since I came in and we scheduled 2 of them for baptism and are set on teaching them more this week. We aer hoping to have a couple baptism in the month of December. So let me tell you about of the people. Elder Brown had contacted this woman a week ago. She was leaving her house and walking away but shouted back her details and said we could come by. Well last  night we felt we needed to knock a certain street. So we go there and Elder Brown remembered that this woman said we could come by. He had scratched off in his planner because they had already tried by with no one in and she seemed not that solid. But since we felt impressed to go to the street we tried by again and got in. Her power was out because she needed a friend to come pay her money so she could get more. So we taught her by candle light the first lesson about the restoration. Then we invited her to be baptized. It was so neat that setting. She is very prepared too and is really nice.

 

We had stake conference this weekend here in the Hull stake. President and Sister Lindley spoke which was great. They talked a lot about missionary work of course. It was a record setting stake conference because we became the first stake in England to broadcast a stake conference to another building since the stake is big and so spread apart. So that was neat to be a part of.

 

Well I got to get going. I miss you all. Please don't worry about the Christmas presents as much I just need a little $$$ well £££ you know what I mean. Love you all.

 

Elder Dudgeon

Dear Folks at home,

 

We all got a number and mine got called down the line. I'm officially out of Keighley and I am heading to Grimsby 2. IT's right on the ocean. I am so excited. I am going to be in a 4 man flat too. It's in the Hull zone so it's a zone I've never been to before. It's going to be so great. Google the address and look at the map of it. It's so pretty. It may be cold but I am going to love it. I am going to be serving with Elder Brown who is from my group. That'll be fun. It's kind of a geeky guy but he is a lot of fun. As soon as he gets going he's great.

 

My new address is

 

Elder Blaine Dudgeon

39 Humber St.

Cleethorpes

DN35 8NN

UK

 

Keighley has been good but I really need something new after Elder Jestice and it will help me stay excited to the end. So besides an exciting transfer call I am doing ok. My mood is going up and down all the time. I think I'm just tired and stressed. I can see the end in sight so I try to sprint but some times I get discouraged. Most lately I am pushing hard as I can. think this move will help me continue. So all post and things need to go there. And by the way for Christmas I am not really bothered about much. You don't need to send me anything really. I am just in the process of sending things home and getting some family souvenirs and stuff (T-Shirts and ya). So if you want to send me anything, money would be the best thing.

 

Want to hear a funny story this week. So we were at a members house for tea and we were having some home made pizza. Well The crust was a little hard and while we're eating the member bit into his pizza and then we here a crack. I thought it was the pizza crust at first but he got a disgruntled look on his face, put his pizza down, and then reached in to his mouth and his front 3 teeth fell out. Well you should've seen my face. It was nasty. His bridge for his teeth broke. It was quite funny afterward but kind of gross.

 

Well My talk this week went well. I was one of 2 speakers. It was remembrance sunday here too (like veterans day) so I was souppose to keep something to that. Well the topic I got was living peaceable with one another so I talked about how wars are not good because they do not bring us peace. That fighting is something of the natural man. We do it as children, but that the higher law is to live peaceably with everyone. I talked how the greatest thing we can do to honour those who have fought and laid down their lives is to strive to live in peace with the opprtunities they provided for us. I tried to push that it is in honour of our covenants that we need to do these things and then how the gospel of Jesus Christ is the answer to how we do it. I also spoke about justice. How even if we are wronged and we seek justice we can still be wicked. It depends on the manner in which we seek that justice. If it is contentious then it is not good. The verse I kind of highlighted was in Romans 12:18 and the last verse in that chapter which talks about overcoming evil with good.

 

So that was a nice highlight for the week. Not much else is new. I am sending one parcel home right now. It just has some things that I don't want to carry around as much. But there are a couple of things in there for mom. (licorice and pontefract cakes) and dad has a couple of football team glasses and coasters. The rest just set aside for me. am going to be sending more things home for everyone don't worry.

 

Well I think that's it this week. I love you all

 

Elder Dudgeon

Hey,

 

It is good to hear from all of you this morning. It sounds like summer is winding down and the push to winter is almost here. Life is getting back into full swing with school starting up again and the last trips of summer coming to a close. I hope you enjoyed yours. Mine has been short, but my mind set is similar. Preparing for the the long push through fall and the lasts harvests of the winter before the inevitable end of my life begins haha. Alright nuff drama.

 

How goes it this week? Can't say much here. We have had some amazing and dramatic events take place but not all I can type because of the private information it contains. Just know that it has been a blessing this week to see some of the steps our investigators are making to repent and to come unto Christ.

 

Something I can talk about though is a wonderful family from the Czech Republic. We have been teaching them as best we can in our broken english. This past Sunday we went down to their home in the morning. Every single one of them was ready for church. We walked with them to the bus station and caught the bus up to the chapel right as the meeting started. As I sat next to them I could see the father feeling the Spirit with every hymn, every prayer, and every talk. Though not every word was understood, the feelings were there and (as he later described) felt peace and comfort and joy. He described how his heart went out to the sister who spoke in the meeting. As her voice choked, explaining how she felt about the gospel and how she had been blessed, he could feel it to and wanted to cry with her. His children got a bit bored but loved the singing in the sacrament meeting. NExt week they will come to all the meetings and I can't wait for them to enjoy primary.

 

This week has been tough with Elder Jestice. It's really quite frustrating. Just continue to pray for me.

 

I got to go but thanks everyone again for help and support.

 

Love ELder Dudgeon

 

PS I HAVE GOTTEN POST IN A LONG TIME. except for dads package (YAY!). BUT I AM STARVING FOR SOME POST. TELL PEOPLE TO WRITE ME. FAMILY, RELATIVES, FRIENDS, ANYBODY.

 

Much love

Dear family,

 

Hey thanks for the emails this week. It was a rough one until yesterday. We had a mission tour with Elder Donaldson of the area presidency here. He used to be in the mtc presidency when I was there so I know him quite a bit. It was really good and I will tell you about it a little later. But that's the reason why I am emailing today.

 

 It was a rough week with Elder Jestice. (yes myranda you are right). Anyways it was a rough week because we didn't find any new investigators as a district till Sunday. We found one here in keighly. I was trying to work with Elder Jestice and the other teams with how we can improve and they all just get back to me and say that they can't think of anything. They all just kind of threw on me. Great. I came up with some ideas and a plan for Elder Jestice and I and gave it to the Zone leaders. They weren't sure about but I held firm and confident with it. I think it's just from how I explain things them. I am not the best or they don't understand me. Well all the things I mentioned were talked about at the meeting yesterday. Elder Donaldson spoke about all of them and how we can use them. It was pretty neat. During the meeting I also got to go up there and help him with his instruction. I don't normally volunteer but I wanted to be a good example for the district.

 

Afterwards President Lindley talked to Elder Jestice and I separately. He told me everything he had said to Elder Jestice and what he wanted me to do to help him. It made me feel a lot better after him talking to me and the trust he said he has in me. It was just a good time to talk to him. That he sees that I'm working hard and trying my best.

 

Well I don't remember any stories to talk about this week. not too much happened. A missionary came back to Keighley with his parents. It was really neat to see him again because I have served around him before and with him on exchanges. He's from Holland and has been home for a few months. It was neat to see the effect that a mission has on someone, but its hard to see sometimes until they get home.

 

Oh here's a story. So I street contacted this guy a couple weeks ago who said we could come by. He gave us a false mobile number and when we went by no one was in. This week though I was thinking about it and just felt that we really had to go by and see if he was in. Well turns out that he doesn't even live there but a nice lady did. We started talking to her and she let us share the message with here and we are going to see her this week. It's funny how that works.

 

I wish I was home for all the memorials and things like that for 9/11. No one was even talking about it over here. One guy on saturday even made a joke about it when we knocked into him. (He then found out that we were Americans and apologized). It's kind of sad. The only thing that really appeared was mention of the Brits that died in the attacks. People make more fuss about the London bombings here still. Which is sad as well but this is something that effected a lot more people. It was a bit frustrating but it's how it is.

 

WEll I am doing really good this week. I hope everyone is enjoying the end of Summer. Mine is very cold and wet and windy. YA English SUMMER!

 

Cheerio

Elder Dudgeon

Dear Family,

 

So sorry about that ast week. I am still really tired and stressed. I have a lot to deal in my little district. I can't believe how difficult it gets sometimes. I got a bit depressed this last week, but I just kept plugging along and it's gotten better. I think it's because Elder Jestice is not the most obedient missionary so it's difficult. Like when a day is rough and nothing goes right and you haven't done all you can to be obedient you start to question yourself. When you are obedient though, even if they day goes wrong, you still have that to fall back upon to feel good about. So I have really strived for that this last half of the week and it's gotten way better.

 

We are teaching a few more people now. We have a Czech family we are teaching. It's a bit difficult with the language barrier but we get by it by comparing material and using google translator. I haven't used that in a long time on my mission but they've updated it a lot now and it's been a real help. Plus with the church constantly trying to update their website helps a lot. They were met to come to church yesterday but the father was sick. We have a few more people we hope to progress to baptism by Conference weekend or the week after. It should be good. Keighley is a great place and has some blessed people in it.

 

A funny part from this week. We got some lunch after a meeting on Saturday. We were going to take it back to our flat to eat and so we could drop off our stuff. Well we got on the wrong bus that took us farther away from our house. It would've looped back and brought us close but Elder Jestice had to start eating his lunch on the bus. The driver got mad because he could smell it and told him no eating on the bus and kicked us off. There are no signs that say you can't, but Elder Jestice wasn't the nicest to the guy. So we get kicked off the bus as far away from the flat that it could've left us. We then had to walk back to our flat cutting across some trails though the parks and woods. I had to stop every 20 paces for Elder Jestice because he has ingrown toenails that he hasn't fixed for like 3 months so his feet hurt when he walks. So ya it was a long day. Not much came out of the day either but I was obedient as I could've been all that day so I slept easy. That was nice.

 

Well Thanks family for your support. I hope this fall is good for everyone. It's my last fall of my mission. TIme keeps creeping up and that scares me. I don't need any reminders mom! ;) anyways. Love you all.

 

Elder Dudgeon

Dear Family,

 

Hey I am sending some pictures. We had transfer calls last night. Elder Cumming is moving to Leeds 2 so he is still in the zone which is good. I am staying in Keighly and am getting Elder Jestice. I don't know much about him at all. His been out a bit longer then Elder CUmming but not over a year yet. It is really strange because this next transfer is the start of my last 4. I was just thinking about it and it hit me last night. It was weird and kind of scary.

 

Things have been good this week. The Skipton Elders really stepped up and excelled and reach their goal for the week. We did pretty good too. It was great because my ne leader didn't come down on me. And when we reported in the goals and plans and actions on Sunday it went super smooth. It was quite strange and opposite of the week before. It's how it goes sometimes.

 

I'm excited to get a new companion. Elder Jestice and I will probably be together for the next 2 transfer. So far for my mission it has followed the pattern of being with my compainon for 1 transfer then 2, then 1, then 2, then 1, then 2, then 1, then 2, then 1. So ya it'll be interesting to see what happens. I hear Elder Jestice is American so that'll be good. No more racist scotsman. I'm also getting another missionary from my group going to be serving in Skipton. So that'll be neat. I am just sad I won't be able to go to transfer meeting and see the sisters I came out with leave. Oh well. That's what email is for.

 

Well I can't think of much to write this week. Thanks for all the support. It's nice to hear that you think I am growing because for me it's hard to see. It's probably more gradual then anything. but ya.

 

I love you all

Elder Dudgeon

 

The pictures are one of me with a samurai sword. That was funny,

 

Then 2 are from the baptism. Me elder CUmming, Colin and his sister who introduced the chruch to him.

PS: I can't believe I forgot this. Colin who just got baptized has been on Dialasis for a long time. he's already had one kidney transplant. It takes a lot out of him and he has some really hard days. He's just been waiting for a kidney. Well we got a call on Tuesday moirning from sister Dean saying that Colin got a call from the hospital to come in straight away, they got a kidney for him. It was so good. So He has gone in for the transplant and just recovering in the hospital. So great!

 

The last picture is one of me and a recent convert named Michael. Michael is an artist and does a ot of landscape paintings. I asked him if he could do a tree of life painting for me. He did and signed it and gave it to me. It's like my favorite gift I've gotten my mission so far.

 

that it. bye

Dear Family,

 

Hey, I didn't get to hear much this week from people. It all seemed kind of short. That's ok though I understand if you're all busy. I'll tell you a bit about my week.

 

This week I got to go on exnchange to Leeds with one of my zone leaders. It was really good and I got to learn a lot from him. It' helped me a lot to know what I need to do to be a leader and to stay more organized, but as well how to more effectively help the other missionaries. It was a long exchange though, from Monday to Wednesday. Some fun parts though, last P-Day got filmed a little bit playing basketball because one of the missionaries has a film crew following him making a documentary. I love it that some P-Days we get to go play basketball in Leeds. On the exchange I also got to meet a player for the Leeds Rhinos rugby team. He's a member of the church and is really nice. He fed us lunch. Elder Horner my other zone leader was with Elder Cumming in Keighly and was jealous that I got to go. He thought that we were going to barbecue but we didn't.

 

The rest of the week has been fun and a learning week. We have a baptism this week here in Keighly. We got to take him down to Bradford this weekend though to see one that was going on there. It was neat because I got to see some old ward members there that I haven't seen for almost a year. It was so great. I love this area. But ya we have a baptism coming up which will be great this week and we have a lot of new people we hope to get investigating this week. Elder Cumming and I have really been working hard on "keeping it real". To be more natural and friendly with people to help them feel that trust and Spirit from the very beginning. Hopefully it'll get us out of patterns that we sometimes get into while finding. It's a really good skill that I am already seeing good results in and will make the rest of my mission epic as I learn to master it. Elder Cumming has been getting on my nerves this week a little bit. He gets really down on himself. If I try to give him some feedback he just takes it really negatively so I working on that to make him more positive. We have a focus this week to study charity and love.

 

Well I hope everything is going good at home right now. I've been getting a lot of questions and advice lately about what I'm going to do when I get back. Come on I got 6 months left! That's forever right? No I know I need to think about these things but I'm not dwelling on it too much. There's a few things I need to get sorted out, but I'm looking forward to the next 6 months and finishing strong. So ya no worries.

 

I miss you all

Love

Elder Dudgeon

Dear Family Units,

 

Hey how goes it this week? We had a good week for the most part. We are working with quite a few people towards baptism and should have a few this month which is great. The ward here is doing great. I love it. I am a little tired the most because I'm not used to my new bed anymore. I left Ponte on a queen size now I have a single. Not that I am complaining but it's just quite funny trying to fit on it.

 

This week I went on exchange up to Skipton to help the Elders up there and get to know their area a bit better. It's a very pretty area and has a lot of beautiful country side. They have a small branch there that just started last year when I was in Bradford. They used to be in the Keighly ward but it's a long way to travel. It's full of tiny little villages that are pretty neat. While I was there I ran into a guy with a blue and green football top on and I immediately realized and said "that's a Seattle sounders jersey!" I think the man was quite frightened of me and I was a bit flabbergasted, but I got that he was from Paulsbo and married a woman from Skipton. It was neat to run into someone from close to home. While I was there I also talked to a lot of heathens. Well that is how they introduced themselves to me. It was quite funny. They got all offended that I believed in God and said we should believe in the earth. Quite a silly thought though. One kept yelling down the street which was funny because all I said was really hello to him and a short approach.

 

So I don't really know what to write about this week. I can't write anything too serious because the church has sent out a warning to all the missionaries to watch what they email home and that it's not sensitive to people. Like contains their names or events that they are going through. So I'm trying to watch myself with that.

 

I hope you are all doing well though. Lot's of good things are happening here. We should have a baptism next week which will be great.

 

I'l talk to you later though,

Cheerio,

Elder Dudgeon

Dear Family,

 

Hey how are things this week with everyone. We had a good week here in Keighly. Had some good work going on this week and got to find some new people too. A lot of little miracles throughout the week that have been such a great blessing to me and Elder Cumming. I love him he is so great and is one of my favourite companions. He is such a good missionary and has a great desire. He has a few things to learn yet but he's open to everything and takes criticism and grows. So good!

 

He doesn't like how I still make fun of his accent sometime but it's just a lot of fun laughs and jokes with each other. I can open up and ask and get advice from him too which is great. He's one of the few companions I have had that I feel we are unified in all we do.

 

The ward is great here in Keighly. I feel I am going to gain some weight here because of how well we get fed. We had a munch and mingle after church and there was a lot to munch on.

 

2 miracles for this week. We have this elderly woman investigator who is really sweet but very old. She has a bad leg from where she had cancer removed. We were trying to find the best way to invite her to be baptized but didn't know the best way to  bring it up or resolve the concerns she might have. Well we decided to watch a DVD with her but unsure of which one. We prayed and decided to do one that I had never seen before. The story of John Tanner and his conversion to the church and the help he gave. It was an amazing story that seemed to be perfect for our investigator. He had a bad leg that was going to kill him but he was miraculously healed and accepted the gospel. It was so great. So after wards we used the opportunity to invite her and schedule her for baptism.

 

The other is this week we've been praying to find some new people. On Saturday we were knocking a street. Ran into some funny moments with a couple drunks and knocking doors with clotheslines in front of them. You see people here in terrace housing to have gardens really. Just a little tiny patio in front of their house. Most people hang dry their clothes. So while we're knocking doors we just have to go under or around the clothes. But it's really awkward when you have some one's bra or underwear right next to your face while you're talking to them and trying to preach the gospel.. Elder Cumming gave an approach to a woman who answered her door. He said something about prophets and if she felt it would be important to know if God is working today and called a prophet. She said yes which took him by surprise. We asked if we could share the message, but she was busy then but said we could come by the next day. We did and she was right there waiting to let us in. It was a good appointment and she was really nice. We plan to see her again this next week.

 

So we are seeing some great miracles here.

Thanks for all your prayers and support.

 

Elder Dudgeon

Dear Family,

 

I am so excited to be emailing you from the Keighly library right now. We have had a great week. I really love my new companion a lot. His name is Elder Cumming and he is from the north of Scotland. Yep he's a highlander! He is so good though. Very diligent and hard working. He is very young on his mission though but he acts more mature and is better at teaching the doctrine then me! His accent is the best. I keep making fun of him for it and we all just laugh. It's words like book and took that are really different. SO when you say like the Book of Mormon, I start giggling. I had to stop myself Sunday because we both had to give talks. He'll correct me though if I don't say it in a scottish accent sometimes. It's funny and we get a long great.

 

A bit about Keighly. It is pronounced, KEEF LEE. Ya I know. Quite strange. It is a bit like Bradford. There are more muslim people here then Pontefract but definitely not at much as Bradford. It's surrounded by beautiful hills and valleys that are green and filled with fields and trees. There's even a steam engine that rolls around for tourists. Makes you feel a bit like Harry Potter huh?!  It's not a big area here. There's little villages that all around, but they have a good size ward and we have a decent size teaching pool. We have a few people we are working with who are making good progress but we need to a lot more finding too. We've already done quite a bit this past week with just a lot abuse but we shall press on!

 

All the people I've met so far are great. I hope I've made a good first impression. I got in on Wednesday and that night I got a call and asked to give a talk on Sunday. It went well and I was really excited to do it. It was on ''The Worth of Souls''. I hope the ward enjoyed it. It was nice for me because I got to see all their faces and get to see everyone.I have already seen a few members from the Bradford ward or people from the take that had visited there. It's been neat to catch up and hear more about people. We live with members here and have a nice flat in the attic. The members are really sweet and nice. It's probably one of the nicest member/missionary houses I've been in.

 

So ya Pontefract is closed down for the moment. They had to close down 5 areas but with this next transfer I hear they are going to open 8. So all the ones plus more. That's pretty good. I got to see a couple members from the ward on Sunday. They were stopping by because of a little holiday they had been in on. It was so nice to see them. I just looked down in the congregation and saw a familiar face and I got a big smile in return. I hope Pontefract stays strong and that the new missionaries they put in there cando some good work. Keighly has a lot of ties with people in Pontefract. The former bishop here has a son who was our bishop in Pontefract. There's a few more things so it was pretty neat. I like that many of my areas have been close. I think there are stronger connections that way.

 

Well I don't have much more to say. I'll write to you next week. thanks for all the emails.

Cheerio,

Elder Dudgeon

Dear family,

 

So we let me tell a bit about my week. Had a good birthday. A member from the ward came by and droped off a cake and a big bag of marshmallow mateys (the off brand of lucky charms). She's American and I have been telling everyone that it was my birthday. So that was nice. Both the cake and cereal were amazing! President called as well to wish a happy birthday. He told me I was getting old. I gave him a sarcastic thanks. Through the rest of the day I had different cards and gifts from the ward members. I got a package from whitney too that day which was epic. We had tea with some members that gave me some soft licorice that was oh so good. We had line dancing at the church and were able to get a couple non members there. I got more cards and they sang happy birthday. SO it was a good birthday but it just feels kind of weird. I was like mom as well. I had to write a few dates down on things and it was hard not to write 7/7/90 haha!

 

This weekend as well we had a missionary musical fireside. For a few months now the sisters in the district have been planning and putting together a program called 'Truth Restored'. It was all about the life of Christ to the restoration. So it was something our district did, so 4 missionaries and the zone leaders. We practiced a few hymns, 'Come Follow Me' and 'Praise to the Man' and 'Joseph Smith's First Prayer'. It was pretty good. A big part for me was one of the sisters asked to do a duet with me on a short hymn, 'A Mighty Fortress Is Our God'. So that was the first time for me to do something like that but it turned out really well. The biggest thing was President and Sister Lindley were there. President gave the closing remarks. He is powerful! Very powerful testiomony. He had all of us stand up and testified of what we were doing and it was just a great moment. So that was good this weekend.

 

So the even bigger news is this is my new address

 

74 Manville Road

Keighly

BD22 6AT

UK

 

Ya we got our transfer calls last night. Elder Taylor and I were waiting and waiting and waiting. Finally we get a voicemail from the zone leaders. Some crazy changes happened. I was freaking out like all last night. First of all, I am moving to Keighly to follow up train Elder Cummings from Scotland. I am still district leader but now I have of district of 2 teams of elders. So I little bigger and no sisters. I am sad. I love the sister missionaries. They are always so happy and excited. Well, the other news is Elder Taylor is going to Middlesbrough. Yep they are taking us both out of the area. They are temporarily shutting it down! Yikes! They are actually shutting down 5 areas total because of so many missionaries leaving. I am excited to go to Keighly though because it is close to Bradford and it is in the Leeds zone so I can go there on P-Days! And, Elder Ashby, my favorite old companion is moving to Leeds 2 area so we'll be close to eachother again. It's exciting transfers. They called 3 new APs. Yep 3. We now have 2 travelling APs that will go around and help the different areas. So that's exciting. A lot of new zone leaders and district leaders and trainers this transfer. It's going to be huge.

 

Thanks for all the support I have been getting from everyone lately. It's been a hard time to stay excited. This area is difficult. The ward here is great but it's just been a struggle after awhile. I have been going back rereading my journal this week and found a lot of the problems I have been facing here were ones faced there. For some reasons they just looked different. I started reading the Docterine and Covenants this week too. I felt impressed to and have been putting it off. But I have found I really enjoy it and how powerful it is to us. I have a manual that I found in the flat that helps to give background information and that just makes the revelations that much more powerful. So it's really helped me out a lot this week. I love you family. You stick with me through my rough patches.

 

Well I got to go now but I love you and miss you. Make sure to send that address around and DO NOT SEND ANY MORE POST TO PONTEFRACT AS THERE WILL NOT BE ANYONE AT THAT FLAT TO PICK IT UP AND SEND IT BACK. ta.

 

Well Cheerio family,

I miss you,

Love Elder Dudgeon

Dear family,

 

Hey so this week was a great because... WE BAPTIZED! It was so good. We've been teaching this lady for the whole transfer and finally on Saturday she got baptized. It was a great service. A lot of member came out which was great. The talks were amazing and everything jsut seemed to go smooth. Elder Taylor did the baptism which was good for him. He had to do it twice though because the first time she didn't go all the way under. The next day on sunday was good as well. The confirmation went great. There was a lot of people there for a baby blessing and for other reasons so it was a packed chapel for once. She is so good though. She lost her husband about six years ago. But she talks about how the gospel has brought her such peace and happiness and she feels it in her heart. Isn't that great!

 

We haven't really found any new investigators yet. We need to do better with it but it's difficult sometimes. We have been helping support some returning members. We've been seeing this man named John for a little while and he is great. He was baptised about 4 years ago. We've been working on him to come back and he really wants to as well. Well after the baptism he was having a birthday party because he just turned 60. We didn't have a lot of time till we had to get home and  travelling by busses is difficult. Well we went out there and saw him still. Even though we couldn't stay long I was glad we went to show our support. It was at an old gospel hall and the was a lot of older people doing different dances because John loves dancing! Well he came to church yesterday and bore his testimony thanking us for what we've been doing. He's gone through a hard time lately because he lost a good friend recently. He asked us for a good verse from the Book of Mormon to share at the funeral and so we gave him Moroni 10:34. He said it was perfect and a lot of people there talked about it to him afterwards. In all it's just great to see the fruits of your labors and love for someone blossom in such way. He is a great man.

 

So things are going well in some parts and not in others. I'll keep plugging along though. I would send some pictures but the computer here is being dumb. I hope all is well at home with everyone. I got a lot of letters to write and send off today. I'll talk to you next week though.

 

Love you Bye

Elder Dudgeon

Dear Family,

 

Hey sorry but this has to be a quick one. I have to catch a bus to go to the doctors office. I'm just getting a quick scan because I have not been feeling well lately. It's all been in my side and stomach like back before when I was in Billingham but it's been worse. It may be just more from me feeling stressed out or not I'm not sure. Hopefully it will all go well today. I'm sure it will. I think things may be more muscular then anything but of course I get the doctors with funny accents who don't listen to me.

 

Good news though is that the lady we've been teaching got an interview for baptism on Sunday and passed. It was right after stake conference which was a broadcast. Elder Perry and President Monson spoke. The best talk though was from Elder Kearon who's a seventy. So she should be gettting baptized this weekend which will be great. Also we got our transfer calls last night and Elder Taylor and I are staying together here. It's nice but I would've liked to move somewhere new. Oh well. Elder Taylor is struggling to adjust to missionary life I think. He still holds onto the idea that he has any sort of right out here. He also still acts like a hick. I keep telling him that he's not a hick or a cowboy out on a mission. But a missionary serving the lord. He's got a short temper thats hard to deal with as well. I hoping work harder this next transfer and if he complains then it's on him. It's how the work is.

 

Well I got to rap up. It was so good to hear from everyone this week. Sorry last week was zone P-day and never had a chance to email. We had to travel a couple hours just to get with the rest of the zone. But I'm glad for all the updates about people and things from home. I hope everything continues to go well.

 

I'll talk to you next week,

 

Love Elder Dudgeon

 

PS adress stays the same

 

7 Shakespeare Crescent

Castleford

Pontefract

WF10 3HE

 

PPS: For my birthday if people want to send me some sweets like Butterfingers or Nutty Buttys or anything like that. And money too so I can start buying souvenirs for everyone. ta.

Dear Fams,

 

Hey how have things been going? I hope everyone is doing well. Sounds like it for the most part. I can say how great it is to be getting emails once a week. I haven't really gotten any post in awhile and that starts to get at you. Hopefully I'll get some soon. I did get Dad's letter by the way. So tell him thanks for that I really enjoyed it. I liked all the pictures too.

 

Well an update from this week. We had zone conference on Tuesdays which was great to see everybody. Our train got canceled though due to vandalism on the tracks. We had to get the zone leaders to come pick us up. They weren't too happy but what can you do? I really enjoyed hearing from our mission president and his wife. Everything they talked about seemed to be just for me. It was also nice because I got to see my trainer, Elder Eggleston, once more before he goes home and as well as Elder Ashby. I miss him. He has been my favorite companion and one of my best friends so far. So that was neat and that's when I got Dad's letter. Make sure he sends me things to my current address. Not my old one.

 

We've been teaching a lady and she's come to church twice in a row. She's great and has been reading the Book of Mormon like crazy. She should be getting baptized at the beginning of this next month. It would be the end of this month but there is a stake conference. And it's not about the date but her. So we've been doing a lot of finding as well and found a few new people this week. Some strange and some normal. We have a few more this next week to go by so that's great.

 

The district has been struggling lately. The sisters and us haven't been getting much success. I have a district meeting to prepare this week and hopefully it'll help us all get back in the groove and just work through this difficult time. It's hard because I know we're both working really hard and it's not the most inspiring when all you can say is to keep going and endure to the end. But I think I have a good meeting planned.

 

Elder Taylor is doing good. He's improving everyday and I learn a lot from him which he probably doesn't even know. He'll  be a good missionary though. It'll be strange  because I won't even see him hit his year mark. Ya thanks mom for reminding me how much time I have left. It's scary to think about. I was actually listening to Christmas music this morning (I just wanted to hear a little Josh Groban is all).

 

Well I miss you all. I hope you're all doing well. Thanks for every one's email. If anyone wants to send me anything for my birthday that would be great. If not that's ok. Money isn't bad so I can start buying more souvenirs for everyone.

 

I love you all,

Elder Dudgeon