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.