14.5 months of service: DONE! So worth it!

Hi Family!

I am sitting with you right now, but I wanted to write one last letter home.

Ay, mi madre! Lots has happened since I wrote less than a week ago. I have felt all the emotions. We have been quarantined ever since Monday, and it was actually fun. I got all the time I

Midnight: welcome home sign on garage

wanted to get caught up in reading Liahona's, the Bible, the Book of Mormon, etc. We also had tea parties with pink milk and painted our nails and designed our dream houses and made cookies-- all the desperatos (it means "crazy things" in Dominican) a missionary can get away with to entertain ourselves without offending the Spirit :)

Food Storage

On Tuesday, they extended the quarantine another day, and then Thursday afternoon they told us it would be another 3 weeks. That evening, we got a call from the mission president that all American missionaries were being sent home the next day!! It was so shocking and I cried. I missed my family, but it was so impossible to comprehend that my days as a full-time missionary were over *snap* just like that. They let me call home and break the news.

Friday morning all missionaries were given a "jail-break" of 2.5 hours to buy whatever we needed to survive and I used that time to buy last minute souvenirs. It was weird to be outside and see what the coronavirus had made of Las Caobas. It was desolate but chaos at the same time.

Hermana Salazar

Then I got home and said a fast goodbye to Hermana Salazar, Wall, and White, and got in a taxi and went to the airport all alone-- without being able to say goodbye to anyone else!-- and flew to the JFK airport in New York. I was surprised at how smooth everything went! There were no lines and my flight even landed early! Only Mom was allowed inside the airport, but I met the family outside. It was beautiful and joyous. I called my other siblings on the hour drive home.

Being home is weird and wonderful, but not weirdly wonderful. It's really bittersweet, and I miss the Dominican Republic so much. It kept a big piece of my heart. I'm so grateful for everything the mission and the Dominican people have done for me. Those 14.5 months were worth every sacrifice and tear and sweat drop and blister.

It hurts to have to take my plaque off, but I know my calling as a missionary will really never end. I know with all my heart that this is truly the Lord's church-- the only true and living church on the whole earth, and I am SO BLESSED to know it, and to be able to share this incredible message with the Dominicans, and the New Jerseyians, and all the people I'll ever live with. The gathering of Israel is happening. It is the single most important thing happening in the world, and I testify of that. You get to choose if you want to be a part of it, and I recommend you do, because you get blessed triple-fold whatever you give.

I could go on and on, but I'll close with an enormous thank-you to Mom and Dad for always being there and for supporting me 110%. Thanks to friends and fam for faithfully writing me! Thank you, Book of Mormon and President Nelson and other inspired leaders! Thanks companions! And thank you DR-- you guys are heavy with your pampara encendida, ya tu sabe. Cuidense!

Hablamos,
Hermana Ludlam

Luci Love

Livi Love

She brought the sunshine to our home!

Soul Sistas

How beautiful are the feet of them that bringeth good tidings!

My Farewell Breakfast:  Mickey Mouse Pancakes

One of MANY DR baseball fields from the plane!

We are all enlisted till the conflict is o'er!

Matching Ministers!

Hi Family!

Whack week. We are all enlisted till the conflict is o'er. Happy are we.

When you are a missionary you are in a bubble and there is little to no communication. This whole Corona thing seems surreal. I have heard about it since February but this week it got real.

On Tuesday, we had a zone conference where we talked about Corona virus for two hours. On Wednesday, I learned that General Conference is only available thru broadcast. (So when President Nelson said this conference would be unforgettable, he meant it. Also when he told us to take our vitamins, he meant that too.)

On Friday we learned that all church meetings are cancelled and the first thing I thought of is the baptism we have planned for the next day! No one knew if we would still be able to do it!

Bautismo! Runelis, Genesis, Roxana and Baby Dylan

Saturday, they called to let us know we could have the baptism! It was lovely. The other hermanas in our house got to have their baptism too. I was a witness for the first time! It was a cool view. There were no talks or anything fancy, and no one was invited (but somehow we still had 10 people in attendance). They were all confirmed shortly after the baptism. I felt the spirit so strong. It was so beautiful and the new members were so happy.

Sunday, all four of us sister missionaries held church with our lovely neighbors, the Bautistas. We had prayers and scriptures in Creole because the grandmothers don't speak Spanish. There was a very special feeling in that room where we took the sacrament. Lauren, the oldest of 7 kids, bore her testimony and Dana gave a great lesson from CFM. Also, there were elections and so it was not a good proselytizing day. Villa Aura was a ghost town. (also due to fraud in the last elections, the government hasn't been announcing what's going on with CoVID 19 because they don't want people to freak out.)

Today we got some news that after we finish writing, we have to go home and we won't be able to leave for the next 3 days, but that time is very likely to be extended (up to 3 weeks). So if you don't hear from me next week, it's because I'm quarantined.

Have a great week and please stay safe. I hope you get the toilet paper crisis thing (America in general) figured out soon. I'm praying for you all.

Last words: I can't describe my gratitude for our inspired leaders. They have been preparing us for this moment for years. I pray that they'll continue to receive revelation. Keep studying Come Follow Me, and preparing for conference! Also in case my fam is worried, my patriarchal blessing says that I will be "fearless and return home safely" from my mission.  My comps blessing says something similar. I didn't know what it meant... but now I do.

I LOVE YOU ALL
Love,
Hermana Dooplang

We haven't been able to open the door all transfer, and we asked our landlord for a screwdriver to see what's wrong with the doorknob. He looked at it and said "eso no sirve. Dame un segundo." and he came back with a hammer and whacked our doorknob off. Now we can open the door.

More quarantine craziness...

Baptisms for Family of Three Scheduled!

Zone Hermanas

Complete Zone

Hi Family--

We have a family of three scheduled to be baptized this Saturday!

I was pretty convinced this area is just a dry desert, but when we find good people, they're usually much better than the average person who lets us in because they like to listen to the word of God (just like Carmen, except when we read you a scripture about how you have to keep the commandments and get married, suddenly me and my companion are too young and we don't know anything and she doesn't want to hear anymore. :)

We taught one guy this week and my companion and I had a nice discussion about him afterwards because he says something a lot of Dominicans say: that he's waiting for God to touch him-- as in he's not going to go to church or do anything he knows he do should unless God sends him a big sign, but people who want signs usually reject the ones they get and want another.

Anyway, we were thinking about how the first thing Jesus asks people in the New World to do, after he presents Himself as having just drank from the bitter cup, is for everyone in the multitude to get up and come to Him and to touch Him!

 In other words, Jesus already came and did pretty much everything for us. He paved the road. "What could I have done more for my vineyard?" (Jacob 5:41) And now it's our responsibility to get up! and go to Him. He's the one waiting, and you shouldn't be. So to that guy who's waiting for God to do something miraculous in his life in order for him to get up, what more are you waiting for? He already sent His Son. And now we need to accept his invitation to us and come, and follow Him.

It's been a windy, rainy ☔and delightfully chilly this week! I miss seasons. We did get a 4.8 level EARTHQUAKE this week!

I love you, family. I hope you have a great week as you get up and go to Christ.
Hermana Ludlam

Very tired chicas!

Creative exercise equipment for Russian twists

 

Moi se misyone legliz Jezikri pou sen denye jou yo

Hmmm...couldn't get into buildings, eh?

Hello Fam!

This week was good. We didn't meet as many stinkers (the ones that invite us in just to argue and Bible bash). But we didn't meet anyone who wants us either.

Hnas Hunt, Ludlam, Samaniego, and Salazar for exchanges

This week we contacted apartment buildings. We couldn't get into the buildings so we sat outside and pushed the intercom buttons and hoped someone would answer us. One building would play the classic door bell song when we rang the button. The first apartment didn't answer, so we pressed the next one. The button played the same song played the same song, but this time with two dissonant tones. The next apartment added another dissonant tone. Each apartment door bell added another off tone. The glitch made us double over laughing. It reminded me of me and Livi's Irish Washerwoman arrangement.

We made friends with a goat!

I had a nice intercambio (companion switch) with Hermana Samaniego in a town called Ivan Guzman. We had to avoid certain streets at night because it was dangerous. We contacted on apartment building which was also a salon. The woman let us come in but didn't talk to us because she had a client. After 15 minutes we thought we should just go, but we decided to just hang out for a bit longer. Then another client came up the stairs and told us a woman was just robbed at gunpoint just across the street. Good thing we didn't go out.

Also, Hermana Samaniego knows boxing and she taught me some boxing. I am not good at it.
There's a fun Haitian family in our ward with 7 kids and they all speak Creole, French, Spanish, and English. They taught me to say "Moi se misyone legliz Jezikri pou sen denye jou yo." It's missing the accents. Translation: I'm a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Froyo at Sweet Frog with my house mates

Yesterday during testimony meeting, I was thinking about people who go inactive and why, and I realized that if we put our trust in our church leaders, we'll see how imperfect they are. If we put our trust in God and trust that He guides this church, we'll see just how perfect He and His church are-- just that He has to work with very imperfect people.

 As a missionary we rely a ton on our leaders to help us and when they don't do everything we expect them to do, it's easy to criticize. I think Joseph Smith was the one to say that personal apostasy almost always starts with being critical of our leaders. Almost every less-active member I know proves this statement. The opposite of criticizing is sustaining. What do you do to sustain your leaders?

The April General Conference is coming up and I am SO pumped! Does anyone have ideas to send me of what they're doing to prepare? (Mum has sent a calendar now) Pres Nelson says it's not going to be like any other conference, and that it will not only be memorable, but unforgettable. "The time to act is now" he says.

I hope everyone has a great week as they start preparing for this historic conference that is just around the corner!

Dominicans insist on onion tea and lime for a cough.  Ugh!

Love,
Hermana Ludlam

How many cats do you see?

We are teaching Elier to read and write.

I Feel Excited and Ready to Work!

My MTC Companions a year later!

Hi Family!!

How is everyone? I had a great week! I am now serving in Las Caobas with Hermana Salazar!! She was in the MTC with me in Mexico! We're from the same travel group, and we're working Villa Aura to the ground.

Hermana Salazar is my second companion from the Federal District of Mexico, and she is a rock star. I am really excited for this transfer. Out of all my companions, she knows the Book of Mormon and Bible the best-- and that comes in handy here, because there are some really stinkin' stubborn people here! Everyone in the DR loves to hear the word of God and they are happy to invite you in and are very accustomed to missionaries from all different faiths coming and preaching to them. And everyone believes strongly in God and everyone prays, but no one knows the Bible! Until I got here. Now everyone wants to prove to us why they're right and it's very frustrating. We get into a Bible bash every day. Luckily, Hermana Salazar isn't afraid of anyone and she courageously speaks truth.

Jenna and Hermana Day

I have been thinking a lot about Bup in his new calling this week! I ate lunch with our Stake President of Las Caobas and asked for advice. He quickly responded that we should read the talk by Elder Renlund "Through God's Eyes". https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2015/10/through-gods-eyes   Everyone else is invited to read that, too.

My new area at night

I met a member of the Quorum of the Seventy this week. Actually two. We had a mission-wide conference on the day of transfers and it was a little crazy. Elder Godday talked about how we as missionaries (or stake presidents) have this big, big mantle/ calling placed on us and we really only fill a fifth of it. Inside, we're just little Jenna or little Daddy Bup, but on the outside, we're Hermana Ludlam or President Ludlam. As time goes on the Lord prepares us and gives us hard things so that we eventually grow and fill all of it. Then when we're all grown, the Lord calls us to do something else so that we can grow into the new position. Until you're big enough to be a mission president, Bup! I just wanted to say that I have full confidence in Dad Bup as our new Stake President and that I have been praying and thinking about him all week.

Ice cream: "Don't leave even a tiny bit" in Dominican

This week I felt really good in my new area. I feel excited and ready to work. It's not like any of my other areas (certainly the richest of all my 7 areas!) but I feel like God has been preparing me in all my other areas to be able to confront the challenges in this particular area.

I love you family! I hope you have a great week. Hermana Ludlam

Hooray for Julio!!

Family!

Happy Julio Day!

I have the best news! On the 15th of February, 2020, Julio Esmerlin Castill Soto was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ! And it was a happy day.

I met Julio my first day in Independencia, the 4th of December. He was walking home from school and me and my two comps were contacting. He asked if we spoke English. We told him we did. He said he was interested in the Book of Mormon and wanted to know where the church was. He said he was an atheist. We met with him the next day and he explained why he didn't believe in God (he didn't understand why bad things happen if God is good). Julio kept every commitment and read everything we gave him. On the last day of my second transfer in Independencia, he got baptized!

I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to teach Julio, but now I am being transferred. I've never found and taught and baptized anyone on my mission, so this was a really special experience. I made him promise that he's not going to stop going to church and that he's going to get sealed in the temple. :) It was so sad to say goodbye 😢 but I also felt so much JOY from being able to introduce Julio to Heavenly Father's church. My favorite thing is when Julio prays because I know he is communicating with his Father, and it's very sincere and pure. And when he bears his testimony, he looks like a future missionary. He has come so far!

Also this week, my comp decided that she was going to do something about my leg hair because she's confused as to why it's so thick and black. She was convinced I was shaving wrong and that I just needed shaving cream. So I bought the cream which was really expensive and she told me she was going to shave my legs for me. The smoothness lasted for 12 hours. Then my hair grew back!

I bear my testimony that this is the Church of Jesus Christ. He directs His work here on the earth. He leads and guides us personally in these latter-days. I'm so grateful and blessed to be a member and that I am a missionary! And I get to share my testimony to EVERYONE. I'm also really grateful to be in the DR, where testifying of Jesus Christ and His love is a normal thing. Last night, a guy casually stopped to talk to us just to tell us his testimony. Everyone lets me tell them what I know is true. 

It's not fair that I only have 3 transfers left! 18 weeks.

I love you, Fam!

Love,

Hermanita Ludlam

Politics in the DR "Viva Dona Trump"

Henry and Vielka grilling for the hermanas

Jenna Heaven.  She ate two! "Him-bebes!"

 

I know in whom I have trusted!

  

Hi Family!

This week went by really fast. No one was sick, still haven't found a house, and we just went around trying to find people the Lord wants us to talk to. We had Julio's baptismal interview this week. We had lots of other teaching appointments planned that day, but we didn't go to a single one because the whole ordeal took the entire day. The interview itself took over an hour!! Hermana Layme and I sat in the Primary room with the fans full blast and tried to entertain ourselves. Julio and our district leader were just echando la chercha and lost track of time. Then we bought Julio ice cream for passing his entrevista.

Jen, Julio and Hermana Layme

We ate lunch with a lovely family yesterday. The dad has been to the states several times and he told us why he'd rather live in the DR (where the power goes out sometimes) than in the states. He says if you're in the DR and waiting in line, you can ask the person behind you to hold your spot while you go buy something somewhere else. Anyone, anywhere is always happy to strike up a conversation and tell you their whole life story, and you will automatically be friends. They'll even invite you to their house for dinner. People are too friendly and more than willing to go above and beyond to help strangers. There's a lot of things about the DR that I'll miss.

There was a personal study activity in Preach My Gospel (Jen's study manual) that I did a while ago to help me learn about conversion, and so when I read 2 Nephi 4 this week, all I could think was "this is what conversion looks like." I think in order to stay converted (which is a continual process, like continually holding fast to the rod) we have to always have the mentality of Nephi.

"Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.... nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted." (verses 17, 19). 

 Always repent, prepare for the sacrament throughout the week, and remember to let the Lord's Atonement work in your life. And then, even if you mess up a bunch, the Lord will be able to apply his grace/ enabling powers in your life to make you more like Him.

I read this talk again this week because I love it so much. "The Atonement of Jesus Christ" (click here) by Tad R. Callister.  Have a lovely week, family!!

Love,
Hermana Loomloom