Email 4.8.12

Mi Familia,

This letter will obviously be a short letter due to something.. But yeah. HAPPY EASTER!! What a wonderful meeting we have had in Rapid City. It was amazing. We had a couple that just moved into the ward speak. They did such a great job!! They did wonderful. The spirit was very strong.

Me and Elder Ellefsen had an opportunity to give a blessing on Monday to a terminally Ill cancer patient. She is a friend of DJaye and Joe Hansens mom. It was a incredible blessing. She was on her way to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn to get one of her Kidneys Removed. She is in stage 4 of the cancer. Her and her husband are wonderful people. i had the opportunity and privilige to offer the blessing and heavenly father blessed her with many great things. She came to church today. That was amazing. I love to be even a fraction apart of the miracles that happen. I love this gospel!!

Tanya and Zariah have been baptized!! I had the opportunity to baptize Zariah and Ellefsen baptized Tanya and then today I confirmed tanya and he zariah. It was a great service and a great day all together. i love this church sooo much.

I am perfectly fine with working the catering the night after I get home. Thats fine. I will do my best to represent ShellyAnns again.

I have lots to talk about, But I will save.

If you have any questions just email me during numbers today and tonight.

I love you!!! I am excited to see all of you this week.

Love,

Elder Michael Corey Rudd

Email 4.1.12

Wow,

Great email lots of good things happening. Sounds like a party right now. You couldnt wait to have a party when the actual party gets home. Alright, Alright I see how it is! But yeah, Sounds super fun.

Conference was amazing wow. Many answers to prayers were there. I did see David Archuletta in the choir. Some of the priests showed me at culvers after the session. They said he is going to Chile on his mission. I am happy to see that and I admire that alot.

I love this church so much.

Crazy experience this week. James Hill is amazing. We had an incredible experience with him. James was talking about his ailments and his injuries and his diabetes. He has lost a couple of toes from infections and all. But he said you know never in my life have I felt that the lord will heal me but right now I feel like the lord will for some reason. Me and Elder Ellefsen look at each other and we open up to James where it says call upon the elders of my church to annoit thy head with oil and bless you. So we told him that we are those elders and we can do that and he got a big smile on his face and started to cry and said Elders please do so. So I was able to give him a blessing and be awesome. The blessing said he would be healed through his faith. We knew James had faith. We knew we had faith for him to be healed. We went to the hospital the next day and James was sitting in his hospital bed and as we walked into the room he started to cry. We shared a tender moment. James told us that the doctor came in and said that the toe did not need to be cut off the infection was gone and that he did not need surgery. We were able to see a miracle of our heavenly father. It was incredible.

I have alot more to share and talk about but I want to wait and share. All is going well on my end. We have ALOT happening this week! ZLC tomorrow and tuesday then the start of transfer boards and then district meeting and then packing up and transfers next week. Things are getting crazy!! I love you all so much!

Pictures 3.26.12

This Property is protected by Jesus Christ sticker. So cool.

The Beaumonts and Family Home Evening

Me and Ellefsen at the Beaumonts Family Home Evening

someone put Peanut Butter on straws and then put them on some brews car.

Some pictures that the "Rapid Brews" had taken. According to Elder Rudd "brew time" means guy time.

(We didn't get an explanation why the pictures were taken but there are some fun ones!)

Email 3.26.12

Hey Dere!

Mi Familia, How art thou? Another crazy week aboard this crazy train that is my mission. I just have adopted the motto to roll with the punches. The Mission continues to roll on with great succes.

So this past sunday was super hectic. Elder Anderson one of my favorite missionaries was hit by a car here in Rapid. We were doing numbers and Elder Liechty called and told me and I freaked. We were at the scene of the accident in 2 minutes. With the accident being 3 miles away. It was CRAZY. Heavenly Father needed us to be there pronto. So me and Elder Ellefsen hopped in the truck and we were there within 5 minutes after the accident. It was incredible. So, the lady who hit him was a less active member in the Canyon Lake Ward which is the ward Elder Anderson is in. He has totally played it to their advantage though. He called her this Morning and was like hey this is the Elder who was in the accident last week just wanted to call and invite you to church. The Lady felt sooooo bad that she is coming back to church. But Elder Anderson was emitted into the hospital last sunday night in the ER and found out that he has 3 broken ribs and a bruised kidney. He has had alot of pain and soreness of late but he is doing really well. It freaked all of us out. I was not happy. Everyone just calls me the General. I just want to get in there and figure it out whats wrong whats up fill me in kinda thing, lets get it done. So, yeah. He is out of the Hospital and we had to go take another areas car in Sturgis and give it to them while he recovers. Ribs take forever though. So to be continued........

This week we were on the road again. We took off thursday morning for Gillette and were able to do an exchange with the Zone Leaders there. It was fun to be back in my old stomping grounds. I loved the time we were able to spend there. The first day me and ellefsen split up, I went with the Zone Leaders Elder Bishop, Elder Wilkes. It was a blast. We were able to get alot of work done. They are doing super well over there. Elder Ellefsen went and exchanged with Gillette 2nd Ward; Elder Cushion, Elder Smith. On the 2nd day. Ellefsen went with the Zone Leaders and I went with the 1st Ward Elders. Elder Dawson, Elder Hogan. It was a great exchange with all. We were able to get alot done and see alot of people. I am so grateful for the missionary program and it goes off without a hitch (Sometimes) :)

Tanya and Zeriah are doing soooooo good!!! They came to church. Tanya brought 3 other girls too. So all together six of them. It was great. The ward welcomed them in and all went well. They will get baptized this weekend maybe because of conference. We want to do it so they dont have another week of temptation. So we are playing it by ear and what bishop mclaws wants to do. But they are doing awesome!!!

Me and Elder Ellefsen are getting along pretty dang well. I am glad we are. I think we understand each other now. But we are doing good. Great! Awesome!

I can not tell you how excited I am for GENERAL CONFERENCE!!! :) I love General Conference. It will be amazing!!! I cant wait to hear President Monson say: "We will build a temple in Rapid City, South Dakota." I think if that happens I will fall on the ground and just lay there for hours. I will be just paralized from excitement. :) I would love that so much!! :) By the way!! TAKE NOTES!!! Dont just tell yourself I will wait for the ensign to come out. Take notes and recieve revelation!! :)

I love my mission so much. I cant explain to you what I feel about these people and this land. It owns my heart. I love the Dakotas I love the Wyoming Plains. I know that I was and am called by a Prophet of God to here in this area at this time. i love this church!!!! I love my Heavenly Father! I love Jesus Christ. Never before in my life or probably ever again will I be this in tune with my father in heaven. I cant tell you how wonderful my mission has been. But my testimony is so strong and burns with this gospel. I cant wait to share it wherever the lord wants me.

I love you all!!! :)

Love,

Elder Michael Corey Rudd

Email 3.18.12

Hey Dere All.

Another week flies by just like the rest of them. It is such a bummer to me that weeks just continue to speed on by. I want to press pause and rewind the last two years. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have served the lord in this Labor of Love. I want to let EVERYONEknow that for the last two years I KNOW that the lord has sent me to South Dakota to gather his children from all over the plains. I am so grateful to be a instrument in the Lords hands. I will miss most of all the Mantle of A missionary. I am so grateful for this opportunity to be in one hundred percent service to the lord.

This week has been pretty crazy. We spent most of the week on the road. I know I know shocker right?
But we had leaderships this week. On monday we took off for Gillette and had a great leadership over there. Our training was focused on How to Use the Lords time Wisely to fulfill the Lords purpose. It was a great meeting and were all spritually filled by the spirit. The Lord always knows what is best for his mission and what his missionaries need to know. It will be good to continue to learn and grow. That will be my last training at a leadership. I have done five in my time as an Assistant. For my whole mission I have always had so much to say and want to just spend forever talking and hopefully someone gets something out of it. But I will have one more training at Zone Leader Council in a couple of weeks. It will be great. The works are already in progress.

Got a good story to tell you. Elder Hallstrom of the Presidency of the 70 came into town and it was just great. He wasnt even here for a full day. But he came in to the mission and we were able to be instructed and interviewed by him. It was so funny though. He came into our office to check it out at the mission office and President Layton came in as well. Elder Ellefsen forgot to erase what was on his to-do list. It said "Party" When President Layton came in the office he looked at the to-do list and pointed at Ellefsen and was like what are you doing? Like you are embarassing me face. But President Hallstrom was talking to me and he didnt even notice the to-do list. But President threw us under the bus and was like "Well bretheren tell President what you mean by "Party" on your to-do list. I was like OH NO! So we simply explained to President Hallstrom that what we mean by Party is to enjoy what we are doing here in the mission field. He didnt buy that so he said well maybe choose a word like find JOY. We were rebuked basically by an apostle. It was was a HOLY BUCKETS moment. But other than that we had a great visit with him. We both were able to be interviewed by him individually. He asked us why in the last two years is the SDRCM leading the central area and above the United States in so many categories. It was a really tough question. #1 Heavenly is blessing his children and gathering them into the fold. #2 We are a Preach My Gospel Mission. It was a great opportunity. He is a great man.

What a wonderful opportunity we have to be lead by great men such as this. I know that this church is lead by the savior Jesus Christ himself. But the Savior is a perfect person and a very smart man of course he is going to select only those who have been prepared. How wonderful.

This week was a pretty slow week. We just had a lot of meetings and alot of things that we needed to take care of. It was really hard though this week I had to say goodbye to so many. As we went around the mission it was the last time I will see Elder Hammond and so many. It was tough but thats okay. Its all good. Its in the Lords plans.

Just some little things. For those who will be at the airport. I want whoever to come but people I know of course. Like friends and family. Anyone from the ward. things like that. I dont know I just want to know people there. Thats all. But yeah, I have to come to grips with this sooner or later.

I love you all so much. What a wonderful life. How can you frown at all. We live on a earth made for us by a loving heavenly father through his son Jesus Christ and both of them love us sooooooooo much!!!!!!!!!! So all ya'll (incluiding me) STOP COMPLAINING!! We got it made!!! I love you!!

Love,

Elder Rudd!! :)

Pictures 3.17.12

Us & The Buxton Family.

Me and Veronica Buxton being dumb

We have a joke going throughout the mission that Arizona is the Number One State. So we convinced Sister Layton to throw up a #1.

Email 3.11.12

Family & Friends,

Wow what a wonderful week. I am enjoying being here in Rapid City so much. If I could explain my mission in three words they would be.. Blessing, Humility and Party. I have had the attitude for two years to let the lord Direct his work and me be worthy and hang on for the ride and let him direct me wherever he would have me go. Most importantly get out of the way so that the lord can do his work. I love my mission just in case you dont know.. :)

But this week has been such an incredible week. We were in town for most of the week. We were here and were able to see alot of people and teach alot of people. It has been amazing. We were able to meet James. James is a older man about 52 years old. He was forced into retirement due to a broken leg that has taken 25 surgeries to fix. On top of that he has diabetes and that really is not good for him. He struggles with that and things are getting better. But he has had to be humbled a whole lot and has been through alot of things so that the lord can reach him. The Canyon Lake elders gave us his name. He had ran them down on the street and asked them to come see him and they saw that it was our area so they gave him to us and yesterday we went and seen him and had such a great lesson with him. We talked for a while and got to know eachother and the conversation went towards the gospel and thats where we stayed for the rest of the time. He asked us he was like "Do you believe that Jesus Christ and God and the holy spirit are the same person. We said no we dont he leaned forward and said "ME EITHER!" He asked another question.. "Do you believe everyone is going to hell?" we said no we dont. he leaned forward and said.. "ME EITHER, in fact I dont believe there is such a thing called hell. We said We dont either. He just flipped out and was like holy moly!! He is so awesome. Such a great guy. We invited him to be baptized and is on Date for April 7th. He is awesome. We are super excited to continue to work with him and further his relationship with heavenly father.

We had Zone Leader Council this week. It is crazy that this Zone Leader Council was almost my last one. I will be here for one more. But, I have been at Zone Leader Council FOREVER. Everyone else this is there 5th or 6th time. It was my 15th ZLC. It is crazy. Crazy Business. But it was a really good meeting. In other news. Elder Hallstrom from the Presidency of the Seventy will be stopping through rapid city this coming week. He will be coming to check on the Mission Home and the Mission Office and make sure all is in tip top shape so that the new mission president will have no problems and all when he comes to rapid in a couple months. So he has requested that he meet with us and president and talk about the mission. So that will be absolutely crazy.

We head out tomorrow for Leadership conferences. We take off tomorrow for Gillette for the 1st one and head off to Fargo on tuesday morning for the other leadership and we will be back in town on Friday from Fargo. The Work just keeps going and we keep working and keep driving. It is crazy. But we just keep going. :) Roll with the punches. :)

Mom, I did get my debit card all taken care of on that end.

We just went and ate at the Beu's home. Their daughter just got back from Mesa on her mission. So we were able to talk about it for a while. It was super cool. Super Super Weird though. She was telling me all these things and I was like WHAT! So Crazy. Super cool stuff.

Elder Ellefsen and I are working alot better. Still working out some kinks but so far so good. We get along alot better.

I cant tell you how much I love this church. I know that this church is the Church of Jesus Christ. He does live and leads his church today. I love getting asked the question why we have church on sunday or why we dont have a cross on our buildings... Think about it with me. Jesus Christ did die for our sins he did and I love him for that. But what signaficance would that of had if he just died? Oh great Christ died for my sins. Brothers and Sisters I am here to tell you yes he did die for our sins but more important than that he was ressurected!!!! He conquered death and lives today. I will thank my savior everyday for him dying for my sins. But I will remember my savior everyday because he overcame spiritual and physical death. He Lives and loves you!

I love you all so very much. The Work continues on in the South Dakota Rapid City Mission. Never a dull moment. Yes my mission is getting short I am reminded of it everyday BUT! I have been called for two years!!! So.. Got me some work to do! :) I love you!

Love,

Elder Michael Corey Rudd!

Elder Michael Corey Rudd

Assistant to the President

South Dakota Rapid City Mission

Email 3.4.12

Familia,

Crazy week this week. We drove so many miles this week. I love being a Missionary but wow I am just super beat. We had to drive our transfer loops this week. We were gone from Monday to Friday with Transfers. The weather has been crazy across south dakota and North Dakota. We had to cancel our transfers for three days. For three days we had 25 missionaries in Rapid and it was just crazy. There was Ice Storms, Snow Storms and freeway Closings and all the good stuff. This was a crazy storm!!

We had a couple sets of missionaries Knocking doors in our area. One of the missionaries Elder Black has cousins that live in Rapid and we dropped him off in our area where they lived to knock some doors and he had not seen them since he was 5 and the address that he had from his mom was off. The address he had from his mom was 3971 but the address did not exist so he remembered that his mom has dislexia so he went and knocked on 3917 and he looked through the door and saw a picture of his cousin but he hasnt seen him for so long that he was not sure. But someone came to the door and Elder Black asked him if he was Zack and he said yeah and Elder Black was like "I am your cousin" Now we are teaching them and things are going really good. We will probably go and get Elder Black when they get baptized so that he can baptize them. Such a cool story though! WOW!

Bad news on the Mission side.... Elder Oxborrow finall got his VISA and he is out of here tomorrow and on his way to Brazil. I am not a happy camper. I am going to miss the OX. He was such a good guy.

This month is going to be crazy. We will be driving all across this state again and doing exchanges and meetings and all the above. It will be crazy!!! This month will just FLY by. It will be stinking crazy.

Wendy Beaumont bore her testimony today in Fast and Testimony meeting and she said she wanted to bare her testimony on two things the restoration of this church and missionary work and the missionaries. I love them sooooo much. They are going to be down for Easter in AZ and I told them to come by and see you all. SO they are planning on it. I told them to wait a couple more days but they said they couldnt. I was so bummed. Oh well. Crazy!!

So news. Elder Hammond trained Elder Ritchie and now Elder Ritchie is training Elder Barney and now Elder Hammond is training Elder Elmer. So... I am a Grandpa x2 and a Great Grandpa. The Rudd Posterity lives on in the SDRCM. Crazy stuff.

I just love being a Missionary!! I just love it so much. So great.

Mom, I have not gotten my Debit Card yet didnt know if you had sent it and it got lost or anything.

SOrry this is so short. This week was weird. Super busy week but alot of driving.

I love you all so much!!!

Love,

Elder Michael Corey Rudd

Assistant to the President

South Dakota Rapid City Mission

Email 2.26.12

Hey There!

Well another week goes by so so so so fast. Sorry if this letter is kinda scattered brained. Me and Elder Ellefsen came down with some soar throat/ congestion deal.. Not fun. But oh well. The work continues.

We have completed yet another transfer board session and call outs. This week begins Transfers around the mission. We are getting Ten new missionaries. We opened up two new areas in Miller, SD and Watford City, ND Due to the size of the Ward in Williston, ND they had to open up the Williston 2 ward that also covers the Watford City area. So we are sending missionaries up there.

RJ's baptism went really well. Such a good kid. He is alot of fun and has alot of energy. He wore me out going over there. I think it is preparing to be with all my neices and nephews. But funny story... the baptism started at 5:00 and Bro. Hello from the ward was supposed to baptize him and we were waiting there for about 5:15. Bishop calls Bro. Hellor and says you coming? Bro. Hellor thought the baptism was on thursday not wednesday. So we take RJ out to the hall. Mind you there is about 50 people waiting for the baptism. We ask RJ who you want to baptize him me or Ellefsen and he picks me. I went and threw on a jumpsuit and realized oh shoot. Nothing will be dry after this... So I baptize him and dry off as good as I can but the rest of the night I just wore everything wet. It was well worth it.

So crazy story... Brad Porter in my ward we made another connection. Brad Porter married Logan Pearce's wifes sister. SO Sister Porter in the Rapid City Ward is Logan Pearce's wife in our Ward. I think they are in our Ward last time I remember.

Tanya and Zeriah are a couple of new Investigators that are on date for baptism in the Rapid City ward. They were being taught in the Canyon Lake area. They moved over into the Rapid City ward. They are a Native American family. Tanya is about 30 and Zeriah is 10. They are so awesome. Just a rambuxious family. Tons of fun. Great potential. They have a date of March 10th of Baptism. We might push it back though. We really want the ward to step in and help out. So we are working on that.

Weather is starting to get a little scary here. We have the storm of the Season coming to hit the mission this week which might push our transfers back a day or two. It is just crazy though. The last couple days we probably racked up 8 inches of snow here. Some areas of the missions were hit about 16-20. It is hovering about ZERO so good for right now. But the mild winter we have had has come to an abrupt close as of right now.

So good to hear about Gus. I love that guy. Tell him to Write me a letter or send me and email! Thanks for prepping me for Bishop Kleiner. :) I appreciate it. :)

For the Wyoming trip. I am kinda glad we bagged that idea. But we can come to The Mission whenever really. I have not really thought about it to be honest. There is a wedding I need to come back to in June. But other than that. I dont know if there will be any baptisms yet after I leave to come back to. Umm.. I will let you know. I dont really know though.

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!

I love you all so very much!!

Love,

Elder Rudd

Baptism pics of RJ

A Goovy Pic.

RJ and Me & Ellefsen, Kidman, Liechty

Me & Elder Ellefsen and the Backen Family

Email 2.20.12

Mi Familia!!!

WOW! What a week. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. I know I say that every week. But I DO NOT want you to think any other way. Being a missionary is my calling in life and I will never quit! I love it sooooooooooooo much!!!! We just had the best week ever! I testify to you that I have had the best mission ever and continue to have the best mission ever. Its amazing! I love it!!! :)

Yes I did get my Credit Card signed it and cut up the other. I think I should be getting a new Debit Card soon too. It expires next month. So weird I have had one for so long now.. Weird. Oh well.

My birthday was AMAZING! I loved it! We were sooooo full afterwards!!! HOLY BUCKETS!! I love Rapid City. Everyone is so amazing. So my Bday started off with breakfast of biscuits and gravy at the hawkes and then me walking into the Office and seeing my desk and everything I own wrapped in Tin Foil. The Zone Leaders had come in at 5:30 that morning and wrapped EVERYTHING in tin foil. I mean individual pencils and pens and books and peices of paper. It was amazing. Absolutlely incredible. So yeah, I was coming in to open my presents from Mom, Dad & Kymber and the Mission and their was that tin foil EVERYWHERE so after 50 minutes of cleaning that up, I opened the Presents. I LOVE the mission plaque of all my companions. Elder Ellefsen was so jealous and everyone who sees it is super jealous. Sister Hawkes in the office wants to make one for every missionary now. Super cool though.THANK YOU! Much needed garments too. I loved them!!! Thank you!! Conference has already been used on our road trips this week. Thank you very much. I loved it!! :) Then for Lunch Kassi Blue took us out to my favorite place in Rapid called Sanfords. We will have to go. Its amazin. So that was awesome. Then, we had dinner and the Kerns and then went to the Beaumonts and had Steak, Bacon Wrapped Shrimp, Taters and gravy. HOLY BUCKETS!!! So good! Loved it! Then for Dessert wendy had no idea that one of my favorite desserts was Red Velvet Cheesecake. She had gotten one of the Red Velvet cheesecakes from CheeseCake Factory at Sams. HOLY BUCKETS so good. I cant wait to go back there!!! Just plain amazin. Then we came home from their after a testimony meeting at the Beaumonts and their was a surprise party for me at the apartment. It was the PERFECT day. Love being a missionary!! Thank you for all you did back home. I enjoyed it so much. But yes, I am 21 Years Old now and it is super weird.

News on the Beaumonts. Guess who went to the temple over the weekend to do Baptisms!!! Ron and Wendy Beaumont thats who!!! So on tuesday we were talking bout them going to the temple that weekend. Ron and Wendy had their moms work to do. So they were super excited for that. Ron said I really want to find my Grandpa and do his work too. So we began to look and call for info on grandpa but couldnt find anything then Wendy got the idea to look in the safe and found basically the entire genealogy for Rons side of the family that they had gotten at a family reunion one year. It was AMAZING!!! So me and Elder Ellefsen looked at each other and were like HOLY BUCKETS.. you have a lot of work to do mister!! It was so cool but! They did go up to the temple but on their way up there they stopped at the Graves of Ron & Wendys Moms and it made the experience so much more meaningful. They said they loved the temple so much. They didnt want to leave and loved the feeling that is there. They have made a plan to drive the 5 1/2 hours it is to Bismarck every month so they can participate in those blessings!! BY THE WAY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IF WE DO NOT MUSTER UP THE ENERGY TO GO TO THE TEMPLE EVERY WEEK WHEN OUR TEMPLE IS 5 MINUTES AWAY IN MESA. YOU BETTER RE-EVALUATE YOUR TIME AND MAKE TIME FOR WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT. GO TO THE TEMPLE AND HELP OTHERS HAVE WHAT YOU HAVE! DO NOT TAKE IT FOR GRANTED!!! GO TO THE TEMPLE!! NO LIFE IS TOO BUSY!!!!!!!!!!! sorry I get really upset with that one. :) But yes, Ron and Wendy loved it so much. They can not wait to be sealed. Ron was telling me he wants to have a talkin to with President Monson about waiting this whole year deal. :) I love the Beaumonts sooooo much!!!

So news... The South Dakota Rapid City Mission has a New Mission President called... They are Curtis and Marsha Ann Anderson. They are from Gunnison, Utah. They will be here in July. So I will never meet them. But President was told last night and he called us afterwards. Such a weird feeling. I am so glad that I will only have President Jay Glen Layton. I love that man and Admire him. I cant wait for you to meet him and feel of his love. Being his assistant has shown me 8 times the love he has for the lords missionaries. I love to be in meetings when he bares his testimony and testifies of the love our savior has for us and that he has for us. You can feel it oozing out of him. I love it! I love the South Dakota Rapid City Mission, the Lord #1 mission and if anyone wants to argue that with me bring it on!

So Crazy that Gustavo is home. So weird. I am so glad I broke my knee!! I do not want to be home. But I am excited to hear how tavo is. I love him. One of my best friends ever.

Kirk definitley needs to buy those things and make them legit! He would do super good. Probably alot better than his other profession as the no talking DJ. :)

That is so cool that you and Kymber are visiting teaching companions now!! I love that. good work. That is a powerhouse team!! :)

This week we had to move in apartments across the mission so, on thursday morning at 5:30 we were on the road to Miller, SD about in the middle of the state loaded with Dressers, Beds, Pots, Pans and you name it. Then we had to assemble all the furniture and once Miller was done we took off to Gettysburg,SD where we had to do the same thing but for a Senior Couple so there was alot more stuff. But we had a good time and were able to enjoy each other. We went with the Hawkes and it was funny to see them bicker back and forth on how things should be set up. I dont know why missionaries complain about no TV thats better than TV. But we had a safe trip and were able to accomplish alot.

We had an amazing lesson with Joe and Felicia. Joe is a member fromUtah who fell away from the church but wants to get back involved and get going. Felicia his girlfriend wants to be involved and learn more about the church so we are super exicted about that. It was awesome! She had so many questions and were able to teach her not a lesson but her individually. It was great. She should be baptized in March. We have another Mom and Daughter move into our area from Elder Liechty and Elder Kidmans area who are on date for Baptism. Tanya and Zeriah. So they should be baptized in March as well. We have so much work to do. I love when people ask me if I am trunky. I tell them I dont have enough time for that.

Then R.J. is getting baptized on Wednesday!!! WOW. I reiterate what I said Earlier! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!!!!

We got a new Ward Mission Leader today. Brother Pat Beu. Brother Blackhurst is moving in a couple of weeks. I am super bummed. I love that man! But Brother Beu is awesome too!

Well this week starts the process of Transfers. We will sit down on Tuesday and Begin placing 10 new missionaries and moving and seeking the lords help in this effort. it truly is an amazing work.

Brothers and Sisters, Family and Friends. This Church is True! This gospel is true! WHAT ELSE MATTERS!!! Do not rely on yourself and your knowledge. TRUST IN THE LORD!!! He loves us! He wants us to be better. You have a decision in that. You do not have to be so miserable. The Lord is willing to Help.

I love you so much!!!

Love,
Elder Michael Corey Rudd

Assistant to the President

South Dakota Rapid City Mission

Pictures 2.19.12

My office slippers covered in Tin Foil

My desk covered in Tin Foil

All the Planners I have used on my mission.

I am Exhalting Christ from the Black Hills

Found this random tunnel in a backyard. Looks totally Lord of The Rings Stuff

I am a recovering Catholic!

Email 2.12.12

Hey There,

This week we traveled down to Wright, Wyoming and took some furniture down there and were able to help the Elders get settled in a Apartment. I loved going back and seeing everyone once again. Kevin Hansen came over and saw me. The Daltons took us to lunch and The Farnsworths saw me and I was able to see alot of people. I love that town so much. Wyoming has such a special place in my heart. The Elders are doing so good down their too. I love the work they are able to do.

Me and Elder Ellefsen are trying a ton of new finding Ideas too. One of our Favorites is Birthday Cards. On the ward list is the Birthdays of course and for the ones we dont know who have birthdays on that day we go over and share with them a birthday card and are able to share with them a message and we ran into a Athiest lady doing it. This is one of the Differences between me and Ellefsen. The lady started to preach to us and tell us not to believe in god and we both bore our testimonies and told her their is a god and went back and forth a little bit but the lesson was going no where she had told us twice that there is no way that god exist. So, I start to pull out our card and about to say if there is anything we can do for you or if you change your mind call us. But Elder Ellefsen argued with her for another 30 minutes and it just gets no where. He is very aggresive and I am just kinda laid back and dont want to bash and havent really my whole mission because it gets no where.

So yeah, Anyways! The finding has been going amazing. The work has been going amazing. CAN YOU BELIEVE IN TWO DAYS I WILL BE 21 YEARS OLD!!!! WOAH!!! I now have plans for my BDAY. For breakfast the Senior Couple the Hawkes are making Biscuits and Gravy for me and Ellefsen. Then Kassi Blue is taking me and Ellefsen out to lunch and then The Kerns are feeding us dinner at 5 and then the Beaumonts are feeding us dinner at 6:30. HOLY MOLY!!!! I tried to tell people its okay but they would not have it. Oh well. But my Birthday will be awesome. Then afterward me and Elder Ellefsen are going to the Clock Tower Lounge the #1 Bar in Rapid. It will be awesome :)

This week we have three days in our Area and then Thursday and Friday Me and Elder Ellefsen take off with the Hawkes and we head to Gettysburg, SD and Miller, SD and go and Furnish those Apartments. It should take us two days. But we just keep trucking and doing the lords work. I love this!!!!

The mission is going in a really good direction right now and Elder Payne of the Seventy called President and said that Salt Lake is very happy with the South Daktoa Rapid City Mission and told us that we are leading the Central Region. :) Those calls are always good to hear and to be Praised and to know that the Lord is pleased with our efforts. :)

So far as the numbers look we have bout 7 baptisms so far this week. Very good news. We are excited for the work that is being done here in the South Dakota Rapid City Mission.

So Bummer news. We had Zone Conference on Friday and when a missionary is about to go home they have to share their final testimony.... NOT COOL! It seems just yesterday I was in Casper bearing my first testimony. Super Bummed. But it was a good zone conference. The Relief Society Sisters in the Canyon Lake Ward put Anti-Valentines Day stuff all over the Gym. It was pretty funny. Really good stuff.

I love you all so very much and am grateful for all that you do. I love you.

Be Strong, Believe!!!

Love,

Elder Michael Corey Rudd

Assistant to the President

South Dakota Rapid City Mission

Email 2.6.12

Hey Family,

I decided to sit down and knock out this letter. I am sorry for the lack of info the last couple letters. I am really trying to be better. How is my family? I love you guys so much. I love to tell people about my eternal family because our family has been sealed together by the priesthood authority, I can live in peace and comfort as I sleep and as I go out everyday. I am so grateful for the faithfulness of my forefathers to be members of this church and for the faith that I have because of this.

This week here in Rapid City has been awesome. We were able to spend the entire week in Rapid City and didnt have to make any trips.

Story #1

The Beaumonts are the coolest family ever. I reiterate what I have always said, I know I was supposed to serve a mission and find certain people and for sure the Beaumonts are one of them. I love them and know that my life has been enriched by knowing them. They are my mom and dad. We are always over at the Beaumonts. Ron and Wendy were scared that we wouldn't come over much because they were baptized so they asked one of their friends to hear the lessons... Kassi and Chris Jolley. Daughters Audrey (15) Shelby (12) Emily (5). Kassi and Audrey met with us at the Beaumonts on tuesday and we had a great Restoration lesson and were able to share with them and Kassi and Audrey had a million questions. Audrey goes to Saint Thomas More here in Rapid its a Catholic Private school and is super ritzy school but super nice people. Kassi and Audrey hate the Catholic church but love the school. Audrey already wants to be baptized. Chris the husband is apprehensive to us meeting up and all so that is a road block but he just doesnt know what we do he is with the regular lies bout the church so we are clearin those up with Kassi and Audrey but Chris wont meet with us. We invited them to be baptized on tuesday and they said yes but they want to learn more so we are going to continue to meet with them and help them get through all of their concerns and help them follow the example of the savior in all they do. So they are doing super awesome. I love them.

Story #2 We had a very interesting Fast and Testimony meeting it was super crazy. We had a lady come up from Chamberlin, SD about three hours away. She sat right in the front row and she was a bigger lady but she stood up with the microphone in front of everyone and decided to bare her testimony in a very unique one. She had gotten in a car accident earlier that week that involved her rolling the car. So it started out very good. But the bishopbric had the mic turned up way loud and she was just booming and yelling almost. in her words "Brothers and Sisters like Jesus Christ showed his scars and nailprints to the nephites I show you my scars (she then proceeded to take off her shall and show way to much skin) Brothers and Sisters I am alive. I am a witness! Heavenly Father saved me. It was very interesting. We were super glad our investigators were not phased. Ron and Wendy were like "what is going on!!!!!" :)

Story #3

We were at the family the Backens house and she is a single woman with four children. The most hyper kids I have ever seen. They blew my mind. But Sister Backen asked RJ to tell us what was happening to him on the 22nd. And he said.. "I am getting baptized" we asked him how old he was and he said 9. So 9 year olds are convert baptisms so we told him that and so we have appoitnments with him and have worked with him and helped him accomplish that date. So we are having another baptism on the 22nd and Kassi and Audrey and that family should be in March sometime.

The Lord is blessing us so much. My mission has been based off out one quote "thine adversities shall be but a small moment and if thou endures it well, I shall exalt thee on high" I have worked hard on mission and the lord has turned on the faucet and is letting the blessings just pour out among the people of Rapid City.

I love what I have the opportunity to do. To serve the lord my god and to help him accomplish the greatest work. I love you all and am so thankful for all that you do for me.

I love you,

Elder Michael Corey Rudd