Another Week in Sheridan Wyoming!!

I am so excited for ALEC and Cameron! Oh man Cameron will chunk out!!! The Domincan Republic Huh?! That boy better be writing me! i Will not be a happy camper if he doesn't! That is awesome. Please tell alec to write me though he hasnt yet!!! The Lord will send his missionaries far and wide!! The work is to be done! And nothing can stop it from progressing!! Yes mom Elder PUG (Or Pugmire) We call him PUG did drive me to Wymonig. Him and Elder Emerson are my Assistants. Tell her that her son is awesome and that i love him. Its funny whenever we get off the phone with each other we always say "love you elder" and the people we are around look like we are crazy!! But its fantastic!

Wow! Where to begin! Elder Anderson did have to have surgery. So for the last couple days we have been splitting up because he has had to be at the apartment. He has surgery on friday. What happened is that a tumor (or bone) was growing off of his growth plate and it was sharp so everytime he would bend his knee it would stab into his muscle!! Yikes!! Monday was his doctors visit and friday they got him in for surgery at the hospital. He has been really bummed but the surgery went well. But he has made me his personal slave!! The surgery was hilarious. They put him on Vicadin (sp?) Morphean and alot of hard drugs. When i walked in from the waiting room he was teaching them the gospel. But he has no recollection of it at all!! It was quite funny!! We went to eat at a buffet today! Its called Kims Kitchen. The Perry family that i told you about told us about it. 3.95 for a lunch buffet!! Well lets just say they dont want us to come back.... :) The members are great here! I love them. Our Mission Leader Brother Anderson is lots of fun. They do take care of us pretty good. But we eat alone sometimes. We are so busy that dinners just dont work out. But thats okay. Sometimes they bring us food or whatever. Our apartment is awesome cooks. We plan on making chili this week as well as hush puppies!!!! We found out how to make them and WE ARE GOING TO!! We all love to cook. While Elder Anderson is laid up at the apartment. Second Ward has the car back so we are back to walking. Me and Elder Davis walked 10 Miles on Saturday. I was so beat at the end. Man i am so thankful to Pomeroy's and my Rockport Westgroves!! (Copyright 2010 Pomeroy's Wearing Apparel) Yeah sheridan is an awesome place. The gospel is being taught. There is a street called Coffeen here that is like the main road and we have to walk down it to get to places but not all the people of sheridan love the elders. They chuck beer bottles and spit on us and throw their cigarettes at us. Isn't it awesome!!!!!!!! :) I could care less. Its kinda like that movie madagascar "Just Smile and Wave Boys, Just Smile and Wave!" I got hit by a beer bottle the other day. The bishop thought we were drinking. I told him we were. :)

On Thursday we headed out to Ranchester to visit some people in the Branch. We taught Mary Witworth, she is about 62 and has been married 5 times. Her last husband just died. She hated him so much. He put her through physical and emotional pain for 12 years, it is so sad to see that going on. There is ALOT of it in sheridan. Our apartment is right smack dab in the middle of the city. So we hear everything that goes on! The gun shots and the drunks at the OK Corral the Drive thru bar next door to us. They are really funny actually. The other night one of them kept knocking on our door and saying "Frank i know your in there come out with the beers i dont think im wasted yet. He was so wasted. Oh and there is a lady who walks across the roof from us and knocks on our kitchen door and is drunk and wants us to go beat up her boyfriend for her. There is never one dull night in sheridan. Like none of the members live in the downtown part. They all live in the nicer neighborhoods. Its funny!
Oh yeah, Mary is VERY close to being baptized!!! AWESOME HUH! she will prob be our first baptism. Speaking of baptism. Ummm.... I think i left my temple, pants, belt, and tie in the MTC. I know i know. My bad. Do you think it would be possible to go down to pomeroys and get those for me. They have my measurements. Just get a nice striped tie. if you could! Im sorry!!! :) you can just take it out of my account. Please :) I love you! You cant blame a guy who just wants to baptize everyone in the entire state of Wyoming! It prob wouldnt be that hard all 400,000 of them!! They call it gods country! Because only god knows where it is! :) haha! I enjoyed that one!!

yesterday me and elder davis went to one of our investigators houses in the trailer park. Three days prior me and elder anderson fasted with her about her husbands license being released from the state of florida to the state of wyoming so that he could get back to work! So, we head over on sunday and sit down and start talking with her as she is smoking a cigarette! (I hate those things!!! Everyone smokes here it drives me nuts!!!!! And they all blow the smoke in your face!!! Ugh!!!! Anyways... We sit down and start talking and it is going really good. Then she starts to start crying and we sit there for a little while and she says "what is it with you mormons, why do you have an answer for everything!!! Why did you have to help me? She then told me and elder davis that because of her fast and our fast. Her husband had his license released and he has started working. She told us that they have been dealing with that issue for 2 and a half years. But just because of her faith and our faith in what we believe she was granted that wonderful blessing. I want you all to know that this gospel is true. This work that missionaries do everyday is so important. It is our responsibility to teach the gospel. BUT! The members play such an important role in the work. Just like elder bednar says: "missionary work isnt temporary ITS FOREVER!" Everyone please share the gospel. look back in D&C 31:3. Your tongue will be loosed and you can declare glad tidings and great joy unto this generation!" What a promise! We are all representatives of christ. There is nothing more important that we could do!!

Tonight we head to Gillete Wyoming and stay the night. Its about a 2 hour drive. then wake up and drive to Casper, Wyoming for Zone Conference. Its a Dual Zone so the Gillete Zone (My Zone) Then the Casper Zone (Elder Dahl's Zone) Then that night we drive back to gillete and get our car and head back to sheridan and we should be back about 9 that night. Every now and again I call the boys from the district. They are all doing well.

Yesterday, i taught the Stake Mission Prep. They told me to take an hour. I ended up taking an Hour and Forty Five Minutes. Basically the stake president got up and was like amen. I told him i was sorry. But they know now not to make me talk at all!!! :) That works! There was about 50 people at the mission prep from about 8 wards all over wyoming. It was lots of fun. On saturday i went on splits with Bro Anderson and we taught a 18 year old girl in our ward to share the gospel a little bit better. She has someone she wants to teach the gospel to and now she feels prepared and ready so that is good!!! She is also deciding between ASU and BYU. I love ASU and Elder Anderson went to BYU. We had some good arguements. There family used to live in Miami, AZ for a while so we get to talk about Arizona alot. I always joke with them that you can either be a devil or an angel?

I am glad to hear that everything is going well. No rocky mountain oysters yet. But branding season is coming up. Elder Anderson and Elder Hilbun will probably be gone this coming transfer at the end of April. So, they wont be here no more. But, me and elder davis will be here a will prob for 6 months. I wouldnt mind being here longer!! The bear cloud family is doing well. Tristan is baptized. The dad is coming to church and then Wyatt is still in jail but the family is doing well. They are in 3rd ward.

Well its time to get some work done. Mom, I love you!! Thank you for everything! The birthday is on the way Along with whitney and chelsey and kirk and gosh! Jeesh! Just kidding i love you all. Dad, im sorry i havent been writing back. But i love you soooo much. I miss you guys. But im doing well. My Knee is doing alright. Still really tender. After i walked the 10 miles my knee was in so much pain but it will be okay. No worries. I just want to let you all know i am like pro-clothes washer! I have major skills!!!

Everyday of my life I am so grateful to the family i have for i know i would not be the person i am today. Because of you i am here. Mom & Dad this world is a scary place but you have shielded my eyes from so much and you have kept me on the straight and narrow. I want you to know that i love you. Its because of your love i have such a great love for the people i teach. Because of you i want everyone to have and to feel what i have felt for 19 years!!

This church is true. Dont ever for one second forget it. The gospel in its entirety is here on the earth and we have been given tools to help us in our lives. Let us use them!!!

I Love you guys sooo much.
Thank you for the letters! I didnt get any today! Come on people! Come On!!!
Just kidding.

Love,
Elder Michael Corey Rudd

Oh P.S. Sheridan knows about the Total Package :) and the radio voice! Elder Anderson makes me do it at dinner appointments! Not cool! Love you!!

Greetings from Sheridan, WY

GREETINGS FROM SHERIDAN, WYMONING!!! Never in my life would I think that I would be living in Sheridan Wyomin!! So Crazy! But it is wonderful! At one point the city of Sheridan was named the number one western town in the united states. While I am here I will have the chance to brand cattle and eat rocky mountain oysters!!! (YUCK!)

Well I arrived in Rapid City on Monday. Met Pres. & Sis. Layton. Went to the MIssion HOme and relaxed for most of the day. Got introduced to alot of the mission rules and conduct. That night Pres. Layton sat the five of us down. That being Me, Elder Dahl, Elder Woods, Elder Kocherhans and Elder Getz and told us where we weree heading and who are companions would be. Elder Woods went to Detroit Lakes, MN about 22 hours away from Sheridan. Elder Getz went to Eagle Butte, SD about 10 hours away from Sheridan and Elder Dahl went to Casper, WY 2 hours away from Sheridan.Me and ELder Dahl are in the same zone.

So the next day Tuesday Elder Getz, Elder Woods and Elder Kocherhans loaded up on the transfer train. (okay its not really a train its a big chevy bus that holds about 15 missionaries and pulls a trailer.) They headed to eastern part of the mission. Since me and Elder Dahl are going to the west we stayed in Rapid with some missionaries and did work their for a day. The day we were there was great we got to teach lots of lessons. We taught a woman who had wicken beliefs and if you remember the sho "Hoarders" this woman is going to be on the next episode. You couldn't walk into her house. Her kids were riding the laundry mountain from the couch. Not even kidding. But food was just laying on the floor. Cockroaches and rats were present. That's all im saying. I don't want to scare you mom! But it went really well and the elders are close with here. After that, we went and talked to "spanky" he is a DJ on the radio and in a club in Rapid. So the elders found that out and sent me right over. It was great talking to him and I related alot of the lessons on DJ terms and he seemed to understand great! The elders there now have a baptisimal date with him! After that we went to a young woman named Kirstens house, she is about 21 and her and her husband just got married. Her husband is in the air force and is at Ellsworth in Rapid. We knocked on the door and her husband was the only one home. So we got to talk to him for a while then she showed up and we got to teach them both the 1st and 2nd lessons and they understood it great. But the entire time we were teaching him he was chewing tobacco and spitting into a water battle and his tabaccy jusice. Everytime he would do it I would turn and look at Elder Clark (My Rapid City Father) it was nasty! But Yes! Then we had dinner with some members named the Gerrards. Very nice family. Great food and then they took us out to DQ, it was great. I had a great day in Rapid City.

The following day Wednesday we loaded up onto the Transfer Train and headed to Gillette, WY first and dropped off elders there. Then we went to Buffalo, WY and there was a car there already that took Me and another elder to Sheridan, WY. It is awesome. When I got there I still haven't met Elder Anderson. He was in a dinner appt. So I went on splits with Elder Erickson and Elder Miller (They are the 2ndf ward elders) and we ate at a family named the Littles very nice young family and she made this delicious sweet and sour chicken so good! But then for dessert her 17-year old daughter made like 2 inches thick of a peanut butter dessert!! :((( Everyone knnow I love peanut butter. And of course they gave me 3 helpings. I was gagging it down. I would take a bite and drink some drink and swish it around. I was so full from dinner and they gave me that. Whew. I cant believe I got through it!

After that we headed to our appartment on 1st street and there I met my real father Elder Devin Anderon from Shrewsberry, Massachussets!!! He is an awesome guy. We have lots of fun together and we work and teach great together basically we just slid right into comfort with eachother. It was great.

Our appartment is weird to be honest. We live on top of an insurance firm in which we rent from. To get to our appartment we have to hike up these old rickity stairs and at the top is us just one door with a picture of Jesus on it. We call it the stairway to heaven. :) but its funny it is such an old school appartment. Its way cool though. All of our stuff is from Habitat for Hummanity (We give service there every saturday. wich is lots of fun) But, we have old rickity recliners and couches with holes in them!! I know its awesome but the best thing about our entire appartment is our kitchen table you will never guess what it is!! Its an OLD MCDONALDS BOOTH!!!!! its awesome. :) I love it. The appartment is totally me. Just the most random things you can think of just thrown into an old rickity appartment! I love it! We live with the Sheridan 3rd ward elders Elder Davis (Sandy, UT) & Elder Hilbun (Edgewood, NM) They are lots of fun, but Elder Hilbun hates music and everything fun so I see a problem there. Me and Elder Davis get along great though! But yes Me and Elder Anderson are the 1st Ward Missionaries. The ward is great, we get fed every night. One night we got Papa Murphys!! Yup there is one here!! Sheridan has about 15,000 people here. The ward has about 200 in it and about 100 show up every Sunday. So alot of our work is with either Part-Member or Inactives. Alot of the ward members have offended alot of people. Even though it shouldnt matter we deal with that alot amongst them. But the ward is great. Dad, the bishop is Bishop Brinkerhoff his wife is Joann Brinkerhoff or Joann Pearce she grew up with Shauna in Mesa and she went to westwood. Tell AUnt Shauna and tell her she says hi. Crazy how small the church is. Alot of the members are from either Arizona or Utah or born and raised in Sheridan. One older gentleman Bro Raush went on splits with us one night and he has lived in Sheridan for 87 years. Crazy! I konw! But yes, Great members. I love the ward. But, we also have another responsibility. There is a town called Ranchester, WY and its about 20 miles away from Sheridan and they have a branch there. Me and Elder Anderson also cover that branch. The branch building is about the size of the garage and the living room put together. Its tiny!! But there are about 50 members in Ranchester. We head up there usually atleast once a wekk and talk to the farmers and the less actives and go tracting. Bro Trimbath used to be the Branch President up there and he drives us up there every week. But, another crazy story! I was telling him where I was from and what I did and things like that and he said "hmmm Mesa, I have a grandaughter who lives there. I said cool he said yeah her husband teaches seminary there, I was like hmmm whats the last name. Maybe I know him? He said "WESSEL!!!!" I was like you have to be kidding me!!!! He taught me seminary last year!!!! They are coming up this summer to visit him so, I will prob get to see Bro. Wessel because I should be in Sheridan for 6 months! It is so crazy how small a world we live in!!

Me and Elder Anderson are teaching about 50 investigators right now. Only about 30 are really interested we might have to drop alot because of not holding commitments. But we also teach about 15 part member families and less actives.

We teach Amy and Bobby-Joe(both women and bobby-joe is a member) at Wystar its a drup and alcohol treatment facility. They are great. Amy wants to get baptized after she is out. But she will prob have to wait a little while but she is okay with that. After we were done teaching her we prayed with him. They wanted us to all hold hands in a prayer circle and we did. Usually thats what they do. But yes, it was a very spiritual experience i felt the love for them i want them to feel there saviors love so much.

The first night we planned Elder Anderson was telling me about the Perry family(Troy, Ivan and there two kids Chancelor 18 & Heartly 17) I felt such a connection to this familyI want them so bad. Troy is a member but he doesn't want to ruffle and feathers by going to a church when his wife and kids dont want to. But, the kids are really big into a church group in town that does alot of fun things. But, we have enlisted members who are friends with Heartly and chancelor to bring them to mutual and members to be friend Troy and Ivan. Oh we have a plan and they will come to church and they will be BAPTIZED!!! I love the family they even have us over for dinner!! We came and talked to us for a while. Oh this family will be members!! I want them to have the happiness our family has!

There are much more people to tell you about. Also I love the blanket! It means a lot! Thank you everyone for signing it.

My time is running short. Letters on the way today so be looking for them. Also I am sending Pres. Smith's to our house because I don't have his address with me.

And, oh yeah elder anderson might have to have surgery with his knee, so yeah. Bummer but good news because of that WE GOT THE SHERIDAN CAR and because he cant drive guess who drives you guessed it ELDER TOTAL PACKAGE hahahaha yes well time is cutting me off here at teh Sheridan Library. I love you guys soooo much. The work of the lord is going for it will penetrate every continent and it will visit every clime and by golly it will sound it every ear til the purposes of god shall be accomplished and the great jehovah shall say the work is done.

I love you momma!!!
I miss you!

Love,
Elder Michael Corey Rudd

Airport

I have been trying to get all the pictures from the airport from everyone but it just hasn't happened so it's a little late but here are a few pictures from when Elder Rudd left to the MTC.

Going through security.(what a cutie)

Week 2!!!

Hello mi Familia! Yes I know I am not learning Spanish but it is still very much fun to speak it. Wow I have been out 2 weeks already! how crazy is that! Again, theses keyboards are not good at all! They stink! I want to start off with thanking everyone who writes me. It is the best in the world to open that mailbox and see Elder Michael Rudd. I love it. When I don't' get a letter it is like darn!!! But its good stuff. I love letters so don't stop sending them. I don't know if you have gotten one of my letters yet. But! On March 15th 2010 Elder Michael Corey Rudd lands in South Dakota, Rapid City!!!! I leave the MTC at 6 am! It is so surreal! I finally get to go to work! I am so excited to get out there and serve the Lord with all I have! The church is true!!! So true! I want you all to know that I know with all my heart that the church is true!!! I had two amazing experiences in the Referral Center Yesterday and on Friday! On Friday I called a prior investigator and asked him if he had received his Book of Mormon he had ordered through the church and I got to teach him the first discussion!! He was so overwhelmed and wanted to hear more about the church. I was so sad that I couldn't be there to teach him in person!! I so wanted to! But anyways, as I taught him he t0ld me he hadn't received his Book of Mormon!! I told him well let me re-send that to you. He said okay. Then the next thing I know is I am checking where he lives and his address and guess where he is living. NORTH DAKOTA!!!!! Guess What!! As soon as I get off the plane I am having the Mission President call the Elders in that area and getting him a book of Mormon!!! Who Knows!! That could be my first area!!! How cool would that be!!! It was such an awesome experience. So, I told him tell you what I can personally tell you that your book of Mormon will be there with 2 representatives for the Church and I am actually one of them going to be serving in your area. He was so excited!! I sure hope I get to serve in his area!!! I can't wait to get out and serve!!! The Church is true! I want everyone to know it! I want to shout it from the rooftops and tell everyone of the message I have for them!!! I love the Lord! I am so overjoyed and so happy!! There is no greater place that I would rather be!!! The other story is about a 17 year old girl named JoyAnn from Cleavland, Ohio. How I got to talk to her was through mormon.org. If you go to there you can talk to someone from the Church and they will help you with problems you have!! So, I got to talk to her. She doesn't believe that her Heavenly Father loves her and she doesn't believe that she can be forgiven of her sins. I talked to her for an hour and a half!!! The conversation went on and on and the Spirit was so strong just like over instant messaging! That's so crazy!!! I was so excited I couldn't wait for her to respond after I would show her of her Heavenly Father's love and of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how she can be forgiven of her sins. She would type and say I don't know why I am crying. You Mormons are awesome. The conversation ended with two missionaries being sent to her house with a book of Mormon for her!! I am so sad I can't hear about her progress! I love this work!!! Another story!!! On Monday me and Elder Dahl were teaching an investigator in the TRC (teaching resource center) Most of them are members but the one we had was actually an investigator! How cool is that!! He is a Catholic and would ask us about this doctrine and this doctrine. But me and Elder Dahl would throw this at him and show him the truth!! He would say dang!! You Mormons have all the answers!! You two 19 year old boys have the power of God and you have convince me it is true. I hope something happens with him!!! I love this work!! I am so excited to be here as a personal representative of Jesus Christ!!! Also as a ANNOYER OF THE ADVERSARY!!! I love it! I want to annoy the adversary for the rest of my life. I love you guys so much! Thank you for all you do for me! I miss you. But my purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ and give them the same happiness that I have. Thank you sooooo much! I love you sooooo much!

Love,

Elder Michael Corey Rudd

P.S. The next letter will be from SOUTH DAKOTA!!!!!

MTC Pictures

Elder Rudd sent us some pictures. Looks like he is having fun!

Right before he went in, Mom says the picture doesn't do it justice for how cold and how much snow was coming down.

Elder Rudd and Elder Woods. Elder Woods is from Arizona, Michael helped him at Pomeroy's and now they are in the same district. :)

Elder Dahl(companion), Michael, Elder Woods, Elder Cocherhans, Elder Getz

Elder Dahl & Elder Rudd

Elders Cocherhans, Woods, Getz, Rudd and Dahl.

Sisters Gandolph (NC), Concer (NY), Mcrae (UT)

First Letter (My Dearest Family)

HEY!! Okay these keyboards are ridiculous!!! You cant press the return key!!! Its Wednesday! MY PDAY!! Awesome I know! I love it here!! Of course my first couple of days were really really hard adjusting to the missionary lifestyle but I love it!!! My district is awesome. My companion is ELder Dahl from (Oak Harbor, Washington). He is a little guy 5'8" about 120 lbs!!! Imagine me and him companions! haha he is an awesome guy!! Its been hard getting used to him. But its getting there. I wake up every morning at 6:30 no problem though. I have adjusted to the time very easy! IT feels great going to bed so early! I probably should of tried to do that before! It's awesome! :) I can't tell you how much I have learned. I am just itching to get out there and serve the Lord!! I am so glad I am an English Elder because I am only here for 2 1/2 weeks!! My departure date is weird! They tell me either the 15th, 16th or 17th!!! I want to know!!! But yeah I was conducting my district meeting the other night. Wait why would I conduct a District meeting?? Because I was called as District Leader!! :) I love it! Such an awesome calling. My district consists of 8 people. 5 elders all going to South Dakota. Me, Elder Dahl, Elder Woods (the guy from Phoenix), Elder Kocherhans (Orem, Utah), Elder Getz (Tree Mtn, Utah!!!) Elder Woods is a funny guy. Elder Kocherhans and me have so many things alike. We have the same Ecco Shoe, CTR Ring, Basketball Shoes and we are both the youngest! So cool! Elder Getz is a good ole farm boy!!! He lives on a farm about an hour from here. Nice guy. He is an auctioneer!!!!! He talks so fast!! He has the coolest accent!!!! So cool! I love the gospel so much! Last night for our Tuesday devotional a General Authority came!! Guess who came?!?!?!?! Richard C. Edgley!!! The presiding Bishop of the Church!!! How awesome is that!!!! He gave such an awesome talk!!! I go get the mail and I am so excited everytime I get a letter so far I have got letters from Pres. Smith, Brynae (kymber's sis), Whitney, Chelsey, Lee Anderson, Dad and today Mom I got your package!!! Lets just say I needed it! :) I love it! Our Zone (or branch) has people going to Tacoma, Washington, Hungary, Albania and SDRC!!! (South Dakota Rapid City) I am so excited to share the gospel to all the world. Today we got to go to the temple! How awesome is it!! The Provo temple is so different than either Salt Lake or Mesa. Nothing compares to the Mesa Temple to me though!!!! Family & Friends the gospel is true! I am here as a PERSONAL representative of Jesus Christ!!! To teach and preach the gospel to all the world! I am here for a purpose and I know I am here. They keep you so busy here!!! I am running all around. Being DL I am in tons of meetings plus my classes and breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food here isn't that great. Its edible but its alright, but not amazing. Every now and again there is something good, but it is a huge adjustment to eating 3-square meals a day! Oh by the way I have lost 4 pounds here! haha Sometimes I don't eat dinner because I am so full or in a meeting. Its not a big deal they give you soooooooooooo much food. But they give you a 30 min timer on email and I am going crazy typing. I hope this all makes sense, but I try and write as much as letters as I can. I write them whenever I get a chance. But let people know I am always wanting a letter. Either through Dear Elder or just mailed. That Dear Elder is a huge thing though!!!!!! Mom, I lover you so much!!!! Dad, I love you so much!!!! I love life!! I am so excited I don't know if you are getting that yet!!!!! Well I just want you to know I am doing great! I love you all so much!

Your Elder,

Elder Michael Corey Rudd

Open House

Elder Rudd right after he was set apart waiting for his Open House to start.

The family picture with our friend Randy.

Farewell

The Rudd and Smith Families who came to the farewell

Corey Rudd Family minus a few!

Michael, Mom & Dad, Grandma & Grandpa Smith

Chelsey, Michael & Mark

Kymber, Whitney, Michael, Mom & Chelsey

Whitney, Michael, Mom & Chelsey

Whitney, Riley, Michael, Cayden & Kirk

Cayden, Michael & Whitney

Dad, Michael & Mom

Brother Whetten, Michael & Sister Whetten

Michael & the Whetten Clan

Michael & Kymber

Grandma & Grandpa Smith with Michael

The Smith Family

The Lewis Family