Elder Budge is PREGNANT?!

Hey Parents! Brother! Sisters! Aunts! Uncles! Cousins! Cousin-in-laws (including the new one!) and friends!

It's good to hear from so many of you today. I love hearing about all your awesome spiritual experiences you've had during the week. What a blessing it is to have the Restored Gospel in our lives! Yeah!!

I can't believe John's married! That's crazy! He didn't even wait for me. Lastima. I received some emails about how "Kristen went through the temple" and "we went to Kristen's endowment" and things like that...and I thought..."Who on earth is Kristen?!" And then I read mom's email and she was the only one that explained that it was John's wife. But anyway, Muchas felicidades!! Congratulations! I love eternal families. I am so proud of all of my loved ones that choose the path that our Savior has taught us...now matter how narrow and strait that path may be. It's tough but I'm so sure that it's worth it.

This past week has been a blast. On Tuesday night Elder Tanner and Elder Ramos (from the next area over) came and stayed at our house because we had Zone Conference really far away and really early in the morning on Wednesday. We had a pretty sweet PJ party. Elder Tanner finished his mission last week, so it was a good opportunity to ask him a bunch of questions and talk about the mission in general. He was and is a way good example to follow.

So on Wednesday we had our last Zone Conference with President Bulloch. His parting advice was simple but a lot more profound than I had thought initially: Be like Christ. I really think that's all that needs to be said. God doesn't give us commandments that we can't fulfill...and He has commanded to be perfect. So work at it! And I will too.

So my companion headed home on Friday, and they put Elder Ramos and I together while we wait to get our new companions tomorrow at the Changes Meeting. We had a crazy time trying to cover his appointments and my appointments on Friday and Saturday...but we got it done and we've gotten along really well. On Sunday, we baptized a young man named Alan, one of Elder Ramos' investigators. It was a really sweet baptismal service.

On Sunday night I reported to my District leader like normal, and he asks me, "So Elder Budge, I hear you're having a baby!" I started to laugh and tried to act like I didn't know what he was talking about (my Zone Leader had already told me that I will be training this Cycle). He started to laugh too. So yep, starting tomorrow I'm going to be a Daddy! I'm pretty sure my kid will be from Peru; they said that the majority of the Elders that are coming in are from Peru, and 8 more americans will be coming later on in the cycle. I'm way grateful for the trust the Lord has put in me.

So that's pretty much all the news I have for you! Have a great week and go to the Temple often.

Elder Budge

I love to look for rainbows...

...whenever there is rain. And ponder on the beauty of our investigators made clean again.

Hello family and friends!

I've got some good news and some good news: Leticia and Ricardo got baptized yesterday!! Woo hoo!!!! It was sweet, although Ricardo got some water up his nose (I told him to close his nose WELL!!). It always feels really rewarding to be able to participate in the saving ordinance of baptism, I really Love it. It really is just amazing to see what miracles the Lord can work among his children if we can excercise just a tiny bit of faith. Obedience + Worthiness = Miracles. That's a promise from an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sounds like the wedding reception thing was a blast, and that's sweet that Tanner Renshaw just got back from Chile. I wonder if he was in Cory or Jordan's mission...man spanish is such a beautiful language. I love it. I can't believe it's still snowing down in Cedar City! That's NUTS! It's been raining here a ton, and when it rains, it pours! I said "it's raining cats and dogs" one time to my companion and he didn't understand me...guess it's not really an expression in Spanish like it in english. Oh well.

So I was reading some of the teachings of the prophet Joseph Smith this past week (what an amazing person!) and one phrase really stuck out to me. He said (roughly translated from spanish): "We should gather up all good and true principles that there are in the world, or we will not become true Mormons". We should alwas remember that we live in the world, we are not of the world. The world offers us some things that are true and worthwhile; but at the same time we need to avoid things that waste our time and deterr (sp?) us in our eternal progression.

We're continuing to work with Ricardo Sanchez, but his smoking problem is really strong. But, he's progressed a lot since we first met him; he's gone from smoking two packs a day to one cigarrette a day. But it's still not enough for him to be able to be baptized. We're trying to help him to stop completely, but it seems like he's struggling. Other than that, he's doing really awesome. He always goes to Church by himself, and is always willing to listen to us, any time any day. Please pray for him so that he can do what he needs to do in order to stop smoking. I know their is strength and power in a sincere prayer.

More good news: Nayeli finally came to churhc with us! It was sweeeeet! We're preparing things so that she can be baptized in 2 weeks. It will be awesome to get the whole household baptized. And really her mom, Leticia, is setting an awesome example for her. They're both reading the Book of Mormon a lot, and really enjoying it. In every one of our visits they re-cap what they've read, and it's awesome how much they're learning. Any of ye who shall do my will shall know of my doctrine.

We've got our last Zone Conference with President Bulloch this Wednesday, and my companion is headed home on Friday. All in all, life is good. Missionary work is so difficult, but so worth it. I would not rather be anywhere else than here, in Mexico, among the Lamanites. Remember that doing what right is always worth it; there will always be nay-sayers, negative Nancy's, doubting Thomas's, and everything else, but we can have the confidence in that the Lord is pleased with what we are doing. The Church is true.

Love, Elder Budge

FIFA MADNESS!!

Hey there family!

As you can guess, all of Mexico is going crazy about the World Cup down in South Africa. It's nuts. When Mexico played against South Africa on Friday, they even put the game on in the Schools so kids wouldn't skip school to see the game! HAHA! And all through our studies on Friday our neighbors were screaming like crazy. Ha it was funny.

Thanks for writing me all of you--you know who you are--so now I will respond to your emails, maybe throw in a funny comment here and there, and then I'll let you know about my week. Dad, sounds like you guys had an EXCELLENT time on Memorial Day...I really am super grateful for our amazing heritage. I can't wait to dig in to geneology work when I get back. And where in Salt Lake is the Red Iguana? My comp always tell me that Iguana meat is really really good...but I doubt that's what you guys ate. JOSH, head out on the mission as soon as you can. Don't worry about seeing me! We'll have an eternity to hang out afterward, the mission should be your very first priority. Do whatcha gotsta do. And that's awesome that Olimpo is alistandose to go on the mission as well. We will be an awesome unstoppable Montoya missionary force! At least, for a few months. And Mom, I think our only option would be to send the new card to the mission offices (for those of you who don't know...I left my debit card at Walmart and lost it...I'm dumb) but just make sure that it's secure and FAST...si me hace mucha falta.

Sounds like Panders had a killer time at Girls' Camp...it's funny working with Young Women's leaders out here sometimes...the Young Women's Program of the Church is awesome but it's totally foreign to me...are girls aliens? And it's good Panda took some newbies snipe hunting. Haha like father and and older brother...like daughter. Not that catchy of a phrase...haha. MANDY, that sounds like a sick dream! We'll definitely be hitting up all the NFG concerts we can. I just have so little time left I can't believe how fast it's going by. And thanks for the 'autographs'. It's the thought that counts right? Oh and Mandy...letters are always welcome here in Mexico. Feel free to give them my address...especially if any are entering into the Young Single Adult Program here soon...haha it's a joke. Kinda.

John, sounds like you're tearing it up in Dallas, as always, soon you'll be the Boss of that whole company, and you'll have to hook me up with a job as your translator so you can talk to the workers. Haha. Just to let you know, i'm in Los Heroes Tecamac, in the State of Mexico (El Estado de Mexico). If they're chilangos they'll know whats up.

So the follow up on the cliffhanger I left you with last week...

Ricardo Sanchez is awesome. He's the guy that contacted us last week, and we've had a few lessons with him. He is just super elect. He fulfills with all his commitments, he's got a baptismal date for the 30th of June (2 more weeks); he just needs to quit smoking and he'll be good. And I'm sure he'll do it. Leticia and her son Ricardo are doing awesome, we just had to postpone their baptism for this coming Sunday because Leticia had an Interview with President Torres, a counselor in the Mission Presidency, and they decided that another week was necessary so that she could invite all her family to attend her baptism. Therefore, it shall come to pass shortly. Her daughter Nayeli (the one who cut off her 'arm'), wasn't able to come to Church with us because of her work...so she's looking to cut off that arm too and get a new one (AKA find a new job) so that she can come to Church with us. So that will be awesome.

So on Tuesday Elder Tadeo and I stopped at a store on the way home to buy more milk (you know how I love milk...and I'm famous for it in our Ward haha) when we walked by a taco stand and I saw a gigantic herd of GRINGOS!! We didn't stop to talk to them but I was left with the curiousity. By the way, gringos are americans, for those of you who haven't heard the term. Anyway, so we were walking on Saturday when I saw three of them walking down the street towards us, and I turned to my companion and said that I was going to contact them, and he told me not to, but I said yes! so I did. Haha. Turns out two of them are RM's and they're here as Exchange Students finishing out Chiropractor school (AWESOME), but they didn't know how to get to the Church. We told them we would pick them up for Church if they would help us do splits to pick up investigators, and they accepted. It was sweet. Their names are Tyler and Josh; Tyler served in the Moscow Russia mission and Josh in the Cebu Phillipines mission (no...he doesn't know John Crespo). Both of them are good guys and they offered us free treatment for our backs. No room for complaint there.

Family and friends, the Church is most true. I cannot express to you how grateful I am for the service I have been able to offer the Lord. My family already knows that they have received many, many blessings, as well as I have. We should all stand a little taller. Be a little more grateful. Our Heavenly Father has given us the amazing gift of immortality...we simply cannot waste one minute on things that just don't matter. Spend more time with your family. Mom, Dad, I love you, and I've felt that more than I ever have before. We're all eternal best friends.

Be safe, be smart, and remember to go to the Temple.

Elder Budge

I want to belong to your Church!

Hello family!

If you´re wondering about the subject of this email...let me fill you in. On our way to the internet café a guy named Ricardo came up to us, threw his cigarette on to the ground and told us ¨Hey, I want to belong to your Church! When can we meet together?¨ Ha it was awesome. He told us he´s already been reading the Book of Mormon and wants to be a member of the Church, but that we have to have our visits ¨in secret¨ because his daughters don´t want him to be a Mormon. Haha so we have an appointment on Wednesday at a park by his house.

Mandy, thanks for the update! Sounds like everything´s going pretty well. Before I forget, Mom and Dad, has an RM named Jared Hunter given you a package yet? He´s from our stake and he just went home at the end of april and I sent a bunch of stuff with him to take to you guys. Just wondering. Anywho, back to Mandy, you and I are definitely going to do a TON of genealogy work together, I´m really just craving to do it. It will be sweet to get all the Temple work started for Mom´s side of the family. And what the guy said from your ward is true...you need to head out to MEXICO! Where the Coca-Cola´s cold and the salsa is spicy. Love Mexico. But we don´t drink Coke...don´t worry. And what´s this about Caitlyn Renshaw getting married?! That´s crazy! And awesome. It´s funny how I always think that everything back home is in ¨pause¨ mode while I´m out here serving. Nuts. And I´m sure John´s wedding is going to be bomb. Ah you´re all growing up so fast...

So anyway, Elder Tadeo and I had a pretty awesome-rough week. Just working like ¨bueyes¨ (oxen..) and qualifying for the Miracles. We found an AWESOME family last week, they were all down with coming to Church with us and everything...but, we found out that a few years ago they got in a fight with their next-door neighbors (members) and told us they didn´t want to go to Church if their neighbors were going to be there. So we told the members to go and apologize, but our investigator family didn´t accept their apology. So...yeah. Moral of this story: always be a good example to everyone, non-members and members alike. We also received a reference and taught a sweet family of five, but they had already made plans for Sunday and couldn´t go to Church. As difficult as it is, a lot of times, after we do all that we can do and don´t receive the result we desire, we have to accept the Lord´s will. It´s part of keeping your eye single to His glory. But man it´s hard...

So on the flipside, Leticia, Ricardo, and Raymundo did come to Church with us. Raymundo got confirmed (that was awesome....) and Leticia and Ricardo are very very anxious to be baptized this coming Sunday. We took Leticia and two of her kids Ricardo (11 years old) and Nayeli (27 years old) to the Visitor´s Center last night, and it was sweet. One of the Sister Missionaries at the Visitor´s Center asked Leticia, ¨What is it that would keep you from being baptized?¨ And she said, ¨Nothing! I just have to wait till next week!¨ Ha it was awesome. We´ve also been working with her daughter Nayeli, who was lives with her mom and three kids, and she just barely gave us some good news. She had been living with her boyfriend for two months, and we had been talking about the Law of Chastity with her, and of course, about what she needed to do in order to follow that commandment. Yesterday, she told us very excitedly that she kicked that guy to the curb! She told us ¨He was my right hand that was offending me...So I had to cut it off!¨ The only problem is that she hasn´t come to Church with us yet. But this week! This is where prayers are needed.

That´s pretty much all the news I have. President Bulloch is headed home in three weeks and we´ll be receiving a new Mission President--lots and lots of changes! I´m excited for what the Lord has waiting for me in the future.

Love you all, be safe, be smart, be clean, be humble, pray a lot, remember your covenants, and remember that the Dead cannot be saved without us and we can´t be saved without our Dead! So.....Head to your nearest TEMPLE!!!

Elder Budge

Paul McCartney in Mexico?

Hello!

I guess Paul McCartney just did a crazy big concert here in Mexico, according to the news that's on right now in the internet cafe. Sounds like it was a pretty big deal! Anyway...

Thanks for the collective update Mel...sounds like everyone's keeping themselves busy. Panda, you should totally go to Baltimore to visit Melissa! I did the same thing when Melissa was in San Bern and it was way fun. Plus the East is so sweet. I love it. Haha that's sweet that Mandy won some tickets to an ice skating show on the radio. I've always wanted to win stuff on the radio...I got denied one time because I wasn't 18. Oh well. Mandy, Melissa tells me that you need some advice for some classes on Sunday about sustaining missionaries through letters or something like that? Ha and when was the last time you wrote me a letter....?! Well I guess one of the things I can tell you is that letters can be really helpful or be a huge distraction. Avoid things like "Did you hear that your ex-girlfriend got married...?" What interests me is to hear about the blessing you all are receiving while I'm away, like success at work, sealings in the temple (but not of ex-girlfriends...), things you've read in the scriptures. I think the thing I like most to hear is that you're staying close to the Church and changing and improving your efforts in scripture reading and prayers and things like that. And for your class on testimony...the thing that your class really needs to understand is that a testimony is found in the bearing of it. It's good to note that the commandment is "open your mouth and it shall be filled", and not the other way around. And it's important to remember that testimonies are simple, precise declaracions of what you know to be true. "I know that God lives.", "Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer". "God called Joseph Smith to be a prophet." We get a little hesitant, as missionaries, about bringing investigators to Fast and Testimony meeting sometimes...because you never know what the members are going to say. "Last week, when I was headed to the grocery store..." usually isn't a good start to a declaration of eternal truth.

Sounds like Dad had a pretty good time with Shane and his little Jam Session last weekend. Melissa, you should ask the sister missionaries what mission they're from, and you should definitely invite them to eat with you more often. We always appreciate it :). And also...for the package. I could use some more socks...all of mine have holes, and I have to change them once during the day. bummer. Gold toes are always good. Also some CDs of some cool hymn arrangements or something...my favorite LDS singer is Mindy Glendhill. Use that knowledge as you wish.

So my week was pretty sweet. Elder Tadeo and I are having some pretty good success! It's so awesome working with a veteran. Elder Tadeo is such a crazy good teacher...I think that's one of the main things I'm learning from him. So our main focus of this past week was Raymundo...getting him living in his sister's house, getting him interviewed, and getting him baptized! We did all three...of course, with the help of the Lord. We've been telling him since last week that he needed to live with his sister (not with his girlfriend) while he works on his divorce and his marriage. We reminded him on Tuesday and told him we couldn't have his baptism until he moved in with his sister, and he said "Hey! You never told me that! I thought you just wanted me to live there so I don't live with my girlfriend. If you told me I could get baptized as soon as I moved out, I would have done it a week ago!" We told him that we DID tell him that, and he admitted that he just didn't remember. Haha. But anyway, we got him moved out, got him interviewed, and we baptized him yesterday. It was awesome. I have the picture, but I left my memory card at home. Sorry! Next week.

Anyway, that's all the news I've got. We're working with some new investigators we found last week and planning on bring them to the Visitor's Center on Sunday! I'll let you know how it goes....NEXT TIME! Same time, same station.

Elder Budge

Love one another as Jesus loves you.

I've had that song stuck in my head for a very long time. It's definitely a good one.

Hello familia! Como estais? Todo bien?

There's a little bit of Spanglish for you. I can't believe it's still snowing in Utah...that's incredible. You should send some of that snowy goodness over here in Mexico because it is HOT! But at least it's not humid...that's the good thing. It's my last summer here in Mexico so I've got to work on the tan and soak up the Mexican sun while I can. I will have the sweetest farmer tan ever.

It's good to hear that all is going well with Ice, Dad. Dang I want to go to England. And it's good that all that Justin Beaune garbage is out of the way. What a dork. I was thinking a lot this week about all the blessings that have been received since I started my missionary service, and I remember something that Eli wrote me at the beginning of the mission. He told me that as a missionary, whatever good thing I ask of the Lord in benefit for someone else will happen. I've seen that so much as I've been here. Everytime I get rejected, our investigators fall through, or people yell swear words at us in the street, I just remember: more blessings for my family.

I forgot to mention last week that Elder Soza got transferred on Tuesday. Our time together was short but sweet, and now I have a new companion, Elder Tadeo. He's sweeet, and has a lot of experience in the mission. He only has one more month left to go, so President Bulloch told me that I need to keep him "alive" so that he can end his mission well. We've had a lot of fun working together; we were already buddies before (that's fun...having a companion you already know). The only thing is that I know we only have this short month together, then he's DEAD, and I'll have another companion. We're definitely taking advantage of the short time we have together. We'll just baptize the world.

Everything went SO WELL this week! That is...up until Sunday. Geez. We found a lot of really really cool people to come to Church with us on Sunday...and none of them came. It was really frustrating for both of us, because really the people we had found were so awesome. But, ni modo, we have to find even more even cooler people this week. I'm still not sure how but we'll be changing up the strategy and getting the members more involved in finding people with us.

Yesterday, we finally baptized Diana (the 9 year old), and it was really sweet. One of the Zone Leaders, Elder Delahunty, and I sang a hymn together at the baptismal service, and it worked out really well. I really love love baptizing. We're still working on getting Raymundo a place to stay so he can get batized this Sunday, so that's going to be our main challenge this week. Other than that there's really anything else to report. We went to play soccer this morning and it was pretty sweet...until another missionary kicked the ball over the fence of the chapel and the people on the other side stole it and said that it wasn't there. Needless to say, we had to stop playing sooner than planned.

I hope everyone is doing well; good and healthy and all that. Feel free to email me...let me know how things are going.

Love,

Elder Budge

Just be a good boy.

Hellloo Family, Friends, and...well other people who read this too.

I hope everyone's doing well, and sounds like everyone's keepin themsevles pretty busy. Miranda, good to know that school is getting done, but why on earth are you headed to five different states this summer?! I demand an explanation! It seems like you're just like me. I love traveling. And you should definitely try to get your passport so you can head to Europe with Dad! That's going to be so SWEET! Don't let opportunities like that pass by. And of course, take lots of pictures and send them to me. I love getting pictures.

Anywho, we had a pretty RAD week. Last week President Bulloch sent us some talks by Elder Bednar to read and study in preparation for a little reunion we had this morning (i'll fill you in on that in a few paragraphs) and I learned a lot about faith. It's funny the way we usually define faith...because we usually end up defning "hope" instead of true faith. Elder Bednar explains faith in a way that impressed me so much. (I suggest you read two of his talks... "Ask in Faith" and "Seek Learning by Faith"). He explains three different definitions of faith given by three different prophets: Paul, who explains faith as the hope for things which are not seen, which are true. Alma, who explains faith as the evidence of things not seen. And Joseph Smith, who explains faith as a principle of action in all intelligent beings. Elder Bednar explains that these three definitions explain the three basic elements of faith: 1. An Assurance, 2. An Action, and 3. The Evidence. I'll let you read the rest of the talk, but in a nutshell he says that true faith is when we have the ASSURANCE to do something, then we ACT, and we receive the EVIDENCE (or blessings) that in turn give us even more ASSURANCE to ACT even more. I obviously don't explain it as well as he does, but just read the talks prayerfully, and I'm SURE you'll feel what I felt as I studied those words. What a sweet experience.

So this week we were able to receive many blessings. Many, many blessings. We continued to visit with Miguel and Rebeca, and on Wednesday morning we had a lesson with them at the Chapel about Tithing and Fast offerings, which of course they accepted (that's just what the elect do all the time...), and a few minutes later our District Leader, Elder Walk, came and interviewed them both. Needless to say, they passed with flying colors, and we started to plan their baptism. This Sunday we had Stake Conference, and those of us that had baptisms stayed and had an awesome baptismal service after the conference. Between the four companionships, 12 people were baptized yesterday from our Zone. It was a really fun and beautiful experience to see so many people in white. I don't have the pictures with me so I'll send some next week. So Miguel and Rebeca got baptized yesterday, they'll be confirmed this coming Sunday, and they'll be ONE YEAR away from entering the temple. It will be a sweet going away present for me to enter into the temple with them next year just a few weeks away from heading home. Man I love the mission.

We had a pretty sweet reunion with ELDER BEDNAR this morning, and that's why I'm writing so late :/ But it was absolutely amazing. Of all the missions of Mexico, we were invited to have a meeting with him, and I cannot express to you the things that were felt in that meeting. I love meeting with General Authorities. It was awesome because Elder Bednar said, "Elders and Sisters...I want you to know something. Here we have a few of the Seventy, Mission Presidents, a member of the Presiding Bishoprick (Bishop McNullen) and one of the Quorum of the Twelve right here in this room. There is NOTHING more important happening in Mexico than what is happening right here, right now, in this room." And it's so true, it was just absolutely incredible. Elder Bednar is an amazing, amazing person. I often look at people on the street and have to say to myself...how sad it is that they don't know that true Apostles of the Lord of Jesus Christ are here on earth again. And that's what motivates me to open my mouth.

I learned a lot, but it's hard to write down the things that I learned. Elder Bednar addressed some of the silly traditions we develop in the culture of the Church. He explained that we have the tendency to try to jot down every single phrase that is said, which usually distracts us from what the Spirit tries to teach us. And, we never ever go back and read those notes anyway! (How true it is...). Thus, I didn't really write down anything Elder Bednar said...just thoughts that came to my mind, and obviously, those things were personal :).

But one thing I will share with you. Just act. We cannot ask the Lord to do things for us that are well within our power. He gave us a sample prayer that could be said at the end of Sacrament Meeting, replacing the usual "please bless all the people who didn't come to Sacrament meeting so they come next week." He said we could pray something like this: "Father, we thank thee for the wonderful Spirit we have felt, and the many things we have learned as we have been here together. Father, we have noticed that there are many, many people who are not here with us as we conclude this Sacrament meeting. We're going to get them right after Church is over. We will head to their homes, find out if they are sick, if they have some other difficulty, and we will provide whatever assistance we can in helping them to Church next week. Now Lord, we are about to say Amen, so the only blessing that we ask is that thou would inspire us so we all don't end up at the same house, but that we all go to different homes and different families. Amen. Let's go." Notice how the second prayer is much more focused on us being AGENTS who use our AGENCY in accordance with righteous principles...instead of merely being objects that are acted upon. So...let's act. We'll see the blessing that come from doing so, and we'll have more assurance, and act more and more according to the Gospel of Christ. Isn't that cool? I think so.

Anywho, I just want you all to know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is exactly what it claims to be: THE Church of Jesus Christ. He directs it. He has called prophets and apostles for us in these last days. Do we not have reason to rejoice?

Yes. We do.

Elder Budge