Merry Christmas!

It was great to skype with Elder Ludlow on Christmas, He looks really good.
It was fun to hear him talk about the people he has grown to love and all of the neat experiences he's had.
I'm amazed at how much his testimony has grown! and he's not my shy little Bradley any more.
We had Derek and Jannette and thier cute little kids come over and see him, (He can't believe how big Sadie is getting, - She will turn 1 the same day he turns 21) Dean and Jill and their kids came over too, cute little Kevin is always asking about him, We had a few of his friends come over.
It was fun talking about him coming home and his plans for collage and stuff.
I can't believe we only have four months left.
I Hope everyone had a Great Christmas, - I did!
With Love,
Jodi

Trip to Arapiraca for p-day

Date: December 19, 2011

Area: Paraíso, Alagos

Companion: Elder Araujo

From: São Paulo, Brazil

Hey Fam!!

Today I went to Arapiraca. It was cool to see my first area and visit the people that I met there. It was just a long, tiring pday.

But it´s going good here. the work is going okay... the closer it gets to Christmas the more people are partying and drinking. But we found a 2 great families this week. just that one of them had family in town and we couldn't get a hold of the other so no one went to church. This week I did a division with Elder Rowland. He´s supper cool. My companion, Elder Araujo  is awesome, he teaches really well and gets along well with everyone.
So they called wanting to know about my flight plans. I told them that you guys might come pick me up and he said to figure it all out on Christmas...

I´ll call to mark a time for the phone call. it might have to be on Saturday. I´ll let you know though.

I hope it snows for you guys this Christmas... it so muggy and hot here... but I remember I suffered way more last year. I´m getting used to it I guess.

Bubba's long board videos are cool. He´s gonna have to teach me when I go home.

I´ve been thinking a bunch about what I´m gonna do when I go home. It´s getting super close. I gotta have a plan for school and stuff.

I´m gonna read All of Doctrine and covenants. I´m gonna start with section 138 and go backwards for the last 138 days of my mission.

That's about it... i don't have a lot of time today, plus I´ll talk to you this week. but I love you all and I´m learning a lot and loving my mission. be safe!!!
Love, Bradley

Ingrids Baptism

Date: December 12, 2011

Area: Paraíso, Alagos

Companion: Elder Araujo

From: São Paulo, Brazil



Elder Araujo, Ingrid, Elder Ludlow

Hey family!!!
This week was a good week! We had quite a bit of success and baptized Ingrid this week. She was really happy and excited. We let Elder Rowland baptize her. It was his first Baptism on the mission. We baptized her at stake conference. It was via satellite. Elder Ellis, Silvia Allred, Elder Eyring, and Elder Christoferson. They spoke to everyone in the northeast of Brasil. It was good. We had Edjane´s baptism marked for the same day. We did the interview and everything, but she said her mom was sick on the day of the baptism. We´ll try and baptize her this Saturday.



Elder Araujo, Elder Rowland, Ingrid, Elder Ludlow



This week we played a joke on Elder Rowland. We hung up this super ugly fruit on the wall called jaca; it seriously looked like some kind of animal. It was super funny he freaked out when he saw it. I´ll send a pic.



Super ugly fruit called Jaca



That´s awesome that Julie went to the temple. I bet that was awesome to see her and Joe there.

I´ll write grandma a letter. She said she wants another pic.
I sent a letter to KY like 2 weeks ago; she should get it any day. That’s good that she´s going to institute. I´m excited for institute and stuff.

This Wednesday I´ll go renew my visa. I’ve got to go to the federal police to do it.

I´m stoked for Christmas! It´s coming up fast. I just don’t know if the internet is fast enough here to use Skype. I´ll figure it all out though.

Bubbas video was good, he´s getting good. Bubbs should make some more longboard videos and send them to me, and Brian playing guitar.

I´m doing good! My companion is awesome. He´s super humble and teaches way good. We´ve had some awesome lessons this week.

But one thing is that my comp broke our toilet. It apparently wasn’t screwed down and he knocked it over and it shattered. lol

There´s a couple of families that I love here, I'll take some pictures
Oh and I forgot tomorrow is the mission Christmas party. The whole mission will be together, that’s never happened before so I’m stoked

I love you guys!! I´m doing well!
Have a great week.
Elder Ludlow

New Companion

Date: December 5, 2011

Area: Paraíso, Alagos

Companion: Elder Araujo

From: São Paulo, Brazil

Hey guys!!!!


So, I got my new companion! Elder Araujo from São Paulo. He´s a way cool guy. He has 3 months on the mission. He has only like a year and a half in the church. He´s an awesome guy. We have been working great together and we have already had a ton of success. We are still working with Edjane, we´ll try and baptize her this week. She knows the church is true, it´s just the question of leaving her church. We also found a girl named Ingrid that went to church a bunch already and went yesterday. We marked her baptism for this week also. We are also working with Eliene, but she´s got to get married... we´re going to have a family night to make friendship with her husband. I love that family! They have 3 kids that are all members; they always ask me to baptize their mom. And also her sister Luciana. Her baptism is marked for the 17th and she has a daughter that will be baptized with her.



We´re also teaching a lady who´s son got shot this week. We went to visit her and said a prayer for her son, and we went back the next day and he had died. So we´ll go back and teach the plan of salvation.



It´s almost Christmas! Everyone is starting to buy trees here and put lights up on their houses. And it´s getting so hot.



That´s awesome that Julie and Joe are going to the temple, I wish I was there to go! I miss the temple.



My companion lost his wallet this week on the day we took out money. So he has nothing till the 15th. I´m helping him out and so are the others in the house.



Elder Becker left the house. I´m going to miss my red headed friend, and now Santána is training, so we have a new missionary in the house. His new companion is Elder Rowland, from Sacramento. He´s cool. It´s funny to remember my first transfer in the mission, I´m still district leader, it´s been like almost 6 months. But I like it.

I got a card from you guys, Grandma Hall, Kylee and the Nottingham’s. Tell them all thank you and I´ll write back this week.



I´m going to the office on Thursday to renew my visa. it’s been expired since I made a year.



That’s about it I’m doing good and I’m excited to baptize and it looks like it´ll be a great transfer.



Love you guys, I know this church is true. Have a great week!!!!



Love you!!
Elder Ludlow

Less than 6 months

Date: November 28, 2011
Area: Paraíso, Alagos

Companion: Elder Devitry

From: Smithfield, Utah

I have less than 6 Months on the Mission
Hey Guys!
How was everyone´s week? I Hope that everyone had a great thanksgiving. That sucks Brian had to work. We didn´t do anything really, we didn´t even have lunch on that day so we just made lunch at home.

Transfers are this week. I´m staying here in the area and my companion was transferred, so I´ll pass Christmas and my birthday here. I´m curious to know who my new companion will be.

I´ve already got Christmas planned out to use a member´s computer. I just hope the internet is fast enough. I´m pretty sure the chapel has Wi-Fi, so we might take a laptop down there.

So this week we continued to teach Edjane. She told us about her brother that was a member of her church but got into drugs, and about a year ago he got shot. Her other brother also is into drugs and stuff. That church believes that once you are baptized, and you commit serious sins like that, you can’t repent and are going to hell. So we taught her and showed her a bunch of scriptures, and she believes what we teach, but she still doesn´t want to get baptized. She´s had multiple answers that the church is true, but she doesn’t want to go against her family and her church, so it´s complicated, but she went to church and everything.
We found a few other people, but they didn´t go to church. There´s also a really cool lady were teaching, Eliene, but she needs to get married. So I´m gonna keep working with the people that are progressing and I´ll have to find a whole new group.

I hope it starts snowing there for dad to plow.
That’s awesome that the raiders are doing good, I´m excited to watch a football game.
It’s just soccer here 24/7.

My companion has to get all ready to go and say goodbye to some people. So I don’t have a lot of time today.

I love you all and hope you have a great week!
Love, Bradley

Happy Thanksgiving

Date: November 21, 2011

Area: Paraíso, Alagos

Companion: Elder Devitry

From: Smithfield, Utah

Hey guys!

Nothing new this week, I got super sick this week, I had a fever of 101so I spent like 3 days in my bed, I couldn't even get up. I´m feeling a lot better now. Still kinda weak and my back and legs are sore. I dunno what it is that I got.
Edjane was progressing really well, but then she just stopped, and she didn´t go to church on Sunday, I don't know what happened to her. I didnt teach her, I was on a division doing a baptismal interview, but we´ll go back and see what we can do.

We are also teaching a few other people but they all need to be married. there´s a lady named eliene she wants to get baptized a lot but she´s gotta get married.

This week is Thanksgiving!! I don't know what we´re gonna do, nobody in the house has money. but we´ll probably get a little dinner together.

I bought some boots. they seem pretty good. they were like 50 reais, they will probably last me the rest of my mission.

It´s full out summer here... I can´t take the heat!!!

I got that halloween package. thanks for the candy and letters.

I might need some more money if I get transferred next week, our lunch falls a lot in this area and so I´ve had to spend a lot of money on food here... I´ll find out this Saturday about transfers.

I´m glad its snowing there, I hope its still snowing in May when I get home too.

Thats about it, I love you guys and I know this church is true, The Book of Mormon is true, and that Jesus Christ is our Savior, that God has a plan for us.

Have a great week and be safe
love,
Elder Ludlow

Church of the Veil

Date: November 14, 2011

 Area: Paraíso, Alagos

 Companion: Elder Devitry

From: Smithfield, Utah



11-10-11



     Hey guys, How´s everyone doing?

I’m doing good. This week was great, It started off really slow, trying to find new people to teach. But we ended up with a lot of lessons, we taught Edjane and she is progressing really well, it’s just that her parents don’t want anything to do with us... she invited us to her church (Church of the Veil) and it was just terrible, everyone yelling and stuff.. They have trumpets and trombones and saxophones. super weird. The women wear veils and the men sit on one side and the women on the other. The pastor was yelling and speaking in ''strange languages'' like gibberish, but we met some of her friends there and she brought 3 people to church, so we had 5 this week. On Wednesday we will invite her to be baptized I’m just nervous cause of her parents, but she really understands what we teach her, and I think she knows what we are teaching her is true.

I also did an interview this week for Boa Vista, the other branch. The lady had so many problems! I felt like a bishop, The zone leaders went to my district mtg. and they will do a division with us on Thursday. Tomorrow we have zone conference.

Today we didn’t really do anything, but 2 elders came to visit people here, and so we went to lunch with them at a member’s house. Next week we´re gonna go to this alligator pond. A member will take us. ´

Our House



My Bed



  But I’m doing good, working hard and having a blast!!!!

 I am loving the mission!!!!

I love you all! Be safe.

Elder Ludlow 



Banana Tree growing in our backyard, waiting for them to grow so we can eat them





11-10-11





Lazy Bums

Date: November 7, 2011

Area: Paraíso, Alagos

Companion: Elder Devitry

From: Smithfield, Utah

Hey guys!! How was everyone?


This week was pretty good, just a normal week. It rained like all week... it was nice because it wasn´t so hot but my shoes are full of holes so my feet were wet like all week... I hope you guys sent my new shoes, I don’t know how much longer I can stand these ones... but today it´s super-hot again and sunny.

So yeah all of our investigators are pretty much just lazy bums... except this one girl we found. Her name is Edjane, she’s probably like 25ish. she is a member of this church that everyone calls the church of the veil. the women use veils during the meetings. But she had some good questions and we taught the plan of salvation. other elders had taught her a lot already. but she prayed and got an answer, but her family doesn´t want her to have anything to do with us. She went to church and we were upstairs because she was a little late, and she was too shy to go in and so she left. Bummer eh? I felt bad, but we´ll get her to go this week and I think she´ll be baptized. Before she prayed she said that she was 100 percent sure that her church was right for her, but then she prayed and is way more open.

Still no Halloween package, but we have zone conference on the 15th so I´ll probably get it there.

You got snow? Man, I miss the snow. Today we went and played b-ball at the church, and I wore a cutoff shirt and I got super sunburned. It´s so hot all the time, even at night it´s super-hot. We are going to try and start getting up at like 6 to go play ball at the church, we just got to see if they will give us a key to the gate, and let us keep the ball at our house.

Last night we went and had a barbeque at a member’s house. There´s this lady named Vanessa and her husband Afranio, they are the coolest members in the branch. They always take care of us. I still haven’t taken a pic with them but I will send one this week I didn’t take pics because of the rain, and I can’t really carry my camera in this area, there’s always robberies and shootings.

My comp is a funny guy; he always makes weird jokes...

We will go to a member's house for family home evening tonight. It's a girl who just got back from her mission. She helps us out.
But not a whole lot going on besides this, I hope school and work and everything is going good. Have a great week.

Be good everyone and be safe.
Love, Bradley

Happy Halloween

Date: October 31, 2011

Area: Paraíso, Alagos

Companion: Elder Devitry

From: Smithfield, Utah

Hey Guys!!!
It´s crazy it's Halloween, it sucks that they don't celebrate it here. Today is Elder Beckers birthday so we´ll go to a members and eat cake tonight...




This week was a lot of hard work, we have been knocking a lot of doors, just to try something different. we taught a lot of people and found some people that seem really interested in the gospel, just that no one went to church. that's the hardest thing is to get people to go...

Our best investigator right now is a woman named Brenda. she is about 28 and is super elect. we gave her a Book of Mormon and she is very interested, but she had family in town and couldn't go to church.
 Elder Soares found her when he went to the dentist. she works there as an assistant. we will invite her to baptism tomorrow.

There´s this girl in the branch who got home from her mission this week, we went to the church and she was there getting released... that´s gonna be weird lol. but yeah so she´s super excited to help us and give references. so we´ll leave with her and find some baptisms.

Congrats Bubba on the big buck! nice rack... can´t wait till next year. Dustin shot a nice buck too.

My comp´s foot is better. He´s walking fine and stuff now.


So Brian's back at smiths, did he cut his hair yet?? I bet he´s excited to start school.

Not a whole lot more going on... I love you guys.

I´m loving the mission and growing a lot. I hope that you guys have a great week!!! I know this church is true. Jesus is our Savior and he loves us.
Love Elder Ludlow

Fabiano's baptism

Date: October 24, 2011

Area: Paraíso, Alagos
Companion: Elder Devitry
From: Smithfield, Utah



Elder Devitry, Fabiano, Elder Ludlow



Hey Guys!!
This week was alright... I got my new companion, Elder Devitry. He´s from Smithfield, Utah. He´s a really cool guy. But he has a broken foot though so he´s just been taking it easy. He broke it playing basketball. He´s another big white blonde kid. So everyone just stares at us and always asks us if we´re brothers.

So I was doing some divisions and stuff at the start of the week. But then I got super sick... I got the flu, so I was all achy and congested and stuff. And I had a bad fever... this went on for like 4 days. I´m feeling a lot better now but I'm still all congested and have a cough... So this week we didn’t really get a whole lot done... except that I baptized Fabiano on Sunday... it was really good and he was excited. I like that kid a lot.


Fabiano's Baptism 10/23/11



That´s crazy that Brian´s moving to St. George. It´ll be good for him, and yeah I know Riley, he´s a cool kid.

That´s nuts that Josh is in the marines, and the he left so soon, I haven’t seen him for like 3 years.

I´ll send a picture for a Christmas card next week, I just gotta think of a good photo.

I´ll email McKay a happy birthday.
Love you guys, not a whole lot happened this week, this next week should be better, my companions foot is getting better.

Miss you
Elder Ludlow

Getting a new companion

Date: October 17, 2011

Area: Paraíso, Alagos

Companion: Elder Soares

From: Minas Gerais, Brazil

Oi família!!!


How is everyone doing??? did everyone have a good week???? sorry i´m sending this so late, the Internet was out all day today in my area..

This week was good. we´ve been working with Jaqsons cousin, Fabiano, and we tried to baptize him this week.. but he drank coffee so it´ll have to be next week. he´s an awesome investigator, he understands the messages really well and practically asked to be baptized. he´s really interested about serving a mission. we also confirmed Jaqson, but Junior got the chicken pox, he´s all covered in bumps so it´ll have to be next week. but they are both way excited about the church and are doing good...

We had transfers, and I am staying. I´m happy. Elder Soares and Elder Faria will be transferred. so me and my red headed homeboy Elder Becker are staying in the house with new companions.

The mail here and banks are all on strike.. it´s been like 2 weeks, but they said this Thursday it should all be figured out... I´ve got a bunch of letters to send. I hope they stop the strike soon cause I need my shoes soooo bad, mine are completely worn through and the top is splitting out.

Summer finally started here. it´s getting so hot!!!

I couldn´t do English class this week, I had to go do 3 baptismal interviews this week.

Today we went and visited some members, then my comp went to the hospital... I stayed with Elder Noyes. he got a prescription for his foot.

I always get nervous to get a new comp... I really get along well with Elder Soares, he´s been one of my best companions. he´s a really hard worker.

Family I want you to know that I know that this church is true. I know that we have a true prophet who talks to God and leads this church. I know that God answers our prayers when we pray with faith and are worthy. that an invite to baptism is the only way that I can help these people progress. I love you all and am doing good. the mission is flying by...


This lan house doesn´t take pen drives so I will send fotos next week.. of me and my new comp....


Have a great week... love you all!



boys, cut your hair.



Elder Ludlow

Date: October 10, 2011

Area: Paraíso, Alagos

Companion: Elder Soares

From: Minas Gerais, Brazil

Hey everybody!!!!

This week was pretty good. not a whole lot going on... last Wednesday I went to a mission leadership training. it was pretty good. and I did a division with Elder Noyes it was pretty fun. he´s from West Jordan. he is like 2 transfers behind me. we are gonna fo sho chill after the mish.

 I started the English class this week. it was pretty good, but we didn´t tell a lot of people about it because of conference... we also had ward counsel yesterday...

We´ve been teaching some good people, but they never go to church!!! that´s our biggest difficulty right now, but Jaqson´s cousin, Fabiano, will be baptized pretty soon. he es very interested in the church, especially a mission. we didn´t confirm our baptism this week. junior went outta town and Jaqson's family had some problem with drug dealers that live in in the same grota. the cops busted them and everyone in the favela says that Jaqson's mom told on them... so we went over there on Saturday and it was a big confusion... and he ended up not going to church... so we´ll pass by tomorrow...

Today I went to the doctor, my com has a problem with his foot, he had a surgery a while ago and it is hurting him... going to the doctors in Brazil is not fun... it´s sooo slow there. so that´s about all I did today.

I´m glad to hear Bri might cut his hair...

That's super bad luck with the truck, I´m glad no one got hurt though  (The wheel fell off as I turned a corner, right after I got it safety inspected)

That's good you went to the temple with the ward, I hecka miss the temple... I'm excited to go.

sorry no pics this week, I came straight from the hospital...

But not much else going on... I´m doing good...

I got that letter from the primary... I'll write them back...

Love you, I know the church is true, I love the gospel, and I'm happy to be in Maceió serving the lord...

Love Bradley

General Conference and Baptisms

Date: October 3, 2011

Area: Paraíso, Alagos

Companion: Elder Soares

From: Minas Gerais, Brazil

Hey family,
Another week came and went in the mission field. It was really awesome to watch General Conference. I watched it all besides priesthood, I liked the talks. I dunno if it was just cuz I´m a missionary, but it seemed like they all talked a bunch about missionary work. It was all in Portuguese, They didn´t have the English TV set up. I love the prophet. I felt the spirit so strong when he was speaking, and especially when he was sustained as a leader and prophet of the church.

On Saturday we baptized 2 rapazes. Jaqson and Junior, they both are great young men and will help this branch out a lot. My area is good. I feel like the youth here are way more accepting than adults in this area.



10-2-11



10-2-11

I got an email from my son( Elder Carniero) that he baptized Maelli, a girl I taught with him in Grageru 2. That made me super happy, she was an awesome investigator.

But it´s going pretty good here, we are probably gonna start an English class here in this area; we might start this Saturday...

Thanks for all of the pics. It looks like you guys had a good weekend. Cut you hair Brian and Brandon!
(We went fishing)

It´s starting to get freakin hot. I´m not looking forward to the summer heat.

This Wednesday I have to go to an all-day leadership training.

How´s everyone doin? That’s crazy Kendrick is going to Thailand. (Mission Call)

Dad is super funny, he is just so proud of his new truck. I know how he absolutely loves to get a good deal. I can’t believe he got such a good deal, it´s good to know how to work on cars né?

I´m doing good here, I´m glad to have baptized!!!!

I know that this church is true. I am glad to be here in Brasil as a missionary.
tchau!!!!!

Love, Elder Ludlow

Pictures of our church

Yesterday I got way sick

Date: September 26, 2011

Area: Paraíso, Alagos

Companion: Elder Soares

From: Minas Gerais, Brazil



Elder Soares and Elder Ludlow
9-19-11



Hey guys!

This week was pretty good. we´re working hard. we had people at church yesterday, we´ll try and baptize them all this week between conference sessions. there´s Junior, Jackson, and Daniel they are all the age to be in the young mens.

Yesterday I got way sick. I went to church, and after lunch was at home, so I tried to eat but felt too crappy. so i just went to bed. i spent the whole day throwing up... it sucks getting sick on the mission. i dunno what it was that i ate. today i feel a little better, just super tired and weak. i dunno what we´re gonna do today for pday, we´re thinking about going bowling again.

I got my package :)  but i liked all the stuff that you sent me.. Tell Lym thanks for the bracelets, they are way cool. just a bummer I couldn't read some of the the letters (they got wet) .... i made some cookies this week! they were so good... they don't have good, soft cookies here.

That's awesome that dad bought a truck, send me a pic. good that he sold the Toyota.  has Brian sold itchy yet? what´s he driving to work and stuff? (Itchy is Brian's 1961 Buick)

I hope Brian had a good time at the 10 years concert, that's good that he´s thinking about college... i´m super stoked to start school!

I´m way excited for general conference this week, i just hope they have it in English, i understand everything way easy in Portuguese, it just sucks with a different voice, it drives me crazy.

I'm feeling pretty crappy, I haven't eaten practically anything since Saturday night.

I hope that work is going good for dad, and that the kids are keeping their grades up.

We had interviews this week with President Gonzaga, it was really cool, we talked about how i´m on the final sprint of my mission and how i have to give it everything i´ve got.
It´s weird how i´m like one of the older missionaries, all of my friends are starting to go home... and theirs a ton of people that i don't know because i spent so much time in Sergipe.


This week, these huge spiders started showing up in our house, so a guy came and sprayed these banana trees behind our house, and they were full of spiders, and cockroaches and stuff. so were gonna cut the trees down, he also sprayed all of the weeds around our house.

but yeah not a whole lot else going on.... i hope everyone has a great week and enjoys conference.

with love
Bradley

oh, i forgot... we had a barbecue at our house this week too, i sent a pic. also, Elder Becker sleeping on the wood. the other elders in our district slept at our house, so we had all 6 of us on the 4 mattresses. Elder Faria kept rolling onto Elder Becker so he went and slept in his bed with no mattress... lolol



Elder Becker



We've been working hard

Date: September 19, 2011

Area: Paraíso, Alagos

Companion: Elder Soares

From: Minas Gerais, Brazil

Hey Guys,
It´s going good here in the area. We´ve been working hard. We have a lot of good investigators, but nobody went to church because it was raining way hard yesterday, so we´ll have to work hard with these people this week to mark their baptisms. We’re teaching 2 brothers and their cousin that play soccer a lot at the church, we marked their baptism but then we found out that their dad is an ex Mormon and hates us, so we´ll have to see what´s up with these kids they really like the church and received answers, but i dunno if the dad will sign the baptismal ficha. We´re also teaching a 14 year old girl, named Leninha and her mom. Leninha already has a kid; they are interested in the church but were all super sick all last week. We´re also teaching a couple that all the kids were baptized, but need to get married. A really nice little family.


It´s pretty ghetto here but i like it it´s super easy to enter the homes and teach people. My area is super, super poor. I´m coming from one of the richest to one of the most humble.. there´s parts of the grotas that are super sketchy. Theirs a bunch of drug traffickers. there’s always hold ups and robberies, but everyone know the Mormons so i feel pretty safe, the branch is kinda weak too as far as the leadership and stuff, and these people destroy the chapel. it´s kinda sad.... but I´m liking it here overall


My comp is way cool. he’s a hard worker and likes to talk lot so he helps me out a bunch.

Today we went bowling for p day. it was super fun. I got the high score of the zone, a whopping 108!!! super weak heh??? lol



Bowling with Zone

 But it was fun. I´ll send some pics. Elder chandler was kind enough to remind me that today he and i made 1 year and 4 months. that means that 2/3 of my mission has passed. crazy... (Elder Chandler is the one we met at the missionary mall when we were shopping for Bradley’s mission)

We helped build a house this week.

I still haven’t gotten any letters or packages, but we have interviews on Wednesday. we will be interviewed to get our new dvd players. we will get use them for comp study to watch trainings.

Thanks everyone for the emails, it sounds like everyone is doing good.

has bubba started driving yet?

Have a great week and be safe.
Bradley

So I'm here in my new area

Date: September 12, 2011

Area: Paraíso, Alagos
Companion: Elder Soares

From: Minas Gerais, Brazil



Elder Ludlow, Elder Soares(in back)  Elder Becker , Elder Faria (on the right)  members of the ward


Hey guys,
So I´m here in my new area!!!! Back to Maceió!!! I forgot how ghetto it is compared to Aracajú!!!

But my new companion Elder Soares is tight.. A big brown kid from Minas Gerais. He´s way cool. He´s from the same group as my son. (been in the mission for about 3 months) I also live with Elder Faria and Elder Becker. Faria is a clown. He´s a good friend.. And Becker is a crazy red headed kid that just makes me laugh. so we all just mess around at home. And I´m still LD here in this area.

My area is extremely poor. It´s all favela (here it´s grota). The church here is cool. This huge two story building. My branch is called Paraíso. We should baptize a lot here, The ward seems pretty cool, but kinda weak, only about 60 at church, mostly youth and women.

But I´m excited To be here. I´m gonna like it here.

Elder Smythe, Elder Redd, and Sister Campos are all gonna go home this transfer, some of my best friends on the mish.

I´m healthy and strong!!! I´m doing really well.. It´s crazy I came back to Maceió and there were a ton of new kids that I didn´t recognize at the meeting. I was in Sergipe for like 8 or 9 months. I think a lot of people thought that I was new lol.

I hope that the family is doing good, it sounds like everything is alright.

Also I forwarded the pic with Elder Godoy (first quorum of the Seventy)  about Elder Goday



September 3, 2011



I love you all, be safe. I know that the church is true, the Book of Mormon is true. Jesus Christ lives and loves us!

Elder Ludlow

Transfered

Date: September 5, 2011

Area: Grageru 2, Sergipe

Companion: Elder Carneiro

From: Ceará, Brazil



9-5-11


Hey fam,

I got transferred this week, I´m going to Maceió... my area is called Paraíso.. I leave tonight at 6:30, so I´ll have a new area and comp.

Today has been super busy, just getting ready to leave and packing up all my stuff.

Man, I wish I was there to go hunting... but next year I will!!! Is it just dad or are the boys hunting too? Is dad using the bow?

All of my 5 baptisms didn´t work out this week. I got hecka sad.... they will get baptized this week, Michelle’s dad didn’t come home, and Suelen will be baptized in the other area this week.

Not a whole lot going on... I don’t know who my comp is yet.

But thanks a bunch for the prayers and the email!!!!

I´ll load a couple pics.. Sorry so short

Love ya!!!
Bradley





8-31-11



9-2-11




9-2-11



Pretty Good Week

Date: August 29, 2011

Area: Grageru 2, Sergipe
Companion: Elder Carneiro
From: Ceará, Brazil

Aug. 20 2011

Hey guys!!!
This week was pretty good, on Tuesday we had district mtg, and I gave my training, it went well, my district is really cool and we get along good. I also did a division with a kid named Elder Bieberle from Kansas, he´s cool... I did some baptismal interviews. The work is also going good. We have Michelle´s family´s baptism marked for this Saturday. Also that girl Suelen and her sister Maelli are marked for Saturday. they live in another area but it´s right on the border, so we´ve been teaching them, and I think what we´ll do is do all of the baptisms together at the stake center. We´ll baptize everyone, but the 2 girls will count as a baptism for my zone leaders. The girls are firmeza... Michelle´s family didn’t go to church, the dad gets home from work on Thursday, We´ll interview them on Friday. I just hope that they´ll feel ready. My companion is good.

That sucks Lyman crashed the ol´ S10 ... I´m really glad that he´s okay. That sucks dad fell off his ladder. I hope he feels better. Dude´s too old to be pulling stunts like that ha ha just joking pa.

That´s great that dad´s work is going good. Dang bubs a high schooler. Just work hard bud, and be a good kid.

Halloween package already? Woo hoo it seems like just a little bit ago I got my last Halloween package! Just make sure you seal up any candy, my Christmas one was kind of a mess.

I told him about my Young Women’s lesson about” Missionary responsibilities”
our principles of the gospel class was on missionary work too, it was good.

So on Thursday a Seventy will visit Sergipe. I have a mtg/ training with the zone and district leaders, the seventy, and President Gonzaga, then he´ll talk to all of us. We´ll eat lunch there and everything. I´m pretty stoked.

I feel like this is my last week in the area of Grageru 2. I´ll be sad to go it´s one of the nicest/ richest areas in the mish. I might be back in the favela.(poor)

I love you guys!
Be safe and be good!!!
Bradley


8-29-11

Playing a board game called war



I know that this Church is true and that Jesus Christ is the Savior.

Date: August 15, 2011

Area: Grageru 2, Sergipe

Companion: Elder Carneiro

From: Ceará, Brazil

Hey guys,

I´m doin good, I´m safe and healthy. This week was pretty good, we´re working with Michelle´s family, and it seems to be all good for the 3rd of September. We´re just waiting for the dad to get home and they need to stop drinking coffee. But other than that, not a whole lot is going on. I did 2 divisions this week to do baptismal interviews. And that girl that found us really wants to be baptized, but her mom won´t let her. Her mom heard a lot of stuff about our church, so I don’t know what to do, she´s moving to another area too.
It's going good. My converts here are all doing well.

Tell Grandma Hall that I love her and I say hi.

Man, that is cool that the bow hunt has started. I am stoked for next year good luck dad.

I seriously don´t have much to say today. That will be good for Brian to work for Dustin, and to go to the singles ward.

 Today we´re just chillin at a member’s house and playing war. But I lost so now I´m emailing. lol.

That’s crazy that Brandon starts high school!! I hope he really likes it, Just keep your grades up.
Has Brian thought about college yet? What’s his plans?
This next week should be pretty good. We’re trying to help the ward get more excited. and to give us some references, because we practically knock doors all day, and I´m getting tired of it. lol. but we have a family night tonight so we´ll teach some new investigators.

but I love you guys!!!

I know that this Church is true and that Jesus Christ is the Savior. That I am the representative of this church in this area. I hope you guys are doing good back home!!! I love you and miss you!!

I made 15 this week!!
Love,
Bradley

So this week I´ll make 15 months!!! Woo hoo!!!

Date: August 15, 2011

Area: Grageru 2, Sergipe

Companion: Elder Carneiro

From: Ceará, Brazil

Hey family!!!
This was a pretty good week. Michelle´s family will be baptized in the 3rd of Sept. We just have to wait for her dad to get home from Rio. Also, we found a girl (actually she came chasing after us in the street) who received the missionary lessons in Sao Paulo. Except she said she would move to another area. But she moved to a different house in our area. So we´ll pass by tomorrow to mark her baptism, and we´ll try with her sister too. So I´m hoping to baptize 5 before I leave this area.

We didn´t do capoeira, we went downtown and I bought some foakley sunglasses lol.
That’s nuts that brookie´s starting the 8th grade!!!

(Brad Sr. caught a couple of kids stealing from our side yard last week)
That´s funny that dad is freakin throwin down with the neighborhood punks. It´s weird thinking about how life is back home, windows with no bars, just plain glass, sleeping with the door unlocked, leaving stuff outside. Where I´m at, if you turn you back for 5 seconds, you were robbed. lol

That´s a bummer that Jordan is leaving, I bet Brian is sad. He should definitely take that job. Way better than bagging groceries. And he´ll make more money.

So this week I´ll make 15 months!!! Woo hoo!!!

How was it to see Lyman, I miss that dude. (he came and stayed with us this weekend)
But yeah not much more to say!!!

I’m doing good, I´m glad that you sent a package!! I´ve been really wanting some American stuff. In the next one can you send toothpaste? Did you send shorts for my friend Elder Ferreira?
Well I love you and I know that the church is true. Jesus lives and loves us.

Be safe and have fun.

With love, Elder Ludlow

District Leader

Date: August 8, 2011

Area: Grageru 2, Sergipe

Companion: Elder Carneiro

From: Ceará, Brazil



8-3-11

 Hey Guys, so p day is back to Monday. I just found out last Thursday.

This week was really good! We worked so dang hard! We walked a ton this week too. My calf muscles are way sore. So we marked the baptisms of Michelle, and her parents, Florisval and Inês, they are a really great family, the dad works in a ship so he´s not home a lot. So we´ll baptize them on the 3rd of September. They are really interested in the temple and eternal families. This will be the first baptism I have of a complete family! We have had some great experiences with them!


That guy who is a fiancee of a member is a really cool guy, he likes church, he´s been going for a while. but he smokes a lot, I have taught him and he likes the missionaries, but I don’t know how to get him to stop smoking...

Micah better turn his papers in, if he waits any longer I´ll be at home already! Next time he´s at the house make him email me, and Mckay was asking about him too.

So yeah Elder Crapo went away to Arapiraca, I got way sad, me and him get along really well and we kinda followed each other around the mission. Maybe this means I´ll go back to Arapiraca next transfer??? I´d like that lol. but a bunch of Elders got switched around. So now I´m the district leader.
               (I asked him what his resposibilities are as a district leader.)
I have to get the numbers of my district, pass them to the zone leaders, explain how everyone is doing, do baptismal interviews..

We were gonna take a free Capoeira class, it´s Brazilian martial arts. you should look it up, but we´ll just go next Monday, cause we didn´t have time.

I hope bubba has a good week at scout camp.

Mom that´s great that you had a good trip, it sounds like you saw a lot of amazing things, and felt the spirit. I wanna do a fun trip when I get home. I hope that grandma is having a good time. We´ll get home at around the same time right?

Tell Lyman hi for me! (he's coming to see us on wed.)
That reminds me, this week a member was playing modern warfare 2 and I understood what the Brazilians were saying!

Hey dad and grandpa: this week is fathers day in Brasil, so happy fathers day again!!!

How was Brookie´s and Brian´s birthdays?

That’s cool Brian is going to Elders Quorum now, I hope he likes it.

Not a whole lot else going on.
I love you guys!!! Be safe!

Elder Ludlow

8-1-11



8-6-11



We will show our faith and do 120 Contacts

Date: August 3, 2011

Area: Grageru 2, Sergipe

Companion: Elder Carneiro

From: Ceará, Brazil

Hey guys!!!
This week was good!!! We only had one investigator at church, a fiancée of a member who smokes like a chimney. But we are having a pretty good week so far; yesterday we found a pretty cool family that seems interested. We´ll go back tomorrow and see if they prayed or not. Also we´ll visit Michelle’s family and mark their baptism this Friday. This week my district leader and Grande amigo Elder Crapo gave a training about faith, so this week we will show our faith and do 120 contacts. And in return, the lord will find us a baptism. It´s going to be tough, but I´m ready to do it.

Mom I hope you´re having a great week in Nauvoo. That´s cool you visited McKay; I wish someone would come visit me in Brazil lol. I bet it´s awesome to see the sites.

This and Witor are great, We´ll throw a birthday party for Witor this weekend, they are seriously the poorest family I´ve met on my mission, they are 9 months behind on their rent. I feel hecka bad for them.


So today we watched Rio. I love that movie; it explains Brazil in the perfect way. For example, when futebol is on, the world stops. also they have so much pride for their crappy music. ha ha I laughed a lot. But when I get home I want to see it in English.


Dad, I hope you´re holding down the fort with Mom being gone. How´s work? I got your letter from when you went to the Beynons homecoming. Elder Crapo made fun of your spelling lol. haha what are the boys up to did Brian sell itchy?? did you start up my bike for me?


My comp kind of understands English, but he is practicing. It´s stressful to be a trainer, all the decisions/ responsibility are on me. But we get along pretty well.

When the heck is Micah gonna go on a mission. I´m gonna be home before he leaves!

I love you guys and i know that this church is true. I know that the mish is where i need to be right now, even though it is hard sometimes. Love you be safe and be good. I’ll send pics next week...
Love, Bradley

Baptisms

Date: July 27, 2011

Area: Grageru 2, Sergipe

Companion: Elder Carneiro

From: Ceará, Brazil



7-25-11

Hey Everyone!!!

This week was a great week full of spiritual experiences; first of all we baptized Thaís and witor. It was great; Thaís is one of the best baptisms that I’ve had!!! I baptized her, and my companion baptized witor. We´re just faulting Thaís´s brother now, Thiago. He went to the baptism and I KNOW he felt the spirit, but he´s hecka catholic. Michelle´s family didn´t go to church this week... but i called her and she said her mom was sick. Her dad will get back in a week from tomorrow. I just want to baptize them a.s.a.p. I´m afraid were taking too long and I´m scared that something will happen..

We had interviews with Pres. Gonzaga it was really good, it was just to get to know us and talk about our future and stuff. Also yesterday this girl came running up to us that moved from Sao Paulo and wants to be baptized, but she lives in the other area. But she´s super elect, she was living there and taking the lessons behind her families back in Sao Paulo.

I hope you guys have a blast in Nauvoo!! Tell grandma hi for me!!!

I got a letter from you guys and another from Kylee waiting for me i should get them today!

Have a great birthday Brookie!!! I love you!!

How much is Brian asking for his car? I´m going to be so sad to see that car go...

Did dad take my bike for a spin; he needs to do that like once a week.

I´m doing great!

We went and hung out with that guy from Salt Lake on Saturday, after English class. It was pretty nuts to speak English with someone besides a missionary.

Love you guys!!!

Have a safe trip mom...

Love Bradley

I got my camera back!!

Date: July 20, 2011

Area: Grageru 2, Sergipe

Companion: Elder Carneiro

From: Ceará, Brazil



7/20/11

 Hey Guys!!!


This week was good!!! We had 4 people at church this week... and, someone knocked on my door and returned my camera. He said he saw a guy selling it and recognized me from the photos. I dunno I just know that that´s a miracle!!! My neighborhood is full of drug traffickers and thieves, lol but it´s nice to know that there´s at least one honest person.

Today we went hiking to the top of this huge mountain called the Serra. It was really, really, far and I´m super tired! But the view was awesome!!!

hiking the Serra of Itabiana,

But yeah we are going to have 2 baptisms, Thaís, and kid of a lady we´re reactivating named victor. I´m pretty excited to baptize!!! And once Michelle´s dad gets back, we´ll baptize her and her parents, I´ve never baptized an entire family!!! They are really interested in the concept of the temple and eternal families! I´m really happy! I just hope that I dont get transferred. Transfers will be this week.



Tomorrow I´ll do another division with Elder Crapo. He´s gonna do the baptismal interviews he´s my district leader; he has one less transfer than me on the mish. He´s a really cool kid, were for sure gonna chill after the mission.

My shoes are destroyed, but I´m just gonna buy boots here, but you can go to the missionary mall and get new ones...

I´m glad that you got my package! I hope you guys like it and liked all the photo´s Im glad I made that disk cause when I got my camera back, it still had the card, just no pics. but I only lost like 2 pics.



I hope you have a blast in Nauvoo. I´d love to see all of those sites and learn a lot about the church. there´s a good site with a lot of church material called whitebinder.org. I really liked some of the talks and stories that I found there.
Love you all!!! Be safe!!!
Elder Ludlow

The best family I’ve found on my mission

Date: July 13, 2011

Area: Grageru 2, Sergipe

Companion: Elder Carneiro

From: Ceará, Brazil

Hey Fam!

How´s girl’s camp? Man I freakin miss Bear Lake. We're gonna have to have a party there when I get home. The lake looks really nice with the water so high.  I hope you guys are all havin a blast.

I hope the boys are having a good time in Saint George.

It sounds like the Beynons homecoming was really good, they were great to have as president. We have interviews next week with the new President. They seem a lot more strict... they cut soccer I don’t know if I said that already. I don’t know if the Brazilians will handle that.

Sooo... about the work, did I already tell you about Michelle?, well were teaching her parents and her dad went to church, they all love it and got answers when they prayed. They are great investigators, the best family I’ve found on my mish. I still haven´t baptized a family so I’m stoked!!! They´re already talking about the temple. The only problem is that the dad travels a bunch and won’t be able to go to church until the end of the month, so we didn´t mark a baptismal date. Tomorrow I’ll teach Thais, that girl that´s been going to church, and I swear I’m not leaving till her baptisms marked. haha! 

It´s pressure to have a son lol... my comp´s so quiet, but I like him.

So yeah I’m pretty happy right now, I’m hoping to stay in this area, it´s a great area just hard to work ya know...

The pics are from this really cool family in Elder Crapo’s area. We ate there, the family is really cool!

But I met a Utahn this week he´s here surfing, his wife´s a Brasiliera. He went on a mish to Chicago, I don’t know if he´s active and his wife moved from Sergipe to Utah 15 years ago... she must be a member but I don’t know. We got their address we might pass by, they´ll be here till August, but yeah hecka weird he called to us at the market after English class...

English is going good, I’m definitely not cut out to be a teacher though. sometimes I speak Portuguese better than English, I’ve forgotten a lot of words, I just talk slang as you can tell.lol

But I love the people, the culture, the language... the kids in the streets playing soccer and talking to us. and especially when people accept our message there´s nothing more fulfilling

But yeah I´m doing good, I´ve got less than ten months to go, I´m trying to take advantage of every day...

 I love you guys. be safe. The church is true.

Love Bradley

Hey Guys!!!

Date: July 6, 2011

Area: Grageru 2, Sergipe

Companion: Elder Carneiro

From: Ceará, Brazil

HEY GUYS!!!
How are you guys? How was everyone´s week?? My week was pretty good. We´re working really hard, but this area is hard to mark baptisms. The ward doesn´t help us out, but we´ve found a few good investigators, this week I found a kid that I met in Itaporanga, and we taught his family. They can´t go to church this week but they said that they´d go next week, So That’s cool. Also we´re still teaching that Thais girl, but she wants more time to decide about baptism.

But yeah how are all the kids? How was 4th of July? Did you do anything cool?

The meeting with President Gonzaga was good, but he´s pretty strict, and his wife seems even more.

Still no more camera I looked at some, but next week I´ll probably get one. a good one like mine is really expensive, but I´ll buy a cheaper one.

That´s good you got that letter, I sent them to a lot of people so they should´ve gotten them too.
Have fun in St. George Mom and Brookie. And at girls camp. I miss Bear Lake a ton!!!!
and I hope the boys are having fun and have fun in St. George next week!


How´s my motorcycle? Has anyone started her up lately? Dad, take her around the block for me.

I´m doing good, this area is really good as far as the food, members, etc. but the work is tough. My son is super quiet and shy, but I´m learning a lot from him and we teach well together. I´m trying to teach better by the spirit. I´m learning and growing a lot.We´re having a hard time marking baptisms. but we´re working hard!!!




 I’m almost finished with the Book of Mormon again. I´ll finish it this transfer. I want you guys to know that I love you and miss you.

English class is going okay, it´s hard being a teacher, but it´s pretty fun too...

Today we watched Bolt with the other Elders and made sloppy joes, it was an alright pday...
I love you guys!!!

Have a great week!!

Love Elder Ludlow

Camera got stolen

Hey Yesterday my camera got jacked, someone forced their way into our house, and took my camera and a disc man that another elder left. It's a good thing that I saved all my photos on that disk, so I didn´t lose any pictures. just a memory card and my camera, and my companion doesn´t have a camera, so we have no way to take pics. My reimbursement from transfers fell through, so I´ll have to use the rest of that personal money and buy a cheap one here. Thats better than sending it by mail. It sucks, there´s always something to make my life stressful...
I´m gonna talk to the new President, tomorrow to move outta this house.

But yeah love you!!!
Sorry I always have some kinda problem going on...   :/
Love, Bradley

New Mission President

President & Sister Gonzaga

Maurício da Glória Gonzaga, 47, and Claudia Sceppa Gonzaga, three children, Centro Cívico Ward, Maringá Brazil Stake. Brother Gonzaga serves as a counselor in the Brazil Londrina Mission and is a former stake president, counselor in a stake presidency, bishop and missionary in the Brazil Sao Paulo North Mission. Partner, Colline Import & Export. Born in Santos, Brazil, to Justiniano de Freitas and Suelena da Glória Gonzaga.


Sister Gonzaga serves as a ward Relief Society president and is a former stake Relief Society president, counselor in a stake Young Women presidency, ward Primary teacher and seminary and institute teacher. Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to Rodames and Nair Rodrigues Sceppa.

The work was a little rough this week

Date: June 29, 2011

Area: Grageru 2, Sergipe

Companion: Elder Carneiro

From: Ceará, Brazil

Hey Guys,
This week was alright, we had like 5 days of holidays, São João and the São Pedro. So yeah everyone was super drunk and partying like all week. We didn´t sleep a whole lot because of the music and everyone sets off bombs all night.

The work was a little rough this week. Thaís went out of town, so we´ll teach her next week. we also found a girl yesterday that came up and spoke with me in English, she speaks well, and she said she´ll go to our English class on Sat.Yeah we teach English. I never told you that? We teach it every Saturday at the church.

Yep, we have a new Mission President, That´s crazy. I´ll meet him on Friday. We´ll have a meeting with him.

My companion is doing good. it´s definitely different being a trainer. But I like it.
oh and I found out that Itaporanga closed. (last Area)



I'm on divisions with Elder Crapo, he's from Kaysville, Utah, My district leader. he´s awesome, you´ll see his parents at the Beynon's homecoming next week. We've become friends. We just went to the bus terminal, waiting for our bus, and all the sudden we heard shots and the window breaking of a bus driving by, then the bus stopped really fast and everyone went running out. but no one got hurt it was just a robbery. sketchy tho. I thought I´d see a dead person.

Girls camp sounds like fun, next week. I´m sure Brookie will like that. That´s great that Utah has a lot of water this year and the lake is full. How was trek? did Bubba have fun?

Sad that you are selling itchy,(Brian's 1961 Buick) he was a good ol´car. But it´d be a better idea for Brian to get a little, reliable car or truck that gets good gas mileage.

That's nuts that all the fireworks are legal this year. I hope someone doesn´t do something dumb and ruin it. here the fireworks are super dangerous. it´s like setting off dynamite in the streets.

But yeah nothing new, I took zero pics this week, sorry, next week for sure.

Love ya,
Bradley