See Ya'll in 3 weeks

Date: April 16, 2012

Area: Bebedouro, Alagos

Companion: Elder Rowland

From Sacramento, California

Hello family!!!!
This week was okay, we had a really hard time finding news and stuff, and we had zero people at church :(   but yesterday we went to visit 2 rapazes (Boys – young men) that marked with us to go and we taught them and marked their baptism and their 2 friends, so hopefully we´ll baptize these 4 young men before I go home... they always are at the activities and soccer and stuff... I´ve decided that I´m gonna let Elder Rowland take charge for the last 3 weeks, like pass the numbers, carry the cellphone, etc... it will help him a lot to learn the language and be ready to become senior companion... we had interviews with Presidente and he thought it was a great idea.... the interview was super chill, we laughed and messed around a lot, he´s a funny guy. He talked a lot about finishing strong so I take my good habits home with me...

Elder Jeffery Holland is coming on the 25th. we are way excited!


Today money was supposed to fall but there´s a problem with the bank... so maybe tomorrow...

So for p- day we are here at the beach in Pajuçara, Ponta Verde... there´s 2 big markets to buy some stuff.. it´s super cool here I´d never been here... it´s actually nice and clean, I´ve been stuck in the crappy dirty part every time I´ve been in Maceió... but today was absolutely awesome... we ate açaí right on the beach... that´s definitely the food I´m gonna miss the most, I´ve eaten it every p-day for like the last 14 weeks... we´re here at a lan house, and we´ll take a bus home after... I got some sweet pics today...

Vanessa loved the gift, she liked your card, she said she´ll visit you guys first.... she gave me a Corinthians (my soccer team) beach towel. It´s sweet!

I love you guys!!!!
See yall in 3 weeks!
Elder Ludlow

29 Days!!

Date: April 9, 2012
Area: Bebedouro, Alagos

Companion: Elder Rowland

From Sacramento, California

Hey guys!!!!


How are you guys? Everything is going good here in the Bebedouro ward. This week was kinda rough this week was a holiday, Semana Santa (Holy Week) started on Friday so naturally everyone is drinking, dancing in the streets, etc... It’s sad that even Easter is a time for wickedness....

We confirmed Nadja and Marcia, last week we couldn´t because of conference.... and we had a few baptisms marked for next Saturday, only problem is that they didn´t go to church, and we don’t know what happened...

We also painted the inside and outside of the bishop’s house this week, it was a nice service project...


I also got the package!!! Thanks a bunch, we enjoyed the rockstars!!! lol and right after this we´re gonna go to Vanessa´s house for a family night so I´ll give her the gift...

They had a huge drug bust today in the alley right by our house... there was like 15 police officers and a bunch of people crowded around... pretty crazy.



I´m doing good, less than 30 days!!!! it´s flying by and I´m not gonna lie I´m starting to get trunky!!!! I can’t help but think about it!!!!

I took some money out today to eat Açaí. I´m just gonna do fun stuff on p-days.... only 4 more!!!!!

I´m glad Brian took work off to do fun stuff, I’m excited to hang out with my brothers when I get home...

Anyways, I gotta go already. Take care you guys!!!

Love you!!!!
Bradley

General Conference, Nadja's baptism

Date: April 2, 2012
Area: Bebedouro, Alagos

Companion: Elder Rowland

From Sacramento, California



Eliene, her family, and the 2 girls I baptized in Paraíso, Ingrid and Tainá they were all at conference




Hey family
This week was good, I absolutely loved conference... I learned a lot and felt the spirit, especially when the prophet spoke... it was great, it was focused a lot on families. We watched the 2 sessions on Saturday in Portuguese, and then on Sunday the bishop brought his laptop and we watched it in his air-conditioned office in English....On Sunday we also baptized Nadja, Marcia´s mom. It was good...



Nadja's Baptism
April 1, 2012

  I am going to try and baptize weekly until I go home, just that we don’t have anyone for this week... we are working with a super cool kid named Rafael who is the brother of the relief society president... he is really interested in serving a mission. We are also teaching a girl named Eliene; those are the 2 people that are progressing the best. We’ve gotta find new investigators this week.





Transfers were this week. Me and Elder Rowland are both staying in the area. I´m glad... one elder from our house was transferred... and only 2 from our zone were transferred. They had a big emergency transfer in the middle of the transfer and so everything was done last week.

Elder Rowland made 6 months.


Elder Rowland 6 months, burning of the tie!




Elder Ludlow 6 weeks left
Elder Rowland's been out 6 months


As of tomorrow, I´m the oldest missionary in the mission... crazy! and this is a short transfer, just 5 weeks.



Still no package.

My tooth is good; it´s fine since they glued the crown back on...

I´m doing good... just trying my best to focus on my mission and have fun...

Today for p-day we went to center and my comp sent letters and we revealed photos for our baptisms... it was okay. I want to have fun on my last 4 pdays...

The kids sitting next to me are SOOOO annoying in the lan house... I´m about to whoop these punks...

But yeah that’s what´s up here... hope everyone´s doing good!!!!!

Love, Bradley

Happy Birthday Dad!

Date: March 26, 2012

Area: Bebedouro, Alagos

Companion: Elder Rowland

From Sacramento,  California


Hey family!!!


I´m having a good time this week! This week we had ward conference, so we spent most of the week visiting less-actives and inviting everyone... the ward had a goal to double the attendance. Normally we have 60ish people so the goal was 120. We had 140 at church so it was a huge success!!!! There were a lot of investigators. Also Presidente and Sister Gonzaga went... in my gospel principles class there was like 30 people President and Sister Gonzaga went... so it was pretty intense. but it was good...



And after church yesterday we baptized a girl name Marcia. We will baptize her mom and maybe this other girl that went to church yesterday next week. The baptism went well, she was really excited.


Marcia's Baptism




Ummm...I´m doing good, this week is the last week of the transfer! Then we have a short five week transfer... my last. it´s definitely getting harder to focus but I´m still going strong... I kinda feel like my trunkyness is making Elder Rowland trunky... poor guy, I never had a comp that was about to go home, it would be hard I bet. But he´s coming along great in the language and is an awesome companion. I dunno if he´ll be the one to "kill" me, but it´d be cool if he did...



This area is just pure hills and craziness... most of the area is like favela, just on the hill with no legit roads or anything, so its super hard to find houses... plus around here the people put whatever number the feel like on their house so there’s no order... but I´m liking it the leadership and the bishop are really good... and there´s some cool members..

That´s cool Brian came up for a while... congrats bubs on the race! That’s sick he won a board!

I hope Brookie does good in softball.



but yeah not much else... today we took the train to center its actually nice. only 50 cents....

I think next week my comp and I are gonna go to a Rodizio Churrascaria and eat... since one of us might get transferred...



But yeah... I´m doing good learning and growing every day and thankful and I´m glad to be here doing the Lord´s work!!!!!



Love you all

Elder Ludlow

Dad!

Happy birthday!!! here in a few weeks I´ll give you your birthday hug... lol. I´m great here and loving my mission. I hope that work and everything is going great and that you have an awesome birthday! wow you´re 44 old man! hope you can keep up with me when we go hunting this year! just kidding!
You´re a great dad and I´m so lucky to have you in my life!

Love, Bradley

50 More Days!

Date: March 19, 2012

Area: Bebedouro, Alagos

Companion: Elder Rowland

From: Sacremento, California



My District





Hey Fam!!!!
This week was pretty good!!!

We´re working with a few cool people.


This week on Thursday I got a call from President Gonzaga at 6 am he told me I had to go to the hospital and stay there with my zone leader that was super sick, so I went and spent the whole day with him while his comp went home and slept and stuff.... but yeah he´s a super cool kid he´s going home in 2 weeks and is just chillin until then at the secretaries house till then... but yeah besides that we´re working with a small group and trying to find new investigators.... today for pday I bought a hammock and some other stuff, we ate Açaí, and that’s about it, we´ll probably go home and clean the house... and tonight we have a family night...


It sounds like the kids are all doing good, I hope Brookie likes softball... and thanks bubs for the video! You´re getting hecka good at longboarding!!! It´ll be good for you guys to have Brian around for a few days!

That´s cool that Bubb’s is racing, and doing good!!!! That’s awesome I can’t wait to go watch....


It´s super-hot here today!!! I got fried when we went downtown!!!



But yeah I’m doing good!!!! Just trying to finish strong and not think about how soon my mission ends!!!! I´ve been working out trying to get kinda in shape before I go home, but I hecka have a gut!!!!



We have ward conference this week; Presidente Gonzaga will go... it should be good...



Not a whole lot else, just a normal week in the mission, my recent converts are doing awesome here!!!!!
 It makes me so happy to see them progressing in the gospel....


But yeah, that’s about it!!! Love you guys!!!!!

Love Bradley!

We baptized Kerline and Claudya

Date: March 12, 2012

Area: Bebedouro, Alagos

Companion: Elder Rowland

From: Sacremento, California



View of Sunset from our house
March 7, 2012


Yo FAM!!!!


Hey everyone, this week was really good here in the Bebedouro ward! We baptized Claudya and Kerline on Tuesday night it was really good! They were excited and are doing well! We confirmed them yesterday. They are going to be really strong members of the church. It is so awesome to see people grow and build their testimony.




Kerline and Claudya Baptism
March 7, 2012



We also are working with a few other people, this week we got quite a few references from members and have been teaching these people... we had 3 investigators at church and we´re working with a few others, so we should be able to baptize a lot of people this transfer. We also went to my last area yesterday and saw a girl I taught and baptized; it was cool to see everyone!!!

Today for p-day we´re just planning on chillin and cleaning the house, probably eat açaí again, and maybe go throw a football around. but we´re not going anywhere fun or anything today... it´s been super rainy these last few days, our power went out because of the rain last night... but it´s nice that it´s finally starting to cool down!

That´s crazy that Kelsi Baldwin is home and that grandma is getting home this week! They both left after me, so that’s weird...

Thanks for sending me bubba´s video, I like to see those! He looks good with short hair!!!!! And thanks for sending one more package!!!!

I hope that Brian is doing good!!! That work is okay and everything... how are the kids???

I love you guys!!! Just 2 more months and I´m home!!! But for now I´m here working hard and having fun!!! I´m super grateful for my mission and being able to save some souls!!!



Love Elder Ludlow

I'm going to work harder then ever!

Date: March 5, 2012

Area: Bebedouro, Alagos

Companion: Elder Rowland

From: Sacremento, California

Hey guys!!!


This week was pretty good!!! we spent a lot of time getting these people ready for baptism, cuz when their family found out they freaked... their family is super Catholic and doesn’t like our church, but they got their answer and so we´ll baptize them tomorrow night.... we really had to work hard to get them to be baptized, but their family is a little better with it now... but one of them moved so it´ll be Claudia, 27 and Kerline, 22 they are way good people.

But we´re doing good here! For pday we went to center, went down by that beach with the flags, I bought a few things to take home... and we ate Açaí today I’m addicted! That’s good it’s finally snowing there a little bit.

So we also had zone conference this week with presidente... it was good I like zone conference a lot!!! We learned a lot of things from President Gonzaga; one quote I liked that he said is more or less: to be exalted, we have to be willing to make sacrifices. The same kind of sacrifice that Abraham was willing to make.

When he said that I decided that I am going to give the last of my mission, I am going to work harder than ever... it’s going by so fast I got to baptize and learn a lot before it’s over...

I also gave my farewell speech! It was crazy but I feel like it went well!

I’m doing great here love you guys!!! I hope all the kids are doing good I think about you guys all the time, especially as the time gets closer!!!

Love you tchau!!!!

Elder Ludlow

I got my flight itnerary to fly home!

Date: February 27, 2012

Area: Bebedouro, Alagos

Companion: Elder Rowland

From: Sacremento, California



Vanessa's Family and Missionary's
2-20-12



Hey guys,


This week was super slow, carnaval was crazy and the people didn´t want to really hear anything... just party. But we are still teaching Claudia, Kerline, and Clarissa. I think we will baptize them this week... they are progressing really well, love the church, and love us... they are just kind of nervous about baptism, but we´ll see... they are quitting coffee and agreed to live the commandments so I´m excited... but other than that it was a slow week, we´re going to have to work super hard this week.

We also had a ward activity, it was like famous people night and they danced and sang etc... It was cool...

Today for p day we went to the center and met up with a bunch of Elders... it was cool... then we went home and relaxed for a while... Our new roomate is  Brazilian and has an American football so we went in the field by our house and played around. We blew all the kids mind... they had never even touched a football so we played with them for a while... probably like 8 kids around  13 or 14 years old... Super funny to watch them throw.

Zone conference this week, I think I´ll give my farewell testimony because it’s my last one.

And that’s nuts I got my flight plans!!!



2-26-12


But that’s about it... doing good!!!
Love you all! I know the church is true and God loves us!!!

Elder Ludlow



2-25-12



2-26-12



Carnaval

Date: February 20, 2012

Area: Bebedouro, Alagos

Companion: Elder Rowland

From: Sacremento, California

Hey guys!!!

This week has been okay!!! Carnaval is CRAZY in my area... Last night it was pretty nuts, everyone partying and dancing in the streets, men dressed up like women all over the place. Throwing flour and eggs at each other... so we haven´t really been finding new investigators, just working with who we have... this week we´ve been working a lot with a family of 4 women. We took them all to church this week and marked 3 of their baptisms for the 3rd of May. But they still have a lot of doubts and stuff... but their way cool and progressing well. The bishop of my ward is super cool, he served in salt lake a while back... he gave an awesome gospel principles class about baptism this week that I think helped them out a bunch. I feel like it was really a miracle that we´re teaching them, they came up and asked us about the church... we´ve also been working with that family we were going to marry but the dad has been drinking a bunch... so I don’t know, we´re trying with them... Carnaval is today and tomorrow and then we can go back to working hard and finding new investigators, but people just wanna drink and listen to music right now...

Transfers are this week, I stayed with Elder Rowland, and Elder Gomes got transferred from the house... so we´ll be getting a new roommate tomorrow...


Later today I´m going up to Paraíso to visit Vanessa and Eliene´s family. I´ll see Elder Araujo before he gets transferred..


We went to center to go to the market and everything was a ghost town because of carnaval. So next week we´re gonna go back.

But not a whole lot going on besides this... we´re doing good... I´m studying a lot and learning every day!!!
 I love the scriptures and talks from the Liahona...
Love you guys be safe!!!
Bradley

I´m having a blast on my mission

Date: February 13, 2012

Area: Bebedouro, Alagos

Companion: Elder Rowland

From: Sacremento, California

Hey guys!!!

This week was pretty good; we didn’t do the marriage license thing. Lorinildo the dad decided that he didn´t want to get married or baptized. I think he waas drunk when we passed by and he was drinking yesterday when we were there. The work is a little rough because carnaval is this coming week and people are already starting to party. It sucked the kids were super sad. We´ll keep working with them and try and help him to stop drinking. He has a testimony but just has some problems... but we found a few people to teach... we are teaching that familie´s neighbors... they have 2 kids but the parents aren’t married. There´s also some people that have been going to the other elder´s English class from my area... they seem super cool and interested but we marked to go by tomorrow to teach them...

So yeah Carnaval.... this area should be pretty dang crazy and different than last year. Last year I was out in the sticks. Now I’m in the middle of Maceió... it is gonna be rough...

Today for p day we went to center and just walked around and checked everything out... it was fun but I got fried.. It was cool we met up with some other elders.

This week we went and painted a house the paint here is so weird, and the brushes. It took forever then we helped them move in I´ll send a pic. The members are cool in this area, and they help us out a bunch.

This week is transfers I´m like positive I´ll stay here with Elder Rowland. Then I only have 2 more transfers. It’s flying by!!!



I´m so glad Trevor and Micah got sealed this week, that made me way happy.

I´ll start buying some souvenirs and stuff because next pday we want to go to this market that sells that kind of stuff. What do you guys want me to get you???

But okay I love you all, I´m doing great and my testimony is growing so much!!!! I´m having a blast on my mission



Love you all Bradley