June 22, 2015

Not a lot to report this week. All is well in Memphis; we are working and now are starting people progressing. The members are working more with us now that we are a little more established in the area and we are even starting to get some members that are giving us referrals. Sunday they 2 minutes before sacrament meeting started they asked me to give my "farewell" because one of the speakers did not show up. Henderson will be doing his next week. My last district meeting will be this Tuesday. After that I will be on exchanges until Friday. So this next week is going to be a busy one. But we are hoping we can baptize Josefina, who has been investigating for some time now, and the sisters investigator Neftali has asked that I would baptize him this Saturday Which is my last P-day in the mission. I pray that is all goes well and that everyone is doing well. 

I will see ya when I see ya.

June 15,2015

So the story of the week. I was walking out of the sacrament meeting this week I looked over at the glass doors that lead into the church and saw a drunken man walk in. Next thing I know I am leading a drunk man though gospel principles. It was an experience needless to say we do not reject any to come among us. But we got Miguel out (our imposable to find investigator) that was a small and he is coming to church but lives with JWs so we can’t see him. And Josefina who lives with super strong Catholics who don't want us to come over. But I guess that is the work. We are hoping that one of them will be able to be baptized this month before I go. We spent the day at the Memphis zoo which was sweet. I will show y’all the pictures when I get home. 

Kapishka was really good. On the way back on the bus some missionaries set a date with the driver and then we had a short testimony meeting it was a very good experience. I hope it goes good. 

Love yall. 

Elder Ludwig

June 8, 2015

The people we have been working with have not been as committed as we would like. We ask them to come to church with us and they say yes, but sometimes yes means maybe or not so much. But we did get 3 people to church. We also hit our goal with our district and had four baptisms in May.

So the  ipads are here and have been handed out finally. Everyone but Elder Henderson and I have them in my district. They have been telling us we would get them for over a year now, so we have been really excited about it. Now that they have finally gotten them handed out I’m in my last transfer along with a few other Elders so we won’t be issued one. 

President Wakolo came to the Spanish branch this last Sunday. He wants to start to learn Spanish. Then we had a brake the fast as a branch. 

So this Friday we will all be going off to little Rock again. Elder Kapishka is coming to the mission again and they chose to move everyone over the river for it so we will be taking another long bus ride over the river. I don't think we will be getting back until around 8:00 that night. Yet it should be a good meeting. 

Not much more to report. Love y’all

June 1, 2015

More than anything this week was exhausting. I feel like God just wants to make sure I stay on my toes and so he keeps sending more and more stuff for me to work with. This week we have been on bikes, and trying to find some of the old investigators. Wednesday, we drove to Little Rock and had a mission wide meeting. Elder Zwick and he talked about the iPad’s that the missionaries will be getting next week on Thursday (I will not be getting one since I am going home so soon). It is still sad that I don't get to keep mine but I feel like I am getting over it. 

2 baptisms in the branch which means my district hit its' goal!   I am praying that we will get the chance to baptize this month and that we can hit our goal again for my last month. 

This week for us has been mostly finding. I have been trying to show Elder Fortie how to get around, when at the same time trying to find the people that the other Elders had been teaching which I am finding is much harder than I thought. We did get a referral from the church offices we are praying that it will turn out cool. But I guess more on that next week. Sorry not a lot more to tell y’all.

May 25, 2015

Back home again... no not that home.

Memphis Spanish South, the place I started my mission, and now I am white washing it with my friend Elder Fortie.... we have only known one another over the phone so I called him phonetie but I really like him. He is a good guy and I have a feeling we are going to have a good time here. It is nice because we both know the members he was the one that I replaced with I got put in Memphis north. But I get to eat with the Benitez ever week. (Yes mom that was the guy you didn’t know that added you on Facebook) 

This last week we’ve been running around trying to find all the people that the other Elder’s had been teaching before. And now we are going to be on bikes trying to make a new teaching pool. But it was sweet yesterday I had the chance to find a less active that I had met with when I was serving here last time. I am hoping that we can help to reactivate him. 

Not a lot more to report this week. I am doing well. Wednesday we will be going over the river to Little Rock. Jardine and I are going to party over on the bus that they are getting. (He is in Memphis midtown now) 

Love y’all

Kevin

May 18, 2015

Well after 6 weeks in the north of Memphis they are moving me down to Memphis South

3305 W. Monticello Circle 

Memphis TN 38115

 I already know where I am going.... it is going to be 6 weeks of a lot of work but I am excited to pull strong to the end. 

This week we have had a lot of good lessons we did see Alvaro again and set a baptism date with him for the 30th of this month. I feel bad about not being able to be at the baptism because I will be leaving the area. This week at church a guy showed up randomly to sacrament meeting. Elder Henderson and I talked to him. He was on YouTube and saw the Joseph Smith movie and wanted to know more so he looked up what time the Spanish branch was. He stayed for 2 hours and then had to go but he really liked it. 

Love y’all

Elder Ludwig

May 11, 2015

Most of you talked to me yesterday and know what I am up to and that I'm doing great. So this week I will just send some pictures.

6 pack

Bellevue Baptist church in Memphis

Thanks for the mail

district meeting

ties from a new member

Ludwig and Asay

May 4, 2015

The Festival was fun I got to meet people from all over central and South America from Brazil to Colombia, Mexico to Argentina. It was a lot of fun and the whole district got to be there. It is really nice to see that the Spanish district is starting to have a comeback. We have a lot of hope for the month of May. East did have the baptism... Juan baptized Jesus. Yesterday The RS spread around that it was my birthday and so some of the members brought some gifts and Sister Perez the branch president's wife made a cake. Not to mention we had a break the fast and bunch of people came. In the middle of it one of the members came up to me and my companion and told us that her boyfriend wants to get baptized.... and he lives in our area!

This week we are going to the Memphis pyramid where the Bass pro shop is. It’s one of the biggest bass pro shops in the world. Right out next to the Mississippi river. Then back to work.

Sean Gilmore delivered cupcakes from Karli

Sister Perez made a cake for Kevin 

April 28, 2015

This week in the life of elder Ludwig,

It was a pretty normal week. We had lots of exchanges with the other Elders. I feel like I spent more time in other areas then I have my own area this week.  This Saturday we are going out to downtown Memphis for the Latino festival. The East Elder’s should be having two baptisms, which is long needed for the branch. We are working hard to find new people to teach and we have had a lot of help from the members in teaching tonight we are going over to a member named Sister Hunts for a FHE with some of our investigators. We are hoping that they will be able to come and all will be well.

Love y’all

Kevin​

April 20, 2015

This week has been a stressful one. They want to move us to a new location. Down to the middle of Memphis close to the University we are still waiting on everything to go though. So it may not happen for some time. 

We are working with some cool people and have had to do a lot of walking because we did not have a car this week... so it was a lot of finding new people and trying to see the people that we have met before. Enrique and Angelica are some of the coolest that we have. She is from El Salvador and He is from Mexico, the want to be baptized but they need to work out the marriage stuff first. But the other Elders that share the area with us (Henderson and Heaton) should baptize this week end. This is the First time that I have been close to Henderson sense the time that I left the MTC. To the look of it we could die next to each other. Love y’all

Kevin Says he likes his "dogs shaking" calendar better than this one.

April 13, 2015

So I am back in Memphis

2481 Crescent Glen #211
Memphis, TN 38133

I am with Elder Geddes who is also from Utah. I am working in the North part of Memphis so yes I am actually in the Cordova area I am in Sean's Church building right now. The only problem is that I am in the Spanish branch and we don't really work in Cordova because it is a pretty rich part of town and there are not that many Hispanics there. 

This is the first time in my mission that I have been close to the same area as Elder Henderson My MTC companion. It is strange to be back here. Yesterday at church it was cool to see that some of the members still remember me. There are a few new people and some of the old members have left, or changed to the English wards. 

You asked what I wanted for my birthday. I think it would be best just to wait until I get home so I can have something to wear. My jeans are almost dead and I have worn my Ragnar shirts every p-day for the last 2 years. Some nice clothing would be good. 

Hope y’all are doing well. Love ya

April 6, 2015

So Sunday Morning.... we got the call. Yes I will be leaving Hope this Wednesday. It has been a long hard run but it has been something that I will not forget... It looks like I could be going to Little Rock or Batesville. I am hoping for Little Rock so that I can stay Spanish and not have to worry about teaching English. Not a bad week end for us we have been working hard to get new people to teach and to get members with us. The Milton’s the senior couple in Hope has been a huge help in trying to do that.... because they are the members that we can get to help us. I got a Hunting Bow! We were doing some service for a member building a porch and he had an old hunting bow hanging up. I asked if he did bow hunting. He told me no and that someone had given it to him so he gave it to me... I have no idea how to get it home but I guess I have a bow now... 

Also I got to learn how to steam a floor... it was a really bad floor trust me. But we have had a lot of good times.

So a sad day has come... Sister Peterson, Goudie, and Elder Meyers are going home. Strange that I can recall when the sisters came out. 

Happy day the sealing power was restored in our dispensation!

March 30, 2015

So this week has been one of a lot of finding. We are kind of starting our teaching pool over because we were starting to get a lot of non-progressing people we love them but we really felt we had to pause them for their own good. For the most part the rain has held up and we have had a pretty dry week but we are hearing that it will be coming in tonight and tomorrow... we don't get a car until Wednesday. 

So I have been having some problems with my leg for the last week. I called the mission nurse and she thinks that I may have strained it. She has me taking a lot of ibuprofen to try and help it. 

We had interviews with president this week... it sounds like I will be leaving this transfer but we are still not sure yet if I will or where I could be going. It looks as if it will be Memphis or Little Rock. But we will see. 

 Love y’all

Kevin

March 22, 2015

It was a hard week for us.... and I am going to leave it at that.

we have been having non-stop rain for the last few days today is the first clear day but Wednesday it is going to get cold and wet again. Down to the 40's... not what you want to hear when you are going on bike week. 

We did some service this week for a member who lives about 40 miles out in the middle of nowhere.... we helped him set up his Ham radio (pictures I sent) it was a 50' pole with a 40' antenna thing on top No I have no idea how much he spent on it. 

Teaching has been going pretty slow it has been hard to find people lately and a lot of the people that we have been teaching are leaving or have left the city. Which makes things hard. We pray that things improve this coming week

One week to go before Klarissa is my only single sibling left... and scout and ranger if you want to count them.

March 16, 2015

So you wanted to know who I am teaching, so there is a guy named Westley K. who is really cool, his wife has diabetes really bad and so it is hard for her to come to church but he will come when he can. He showed me how to make real Kool-Aid; we are hoping he will show us how to make lemon-aid next.

Kim is a lady who we actually met through teaching her cousin. We set a date with her Kim.She is in little rock right now but should be coming back soon Her cousin Tiangela and Tiangela’s husband Justin just lost their child. This last week has been extremely hard on them and difficult to contact them. The funeral service was Sunday so we are hoping to get to visit with them. 

We are also teaching a few other people that come in and out. We have a Recent convert named Ja'Bre also He is about 17 and was baptized in October. 

This last week has been a hard one, We have been all over trying to pull things together to get a baptism but it is looking like we are going to have to push it back. Elder Tucker and I have had some crazy stuff happen, One day we just got a feeling we had to go see Justin and Chelsea and see how things were going.... we got to the door and we heard someone yell "Where are your Mormons now?" that is when we knocked... God tends to send us to places just in time every time. 

So we finally got word on the IPads.... they come in May, and anyone that is going home before November does not keep them. So in other words I will get an Ipad for one transfer of my mission and then will have to give it up.

love y’all 

Elder Ludwig

 

Deep fried Twinkies, Peeps and Baby Ruth....out of this group of fried things the Baby Ruth was the best.

March 9, 2015

Let me take you though the this week in the Life of Elder Ludwig....

6:30 (like a boss) 

Wake up (like a boss)

Take a shower (like a boss)

after workout (like a boss)

Do some studies (like a boss)

Preach the gospel (like a boss)

JW's knock our apartment (like a JW)

they see the name-tags (not like a boss)

we get rejected (like a boss)

go out teaching (like a boss)

knock some doors (like a boss)

get rejected (like a boss)

walk passed a house (like a boss)

have a kid say "hey mom! Hey mom look white folk!" (like a boss)

have some lessons (like a boss)

set some dates (thanks to God)

Have dinner (like a boss)

more teaching (like a boss)

find Less actives (like a boss)

Be spiritual!

Go home (like a boss)

text in (like a boss)

do some planning (like a boss)

have call ins (like a boss)

Brush my teeth (rinse and floss)

say some prayers (like a boss)

Go to bed (because I am exhausted...)

Repeat...

March 2, 2015

It was a cold week here in South West Arkansas; we have been walking which did not help. But I guess that is the work. 

We finally got the chance to see Jabre one of our resent converts and try to get him out to church. He said that he was going to come this coming Sunday so that is what we are praying for. We also got the chance to go out to a city called Nashville which is more north west of us and try to find some referrals that we got out there. We met a lady named Denise Hill who is really cool and we are hoping that we will get the chance to go and see her more when we get the car back tomorrow. I will also get to go on exchanges and leave the area for the first time in over 8 months. I will be going to Camden, AR. 

Hope y’all are having a good time we should be getting more snow Wednesday so I am hoping that y’all are getting some of the water too. Love ya

February 24, 2015

This week was a long week for us but it ended well. We had a lot of problems with the cold weather and also finding people home.... a lot of the homes that we would try we just got nothing. We are hoping that as we go on bikes this week that we have better luck. Elder Tucker and I will be staying together for another transfer in Hope and we feel that we should be able to baptize which here is well needed. They need someone solid right now that they can start to prepare to take leadership. 

J and C are in Texas with C’s Grandma who is having some health problems the night before they left we did not plan to go see them because they had seemed to be getting shady and ignoring us. Elder Tucker got a strong feeling that we had to go see them. We ended up having a really powerful lesson with them and got the chance to set dates with the whole family. We are going for the 22nd of March. C even chose to come to church before they left and she had a really good experience and said how if she had the faith to keep her grandma alive she can have the faith to quit smoking. 

Love all y'all 

Elder Tucker

Pocket sized church building

fried burger

February 16, 2015

Thanks for all the letters. It was nice to hear from yall. Here in Hope the work goes on as it ever has. We have had somewhat of a strange week as we had to stop a relationship from falling apart and someone from going to jail but I guess that is all part of the Job. 

We are starting a read the book of mormon in 30 days with Justin, Chelsea, and Kylie and so far it is going really well. Chelsea told us yesterday that they had only smoked on cigarette and that replacing smoking with the Mormon book(as they call it) was working(that was the original Idea). We also got people to come to church! Brother Kirby another one of our investigators came and hit off really well with the stake leader that was there we actually right after Church left with Bro. Kirby and ray(the guy from the stake) to give sister Kirby a blessing. He really wants to know if this is the true church and not make the wrong choice. they have had bad experience with that. Also Chelsea, Kylie, and Justin's sister's kids came to church also. Justin had to help his sister get ready for the ice storm. but it was really nice to have some people there to show the branch we can. 

love y'all

Kevin

February 9, 2015

Life in Hope is very different from my other areas. It is kind of a mix of Russellville and Danville but just take out all of the members. We teach mostly English people because Elder Tucker is an English missionary and we are right now trying to get people you would be able to become leadership in the branch. Right now we have about 6 implants in the branch. Including the Branch pres., RS, and mission leader. But we are working hard to get something going. We are right now teaching a family. J and C with J's daughter K, and sometimes his dad T. They are a super cool family but they have also gone through a lot of hard trials. Hope is kind of a dying town so a lot of the people here are kind of a rough upbringing. Justin and Chelsea were going to come to church but they had a family emergency when T (j's dad) found out his mom was dying. But they are planning to come next week. They want to change so badly and they would be so key in getting a other people to come out to church. 

We have hit a warming trend here in the south. We are about mid 70's today. I don't know how long it is going to last us but we will enjoy it as we have it. I wish y'all well

Kevin

January 26, 2015

Ok, yes I did get moved again. I am in Hope, AR now. Hope is the Birthplace of President William “Bill” Clinton. We are 50 miles away from the nearest missionaries.

 The branch building could fit inside our house... there is about 30 active people but it has a cool story. The stake president was going to close the branch but had a dream and heard a voice that said "what about my people in Hope" so we have 8 months to get the branch to shape to hold itself.

 I am with Elder Tucker who is from Idaho Elder Tucker has been out for about 6 months. We are hoping for some miracles here. The area really has a lot of potential. I don't have any food (that is what happens when you get moved at the end of the month... twice.)

We are going to make some stuff happen here in Hope. We are going into bike week and for the most part it looks like good weather so we want to try and find some leadership for the branch that we can baptize. 

I am praying for y’all

January 19, 2015

So I am back in Jonesboro, to explain.... Elder Meza and Elder Salazar can't drive but they got put together at transfers because Pres. did not know this. When they found out these two Elders had been put together and neither of them could drive they had to make a last minute change. I was walking outside and one of the APs walked up to me and asked me to come with him and I go into Presidents office. President asked me if I would be willing to go to Jonesboro with Elder Meza in order to solve the driving problem... I holding in my happiness said yes then ran and told Elder Jardine (who I served in Jonesboro with) Jardine half wanted to punch me and half was happy for me. He really wants to come back to Jonesboro. Elder Meza and I are both Spanish Elders but they have a set of Spanish Elders serving in Jonesboro already so we have been put over the English area, but we can teach Spanish Still... (I would not give up Spanish). It is nice to be back. There is a lot of work to do. Elder Meza is from LA but his parents are from Guatemala. We have done a lot of walking and a lot of finding. You asked about my investigators... well we are working on that. I love y’all and hope you are all doing well.

Kevin