December 14, 2016 Letter from Soster Holbrook's Mom

Hello Sister Ludlow ;o)

I wanted to tell you how wonderful and awesome you have been for the months we have known you.

You have been an AMZING trainer for Mille and I will ALWAYS hold you dear to my heart! THANKS for giving her a GREAT and AWESOME start to the mission and THANKS for LOVING her and teaching her. YOU are AMAZING!! We LOVE you and we are so grateful for you!! 

Happy Holiday and know you are LOVED and will be MISSED by Mille, My parents and us :o)

HUGS,

Momma Holbrook ;o)

From: Sarah Grace Ludlow <sarah.ludlow@myldsmail.net>

Subject: Re: Only one pic Mille this week!

Date: December 19, 2016 at 7:53:43 AM MST

To: Ann Holbrook <annsholbrook@gmail.com>

Mille was the best companion I could ask for! If I love her this much just as her trainer, I can't imagine how much you love her! thank you for letting me steal her for a few months. I learned so much from her and she changed my life. I love you and I am so excited to meet you in person so that I can give you a BIG HUG and say TUSIND TUSIND tak fordi din datter er verdens bedste missionær og venin. håber at I får en glædelig jul og super nytår :)

From: Ann Holbrook <annsholbrook@gmail.com>

Subject: Re: Only one pic Mille this week!

Date: December 19, 2016 at 3:15:43 PM MST

To:  Crysi Ludlow<bonksbox@comcast.net>

Wow what a daughter you have. She made me cry of gratitude!!

Thanks for raising her like this!!

December 12, 2016 Transferred to Roskilde

Sorry y'all, but i have basically no time left, so this is way quick! 

I got transferred out of Amager, and am now in Roskilde with a Spanish sister named Søster Acosta and she is from Spain!  We were comps in the MTC for a couple days! Roskilde is super great but my heart hurts when I think about my little Amager Branch... sniff. 

Before I left we went to Tivoli and a sweet family made me a birthday cake!

We went carolling a couple nights ago! people looked at us like we were crazy because they don't do that in Denmark, but it was fun. Just spreading the christmas cheer :)

I went to Tivoli with søster holbrook, which is a way old amusement park and it was so cute and i loved every second of it. Everything is nuts for Christmas, but I love it all because I LOVE CHRISTMAS and the Savior and my mission!

Last thought: I heard a song this week that sang about how God likes broken things because when we feel broken is when he can make the most out of us. So if you feel like you are being broken, stretched, pushed, pulled, or cut back, it is because the Lord is getting ready to use you for something bigger. Just remember that :)

Thank you for all the birthday wishes and cards! You all are too sweet! I hope you have a good week! 

Love, Søster Ludlow

Merry Christmas From SØster Ludlow

December 5, 2016

Sent: Monday, December 5, 2016 9:24:41 AM

Subject: Don't take the Christmas out of the home

Hej everyone!

This week i learned that if you are in a Danes house at Christmas time
and they offer you food and you say no, that they get sad because you
are 'taking the Christmas out of their home'. in other words, they are
trying to be good, giving people and you aren't letting them, so suck
it up and EAT.
Don't worry, I always eat when they tell me to eat. but just so that
you all understand the struggle of trying to not get fat in Denmark.
Don't take the Christmas out of the home.

This week was fun! I opened up the Liahona to read Elder Ballard's
talk from conference, and I got a flashback from home! My uncle Tom
and cousin Jena were in the magazine! So shout out to them for being
in the right place at the right time! I also got a letter from my
incredible Grandma in Reno, and it made my day. Just so you all know,
I think about you all and I pray for you every day :)

We were out bonking doors the other day and we were having 0 luck, so
we started talking to some random older guy who was getting out of his
car.... he told us that he likes Christmas because it is when we
celebrate Jesus' birth. Our mouths dropped open. What! He talked about
Christ?! So we asked him if he had ever read about Christ's visit to
the American continent, and his eyes got all big and he said "..NO?!
Come back to my house and tell me about it!" So he walked us over to
his house and introduced us to his very elderly mother as "two Mormon
girls, just like how Donny and Marie were Mormon, so are they!".
Anyway, turns out that this man used to be a professional soccer
player and was so famous that he had to change his name so that people
wouldn't look him up and come to his house - also he has millions and
millions of dollars worth of art in his tiny apartment..... Rembrandt.
This man has REMBRANDT IN HIS OLD DANISH APARTMENT. But more
importantly, he was very interesting in learning about the Book of
Mormon. We are going back on Wednesday to talk to him about what he
read :) It just goes to show you - there is NO SUCH THING as
coincidence! The Lord puts us in people's paths for a reason and he
always gives us the chance to learn more about Him.

Can you all remember Ole, the old guy who blew his nose for 3 minutes
straight? Well, we meet with him once a week, and have been trying to
help him give up his addictions and come to church. and this week, HE
CAME TO CHURCH. We have been trying for weeks and weeks to get him to
come (which is very hard because he is in wheelchair, so someone from
the care home has to drive him out here), and this week, he got his
hair cut, shaved his beard, and came to church. When we saw that he
was there, I just started crying. I couldn't help it. He was just
sitting there in his wheelchair, alone in the chapel, crying. He has
cut down from 30-40 cigarettes a day to only 5, and even though it is
the hardest thing in the world for him to do, he is turning his back
on the world and turning back to the Savior. He is just so happy, and
he could feel the spirit so strongly. It was a testament to me
that God really does provide a way for us to accomplish the things
that He has asked us to do. I'm just incredibly grateful that I can
witness it happening in so many lives, even here in 'athiest' Denmark.
People can change - it just takes time and love. Love everyone you
meet, guys. Do everything you can. Just like the church's  new video,
LIGHT THE WORLD. Be a light. Pull someone out of darkness. I promise
that you will never regret it.

I hope you all have a great week! I love you and miss you all!

Søster Ludlow

Pretty much the fattest pigeons are in Denmark

November 28, 2016

Hello everyone!

 I hope that you all had a fantastic week :) Mine was incredible (as
always - its easy when you live in DENMARK.)

I got to go on splits with Søster Haag this week! That was really fun
to be with her again for a little while. It also was her birthday, so
we celebrated a little! Now that I think about it, we celebrated a lot
this week. I also hit my 6 months on the mission mark, so Søster
Holbrook  and I got some Pizza and ice cream to celebrate. It is weird
to think that this has been my life for 6 months. Time flies when
you're having fun on the Lord's errand!

Burning tights at my 6 month mark.....a mission tradition is to burn 

a clothing item (for Elder's it's a tie) at milestones.

So we have this investigator, his name is Mads. He has recently
decided that he was going to change his life around and stop all the
drug and alcohol misuse problems he has had his whole life. A couple
weeks ago, we committed him to pray - usually when we do this, people
will either not do it, or they will try once and call it good. But not
Mads! We met with him on Saturday, and he told us all embarrassed that
he had only prayed for the first week, and not the second.  I just
about lost my mind. He prayed every day for a week! without us asking
him too! and get this - he didn't know what to say, so he just said
prayers of gratitude. Is that not just the happiest thing you've ever
heard? He felt so lucky and happy this week that he wouldn't ask for
things, he only said thank you. He also came to church yesterday and
texted us afterwards saying thank you for the inspiring weekend and
that he was excited to keep meeting people in the church and to keep
learning. He likes our church :) People like Mads make mission life
worth it. They don't come around very often, but man.... they make us
happy.

I found this quote the other day in Sister Holbrooks training book and
thought it was so cool. it says "Worrying can be a way of mentally
practicing failure." WHAAAAAT. thats nuts! think of all the things
that we worry over! When we do that, we are preparing ourselves for
failure. When we worry, we limit our own capacity. When we worry, we
put the Lord's plan on pause and limit what he can do for us. I want
to challenge all of you to try and worry a little less. How? Read
Doctrine and Covenants 6 and then I think you'll find the answer. Be
grateful for what you have, and let the Lord speak peace to your mind
- it'll all work out. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving! I am
grateful for all of you and for this chance that I have to serve the
Lord! have a good week!

Søster Ludlow

'

Denmark is sooo beautiful!

Me and Sister Holbrook celebrating my 6 month on the mission mark with
the worlds 3rd best ice cream :)

November 14, 2016

Friends and Family of Sarah!

Sarah's birthday is coming up on DECEMBER 14th!  If you want to make her day - let's inundate her mailbox with birthday wishes!  Your wish will need to be mailed by December 1st to get there in time and here is the address - make sure you have 1 international stamp or 3 regular stamps on the letter (or get your letter to me and I will mail it!):

Søster Sarah Ludlow

Den Danske Mission

Borups Alle  1.tv

DK-2000 Frederiksberg

Denmark

Also - If you are mailing Christmas cards - would you mind dropping one in the mail to her for Christmas?  She would love to see and hear from you and feel your Christmas love!  Thank you and Lots of love!

Crysi

Hej y'all!

I hope that all is happy and well on that side of the pond! We've had
lots going on these last couple weeks. We set a goal as a zone that we
wanted to give out 1000 copies of the Book of Mormon before the
transfer is over. Just so you all know, that is a CRAZY number. But
that means that in our zone, we should be giving out 2 books every
day, sometimes 3.... it is hard and no, it does not happen all the
time, but man, does it motivate us!

Last week, we were knocking on a bunch of apartment buildings. The
doors were all outside and so we could be seen by everyone on the
street. We were standing in the doorway having a conversation with
someone, and we glance over our shoulder. What do we see?! TWO
JEHOVAHS WITNESSES. Standing there and staring and arguing over where
they should go next! haha! Take that! We sniped their knocking zone
and they ran away like puppies with their tails between their legs.
Talk about success! Another success story: We were knocking on some
houses a few evenings ago, and while we were waiting for one door to
answer, a woman walked by with her bike. She stopped RIGHT behind us,
on the sidewalk in front of the door. We felt a little awkward,
because we didn't know if that was her house or what. But she kept
walking and we moved on. Søster Holbrook kept looking over her
shoulder at the lady as she walked away. Finally, the lady turned the
corner and Søster Holbrook just looks at me and says "Should we go
talk to her?" I pondered it for a second, then picked up my bag and
just started running after the lady. Just picture us, 2 sister
missionaries booking it down a cobblestone sidewalk late at night with
endless copies of the Book of Mormon in our arms, chasing down a lady
with a bike. We followed her down the street, around the corner, and
then across the street. Søster Holbrook went up to her and tapped her
on the arm and started talking to her, despite the lady's many many
protests. We tried a couple more times to just talk or to give her a
card, and the lady said no and left. We just kind of stood there,
stared after her (panting from the run), and then began the walk back
to our bikes.

Why was that a success story, you ask? It was a success because we did
literally everything that we could to give her a chance to hear the
Lord's message for her. If we had walked away after Søster Holbrook
felt like we should have talked to her, then we never would have
known. It is so much better to try and fail, then to not try and never
know. So that was fun :)

The last thing that I want to share with you all is some thoughts from
Alma 37, verses 44-46. Here, Alma compares the Liahona to the
words/gospel of Christ. It was very easy for Lehi and his family to
simply look at the ball, believe, and follow the directions... and it
is equally easy for us to follow the right path. Why is it that even
though the path is laid out and the way is clear, we still get lost
onto the other paths? Why is it that we feel entitled to some
'grander' scheme, like Naaman in the Bible, and aren't content with
the simple and unchanging gospel that we have been given? I just want
to encourage all of you to stay focused on the goal. Do not become
slothful because of the easiness of the way. We already know who is
going to win this battle; we know which side we should be on. So show
it. I love verse 47 - "My son.... look to God, and LIVE."

I hope you all find a way to look to the Savior this week. He is
watching, He is waiting. Just look at Him, and you will begin to live.
I love you all and I hope that you have an incredible week and that
you laugh lots! Adios until next week!

MVH, Søster Ludlow

Unlike Utah - we got SNOW!  

November 7, 2016 No time to E-mail

I am really sorry, but I have the crappy computer today and we

have to go teach a lesson, and I do not have time for an entire group

email. I have lots of pictures and some good stories but they will

have to wait until next week :(

But it snowed today! Also our zone is going to give out 1000 copies of

the Book of Mormon this transfer. SO EXCITING.

Our family friends went to visit the Sisters-

Anna-Lene Leth and Linda and Ole Donati

She found a stick...all is well.  She's bringing lacrosse to Denmark!

She came out after an appointment and found a gift in her basket!

Snow arrives in Amager!

October 24, 2016

Hej folks!

This week was a whirlwind! We were at the Presidents house for Søster Holbrook's 30 day in training, and that was really good! We did a lot of practicing bold approaches with people, and man, it paid off! We finally found some apartments without buzz boxes (doorbells on the
outside of the building) and have been knocking those recently. we found several new investigators, and have started teaching a family from the Faroe Islands! they are already religious, and they told us that if we were ready to really help them and to be in it for the long run, so were there. In Roi's exact words "I'm game". It'll be exciting to see how things work out with them... Just another little miracle!

I also got a hold of some lacrosse sticks that were left behind by an elder. That's right, I'm bringing lacrosse to Denmark! I am really excited about that. You should have seen the members when they saw them... man. It was like I had brought a 3 headed lamb! It'll be fun
to see where that goes.

I was studying in Alma 12 this morning, and I read verse 10 and really kind of got a slap to the face. It talks about the difference in revelation between those with hard hearts and those with open hearts.  I just want to take a second to invite you all to ponder this idea...
If you have been praying for something; whether it is for a little miracle or for guidance with a problem, and you feel like you haven't been getting an answer - where is your heart? Because if your heart isn't really open to receiving the message that the Lord has for you,
he is going to wait. Sometimes we ask for guidance and then decide to do things our own way no matter what answer the Lord has - Just remember that He has promised that we will get an answer and help when we ask with SINCERITY and REAL INTENT. Without that, You might be waiting a long time for your answer.

Anyway, I love you all and I hope you are doing well! I'm so blessed to be serving here in Denmark and I love serving the Lord :) Have a good week and keep your head up!

Søster Ludlow

Here are a few pictures from training: