Sunday, January 20, 2013

Having Office Elders in your Districts is good for mail... (1/13/13)

Dear Family and Friends,

It has been a really awesome week here in Bacarra and in the Philippines area. It always seem that somethings that I really want to write about happens not long after I write the email on Monday, and I have to wait to write about it the next week. That's okay though because it gives me something to think about and plan for the next email. 

So Monday evening, Elder O and I went to teach the V Family. Bro. F is the employer of one of our other investigators who we have sometimes taught at his work during his break and F has listened in to our lessons. WE have taught F once and have set several appointment s to meet and teach his family but they have all fallen through until now. After our first lesson with him, about the Book of Mormon and how it can help us in our trials, he was really excited for us to teach his family. And apparently so was his wife. When we went Monday night she welcomed us warmly and was really excited. We taught basically the same lesson that we had taught to Fidel, using Mosiah 23-24. The Spirit was so strong in the lesson and Sister C was really touched by it. She was crying at the end of the lesson. They are our second family and they actually know a lot of members. WE arranged to bring one family with us who they know well the next time we taught, but had to reschedule our lesson. They are still excited to learn though and are very accepting of the gospel.

On Saturday we had the 2013 Philippines are Broadcast with the Area Presidency and it was awesome! Elder O and I weren't sure if we would make it. but lessons were canceled and rescheduled, so we figure that the Lord really wanted us to be at the broadcast. And it was great. The Presidency shared the goals for 2013, which are the same as for 2012, but with some new specifics to help focus the work. The Philippines area has made great progress in the last year but there is still room for lots of improvement and the Area Presidency is very focused. I also got some great personal advise from President Teh's talk. Much of it will actually be a great help both in my mission and after my mission for the rest of my life. 

Our first Baptism is coming up on the 26th of January. M is going to be baptized and she asked if i could be the one to perform the ordinance. I am really honored to be able to perform this ordinance and am grateful that the Lord is trusting me with this duty. SO I want to tell you a bit more about M asking me to baptize her. We asked her during our lesson of Saturday who she wanted to baptize her and she looked at Bro. C, Elder O and me in turn. When she looked at me she got this huge smile and pointed at me and said "Ikaw" (You in Tagalog). It's a great honor to perform the baptism, but it pains me a little that her father will not be able to baptize her. Perhaps this will be motivation for him to be ready and worthy to baptize his other children. Speaking of baptisms, that's awesome that P (from Elder R's home town) is being baptized. And on the same day I am performing baptism in the Philippines. that is no coincidence. Tell him congratulations for me.

Transfer week is not until February 27, but I already know that I am going to be staying in Bacarra to train. President Barrientos told me on Saturday that I would train and sty in Bacarra for another 3 months. I'm excited to have this opportunity, but I'm really nervous too. Bacarra is the district leaders area so I'll become district leader and trainer. I'm really going to need the Lord's help and lots of faith and prayers from me and from everyone. I feel very inadequate for this responsibility that is going to fall on my shoulders. I've only been here for less than three months. But I know the Lord will help me. 

I got the letters that were sent to me by the Wades, Prices and G'ma Morrow on Saturday. This is the reason for the Subject of the email. Thank you all for your letters and also for your emails. I wish I could respond to you all personally by email, but I can only write to my parents by email. So I'm going to try to write to everyone that sends me a letter or email a letter, even if it;s just a short note. Thank you all for your prayers and faith. May the Lord bless you as you fulfill your callings and serve Him. Mahal Kita!

Elder Wood  

Monday, January 7, 2013

The New Year (1/6/13)

Dear Family and Friends,

Welcome to 2013 everyone! I hope that everyone enjoyed the year 2012 and learned from their experiences of the past year. I know that I did greatly and I was very blessed to have the experiences that I did. Thank you to all of you who had a part in my life during 2012. From BYU to Aspen Grove to a few months in Fallon to beginning my mission it was all awesome! I encourage everyone to take some time to think about the events of the past year and set some goals and make some plans for 2013. And If you want some help with goals and planning, I suggest Preach My Gospel chapter 8. It's awesome!

SO This past week have been full of mixed events and emotions. We got to teach a ton, actually more than we have before, especially lessons where we have a member present. We still get punted  of course, but we got punted less last week than we ever had before. Some sad news though, we went to visit MA, one of our investigators, on Friday and found that that she had moved. She found a job down in Batac and left to start just a few hours before we stopped by. We're glad that she has a good job, but we are also sad that we are not going to be able to teach her anymore. She was progressing very well and was supposed to be baptized on the 26th. Luckily, Batac is still in the Laoag mission, so we are going to make sure that the Sister Missionaries there find out that MA is there now so that they can  continue teaching her. 

Some good news now, S accepted a baptism date for February 16. He is still getting some stiff opposition from the members of his church, but it really doesn't seem to be stopping him. He came to Church for the third time on Sunday and he really loves church. Another one of our investigators, P, came to church. I can't remember if I've told you about him before. He is an older man who has a daughter and granddaughter in law who are members. We've taught him several times and he finally came to church on Sunday. And the ward was awesome in welcoming him. Many of them remember his daughter who is a member and they talked to him and encouraged him to keep coming.

I hope that M. Wade reads this part. Everyone please make sure that he does. On Monday, a member of the stake presidency of the Laoag Stake invited our entire Zone to come to lunch to celebrate New Year. Elder O and I got there early and got to talk to him. He told us that he served down in Baccolod as mission president from 2006-2009. I asked Him if he remembers Elder Wade and he said he did! He remembers Elder Wade tying a flashlight to his head to do laundry once and that he was an awesome missionary. SO M. Wade, President Daquioag says hi! He is now living in Laoag. It was really a great experience.

Well I had better close this letter. We are in Laoag for pday to get support money which means that our time to do other things is cut a bit short due to the travel time. I hope you all had a wonderful New Year and are super excited for 2013. I know I am. We get so many blessings every day of every year from Heavenly Father and it is important that we think about the things that he has given us. Always acknowledge his hand in all things and he will bless you greatly. Thank you for all your prayers and faith. Mahal Kita! Kita Kits!

Elder RWood