4 Days, 4 Contracts (10/28/13)

Dear Family and Friends,

So this past week was not as bad as it seemed when I wrote last week. Elder P and I traveled all the way to Sta, Ana (the furthest area in the mission) and back on Wednesday and Thursday. We were doing mail drops and contract signing. Since we had to go all the way to Sta. Ana, we didn't arrive in Lal-lo until almost 7 in the evening. President doesn't want us to travel that far back at night, so we stayed the night in Allacapan with the Zone Leaders. We needed to get back to Laoag for district meeting though, so we  woke up at 3:30 and headed back. We got back to Laoag around 7 and had district meeting.

Later that afternoon, all four of us Office Elders traveled to Vigan to sign a contract. That was easy, since the owner of the apartment also owns 2 other apartments that we are renting for missionaries. We were in Vigan until late, since we went to the Hospital with some of the missionaries in Vigan to comfort a recent convert of the Sisters whose new born child had just passed away. I wont go into the details of the incident, but I will say that that hour in the hospital was one of the most spirit filled hours I have ever experienced.How blessed we are to have the restored Gospel in our lives. It is because of this that we know that there is a life after this life and those who pass on, whether young or old, are not lost but are now waiting anxiously to be reunited with their loved ones. And as for young children who die while still young, I only have to quote the words of the prophet Abinadi in Mosiah 15:25 "And little children also have eternal life" and the words of Mormon to Moron i in Moroni 7:22 "all little children are alive in Christ". Because of the Atonement of Christ, little children inherit the celestial kingdom. What a great comfort that is for those who must pass through such a trial! There will of course still be pain and sorrow, but Christ will take that if we let him. That is why he is our Savior, that is why he did all that he did. I know that with all my heart.

So in teaching news, the Sim family is on the course for marriage and baptism in December. The sisters in Laoag 1 ward are also working with two of their investigators towards marriage, in fact it is two investigators that I once taught. We had a meeting with Bishop Agustin, who will solemnize the marriages when the times come, and he instructed us on all of the things that we need to do to help them. It isn't to hard of a process, and we will be there with them to help them. Sister Sim seems to be more on-board this time then ever before, so we are positive that this time will be different.We are going to teach them later tonight since Tat was not there for our last lesson. We also just found out that one of our investigators is in Tarlac, but should be back next week.

Next week is transfer week, so everything is getting set for the increase of missionaries. There is going to be 24 new companionships, so we have a lot of work to do. It is going to be an eventful week. But nothing as tough as weeks that have come and gone. I love being part of this work. Keep it up with your own part in this work! Mahal Kita! Kita Kits!

Elder R. Wood

Certianty of Death, Small Chance of Success, What are We Waiting (part 2) (10/12/13)

Dear Family and Friends,

The title is a reference to this coming week and not to the past week. This past week was great. We had 9 new investigators, almost all of them found through our own efforts. The best of our new investigators though was a referral from the trainers and trainees during their Book of Mormon Placing activity a few weeks ago. After getting punted around on Wednesday, Elder M and I decided to give some referrals another try. One was Mar and when we texted and asked if we could come over, she said sure and we set for 6 pm. We arrived at 6 just as vehicle was pulling up to the house and a lady looked out at us and asked "Elder Wood?" It was a bit of a surprise but we went inside and started teaching. Turns out a few months ago Elder B and I talked with her and some of her employees during p day (one of her employees is a member). When she talked again with the missionaries a few weeks back, she could remember my name but not my face. So we are now teaching to them twice a week and she has a baptismal date for November 23. Just goes to show that the Lord blesses us for sharing the gospel anytime, in his own time and in his own way.

This coming week is going to be full of office work, hence the title of this email. I have to travel to both the north and the south and then do lots of finance work. The transfer is almost upon us again and this is going to be another big one. Tune in next time to hear more. I have been doing so much as a servant of Jesus Christ that I never expected to do. Driving, signing housing contracts, working at a computer. But just as President Barrientos is constantly reminding us, all of this is part of the work of salvation. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is no small thing and the Lord needs willing hands and hearts to move his work forward in every way possible. And that is the beauty of this work. No matter who receives what assignment the Lord is with them as they do his work. The scriptures, both modern and ancient are full of promises from a loving Heavenly Father to the laborers of his vineyard and all of them will be fulfilled. I have seen it in my service and there are countless other examples of it. As Elder Dube said in General Conference " Never look back. Look ahead at what we still have to do."

So in short, it has been a great week and the next one is looking up to be also. I love this work. I hope everyone had taken the messages from General Conference to heart and have set some goals and made plans to follow the teachings of the living prophet and apostles. There is one that has been mentioned by President Barrientos often in the past few days and that concerns Elder Ballard's talk. So I am going to leave this as my commitment to you all, to read or listen or watch his talk again and take his challenge. I promise you that as you do this the Spirit of the Lord will be poured out upon you and the way will open for you to take his counsel and challenge. Even if you do not see the way now, it will be opened for you. Mahal kita! Kita Kits!

Elder Ryne Warren Wood

(10/14/13)

Dear Family and Friends,

It has been a awesome week this past wee, one of the best in a while just due to the amount of proselyting we got to do. One of the things that made this week was Zone Training Meeting. We set some great goals for the month of October to help us meet the standards of excellence. One of them was 33 baptisms as a zone. There are 198 baptisms scheduled in the mission for the month November, so President Barrientos is really pushing all of us to get all of those goals turned into realities. Sadly, none of them are from Elder Morales and I, since we are just now starting to build up our investigator pool.

During ZTM we talked about doing more OYM (Open Your Mouth). For Elder M and i this has been a big thing that we have needed to improve one. We made a goal to find more people by talking to more people and it worked! One Thursday and Friday we went looking for our referrals and less-actives and we found so many people who are willing to listen to us. We have already started teaching a few of them. One of them is actually one of our referrals that we had contacted previously, but were unable to make a return appointment. I thought she looked familiar as we approached her house but i didn't make the connection till she told us her name. her and her husband are willing to listen, so we went back on Sunday. It was a good lesson, though unlike one I have ever taught before. There was also a missionary from a Pentecost Church there. At the same time. But we had something that he didn't have and that is the Holy Ghost to carry our message to the hearts of those listening. Leila was touched by the Spirit and accepted everything we taught. She also committed to read the Book of Mormon. We also set a return appointment with the Pentecost guy. Htat was a fun story to tell President and he got a kick out of it.

The best part of this week by far though was General Conference. This Conference was loaded with great talks, just as they all are. I agree 100% with what President Monson said about the Sunday Morning Session. President Barrientos did too, as he told us all to go straight out to work and use the sessions of Conference as our study time. It was that evening that we had the lesson with Leila. I especially loved President Utchdorf's talk during the Priesthood session about getting up when we fall. If there is anyone who has not yet read or hear that talk I recommend you do so. 

It really is a great blessing to have a living Prophet and Apostles on the Earth. That is one thing that I have really come to appreciate greater in this past week, both through conference and teaching. We have so much more peace and guidance in this world because of our knowledge and testimony about the restored gospel and all that it brings to our lives. Ansd as we follow these men who are called of God, we will be able to stand against all that comes in our way. I know that because I have experienced it.

Thank you for all you do. I want to encourage you all to review your notes on conference and the conference talks themselves. There is power in those words. Mahal Kita! Kita Kits!

Elder RWood

(10/7/13)

Dear Family and Friends,

Whew. Another week has come and gone in the Philippines Laoag Mission. And like most weeks, it has flown by and has been full of lots of work in the Office. I am still here. It has been a long time that I have been in the office and I still have a while to go. It is certainly a different experience here in the office than being out of the office. I love it though, especially the chance I get to serve other missionaries and work with President Barrientos.

We only had a few lessons this past week due to all of the work that has piled up in the office. One of the office Elders just had dengue, so we all had to rotate being in the office so that his companion could still get his office work done. We also did some traveling this past week, going to Vigan on Saturday to drop off furnishings at a new apartment for the new sisters there. Our mission currently has 199 missionaries and we are getting an increase of 25 in 4 weeks. man time has been flying so fast. I realized just a few days ago that I now have under a year left. That is such a crazy thought. 

WE did get one new investigator this week. His name is G. He was contacted by one of the trainers and trainees during their finding activity two weeks ago. They gave him a Book of Mormon, amd he has already read through 1 Nephi 7 and is probably even farther by now. He has a ton of questions for us and it was really tough for us to teach him when he is constantly throwing us questions. He asked a lot about the Book of Mormon, like why are Nephi and his brothers fighting each other a lot, why did Nephi have to kill Laban and why has he never heard of the Book of Mormon until he met the missionaries. We went to try to teach him yesterday, but he wasn't there. We will try again in the next few days and we have a set appointment with him for Friday. 

One of the things that I have come to love about missionary work is the opportunity to see my efforts come to fruit even when i am no longer in an area. I am still close to my first area and part of my old area, so I have been blessed to see the missionaries in those areas harvest. I have talked about P and F in Bacarra already, but there are a few more from here in Laoag that have just recently developed. Monique is being taught by the new sisters in our ward and is attending church and has a set baptismal date. Sister R attended in Laoag 1 ward for the first time this past week and has found a way to not work on Sunday. O is really into the lessons with the sisters and is reading and asking questions all the time. A missionaries and as members, we don't always know the extent of the results of our efforts to bring others unto Christ. But as we are doing the work of the Lord he has promised that our efforts will not be in vain. Imagine how many missionaries have taught and years later an investigator is baptized. how many home and visiting teachers have worked for years to help other return to the full blessings of the gospel they once enjoyed. It is my testimony that no effort in spreading the restored gospel is ever wasted. The Lord has his hand in his work and nothing can stop it. Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen,

Thank you for all of your support and work. I am excited for General Conference and the chance to hear the words of our living Prophet and Apostles. Oh how blessed we are in these last days! Kita kits!

Elder R Wood