Shaving+Thinking="Loathing" from Wicked? (11/30/12)

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been great! I have really felt the truth of the advise that President Hinckley's Father gave him, "Forget yourself and go to work". That is a great remedy for homesickness and lonelyness. And has it been easy to forget myself in the work. Elder O and I are both new to the area that we are serving in so we have had to work hard to get to know the area and the members in Bacarra. It is such a pretty area too. Lots of fields and in parts it's almost a jungle. We get some places using tricycles and jeepneys but mostly we walk which I think is awesome.

We have found a bunch of new investigators this week. We contacted two previous investigators. One, L, has been taking the lessons for a while and is married to a member. We went and taught them about the Restoration and invited her to be baptized on January 5. She accepted and on Sunday we talked to her husband. He holds the priesthood and wants to be worthy  and prepared to be the one to prefrom the baptism. We also contacted M, a nine year old in a part member family, who had a baptism date but it never happened. We reset her baptism for January 5 also. There was the Bac-Bacarra festival this week so it was a bit difficult to contact people on some days, but that did not hinder the work.

Finally, I want to share an experience of a referal that we recieved. We were teaching a member in Pasiocan, a very rural area and at the end we asked her for referrals. She thought for a bit then went inside to get a list of people in a club she was in. She came out and said she had thought of one, her daughter-in-law, who is not a member. We pullled out our planners to write down the information but she went inside. We were a bit confused until she came out with her daughter-in-law about twenty seconds later. We taught her the first lesson through Joseph Smith, invited her to pray to know if Joseph was a prophet and gave her a Book of Mormon. Referal recieved and contacted in about thirty seconds (fist pump!).

Thank you for all of your prayers and faith. You have all set such great examples for me and helped me a lot in preparing to serve the Lord. God be with you all till we meet again. Mahal Kita!

Sincerely,

ElderRWood

In Memory of Donald Hastings Wood (11/27/12)

*Side note* Elder RWood's grandfather passed away on Sunday, November 25. Grandpa had been very sick the last few years and Elder RWood knew Grandpa would not make it until RWood's return home. Grandpa and Grandma Wood also served in the Philippines back in the last '90s.
-ABice


Dear Family and Friends,
 SO I have officially been in the Philippines for five days and I love it here. In Manila, it didn't feel much different than parts of the US like California (except for the traffic. They are insane drivers here!) WE got to Manila on Wednesday morning and since we didn't fly to Laoag until the next morning, we got to go to the Manila Temple. It was a great experience. We arrived in Laoag Thursday morning and met the APs and President and Sister Barrientos. They are amazing, loving people. WE got to go out and place some Book of Mormons first thing after we arrived, which was tough but a great learning experience. WE had our interviews with President Barrientos and then had a Thanksgiving dinner which was amazing and very different from any thanksgiving I have had before. The next day we got our companions and areas. I am serving in the Bacarra area with Elder O. We are just a bit north of Laoag city. It is a very pretty area and the members are very helpful. In Five days I have had more foreign food that I have had in my entire life and I love Philippino food. The work is definitely not easy but is is very rewarding. I'm sorry if this email is not very long. I've discovered that I am not very fast or good at typing but I am going to get better (hopefully) and I am a bit overwhelmed with everything that has happened and I'm not entirely sure what all so say. I love the Philippino people and I have felt the had of the Lord in my life very much, both since I began my mission and since I have arrived in the Philippines. I know that He loves all of us and is watching over us. 
I'm going to miss you Grandpa Wood. Thank you for all that you have taught me, for your great example of missionary work and love. I know that you loved the people of the Philippines very much and you enjoyed your time serving them. We will meet again. 

Thank you all for your prayers and faith, not only for me but for all of the missionaries and their families. Thank you for all of your great examples and love. God be with you all!

More photos and SNOW (Utah snow)

I'm sorry I don't have names or captions for these pics...dork-fish didn't send any. ABice :)

Letter 11/13/12...He leaves MONDAY!!

Dear Pamilya at mga Kaibigan,

This last week has been amazing. Very possibly the best week yet here at the MTC. Being my last completely normal week I'm glad that it was so awesome. The awesomeness started with the Devotional on Tuesday. Elder Zwick of the Seventy and his wife spoke. The spoke about having our hearts in the right place and being a disciple of Christ. Elder Zwick told an amazing story about Elder Maxwell. It was an awesome Devotional.

 

On Wednesday we had our first Skype lesson. It was a bit nerve-racking but it turned out great. Elder B and I didn't have any Tech problems and were the only companionship that didn't. Out investigator is BJ. He lives in the Philippines around Manila. He doesn't have any specific religion but he has been very open to accepting the Gospel. He has a bunch of really good questions too, which as missionaries we love. His questions so far have been mostly about prophets. When we told him that there was a prophet on the Earth today, he asked if the prophet was Mitt Romney. We explained that Mitt Romney is not the prophet, that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet God has called to lead his Church at this time. He likes the idea that God still talks to us and has read a bit out of the Book of Mormon. We have taught him three times since Wednesday. Our other investigators are doing awesome as well. I haven't talked a bunch about them, but I have really come to care for all of those that I have taught. Some may take a bit longer to warm up to the gospel that others, but through the Spirit all people can come to know that Jesus Christ is the Savior and that His Church has been restored in these latter days.

 

We also hosted on Wednesday. That was a blast! It's crazy to think that nine weeks ago that was me stepping out of the car and looking completely lost. While it is a bit sad to see families break down completely, it is great to be able to reassure them that their sons and daughters will be taken care of and they are beginning the Lord's work. I don't think my family was in quite as bad of shape as some of the families that I saw. We get to host again Wednesday and this time we get to welcome almost 800 new missionaries. No missionaries come in on Thanksgiving and so two weeks worth arrive on one day. It'll be quite the day soon when the 19 yer old sisters begin to sweep the MTC. We may need a bigger one.

 

We got our flight plans on Thursday. We leave the MTC at 4:30 PM on Monday November 19. Our plane leaves Salt Lake at 8:30 and we arrive at LAX at 9:30 (I am taking into account time change). We leave form LAX for Hong Kong at 12:30 and arrive at Hong Kong around 7:30 on the 21st. Then we have a three hour flight to Manila and then a flight of unknown duration to Laoag. Luckily our entire district is together the entire time along with at least three other districts of missionaries. Time has flown so fast. I can't believe that I am already 9 weeks into my mission. If the time continues to move like this I'm going to be home in the blink of an eye. Scary thought! I haven't even left the MTC left.

 

So last quick note we got lots of snow last week. I sent some pictures and hopefully I will have more to send on my first P-Day in the Field. Thank you for all of your faith and prayers. Mahal kita!

 

Mahal

 

Elder Ryne Wood

He's been out for 7 weeks!! (11/6/12)

Dear Pamila at mga Kaibigan (friends),

This are starting to speed up here at the MTC. I'm so excited! We get out travel plans in about three days! I'm kind of stunned at how fast the time has flown. I was always told that the mission would fly by and has it ever here at the MTC. In two weeks I'll be in the Philippines at the mission home. Ah! I love it here at the MTC though and I'm sure I'll love it even more in the field.Yesterday my district found out that we get to host the new missionaries tomorrow. It's crazy to think that it is our turn to help introduce the new missionaries to the MTC when it feels like it was just a few weeks ago that I was a new missionary, but it has been about a month and a half, 7 weeks.

Tagalog has really picked up. Yesterday (Monday) during class, we covered about 8 or 9 different random Tagalog grammar principles and basic ideas and usage things. We did it mostly because there were only two companionships in the classroom for about half of class. The Skype lessons began yesterday, but Elder B and I don't teach until tomorrow. I'm so excited! Those that taught yesterday dais it went well aside from a few technical difficulties, but that is to be expected when communicating via the internet over the Pacific Ocean. I hope that this is something that the MTC administrators implement for as many missionaries as possible. This will be a great way to be introduced to the language as spoken by native speakers since not many of the teachers are native speakers. Stay tuned to hear more.

This past Sunday was Fast Sunday, and here at the MTC Fast Sundays are great! Fasting has come to have a whole new meaning for me as I need the Lord's help more and more as I am striving to teach His Gospel. I hope that you all took the chance to fast for something specific and show your faith. I know that the Lord will bless you with whatever it is that He knows you need, since what we think we need and what He knows we need are not always the same. Fast and testimony meeting was awesome. Since our branch is currently very small, about half of the missionaries got to share their testimonies. Everyone form my district did and that was amazing. We hadn't planned it or discussed it, but we each felt impressed to use this our last fast Sunday at the MTC to share our testimonies with our fellow missionaries.

I want to share a real quick story from teaching this week. Elder B and I teach R and he has been having trouble with reading the Book of Mormon. Over the past week, we have been trying to figure out what we can do to help him. During the workshop on Saturday, we talked about using the Book of Mormon and saw clips form Elder Hollands Devotional in February about it. Yesterday when we went and taught R, the Spirit was super strong and he has committed to really read and think about the Book of Mormon. I have come to have agreater love and understanding of the Book of Mormon while I have been at the MTC. It is our most powerful tool in conversion. It can answer any question because of the Spirit that it carries. It has answered many of my questions. I encourage you all to use it. Live by its precepts and you will draw closer to God. I've been working on using it more and it has been an awesome experience.

I've been a bit sick with a cold and cough, but the doctor prescribed me and antibiotic and a nasal spray and I'm feeling much better that I was earlier. I hop you are all safe and healthy and that you are turning to the Lord for help. He will help you. I can testify of that because he has helped me so much. Thank you for your letters and especially your prayers. Mahal Kita!

 

Elder RWood

Crazy P-Day!! (10/30/12)

Dear Family and Friends,

 

Today has been a crazy day. This week has been a crazy actually! What has made today so crazy is that we have had so much to do, way more than a normal P-Day. Elder B had to go to dermatologist at the Rivrewoods Medical area for a odd spot of skin on his knee. Turns out is was just a cut that is having trouble healing due to the dryness of Utah and became a bit infected. So we then went to a pharmacy and got some lotion the Doctor perscribed. The people there were super nice and even gave us each a free gormet cupcake. It's super weird being outside of the MTC grounds. Everyone says Hi and askes what mission your going to. Because of this we had about two less hours do the rest of our preparation and have been running around trying to get everything done before choir. It looks like all the essentials are going to get finished but I'll unfortunately have to put of some of the other things I wanted to do, but I'll find time to do them.

 

So our zone is now just two districts and we are now the "oldest" distrcit. I'm afraid I gave you some false information last week about new districts. We are getting one this week of seven missionaries, three sisters and four elders. That will still be only  25 missionaries in our district though, which compared to when we first arrived is barely anything. But that really doesn't change anything about the MTC experience except making it easier to get a shower. And there is only three weeks left for my district. We get our travle plans next Friday. AH! Time has flown by in here. It feels like I just barely got here when it almost time to leave.

 

So the devotional speaker last tuesday was Elder Larry Echo Hawk of the Seventy. He told us the story about his conversion and the first time that he really read the Book of Mormon.  It was awesome! I loved his talk in conference too, about how testimony can spurn any attack on the Church or the Book of Mormon or Joseph Smith or Jesus Christ or anything.  One of the things that I have learned here at the MTC is how important it is to bear testimony. We need to live our lives as a testimony of Jesus Christ.  We also need to be converted to Christ, not simply have a testimony of Him or the church. Conversion is what provides for us to endure to the end.

 

So this week has been pretty good so far as teaching goes. We taught Ro on Friday and invited him to be baptized. He asked if he had to be baptized twice since he had been baptized as a baby in the Catholic church. We read parts of Moroni 8 with him and he seemed to understand. Whjn we invited him again, he said he wasn't making any promises but that he would think about it. When we visited M on Monday, he said that he hadn't beenable to attend church because his brother visited him on Sunday. We talked about his brother and he said that he has been sick for a while and he is worried about him. We talked about eternal families and asked if he would like for his brother to hear the gospel. He said he would and we are arragning to have missionaries meet with him. I think that this is really the biggest sign of how M is progressing. Now that he has felt the truth bless his life he wants his family to hear it too.

 

Sorry that is letter is so scattered. I'm still running at full speed to try and get everything done that I need to and my mind is a little frazzeled right now. I'm hoping the devotional will help bring me back to normal. I love you all! Thank you for your prayers and faith! Mahal Kita!

 

Elder RWood

 

"We need to offer salvation to those we teach, not simply share information with them." Elder D. Todd Christoffersen (Did I spell that right?)

Why do all the clocks show different times? (10/23/12)

Dear Family and friends,

Sorry to Mom and ABice that this email is not going to go directly to them as well as Dad. I'm typing this in the laundry room and I forgot the letter that has your emails.

So I have some exciting news. We found this out on Wednesday of last week, but I wanted to see if I could get more details before I told you. But I haven't so here it is. Bro. Stevenson who is over the Tagalog districts our our floor told us on Wednesday that our district has been selected to be a pilot district for a new idea that they are trying. Starting on November 5, we will be teaching lessons via Skype to people at the MTC in Manila in the Philippines. We were all so shocked that no one really said anything the entire time he was talking to us. He was also speaking in Tagalog so we were trying hard just to understand all he was telling us. We will be checking out laptops and teaching two or three times a week. We don;t know exactly who it is that we will be teaching or anything besides that fact that we will be doing it starting on November 5. I am so excited! To be able to talk to and teach native Philipinos and Tagalog speakers before we are there is going to be a great learning experience. We are all nervous of course and there is now a greater sense of urgency in our learning and teaching experience. This will probably replace our TRC teaching and possibly our other teaching, but we don"t know yet. I'm super excited and nervous and honored to be trusted with the piloting of this program.

In a week our branch/zone is going to be tiny. Three districts are leaving on Monday and Tuesday of next week and we won't get any more missionaries until the week before we go to the Philippines. So there will be a total of 18 missionaries for about three weeks. Chances of speaking in sacrament will go up by a bunch, which won't be a problem. I love sacrament meeting here at the MTC. Elder B and I were just called on Sunday to be the Sacrament coordinators, so it's up to us to prepare it and and ask people to bless and pass it and then we'll take it down. This Sunday was awesome. We saw Elder Bednar's devotional talk from 2009 called Recognizing the Spirit. He said that he is always asked how to know whether it is inspiration from the Spirit or just someones own thoughts. And the answer he always gives: Quit worrying about it! Be obedient, be a good boy or girl, work hard and have faith and the Lord will take care of us. He shared some stories form his life of experiences of not realizing something was a prompting till much later. Look up President Packers talk 20 Mark Note. I'm not sure If you will find it, but it is about one of these experiences.

I can't believe that I only have four weeks left here at the MTC. In just a few weeks I'll be getting travel plans and then heading to the Philippines! It's so crazy. I've learned so much but I still have tones that I need to learn. Time sure does work differently here in the MTC. Days last weeks and weeks last days. I love it here. the lord has answered so many of my prayers and I have felt the Spirit so strong. I have really come to love Elder B and all of the Elders in my zone. I doubt I would have been friends with any of them in high school, but here at the MTC they are my brothers. We have grown close as we have gone through tough times and good times. I'm so glad to count them among my close friends.

Thanks for all of your love and support. Thank you for your prayers for me and for all of the missionaries. The Lord hears them and answers them ins o many ways. I am grateful that the Lord has blessed me to have been among all of you that will read this email. God bless you as you seek and follow His will! Mahal Kita!

Mom and dad- thank you so much for your letters. THey really help give me strength. I love you so much! If i forgot to mention any thing, tell me so I cna make sure to tell you next week,
TWood- Congrats on getting to State! Sounds like it was a hard match, but you did your best!
A and MBice- Keep your heads up and turn to the Lord for help. Things will turn out.

Love,

Elder RWood
PS-All the MTC clocks are different!