12/30/12

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope that you all had a great Christmas like I did. It really is a very different situation celebrating Christmas in the Philippines, but the Spirit of Christmas is the same. We had a great ward activity, the longest one I have ever attended. It went from 9 am to 5 pm, though it didn't start until about ten and Elder O and I left at 4 so that we could finish our studying. One of our investigators came and also came to Church yesterday for the second time. One of the oddest parts of Christmas in the Philippines is the lack of snow. We had some rain yesterday, but there is zero chance of getting snow. Ever. I;m a bit sad about that, but apparently come April through September I'll get to see lots of rain and flooding. They'll be fun!

On Sunday we had the most investigators at church that we have ever had. M, MA and S all came. This is truly a little miracle, since we were not able to reach or even make contact with MA and S this week, despite all of our efforts, yet they still attended Church. It really shows how much the Spirit is working with them and that Heavenly Father is watching over them and answering our prayers and the prayers of their families for them.

On Sunday, we had a great experience during Sunday School. We had an overview and brief introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants since that is going to be the course of Study for 2013. At the end of the lesson, we sang The Spirit of God and I was conducting the music. As we started singing the Spirit entered and filled the room. It was overwhelming how strong it was and I know it touched everyone since I could see everyone as I was directing the song. This experience really strengthens my testimony of the restoration of the Gospel and that in these the Latter Days the Lord is pouring his Spirit out on His saints and preparing for the Second Coming of His Son, Jesus Christ. I love this Gospel so much and I love My Father in Heaven and my Savior and all that they have done for me.

SO I want to share an amazing experience with you that I had this past Friday  We were out in Nambaran and we found some new investigators. One of them, a man named E, is Jehovah's Witness and had a lot of questions and opinions. After teaching the First Vision he told us that he Didn't believe any one could see God. He was speaking in Ilokano so I couldn't understand what he was saying as he was saying this. But my mind went to an experience in the MTC when an investigator told us the same thing and how I responded and how he understood that Joseph Smith could see God. I didn't know why I was thinking about this, then Elder O told me that E had said he didn't believe any one could see God. I responded in the same way I did in the MTC and confounded E. I'm still not exactly sure how what I taught confounded him, but by teaching him the truth about God and Jesus Christ, he basically had to agree that Joseph saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. Remind me of this experience when I come home and I'll see if I can explain it in more detail. I know that the Spirit brought my MTC experience to mind and guided my words as we taught about Joseph Smith seeing God the Father and Jesus Christ. The Spirit has guided me so much here in Bacarra and it really is amazing. I know that this church is true, that the Gospel was restored through Joseph Smith and and that we have the fullness of the Gospel now.

Just one real quick last story. On Friday Night as Elder O and I were traveling to an appointment, we were stopped by a man on the corner. He was a bit drunk, but was still thinking and talking very clearly. He told us that we need to go to his house on the 30th and teach him. He basically asked us to teach him the Apostasy and Restoration, the Plan of Salvation and the Atonement. And he said all of this in English. I was super excited to teach him and we did and it was a good lesson. He was not drunk and was speaking Ilokano this time, so I barely understood any of what he said. But the Spirit was strong as we testified of the Restoration of the Gospel through Joseph Smith and he is excited to keep learning.

THank you for all of your prayer for all of the missionaries around the world. We really do receive may blessings because  of your faith and prayer. This is the Lord's work. I ask you to do all that you can to help the missionaries where you live share the gospel and bring other to Christ. Mahal Kita. Kita Kits sa 21 months!

Elder RWood

Pictures 12/23/12

Christmas Letter (12/23/12)

Dear Friends and Family,

 

Merry Christmas. Now that it finally is almost Christmas. Here in the Philippines it is Christmas Eve, though I suppose that in the States it is still the 23rd. It is very weird not having a cold Christmas season. I've never had a December that I can remember when I was not wearing a jacket and gloves. Maybe during our three years in California, but I don't remember those years very well. It has actually been hotter here over the past week than in any other week so far. And when you are walking across rice fields from one barangay to another and there is no breeze and no shade it is HOT and that is an understatement. It is definitely not the same as Christmas in the US in the temporal things, but the Spirit is still the same. Since Christ is the center of Christmas that is one thing that will never change for me, the Spirit of Christmas. I have decided to study the New Testament and the Book of Mormon about the birth of Christ for the next few days. It is amazing to think that he came to Earth for us and that this season that we celebrate is only the beginning of the life of the greatest man who ever lived, our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful that he came to Earth and did all that he did for us, healing the sick, establishing his church and especially the Atonement. There is no greater gift that we can celebrate and receive than the Gift of Jesus Christ from our Heavenly Father.

 

I love walking past municipal hall here in Bacarra at night. there are lights, 3 nativity scenes, christmas music and it just feels ands is so bright and cheerful. After a long hard day it really lifts me up to walk past it and think about past Christmases and have my thoughts drawn to Christ. We had Christmas Mission Conference on Tuesday and Wednesday and it was great. WE had half of the mission during our sessions. I am including some pictures from it. I really felt the Spirit of Chtist strong as we did service at the Hospital and then went caroling and had a program and dinner. It was such a great experience. Tomorrow is the Ward Christmas activity and it is going to be quite the event.

 

Yesterday, Sunday, S, one of our investigators came to Church for the first time. He is the first person that we started teaching and while he has been a bit hesitant he is really starting to feel that this is the path that God would have him take. His brother is a member and really wants his family to be with him for eternity. S is very humble though he is a bit afraid of what the people in his church will think of him if he is baptized. But he is over coming those fears and he is definitely feeling the Spirit each time we teach and he wants to follow Christ. Our other investigators are doing well also and we are hoping to have a big week this week.

 

Thank you all for your prayers and your faith. I know that the Lord is pleased with all that you do as you are striving to follow Him. I encourage you to take the time this Christmas season and think about what Christ means to you and give to others. THere really is no greater gift htat what Heavenly Father has given us in His Son, Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas! Mahal Kita!

 

Elder RWood

A Trycy? Quick, fold yourself in the middle! (12/9/12)

Dear Friends and Family,

I hope that someone who understands the quote that is the title reads this letter. This week was great. We started teaching a new investigator this week, I. He is the nephew of one of the members of the ward who was baptized a few years ago and he is super excited about the Gospel. He is only 11, but he loves to read the Book of Mormon. When we first gave him one I wasn't sure if he would ever let go of it. He read all that we asked him to read and a little more between our lessons. We are going to invite him to be baptized this week. He attended Church with his uncle on Sunday. Our other investigators are doing well also. M and L are both getting ready for baptism, but neither was at church on Sunday. We have a few other investigators that we are hoping to commit to baptism by the end of the week. We invited one of our other investigators, S, on Thursday, but he is still unsure about the church and is afraid of what others in his church will say if he is baptized.

Did you all get to see the First Presidency Christmas Devotional? It was awesome wasn't it. If you didn't I encourage you to watch it on lds.org. I miss seeing Temple Square at Christmas time, but I'll have plenty of chances to see it is future years. I loved all three of the talks. I especially liked President Utchdorf's talk about being a gracious receiver. I have never really thought about that. We always get caught up in giving that I don't think we often consider how we receive the gifts that we are given, both from others here on Earth and from our Father in Heaven. I encourage all of you to take some time this season to think about that. And always remember what President Monson said about giving of ourselves. When we give of ourselves we give more than if we were to give anything else. That is what our Savior did for us. He gave of Himself completely and became the greatest Gift that Heavenly Father can offer us.

Merry Christmas to you all! I hope that you are all having a wonderful Christmas season and remember to think about the true meaning of Christmas. I may sound cliche in saying that, but it is true. Christ is the center of Christmas and the message of the Gospel and He should be at the center of our lives. I'll probably say something like this in every letter for the next few weeks. I really love this time of year, when everyone feels the Spirit of Christ greater and I pray that we can all carry that with us till next Christmas, Thank you for all your prayers and love. Mahal kita!

ElderRWood

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