Photos (12/31/13)

North Zone

South Zone

Laoag 2 Zone

Office Staff

Having a laugh with President Barrientos

Happy New Year! Don't blow your foot off! (12/31/13)

Dear Family and Friends,

It's that time again. New Years Eve Lock Down! The Philippines is crazy with its fireworks, so for safety reasons, all the missionaries go into lock down in the evening. We started at 5 today, though Elder B and I were driving for President, so we were out around Laoag for about an hour and a half after lock down, taking some stuff to members in the ward. It must be a big shock for the members to have the mission president show up randomly at their house. It is great to see how President interacts with the members. Everyone is a brother and sister to him. We are all so blessed to have leaders all around the world who are called by God to lead his Church in the latter-days. 

We are currently waiting for President to give us a call for dinner. We will be eating with him and Sister Barrientos. I didn't have the chance to email this morning since we had a lunch with some members in the ward. It is the same lunch I was at with Elder Onate exactly a year ago. The Daquioag Family hosts it every year for the missionaries in the Stake and there are now 56 of us. It was great to see everyone and spend time with them. It is funny to think how out of the missionaries there, I was among those who have been serving for over a year. Time has flown so fast. Bro. Daquioag was the Mission President in Bacolod Mission when Mitch Wade (my cousin) served there. If anyone who reads this is in contact with him, please tell him that President and Sister Daquioag would like to hear from him.

So last week was a bit rough teaching wise with Christmas, but this week is shaping up to be much better. We already have more lessons this week then all of last week. We got to teach to Ab yesterday, as well as her brother and some of her cousins. They are so prepared to accept the Gospel. I know that Heavenly Father is preparing his children everywhere to hear the Gospel. Abby is the one who was waiting for us when we showed up at her house the first time. Yeah I love this work so much!

So we have the final number on the Philippines Laoag Mission goal for baptism for 2013. Drumroll! 822! We ended up just short of our goal of 100, but we are on track to hit it next year. We had 129 baptism in the month of December. The Lord is with His servants in this work, no doubt about it. Elder S and I are on track to start getting some baptism in the coming month. Not only that, but the work is moving forward with those who have lost their way after receiving the Gospel. We made contact with one of our focus less active members this week. She is actually a daughter in one of the families, who has been having a hard time in the past months. She has a son and she wants him to grow up in the gospel. She has decided that she is going to start coming back to Church, with her 2 year old son, even if it only them out of the entire family. I have been teaching this family for almost 10 months and the Lords is now opening the way for their return to his fold.

This work is the best thing in the world! I can't describe my love for the work of the salvation of men. It is the work of the Lord and we have all been called to be part of it. No matter how unqualified we think we may be, the Lord qualifies those he calls and he has called all of us to this work at this time. I am so happy as a missionary I can barely contain it. This happiness lies in store for all of those who will join in! I know that for a fact, for I have seen it in the lives of others. Keep praying for and looking for missionary opportunities. They are there, we just need the faith to recognize them. Thank you all for your support of the missionaries all around the world. Keep it up! Mahal namin kayong lahat!

Elder R Wood

Maligyang Pasko! Naimbag nga Paskua! Merry Christmas! (12/24/13)

Dear Family and Friends,

After the title in Tagalog, Ilocano and English, Merry Christmas! The time has come again and it is definitely different every year. For example, I just returned from playing Santa Clause with my companion for all of the missionaries up north. There was lots to deliver but we did it gladly. It is great to see so many happy faces. 

So since last weeks letter was the Christmas letter, I will do a quick update in this letter. I am no longer with Elder M. He is now serving in Vigan and I am serving with Elder S, still in the office and now past my nine month mark month here in the office. As far as I can tell, by the end of this transfer I will be the longest missionary to serve in the office in a while. One more transfer and I will be pushing a year. President Barrientos has given me instruction to begin to train Elder S for Finance though, so I will be out of here in not too long. I love it here though and I am going to miss the service opportunities when my time here is done. Elder S is great and I am excited to be his companion. He just stepped down as zone leader, but we met in the MTC. He arrived 3 weeks before I came to the Philippines. His Tagalog and Ilocano are great and he is super diligent. He will whip me back up to proselyting standards in no time. Haha. Just kidding.    

So we had the Ward activity just this past week and it was fun, but it went a bit long. We had to hurry and eat at the end to make it back for curfew. The eight of us missionaries in the ward did a musical performance based on Luke 2. It was good, but we should have cut it shorter. It is nice to spend time with members and investigators> I really love the Laoag 1 ward.

Most of this week was spent in the office getting the end of month and end of year financial stuff done, but it is basically done. Just a few more things to do. IT is hard on Elder S to be stuck in the office so much, but he is coping well. We wont get out tonight, due to lock down, but we are looking forward to a good few weeks in the coming transfer. We were able to find a new family, or add to one. We began teaching the family of one of our current investigators on Sunday. Families is a big focus for the mission right now. We are getting set to spring into next year, with the goal of 1000 souls again. We got close this year, around 700 or 800 yata. I am excited to be part of the work and to give my all to help the work.

Just real quick in word of tesimony to close. I love the savior. I am glad for this time to celebrate his birth and his life and atoning sacrifice. I know that he is the Only Begotten of the Father and that he came to Earth to to be our Redeemer. He lives. I know he does. I have that witness though the Holly Ghost and that is the greatest gift of knowledge that I have. I know his Church has been restored and that we have a living prophet now. I love this work and am glad to have so many blessings. Merry Christmas to you all! Mahal kita!

Elder R Wood

The Dread Pirate Robers Leaves No Survivors... (12/9/13)

Dear Family and Friends,

I don't know why that quote came to mind. It has nothing to do with anything that happened this week. It is just one of those really random Elder Wood moments that we all know and love. 

So since I last emailed, which I believe was on Wednesday, not much has happened besides office work. Christmas Zone Conference starts tomorrow! We have been working like crazy to prepare everything for it. I have done errands in preparation everyday of the week except for Thursday and i will get into the events of Thursday in a little bit. I am super excited for Christmas Zone Conference. It is funny that I am basically in the same Zone I was in for my first Christmas 

So on Thursday after District Meeting, I had exchanges with the Elders in my district. Until now, the only Elders in our district were the office elders and assistants, so it is always kind of hard to schedule normal exchanges.So this was my first time being the host of the exchange and itwas great. Elder M is a great missionary. We Found 4 new investigators, all about college age and we taught them about the Restoration. Later that night one of them texted us thanking us for sharing with them, but never responded to our text asking if they read and when would be the best time for us to come again. I learned loads from Elder M and I have been trying hard to apply the things that I have learned, especially on OYM (Open Your Mouth). Just like Elder Ballard said in his talk in October, if we open our mouths more we will have more people to teach. And just as it says in Preach My Gospel, nothing happens in missionary work until you find someone to teach.

In some other great news, Sister F is going to the temple for the first time tomorrow. I have been teaching for almost 9 months and she has come so far. She is going to the temple for the sealing of a member of our ward and she will receive her endowment at the same time as the bride and her mom. So cool! I wish I could go the temple. It has been a long time, but I know it will a very joyous experience to be able to go again with my family and friends in 10 months. 

As for the Sim family, we think that we may be on a course with them that will end in baptism this time. They told us that they wont be able to make their goal of December 28, because of the money it takes to get married. They were so sad to tell us that. We then had an FHE with them and some ward members on Saturday and Sister M said she will help them get together everything that they need to be married and listed off a bunch of members that work for the government that can help them get all of the paperwork done. Once Sister Simp finds her birth certificate, we will get them started. The Spirit was very strong during the FHE as we had a testimony meeting and everyone had the chance to share. Then the whole family came to church! But Th wasn't able to.

So that is about it for the week. I am adding on a picture of me in the Christmas Zone Conference Shirt that we made for the Zones. We made a different one for the office staff and President and Sister and I will send pictures of that next week. I just want to share to you all again how much I love this work and how much I love the Savior and am grateful for this opportunity to be one of his full time missionaries. This really is a once in a life time opportunity and we are all so blessed to live in this time. I know that Christ lives and we have the beautiful opportunity during this season to celebrate his birth. Mahal kita! Kita Kits!

Elder R Wood

 

 

Back to Bacarra (12/3/13)

Dear Family and Friends,

Okay. Were to begin this email. I am writing it on Wednesday since we only took a 2 hour mini p-day on Monday (long enough to get haircuts) and then traveled to Sta. Ana and back on Tuesday. We are still getting everything ready for Christmas Zone Conference and we will hopefully be ready by Saturday, since it starts on Tuesday and Monday is P-Day. We designed an awesome shirt for the the APs, President and Sister Barrientos and us office Elders. At least the design looked really cool. We will see how the finished product is. It is going to be a great activity. I remember last years Christmas Zone Conference. I had only been in the field about 3 weeks and I loved it. We did service at one of the hospitals, painting and weeding. This time it's sports and I am more involved in the preparation and carrying out of the plans.

We contacted the French man on Saturday, Unfortunately, we didn't realize that the French Book of Mormon had arrived, so we didn't take it to give to him. We went by his house after running an errand and he was at home. We just talked with him at the door, or i should say, Elder M talked with him at the door. I was able to follow the conversation, kind of, but I missed the part where he told Elder M that to him there is no God. Ala! So we didn't teach him, but we have decided that when we are in the are we will go by and say bonjour. I managed to introduce myself to him in French, which Elder M didn't teach me, but I picked it up when he said it. I pray that the Lord will soften his heart so that one day he will let the missionaries share with him.

I also had exchanges in Bacarra with Elder P on Thursday. It has been almost nine months since I was assigned there, and the area is now flourishing. It was nice to get to go back and see people again. We worked with R, my recent converts I's uncle. Bacarra has come a long way from being only Elder Wood and Elder O to now having 8 missionaries, four Elders and four Sisters.

Th came to church with the Sim family on Sunday! She wanted to last week, but got sick and wasn't able to. She also wants to come to a baptism, which will hopefully be in the next few weeks. The gospel is really clicking with her and she is progressing well. Sister Sim is still dragging her feet on getting married. The first step is done, getting her birth certificate, but now she can't find it and she isn't looking for it, no matter how much we commit her to. I don't know what we will do if they don't get married this time.

This one is going to be short since my time is rather limited. I know that this is the work of the Lord and that he is directing it at every move. There is no other way that this work would be successful, and just look at how successful it is! I love being a missionary and I have learned so much in the past year and three months. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that he lives. Nothing can take that from me. Mahal ko kayong lahat!

Elder R Wood