Home sick, Training Sick, Sick Sick (11/11/13)

Dear Family and Friends,

The title of the email sounds ridiculous, so I will get to that in a minute. It is how the other office Elders described my week. I want to start this one off by thanking everyone for the prayers and concerns for all the missionaries here in the Philippines. Luckily for us in Laoag, Typhoon Yolanda hit down in Visaya, so it is far from us. We did get some nice rain though, and I got to travel in it again. I love traveling in the rain. Is for fun. I know that your prayers helped protect those of us missionaries here in Laoag and that the people who were effected by the typhoon will be blessed by the prayers and faith of all those who keep them in their hearts and minds. Thank you all.

So this week was transfer week. And it was crazy! As transfer weeks are to be. I think I used that right. Anywho, I didn't do much with the actual transfer day itself (it helps when that is our p day). But it was with the Arriving and Departing missionaries that things got crazy. It started with the departing on Wednesday. My district had district meeting in the morning since we cant really swing it on Thursday and to combine with the other district means to have the entire zone together. Then we worked in the office until it was time to take the departing missionaries to the airport. Elder Bul and I sat in the back of Presidents van with the departing and I felt at first like it was my time to go home. Home sick. Then we ran a few errands and went back to the airport to pick up the arriving, only to find out their plane was delayed by an hour. When it landed, one of the first person off the plane was a returning missionary, who ran straight to his parents in tears. Homesick again. But it was gone when the new missionaries got off the plane

I love getting to see the new missionaries arrive every six weeks. They are all so excited and energetic about the work. They all come from such diverse backgrounds so it is awesome to see how they are all here with the same purpose, to assist in the work of the salvation of men. We all sat in Thursday night when the trainers and trainees found out who their new companions were. And I realized how much I miss being a trainer and want to have the opportunity to train again. Training sick. Then that went away as the power wen tout and I went with the APs to turn on the generator for the mission home.

I had a headache Friday and Saturday, but that is easily cured when you are traveling and just sit in an air conditioned car for 6-8 hours a day. It was raining pretty hard in Cagayan and some areas there still don't have power since the typhoon two weeks ago. Elder M drove most of the way, since he now has his license. 

One last quick piece of news for this past week. We didn't get out to teach because of transfers, so i am sad that I have nothing new to report on those I teach. But we had an awesome service opportunity yesterday. It was MLC and President asked Elder Bul and I to come up with some parlor games for the Zone Leaders and Sister Trainer Leaders. That was so much fun. Everyone was laughing so hard. I will see if I can send some video, Especially of President Barrientos, who could not stop laughing. It was great. 

Once again that you for all of the prayers and support you give to all us missionaries around the world. Sorry this letter is a bit odd. It was an odd week. At least I didn't have dengue. It was a great learning time and I feel that I have come out of it better. Maraming salamat po ulit sa inyong lahat!

Elder RWood

Typhoon-1 Mitsubishi -0

Elder Wood sent this picture with his family email from the Typhoon the week of Halloween. This is the sign from the Mitsubishi car lot behind his apartment building.

BAGIO!! (11/4/13)

Dear Family and Friends,

It was a week never to be forgotten, mostly because of what happened on Thursday. It was Halloween, but it was a Halloween like I have never experienced before. Late Thursday afternoon, we had a Bagio move in. For those who don't know Tagalog we got hit by a typhoon. **Note from ABICE-NOT Typhoon Hiayan/Yolanda** And it was strong. It actually hit Laoag in the evening and I have never experienced wind so strong. The power went out Thursday night and didn't return until Friday around noon. It was rather difficult to sleep with the wind howling outside and throwing things around. We discovered Friday morning that the new Mitsubishi sign for the dealership being build next door got torn down by the wind. I am including a picture. The damage wasn't too bad here in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur, but Cagayan got ripped by the storm. I traveled there Saturday to look at an apartment, and the damage there was bad. There were power lines lying the the fields, fields were flooded, houses and signs damaged everywhere. The biggest I saw was the damage to the arch at Lasam. It had been torn in half by the wind. I will include a picture next week. None of the missionaries were hurt, though some apartments have been flooded or damaged. President and Sister Barrientos were in Manila for the Mission Presidents Seminar with Elder Anderson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, so us and the APs were the only ones here in the office during the bagio. 

This week was full of work in preparation for the transfer. I looked at 5 apartments and signed one. There are so many changes being made this transfer. President is opening up new areas, including one that has not had missionaries assigned to it specifically yet. The work of the Lord is moving so fast now. We have 29 missionaries to arrive tomorrow and 5 departing. I wonder what will be the next step in hastening the work? Only the Lord and his Prophet and Apostles know, but we are all excited to see it when it comes. 

So we had even less time to work this week with lock downs, but as the Zone Leaders noted, somehow Elder M and I had more lessons than the last week. Two of our past lessons have been to Al, our recent convert mission home security guard. And he taught us. We lest him reading assignments about the Fall of Adam and Eve and then Life On Earth and after one question "What did you learn from the reading?" he taught us both lessons. He understands so well what he reads and he sees and understands how it all connects together, like how he connected our life on earth with the gospel of Jesus Christ last night. It is amazing how far he has come since we began teaching him. The Spirit has truly worked in him and in his family. Every night we come to the mission home, he is studying in the Book of Mormon and Preach My Gospel and Gospel Principles. We actually talked with his temporary replacement Sunday night, since Al had the day off. We gave him the restoration pamphlet and then left two other pamphlets and a Book of Mormon on a desk for him. he texted us around 10:15 and asked if he could take them. Next time he is here, we are going to teach him about the restoration. 

That is the greatest thing about being a missionary, seeing the lives of others change as they become converted to Jesus Christ and his Gospel. I have seen it in members, less actives, investigators, and so many people. God loves all of his children and has given the way for us to come to a knowledge of the truth and receive all the ordinances that we need to return to live with him. His hand has been at work since before the world was and it will until all his children are redeemed. That is why he sent his son, Jesus Christ, to atone. That is why he restored his gospel in the latter days. There is nothing sweeter than the love of God and there is nothing that has more to testify of it. The Spirit will testify to us all of the truth and that will become part of us. It is part of me that cannot be taken or separated from me.

Mahal kita! Kita Kits!

Elder RWood

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