Pictures (7/13/14)

From MLC- Captain AMERICA

Two Rhinos (Thanks to Jon Moore)

View From Hannah's Resort View Deck

Baptism! Elder Seum, Sister Vi, Iv, Carm,  Sher and Bro Gab

3 baptisms, a Transfer and an Impending Typhoon. (7/13/14)

Dear Family and Friends,

Where to begin this email? I will just start with the best part of the week and work my way towards the not so great parts. We had a baptism this week. Three actually!  Sister Vi Aqu and her two kids, Iv and Carm were baptized. It was a great baptismal service. More members attended than I have ever had attend a baptism before. It was a big help that all of the members in Pinili that had vehicles gathered all of the other members and drove them to the chapel where the baptism was. It was held in Badoc, the next town over, since that is where the Chapel is. I baptized Iv, Elder Seum baptized Carm and Bro. Gab, one of our fellowshippers, baptized Sister Vin. Sher, the father of the family, was able to come and he was really touched by everything. He was trying to hide his tears as his wife and kids bore their testimonies after they were baptized. I love this family very much and have seen the power of the Atonement at work in their lives. Sherwin is going to be baptized in August! He is getting so close; we are going to really start pushing with him to quit smoking. Even that is very close.

The Aqu's were confirmed in sacrament meeting in Pinili on Sunday and it was an amazing sacrament meeting. We didn't even all fit in the meeting house! There were over 60 people in attendance! I ended up sitting on the floor and standing by the door in the back. And one of the best things about it was that it happened not by any direct effort of ours, but the efforts of the members. Some of the Relief Society members went visiting teaching and almost all of the people that they visited came to church. We also had a rather long time less-active Melchizedek return and even say that he would accept the calling to be the Gospel Principles Teacher when one of the members recommended him.  The Pinili area is really moving forward because of the members. We have just been being obedient and working hard and the members are catching the fire! The leadership is looking into a new meeting house and putting in the request to the Stake Leadership that we become a branch.

We found another great family this week. Bro. Lar, who lives in Pinili and is the Second Counselor in the Badoc Bishopric, took us to some of his cousins who were very willing to listen and invited us back again after a short message. They have their own vehicle, so we will be excited to see them come to church soon. They have a large family, though some of the children are rather shy. They will come out of their shells soon. We also got several new referrals this week, all from members. Many people have seen the change in Sherwin and how string the Aquino family is and are now very interested in learning the Gospel of Jesus Christ for themselves. We have a lot of work to do this week.

Quick fun story- We met a man from Singapore on Friday who lives in Pinili, Mr Wh. By blood he is Indian, and he is married to a lady here. They live very far away, but we go near them once a week anyway for some recent converts. He is fluent in English and was a very influential and powerful man in Singapore before his health took a turn (he is now legally blind). He still has many connections and is close with many very high ranking people in the Philippines. When we came to his house, he did not even hesitate to invite us in (though he did most of the talking). He also invited us back and said he would come to church, but he didn't make it. He told us that he knew Jesus Christ sent us there to him. I am excited to go back this coming week.

So it is transfers again and I am not being transferred, but Elder Seum is. He is going to my old area, Gonzaga! My new companion is Elder Ab, a Filipino who will be coming down from Allacapan. I may never get transferred from Pinili until I leave, but who knows. What'll come will come and I'll meet it when it does. I will miss Elder Seum. I learned much from him in these past 6 weeks.

I will wrap this up now. I was sick this past week but through the Atonement I was still able to work everyday. I am so grateful for the enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We can overcome all things because of his Atonement. I know that by personal experience. If there are any who read this who feel that life is to hard, I plead with you to turn to Christ. Through faith and obedience, we can feel the power of his Atonement is all things. Turn unto him in prayer and you will receive. I know God loves us and Christ is our Savior. This is his work. And there is nothing greater.

Love,

Elder Ryne Warren Wood

PS Yes there is a Typhoon headed towards us this week. If we will be in the main path of it is not yet certain, but I have a 72 hour kit. Come at me rain!

Sunburned but Happy with 3 Baptisms coming (7/6/14)

Dear Family and Friends,

It has been a week to remember in the Philippines Laoag Mission. but every week is a week to remember as a missionary. It was full of meetings and lots of traveling, but we were still able to get great things accomplished in Pinili. All because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. That was one of the things that President Barrientos emphasized during MLC on Monday, that all good things happen because of the Atonement of Christ. Without that one single most important incident in the entire history of mankind, nothing would be as we know it. None of us would even be here.

So we had our MLC activity on Tuesday. We toured northern Ilocos Norte and visited all of the big tourist spots. I have been to almost all of them before, when I was in the office, but this time was different and a blast since we had all of the Zone Leaders, Sister Training Leaders, the APs and President and Sister Barrientos with us. I will send pictures next week when I have my camera on me, since I forgot it today. It was loads of fun and even though we all got sunburned , or at least those who are white and can get sunburned, and dehydrated we all had a great time. A group of 41 people is very different from a group of 8. We also just held our own combined Zone Activity, in which we just played sports for about 2 hours, including 3 games of Capture the Flag, one of which took over forty minutes. We were actually using strategy and being cautious, since it was the last game and the winner took all the glory, fame and the same walk back to the chapel as the losers. 

The best part of the week by far though was the Aqu Family's baptismal interviews on Saturday afternoon. All 3 of them passed and Elder E said that they all have very strong testimonies and understand and are ready and willing to live the gospel and all of the commandments. Their baptism is this Saturday at 5. it will be the mom, Em and the two kids, Iv and C. Sher, their dad, is still working to kick some addictions but has come a very long way since we began teaching and has come to church twice now. His baptism is scheduled for August 30 (day after my birthday- not many better birthday gifts than a baptism) but it may move up to earlier in August, depending on when he is finally free of alcohol and cigarettes. I really love this family. When I arrived in Pinili, they had been taught a bit and had come to church, but they hadn't taken any serious steps towards baptism. They had some big family issues because of Sherwin's drinking, but those are now resolved and they are happily on their may to becoming an eternal family one day. 

We have been working to get more investigators moving towards baptism. We have Sister Ap, but we aren't sure if she really understands about baptism and the commitment she has made. We will be putting more emphasis on it in the coming weeks. One of our recent converts is her fellowshipper and he always adds great testimony to the lessons. We also have the Paj family, which is a mixture of less actives and investigators. There is two older less actives who have been less active for a few years due to health issues and then one of their son-in-laws who has been a long time less active. No one else in the family is members but we have been teaching to the whole group. There was over 10 people in the lesson on Saturday. We are hoping to have some great success there as well both in baptism and rescuing.

Just to close off today. I want to share some thoughts about how blessed we are to live in a time when we have leaders who are called of God and inspired to lead us toward eternal life. One of the focuses in the mission right now is working with priesthood leaders more effectively to hasten the work of salvation. I know that the keys of the priesthood were restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith and that those keys are held by the living prophet today, even Thomas S. Monson. Without these keys, we could do nothing to gain salvation for ourselves and to help others gain salvation. It is so important that we all act in accordance with the council of those who hold the keys in whatever area we may be in for that is the pattern which the Lord has established for His kingdom. I pray that we may all sustain and support those who hold  the keys where we all live and especially President Monson, his counselors and the 12 Apostles. As we follow them, we will not go astray, no matter what may happen on Earth. I know that Jesus Christ is at the head of his church and he will come again. 

Thank you all for the love and support!

Love,

Elder  Wood

Back to Laoag Again (6/30/14)

Family and Friends,

This is going to be a bit scattered and probably short. I am in Laoag again for MlC and I don't have much time. President surprised us all again by having MLC a week early and we have the activity tomorrow, which is going up in the northern part of Ilocos Norte to see a bunch of tourist sites. it is a once in a life time opportunity and we are all super excited. Even getting up at 5 am won't kill the excitement. 

Quick update on the work in Pinili. Sister Aqu and her two kids are set for their baptismal interview next week and her husband, Sher, accepted a baptismal date for August 30. He came to church for the first time yesterday and he really enjoyed it. He had to leave early since he was sick, but he was welcomed very warmly by all of the members and wants to go again! He said all the people that he passed on the way to church with his family were shocked to see him going to church. He is now reading the Book of Mormon and is doing great. He is determined to follow his family into the waters of baptism.

We also found a few really solid new investigators this week. One, Ne, started talking with us while we were walking near his home and he opened up to us and basically shared his life story with us. We shared a short message with him and his niece and he really wanted us to come back and share again. He said he feels that the message of the Restoration is the way that God has prepared for him to receive help for his trials. Sadly he wasn't there when we went back on Saturday. We also contacted Ap, the daughter of one of our other investigators. She is very receptive and really wants us to teach her entire family. We had one of our recent converts as a fellowshipper for that lesson and he shared a really great testimony of how the gospel has blessed his life and how he came to know that he had found the truth. It was a very powerful lesson and we are excited to go back on Thursday.

I was not in Pinili for over 48 hours last week due to exchanges with our District Leader in Callaguip and then the APs in Laoag. I learned much these two exchanges and especially liked working with Elder T in Laoag. We were in the MTC together and we had a great exchange, even with the pouring rain. Hooray for members with cars! We found this one house with many new people, some of them on vacation from Italy (all are Filipino though). I was super tired by the time I went home from the two days, but I think mostly it was from the great spiritual experiences I had.

MLC today was great, focusing on working with members and being Christ like leaders. The more that i have been studying the more that I realize that the whole point of our life on earth is to become like our Heavenly Father through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. President Barrientos explained the Atonement really clearly in the perspective of missionaries and overcoming trials and challenges. I am so grateful to have a Savior, even our elder brother Jeusus Christ, who opened the way for us to become like him no matter what we face in life. 

Time is ticking gone and I have to run. Thanks for the support and prayers. Keep doing everything that you can to move this work forward in whatever wya you can!

Love,

Elder Wood

And then it began to rain...hard...and didn't stop (6/22/14)

Dear Family and Friends,

Another busy week it has been in Pinili. Each week just gets better and better as time flies by. I can't believe that I am already writing another email. It feels like only a few days ago I was writing my last one. Time is just flying, but there is so much joy to take in each minute that goes by while doing the Lord's work. 

Just a short story to explain the title. I went on exchanges this past week in Badoc, a town just south of Pinili. I worked with Elder Ta and we had a great day, including finding several new investigators who now have baptismal dates. It was super hot in the morning (I actually got a bit sunburned, members were asking why my face was the color of a tomato). We went out after studies at 4 and around 5 in the afternoon the weather turned. By six it was pouring rain and we ended up walking back to the apartment at 8 through flooded streets. The water was ankle deep at some spots and of course, I wasn't wearing my rubber shoes. We only had the one umbrella too, since I pulled another smart move and didn't bring mine. And Elder Ta is startled by lightning, so whenever there was a flash of lightning he would jump then just stop where ever he was standing. Definitely a day that will not be forgotten soon. It was my second one like that.

We have made some great progress this past week in Pinili. We have had several great lessons with the Aq family and we extended a baptismal date to Bro. Sher for the middle of August. He has not yet accepted it, but he is thinking about it. We are going to have to give him more focus, since he has not yet come to church and he is still struggling with word of wisdom. Sister V and the two children came to church again though and are well on the way to baptism on July 12. I will keep you posted in the coming weeks on their progress. 

We are still working on getting more investigators with a baptismal date, since that is one of our weak points currently. We extended one to Ald, an investigator who is the cousin of some less actives, but he is not sure if he will be in Pinili still or when he is gong to move home. We found a few other new investigators that we will be extending baptismal dates to soon, including the former Vice Mayor of Pinili, a former pastor who is now looking for the true church, and some people who were visited by missionaries before, but for no reason, just stopped investigating. We are hoping to find more of those that the Lord is preparing in the coming week.

Yesterday after church, we went out to try to teach a family we found a few weeks ago, but again they were too busy to let us teach them. We moved on, not really sure where to go when it  began raining again. We took shelter in a park and tried to think of where else to go. Suddenly I remembered, or most likely the Spirit brought to my mind, a lady we had talked to right after I arrived in Pinili, Sister Ferz. We hadn't gone back to her yet so when the rain let up a bit we hurried over to her house. Her and her husband were there and we taught them a short message about the restoration, they are both interested and one of their grandsons came down at the end of the lesson who was also interested to learn more. We are going back to them next Sunday before Church and will be getting some members involved also, since they know many members. This experience was one that for me, was a testimony of the importance of the Spirit in this work. In our moment of need the Spirit brought to our minds where we needed to go to invite someone to come unto Christ. Some one who has been prepared by the Lord. The prepared are out there and it is up to us to search them out and bring them into the fold of the Good Shepherd.

Just in closing I want to share with you about the reoccurring theme of my personal study this past week. I have been reading in Alma and am at the point where Alma is giving counsel to Corianton. In Alma 40-42, Alma explains very clearly the Plan of Salvation and the Atonement. One of the things that stood out to me very clearly is the role of repentance in the great plan of happiness. Repentance is as necessary as the Resurrection because it is the process by which we are changed from the fallen state of man into the children of God that we must become to return to live with our Heavenly Father again. We are to become the sons and daughters of God through the Atonement. That is the great blessing of the Atonement, for that change we cannot make on our own. But because Heavenly Father sent his Only Begotten Son to atone, we can now make that change. Christ filled the demands of justice and has given us the Gospel, what we need to do to show our appreciation for His sacrifice and qualify for the blessings of the Atonement. If any of you have not yet read Brad Wilcox's talk "His Grace is Sufficient" I highly recommend it. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and as we live the way he has instructed us to and shown us, we can all change and be lifted up at the last day. I have learned much about the atonement this week and don;t have time to share it all here sadly. It truly is the center of God's plan and the greatest, most selfless act ever performed.

I hope everyone has a great week this coming week. Thanks for all the love and prayers. God bless you all!

love,

Elder R Wood