April 14, 2014
Dear Family:
Monday we had a weird P-day. We had to help everybody with
moving and stuff so we didn't get a normal P-day.
Tuesday we had district meeting. We had a mini ZDM before
DDM with the whole zone to go over all the zone stuff for all the new
missionaries in the zone. Almost every companionship was changed. Elder Cook is
our District leader and we have a sick district. All Elders! In DDM I was asked
a question that had to do something about being a good missionary. I told them
you have to know you can be a good missionary and then know you are good. So in
other words have swag. I went on talking about how you have to know you’re good
like the prophets do. Long story short I told them they need to have prophet
swag so now that is our new district motto haha. Then we took Elders Cook and
Godfrey shopping because Elder Cook got here too late on P-day to do it. We had
a lesson with Gus, Michael, and Ron and Karen. Karen has a major concern with
the word of wisdom. She shut us down pretty hard on it. We caught the sisters
in our ward poaching on us. We drove past them and they didn't see us. I found
out it was the investigators they brought to church the last week and they
didn't even tell us they live in our area. That night we ate dinner with them at the
Bishop’s house and I gave them a pretty hard time about it ha. We can only eat
with them at the Bishop and Ward Mission Leader’s house. We got a call from Elders
Cook and Godfrey and Elder Cook was sick. He talked to the mission nurse and
she thought he might have appendicitis. So we ran him to the hospital and he
had a really crazy flu bug that has been wrecking people.
Elders Wood, Ringwood and ?
Fishing on P Day at Lake Elsinore State Park (Elder Cook)
The Lake Elsinore District at the Lake to Fish
Thursday we ate with Ron and Karen at a member’s house. It
seemed to go really well! We found out later things hadn't gone quite like we
had hoped. We also met with Michael, and then Martha. Martha that night. We
were supposed to go to addiction recovery with her but she didn't make it in
time so we just had a lesson at her house.
Friday we had to come check our E-mails and unlock the
family history center for the zone so they could. President Smart texted us and
told us about an E-mail he sent that everyone needed to see before Sunday. It
was about sharing the new "Because of Him" video the church put out.
You should watch it, it is super cool. So we were asked to have as many people
as possible in our wards use it. So you guys should too. It is powerful and can
get people to ask questions. Friday was awful. We couldn't get anybody to let
us in. We finally got one lesson with a sort of less active part member family,
but the one we were after wasn't there.
Elder Ringwood and the Local Wildlife
Saturday was crazy! That morning we went to a baptism for
somebody the sisters baptized in our ward Matt Green. After that Bro and Sis
Hoyt came and picked me up and took me to Corona! It was super good to see
them! I got to go back and baptize Veronica. It was cool to see old friends. I
had a really good talk with the Hoyts. I even got to listen to the voice mail
mom left sister Hoyt. She really liked your message by the way!! The water was
super cold. Elder Child doesn't think everything through all the way sometimes
ha. He wondered why the font filled twice as fast it did when I filled it. It
was because he used cold water! I had to talk Veronica into getting into it.
She did not like the cold water. I was so excited by the day’s activities I
could have cared less. Delphina broke her shoulder so she couldn't come. She
asked me to come see her. I rode with Elder Child there. It was good to see her
and Melissa. After that I went back to the house and played with Gunner and Mia
(the dogs) that was fun for me. Gunner just pulled his ACL so I didn't get to
do much with him. The Hoyts got there and we had another good talk. Bro Hoyt
took me back. We had a lesson at 5 with Ron so that is where I had him take me,
but Elder Ringwood wasn't there. I called him and he didn't answer. I had a
thought come to my mind about something they said earlier so I decided to go
check out Michael’s house. They were there. I got my stuff in the car and
jumped into the lesson half way. While we were grabbing the keys Bro Hoyt had
like 5 seconds so he looked at Michael and said “Hey it’s all true!” It was super
funny the way he did it. I really enjoyed seeing them. I tried to figure out
why we weren't at Ron’s teaching I mouthed it to Elder Ringwood and I thought
he said back that he dropped us. I was like whatever I must have been imagining
things and just trusted him that he knew where we should be. It turns out that
he did drop us. Ron and Karen didn't like something that was said at dinner
that was said, but they wouldn't come let us talk to them about it. Somebody
asked if only men can hold the Priesthood and the member we were eating with
said men hold the Priesthood and women have other important responsibilities
like having children. I don't think that is their real concern because she is
the type if somebody says something she doesn't like she will tell them. I
think there is a lot more to the story, we are still trying to get to talk to
them. We will see how it goes though. That night we met with Mario. He was in
the middle of stuff when we got there so we helped him, one of the things we
did was change a tire. The way things are going I am going to be a record speed
tire changer. This keeps happening to me. After that we sat down for a lesson
and then his girlfriend Lakisha walked in who is the actual investigator. So we
got to talk to her for a little bit. She wanted to go to church and everything.
Mario is holding her back. He didn't
want to go to church this Sunday.
Sunday. Sundays are so stressful as a missionary. Martha
came to church! We also had a lesson with her at night. Bro Cassio was there.
You have to be careful around her. She gave Bro Cassio a pretty hard time ha.
She always keeps things interesting. We had a meeting with Bro Cassio (our Ward
Mission Leader) about the "Because of Him Video" because President
asked us to and then to report to him how many companionships did it. I really
liked it. He liked it enough he sent it to 5 friends right then! He is awesome.
Bro Cassio doesn't really care what
other people think about him. Well I can't think of anything else to write and
I am sick of sitting in front of this computer so that’s it! Have a good
Easter!! Love ya tons!! Elder Wood
Elder Wood and Elder Cook
