A Banjo, a Fat Guy and a Baptism

Hello one and all!

This week has been a week of many ups and downs. Its cool though. The work will go forth.

We had interviews on Wed and it sounds like I'm leaving. I have no idea where though. I'm guessing Boise or Nampa, which probably means I'll get sent to Oakley again or somethin. haha. That day we also had three baptismal interviews set up for our candidates...one showed up. One of us forgot another had a baseball and the other just straight up ditched us. It's ok.

Thursday and Fri we actually did quite a bit of service. We got roped into Friday's service by attending the scout auction dinner thing. It was actually way cool. This is where I played the banjo and looked like and idiot doing it.(but who can really look cool playing the banjo? You can give Van Halen a banjo and make him look like George McFly).

We helped some members in our ward move a shed. A whole shed. haha. It was pretty crazy. I don't have pictures because I didn't bring my camera. I thought we were moving stuff IN a shed. This was not the case. We had to lift it and put it on a trailer. It was pretty fun. haha.

Saturday was the baptism. It was really good. Matt (the guy getting baptized)actually said the talk on baptism. I've never seen that...ever! haha.It was pretty awesome.

We're still pretty hopeful about the other two and trying our hardest. One might be this Sat., but we don't know about the other.

Anyways, on Sunday, I awoke to learn what "hay fever" is. Um...this sucks for anyone who doesn't know what it is. Basically it's this disease that causes your face to explode. Not too fun. haha. I had never had allergy problems so it was all pretty new. I started taking this citrus burst flavored Alavert. But I've learned on my mission, that if medicine tastes good, it doesn't do crap. Which is the case here as well. But it does taste WAY good! haha.

Well, I gotta get running. Next week I will either be in my new area or about to be. I'll let you all know.

I love ya tons!
-Elder Woods

p.s. The fat guy is just some random fat guy elder Forsyth and I saw outside our window that made us laugh for like 1/2 and hour.

You Are In "Eye De Ho" (Think Music Man)

The Drapers '09
The Drapers '08

Hello everyone!

This week has been pretty good. The main focus on this past week was taking part in a mission musical about Christ. Now I know what you might be thinking (I think it everytime I talk about it), its not a broadway type musical with singing and dancing. If it was they wouldn't let me be in it. Probably because I would show up to the auditions dressed as a cast member from CATS!. haha.

People were split into 3 categories: Singers, narrators, and testimoniers...testimony givers...bearers of testimony...whatever.haha. I was a narrator and had to have my part memorized. I also had the longest part to memorize. This was not too fun. We had a practice on Monday where we were allowed to read from the script if we had to. I tried to see how far I could get off my memory, and made it to about the 3rd or 4th word before pulling out the script. I tried my hardest to continue memorizing it until I had it DOWN!...or so I though.

Thursday was the 1st show in Nampa. A roaring crowd of 8 people showed up (which was good. you'll see why). I got up to do my part and said the 1st 3/4ths with super confidence. That was it. Just 3/4ths of it. After that I completely blanked. I'm not sure how long I was up there, but it felt like YEARS! I was just standing there totally blank. (I wish I could have been in the audience. It must have been hilarious. haha). An Elder behind me had to say the next few words and it all came back to me and I finished, sat down, and cried myself to sleep.haha. So I continued practicing...ALOT!

On Sunday was the Middleton show. Longtime fans of the blog you will note that Middleton was my 1st area. It was WAY cool because TONS of people showed up and I totally remembered a bunch of them. Including the Drapers, one of my favorite families in the world (see picture). Anyways, after much prayer, I got up to do my part and NAILED it. It was awesome. I spent the rest of that night thanking my Heavenly Father for giving me strength and not looking like an idiot again. haha. That was really the highlight of the week.

Plus this bus I found that says "Jews for Jesus". I'm baffled at it too don't worry. haha. Pretty entertaining.

This Saturday we might have 3 baptisms (we had to postpone one because our investigator broke his collar-bone that day). It should be awesome. But I gotta run.

I love you all.

Thanks again for all you do.

-Elder Woods

The Armor of Easter

Me wearing the armor of Easter (haha, I'm retarded)

Native Idaho Zebra in its natural habitat

Little kid patroling the streets (sooo funny. I couldn't have gotten any luckier with this picture. haha.)

A crazy castle in Weiser

Red Sky

My companion chasing sheep

So this week has been awesome/INSANE!

Last Tuesday, we got to be part of a devotional type thing called "The Last Week of Christ". It was really cool. It was a walk through tour in the church with each room being set up to depict a different day in the last week of Christ. It was way cool. The crucifixion room was by far the most powerful. We watched a film called "The Lamb of God" and during the crucifixion scene in that movie, when Christ was being nailed to the cross, whenever the hammer would come down on Christ, someone in the back of the room actually hit a railroad tie into a thick block of wood on the ground. You could totally feel each hit and it was WAY powerful. We were in charge of the next room, the Resurrection and appearance in the Book of Mormon. We had the overflow and chapel, so we had all the lights off in the overflow (a tiny light for safety), a fog machine going, and read from 3rd Nephi ch 8, where it is complete darkness. We talked about how alone and afraid you would feel in this place for 3 days, we than said 3 days had passed and opened the door to the chapel where we had in "Testaments" playing where Jesus appears. It was pretty cool. But fog machine will give you the biggest headache ever if you're exposed to it too much. Oh man I coulda swore I had a tumor! haha. So if ever your thinking, "hey I should use a fog machine in this enclosed area. That's a good decision" think again! haha.

Wednesday, we had exchanges and one of my ZL's came named elder Finau. He's from Tonga, and he's awesome. haha. We had a ton of fun and got a lot done in Weiser, including finding this castle and trackting it out. Ya, people live there. haha.

Thursday night, Elder Forsyth decided, "hey, it would be a great idea to stab a knife through my thumb" so he did. haha. He was trying to fix his watch and it slipped and went in one side and out the other. CRAZY! So we found ourselves at the hospital.They said it didn't need stitching, but antibiotics. Crazy stuff. Haha.

We also are now a part of a missionary musical made my Elder Grant(yeah) and Elder Ely. We are both narrators and practiced yesterday. Its' REALLY cool.

Well, I gotta run. Baptism update is awesome. We have a baptism this Saturday, this Sunday, and next Saturday. haha. YES!

I love ya all!

-Elder Woods

Conference & Dayquil

Elder Grant (Brad's trainer)

Zone Conference Pic's

Hello!

I loved conference, except I was pretty dang sick. I was living my life 4 hours at a time as I told the family we watched conference with. That was how often I could take the Dayquil I was taking. haha. I loved Perry's talk. Hooray member missionary work! haha. It was soooo awesome. I took a ton of notes because, like I said I was pretty sick and didn't catch everything so I'll have to go over my notes.

Our week has been really good. Really busy. We had zone conference the day before actual conference. Pretty awesome. Comp is awesome.

On the 18th is David Alano's baptism. On the 25th is Matt Wrights baptism. James Peterson and Whitney Cowgill are both praying about dates. Pretty awesome.

I DID get my easter package. It was WAY good. Thank you sooo much!

That's so awesome you talked to Elder Lehman. HE is the coolest! By far the best missionary in this mission.

Hey! The day in between when Emily meets the anti-christ and when she walks is my 1 year mark! Hooray! haha.

Well I gotta run.

I love ya tons!

Your favorite (and also least favorite) son

Elder Woods