Welcome Home Surprise

So last Wednesday, April 7th, Steve and I flew up to Boise to pickup Brad. He wanted to surprise everyone, so sorry for the deception.

We kept him under wraps and off to Disneyland!!

It is great to have him home.

President & Sister Yardley

So, grandparents didn't know who was coming to visit. It was so fun to see their responses.

Off to Disneyland

Back together again at the Happiest Place on Earth

TTFN

ELDER WOODS!!!!!

I love our matching badges!!

Elder Woods & Elder Woods

More pictures tomorrow!!!!!

No News is Good News?

So once again Brad is trying to ignored the fact that the end is near and didn't send a blog post. Steve and I are getting excited to go and get him and spend some quality time with him. I have dusted off his drums and we are fixing all those things that we said we would do two years ago. Poor Steve will totally be worn out by next week. I'm hoping for more news next week. Until then.....

The Mom

The Best Letter EVER

Hey everyone!

So this week has been great. We've had some really good progress with some awesome people out here and a few are close to baptism.

This morning it was snowing pretty hard. Which is WAY insane, but cool to see again since it didn't stick around.

So yesterday I received to best letter I've ever got on my mission. (no offense mom - non taken). I got a letter from an investigator we baptized in Weiser inviting me to go through the temple with him and his wife as they are sealed for time and eternity. That is the real goal of baptizing families, to see them together forever. I was so excited to get that letter and will be even happier to walk with them through the Boise temple. I think it's like April 23rd or something. I dunno, but I'm really excited.

Well the 3rd companion thing never happened so it looks like it will just be Cobb and I tearing it up.

Well I hope everyones week is good.

I love ya all!

-Elder Woods

Brad's No Blog Blog

3/10

Look how much they have grown.

Brad won't recognize Lexi and Landon.

5/08

5/08

3/10

So, once again Brad sent a very short email and no blog post. This is what he instructed me to share:

"if you wanna write something on the blog, write we have been working SUPER hard and have seen success. And that either this week or next week, we'll be getting a 3rd companion. A good friend of mine I'm excited to see again. I'll have a good blog next week.

I love you tons Mom!

Love-Elder Woods"

Eight Thumbs Up

Hey everyone!

So this week was really good. The major highlight was on Saturday, we had a baptism. IT was really cool. IT was two young boys (11 and 8) who were really excited to be baptized. The bishop baptized both of them, and Elder Cobb and I spoke. Then they surprised us by saying that they would be confirmed that day and they wanted us to
do it. haha. We each confirmed one. The best part of it, was yesterday we saw one of the boys playing with some neighborhood kids and he came up to us and told us how cool it is to have to Holy Ghost and how he feels so different. IT was awesome.

The area is doing awesome too. We have a ton of work and more baptisms on the way. Well that's about it for this week.

I love you all!

-Elder Woods

P.S. The pics

1) Baptism

2) the top of a mountain here in Marsing.
Pretty cool pic I thought.

Come join us at our home for a welcome home party for Elder B-rad, Saturday April 17th 5:30 to 8:30 pm (email for directions).

Elder Woods will be speaking in the Augusta Ranch 1st Ward on Sunday, April 18th @ 1:00 pm. The building is located on the corner of Madero & Crismon Rds., in Mesa.

A Baptism "Home Run" in Homedale

I can't believe it's been 2 years since this letter came.

So the tiny emails continue and this week B-rad didn't even send a blog post. So, here is the majority of the email we received. As the weeks get shorter, so goes the information.


Thats cool about speaking on the 18th, I'll start
preparing...on the 17th. haha. The bbq on the 17th sounds cool to me.

Homedale is awesome. We have so much work, ITs way tight. We cover 4 wards and a branch. We haven't made it out to the branch yet cause I guess it's pretty far. Comp is way cool. He's been out like 13-14 months. We have one baptism this Sat. and a few more coming up. Man, that's crazy about Jen being 30. I'll have to send her a card. Well hey, I'll get you more info on the going away deal. (Steve and I were invited to his going away dinner and are personally escorting Elder Woods home).
Actually, You'll probably be getting some in the mail this week from the Mission Office now that I think about it. I had to fill out some info about the Bishop and Stake Pres. and stuff so that might have a schedule or something. I dunno.
But hey, I actually have to get running. We got some appointments real
soon. I love you mom!
Love -Elder Woods

In Home-deezy fo sheezy

Hey everyone!

So I got transfered to my new area in Homedale with Elder Cobb and we are having a blast. It's actually kinda fun shotgunning an area. We have to search out the bishop and ward mission leaders and stuff. But we are working like crazy that's for sure. haha. We got into the area and found that there is a healthy amount of work here. So really that's what we've been doing. Just trying to find our way around. haha. But so you all know, its going awesome.

Love ya!

Elder Woods

Brad sent this in his very short email to me -"You'll probably see my emails get shorter and shorter, but it's cause I really don't wanna think to much of home, plus I'll be able to talk to you non-stop in a few weeks.

haha."

I'm going to hold him to the non-stop!!!!

Golfing in the Canyon

The Wonderful Gardner Family they have really taken good care of our

Elder Woods

Hey everyone.

So I'm still in Twin. I get transfered tomorrow morning.

This week we've mainly just been seeing our investigators, members, and others, and saying our goodbyes. We also took some time to get some good pictures of Twin. In fact, last p-day we drove down in the canyon to take pics of a really nice golf course, and the owner came out and was like, "you boys wanna play?" We told him none of us had money, but he insited that he cover our fees and rent us clubs for free! SWEET! So we gotta play a round of golf for free in the canyon. It was a once in a lifetime oppurtunity thats for sure.

That's actually pretty much it. We've just been getting the area ready for the next
elders and vice versa.

Hope your week is awesome!

Love ya all!

-Elder Woods

Coming Home....dale.

Hey everyone!

Sorry about the no blog post last week. The pics were of Elder Tapia's 18th month mark. He's a good friend of mine.

So yesterday we got our transfer calls. Which came WAY early. But 1st, last week we had interviews. They were way good and President made it sound like both Twin Falls Zone Leader areas would be shotgunned (all missionaries taken out and new ones put in), but also made it sound possible that the two Twin Falls Zone's would be combined and some missionaries would stay as ZL's to combine them. Anyways, transfer
calls came yesterday and announced that all the zl's would be leaving, but the zones would not be combined. Elder Gebhart is going out to Meridian North to be the zl there and I am out to Marsing Homedale to be a regular old missionary. I'm SOOOO excited. haha. Not only do I get to be a regular missionary, Homedale is an awesome area (in the Caldwell Zone a.k.a. the best zone), WITH one of my favorite missionaries Elder Cobb. I'm REALLY excited. I plan to work my heart out. Which is what we've been doing this week in Twin Falls. Now we're gonna have to work harder to get the area ready for two new missionaries.

Next week I'll either be here or Homedale so if I'm there I can give you a pretty good update.

Anyways, that's about it.

I love ya all!

-Elder Woods

Old Timer's Disease?

So Brad sent an email, 2 pictures but NO blog post this week. I don't know who the Elder is in the picture but leave it to my fire loving son to always have his camera ready for a burning ceremony. Brad did say his knee is feeling better. He said that his companion Elder Gephart and former Zone Leader Spencer Wentzel want him to go to BYU with them. BYU??? Wow Brad has changed (his ASU alumni sisters will be so offended)!!!

I hope his old parents forgetfulness doesn't hit again next week.

64 days and counting down. YEA!!!!!

The Big News

Hey everyone.

So last week I told you today I would have a big announcement, and I certainly do have one. It is crazy awesome and might make your head explode. ready?...Coheed and Cambria are releasing their new cd on April 13th! WOAH!!! haha. So obviously that's not the real big news, but still pretty amazing right? The big news has to do with the next day. The 14th. That will be the day Elder Woods, becomes Brad Woods again. Yep, I will be released on the 14th of April. Which means I'll actually probably get home on the 15th. Still pretty crazy. (So this is what Brad wrote to me: "if you are wondering why so early, Presidently Yardley is sending quite a few people early because of school and a couple of other reasons 1. He wants to get ready for the new mission president by moving up all new leadership. That way when the new president comes in, he won't have to worry about leadership or transfers for a while or sending people home. and 2. there is a pretty big influx of missionaries during the time. We'll have over 200 if everyone stays and there's not near enough room for that many. So it's not cause I stink or anything, don't worry.") That's probably all I'll say about that for a while though. I try not to think too much about going home, but I thought you might all like that update.

So this week was pretty awesome. Wednesday we had zone conference. It was SWEET. We also had a guest visitor for Zone breakout that Elder Gebhart and I found. His name was Matt Foley, and he was a motivational speaker. He taught us all about planning so we didn't waste our time having to track out the people living in vans down by the river. haha. It was WAY funny, but we also learned. It was a good time.

Yesterday we had a small zone activity trying to make our own rootbeer. Had I known it takes a WEEK to make I never would have signed up, but hopefully it will be worth it. Unfortunately last night at around 11, we heard a large explosion in our apartment and found one of the bottles had exploded. So after an hour of cleaning, we got back to sleep. I gotta say this better be the best rootbeer ever. haha. But it was fun and we had a cool district meeting while making it so I guess it was worth it.

Today we were able to go down to Burley and go to the Distribution Center. It brought back a flood of memories of serving down there for a while. I wish Oakley wasn't so far or I would have visited there. Other than that, the work is going awesome.

We picked up some new investigators and they are REALLY progressing. It's awesome.

Well, hope you are all doing awesome.

I love ya tons!

-Elder Woods

Only In Idaho

Brad hurt his knee today and said he wasn't going to get around to writing a blog post today, but he did say next week he is going to have BIG news!!! So I thought I would post some new pictures from the SD card he sent home last week.

The mom

Boise and Back

Hey!

How is everyone? So one of the big things that happened this week was our trip to Boise for Zone Leader Council. It's really weird, I've served in the Idaho Boise Mission for 20 months, and I don't know ANYTHING about Boise. haha. Luckily my comp had served there so he showed me around and told me where to go. The meeting was amazing. There were some pretty 'mission changing' anouncements, but I'll fill you guys in on those when they come to pass. haha. It was a good trip though.

Another good thing, I found a place called '5 Guys Burgers and Fries'. haha. We stumbled upon the grand opening of one in Twin. Wow. Place is amazing. (We got a call from the owner, a Brother Neider, and he said, "I am calling to give you a report on Elder Woods, and the report is good", he said all kinds of good things about Brad, so it was FANTASTIC) We were able to talk to someone and go see them later. It was sweet.

The work is still going good. We helped some people move and did some service walking Dogs. Like, for the pound. I guess they really needed help with that. I dunno, it was fun. haha. But it has been really good.

Well, I gotta run. Hope all is well for ya'll.

Love-Elder Woods

Brrrrrrr Birthday

Hey

Thanks everyone for making my b-day extra sweet. So this week was pretty awesome. It started off with the Gardners throwing me a b-day party. It was sweet. Then some investigators bought me some chicken wings (which I haven't had my whole mission) and they were AMAZING! Mr. B's worthy. It was awesome.

Other than that, The main cool thing we did this week was we got to help out with bishop store-house deliveries. We met in a church parking lot and unloaded a truck full of crates. Each crate had a bunch of food and products that a family requested. So we organized them into piles and helped give them to people when they showed up. I don't know if I mentioned but it was SOOOO cold! Even my companion (from Minnesota) said it was way cold. I had to go home and put on a few more layers. In the end I looked like an Eskimo but hey, I was pretty good. You can see by the picture how a person from Arizona (me) dresses in cold compared to someone who's
used to it (Elder Crook). Over all a GREAT experience though. People were so thankful and kind. To see the joy on their face knowing that they could feed their family tonight was a very good learning experience. It was kinda like a reverse Christmas where you give gifts instead of get. It was really really a great experience.

Other than that, we met with all our investigators and are getting everyone back
on track. So we're pretty busy. Hope you guys are all doing good.

I love ya all!

-Elder Woods

Twenty Ten and Twenty One

( In honor of B-rad's 21st birthday here are some oldies but goodies, enjoy)

Hey!

So this is a very special edition of the blog. It is my 21st birthday. So immediatly following this email, we are going to the bar and driving to Vegas. haha.

New Years was pretty sick though. We hung out with the Zone and had a blast. Some played basketball (those of you who know me know that I was NOT one of those players haha) and some had a snowball fight. haha That was me. It was really a good time and we got to know the members of the Zone really well. We couldn't really work the next day, so we hung out with some other missionaries and played Beyond Boulderdash (greatest game ever) and Jenga. (by the way, I totally forgot how fun Jenga is. If you too have forgot the joy attached with this game, I highly recomend you go out and reconnect with it. Loads of fun. haha)

The other big thing that happened was the Fiesta Bowl. Oh man. If anyone knows about soccer, they know how intense the fans get in South America and stuff. That's how people in Idaho are about their BSU. They go CRAZY! haha. We coulnd't watch the game, but dinner had the game playing IN the dining room and so did our appointments, so it was hard to avoid. But the state basically exploded when BSU pulled it off and won. Oh man, people are talking about it as I write this. haha, It's pretty awesome.

But this week had been good as work goes too. Alot of our investigators told us to come back later after family left and stuff, but we were able to see some people we've wanted to. Transfer calls come tonight. I hope I stay, but we'll see what the Lord has in mind.

Well, I gotta run. Hope your New Year's was good and the year follows suit.

Love ya all!

-Elder Woods