Niagra Falls - Idaho Style

Happy Chrismahanakwanzaka!!!!

Hey everyone!

Happy holidays and Merry Christmas! Hope every ones Christmas season is going great. I know mine is significantly better than 2 years ago because I'm not working at Target this time of year. Which was insane. haha. But despite how incredibly busy I was, I loved it. Now I'm twice as busy and love it way more. It's awesome. We're always out doing something or helping someone.

On Wednesday we had Zone Conference. It was our Christmas devotional and it was WAY sweet. There was a talent show, a great dinner (actually it was amazing!!), a very spiritual Christmas devotional, and Santa even came! Hooray! haha. One of my favorite parts was just hearing President Yardley speak. I've heard him like a thousand times, but it never gets old cause it's SO amazing. It was fun to see old friends and talk mission areas. Santa even gave out presents! I got a robe, to which I said, "wow, I hope I get the flu so I can wear it". haha. But
it was really a good time.

On Thursday we had interviews with our President. WAY weird to have interviews right after Zone Conference, but kinda cool too. He didn't drop any hints if I'm staying or leaving. My guess would be leaving, but who knows. I'd love to stay cause this area is amazing. But I'll go wherever.

Another really cool thing that happened this week, was we (as a Zone) were invited to do service at the Temple. Like, cleaning the inside yesterday. It was SUCH a cool experience.

Yesterday we also helped an investigator move and met with some new investigators who are WAY cool. We're pretty excited.

Well, that's probably it for now. Work is going awesome and we're having a blast.

Hope every one's Christmas is going to be sweet!

Love ya!

-Elder Woods

"...but I will be thy servant" - Ammon

Hey everyone!

Hope your all doing great! For those of you celebrating (Jesse) it is curently the 4th day of Chanukah. So... La Cheim.

Anyways, this week has been awesome. We've been doing TONS of service, and have been pretty blessed for it. We helped a family move, shoveled show, moved wood, and even volunteered at Deseret Industries. It was pretty fun. I was even able to score a pretty sick V-neck shirt AND a REALLY sick hooded long sleeve shirt. Its like an old Ocean Pacific from the early 90's. haha.

But the real reward was just being able to help people. We're really excited for some upcoming projects with the Lions Club and armed forces. It's been awesome.

We were even blessed to meet two new investigators who are really interested in the church. Both lessons went really well. All our other investigators are doing awesome. Some have told us to come back in January, but most are still cool with us coming by.

Well, that's about it for this week. Next week should be WAY crazy. So stick around cause its gonna OWN!

Love,
-Elder Woods

Frozen Falls

Hey everyone!

This week will prolly be a little short. We started a new transfer and learned that my Zone has been cut in half. The Elders out in Jerome are now there own Zone (again) and our Zone is now 1 District of 6 Elders. (8 including us). So pretty crazy small. But all the Elders in it are WAY good so we're excited.

We made the Zone vision and calender and are focusing this transfer on doing service for others. Just getting out and helping those around us. Because not a lot of people really want us during this time because of family over and stuff. So, just like Ammon to King Lamoni, we're hoping to do service and spread holiday cheer.

We went out to Twin Falls (like, the actual falls) and took some pics. It was pretty cool. actually, really cold. haha. But pretty. I would like to see it when the water is running.

The next day it started snowing and hasn't really stopped. So I am getting more practice at driving in snow. It's actually really fun. haha.

Well, that's about it. All in all everything is going awesome!

I want to end this entry to saying Happy Birthday to my mom. I love you so much mom and I'm so thankful for all you do. It's hard to believe your already 30.

Love ya!

-Elder Woods

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

Hey everyone!

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving. Ours was awesome. We went to a few different families and ate until we got sick. Literally! haha. We started our second dinner and Elder Chain got pretty sick. He had to go home and lie down. I seriously can't think of a better way to spend a holiday. Sleeping. Oh it's a missionary dream come true. haha. But later that night, we went out and visited a good friend named Spencer. a.k.a. Elder Wenzel! YA!!! It was so good to see him. He was down for a basketball game in Twin Falls the next day.

Which brings me to the next day! After we went to a Zone Meeting (more like Jerome meeting since the other District didn't show up. lame), and took some awesome pictures, we all went to go see Spencer play. (Don't worry, it was approved by President. In fact the assistants brought some people down!) It was awesome. They played Riverside Community College (too bad they didn't bring there AMAZING drumline with them). It was a good game with some really cool plays.

On Sunday, I got to speak in one of our wards on (surprise surprise)
missionary work! and testimonies. It was really well. Yesterday was transfers, which ment that we were up late packing. But I get Elder Gebhart (look up this time last year). He's one of my favorite
missionaries out here. We get along REALLY well and work hard
together. awesome! So I'm pretty excited about this transfer. That's about it for this week. With Thanksgiving and transfers, it slows stuff down. But we're still workin hard and doing our best.

Well, I love ya all!

-Elder Woods

The Little Town That Could

Hey everyone!

So this week has been pretty awesome. Once again I don't have my planner so the events will all be out of order. But who cares. haha.

On Thursday we picked up a really good investigator. He is like, 17 and really interested in learning about the Book of Mormon. What it is, what's in it, why we have it, all that good stuff. We had a really good lesson about it and he wanted us to come back and talk more. Way cool.

Friday we had interviews. I wore my brown pinstripe suit (my mom's favorite - I refer to it as the hideous brown suit) and President Yardley said I looked like Robert Redford in the Sting. Best compliment I've ever been given. haha. (There will be no living with him now). He old me I'm staying and gave me some possibilities on who my next comp. would be. They were only maybe's, but if it were true, it would be SOOOO awesome! haha. So we'll wait till next week to find out. Well, I guess this week. Probably today!

Anyways. Saturday we went to Murtaugh. Now, I took two pictures of the Murtaugh sign on both sides. You'll notice BOTH sides say "Welcome To Murtaugh". Well that's because that's how big the town is. haha. It is very very small. But we did meet a really nice family who wanted us to teach their kids and baptize them. Score! haha. That doesn't happen too often.

Sunday we met with another new investigator. We taught him the 1st lesson and he really wants to learn more. He's interested in coming to church too. Sweet! Right after that, I had the opportunity to speak at a Priesthood Preview meeting. It was really cool. I didn't prepare anything at all, so it was pretty cool to be led by the Spirit in what to say. At least I hope it was the Spirit. haha. I know I said something about BSU and that's pretty close to carnal sin to talk bad about BSU. I saw a man get the death sentence for talking bad about them. haha.

That's all the big points of this week. It has been awesome and we are so thankful for the Lord's blessings. Especially Thanksgiving. Hooray turkey! haha.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Love -Elder Woods

I asked Brad what he was going to do for Thanksgiving - his answer: Thanksgiving we can't do much. Just eat a lot. Which is what we do
everyday. "Here in the Idaho Boise Mission, you don't eat when your
hungry, you eat when your fed" haha.

Special 18 Month Mark Edition

Hey!

How is everyone?

So welcome to the special 18 month mark edition. A year and a half ago I began this amazing journey. It's flown by so fast, but luckily I still have a good amount of time to get some work done. You'd think that doing the same thing day in day out every single day for a year and a half would get boring, but everyday is amazing. It has become the only thing I know. Missionary work. It's awesome.

So......
to commemorate this occasion (as most Elders do) I burned a pair of pants. (well, just one pant for those who want to be correct with English. haha). I've burnt a tie and a shirt, and they went fine. But the burning pants created the WORST smell ever! It like soaked into the suit I was wearing and now can't wear it until I get it dry cleaned. (I hope it was the hideous brown suit) haha. It was horrible. But they lit up and burnt fast. We did it at the Gardners and they doused it in gas so it only took a few seconds for that thing to become ash. haha. It was pretty awesome.

Other than that, this week has been pretty swell. We picked up some new investigators and were able to do some service setting up Christmas stuff. (It really made me think of my mom when we were setting up a tree and Christmas music was playing.) But it was fun. It also made me realize how close Christmas really is. haha. Sweet.

So I threw on some random pics. One of Chain driving the crazy car. I don't know if it made it on the blog ever. At district meeting, Chain and I dressed up because we didn't last week. It was pretty fun. haha. and a few of the District Meeting last week. Which was hilarious.

Coming up this week is interviews. We're pretty excited. Thanksgiving weekend
should be pretty wild, but I'll talk about that when we get to it. haha.

Well, I hope all is well for you.

I love you all!

-Elder Woods

Another Elder Woods in Boise!!! Steve and I flew up to Boise on Sunday to hear our former neighbor Devin Larson speak in church. He is heading to Mexico and will be a fantastic missionary. Brad is 130 miles away in Twin Falls, so no, we did not go and see him but we did enjoy seeing some of the area Brad has yet to serve in. It is COLD there.