Monday, December 21, 2015

Happy Christmas!

We had a fantastic week! We were able to have lots of lessons this week and the ward is continually progressing and working more and more to help the less actives and investigators feel welcome and bring more people to Jesus. It is always great to see the fruits of the labor!

We had a great family night with Melisa and Guillermo because another family invited them to do it with them! We talked about goals and how it is important to prepare for the future and if we put God first, He will always help us. Then during the week we had another lesson with them and we taught the plan of salvation. It's like their world made sense now. They loved what they learned and they both accepted to be baptized!!!! How amazing, right?? I love them and I am grateful to be here teaching them!

We are finding new people and families to teach, but I feel really good about the work we have done here. I know that the future missionaries, ward members, and investigators will be grateful.

We are going to have a pretty crazy week this week! We have lots of activities, tramites, and Christmas to do! I can't wait to see all of you! I would like to end with a couple scriptures.

"Wherefore, I conclude this record, declaring that I have written according to the best of my knowledge, by saying that the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream..." (Jacob 7:26)

"I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: "But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be unto thee..." (3 John 1:13-14)

"And now I bid unto all, farewell..." (Moroni 10:34)

Love,
Hermana Wood :)

Once again from my companion. :)

The Christmas tree we are going to give to a family tonight, inspired by the Christmas tree my mom gave to me.

Monday, December 14, 2015

Who knew?

Why did I think I was going to be able to end my mission peacfully? Haha, well, that thought was a little off track because this week was crazy! We did so many things and lots of stuff happened and I am going to try and share it all with you.

First. Haha. Well, once upon a time, we live in a building that needs three keys to enter. One for the main door, one for the bars in front of our door, and one to open the door to our room. Oh, and before we had a rule that we couldn't take the cell phone out of the house, but this week the changed it. And we have to be in the house at 8:30. So on Wednesday, we went to leave the house. We took the phone, locked the bars and the door, and left the building. We went and visited everyone we needed to see...and we realized that it was 8:20 and we weren't going to make it home in time. So we started running. We ran in the middle of the street in Rosario, in the bike lane, because it was faster. We ran and ran and ran, and we finally got home. When we got there...we realized we didn't have the keys!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We were stuck in the middle of Rosario without keys or money. But, THANKFULLY, we had the phone! So we called the elders and they said we needed to go to the hermanas in Parque Urquiza and spend the night because there wasn't anything we could do about it in the moment. We called the landlord, and he didn't have a copy of the keys or anything. So we called the hermanas, and they paid the taxi that we took and we slept with them for the night. It was hard to sleep because you could hear the bats outside all night and the doves in the morning. but that's beside the point. Then in the morning, we called the elders and they said they were going to meet us at our house. So we took a taxi, and they paid for it, and we got there. Before they called the locksmith, we pushed all the doorbells of the people to see if they could open the maindoor. One guy said yes and came down. We explained what happened and he said a woman had found some keys yesterday!!!!! We quickly talked to the woman and she said she found them in the keyhole of the main door! I left the keys in the door! Hahahaha. I felt kind of stupid, but blessed that we didn't need to pay lots of money. we made copies of all the keys and now we are okay. Oh my gosh, so funny.

Second. One night, we opened the window to go to sleep, and a butterfly came in the room! Obviously, being me, I couldn't sleep with a butterfly in the room. So I started jumping on the beds trying to reach it and put it outside. Hermana cruz tried to help by hitting the butterfly with her towel. But...she hit it so hard, that she let go of her towel and it flew out the window! Then in that moment it started raining and pouring and we couldn't find her towel. but don't worry, i got the butterfly out of the room. We found her towel the next day soaking wet, but we found it. :) Third. We had the Christmas dinner here in our ward!! Melisa and Guillermo were able to come!!! They told us that their son is okay now and he is with them, so they are very happy about that. The primary did the nativity and the youth served the food for everyone. We had to leave, but after everyone danced and had a great time. It was very nice!

Fourth. Yesterday we had consejo de barrio with our bishop, and we were so surprised becuase we taught him the new plan from the area and he put everything in practice! We gave him a copy of the Action Plan with the vision, goals, and plans, and he made a copy of it and gave it to everyone organization so that each one has a vision for the ward and how they are going to help the ward grow. I loved to see the fruits and I know that they are going to keep progressing here! It makes me happy!

Fifth. This morning Hermana Cruz and I went to the Monument! It was so beautiful because there was no one there and the sun was behind the clouds. I love Rosario and I love being a missionary!

Those are the stories from my week. I hope you all have an amazing week with everything that is going on with Christmas and families! I love you all!

Love,
Hermana Wood :)

Monday, December 7, 2015

A Savior is Born

No one ever thought they would see me with an apron... ;)
Alfajores!!!!!!!!!!

We put up the christmas tree.
Yay for Christmas!

In Spanish, it is "Ha nacido un Salvador" and we are sharing this video with everyone, just like we did last year with the little cards! It is so much easier to talk to people in the street when we have something in common. This is what we say? Missionary: Hi, we have a question. Do you celebrate christmas?
Person: ......yes.......
Missionary: Oh, really? Us too! We have a present for you. It is this little card. Right here is says, "A Savior is Born". For us, the Savior is Jesus Christ. And for you?
Person: Yes, Jesus, for me too.
Missionary: Perfect. Here is a web page that you can enter and watch a 2 minute video about Christmas and Jesus Christ. We would love to pass by and answer any questions you have...etc.

It works so well. Because they are basically obligated to say yes, and the spirit comes because we are talking of Jesus. The people really feel the spirit of Christmas, because here in Argentina it is really hot during Christmas and no one decorates, so it is different, but when we talk about Jesus, they feel it.

This week was my last fast sunday here in Argentina. I was feeling a little down and I fasted and prayed to have at least one investigator in church on Sunday. I was praying and praying, hoping that we would have one, because here it is hard to come by. When we got there, there were a TON of people that were in the church. It turns out that a company here had a work party in Rosario, and everyone from Buenos Aires came here for the party and the members came to church on Sunday. They invited some of their associates to come to church! 6 investigators! We also had a baby shower and some of their family members came that weren't members! Can you believe how much Heavenly Father answered my prayer and fast? I know He listens to us and hears our prayers. When we put in our part, He will always bless us. It was a miracle.

Carina is doing well. She was all ready to come to church, but her sister-in-law wasn't able to watch her shop, so she couldn't leave the shop. But she really wanted to come. We taught her the plan of salvation. I love teaching her because she loves to learn and understands. I think my favorite part of the lesson was when I asked, "So, Carina, were did you live before this world?" And she said, "I lived with God as a spirit and I came here to be tried and tested so that I can live with Him again." Wow. She is amazing.

Melisa and Guillermo are trying to figure everything out with the judges and policemen and I will tell you if we hear anything about them. I know this is His work and His glory. To help us become like Him. We already made the decision to become a God one day because we made covenants with Him...and that's why we have trials. So that we learn how to become like Him.

We were able to talk to our bishop about the new area plan and he was so excited to put it into practice! He is so humble and willing to work for the Lord. I am grateful to be here and help this ward.

Oh, the best thing that happened this week was Hermana Olga taught us how to make alfajores!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my gosh, they are delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I now have the recipe and obviously we are going to be making some alfajores. ;)

I love you all so much!

Love,
Hermana Wood :)

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

HERE WE GO!

Me and Hermana Olga
The view from the roof our our house.
In the terminal for transfers and I was with almost ALL my companions! I love all these girls!
My companion is too creative. She made me this cute box. :)

My companion, Hermana Ribeiro, made my last planner for me. She put this scripture on the back: "Wherefore, let us go to and labor with our might this last time, for behold the end draweth nigh, and this is for the last time that I shall prune my vineyard."

I can't believe that I am officially starting my last transfer. I am going to stay here in Echesortu with my companion, Hermana Cruz. I am so excited to work this last part of my mission. I feel prepared and ready to do exactly what my Heavenly Father wants me to do.

I don't know if any of you have realized, but this area is very different from my other areas. We are working so hard, and we are seeing miracles, but it difficult. This transfer we are going to focus all of our efforts in helping the ward here progress and work with us. Because us working here alone really isn't going to help much and it is very slow. But we know that working with the bishop and the members is the way to help this area progress. We have a bigger vision for those in the future that are going to come, and we know we need to help the ward now so that it is prepared in the future. I know that if we can work with them, the Lord will bless us in the way He needs to. I am just learning to work and work and put it all in the hands of the Lord.

Melisa and Guillermo are having family problems. Melisa has a son names Francisco, and he is three years old. He has another dad that isn't Guillermo and every weekend Francisco goes with his dad. This last weekend, the dad didn't bring Franciscio home and they still don't know where he is. They are working the police and trying to find out what happened. They are very stressed out and we are praying super hard for them. If you could pray for them, we would grately appreciate it.

We were able to visit Carina this week. I love the desire she has to learn. We were able to go with a member and she felt really good. It is hard because she lives really far from the capilla and she doesn't have a way to get there...so we are going to ask some members if they can pick her up to go. But she is really great. :)

We also have a menos activo family that is coming to church! The Family Fuentes! They are finally coming to church and we are super happy for them! I loved ponderizing my scripture this last week. I learned so much about the atonement of Jesus Christ and His love for us. He wants us to repent because He doesn't want us to suffer in the way He had to. He is the perfect example of love and patience and I know that He will always be there to love and lift us up.

Right now I am with Hermana Cerna! She is staying with us for 2 days because she is going to start training as well. She is super great and I love her! Haha, I am with both the hermanas that I trained. ;)

I hope you all have an amazing week! I love you all!

Love,
Hermana Wood :)