Return to the Land of My Forefathers

Very quick. No, I did not get transfered. I simply was on exchange for a few days and spent some time in the town where my polish family comes from. Long story short the first person I spoke with was a drunk homeless man that accused us of being russian spies. The second person I spoke with was a young searchinng mother with her young daughter playing in the park who turned out to be one of my distant cousins. It was an incredible miracle and we had a great discusssion. We felt a kinly bond immediately and it was the same feellings that we feel when we stop and thinkk that we are all truly brothers and sisters, children of our Heavenly Father. She invited me back when I am next in the area to meet with the family and discusss more about the plan. This plan is so true. God is real. Christ lives and his church in perfectness is restored once again upon the Earth.

elder furhiman and I rounding up the geese

elder kriser (my comp)

elder Curtis(from Toquerville)

New Terrain

Well, Have a lot to say but I will keep it short. My mission is a miracle. 

Lots of our investigators are making progress, and I am humbled at the miracle of change the Atonement makes possible. It has been neat to help the Branch president out in the reactivation of a few of the young solid priesthood holders.

Something exciting, I am now in a state to take the gospel to my long lost relatives from my polish line. I will be visiting the city from where my polish ancestors emigrated from and while be opening of some new doors and connections to the church with important people there while also be searching out my relatives.

It has been neat to come to know the mind of the Lord as I humbly sincerely pray for guidance and strength, study the Book of mormon, deeply ponder and pleadingly, desperately pray, then get up and work according to the answers he gives. Heavenly Father talks to his children today each one personally as we come unto him in sincere humilty. Of that I bear solemn testimony :)  Please pray for me to have the spirit and to follow the voice and will of the Lord. Thank you and I love you all

Elder Wood

me with some of the missionaries

Me with Tobiasz, aka, my Amulek​​​

Fun Finding Activities

Last transfer we did some fun finding activities, to get our good name out there and invite people to learn about our church. We did a couple runs and also commentated an english a 3 on 3 basketball tournament with a famous polish rapper.

Transfer Review

Elder Kriser and I will be staying together for another transfer here in the Capitol!! I don't know if I ever described him. He is from Florida, there he lived on a big farm with his herd of cows. He has six sisters(5 older, 1 younger). He also went to BYU-Idaho for one year and did some sales during the summer break. He is a very loving, calm missionary, very in-tune with God and his will. It has been a pleasure to serve with him and learn from him, and I am glad that I have 2 more months to do so. 

We spent the last two summer months really gaining our contacts and finding lots of people who are interested in the restored gospel and started teaching them. Many of which express a good interest in our church and a desire to find the truth from God in their lives. These next two months should be filled with lots of teaching and baptisms. Also we have really gotten close to the YSA and some less-actives and part-member families in the Ward and it has been great to work beside them and be lifted up spiritually together as well.

At the beginning of the transfer I made a new friend. She lives on the Polish-German border and studied her in Warsaw. She had been investigating the church for a few years and she decided to take the next steps leading to her Savior and be baptized and confirmed. It was humbling to be a part of the process and to see the difference the gift of the Holy Ghost made in her life, after she made the big decision. Her testimony is strong and her spirit is bright. She is an amazing example.

Also, in the past four months there have been 3 different general authorities come to the mission. This weekend Elder Mendoza from the Area 70 came and shared his knowledge, advice and spirit. It was great because at Dinner, Elder Kriser and I sat next to him and were able to ask him some questions and the words which he spoke and the spirit which we felt were perfect. We are excited to implement his counsel into the work in helping to bring to pass God's glory," the immortality and eternal life of man."

So an interesting scripture he shared was Doctrine and Covenants 88:67 " And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things."

So let us all remember to always keep God's goal in our sight, because if we do and then lose ourselves in the service of those around us, we will always know what to do and will make it back to live with our Heavenly Father his son Jesus Christ again, helping our fellow brothers and sisters along the way. Life is amazing. Our divine destiny is true. Of that I give my word in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love, Elder Wood

Yes, I'm alive ;)

Sorry I haven't updated you all for so long and I really don't know what to say, or how to release my thoughts and summarize all that has been going on the past few weeks.

We had to take the missionaries returning home to the airport at 3:30 in the morning last week. That was kinda hard not because we had to get up early but because I had to say goodbye to all the sisters that were in my MTC group as we all came out into this mision thing together. It finally dawned on me that I only have 6 months left and that gave me some weird feelings because it's going to be so hard and say goodbye to everyone and everything. But yeah, not really gonna think about that anymore because I have way too much to accomplish before I come home and see you all again!

We also went and did some service work a community severely damaged by a massive storm this week. We did manual labor in gathering and burning fallen destroyed trees, cleaning parks and farm work from 8 to 21 for a few days but it seriously felt like a vacation from normal missionary work! ha it was so nice. Then a miracle, just by seeing how nice and happy we were all these super strong Catholics wanted to find out more about our church and read the book of Mormon so we handed out a lot with "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" and they said that once they read it all they would pass it to their families and other members in their community! It was so neat. Then the next day we went and helped a member of our ward on her farm and it really softened the hard, skeptical hearts of her family and neighbors. By the end of it all she was tearing up. We literally felt like we were in paradise :) The results in the lives of others of heartfelt service is amazing. Let us always serve others with selflessness and the pure love of Christ and look for the miracles, healing and increased love that follows.

Also, We will have 11 new great missionaries coming into the Poland Warsaw Mission tomorrow which we are super excited about!

Elder Kriser and I are personally are working with a lot of investigators who truly are desiring to come closer to Christ, We have about 9-10 legit investigators making progress with more than half of them coming to church consistently. They want to be baptized and progress according to the gospel but some of them are just waiting till the time is right so we continue to teach true doctrine and watch their confidence and faith grow each week. 

I guess that will be the spiritual message this week. I have been interested in psychology and human behavior for so long and so this quote has always been on my mind but then when Elder Sabin came and gave us some training he shared it as well. "True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior. … That is why we stress so forcefully the study of the doctrines of the gospel” Elder Boyd K Packer

It is truly amazing to see the change in peoples lives and the happiness, peace and joy they receive when they come to know that they are truly sons and daughters of God. They learn true doctrine from God himself through study prayer and revelation and cast of the philosophies of men,  then realize who they are, whey they are here, where they are headed and what potential they have, and the blessings and growth and development that awaits them as the follow the path walked of the Savior. We truly are joint heirs in Christ, he not only is our Savior, but our perfect older brother continuously, lovingly, encouraging us to follow him in our journey back to our Father in Heaven as more developed, mature, intelligent, purified beings. We are all here for a reason and we have so much to look forward to and work towards with the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.The Church of Jesus Christ is on the earth again in perfectness and has all truth. Jesus Christ in all reality stands at the head and leads his church still today. I Know that and Testify of that in his name,  Jesus Christ, amen.

I love and miss you all

Love, Elder Wood

Don't have time to send a big email but know that everything is going well here in Poland and the Mission is really advancing, It is miraculous and amazing to be a part of it. 

One thought that I had in church this week. Work hard serving others and put God first and have faith and you will have a happy fruitful life. :) Like Prezydent Monson

1. Last picture with Elder Haskett. He got transferred out of the trio. Other comp didn't have missionary clothes because he was suppossed to have surgery that morning.

2. Zone conferences this week with Elder and Sister Sabin.

3. Honestly how we have been feeling the past couple weeks. So much work and meetings :) 

The Gathering

There have been miracles every day here in my mission. It really has been a miracle in my own life to have made it to the spot I have and been able to witness the things I have been a part of. For those of you that served missions, you know a little of what I mean, for those of you who have not, prepare to go or meet with the missionaries and then you will see ;)

Anywas, it has been soo busy here in the capitol, we have had many exchanges with different Elders and it has been crazy transitioning from the smallest teaching area in the mission to the biggest. My companions are Elder Kriser from Florida and Elder Haskett from LA. It is really interesting and a blessing to work and learn between the two of them. We have a lot of people we are working with including a few less-actives and recent converts. There is a new faith and fire here in the Poland Warsaw mission and it has been really cool to see God quickening the pace in gathering his sheep. We as missionaries are just like young sheep dogs finding the scent of the lost sheep and signaling to the master that they are lost and want to find their way back, and then we walk side by side with the Master to go out and bring them into the fold of safety and happiness.

This church is true, I have no doubt. I have heard just about every angle of argument,criticism and skeptisms but that does not sway me in my knowledge that the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ lives and directs his church today personally as he always had through a living prophet and twelve apostles. This Plan and the purpose of why we live, and why we have families is so much more than we can comprehend, but Our loving father in Heaven promises to reveal it to us little b little, sep by step. So I invite you to take that next step to figure out who you are in this plan and learn more about Jesus Christ.I promise it will bless your live and you will feel his light and peace come into your life.

He Lives!

sincerely,

 Elder Wood

1. exchange right before I left Mielec.

2. Picture with Samuel. he is the son of a member in Tarnów. we traveled there and did some some missionary work in this new area.

3. Stolica, "The Capitol"

4. The dream team. Elder Haskett "the Ginger". Elder Kriser "The Farmer".