Mission Pictures

THE MTC

A map with places people are from, no one was from NM

SALT LAKE CITY

(Note from mom: map skills are still a necessity!)

July 5, 2013

Yo! Mom!

So this week has been super weird and the days we can email are like... well I don't know anymore. Next week should be back to normal and It should be on monday, we were going to do P-Day on Tuesday but it got switched. AGAIN. Like what the heck, last night was really hard I felt really homesick, especially when we had to go home when the fireworks were just starting. I thought about what you guys where doing and how we would be together. It was sad. Yesterday was a full day P-Day which never happens, usually we have appointments starting at 6. So yesterday we just played soccer... like all day. There is this GIANT indoor trampoline place which is awesome but it also has this full size indoor soccer field. So we played forever, I am getting pretty good. I would make marah proud I think haha.

 

  

(This pic was from the MTC. Mitch says: The one where I'm red is from Soccer, believe it or not, I am actually pretty good at I think it's called "forward". I made the first goal. We won by one point 2-1. We play all the asia zone, it's like spanish vs asia it's crazy!)

Our new President and his wife are called the Hansens. I think that's how you spell it. He's really old and she is kind of intense, but it will work out. I really wish I got to know the Winns better though. So many presidents in my future ha.

  

(The new mission president, I only had the winns for like a week... I found out I will have four mission presidents throughout my mission.)

Also before I forget, I did see Elder Harris my first day here. (Note from mom: Levi Harris is from Farmington, New Mexico too!) It was during transfers when all the missionaries get together, and he came up to me and was like HEY! I forgot he was here it like freaked me out, but yeah they split this mission up, and now he is in wyoming or somewhere more east. Small world though, Layton is awesome. It is nothing like I thought it would be though, I thought I would be dealing with the annoying "Utah Mormons" who are a little clueless, but it's just awesome loving hispanics, everywhere! The culture is so layed back, it's really fitting for me. I love it. I have decided that I will finish the book of mormon in spanish when I finish it in english, I've been reading them both and I feel confident that when I'm done, the language will be where I want it to be. I see miracles everyday!

Also finally I have a little time, I have to tell you a story. So this family called the Garcia family who feed us all the time, they asked us to watch their dog Kandy, while they went on a quick vacation. So we were like fine that will be okay, we were getting the key the day before they left and making jokes like. "when you get back there will be flyers saying, missing dog goes by the name of kandy" haha it was funny at the time, the second day July 3rd we come to the house and she broke out of the room the Garcias told us she would never break out of, took a giant caca on the floor and we had to clean it up. Anyway we let her out and took her outside and went and did all of our teaching appointments. We came back that night and Elder Verges goes outside and starts playing with us screaming "oh no where's the dog" haha he's always joking so we where laughing then he goes out and starts looking around and comes back screaming, "OH NO WHERE IS THE DOG!!!" We go out and there is a giant whole dug under the fence, like what the freak! So we spent that night looking for this Dog, and finally after kneeling down and praying that we didn't kill this family's pet, we found a family blocks away walking all over with this dog, It was kandy, that stupid dog. So It all worked out but the garcias are going to have some funny voicemails when they get back haha. Also today we opened the house door, and she broke out again, I think the Garcias lied about this dogs obedience level.

Anyway, love you guys!

Mitch

July 1, 2013

Mother!!!

What the devil! You can't edit my posts, the people need to know how I feel! They need to see how I'm doing. If you just edit the good things people will think that everything is lollipops and daisies. THIS IS NOT THE CASE! I hate missionaries that are fake like that, that live one way but only pretend that they are perfect! My companion in the mtc knew how I felt because I am fairly open! But thanks for keeping up the blog, you can do it haha!

(Note from mom: Mitch's father, sister, and I are more private than he is. I don't think some of our family business needs to be on the world wide mission blog. Not to mention it would bore most people to tears, so I choose to edit. I promise to leave in anything mission related!)

So this week has been pretty tough and actually today isn't a "p-day" because it got changed to this thursday for the cuatro de julio, so yaaay I get to email twice.. I think. We have had a full schedule with a million appointments but everyone is either not home or they cancel on us. UGH, I hate when that happens, not to mention it's super hot outside and I'm like fighting my stomach from this 24/7 beans and rice diet. That and tortillas, these families LOVE FOOD and cooking and they want you to eat till your dead! It's crazy.. they also eat the same thing. All day everyday! I love the mission though, and It is treating me well. I am super frustrated with the language though, we have so many people that speak all spanish and very little english, so they are like me reversed and it makes for some ridiculous conversations!!! I love to talk with people and understand them, I have never felt so like out of the loop. When we are in lessons, and I get lost and don't know what we are talking about, I feel like I have been kicked out of a game or am eating alone in a cafeteria. It's so awful, I had one night where I was kind of cursing the heavens like "WHY SPANISH, I AM SOOO WHITE!!!" I hope this is how everyone feels at first and I'm not being a weenie.

  Yesterday we had a guy (who's a little crazy) come to church, he is one of our investigators we found, so it was awesome to see him there. We also have a baptism this week, for an inactive family we met and re activated. They have a son who's almost 9 and they want him to be baptized so yayayay. We also gave one of our recent converts the priesthood yesterday! It was so awesome because I thought he hated me because I don't speak spanish and so I could never really convey my feelings with him, and in church he came to me and was like yelling Suiga me, which means follow me!  and so I started and realized he didn't want to get it with out me standing in. It made me SO happy!!!

But yeah things are pretty tedious and just small things happen that I remember, like last night, we have this roommate who is super apostate and I don't know how he is with his investigators, but I do not feel the spirit with him. I like him, he's a funny guy, but dang. Last night me and my companeros scared him in his bed. We may have made him a little mad seeing that he straight busted out like 25 "eff" bombs I was like, chill out dude! He then turned off the hot water on us today, but the jokes on him. Cold showers are more healthy haha. No that sounds bad but It's part of living with like 5 young men. I will try and think of what else... Not much I can think of, but if I do I will let you know. 

 (a picture of "happy Jesus" that our crazy room mate hung up, he had seriously like 20 hung up in the house, we allowed him to keep one, so he framed it. haha that kid.)

Actually one more thing, we had to do a bunch of service and one of the things we did was have to like straight fix this investigator's roof (the one that came on Sunday). Oh how great our faith was because we had no idea what we where doing, but he really wanted us to. So we had a hammer, nails, and wood and we just fixed it up the best we could. There was a point where I hammered and like a million bugs came out of the roof. It was crazy!  I was on a ladder so I had to just take the army of insects or fall. haha But tell dad thanks for teaching me how to work! Because let me tell you I was straight making hay! It was awesome! 

Love you guys! Mucho Amor! 

~Elder Mitch Woods~

June 24, 2013

This is from a letter from President Winn, the SLC Mission President:

Dear Br.& Sis. Woods:

I am happy to inform you that your son, Elder Woods, has been assigned to the Utah Salt Lake City Mission while awaiting his visa. We are an active teaching and baptizing mission and are excited that he will be able to spend valuable time practicing important missionary skills with us. He has been assigned to a skilled trainer, Elder Verges, and will have many opportunities to grow spiritually in preparation for his departure for the Argentina Buenos Aires West Mission.

His mailing address is 1428 West 1650 North Apt. 703, Layton, UT 84041-5505.

Again, thank you for sharing your missionary with us in the work of the Lord.

Best regards,

Bruce R. Winn





And this is from a letter from Mitch:

Hola!

So here is the thing, I think I'm either going to die from lack of sleep or from frustration. I have never in my life done anything more hard, this makes me miss college no joke! I am in a limbo of whether I like spanish or not. haha but the spanish they taught me in the MTC did not prep me for all these different accents and ways people talk. There is sooo much slang and the people talk like MACH 5 it's crazy. I need to talk to you about my companions. I have two, I'm in a trio since I'm a visa waiter, they had to fit me in, my trainer is a fluent speaking spanish missionary from Cordoba Argentina. He has a Argentine accent, it is really different and he has been out 22 months so after he is done training he will go back to Argentina. My other companion who is new like me is from Florida, he is also a fluent speaker and he has a puerto rican accent which they drop letters off words and make r's sound like L's it's ridiculous. Most of the people here are from Mexico so they also have a more slangish and SUPER fast way of talking. I cannot explain how many lessons people look at me like I'm an idiot because I don't talk much and when I do it's super slow and sounds really gringo. I love the mission though, there is so much love here in Utah, people here treat us like Rockstars, there is a 90% chance everytime we go eat someone pays for us, or when we get groceries they buy those too. It's awsome and humbling. We only teach the latins though, and we have a spanish ward. It was so weird I stuck out soooo bad. I was like one of two people with blonde hair. and white skin. I feel super awkward around them and I just have to keep telling myself it will get better. I haven't cried myself to sleep yet, but It might happen one day. Also We sleep on three matresses on the ground all together. It's funny. They don't give the missionaries to nice of beds or you will never get up... because you will be dead from exaustion haha,

The first day I was here we went to down town Salt Lake and did "extreme" contacting. It was so fun, I love talking to people. Even though they either like you or... THEY HATE YOUR STINKIN GUTS! There is so much work here though and get this, so this last saturday we met a man named Pedro. I love Pedro, even though I don't fully understand him. So we planned a lesson and asked him to read a little. We then taught him yesterday and I recited the first vision in spanish and talked to him about Joseph Smith. I bore my testimony as best I could, we then invited him to be baptized and he said he believed it and could feel the spirit. So he is now on date for July. Not even a week out and we've found a soul! so happy. Also the Salt Lake Temple is in our mission so we get to go there sometime. I honestly don't know when I will go to Argentina but with Elder Verges (the argentine) I feel like I'm really close to the people. Also the puerto rican is named Elder Tapia just for future reference. It takes awhile to get used to all these spanish names like the prophets in the bible hahahaha I was like now turn to this chapter in Juan(john) and it made me laugh a little. Or like james is Santiago it's crazy how different things feel. I think I may be getting sick so let's hope not, but I have been coughing more then ever in my life it's awful! ugh. I'm proud of you all and hope that you guys are doing good. Also I will leave with this, latin culture is crazy but awesome. Soccer is life, everyone loves soccer no joke. our best resources for getting investigators to know church members and come to church is playing soccer. I am going to get pretty good. hahah I love it though. I have never eaten so much beans rice and meat. HEAVEN! I love you all and want you to do good. Remember to pray and stay humble because when you do that, your life changes, others lives change and you can witness miricales in all that you need!



Love you, Mucho amor para ustedes!



Elder Mitch Woods.



1428W 1650N APT. 307 Layton UT. 84041



Wal-mart, where magic happens....



June 17, 2013

Hows it going, yeah i'm not dead! hahah The SLC thing is pretty funny and kind of not, but the thing I know is that I will meet someone and when I do I will let you know! I remember I was praying super hard for my re assignment and I got this overwhelming feeling that It would be in Utah, so for like the next 5 days I prayed that I would go anywhere but Utah, and soo I got sent to the capitol hahah there is a scripture in 3 nephi somewhere that talks about asking for things that are against Gods will and that It will always be his will, that is if we live rightously. So I feel humbled but then again I heard that the missionaries in SLC are treated like kings! I will gain some weight for sure! Things here are pretty boring and slow. I dropped my companion off this morning so he can go to Chile! Lucky kid! I had to go to the front desk and it was so far away and my zone was at the Temple, so I had to run to the office, it was terrifying like I can already feel myself being more awkward like I was scared of the girls and felt soooo uncomfortable without a companion like it made me sick! I wish I was better at explaining everything! Things here are not the same as the outside world!!!! I can't wait to tell you stories. The Sundays here are not that great, they don't feel like a sunday, they just feel like more classes. So I heard this organ playing and I cannot wait to be at a chapel welcoming people and being with the people!!! SO EXCITED! I just hope the missionaries like me, the missionaries in Farmington said they hated visa waiters because they "get in the way" so now I'm like freak these guys are going to hate me! UGH. Oh well I will go and do!

Thanks for the package I showed the family off to everyone! and thanks! I love you all a ton, I enjoyed marahs letter made me laugh!

I hope you guys tried to find the talk "character of christ" work hard on it, it is awesome!

Mucho amor!

~Elder Woods~



June 14,2013

Hey soo, I just got my reassignment today and they have given me a little time to email and let you know! I'm kind of frustrated and upset, but I got assigned to the Salt Lake City mission. It needed to be somewhat close to salt lake so that I can meet with the consolate of argentina but still, I'm not sure how I feel. I think I feel like crying actually but It is for a reason! so I hope things are good with you! I leave next wednesday by train! haha soo far away I get to take a train. So keep your phone close in case I get the chance to call! Tell mom, I assumed you check your email more with your phone and what not, so let them know I am a missionary in Utah. haha God is funny sometimes.

Love you, Mitch

PS from Mom:

Mitch sent us this postcard also. On the back it says:

The Temple of my people ... One day I will see it! One day ...

- Elder Woods

June 10, 2013

So I honestly don't have a lot to talk about here in the MTC it is literally always the same! my schedule like never changes! I love your emails they make me happy! Things here go really really long!

I was supposed to get my travel assignment last week, but I didn't since I didn't get my visa yet, I have to meet with the Argentine consolate first and things are really intense with visas right now, there are only four people out of my district of 12 that are leaving on time! They said I will find out if I will get a re assignment this thursday or if I will have to stay in the MTC and continue every week looking for a place to serve until I get the visa! I'm definitely becming more patient in some ways and in other ways I still am super easily frustrated. Talking about the visas, my whole zone is fasting all day, it was my idea! It is killing me, I have never been more hungry! Pray I don't pass out! haha It's worth it though we will see blessings I know it!

I Love you and miss you guys a lot!
Elder Mitchell Woods, o su hijo amado!
Yo se la idioma, como un jefe. jaja chiste, estoy solomente teniendo divertido!
The language is getting better! slowly


We has a district leave, it was really sad, they are going to South Carolina! So I made sure to get some selfies with all of them! I LOVE THEM ALL!!!!

June 7, 2013

Things here have been pretty busy! I've been on my A game with Spanish lately. I have the First Vision down in Spanish! I hate it and I love it! It's a super frustrating process. We are supposed to learn 4 years worth of spanish before we leave! Which I believe I have learned more here than in my 2 years of school. I eat all the time and then just sit in class! Three days in the outside world is the equivalant of one here!

 Also, this may sound bad because I'm a missionary now, but I'll be honest, there are so many sisters here (It like almost outnumbers the men) and its crazy, they are such a distraction! 1) because some are extremely beautiful and 2) they are women and 80% of them are drawn to being very emotional and ... crazy.  (Note from mom: He only has sisters. He should be used to this. Right?) Estoy aggradecido que tengo un companero y no companera! ( I'm thankful that I have a male companion instead of a female) jaja (that's ha ha the J's make h noises)

 So email me let me know how things are going. How is life? Everything good? Hi Hailey! Thanks for the dear elder! Those are nice! I can't remember what it said because no one gives me any time here!

 One time we were in a "study time" and this guy I have never seen before comes in. I'm eating some candy, I believe it was a little pixie stick. He comes in being all sketchy and is like "Oh is it snack time" in this condescending voice then he goes straight bipolar "THIS IS THE LORD"S TIME! HOW DO YOU THINK THAT MAKES HIM FEEL?" I sat there trying not to laugh because it was ridiculous. I then answered "hace triste" which means it makes him sad! Then he was like Why is that? Then one kid said "because we didn't bless it?" and another was like "because we didn't offer some to Him?" I lost it laughing! Then the guy lost it and told us to quit talking about movies, except none of us were! The sad thing was we were studying jaja and now if someone gets off topic we say "quit talking about movies". Everyone wants to tell you what you are doing wrong! I've adjusted to it though maybe it will help when I get a bad boss!

Also I forgot to tell you I talked with the travel office the other day and I find out my reassignment today. They told me it might be close to Salt Lake because I have to meet with the Argentina Consolate and after that it won't take long to get into the Country of my people! Pray for that please!

I'll leave you guys with one last story. So this Wednesday (miercoles) I was asked to help "host" or greet the new arrivals and help them get situated! It was crazy, this Wednesday was a record amount of 940 plus missionaries! It was funny and sad to see the other prospective moms crying everywhere, some dads too, and these kids all thinking the same thing as me. (HOLY CRAP THIS IS FAST. HOW DID I GET MYSELF HERE?) jaja It's real cool on Wednesday you get to hear all these different languages say welcome. For example we say bienvendio al CCM or Welcome to the MTC! People say you either love it or hate it here, and the first three weeks were probably filled with more hate. Now I love it and can't wait to just get out!

Oh yeah, guess what? I miss the devotional in which Thomas S Monson and the 12 apostles are coming... BY ONE DAY! ARE YOU KIDDING ME! jaja everything happens for a reason!

Also tell Marah I say hi, if she even remembers she has a brother!

Love you guys!

Elder Mitchell Woods!  

PS I didn't find out where I was going... I find out next Thursday. I'll probably be in one of the Salt Lake missions so I'm close to the consolate.. or I'll just stay in the MTC. yay. Also tell Hailey I got the package and it was more glorious than I can describe! Miss you all!

PPS Do I need your prayers? Your love? Your letters and your packages?

 Let me answer that with scripture: Alma 18:27

May 27,2013

 There is nothing that makes me happier then recieving packages and mail, Honey Farley somehow found out how to send donuts from Krispy Kreme, so if you ever see her hug her for me, she may have saved my life! I'm like dying here in the MTC it is so close to prison it's not funny, except people in prison get to sleep, work out and watch tv more then I do. Those lucky criminals, hahaha.

 My spanish is ridiculous, it's come a far way since three weeks ago, but I will still die when I get thrown into it all.

 I need to step it up.

I've been super frustrated lately, my comp and I went to the doctor because "his throat hurt" he got diagnosed with mahno or whatever dad had in school, and now he sleeps all day. ALL HE DOES IS SLEEP! I'm not a patient man and he is testing me! Prayer is all I have, it is soo hard Help me! I love you guys and miss you, It's hard having to be in class all day when the weather here is glorious! It kills me inside! I want to go camping, I want to play sports, golf. It's like torture!!! I hope all you guys are good! Send letters, they are so fun, plus more personal! Since it's memorial day the Temple is closed so we have tons of time! Which for me means sitting in the room while this kid sleeps. Tell everyone that the stories will come when I get in the field all I have now is lots and lots of boring sitting time, and eating.

 Every Sunday and Tuesday night we have devotionals where members of the 70 come and talk, it's always super incredible! I love them! We also watched the funeral for Sister Monson. It was interesting!

Also about Argentina and the Visa, Argentina sends consolates here like every month and you have to have interviews with them. I missed them by one day, they came May 7th. UGH so I will meet with them probably next week, I will get sent somewhere else, it's really no question. So I'm excited, I'll have two missions. Someone is the US needs me, so I will go where I'm needed haha :)

I love you guys mucho, Le ama ellos

Elder Woods.


Ps. Next time you send me something can you send me pictures of everyone so I have a way to have you guys with me

Love you guys! ALL YOU!!!!







Note from mom: I am glad Mitch sent this Picture! It means he found the laundry room. Does my heart good! This must be the eternal laundry room. The washers/dryers go on forever!

May 20. 2013

May 20, 2013

Hola mama, so I have like no time! The first week was super tough and stressful but now that I'm situated I feel like I kind of run this place haha I am just super swamped with classes like 10 hours of classes, most of them are language and this language is sooo frustrating! I just keep telling myself that it could be worse and I could be learning like korean or russian!

 I love the work, we go to the temple every monday and it is awesome!

I honestly think if I ever die it needs to be on the mission, because I have never felt better!

 

 Me and my comp get along super well so that's nice I just never sleep, EVER and I want to sometimes snap due to the fact I can never get away from anyone, I shower with people I go to the bathroom with someone waiting outside my door, I am NEVER alone. It is cool at the same time though!

 This last tuesday we had a devotional and Russel M. Nelson came and spoke, I could have touched him if I wanted hahah he actually shook hands with the MTC president and the MTC president shook my hand after... I'm never washing my hand lol

Also look up the MTC talk by Elder Bednar, it's called "Character of Christ" It's like an hour and a half. Get it, watch it, change your life. I love the mission and I'm not even there yet, that and I know wherever I go I will be helping people which there is no feeling like it! I miss the world like no ones business but, I'm practically latin already and filled with happiness!  Let people know I love letters!   I miss you guys so much!

Hasta luego! (that means see you later, adios is like depressing) :)

Elder Woods