October 6, 2014

     Wow, I am jealous! I want to go to a play.. with music... and a seat were I could rest.... and maybe sleep... I want to just sleep. I don't want a play or a balloon fiesta. I just want to sleep for a day. That is my dream.

     But for serious, I'm glad that you guys are doing good! I am excited to be back with you all... but until then I will just keep working. Sometimes its like that song of working in the Gold mine ¨HOW LONG CAN THIS GO ON¨  and other days its like Wow I just want this to keep going. Its like everything is winding down.. Today I went to the offices of the mission to get a box of Books of Mormon and well I saw so many people and it made me think, I think I know like the whole mission now... how weird. That's when it hit me that I'm getting a little weathered in the mission. So hopefully I don't get to the point of being super ¨trunky¨ packing the bags early haha

     I am working on being focused. SUPER FOCUSED, my comp is good but he talks alot of home and sometimes that makes me want to..  I don't know drink a root bear.. eat some Wendy's or some of that taco bell... ugh. The food here... it all comes in the same flavor. At first it was like this is tasty now its like... give a man some variety!!! haha pero bueno.

     Time to talk about the situation with the president... first how did you guys hear about that? and second well that is kind of life here, like I told you guys I will have some stories to tell you when I get home... this city is a little intense. Things happen but nothing real serious has like happened it always ends up good.. The president is all good now, and it all worked out. So yea, the work goes on haha. I will just say,,, I'm pretty sure nothing will scare me after the mission, I have seeeen thiiiings. haha but That just has to go with what I said about the States... we are blessed the world is a pretty crazy place, but money goes in time and the riches rust, that's why we should build our treasures in heaven were it will not go and will last forever. I try to teach that to the people, but when they really want the rusty treasure.. that's were I have learned to run LIKE THE DICKENS jajaja but I'm safe don't worry. Elder Smith does not run like the dickens and well played far to many video games. Pray more for him ;)

     The area is good we had a great time in all that good confrency goodness, I learned so much and guess what when the speakers spoke in their natural tongue... I understood it all. I'm bilingual now... miracles. I now want to learn Portuguese its really similar, I understand like half of it... but still Eu no falo portugues thats portugues for I don't speak Portuguese haha We are working with a lot of the families, hopefully we are helping people, I know I am growing a ton, everyday... I started trying to think how I was before the mission and I realized that I think I am completely different. Still the same soul. but a bit more manly and now I think I understand better my purpose here in the world. Haha I am not going to lie I think I would enjoy having more baptisms and helping more people but that's selfish and I should be happy with the things that the Lord is giving me. So Things are good I love this area to death the Hood is were I belong. well that is a lie, I think I'm more of a small town guy... the city.... this city... I'm never bringing my kids to see my mission haha Maybe one day we can come like.. me and dad and no one else... maybe mom. But we are taking off all the jewelry and watches haha. I have had some funny contact stories of people who robbed me, but those are stories for a different time.

     How is everyone in the ward. How is Farmington, how are the schools doing? Give me more I want to know, how is Brenda and Gayle, Shane and Shawn... grandma and beba... Obama. I heard we got a new patriarch in the stake? Are more people leaving in the mission, are you guys doing mission work, are you reading and praying as a family?.. and GO TO CHURCH renew your covenants and think about what you are promising to do every week. 

     Send me fotos, I need to see la familia so yea do that, also I haven't been sure but I have been thinking about applying to BYU in Provo..  Also... I think that's it, give hugs and kisses to everyone, ski in memoria de mi and enjoy that family time :)

BYE CHAU I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

Elder Woods

Mission President Kidnapped & Robbed in Argentina Now Safe

This is Mitch's mission president:

President David Paul Robertson, president of the LDS Church's Argentina Buenos Aires West Mission and his wife, Juliana M. Robertson.

 President Robertson was robbed and briefly held last week  in a city near Buenos Aires.

 

http://ldsliving.com/story/76995-mission-president-kidnapped-robbed-in-argentina-now-safe

 

 

 

September 29, 2014

Buenisimo!

 

     So It makes me happy to hear from you guys and that everything is super bueno!!!  As for me I'm not training. There were 8 elders who were going to come but due to visa problems they didn't make it, so I stayed with my comp and well the two areas we were taking care of became one... and well that has been interesting we have stayed busy and the two people we were going to marry, well the government is a mess and well its taking a ton of time! but it will happen... I have faith!

     But no this week has been interesting for a lot of reasons, one because now this area is wearing me out haha and well its awesome I love it, but we have had to stop contacting people and working completely with members trying to find in that way, we just don't have time to cover everywhere its like a 4-5 mile circle our area... and well we are easily walking 3 to 4 miles a day... maybe more its super possible that we are doing more but who knows I'm just tired. My comp has had some like breakdowns because he doesn't know the language and because he doesn't feel like he teaches well and on top of everything, I got really sick this whole week... like a power spray de vomito... it has been a more mental battle this week... I am learning how to endure and keep working. But in the mission there are ups and downs and in life also.. so I'm waiting to pick myself up and see more miracles. 

 

     We are working with so many people I have no time to even to explain at all... but its good. I just hope we can help everyone good. Also with General Conference coming up I'm super excited! I love it, We are going to invite everyone to listen to the prophet haha also my comp told me I speak English with an accent now... so I need to listen to more English to regain my accent. But I was thinking its almost been a year since I've been here in Argentina.. last conference I was there LIVE how awesome haha I am enjoying the mission a ton but it is easily the hardest thing that I have ever done... Its weird its like I have so much fear of failing the Lord that I cant stop without feeling super bad... So we keep working and just push forward... but yeah sorry if this is a little scrambled.. I'm still pretty sick. Pray for my health and the people of Argentina... They need it!!!

     But I love you guys... protect the RAVioli... and tell Ethan that he has no right to wreck the auto. haha    

(Marah got in a wreck in the Rav4. Mitch's friend Ethan ran into her)

 I hope you are super happy and planning a super birthday bash... for Hailey.. haha ;) 

LOVE YOU ALLLLLLL

Mitch

The people of Argentina

Some old pictures from different areas:

 

September 22, 2014

     Well your emails were very short...  So Yeah This week has been full of miracles I'm SOOOOO tired I would cry but that would take energy... the other elders should come this Wednesday with the transfers and then I will have a little more time to rest. But We have been working a ton! This Sunday we had like a miracle... we had 13 investigators in church... and the family's we are working with are progressing for their baptisms and well, the other two families who need to get married, we are going this Thursday to make a date for there wedding in the civil register of the government... so Things are working.. I just pray that we can keep up with the Lords pace... So All is well WE are happy and Ill try and send some fotos...  I hope all is well and will pray for you all... Chau I love you All

Elder Woods

 

This isn't Mitch's companion. This is a picture from one of their training days at the mission home.

 

September 15, 2014

HOLA FAMILIA

     So this week has been a long one, I think I have been sick and so I have been tired all the time...  also we walked like 8 miles EVERYDAY so that might be it also. So far I have like 5 weeks here in the area and I'm becoming one of the veterans.. We shared the ward and area with two other elders who were taken out for ¨some reason and well that left me with my companion taking care of two areas and well... I'm TIRED. We walk so much and we didn't have a map for the other area. I just got one today.. so hopefully that will help a little more. But yeah my comp is good... but he's still not contributing like anything and I'm starting to hit a wall.. This week has been intense. Also we had a family who was going to get baptized this month but they got sick this week and encima de eso it was raining Sunday so they didn't go... uggghhh.

     BUT Get this wow it was like little miracles, we have a less active family and well one day we found this guy outside and he told us he was less active. Also he has his wife and kids, then he told us he didn't want anything to do with it. He then told us where his dad lived and we decided we would visit him sometime also.. but that night we had a Noche de Hogar (Family Home Evening) with a less active who is returning. We bought gaseosa and alfajores (Chocalate things that are soooooo good here in Argentina)... we went and it turned out his brother had just passed away and he refused to let us in. We sat there at 8 in the night like wow Elder that was so sure, we had a plan de respaldo... pero we felt - hey lets visit that Dad, we went and his son was there with his pareja and we had a SURPRISE noche de hogar... the whole family went to church and they are wanting to get married :)  We had another thing like that were we were looking for one woman and well we found her son and daughter in law... and well they ended up going to church! We just need to marry like everyone! But if God wants me to be Cupid... iré y haré. We are seeing miracles, also I'm working with one kid and his friends, we have been having a lot of fun, his name is maxi and well he has a ton of friends who aren't members and we have talked a lot with them. I was talking with his sister and she told me this week that I am the first missionary that has ever been liked by maxi.... I felt good, it showed that there are always people specially for us as missionaries. and Also RUFINO GOT BAPTISED!!! We had an awesome baptism with this stud kid we found... but everything that could go wrong went wrong... the baptismal font didn't fill up all the way and then I was like wow, I will need to put him down almost to the floor... haha so when I was thinking that he went down but we didn't check to see if he was to close to the wall... and well he bumped his head against the wall... and I was like... well put him down anyway and he was baptized... haha but we were changing and I felt so bad, but he was laughing and told me... now when I go on the mission I can tell the people I baptize what the Elder did to me when he THREW MY HEAD AGAINST THE WALL.... it was funny but a really special and spiritual night. AND ALSO we had a world wide service thing and we cleaned up a church and cut down a tree... This week has been super long. AND then... my comp got super sick this Sunday... I think from exhaustion but he was like dead. I think I'm close behind. but the week has been awesome... and hopefully it just gets better this week. 

We have transfers in a week and a half and we are receiving 28 new elders... the president talked to me and told me he is thinking about having me train... sooo. This transfer might be my last, I'm just SOOOO TIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I miss my cucaracha free bed...

But yeah I have no more time... I love you all. and I will see you... in heaven. 

Your only son, and brother... and friend... and spiritual influence. Elder Woods

PS: Send me some pics of... things who knows... MANDENMELAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chau Besitos

 

We got the rule of drinking coke dropped... so we DRANK IT!!!

 

 

 

September 8, 2014

Querida familia mia,

This week has been a long one and we have worked a fool. 

     We had to travel quite a bit and well we didn't have a lot of time in my area, but we have been finding people. This week we had 5 people go to church, one just had his baptismal interview and is going to be baptized this saturday! We have another family that walked to church which is like a solid 5 to 7 miles without bus.... super awesome family, then another kid who is super cool we played soccer with him and now he's going to church... super cool kid. so this week was awesome with that aspect, but we just keep moving forward... wow I just realized I finished 16 months now... ITS FLYING. My comp is getting better with all the things that are being hard for him so that is awesome. I'm super happy for him and now he's participating a little more with everything.. I've been trying to be a lot more loving haha 

    Honestly I love this area it is perhaps my favorite. I am already good friends with lots of the members and the things are just working out! The Lord is blessing us mucho. This week we went to the temple, and it was soooo nice to just be calm and not think about so many things, we were walking around and saw that there were some missionaries playing soccer in the MTC (it's right next to the temple) and so we went and we were talking with them... it was funny to see how much I've grown since my mtc experience... I was talking to them and they didn't understand a THING and there was one who was Mexican but lived in the states.. like spoke English perfect. I was talking to him and he was like Wow elder you speak really good... like if you didn't tell me I would think you were argentine...then he screamed if he can talk this good you guys have hope hahah It made me so happy 

 

I CAN SPEAK SPANISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I think I can finally say that. 

     Then this week a member gave me some new shoes... God bless him. Well they are not new either, they are old... but I will have to send pics of my shoes so you can see what I was dealing with... we are going to burn them today. I went to a shoe place and asked if they could save them... they laughed in my face.

     But yeah this week has been really great, and now we are going to go `play a little bit of futbol so I'm excited.. also they weather is warming up... its glorious I love it. 

     Also This guy tried robbing us the other day... one of the weirdest funniest moments ever... Ill explain some other time, but just imagine my giant comp who doesn't understand the language and then this like drugged out guy screaming.. my comp was fearless and well nothing happened but wow... super funny. 

     Tell Landon Hi and tell everyone that I send hellos  y holas. and well I miss you all a ton... tell Hailey she looks kind of GORDA and that some sit ups would help. also... that's all I can think of now.

(Mitch's sister Hailey is pregnant)

Hope everything is getting better everyday! 

Love Elder Woods