Merry Christmas 2014

Merrryyyy Christmas to my favorite family and friends!! Happy Navidad today! I hope that everyone has a great day and spends it with their families. I got to talk to mine and it was so much fun! Now I get to help other people's families down here and thats just as fun. People celebrate Christmas here on the 24th so we already celebrated it.  But today  we are gonna have a christmas party with just our zone, so that'll be fun. 

I really have learned so much while i've been out here and a ton about our Savior Jesus Christ and his importance. If we want success in this life we need to go back to the basics, learn from the scriptures and follow his foot steps. Its easy to say but sometimes hard to do, but if we try our best, God will make up for the rest.

I love being a missionary!! I  love the mission so much. I cant believe that its christmas though... i STILL and will forever feel like we are int he heat of summer..but its okay cause it makes me less homesick. I hope everyone has a great day today though, and we'll see ya next Christmas!

So the traditions here for navidad are to eat tamales, pig and torejas which is like bread soaked in eggs with milk on top..sounds gross but its not that bad. The saddest thing is that everyone here in the south decided to buy a whole pig and eat that for christmas...so I had a pig friend for about 2 weeks and then it ended up on my plate last night, very sad! Not to mention...I was looking into a pot and SURPRISE!!! the pigs head was sitting there...I literally cried. everyone laughed but it was not all that funny to me! The other tradition is everyone and their mothers shoots off firreworks so from 12-1 we were listening to them. happy 4th of july??

I love you all so much, thank you for always writing me, it seriously means so much! go team woods!! have a great day and set some goals for the new year! Until next week :)

Hermana Woods!

pics: we made matching dresses for christmas and won best dressed at the christmas party..wel not really but at least I think so haha my comp hermana Pinel! then christmas night hangin out with my girls.

Dec 1, 2014 Doing Great

hey mom I love you so much! This week was honestly the week that changed my mission. I learned so much and most of all I learned that god is a god of miracles. We had two baptismal services this week and I have never prayed for anything harder in my life. Ill explain it in the group email cause I dont have a lot of time. Glad to hear everything is normal, happy december!! only 24 days and I get to talk to you...and I will cry. I made a voice recording for the family to explain what happened this week. I Love being a missionary. I love my comp more than ever too. She has seriously taught me and she told me that I changed this week for the better. And now I dont just teach to teach but through the spirit I say the things that the people need to hear. I know that Im supposed to be here right now and that Im not juist your average missionary. In the most humble way Ive learned this week that I have a lot of potential and that I have the ability to bring this light to other people. I love being a missionary!!! i love you :) Maybe like 50 should be good. or 100 cause I wanna buy some new shoes or if you wanna send me clarks for my birthday that would be perfect! thanks for everything. have fun in florida...remember when we went the three of us...8 years ago what the heck?! Im growing up :) but I love it. have a great week xoxoxo love Jazziegirl

Nov. 24, 2014 Thanksgiving

Hey family and friends, how are you all doin? I am alive, yay!! I didnt write last week because I was really sick but I am better now and back to work. This was a good week..well we are slowly getting back into the work but we are going to have baptisms this week yay! Glenda is getting baptized on Tuesday and we should have a few others on saturday. I love missionary work!

I dont really have anything super funny this week...except for that every family always watches the news called HCH and CholuVision...and since they're always giving sad news I always pretend to be the news girl and give good news. I have a voice and everything, and its in spanish which is even funnier. My comp calls me choluvision...haha and the people call me Goods still.

yesterday Hermana Torres cooked tacos and we had real mexican food...it was so great!! SHe studied cooking in new york for a year so you can imagine how great it was. Normally we just eat tortillas, beans and salty eggs..and weird chicken. So I was real happy yesterday!

We went to the river again this week to help our friends wash their clothes..well we just made sure they were safe and I got eaten by ants again. This area is sooo sweet! We live at the foot of really pretty mountains. and its a really rural area..animals every where. The people are so humble and its sooo hot here! It's hotter than Arizona...but all is well!

Im really happy here :) I love the mission! Im almost half way done its crazy...but I gotta get off cause we're writing in the stake center and allll the elders and hermanas are in this small room and we are about to watch frozen...in english yay!!! Happy Jazzie :) love and miss you tons! have a great week and happy thanksgiving!

hermana Woods! 

Dec 8, 2014 Good Times A Keep On Coming!

This week was another great one and miracles keep on comin! It is honestly amazing to see the Lord work progress so quickly. I have changes again and even though we only had a month and a half here we feel like we did what we came here to do! We worked really hard and were blessed to see the progress of our work as well. We had another baptism this week and his name is Fernando. he is a part of our golden family! They are so special and are the people who I really think we came here to find. 

Bessy has become one of my best friends and loves us like her daughters. She has seen her family be blessed as they go to church and are obedient. Her spouse..well almost spouse has made the biggest change that Ive seen on my mission. He has a crazy past but he is starting over a new life. We have really seen a new change and spark in this family. At the baptism Bessy explained how Fermando will serve a mission and before I go they will actually get married and baptized. I love them so much and it breaks my heart to leave them. But I know that they will be taken care of!

On another note...we went to the temple this week! What should have taken 3 hours to get there...took 7 and a half wooh hoo!! There was a huge accident so we couldn't pass this bridge. After 3 hours of waiting and I was pretending to give the news as my famous""Choluvision"" news anchor..it was pretty funny. we finally got there and it was a great experience. Mario, Bessy and Fernando went and they want to get sealed next year!

I love this gospel!! Im a little nervous for changes but I know that everything will work out how it is supposed too. Also my best friend and older sister Hermana Torres goes home in two days and I will be a mess. but don't worry, you will all get to meet her one day :) love you all and hope you have a great week!!

Hermana Woods 

pics. the family that I love! me putting on Bessys wedding dress to get her more excited about the wedding and to get started on the papers and the baptism!

Dengue

Hey I always told you that I would keep you updated when I got sick so here's the update: I didn't leave my house once this whole week because I got superrr sick. I got whats called dengue which is from mosquitos and its really dangerous. (a ton of missionaries have gotten it) but it lowers your platelets and white blood cells and comes with a fever, body pain and head aches.  Literally every single bone and joint hurt I couldn't even lay down without crying..and walking wasnt even in the question, it was awful. I had a fever of 104 for 3 days...but the important thing is that I am better now! I had to get another blood test this morning and now I just have a weird rash...all over my arms and legs. not fun. thats just an update. but don't worry about me because I ' have in anymore which is seriously a miracle because I legit thought I need to make a trip home real quick. but all is well hermana woods is A okay!!

Let's Go To The Beach! Nov 10th 2014

Let's go to the beachhhh!!! Today was so much fun., After 6 months of doing the same thing for pd-ays today we got to go to the beach! It was so sweet because from where we were we would see Nicaragua and El Salvador and we were right it the middle. We had the whole beach to ourselves and although we couldn't get it, it was still fun. we played soccer and I took a nice little rest in my hammock of course with a diet coke on the side. It was great, I love Honduras!!

This week was really sweet and flewww by, I seriously can't believe. I love my companion so much we seriously laugh all day long and get everyone else to laugh too. We are workin really hard and seeing progress. We are planning a wedding and about 10 baptisms for this month, added prayers would be great thank you!

So we are teaching a family with 5 girls and this week they had to do their laundry in the river..so we went to the river! They were all running and playing and we watched them for a little bit and then sang some songs. The ants were eating me alive so everyone was staring at the dancing gringa...it was so funny! I love these little girls, they are like my sisters here!

The family that we are helping get married and baptized are so special! But...funny thing is that they didnt go to church this week because the guy, Mario and his son decided to go hunting for me...they eat this thing called Garro which is a mix between an iguana and crocodile thats black and clue. I told them I havent tried it so they went out the next day to catch me one haha. hondurans these days...I still havent tried it yet but some day soon I think..eww.

Gotta run because Im out of time as usual. Thanks for everything, love you all tons! Until next time :) heres some pics!

Hermana Woods!

I saved a crab...then on the way to show everyone it died :(

my comp, me and the other crazy latina thats in my zone

Hermana Boots and Torres, the perfect duo!!

Choluteca, Honduras HERE COMES JAZZIE

Guess who´s in the south?!? THIS GIRL!!! SO the misión boundaries and huge..I am in an área 4 hours away from where I was before and it is seriously a different world!! Everything is opposite now. Before I was in an área with: crazy climate that was cold and rainy, hills and mountains for days, people who were hard to convert because they had lots of money, tourists, a church in a school house and same stuff for 6 months. NOW im here i an área called Choluteca and its sooo hot here..hittin the hundreds daily, the people are so humble and everyone wants to listen to us, we have a beautiful chapel, new people, new área, there are no hills. or stairs wooh hoo!! It is a crazy change but this is where I wanted to go. and Im back with my trainer Hermana Rodríguez in the same zone so I am wayyy happier than I was before!

So my new comp is Hermana Torres from Mexico and she is the best. now I know I always so that...but really I think we are the best team! We just get eachother, and we have so much love for these people and that´s the key. She only has 6 weeks left of the misión and we keep saying and This is our month!! Because its true. We are working so hard and opening an área..again. Its had its hard and hot days but I love it here and didnt know that I could be even happier than I was before. life is goooodd!!

One thing that is sweet here is that we love to offer service. and even more that the people accept it! I learned how to make tortillas in Santa Lucia so thats the first thing we tell people. Everyone is so surprised at the gringa who can make tortillas faster than they can who have been doing it their whole lives...I seriously love it! and the people do too..its a great door opener.

We have really met some amazing people here already, there´s a different feel down here and I love it. We are startin the fire down here and have high goals and higher dreams for this change. We are ready to see some miracles here!

the first night we got here it started pouringggg rain..but it was the first time since Arizona that I was in hot rain and it was great. I spent the night dancing in the streets and just talking with every single person in the streets to share the good Word! Its a different world in the South but I love it and guess what? we bought coconuts here to drink the wáter or milk thats inside and we´re gonna have that for dinner tonight. SO excited for these next adventures ahead of us!!

Thanks for all the love and support team, we´re doin good! Love you all so much!! Ill send pics next week!

Hermana Goods....no one absolutely no one can pronounce my name here...so Im hermana gwwwowds or wooh hoooo!! haha.

Jazzies Gives A Man A Makeover and He comes to Church! Oct. 27, 2014

Hey team, this week was a little rough but also filled with two of the best experiences Ive had on my mission! This week I really learned how to see other people through the eyes of the Lord. So I have two stories for you! 

First of all, so there is this man names Raul, he is 79 and he is homeless right now. Hes always just chillin in the street and relaxing and we are best friends. He is a member of the church but hasnt been coming because he is scared that people will judge him because he is really scruffy and has dirty clothes. We have a friend in the barbershop business so we took him to get a hair cut and look all handsome. Its been years since he's cut his hair and he looked like a whole new man! He was so happy and was so thankful. I was so happy to serve and help him, and he came to church looking all nice. it was great!!

The other night we went to this school for blind people because we are teaching the owner. We were just about to start the lesson and this guy walks out to sing and play his guitar. He was so sweet and has such a talent for music! We invited him over to sing a hymn and play for us. Not too long after, two olther guys came out with their guitars and even though they can not see, they were playing so well. We sung the night away, singing hymns and improving other songs. This day was really hard but ended so beautifully. I love this service that we are doing! I have learned that everyone is imporant to God and deserves to hear this message, no matter what kind of person they are!

So changes are on Wednesday and I am 99% sure that I will have them, I just feel it. It will be soooo sad to leave this area because its everything to me, and really the only thing I know right now. But everything will work out and Ill go where the Lord wants me to go. I love my calling and I just want everyone to know about this work. I love you all thanks for the support!! Until next time!

Hermana Woods :)

here is some pics for ya!

Rapunzel! Oct 20, 2014

hey everyone, after 10 longggggggg days stuck in my apartment like Rapunzel, I left my tower amd got my cast off! This week really was a challenge, but at the same time I learned so much. I am loving reading the scriptures and I highly suggest that if you can do it more, do it! They really have made a change in my mood and just outlook on life. After not being able to work for a while, I am so inspired to get back into the missionary swing of things! There is a change that I'll have changes this week and Im really sad about that, but we will see.

Thank you for all the love and prayers for my foot to heal, they worked! I now have another brace and have to walk on crutches for 2 weeks..but you all know me and I already have been dancing today. I need to be more careful though, I know I know. 

So this week I went and got my Honduras residency! I am officially Catracha wooh hoo! I fgeel really official and this means that I have less than a year left here..I can not believe that, time is flying and I need to live it up and get back to work!

So I was supposed to give a talk this sunday, broken foot and all and the presidents wife came here to give me a ride and the car got stuck in a ditch on our way..we live at the top of a mountain and we got stranded for an hour..fun adventure and I didnt end up having to give a talk and everything turned out fine. It was so great to see everyone again.

I hope all is well and you are all happy! I need to go because today is martas birthday and we are off to have a family night party at her house with my second family. love and miss you all! Keep on keeping on :) 

Love, Hermana Woods!

Broken Foot!

Hey team, so this week was an interesting one, that's for sure. First of all, I low key broke my foot and I am sitting here typing with a bright blue cast on my foot up to my knee. Some of you are probably thinking *or laughing to yourself because this is a typical jazzie move* "How did this girl break her foot, AGAIN? and in Honduras"Well...I wish that I had a cool story that I was running down the mountains in the jungle, and a giant dog bit my leg or something...but nope. The truth is that I was just walking and singing down a hill, my foot got trapped and I fell right down. My whole district was arround me and I was singing, crying, screaming and laughing at the same time. Some elders got it on film, so stay tuned for the movie.

The important thing to know is that I'm still alive. Im on bed rest for the week and ohhh so bored. So if we're friends, there's a high chance that you might get a letter from me in the next month haha. I have read half of the New Testament and my goal is to finish it this week. Added prayers and love would be much appreciated though. I need Team Woods to help me get through this one.

But I was thinking this week, because I've had a lot of time to do such a thing but the scripture came into my mind. I know that I have to learn something and my cute comp as well, but we can get through this!

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." Ether 12:27

Oh my gosh, how could I forget...we had a baptism yesterday!! I had to bed for permission to leave my house (I seriously feel like Rapunzel trapped in her tower....just with the detail that my hairis not 1000 feet long, but a girl can dream) anyway I made it down my flight of 50 stairs in the rain..that was quite the adventure, but I made it into a car and off we went. His name is Carlos, he is my other bestfriend! And casually him and Enrique are both great friends, i love that!

Well, I gotta run. Not really.....I gotta lay down and rest til I feel better haha but I love you all. Thanks for the support and please send hugs and loves this way so I can get better and get back to work. Until next week my friends!

Hermana Woods!

Hermana Arango from Panama

Oct 6, 2013

hey team! How's it goin? This week seriously flew by I really don't even know what to say. First of all, I just love my little comp, she is so precious! I sent a pic of her, Hermana Arango from panama. We are such a great team and I am so happy to have the opportunity to train her. Really, she's been teaching me a lot, so it's great!

So we all loved conference didn't we? I think it was the 2nd time that I didnt fall asleep the whole time..cause I wasn't home in my Pjs watching it, we were at the stake center. it was sweet though because I watched half of it in Spanish and actually understood it! That was a miracle. I really felt the spirit so strongly and the love and support that I have from everyone. This really is the Church of our Heavenly Father and I seriously want to shout it from the mountaintops! Which I totally could do because I still live in the mountains...haha

So carlos didnt get baptized this week because he had to work on Sunday, but that's okay. It's all in the Lord's timing, right? Right. Thats one thing that Ive really learned here. We need to do everything we can, but everything will happen in the way that God wants. 

Okay, the ciber is closing so I gotta run, this week was great! The church is still so true and I love being a missionary :) Thanks for all the support, love you all!! 

Hermana Woods :)

Workin Livin Teachin Preachin

Sept 29, 2014

Hey team, hows it goin?? This week was a good one, and it went by so fast I don't really remember what went on! We are just workin, livin, teachin and preachin as missionaries do. I love being a misisonary and I love my cute little comp, she is literally 1/3 the size of me, but she's got a big heart and is already such a great missionary. Shes also sooo funny, so we make a good team. We decided to just be super bold when we teach so we don't waste any time and we teach with power and authority. Its fun! 

So this past Monday we had a sleepover with all of the hermanas that are here in the city, it was so much fun! We ate Cafe Rio chicken and learned all about motherhood and it was just the best. I wore my super man onsie and that was a hit! everyone was yelling superrrrrhermana!!! haha but my camera died so you'll have to wait for pics until next week :( I know that everyone thinks that their missions are the best, but I really think that this one is the best! 

We were with Enrique the other night and it started to rain, but we had to run to a meeting at the church...Enrique said a prayer to close that it wouldnt rain and that we wouldnt get wet at all...and it worked!!! It seriously stopped raining the second we left his house, til we walked into the church. That guy is the perfect example of faith, it was sweet! 

We have another baptism this week :) His name is Carlos and he's another Senor. He was golden and so ready for baptism and to change before we even taked to him. He is so excited and will be baptized inbetween conference sessions. So remember, to watch General Conference! And note to my family...stay awake because its not just a time to take naps ;) haha jk if i was home I would def be in my Pjs watching and napping...but conference here is like Christmas so we are so pumped!

Gotta run, we're out of money and cant afford more minutes on the computer haha  thats the mission life. Love you!

Be happy. Be fletch 

love, Hermana Woods 

ps fletch just means obedient haha that's my new motto! Ser fletch, ser feliz :)

I dont have pics with my new comp, but heres my old district ad the lady that cooks for us every Thursday a MOUNTAIN of food haha Mama Tomy

Newest Trainer In Town!

Announcement: You are reading a letter from the newest trainer in town wooh hoo!! It is such a responsibility and let me first say I feel like I grew up 5 years over night. Everyone says that when you are training you are like a mom or a dad, hence herMAMA woods haah I have a daughter!! and Hermana Rodriguez is a Grandma wooh hoo!! 

My new comp is from Panama and she's 21. I sorta feel like a baby, but at the same time I feel older because I am the one in charge! I am so thankful and humbled to be able to help teach her how to be a missionary, this is the greatest work in the world!

Saying goodbye to Hermana Rodriguez was really hard and all of our converts have been a mess this week. Marta didn't want to go to church this week without Rodriguez, so we made pancakes with them Sunday morning so they would go and it was really fun! Then yesterday we went over to have a family night and we played games and laughed our heads off for a while. I taught them how to play the cup song, and we were singing "Count your blessings" and playing with the cups, it was sweet! I also taught them English and we learned "heres the church, heres the steeple, open the doors and see all the people" with hand signs included, I just love this family! I also promised them a trip to disneyland one day...I need to get a job pronto when I get home haha. 

One funny thing that happened this week was that this lady said that she couldn't pray because she ate salt when she was little and it messed up her tongue...what an interesting excuse, that was a new one. Then one night we were walking home superrr tired one night and my comp is super serious and I wanted to make her laugh so I started singing "Dar nos fuerza...dar nos fuerza" y Jesus es mi luuuzzzz" Which are hymns that mean "Give us strength· and "Jesus is my light· Because we were tired and it was dark haha good times good times. We also don't have food so we've been eating oatmeal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Gotta love the missionary life!

Thanks for all the love and support and the prayers, they are working! I wouldn't be able to be as calm as I am without them. Love you all!!

Hermana Woods :)

4 Baptisms!

Yes, you read right...4 baptisms!!! We thought that just Marta was going to be baptized but all 3 of her kids were baptized and confirmed too!! They all decided that THIS was the time for them and they made it into the waters. It was so amazing to see all of the events and miracles adding up to this day and time, but to see them all dressed in white as a family made everything worth it. All of the hard days, tears, disappointments, bruised knees and failures make up for the ONE MIRACLE!! I am seriously sooooo happy I can't even describe it. Thank you for the added prayers, because with the Lord we really pulled off a miracle!! WOOH HOO!!

We also had Zone Conference this week and it was sweet! The area President Duncan came and trained us. He's over all of Central America and the spirit was so strong, we really learned a lot! The best part is that I got to see my CCM comp Hermana Johnson, after 4 months it was so great to be together again! I also got super pumped for General Conference coming up so soon, I can't believe it because the last conference I was in the CCM...time is flying!!

We have changes on Wednesday and I think Hermana Rodriguez and I will be getting changed and we are super sad because we make a good team! Bolivians are so sweet! We will see what happens...will I stay in this area, be a trainer...go 4 hours to the area in the south? who knows?! stay tuned...

Today is the day of independence in Honduras wooh hoo!! Its like the 4th of July only wayyy crazier! The streets are insane and there aren't busses working today so we had to walk in the middle of the parades the opposite way...talk about a fish swimming upstream! I took pics of all of my friends though and I felt like a crazy mom with a camera haha I LOVE HONDURAS!! 

I am seriously so happy here, time is flying and life is so so good!! I hope you are all doing well and know that I love you all. Thanks for the support, I have the best team behind my back!

Hermana Woods :)

pics: baptism!! (they didn't like to take pics so I literally only have 1...and I promise that they were actually really happy!! haha) oh yeah, they have Dia de Ninos here. Like mothers day but its for kids!! so we celebrated because of course I'm still a little girl :) and my little Hermana Johns!

Just the happiest little missionary girl

Hellooooo everyone!! Just the happiest little missionary girl here to tell you some awesome news. MARTA IS FOR SURE GETTING BAPTIZED SATURDAY!! We have everything planned and she is so so set on it. We had so many amazing experiences with her this week, it really is amazing to see how the Lord works in different ways. Also how he really prepares people. We are SO excited!!

So we heard some news in our town that this Senor (member named Virgilio) and this other local Elderly lady were going to get married and this is supposedly the wedding of the year!! The lady told us and we were't quick to believe so we went right to the source and asked our old pal Virgilio. He said "No way will I marry that crazy, she doesn't know how to do laundry and I deserve to marry a beautiful young, hard working lady like you Hermanita Woods"....so awkward, It was seriously so funny and Rodruguez and I busted up laughing and I explained why I couldn't marry him..because Im a missionary!! Perfect response haha. Then when I was leaving, he whispered to me "It's okay Hermana, I know the Lord will allow us to get married one day" hahaha gotta love Virgilio.

In other news, I ate about 30 tortillas this week...so many! My comp hates tortillas so I always eat hers and in trade make her eat my tomatoes and green things- haha its a good trade I tell ya. The other day we cooked empanadas with a lady in our ward and then we took some to-go. But she put them in a giant leaf! yes, a literal leaf from a tree to take for the road...who does that?! Honduras "No regrets, No limits"

Gotta run, we have things to do and Pday always flysss by. Love you all, thanks for the updates. Have a great week and please pray for Marta. Sorry I don't have pics this week, I will have a TON next week. Fin. Adios!!

hermana Woods!

Limes and Lizards

make lemonade!! This week again was sooo rainyyyy. Every single day. and we live in the mountains so we are always in the clouds. My comp thinks its fog..but I think that we are actually in the clouds..its more fun to think that way! The other day was pouring and literally no one wanted to let us in so we decided to pick limes off of someones tree. My comp goes "hermana we cant take that, its stealing." I said "hey, if they dont want to open the door for us, the least they can do is give us a lime..and even then its a tree that God made so its fine" We started cracking up, ate the limes and went on with the day. I tried to make lemonade with the rain water..but it just didnt work out too well haha. 

this week was good! We lost a lot of investigators so we're really back to square one. Marta didnt go to church this week because she didnt have shoes and her sisters needed her help. hopefully next time! I seriously love her and her family so much, they have such potential! 

So we made it a goal to stay out every day until 9 , even if its raining so we're more obedient and hopefully we'll find more people. The other day we were walking, and walking, and walking until we just about couldn't walk any more and we went to a house with these two girls, Cecelia and Celeste, they're 9 and 11 but so mature, so they're our investigators. Anyway, we were all super tired and slap happy so we decided to sing a christmas song as the opening hymn..later started sharing scripture but it turned out that the girl wanted to talk about Santa Clause instead because she said that she didnt believe..I thought "how could this be real..shes only 9..we haev got to fix this!" SO I started explaing how santa is real and she needs to have faith. Then I tried comparing faith in santa to God... and how he wants to bless us with spiritual gifts..and he brings happiness..but that didnt really go anywhere. Then my comp siad if santa is real, minions are too! and there went the lesson haha it was great. 

Hey, tomorrow I complete 5 months, and my comp 11! time is going by so fast. But I love the mission, its super great! thanks for all the love and support. Until next week!

con amor, Hermana Woods!

pics: my favorite little puppies and my lizard friend that I met today!

Drum Roll Please!

drummmm rolllll pleasee......MARTA WENT TO CHURCH!!! With all of her little ninos. It was seriously the best experience ever!! After 14 sundays of leaving our house at 7 to walk super far and get rejected. We must have done something good this week, well really the Lord did...but she made it to church and loved it! I really hope that they all get baptized in September :) Thats the goal! Added prayers would be greatly appreciated. 

This week was good! We are working on finding, finding, and finding more people. We're kinda stuck in a time when people are just not lovin us...but we are thinking positive, setting high goals, and we will keep the work moving forward! Being a missionary is seriously the best. I highly recommend it :) 

We are still living in this crazy monsoon season...soaked every single day. Before the mish, I loved rain...even prayed for it...but here its just insane! because no matter what we keep on walkin. Well running! We just dance/laugh our way through the Rainy pueblo that is Santa Lucia. I love this area! We have Cambios (changes) in a few weeks so I'm a little nervous, but always gotta make the best out of every situation.

This week we learned how to cook super good food! Who knew that I liked to cook?! And no mom....we don't just cook pasta haha but good food! One thing is called pupusas, its from El Salvador...just a tortilla like thing with beans and cheese thats not really cheese inside but its good! The other is called canoas. Its a platano ( mas o menos a banana) fried with banane cream and cinnamon...delicious! I cant wait to show yáll my recipes when Im home. We will have Honduras themed dinners or somehtin! 

I have learned so much in this wonderful mission of mine and I cant wait to learn more. I really love being able to see the way that this gospel changes peoples lives for the better. If you have the opportunity to share it, share it! If you have the chance to give the missionaries dinner, feed them! (because the best thing next to a baptism here is food..) and If you don't know a lot about the LDS church, learn about it! There are so many blessings in this gospel just waiting to be had. I love this work and I love being a missionary. Thanks for all the love and support. Mucha amor por todo mi familia y amigos!

Hermanita Woods!

the pics look a little sketchy...but mmm mmm good!

I was born in '95 baby!

Hello everyone!! Running short on time again, surprise surprise...but here's an update! This week started monsoon season so every single day we are just soaked...and good ol Jazz lost her umbrella in the sketchy streets of Santa Lucia, so I just have been using a trash bag, but I bought an umbrella today finally! 

Thursday we were waiting for the bus and it started POURING RAIN! buckets and buckets. We had no coverage, jackets, nothing so we walked to a gas station a half mile away and got SOAKED! we were walking along side the freeway so water from the cars kept splashing up on us just like the movies...haha it was sweet! The other hermanas were all freakin out but I was just dancing and singing because I love rain...it'll be like this for the next 4 months wooh hoo! 

We went to the temple with our investigators and Marta and all her lil kids came. It was sweet! She finally left her house after thousands of prayers, it was a miracle. She loved it! She still didn't come to church...but we are making progress little by little. 

I wanted to tell you guys that I'm learning how to cook all the time. We always make home made tortillas and it's so much fun! It takes strength I tell you...so just remember in your nightly prayers to be thankful for grocery stores, ovens, hot water, ice machines, etc. haha we're roughing it out here but it's so fun!

We worked really hard this week but the people are just not lovin us for some reason. But that's life right? Some days are just rough but it makes the good ones great!

We're teaching two friends in English! One of the guys thought I was 25 and it didn't believe me when I said I was 19...I said "Yep, I was born in 95 baby!" hahaha it just came out that I said baby! My comp was dying laughing...so was I...tried to play it casually though. I guess it's better that I teach in spanish...haha

Thanks for al the love and support, I can feel your prayers! Please pray for Marta and her sweet kids, I absolutely love them. Have a great week!

Hermana Woods

Enrique is Baptized!!!!

Hola everyone, guess who finally made it to the waters of baptism??? ENRIQUE!!! Wow this day was seriousy one of the happiest days of my life. It was such a sweet experience and Im so thankful that I got to be a part of it. After 3 months, Enrique got baptized...3 times haha The first time, he kicked his leg out, then the second time, his arm and the thrid time was a charm! It was such a special day. I got to sing and I got all emotional of course, but it really was a sweet experience. He told me that I was his best friend, he loves us lots and lots and that he can't wait to be friends "para siempre" aka best friends forever...literally. I love this guy! 

I seriously love being a missionary, there is nothing better I tell you. Getting to be a part of watching how the gospel helps change people's lives for the better. It's amazing. We are working really hard and just seeing miracles after miracles. Mainly, Im just still so dang happy for Enrique! That's the main part about this week. 

Also we had transfers, but Im still with my comp in the same area!! I seriously cried when I found out that we were staying together for another cahnge because I love my comp and we love our area. We are here together still for a purpose and we are excited to search and find out the reason why we are still together. 

I have no time, but I love you all. Thanks for the support and for always keeping me updated with the real world. Shout out to my dad for having a birthday tomorrow!! wish this great man a happy birthday :) I miss you all but I love it here as well! Until next week, adios mi amiogs!

Hermana Woods!

Hard Work, Good Times, 4 months!

hellloooo everyone!! wow 10 days...it's been a while but I'm alive. This week was super different, hard, the happiest, a whole bunch of different emotions. First of all, I completed training and 4 months of being a missionary! I seriously can't believe it..I know it's not a ton of time, but I have learned so much and I just love being a missionary. Also, Enrique is getting baptized at 3 this saturday! I seriously wish you all could be here to see it. He's counting down the days and can't wait, just like us. It will be such a great day! Here's some highlights of the week and a half :)

Service project: one day we went to do service and it turned into 5 and a half hours of throwing an ax/machete thing at a GIANT rock for an investigator of the other Hermanas. We got to experience actual hard work and wow it was difficult, but also guys...it's so fun to use a pick ax haha and we were singing Taylor swift and Katy perry, and Dora the whole time so it was great!

Interview: we had interviews with the new mission president and his wife. they are so sweet! I learned a lot. I had such a sweet experience. The president's wife doesn't speak any Spanish and the other 4 Hermanas don't speak any English so I got to translate for them. Im so happy that I got to help and be a part of their communication. The spirit was so strong and Im thankful that I was able to be in a good enough place with Spanish to translate. I love spanish and I love being a missionary!

Cleaning the pila: hahah this is a good one. So we hand wash our laundry all the time right? Right. well the water was superrrr dirty so we had to take it all out and fill it up again with new water. We used buckets to take out most of the water and then there was dirt at the bottom and we didn't know what to do. We don't have a dust pan so we used a giant leaf to take out the dirt..clever huh? hahah just livin the live out here in Santa Lucia!

Gotta run, I love you all so so much. Thanks for all the love and support. I can feel it! Please pray for Enrique this week for his baptism. Can't wait to hear from you all! Until. next time mi amigos :)

hermanita woods! This first photo is of Jazzie doing her laundry!

Hola Amigos

Hola amigos y amigas! This is super weird to be writing on a Friday but we went to the temple this morning and Pday is today :) I wont be able to write til August 4th or somethin..so I just wanted to say hi and give a quick little update.

First of all, Enrique is set to get baptized and even signed the papers so it's official! And wow, my heart was so happy when he made it official. He was prepared for us to come into his life. I love seeing how the Lord works differently with everyone as well. He's so close to the waters! Also, Marta is really excited to go to Church and all her kids and nieces and nephews are coming on Sunday and they're all really excited as well. We are seeing progress finally!

I met 3 people this week that speak English!! It's super nice because now my Spanish is good enough to where I actually prefer Spanish...isn't that sweet?! I keep stumbling over when English when I talk to my new friends, which is a good sign. 

So, the big thing this week was that we had divisions! This time I stayed in my area and hermana Rodrigues went to the other area...so I was in charge of all the lessons, the phone, the keys and everything. I was really scared because usually my comp starts everything and leads...but this time it was my turn to be the leader! and wow, as you can all imagine I absolutely loved it. I forgot how much I love to take charge. Okay, that sounds really prideful and kinda bad, but it was so much fun and I gained my confidence back. We had 8 lessons that day and met 20+ new people. It was a killer day and I learnedc that if I really work hard and Trust then anything is possible. I'm learning so much and I just love this place with all my heart.

We woke up at 4 this morning to go to the temple with our Zone, and it was such a great experience. I Love the temple! I love this gospel and I'm so happy to be a part of it in such a time when people need the light most. I love you all tons and thanks for giving me the best support system there ever was. Have a great week!!

Hermana Woods :)

pics: my favorite hermanas and bestfriend elder Mendoza (ZL), Me and Hna Rodrigues- my darling companera, and a watch that I made because my actual one broke...gettin real crafty in Honduras!

Baptism Coming Up!

July 22, 2014

This week was another great one!!! The fastest one yet because we have been workin really hard. I have 2 minutes to write because we are going to miss the bus and low key, I think I broke my toe playing soccer this morning so I need to get that checked out haha but life is good!

First of all, we got a new mission president and he is great! He's from Texas so we can speak English which is even better. and the best thing is that he let's us drink Diet coke! I had my first one today in 3 months and wow it was just great!!

So Enrique is set to get baptized on the 9th and he is so so excited!! I just love that guy. he's so precious. and he came to all of church yesterday, it was a miracle! Marta didn't make it to church though, some day soon, I just know it. 

the guy we were teaching in the barber shop, Wilson is set to get married on August 8th and baptized with his spouse on the 9th. we are so excited for that!! Almost after 3 months, they are progressing. Missionary work is the best work in the world. 

time for my typical line "gotta run, the ciber is closing" Everyone's yelling at me in spanish so get off haha so I gotta run. Sorry this is so short and with no pics. I'll write more next week! Love you all tons and hope you are all doing well!!

hermana Woods!

Wish I Had A Nickle

July 14, 2014
helloooo! So I literally only have 4 limperas to my name right now, and that's a nickel! We didnt get money today for some reason so it's an adventure for sure haha it's kinda fun to be absolutely poor in a crazy city. But don't worry mom, my comp is helping me out haha. Anyways, we went to the waterfalls again today! I wore better shoes this time and it was so much fun. We have a new zone, so it's fun to get to know everyone in the hour and a half trek up to the hike and then the water! Also I fell in the water and was in up to my stomach...but I wasn't even mad about it because I miss swimming haha. For those of you in summer... enjoy the pool, beach, Bear Lake, bathtubs and all!

This week went by insanely fast and was full of ups and downs. First of all, we found Enrique this week!!! It was seriously a miracle. We saw him and his white sombrero walking on the other side of the street and I ran over and was seriously teh happiest I  have ever been. I think I scared him cause I was smiling so much haha but I missed him! We had a few lessons this week and he wants to be baptized but the good ol scratch is workin hard on him so we are having some trouble, but I have faith!

okay, I'm not sure if I have told you all about this family but I'm going to right now! We've been teaching Marta (the momma)  Carlos (14) Enrique (12) and Gaby (17) since day 2 here..so it's been over two months. i love them so so much, they are so humble and just the sweetest. The mom, Marta, is scared to leave her house and hasn't left for anything in a very long time, this is the reason that she hasn't come to church with us. But last week her son went and had a great experience. So anyway, we had a baptism for someone in our zone this weekend and MARTA AND CARLOS WENT!! It was seriously a MIRACLE!! My heart was so happy, not only did she leave the house, but she got to watch a batutiful baptism. they are so close to the waters! They have become my family here and we are finally starting to see progress, the Lord is so great!

Hmm what else..oh this week we had two sleepovers with the girls in our zone, they are so fun! so, we're allowed to watch disney movies on Pdays! And hermana Cruz has Frozen and we wanted to watch it last night (but we're obedient and had to wait til Pday) so we set the alarm for 12am to watch frozen haha I don't remember watching it..but still did! In the morning at 6:30 we watched it again, in #spanish...good thing I have the entire thing memorized because there weren't subtitiles, but now I'm learning the songs in Spanish so it's fun.

life is still great here in honduras! Loving it here so so much. Miss you all and hope you are just loving life so much too!! until next time!

hermana Woods!

pics: waterfall, turnin up at the waterfall and teaching the Palabra de Sabiduria (word of Wisdom haha) and this is a fruit that I ATE!! It's actually super good, and yay Jazz for trying something new and scary haha

Workin Teachin Prayin

July 8th, 2014

Hola everyone!! This week was a great one as always :) We're just workin, teachin, preachin, lovin and learnin! You know, the good stuff. This week felt like a day it went by so fast! So on the 2nd I completed 3 months! We had a little fiesta and my comp completed 9 months too. Then it was the 4th of July! and for whatever reason, there were fireworks here too! I think is was a famliy just wanting to have fun, or maybe my gringo friend Bob celebrating haha but it was great. I <3 America! USA and central, and i haven't been to south but Im sure that's great too haha.

This week was pretty sad with our dear frind Enrique. We went to his house and his family wants absoltely nothing to do with us, and actually they were super rude and told us that he moved...we never did find him so we just don't know. He was doing so well though! I hope we can find him and help him out soon. His son Luis is progressing and always sends us texts with scriptures from the book of mormon.

Also it reminds me, we made coffee this week! But a kind that's good for you and not addictive. It's bien facil tambien! It's just 2 maize tortillas and you burn them so they are black and super black, crush it up, add hot water and sugar and it's good to go! It seriously tastes exactly the same. We almost caught our house on fire, but hey we were able to help people get over their coffee addiction. This Sunday one of the kids, Carlos who's 14 finally came to church with us after 2 months of teaching him, it was a miracle!!

I taught English again and we had a full class! i taught them I am a child of God because we learned the "To be" form. It was a sneaky was ot sneak in some doctrine hah. I love teaching!! Just funny how I have to know Spanish to teach English haha. Si or si I want to be a teacher when I'm home. I have my own whiteboard and everything and I love it. I also taught them the difference between Woods and Goods because no one understands the concept...

Everyhing is good here in Santa Lucia! Last night we helped cook baleadas on the streets and I was singing "Let it Gooo!" I got an audience and it was  so much fun! Also, Shout out to my favorite mom for sending me a package this week!!! I got disney music and sweet workout DVDs and life is so dang good. I love you all, thanks for the love and support and letters! Hasta Luego!!

Hermanita Woods

Pics: Our Happy 3 and 9 months pic, and the 4th! My heart is now in two places :)