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!