5th Week MTC

Hello my Family!!

How is everything going?? I was way glad to get your letters this week Mom, you totally rock.  Also everyone else rocks too a ton.  And usually throughout the week I take notes on what I want to write about, but I forgot it this week! So this letter will mostly consist of random Gospel and non Gospel related events.  Let's begin.

Yesterday during Zone teaching our District did a flash mob. It was really awesome.  We sang and danced to this song called "Champs-Elysees" in  which my teacher Frere Blosil converted the words to be about missionary work.  I pretended to be a investigator and get baptised and it was pretty legit. 

I am for sure leaving to France on MONDAY!!!! YEEHAAA!!! I'm so excited!! We got our travel plans last Thursday. We fly straight from Salt Lake to Paris! I leave the MTC at 1:30 in the afternoon, and our flight leaves at 4:50 p.m. So transfer that to Arizona time (is it even different?) and expect a call between those hours! I will be sure to remember to call on Dad's cell phone.  And one of the teachers told us all about the first day is Paris.. nuts. I'm so stoked.  We get off the plane, hop on the metro and go to the Eiffel Tower to hand out a Book of Mormon! Then we do all these cool activities and eat pastries and then the next day we get shipped to out first area.  How cool is that?! We've been practicing contacting a lot since we found this out and it's been super fun. On the way to the temple this morning we just stopped (more like ambushed) this lady and my companion contacted her in French while I translated.  It was cool and also really hilarious because we were treating her like an investigator but she wasn't and she was just really taken back.  Still, contacting is fun. 

Also I went to the temple for the last time for two years today. It was great because it was the temple and I was helping out the Lord, but it was very sad. I haven't missed a week of going to the temple for more than a year, and now I can't anymore. The temple is such a huge blessing in our lives.  I feel so much closer to Heavenly Father while I'm there.  Take advantage of all the temples we have to close to us! Will you do that as a family for me? Go to the temple! 

You are going to Arizona without me?! I thought we agreed, no vacations until i got home? JK. That sounds way fun, and way warm! What are you all going to do there? 

Oh and mom asked what I do as a District Leader. It's not that exciting. I get to get the mail and deliver it to the district, for which I am highly regarded.  Also I conduct meetings, lead District discussions, go to leadership things on Sunday, just things like that. I like it a lot! And my District is soo cool.  I'm gonna miss them a ton when we leave! 

MTC life is basically the same.  Except tomorrow i get to host! #woop. It should be fun.  Sister Tanner (Brooke's roommate) comes in, so I might get to help her! Which would be cool.  And also tomorrow my companion and I  have been asked to do a "How to begin teaching" activity, where we role play with an investigator for all the new missionaries. Pretty stoked! It should be cool.  

Easter is this week! I'm really excited.  Easter is so great, and with conference also? It's like a spiritual Superbowl. It's gonna be a really good weekend for everyone to focus on the Savior.  I know I've said this before, but I really have learned so much about Christ while being at the MTC.  A cool thing I learned: My great friend Brooke wrote me this in a letter.  And also sorry if I've already shared this, I can't remember.  But did you know that the word "succor" really comes from the word that means "to run to"? How cool is that? So I was reading in Alma 7:12, which is explaining why Christ did the Atonement.  It says that He did it so He will be able to succor his people. So actually He did it so He would know how to run to His people. Imagine that, Christ is literally running to us.  It's like we are at one end of time, and He is at the other.  He is running to us, He's working for us, He's tired, He's suffering, He's devoted completely to finishing His race back to where we are.  When I had this thought, I thought, what am I doing? Am I just strolling along, minding my own business, or am I running? We know how devoted Christ is to us, but how devoted are we to Him? I want to be a runner.  I think we should all be runners, and Easter is a great starting line.  That's what I'm gonna focus of this Easter, running to Christ, just like He is running to me. 

I love you Family! Thank you for all you've done for me. I miss you all dearly.  Be way safe going to Arizona, and have to much fun! I'll call you on Monday, but then the next time you hear from me will be from France!!! #missionsrock #iloveyouall

Elder Wood

 p.s. sorry for my grammer and punctuation and spelling and stuff.