What up family!!!!! Here we go with the first official missionary email, woop woop! There is so much to tell you.  Lets start with a couple orders of business:

1. Thank you so much for the package. It was so awesome, like getting a christmas present!!! Also, thank you for the medication.  

2. I will write a weekly email, but if you write me a letter I will totally write you back.  (thanks Mom, Erin, Lizzy Autumn and Dad)

I'm glad to hear that the funeral was good.  I'm sad I couldn't be there, but she is totally in a better place right now.  

That's way cool that you got to go see Chelsea come home!! I bet she looked like a champ.  I think she is the coolest.  

So what's new with me you ask? Well, I will tell you! There really isn't much,  the MTC is the same thing all day e'rry day.  But here is something I didn't get to say in the last letter.  I wrote it on the plane on the way to San Fran, which was so much fun! We went right to the Consulate which only took like 30 minutes, then we went over to Pier 39 to get some lunch and walk around.  There were 10 of us, so we couldn't all decide where we wanted to eat because everyone wanted something different.  We walked way down the road until there were no more food places and everyone was tired and hungry, moral was low.  BUT, suddenly, a handsome Brazilian man walked up to us and asked, "Hey, where is the church around here?" We were taken aback for a moment, but then we had to tell him we didn't know because we were just on a day trip from Salt Lake.  After some talking we found out his name was Jose, he was in San Fran for 5 weeks studying English, he lives in Brazil, and he was a non-member (woop!). His dad was a member, he was Baptist, but he was super interested in the Church.  We told him we were looking for a place to eat, and he just straight up asked if he could come with us and talk about the church.  Awesome.  He took us to his pizza place and I got to sit right by him and answer some of his questions about the church.  It was super cool! We ate and talked and he was a way, way cool guy.  Turns out, on the plane, I just happened to write my testimony in a book of mormon that I was planning on giving away, and Jose just happened to say that he had read 1st and 2nd Nephi and wanted to finish the rest, so i gave it to him.  WOOOOO!!! WOOO WOOW OOOOW    WWWWOOOOOOO!!!!!!! (thats how I felt afterwards). I just casually handed it to him, told him he could practice his English reading it,  but I hope he gets something more out of it. It was a way cool thing, can't wait until I can do it a ton more in France! 

Besides Jose the Golden Investigator, things are basically the same! I really do like the MTC a ton, even though not very many people here seem to.

Also! This is a cool thing I learned that I wanted to share with you all. In Isaiah 61: 3 (which is a beautiful scripture that you should all read) there is a phrase that says "to give them beauty from the ashes", which really stood out to me, because that's how much Christ loves us.  But, in the French bible, Esaie 61:3, the translation is a little different.  It says instead. " un diademe au lieu de la cendre.." Which literally translates in English as "a crown for a princess from the ashes." It would be a good thing for you girls to read and think about.  A crown for a princess from the ashes. 

Also I memorized the First Vision in French this week. Also, I was really sick for like 4 days, and I have an ear infection. But I have medicine so, ain't no thang.  My time is up, so more will come next week! (and hopefully some pictures if I can get the right computer, its pretty difficult.)

I love you all! Thank you so much for all that you've done and do for me! I miss you so much.  Have a good week!!

Love, Elder Wood

This is couple that we know named Elder and Sister Boyce!  They are from Logan and are close friends with Josh's grandparents, Owen and Janet Wood.  They just happened to be in the MTC at the same time as Josh.  They are headed out to serve a mission in Boston, Mass.  It was good to know they got to see our Elder and report to us that he was doing well!