"My Eggo is preggo"

To see a video of Elder Wood meeting his "baby bleu", log on to Facebook and search for the France Paris Mission Poznanski.  There are also lots of pictures of him!

Salut! 

How is everybody? That picture of the flood looked nuts! I'm never there when that happens. But I'm glad to hear that everyone is doing good! 

My week was really good! The transfer is over and I'm now in my 5th which is pretty cool. My thoughts are really scattered today and I cannot seem to remember very many specifics from the past week except that it rained basically the whole week. So I guess weather wise, it wasn't that good, but missionary work wise it was great! For some reason we always end up talking to the thugs that live near us. TOTO, the leader of the gang, doesn't like me that much because I wouldn't give him money, but his cronies like us because we're American. So, ya, I'm really thug. Then last night we got to go teach a family we haven't seen for quite a while, and the dad named A explained to us how he was angry with God for all the things that are happening with his family in Africa. I explained to him how we don't always have a reason why things happen to good people in life, but all we can do is continue on the path and God will strengthen us. Then Elder W used the story of Alma and Amulek when they had to watch all the people be burned and the Lord told them not to do anything. It was super cool to see A change in a matter of minutes from very angry with God, to very humbled. We asked him to pray and he gave a really good prayer asking for strength and help for his family. It was just cool to see how we could so immediately help someone. We help people with every lesson, but we don't always get to see the results so directly and plainly. It sure was a big blessing to be able to teach that lesson. 

Yesterday we had Stake Conference and Bishop Davies spoke to us which was really cool! He's the 2nd councilor in the presiding Bishopric. It was funny because all the people before him gave really well planned out and serious talks. They were very spiritual and good, but as soon as Bishop Davies got up, he just cracked jokes the whole time. The Lord must have a good sense of humor, because all his general authorities sure do. He didn't plan anything either, he just got up and started talking about his family and the joys the gospel has brought them. Every time I see a general authority, I feel like I'm the investigator and they are the missionary teaching me! It's incredible to hear their stories and knowledge and testimony and I want to know how I can have it! But how we get all that is really simple, a heart completely turned to the Savior and doing His work. No matter  our position in society or church or whatever, God promises all, if we will just give our hearts to Him and keep the commandments. Bishop Davies said something that was really interesting, he said that God has given us everything, so we should't feel like we're paying him back with like tithing or money or whatever, because he already has all that. The one thing he doesnt have that we can give him is our will. That really pushed me to always be better and continue to turn my heart completely over to the Lord. 

Also last night I got a call from the Assistants, and they told me I'm gonna be District Leader/Trainer this transfer!! Woo hoo! I'm getting my own little baby bleu!! I couldn't be more excited and I love him already!! And being District Leader, I feel, is going to be super fun and I'm gonna learn so much! I've just been thinking about my bleu all day, he's probably sleeping in the MTC right now dreaming about the field, then tomorrow he'll leave and come here and I'll meet him on Wednesday!! So excited!! 

And also at the same time, I am a bit meloncholy to be leaving my pals I made here in Strombeek. Well, I'm not leaving, but Elder W and Elder D are, and me and Elder P are gonna stay with our new comps. It's been super fun living with them for the last 12 weeks and we're super tight, but they are going off to bigger and better things now! Reminds me of the gang. Just gotta keep up the good work!! 

I suppose that's it for this week! I'm super happy to get to stay here with my amis and meet my new bleu, stoked to have some good sucess this transfer! I can't wait to get all your letters and see how you are doing. Share the gospel with somebody! I love you! Talk to you next week! 

Love Elder Wood 

Come back when I am alone

Hello Family! 

How's it going?! My week was good! Brussels is still just awesome. Transfers are next week but I think I'll stay here for another. The weather was nice. All summer, only above 80 degrees a handful of times, but as soon as September hit, it got cold! Its good though, I like it. We look super classy with sweaters on all the time. And surprisingly enough if you look classy it makes a difference in whether or not people talk to you sometimes. 

But anyway, this week was good! Kind of a dry week, in the sense that not a ton happened. I went on 2 exchanges which went well, and knocked a lot of doors! People are all coming home from vacation, so they are more often home, but this is kind of how the conversation generally goes: 

Us: "Bonjour! My name is Elder Wood, I'm from the US, here for 2 years to help families be strengthened through the gospel of Christ. Are you a believing person?"

Them: "No not at all"

Us: "That's okay! That's why we're here! Would you and your family have 5 minutes to talk to us tonight?"

Them: "No my whole family is home and I have lots of children and a wife"

Us: "Oh wow that's perfect. Can we talk to you all about Christ tonight?"

Them:"No, I told you, my whole family is here and we are busy doing family things"

Us: "Yes, that's why we're here too! To pray with your family all together tonight!" 

Them: "No. Come back when I'm alone"

Then it continues like that until they close the door haha. I've had that conversation like 150 times this week. But then sometimes we get let in and it's like winning the spiritual lottery. 

I've never been stuck on what to say! So instead, I'll just type and whatever comes out,, comes out. 

So we met this girl named Antoinette who is a member from Ghana. We invited her to church this last week and she was really excited. When we called her to see if she could still come, she said her mom wouldn't let her and she was really sad. Later on Sunday night, we ran into her on the road and talked for a minute and she just cried because she wanted to come to church so bad but she couldn't, and how her mom made her go to a different church that she knows is not true. It made my really sad and we want to help her but aren't sure how! But we've recruited the help of the sisters, so we'll see if they can help with her mom. 

Last p day we wandered around looking for a journal because mine is almost finished. During our stroll around downtown Brussels we found the 3 most hipster places in the country probably. #underground

Mom asked what I study everyday, great question! It's most important to study the missionary lessons in PMG, and the standard works. So usually I go through the day and figure out what we are teaching people then study out the lessons. Sometimes we all get a little sucked into deep doctrines, and it's really fun, but mostly I just dive into the scriptures and use PMG for all my studies. 

I guess thats all for this week! I love you guys, and I loved the pictures too! Tell everyone I said hello and I love them and stuff. Talk to you soon! 

Gros mille bisous <3

Elder Wood 

A Taste of the Glory

Howdy! 

This week was a busy one! Which is always good. I suppose I'll just start with Monday! It was P day so we didnt do a ton, but that night we had interveiws with President and Sister Poznanski and let me tell ya, they are some inspired people. Seriously though, I feel like they are my temporary parents. It's so fun to be able to talk to them. 

Tuesday was Zone conference! WOO!! I love zone conference so much. It's a 4ish hour long meeting where President and Sister Poznanski give a little formation, then the Zone leaders teach, then we have district meeting, then lunch. I guess it doesn't really sound that fun typed in an email.. but it rocked. Then I started my 48 hour exchange with Elder Adams! He goes home in 3 weeks, so I just decided I was going to profit and gain as much dino-missionary knowledge as possible. Tuesday night and Wednesday we spent in his area and Thursday we came back to mine and things really went super well. I think I can safely say that those 2 1/2 days changed my mission! It would take super long to explain the whole thing, but for real, it was awesome. We did so much work. 

Thursday night I was reunited with my good old comp Elder Wilson, who is so fly by the way. He just hit his year mark like last week and we've become great friends. Such good friends in fact that we've set a date for the ultimate Guitar Hero battle after our missions. The fruits thereof will be great, meaning that I will win, but he's still really cool. We sat down Friday and just decided what we needed to do to really get the work progressing, and we're already seeing so many of the blessings from our new plans! Things are just lookin up! Not that they were down before, but there is always room for improvement, right? 

Saurday was good, and Sunday was nuts. We went to church which was really great as usual, then ate with 2 member families! That's right folks, 2 families in one day! It was a miracle, and even squeezed in a lesson between. They were both American families, yes, but still, it rocked. The families here are such good examples of what I want to be doing in the next 10 years or so. #familylyf

Oh and on Sunday! This was cool. We were walking to the metro station with Eric, one of our amis, and this young girl ran up and stopped us. She said her name was Antoinnette and she was a member from Ghana, that she had lived in Belgium for a year but had not been able to find any missionaries or the church. She almost started to cry and just said how grateful she was to see us and that she couldnt live without the church. It was so cool because we got to help her but also because our ami got to hear a little of her testimony and meet another normal member of the church. #miralces! 

Then here we are! I feel like just going through my weeks is not the most productive type of email, but Mom really seems to want "a little taste of the glory, see what it tastes like." So, know that things are good and that I am safe and I love you and so does Heavenly Father. Miracles are happening over here! There are about 2 weeks of the transfer left and I feel as if I will stay for another here, but nobody knows. I'm off to buy myself a Bou bou today I think, and if I do end up getting one, you'll see what I mean next week. I love you!! Have a good week! 

Elder Wood