The one with the battle...

Hey Family!!

Haha, those pictures of us eating.. that's really funny. I love me a good eating picture montage.

Things here are going well!! But, I will tell you something. Mom, it's interesting that you said you missed me extra this week, because this week I probably had the hardest day that I've had on my mission thus far. #mommysenses. I feel like I should not really say many details, but I'll just say that me and my comp sat down for about 4 hours and just battled. I literally have never felt so lost.. I had absolutely no idea what to do, so I just cried for a sec, and prayed that the Lord would soften our hearts, and He did. It took a chunk our of our day, but after the battle, we ended up working things out, and ended up getting some work done. I'm really grateful for these difficulties that we are given, for trials of our faith. This was perhaps the largest trial of faith I've ever had in my life! But because of that day, and the rest of this transfer, I have no fear or doubt that with the Lord, I can do anything. But, even though I had maybe the hardest day, I also had one of the best days! I met M. Russell Ballard! Haha, it seriously was so cool. I just laugh when I think about it. I shook hands with an apostle of the Lord, and he taught me. SO COOL!!!! He talked about being a "Preach my Gospel" missionary, and the power of that book and how it has all the answers. He read out of John 14 and just analyzed it for us, it was so cool. It was like, how is he pulling all this info out of the scriptures? But then it.. it's all just right there! We just have to read them! It was such a huge blessing and a cool experience. And that picture of us and him is like.. 7 zones. Our zones have like 10 people a piece. so ya.

Other than that, our work is going really well! We teach more and more every week, and A is still getting baptised on the 30th. She came to church and the ward just absorbed her, we didn't have to do anything! It was super cool to see, the members here are SO focused on missionary work. Not only does it make things easier for the missionaries, but it makes work more successful also! You asked how we do a lot of our finding, and it's mostly talking to people on the street and knocking doors in apartment buildings. But, strangely enough, the two people that have been/will be baptised were referals from members. Members really are the way so be successful! We just try to work with them a ton, whenever we meet with someone we try to always have a member. So, find someone that the missionaries can teach! Invite them over to eat with an investigator! The French is coming along pretty well too. It's not like super good, sometimes the meaner french people say rude things because my accent (which is mostly just funny rather that offensive) but I can understand basically everything, make phonecalls and fix rdv's, and also I do a lot of the talking during lessons. It's really fun actually.. I really love speaking French, so that makes it a lot easier to just want to talk and learn more and more!

This week I also got to put my soccer skills to the test against some French street youths at an Elders quorum activity. I definitely made a fool of myself, but I got a couple compliments, "bien joué" or well played, you know, the uszh (usual). I think I earned a couple of respect points. #sports #america

This coming week is gonna be pretty fun. I'm going on an exchange with an actual Frenchman, then on Thursday I'm going to Belgium to get my legality, then Sunday is the end of the transfer and I'll know if I'm leaving or staying! I had a dream that I was going to Versailles, so that would be really cool if I went there. But also in the dream, I had 12 companions and Gandolf was there.. so I don't know. Also tell Ernie congratulations and I'll see him in a few months!! That's super cool! Maybe I'll even train him. Whoa! 

Fun fact; my hair goes the opposite way now. I dont know why, it just changed it's mind and went the other way, now the cowlick battle is just out of control so that's pretty neat. Also, I sent my ipod home a couple weeks ago so you guys could put some new music on it! Did that happen? Also if you want to send some Lucky Charms, that would be fun.

Alright, that's about it for this week.  I love you guys! I'm writing you all letters back today, so be prepared for some awesome words of wisdom and French slang. I love you!

Elder Wood

*These are some of the pictures Josh was referring to in the beginning of the letter.  His mission President's wife, Sister Poznanski, for some reason, always takes a picture of Josh when he is eating something!  They are always eating, it seems.  Pretty funny!