Week 29 (Lone Pine)

Elder Wood reports that this was a good week, although I didn't get a lot of details beyond that they were able to teach some lessons that went well. I think one friend, Holly, has come to church a couple times but had surgery recently so hasn't been able to. Hopefully she'll be feeling better soon!

In interesting mainly to missionaries news, transfers are changing from Tuesdays to Fridays. But the next one still isn't for several weeks, and it doesn't (at least for now) have any impact on his Preparation Day when we talk to him. Just the day that new missionaries get sent to their mission from the MTC, and therefore the day that they change up companionships during transfers.

They had a fair amount of driving this week, as they do most weeks. They spent two days in Ridgecrest, where their zone leaders live, since there was a Zone Conference this week. I enjoy those, since we get pictures from the mission Facebook page, so I get some nice shots to include. And they had to drive up to Bishop to get their car an oil change. They were able to do that in conjunction with their regular weekly trip to Bishop for some service that they do, so I guess that wasn't any extra driving.

For Pday this week, they met the other companionship in Big Pine, which is roughly halfway between their area in Lone Pine, and the other one in Bishop. They did some outdoor games, including some basketball, and Kubb (a yard game that Elder Wood had us send him the pieces for back in Mojave). He and his companion drove out a little west of Lone Pine into the mountains to do some filming of the companion for his Facebook intro; I was able to get this nice still shot of him below with the rocks in the background.

A photo of everyone at Zone Conference. Elder Wood is back row, 6th from the right 

Candid shot from the lunch after Zone Conference. I'm not sure who the other missionaries are.

This is from their golf P-Day last Monday, but the picture didn't come through in time. Elders Wolfley, Wood, Wright, and I think Davis.

His companion Elder Wright

Bird photo: I was able to spot 4 birds in the tree, but there are probably more than that.

Week 28 (Lone Pine)

Apologies in advance that we're a little short on pictures this week. I actually got plenty, they just pretty much all have birds in them, so I figure only so many need to be in the blog (perhaps Elder Wood would disagree!)

He reports that this week was pretty uneventful. They had Stake Conference yesterday, which involved a drive down to Ridgecrest and meant they didn't have their regular meetings in the branch building. He was excited that they've found someone new who is interested in learning more from them. So that was good news and they'll hopefully get to teach her for a while.

During our conversation today I mostly got to enjoy watching him play a round of golf. He's never played in his life before (other than miniature golf) but wasn't terrible. The 4 of them in the district paired up into teams (he was with Elder Wolfley, who has actually played a little gold before) and played 9 holes in a best ball format. They apparently got a missionary deal at the Bishop Country Club and were able to play for not too much expense. He reports that their team won, with a score of 44 vs. par of 36. And he did have some balls used, so it wasn't all thanks to the experience of his teammate. I did ask them to get a group photo on the course or with their golf cart, but apparently that didn't happen.

Spiritual thought of the week: We must study His words, whether of his own mouth or those of a prophet. We must know for ourselves that they are true, not just by another's testimony. We must be ready to defend those things that we believe in, so that we are not caught by the adversary's traps.  I testify that the sacrament is a sacred ordinance just as important and valuable as any other.

Bird photo: A quail

More birds in a tree

Not a bird photo! Apparently they were leaving a member's house and ran into this guy.

Week 27 (Lone Pine)

Transfers are coming up this week! Not too surprisingly, Elder Wood is staying put, since he's only been in Lone Pine for a single transfer thus far. His companion is moving elsewhere, though, so he'll get a new companion, named Elder Wright. He's never met him, but will tomorrow. They are actually driving to Ridgecrest tonight, staying with the zone leaders, and then will continue the rest of the way to Bakersfield tomorrow to meet up with the rest of the mission and do companion swaps.

He is also pretty happy with the transfers, that the rest of his district will be staying the same, since he likes them all. Additionally for the first time, he gets to be the designated driver. It sounds like he was probably too junior in the mission previously, but now since he's experienced enough and will have been in his area the longest, he is the driver. This means that his companion has the SIM chip in his phone and is responsible for making and answering phone calls, which Elder Wood is happy to avoid.

In other news, for their PDay today they went up to Bishop to meet up with the elders there, played some games, and went out to lunch. But most importantly, really, it was Easter this weekend. He reports that they had some good experiences, including having a non-member come to church with them yesterday. Her name is Holly, and it sounds like she is interested in learning more from them, but has some health issues so isn't always able to get out and around. For Easter, Elder Wood and Elder Haney made "Easter in an Eggshell" gifts for members of their church congregation. Each one contained 12 plastic eggs, filled with a scripture related to the lead-up to Easter (from Gethsemane to the cross to the Resurrection) and a small item associated with that event. For example, they put in 3 dimes (30 pieces of silver) for Jesus' betrayal, a small cross for the cross, and nothing in the final egg representing the resurrection (because the tomb was empty).

Spiritual thought of the week: I believe the Sacrament is a chance to truly remember Jesus Christ and His sacrifice. To remember that he knows each of us, and that he truly knows all of our struggles. The Sacrament is our chance to cleave to His name, the only name by which we may be saved. To have access to His Atonement and all that it means to us.

Their district: Elders Davis, Wolfley, Haney, & Wood, and Sister and Elder Davis

Decorating their church building for Easter (the cutouts over the door and in the windows)

"Easter in an Eggshell" gifts ready to share

Bird photo: He saw a roadrunner!

Another bird photo, a little brown and white one blending into the background

Week 26 (Lone Pine)

Elder Wood turned 20 yesterday! We got to talk to him to wish him a happy birthday, which was fun. He said his mission president, President Burton, also gave him a quick call. That meant that they could talk with each other about the church's announcement yesterday that there will be a new temple built in Bakersfield! All of the missionaries and members in the area are very excited. Elder Wood says maybe that's why Elder Bragg (the general authority he met a few months back) was visiting the area - to help finalize a location for the temple there. Overall exciting news!

Not a lot of mission news this week. They drive a lot, they're excited for Easter next weekend, and they do their best to met with the members and to meet new contacts that they can share with. Apparently it was also a poor week for birds, too. Elder Wood had seen none most of the week, so he took the fun picture below of himself as a bird. Thankfully he did see a few today during their Preparation Day outing, so we do have an official bird photo this week.

For Preparation Day they met up with the missionaries in Bishop and then all went up to Mammoth together to see all the crazy snow. Apparently the ski resort there has announced that they don't plan to close at all this year - they have enough snow that they'll just keep on skiing all summer! Too bad missionaries aren't allowed to go skiing (too much potential to injure themselves).

Spiritual thought for this week: If we can do some small thing, then I know Jesus will help us along the way. His hand is reaching out to us at all times and in all places, and we just need to take it. His Atonement gives us the power to change ourselves, to become more like Him. Do not waste the opportunity to access that power.

Elder Wood is a bird!

With the snow in Mammoth and sporting a new Mammoth beanie

Lots of snow blocking the entrance to the chapel in Mammoth

Bird photo: A cute little yellow and black one this week