February 18, 2013

mom dad family!!

sounds like you had an exciting week! i am glad that you are getting horses!!!! i have been thinking about getting a horse too!!! now i dont need to get one haha!! we had a really good week this week!! we got permission from President to go to the high school play Guys and Dolls, it was a really good show. some of the kids had some talent. i guess that missionaries in the past have done service at the high school and the director (who is a teacher there) asked that we come and see the show so all 8 missionaries in medicine hat went!! then on saturday we went to the temple in cardston! our ward rented a big coach bus to take the members and we got permission to go. it was really good. the session we were in was the largest session since the calgary temple has opened. there was 105 of us in there!!! (not just our ward though) we had enough time to do a session have lunch and than inititories. it was really great to go to the temple again! we had an alright week with missionary work. we are in the process of cleaning out the area book. there were a lot of loose papers and tons of names of people we didnt know. so we copied all the names onto 1 paper and have been stopping by these people trying to figure out who they are. we stopped by rayleen (a name on the list we had no idea about) and she told us to come back next week!!! apparently she had an appointment with missionaries during the summer but they never showed up. we think that she has fallen through the cracks because of poor record keeping. but she seems intrested in what we have to teach and such. so hopefully she will be baptized!!!! we are still working hard and praying to find the elect. its been hard but i think good things are about to happen!! it was made known to me (by some other missionaries) that i only have 9 more P-Days left (which means emails too) 2 fast sundays, 2 months and 1 and a half transfers left. but who's counting!!! we have zone conference this week on thursday. and yesterday was family day so the libraries where closed!! hope tilly doesnt eat too many chickens!!!! have a great week! love elder woodard!!!

did you get rid of frank?!?!?! lds.org has maps and im looking at the house and i dont see him!!!

 

February 5, 2013

mom dad family,

nothing really exciting happened this week either. we went to bow island to the ward bon fire. it was kind of cool. it made me miss home though because we are out in the middle of no where and there was a fire and we heard the coyotes in the field. i don’t really like going to bow island. i feel that every time we go its ineffective. but it is our responsibility to go out there. we have a list from the ward mission leader of non members to stop by. and we got by most of them and they all said they weren’t interested. well its back to the drawing board. transfers are tomorrow and i am staying here in medicine hat. this will be 6 months in this area. im not really sure how i feel about that. i really like it here but i only have 2 transfers left and i don’t want to get transferred and have one six week area. it would be point less to do that but we gotta do what president says. tell everybody good luck with their performances!!! maybe i will get to see some of them!!! oh ya kallan comes home just a few days before me!!! have a great week!!

love elder Woodard

January 28, 2013

 

dad mom and family!!

isn’t that amazing that every time you go to Disneyland you run into joel!!! i think you two plan that or something!!! haha we should take a trip to Disneyland when i get home!!

this week was pretty good. we taught the Korean exchange living with our ward mission leader. it was really good except she doesn’t believe in God. it was really hard and a little bit frustrating to teach someone like that. i guess i can’t comprehend the fact that some people don’t believe in God. we went on exchanges with the district leader this week. it was a lot of fun. we had lots of service to do. we went to the food bank and helped stack cans. and than we went to the red cross to help them sanitizing wheel chairs and stuff. yesterday we went to a fireside that the youth put on. all it was was singing. some of them were really good and talented. transfers are next week. on wednesday. it is looking like im getting transferred out of medicine hat and going to my last area. that is just crazy to think that this is my last area. i guess kallan gets home a few days before i do. well i hope you have a great week!!!

love elder Woodard

January, 21, 2013

dad mom and family,

well nothing exciting happened this week. we didn’t meet with our investigators because they were too busy. but hopefully we can meet with them this week!! we have decided to have a movie night and watch hunting movies to show that we need to get close to people before we shoot them!!! haha just kidding. we are going to show joseph smith prophet of the restoration. it’s about the life of the prophet and the restoration of the gospel. we have done this before in other areas and it has been pretty good finding opportunity. we are struggling with the members for them to find us people to teach. so we are giving them an opportunity for them to invite their friends to a church activity and learn about the restored gospel. we had interviews this week with president nicholas. it was really good. we discussed some ways to keep working to the end. he said to take it one day at a time instead of looking a head into the future and that the end will come eventually. i really like president nicholas. he is a great man. well i hope you have a great week!!

love elder woodard.

ps

can you put me in for elk this year?

January 14, 2013

 

good morning family,

that's good that you were able to meet with the Hagen's! they are nice people!!! i really enjoy living with them!! we had a cold snap too this week but ours came with about a foot of snow. holy moley batman that was a lot. on Thursday we went out with the lehrs to help them move their cows closer to town and it was super cold that day. that was the day that it was snowing. we were pretty much in white out conditions the whole day trying to move the cows!!! i really don't want to be a farmer in that kind of weather!!! we taught a few larcs this week and we also taught our investigators aj and jody. they are nice people but we still aren't sure about their intent of meeting with us. it is more of a Q&A when we go over there and we don't really get to teach much except the questions they ask. we only have about 2 and 1/2 weeks left of this transfer and than its only 2 transfers after that i'll be home. time is sure going fast and i have enjoyed myself but i think I'm ready for something different. i am starting to find it harder and harder to stay motivated. i hope i get a young missionary my last two transfers to keep me working hard to the end!! well i hope you get feeling better!!! have a great week!! love elder woodard!

January 7, 2013

dad, mom and family

nope cody cooper is from queen creek (or queens creek as the Canadians say) my friend that worked with me is tanner kay and he is in new york city Spanish speaking. dad we will definitely have to come back to the great white north! i absolutely love it up here!! and the people are great too!!! the people that we live with Bro and Sis Hagen are going to chandler for a week. (this week they left this morning) i gave them the home phone and mom's cell number. i think that they wanted to meet with the 2 of you while they were there. i cant believe that kianna ashlee and ammah have mission calls!!! that is crazy!!! i did get my package from grandma woodard. the zone leaders went to Calgary on Thursday and they got mail for us:) i like getting mail:) this week was really good. we taught 5 less actives/ recent converts (LARC for short) and we picked up 2 new investigators. finally!! they are from Korea and they run the local motel here. I'm not sure how interested they really are. we went over there to answer the questions that they had because they didn't know a whole lot about the church. they were really nice to us and seemed really sincere so we are going to keep pursuing until they get baptized or tell us to go away and never come back! (which never happens in missionary work because everybody gets baptized!!!) hahaha yup yup yup. we went to bow island this week too. it was pretty boring. we got there too late to go visit one of the potential investigators and the ward mission leader gave us a list of people to visit. and we asked if he invited any of them to meet with us and he said no. which is kinda frustrating cause he wants us to be successful out there cause we only go once a week but he isn't really doing anything for us to be able to be successful. but at least its a start. well i hope you have a missionary experience this week and hope you have a great week!!!

Love elder woodard!!

 

 

December 31, 2012

dad mom and family

it was really nice to see y'all on Christmas. it is going to be nice to see you again. time is just flying by!!! not a whole lot has happened this Christmas week and we are hoping to have some success next week. we are meeting with a potential investigator tomorrow. hopefully things work out. people have been really busy these last few weeks and it seems that missionary work is not a big priority. but we just do the best we can with the situation we are given. i cant believe its been a week since we talked. today is pday and we have to be in by 6 because its new years eve so its a pretty relaxed day for us which is nice. we can get together as a zone and a member said that we could go to their house so we are going to do that tonight. it should be lots of fun! all four missionaries in our ward (us and the Spanish speaking missionaries) spoke in church yesterday! we all spoke on some different aspect of missionary work. i talked on why its important and the importance of the members in the work! it was really good because we all only spoke for about 5 minutes so we didn't need to prepare a long talk! i cant believe how comfortable i am speaking in front of people. but i still don't like doing it!  hope you have a great week!

love elder woodard

 

December 17, 2012

mom dad family,

i would like to skype next week. I'm not sure if i will get another email before Christmas cause Christmas Eve is Monday and the libraries might be closed.  what is your skype name or whatever i need to find you on skype? nothing eventful happened this week. we had to go on another exchange with the zone leader because he is going crazy and he and I went to bow island which is about 45 minutes from the hat. we had an investigator lesson there but it cancelled. we went to his house but nobody answered. but that is part of missionary work i guess. transfers are tomorrow. my companion is getting transferred and i am staying here in medicine hat. that would suck to be transferred right before Christmas!! oh i thought of something else that i would like for Christmas i hope it's not too late!!! i want a gun!! like a .270 or a .22-250. or an ar 15. well i hope you have a great week!!

love elder woodard and we will talk to you next week!!

 

 

December 10, 2012

so this week was pretty good. we picked up a new investigator in bow island. his name is peter. he just moved to bow island and the bishop helped him move and invited him to come to church and he has been twice now!! we only go out there once a week. and last time we were there he was too busy to meet with us. but we are supposed to meet with him this thursday!! we also are working with some less actives. we taught one on tuesday and we thought that she was going to come to church. but she didn't. oh well. she sees the importance of church and has the desire. we think she is just lacking the motivation to go. well hmmm we will see what we can do and work out. they said that they have free long distance so if worse comes to worse i will just call you around that time. oh by the way its snowing right now!!!!

December 3, 2012

this week was pretty good. we were unable to connect with our investigator derek. but we are going to teach him this week. we had a really cool experience with a member family yesterday. at the end of the lesson we asked the question "who do you know?" and they sat and thought for a little bit. couldn't really come up with anybody. but they were still thinking about it, and than the name came to them!! it was their neighbor!! they have been looking for an opportunity to share the gospel with them and weren't quite sure on how or what to do. we had been talking about the book of mormon in the lesson so we suggested that they give a book of mormon to them. they told us that they would do that!! we had mission tour with elder evans and he told us that the missionary department has gotten a year of missionary applications!!! that is a lot of missionaries going out!! sounds like arizona is getting hard to hunt in. too much hunting pressure. but i would like to be put in for the draw this year! the time is just a flying!! for Christmas this year we are going to be able to skype!!! that should be great i get to see all of your faces and you can see me!!! anyways there should be a letter coming for emily from an elder leany. if you haven't already got it. make sure that she writes him back a good one!!! hope you have a great week

love elder woodard!!

November 26, 2012

dad mom and family,

well nothing really exciting happened this week. we went to lethbridge for zone conference. it was really good. they talked alot about our purpose as missionaries. it was really good to hear that again. we had appointments cancel but that is nothing new in the missionary world. we just taught some less actives and members this week. we have a lot more planned for this week. we also have to go to lethbridge again this friday for a mission tour with elder evans from the 70. hope you have a great week. dad good luck with your hunt this weekend. take lots of pictures!!!

love elder woodard

November 19, 2012

mom dad and family

the weeks just keep going faster and faster. it is just crazy. we taught our investigator derek this week. he is coming along slowly but surely. when we were going to teach him we thought that it was going to be a bashing session. but it turned out really well. he had studied for 6 years with the Jehovah's witnesses. so he is really familiar with the bible and stuff. we ended up answering some questions and taught him a 2nd lesson. when we invited him to be baptized he said well we will have to play that one by ear. we aren't to sure on his commitment level but we is willing to learn and stuff. this week we have zone conference and have to drive 2 1/2 hours to lethbridge to go. and we did have a thanksgiving dinner but conference is on thursday so we wont get to go. if the missionaries go to grandmas that is the mission that all of my district from the mtc went to! don't worry mom I'm behaving!! time is just flying by. hope you enjoy the pictures!!

love elder woodard

mom dad and family,

well transfers are today. nothing is happening in my companionship. and yes we celebrate veterans day. its called remembrance day I'M STILL HERE!

well nothing too exciting happened this week we picked up a new investigator named derek. I'm not sure what his commitment level is but he wants to meet with us. my companionship is doing fine. we are getting along great. i usually get along with all my companions except my last one. and it turns out that all his companions have not liked him either

ya i know it wasn't just me. i can get along with anyone. yes mother i am taking pictures!!!! hahaha the weather is warming up. it was -22 on sunday!!! which is 0 where you are from. we got about a foot of snow this/fri and a little bit on sat. but now its sunny and a warm -1:)

hmmm well we got a call last week from a member and she said that she has a friend that wants to be taught. so we went on friday to teach him. his name is derek. oh before i forget. my and elder leany are planning a cross country moped trip. and i only have 4 transfers left! i had a dream last night that i came home and nobody was there!!!!!

i know its six months!!! time is just whizzin by!!! so far I'm doing pretty good on staying focused.

canada is great!!

gotta go love you bye. talk to you next monday!!!!

November 5, 2012

mom, dad and family,

the aps are doing great. it was the zone leaders that were having issues. but they are doing fine now. they are fine. this week went by way too fast!! not a whole lot happened this week. our investigator shannon was sick. and we had appointments cancel! i can’t believe the week went as fast as it did. we went to bow island for church yesterday. it’s almost a branch! it was weird to be in a ward that small!! medicine hat is great. it’s a small city with farms all around. hmmm I'm not really sure what i want for Christmas. maybe some ties or something. i don’t really want a whole lot cause i will be coming home pretty soon. all my clothes and stuff are in really good shape still. if i think of anything with in the week i will let you know!! well i hope you have missionary experiences this week

love elder woodard!!

October 29, 2012

mom dad and family,

well this has been one heck of a week! i only spent 2 days (Friday and sunday) in my area. i spent monday tuesday and wednesday with one of the zone leaders cause they hated each other. and then i spent another 2 days with the other missionaries because one can't drive and the other's international license (he is from korea) expired and it snowed so we weren't going to make them walk. needless to say nothing effective got done this week (elder leany says hello!!) in our area. but we did have a mission conference on saturday with elder M Russell Ballard. i think you might know who he is. and Craig C Christianson and Elder Walker also spoke to us. it was really neat to be taught by an apostle of the Lord. he was only with us for about an hour he mostly was trying to inspire us to keep going and to light the fire again. it definitely inspired me to go and work harder! President Monson flew in on sunday for the dedication. it was Sister Monson's birthday so he stayed home for that! hope you have a great week.

love elder Woodard

October 23, 2012

mom, dad, family,

this week was great! first last tuesday was awesome. we went to the calgary temple with our new investigator Shannon. it was a great experience to be able to go with her! the spirit in the temple is just something that cannot be explained. she really enjoyed the temple and the spirit that was there. the temple is just so beautiful. we also had 2 lessons with her this week and she came to church on sunday. the lesson we had with her on sunday was great! the spirit was really strong. when she gave the closing prayer she started crying through it. and the spirit was so strong. yesterday the library was closed for a staff meeting. we woke up with 5 inches of snow this morning!! winter is here too early this year! I'm glad that grandpa is doing better!! i didn't know that he had cancer!! we have to go to calgary for a special mission conference on saturday. I'm pretty excited to go to it!! and the calgary temple is being dedicated on sunday!! this week should be pretty good. oh ya we have interviews on thursday too. this week is just full of meetings!! hope you have a great week. remember to invite your friends!!!

love elder woodard

Dad

nope the library was closed yesterday so you didnt miss your chance!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! time is just flyin by!!! i really like medicine hat. the people here are nice and i just like the small city feeling. i dont really like the "big" city. it is out in the plains of southern Alberta. it is also really close to saskatchewan. my companion is elder vincent from kaysville utah and he goes home one transfer after me. i met kaylen tanners uncle last week on the golf course. he was talking about his sister going to india with her husband for 3 years. and one of her old young womens leaders is in my ward as well. there are lost of people that i have met that know the tanners!! hope you have a great week.

love elder woodard

 

October 15, 2012

hello mom dad and family

this week was pretty good. we went to a members for dinner on wednesday and i know you are thinking you go to dinner almost every night with members but this time is different. we thought it was going to be like any other dinner that we have had in the last year and almost a half. except that there was a non member friend there!! so we weren't really sure if she was a member or not but my the end of the night we knew that she wasn't a member. we shared a message with the family (just a husband and wife) we shared Jeffery R Holland (who is my favorite apostle if I'm allowed to have favorites) his testimony of the book of mormon mormon message and we talked about the book of mormon a little bit. she started asking questions and we answered them and shared some of the first lesson with her. she accepted the book of mormon, a return appointment, we are going with her and the members to the calgary temple open house tomorrow, and she is our new investigator we are teaching wednesday. hope you have a great week. going golfing today with one of the zone leaders elder coleman. weather is still pretty nice. we did get a tad bit of snow some time last week. i cant remember when but it is gone and a whoppin 55 degrees Fahrenheit today.

love elder woodard

October 9, 2012

dad, mom, family

conference was great! i was looking in the crowds to find you... but i didn't see you! there was some exciting news that president Monson gave! i don't think that it will really affect me though because by the time they start to leave and stuff i will already be home or close to coming home. this week was pretty good. it has been slow because of transfers and conference. he haven't done a whole lot yet. yesterday as you know was thanksgiving here. we have had turkey on saturday and yesterday. yesterday was pretty good. we just had dinner and when to the bishops house. it was a pretty relaxing day. today is p-day cause they had a zone leader council yesterday so it was changed. i got transferred to medicine hat, alberta. its a small city of about 60,000 people and about 50,000 of them are police officers!!! hahaha not really but there are a lot of police officers and photo cops! i still am slowly but surely paying off my tickets. i have about 200 dollars left to pay! tickets are expensive!! my companion is elder vincent. i really like him. he is funny and easy to get along with. i wanna fly to phoenix if that's alright. i wanna have the "airport" experience. we have two investigators right now. we are teaching rita tomorrow and we don't have an appointment yet with the other one(i forgot his name). hope you have a great week!

love elder woodard

October 2, 2012

sorry.... transfers are tomorrow so pday is today. I'm getting transferred. don't know where just know that i am leaving the city of calgary. this might be my last area!!! that is crazy to think that holy cow!!! i only have 4 transfers left. so this might be my last area! this week was pretty good. we had one of our potential investigator lessons cancel which is too bad cause now I'm leaving. but the other missionary coming in will be able to teach her. we went to the temple today as a zone. the stake presidency took us up. it was really neat to see the temple and feel of the spirit inside. we went on a private tour with the stake president as our guide. the temple will be dedicated at the end of october. we are just trying to stay busy and are working hard. we stopped by some one yesterday (cant remember who...) but they weren't home and so we went and talked with this man that was out side working on his car. we had a pretty good discussion with him about religion and stuff. we gave him a temple invite and a book of mormon. he said that he will read and study the book and go check out the temple!!! that was pretty cool that someone actually listened to us!! hahaha well i hope you have a great week.

love elder woodard

dad,

well thanks for that!! i always love getting your letters. they make me want to work harder. i am always thinking about the family and how much i miss them. but it willl be soon enough that we will be together. when is your elk hunt again? are the boys going with you? i hope you have a great week

love elder woodard

September 24, 2012

dear mom dad and family,

this week was pretty good. we taught tons of member lessons a few less active and our investigator louis. nothing too exciting really happened. i am tired of my companion. we don't get along that well. but I'm trying to make it work. but there are some days that i just wanna get away from him though!!! but we do, do alright sometimes. we haven't decided when to baptize louis yet. but will probably be some time in the next month or so. we are picking up a new investigator sometime this week. she is a friend of a young women in the ward. so that is pretty cool!! we are going golfing with a member today for p-day. that should be pretty fun!!