Like Father like son‏

Ahoy, yes today is pirate lingo day. I don't know why or how but it is. Actually its not I just wanted an interesting way to start this email and I utterly failed. Dag. Oh well theres always next week. But maybe just maybe I can still save it! I must try!

So this week has been pretty good. Today I got a lot of sleep. I was uninterrupted by anything especially weird dreams. I had a dream the other week that I left the mission for an entire day to go to Rexburg to go to Subway and then go back to Mesa. So weird. Well we are borrowing a super vacuum/steam cleaner to clean the carpet of its stench. Thats been delightful. We only have a few miles left for the month. We only have 58 miles for 2 days until we get more on the 1st. Not quite sure how I'm gonna pull that one off but I will try!

I think mentioned that a few weeks ago I was looking through some of my old pictures and saw how unbelievably pudgey I looked before my mission. I mean seriously it kind of shocked me. Now I'm afraid it is happening again because I've gained like 15 lbs in the past month or so. I'm going to pick up the activity that I despised in elementary school. JUMP ROPE. Its intense. Seriously.

The past few days have been kind of interesting. We've been trying to talk to more people because we're not teaching as much. On Sunday we brought a southern baptist minister to church. That was interesting. But not as interesting as the other minister we found. We found a guy who wanted to bash with us. To my suprise he had several scriptures in the Book of Mormon memorized. He took several of them out of context. I began to get frustrated and just bore him a testimony of why it was true and how he could know. I told him how I was never religious but just under 2 years ago I was baptized and had found God. This caught his attention because now he went a new direction and was trying to convert me. He kind of ignored Elder Edmonds and was focused on stealing me away because I hadn't been involved with this church for very long. He failed and we left. *sigh* some people.

I was talking to a friend from college who was telling me about how she made a quote wall. I thought that was kind of neat and decided to gather my own quotes. So I started to write down the absolute most out there responses we've had when talking to people on the streets. Here's one we went up to talk to an elderly lady who was very upset to see us. She told us we were wasting our time and then said something that kind of made me snicker she said "How about you be good boys and keep your nose clean" then walked away. So odd.

Well yesterday I was looking at my right big toe and wasn't pleased. It was a little swollen on the right tip and its quite tender. To my dismay I believe that its an ingrown toenail. Sick. I called Sister Bassett and asked what I should do. She told a me a few things to do and told me to get back to her in a few days. It reminded so much of my mission father Elder Yates. I will never forget my first week in the mission. He had a pretty bad one. We went to the doctor and he had a little surgery. It was kind of shocking. He was like hammering his toe and then ripped off like a third of his toe nail. GAH. I wish we got that on video, If I knew thats what was going to be happening I would have taped it.

Well I think thats about it for this week Peace Out.

love, Elder K-Wood

A rushing river part deux‏

This may be short so I apologize in advance just so you know. Last night and most of this morning was crazy and I'm way tired though I may find some energy to play a little football here soon. This week has had its ups and downs.

Alright I guess to start off here we go. The area itself is slowly getting better. We don't have a very big teaching pool right now but there are definitely some paths we are going and I feel that they are down the right way. I hope they are. Sometimes it feels like I'm trying to push a boulder up a large hill. Josh is still doing good, we took him to Mesa this week. We went to the temple and walked around with him he really enjoyed it. We also took another investigator Cindy to the temple this week too. She really wanted to watch Joy to the World which is a Christmas video, which I liked on 3 levels because a. I love movies b. I'd never seen it before and c. I love Christmas. Everybody wins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah! It went well I enjoyed it a lot.

Yesterday we had ZDM(Zone Development Meeting). My assignment was to leas the music again. I get stuck with that job a lot. It's really really sad to watch me do it. I try and try and... try. But yet my arm is just flinging around in front of a bunch of people he are like what the heck. I did alright this time around last time they threw me off. I geared up for 4/4 time I was ready I was psyched. We started I was doing great and then halfway through it went to 3/4 and I was like oh crap. Not good.

I had my interview with President. He told me the things he told me every interview since I've came in. His mind seemed else where there. We passed a car inspection with a perfect for the first time ever. Go figure.

Most of my news has to do with this morning. We were getting up at 4:30 to go to the temple this morning. We heard the sound of rushing water(not just running water). We went into the kicthen to discover a flood. The carpet in the other room was even soaked. We sat there bewildered and searched for the cause. We opened up the cabinet beneath the kicthen sink. we discovered a pipe that was just launching steaming hot water out of it. We tried to turn off a valve or two and mess with it but nothing. We finally turned the water off to all the house and luckily Brother Fuller fixed up. It turns out a rat started to bite into the pipe and it well exploded.

Later today we visited a tongan family in Mesa whose son is serving in Elder Edmonds home ward and had 5 baptisms there. They were excited to talk to him all about where he lived. It was his moment so I just kind of laid back and let him talk it up they weren't very interested in me. They wanted to play us a song on the ukulele and sing it as a family for us. They sang and it was awesome. Elder Edmonds told them I played too and they quickly handed me the uke and asked me to play them something. So I played my renditions of "Hallelujah" and "Nearer My God To Thee" and they really enjoyed that and opened up to me a little more after that. Then they took us out to some barbeque it was awesome.

I'm glad you enjoyed all the mooses at the national park. I've seen a bunch of quail and rattlesnakes that's about it. The AJ Elders have now killed 3 and eaten 1. Yum. Tastes like chicken seriously. Peace Out

Love, Elder K-Wood

When I ripped my pants‏

So this week is beginning to pick up again. Some crazy stuff has happened in the past week and a lot of it I can't even remember. SO LETS BEGIN DA SMACK DOOOOOOWWWWWWWWNNNNNNN! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

That was a little manaical. Wow I didn't even know I could laugh like that muahahaaha. Crap maybe I'm turning evil, I sure hope not. So first of all we are not moving. We were for like a day. Then President changed his mind. Then a few days later he changed his mind again. But this time he decided to move out the Spanish Elders instead. So they'll most likely be gone sometime this week. That'll be nice, though its fun to have them around its truly too hard to focus at times which is frustrating.

Thursday went up and then down. We got out and taught a new investigator which is the first we've had in quite some time. It made me really happy to get to teach this guy. He's so nice. He hasn't giant red beard and loves the NFL. Which pretty much rocks in my books. But then the day tanked, our next like 4 appointments fell through. I told Elder Edmonds not to look down, we decided ice cream makes everyone feel better so we went and got some. During that time we got a call about some dreadful news. The spanish elders called and said that all of our bikes we're stolen. I was furious. That was my flipping awesome bike. We drove back to the place and saw all the bike gone from inside the gate... except for one. Lo behold there was Elder Caywood's super awesome trek mountain roadbike hybrid sitting on the porch. I was so happy but I felt bad because the other Elders all had their bikes stolen. Somebaody had the nerve to drive a truck up to our trailer in the middle of the day and take them all(you can see the tire tracks). I guess my tire exploding a month ago certainly wasn't the worst thing that happened. It may have saved me another 400 dollars.

Saturday we finally got ahold of our investigator who was offended at church the week before. We actually convinced him to go to a baptism with us and to our suprise he said sure. He wasn't feeling well and said he may not be at church the next day we said thats cool, we told him we would bring him a ringpop on Sunday for being so awesome. On a side note Elder Edmonds and I hand out ringpops to the kids and such they are called the "ring of righteousness" if you do something good you get one from the Elders. Its catching on. So on Sunday we went to go see how this investigator was doing. We went about 40 minutes before church started to see if he was going and to give him his ringpop. We went up to the gate and sadly discovered it was locked. Elder Edmonds and I looked at each other and weren't sure what to do. I said I've prayed too long and too hard for this kid not to show up to church(he's our only investigator I see going anywhere). So I hopped the chain link fence and at the top of it I felt something snag my pants. I tried to move carefully but then I heard the rip. I *sighed* and went to the door. His Grandma(who doesn't like us) said he wasn't going to make it today because he wasn'r feeling well. We were saddened and asked her to at least give him his ring pop. We went back to the church a little down because he didn't come I thought he would in fact I was counting on it... I WAS RIGHT!!! We went to the foyer of the church and there was Josh, we looked at him and asked why was here 25 minutes early, he said he didn't want to miss church. That was pretty flippin' sweet.

Well yesterday we had quite a few doors slammed in our faces, no one is outside here. There were oodles of people in North Phoenix but no one is outside here so lots of door knocking. Elder Bickmore called yesterday and was excited. Him and Elder Thornton had run over a 42 inch long rattle snake. I went and saw it this morning, they had skinned it and put its head in a bottle. He looked mean and probably wasn't estatic about being run over.

I'm really glad Jay Cutler stunk that dumb turd. I'm glad the Broncos suposively somehow won. Its really weird that its football season and I'm not watching football, I think it'll be less weird next year. Elder Davenport and I were looking at some of my old pictures from earlier this year before my mission. He and I agree that I look a lot thinner. Its really something else actually. Not so much fat on my face as before. Maybe there is hope for me yet *air five*

I'm off. Laterz. Tengu Mun dia. Peace Out. Whatevs yo.

love,
Elder K-Wood

The translator‏

I'm actually feeling a little bit better this week. It might just be because I bought new cologne this morning and I'm getting a little high off the fumes from it(Yes I did drench myself in it(and yes that does make me the hottest person in all of AJ but that isn't hard and I held that title before)). Wow I've already busted out the double parentheses this may just be an exciting letter. Should be intense! Let's get started!

So this week has been just a little busy. I've been working my butt off with Elder Edmonds trying to get this area going. We had to of knocked a million doors last week. Unfortunately not one person count it one person said yes. That was frustrating. One guy even said "yeah you can come by between 7 and 3:30 thats when I'm not home, yeah that shows my interest level". And the guy that said that was a member! I about popped him in the jaw. Just a little frustrating this week. But our numbers at least look better(though thats the least of my concerns).

Elder de Cesare took our car away yesterday. Apparenly it looked awful and so he traded our car with the sister missionaries' 2009 Malibu, Let' just say I'm not complaining. Bahaha. Unfortunately Elder de Cesare is now after my head, I'm scared out of my wits. Our Corrola looked like garbage because of the monsoon Saturday night and we couldn't wash it Sunday becaue no spending on that day. Dreading that just a little.

Sunday was kind of busy... And not the way I thought it would be. It was fast Sunday which meant 9 hours of church and no eating. We got to our 8 o'clock and were there for a while. At our 12 o'clock meeting something incredily cool happened. About 5 seconds before it started the deaf guy in our ward handed me a little keyboard that had a small screen attached to it. I freaked out a little bit at this contraption. As I panicked small lettlers on the screen said sorry I made you do this but I had no other choice. Then the prayer started. He said just type. Then the craziest first hour of church ever started. I had type what every person said... Woah.

Then to top it off Sunday night was the mission president's fireside. Which is just a big meeting where the recent convert tell there conversion stories. I had been asked to sing in it. I was freaking out. I hadn't sung in front of people in a while. I wasn't very good at it to begin with. And I was singing A capella, I had different parts, a solo, and to top it all off I was the only Elder singing. CRAP!!!! But it actually went really well!

Well this week should be good. I just discovered that we are moving as of about 4 seconds ago. No more spanish elder, instead we will be in an apartment with the zone leaders. It was a needed a change and I am very excited for it. Yay! Oh by the way! BYU BYU BYU BYU BYU BYU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe I'm on my mission and that happened GAHREHAGFVGDVGFLRAGIN!!!! Bleh. Oh well still awesome. Peace out.

Love, Elder K-Wood

Snakes in a trailer!!!!‏

Well it's week 2 of transfer something. Actually its my 5 month mark. And I might go buy Dairy Queen and have a party with myself. Because I'm just that cool. If you want to come I'll be there this afternoon just off of main street eating a blizzard. It should be a good time, I might put a candle in it or something, I would consider attending. NOT. But I'm still getting Dairy Queen in honor of the death(end of mission) of my father Elder Yates.

Well this week has been fairly eventful. Last week we talked to quite a few people but yesterday I was on fire. We blew out anyday I had before last trasnfer. It was pretty sweet. We taught a lot of lessons and I was spot on. It was way cool. I made a Jehovah Witness question her faith which was kind of neat. Got her close. Oh the J-dubs. I'm going to apologize in advance for the pure shortness of this email. I've had a bit of a "long" P-day and I haven't eaten yet.

So this week we spoke in church twice. One ward and then another. My first talk was alright. It could have been shorter. But luckily I got to give another and I nailed it. The work here is about to come about. Unfortunately I'm getting the feeling that I may be planting seeds and someone else will gather the harvest. Alas I must go on. It truly is sad when you realize that but you can't get it down. I'll get my turn one day I know it.

Well I made my title of the email snakes in a trailer because... as you can guess.......... SNAKES IN A TRAILER AHHHHHHHH! Here's what happened. The spanish elders went to go excercise. Elder Hendrickson put away his bike and saw a rattlesnake going under the panel of our trailer. Elder Hendrickson screamed locked up the bike and ran for his life. He told me what happened and I got the plan to go get it and beat it with a shovel. We called around and some other Elders(Elder Davenport and Bailey). They brought over a long pipe and came over. They didn't like my idea of KILLLLLLLING the snake. They wanted to catch it and sell it to ASU for 40 bucks. So there we are all, 6 Elders inside the bike gate of our trailer. I'm on the porch just incase anything happens, I can run for my life and safe myself because I'm not retarded. The Elders got a broom and attached a string to it to make it like a noose thing for the snake. They tried to noose it into the trash can I bought to keep the rats out of the trash. They touched the snake's head(it was in coiled attack mode) it felt threatened. Then for the first time in person I heard the rattle and the snake turned around and went under our trailer. Dag. I flipped and taped down every vent. The spanish elders thought I was overreacting but I said "if a rat can get in here a snake can get in here. Ick.

Well this week should be good. Our numbers are going to go way up I know it. Hopefully that'll be the last of the snakes. I thought it out. Try to make sense of this I am companions with a friend from college's cousin's MTC companion. Weird how things like that happen. I saw a brief second of football last night. Enough to see Brett Farve in purple and gold Viking color TRAITOR. Oh well. Peace OUT.

Love, Elder K-Wood/ Harry Potter(ever since the snake incident the Elders think I have the ability to talk to snakes and now we all talk like Harry Potter characters, yeah missionaries are crazy its true.)