Dear Family,
Hello, to my best knowledge, you will hear my voice before you receive this letter. I'm seriously so excited to talk to you all. This has been another great and challenging week here in Kissy, Freetown Sierra Leone. Monday we went and taught an investigator after I finished e-mailing you guys. Sis Hohanatu, she's a wonderful person with great faith. We taught her the Sabbath day and said we shouldn't buy on Sunday. Then I asked her if she usually buys on Sunday and she said yes but, Elder Wood I promise I will never do it again. It amazed me at how willing she was. I said we have talked about your baptism date and decided you will be baptized on New Year's Day Jan 1, 2011. She said that sounds great, I will never forget that day. It will be the happiest day of my life. It's so true these people are searching, searching, searching, to fill a hole in their hearts that they didn't even know was there. They hunger for the gospel and they know not where to find it. Tuesday we were up in Looking Town like usual. We saw many of our people and on Christmas day we should be baptizing about 5 people or so. I really pray it all works out and comes together. Wednesday as well we proselyted normal and Thursday we went on an exchange. I went with Elder Kitson-Dodoo, in my pictures it is the one you see who has body. Like if it's us four, he's the biggest one. Really I like this guy a lot; he's a great guy and very fun to be around. Last Monday we took poda poda into town and played football on the National teams practice field and seriously I didn't believe it but it was rurf. It was so sweet! There were people playing on it right when we arrived so we went and played our first half on some dirt patch, very dusty and rocky but still it was a blast. From there we played the 2nd half on the nice field, my energy was basically gone but I tried my best, haha I had fun anyway. Friday we saw many new investigators and Saturday as well. Last week I told you about sis Marcouta and how she came to church and everything. This week right when we got there, she was reading the Book of Mormon, right when we sat down she asked us about the temple so we switched our lesson from the law of chastity to temples. We taught her about sealing's, baptisms for the dead and endowment. I shared with her how my mother is a convert and we as a family all went together to be sealed when I was young, from there I said sis Marcouta, will you prepare yourself to one day visit the Lords holy house? And she after some time smiled and nodded her head. Now that seems like a small thing I know but for sis Marcouta its huge, you don't understand how stubborn this woman is. Then with all the confidence in the world thinking this would be the day, I said will you be baptized by someone who has the priesthood authority and follow Jesus Christ's example, into the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints? She looked at me then outside then at me, seriously my heart was pounding like I was playing in the state championship all over again. Finally she said "I'll pray about it." I was very let down because I know that she knows that this church is true. She knows it with all her heart but something is holding her back. I know that her time is coming it's very near and this just requires patience. My mission president taught us that with the degree and amount of patience we show and give our investigators and other people, God will grant unto us that same amount. If we are patient with them, God will be patient with us and oh how badly we imperfect sinning human beings need God to be patient with us. But I know sis Marcouta will be baptized I can feel it; it's only a matter of time. Her husband was once a less active and now to see him come to church in his white priesthood with his wife and kids, it's a heart touching sight really. This week we worked like crazy, honestly could have been the hardest week of my life and still we were disappointed by many who didn't come to church. But such is life. It's full of heartaches and letdowns but, they are necessary to make the good times sweet. Sunday my branch president for Kissy 1 gave a wonderful talk. He said there are so many of us young people who say, if I could only have this kind of wife or husband with this and that qualities, we all want that that ideal and perfect person. He said but what we fail to do is to first ask ourselves if we ourselves are that person. It's so very true. How can you expect to marry an amazing, beautiful pure woman if you yourself are not those things? How can I expect my investigators to do this or obey that if me myself am not willing to obey or do this or that. It's so true. It starts with yourself and your example and who you are and it will filter down. But I believe the hardest thing for us to do is to look ourselves in the mirror and admit we need to change or that we really are far, far from perfection. I honestly have a testimony that God answers prayers and is always there and listening. Although we won't be together this holiday time or season let's not focus on what we don't have but, rather what we do have. I love you all; have an amazing Christmas and a happy new year. Talk to you soon.
Love your son,
Elder wood
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