Great BAPTISM!

(USB thing broken so no pictures for a while)

Bumber... sounds like your thanks giving is gona suck just like mine..

We had a babtism this week. IT WENT AMAZING. this guy is so golden. he showed up at his babtism 45 minutes early. and its a good 45 minute walk from his house. Anyway, i bought him a hymn book and a triple combanation. we had about 75 members show up for the babtism. Imagine 75 members for a babtism when the church asistance is about 115.!! So far its the most members ever in a babtism.

On the down side. I got a change. I really liked it in Salama and didnt want to leave.. then again i did have 7 months there. Anyway i am in guatemala city. Zone 18 in a place called La layendo (the legend). you can google map it. zona 18 la leyondo in guatemala or something like that. The area is WAY small. My last area was just enourmas. As well as another new area i have a new companion. Elder Hernandez from mexico. he seems kinda cool. Guess i better get to this spanish speaking part of the mission.

Anyway.. Mom... talk to the Olcotts about them comming. I can get a good pair of shoes for like 80 dollars here (550 Q and its 7.5 to 1 dollar) anyway.. dont send the shoes unless its free. because i will jut by them here..

The members here are amazing (from what 2 members i have met here) the WARD.... not branch. has like 250 active members and our cook.. YEP THAT TOO... cooks for our 3 meals. It will be a good area but its small so i dont want more than 4 months here...

Anyway things are fine here... Something nasty happened in the newspaper.. A bunch of guys attacked a prison in guatemala and they chopped off their heads.., then they burnt their bodies.. The bad thing is, IT WAS ON THE FRONT PAGE.. anyway, Its not like the good ol USA!!
(Taylor also sent me the papers address. I babelfished it and Taylor was very kind in his description of the events.)

Mom did you want to pick me up from guate or not... didnt really get an awnser from ya..

Things are fine. i talked to my cook in my first area and that was fun.

Thanks for everything, WOOD

This Week in the Life...

How is the guy investigator coming along? he is good. we are gona babtize him this saturday. along with his 10 year old son. Tell us about him. What does he do for a living? he is a cheif for a reastaunt for a member How old? 45 50ishWhere did you find him? at a restrauntHow does teaching him make you feel. i dono.. teaching is teaching.. its never really diffrent
Are the non-church goers still talking baptism? she doesnt want anything.. im not gona babtize her.
So did I hear you were in Colban last week? I go to colban 3 times a change.. And know the area there quite well. we do Zone activities and confrences there. as well as divisions with the ZL´s (when i was with the District leader)
Stand up dude?¿ What picture are you going to use.??
This week was alright. we just sat around today for P-day and played some texas hold úm and went to the market to buy stuff. nothing too much. I only have one week more with this change which means i will probably be leaving Salama. But no one knows.
We had a member get attacked by her dog last friday. we went to visit her today and they were talking about killing their dog. They were pretty convincend to give me a pistol (or another elder he) and let us do it for them. But they are going to wait 7 more days to see if the dog has rabies or not..
Things are the same here.... i gained 4 pounds... lastima. I had lost 60 but now im at 56.Elder Taylor Wood

Mom's Support System

Quote:
Anner has left a new comment on your post "well another week gone. thought i would write ear...":
Boy, Taylor sure writes short letters! I need more info on him! lol He sounds like he's doing very well though. "

Annie, I second it. I hope Taylor reads this today and gives us a good letter.

well another week gone. thought i would write early so it can get sent through.

We had a babtism date with a girl but she went out of town. she comes back saturday.

We are teaching a guy really awesome. he comes to church and WILL be baptized. We are gonna baptize him and his 2 kids the 22nd. he is the chef.

A kid here next to me is playing counterstrike. YA.. he sucks. he is playing a map with no one on it. I had to tell him kindly that he didnt know what he was doing.. BUT you know how it is right.11!!! hahaha

anyway.. we will continue preparing these babtisms for the 22nd.

today for p day we played volley ball. it was pretty good.


Elder Taylor Wood

"Cool" Coban

"Cool" Coban

“Chipy chipy” is what the locals here call a constant drizzle of fine rain and we had plenty of this during our visit to Cobán to visit our missionaries for Interviews and Zone conference. The chapel was cold by Central America standards, but the spirit was warm and we enjoyed seeing our missionaries ready and willing to confront both the heat and the cold for the sake of fulfilling their callings. Our topic for Zone conference was Chapter one of “Preach My Gospel” Our Purpose. Another opportunity for chocolate came with the “polished Shoes” inspection where the missionaries were given a “Treat” for each shined shoe at the conference, which was a challenge given all the rain.

Slideshow w/Cuzzins Music

This music was performed at Elder Cuzzins Homecoming Report by his mother and two sisters.

Elder Cuzzins reported on October 19th. We were glad we could and hear his report and meet him. The meeting was wonderful. His two siblings spoke first, then his mother and two sisters sang. That music is the background for this slide show.

Some of this thoughts: Helping the Work Go Forward
1st - Be a good friend, a good neighbor and an example of Christ.
2nd - Prepare our children
3rd - Invite. John 3:21 (one of his favorite scriptures). If you are obeying the rules of the mission, it will be made known to you who to invite - a gift because of obedience.
4th - Language - 4 weeks ago he went on splits with the Branch President. They walked 1.5 hours to a place where he was not able to speak without difficulty, since the man speaks Portuguese. Even with the language barrier they were able to teach because the Spirit was there to convey the message. He could feel that he was an instrument in God's hands.
"I know this work will go forward." (Taylor also worked with this man and was able to teach him.)
Victor Hugo was the name of the man that they helped by painting the school. They were able to find lots of new people to teach. They were able to teach them, and remind the mother of what she had been taught previously.

Mom's Chat

Taylor went shopping and found a Michael Jordon jersey. What do you think? Eat your heart out cousins Steve and Jon!!!

Mom's Questions and Tay's Answers

(Picture: Taylor with Sergio Dubon, a really cool member. He bought me peanut butter and gave me a tie. he speaks english and works in mexico and the states.)
Hows it going? good
Has the rain stopped? yah
How are the baptisms coming? not to church. maybe the 22nd
Are they going to church yet? sometimes
Any new possibilities? not here
Have you gone anywhere exciting lately? nope
Tell us about your companion? age 20 Elder bates.. for utah. he is fat like me and really funny
How long has he been out? 8 onths Where is he from? cedar hills, highland
Where has he served previously? one of the ten most dangerous areas in the world. (my last area) paraiso III
Do you do street contacting? ya
You mentioned that the missionaries there are not as we see in Utah. What
do you mean "they are just trying to survive?" i dont remember
Do you still want the lazer? YEAH!! If so, I will order it today.

we got chased by a crazy guy with tatoos. the police were like HEY what are you doin.. THE COPS LOVE US. here is the conversation we had. caps are what he said HEY TEACH ME ABOUT THE WORDS OF CHRIST,, Well i don't understand you. SURE YOU DO.. nope i can't speak spanish., YOUR SPEAKING SPANISH. i dont know what im speaking


Keep working hard. We are proud of you for your sacrifice.
Love,
Mom