Shinguards to Sandals: Forget Yourself

Sister Wood's Last E-mail from the MTC - She Leaves Monday Morning for the Philippines

Sister Wood and Sister Ulu'ave - Sister Wood has loved her Kasama (companion)

KUMUSTA for the last time from the MTC!

So yeah, this is my last e-mail from good old Provo, Utah! I seriously can't believe it, but that's okay because I don't need to! It has been such a good week to end our stay here.
On Wednesday we got to host the new missionaries that came in. I had been looking forward to that day since the day I got here! As new missionaries started pulling up, and families began saying goodbye, I begun to change my mind about the whole concept of hosting. I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 6 WEEKS AND I WAS THE ONE TEARING UP AND CRYING!!! Seeing these moms just latch on to their sons like they were never letting go just ripped my heart out haha. It was the most sad thing in the world. And on top of that it reminded me of when my family dropped me off at the MTC and I was the biggest ball baby ever. I got to host a girl from Samoa! It was so sweet! We help them get their books, badge, new room, and new classroom. She was an international missionary so I had to show her all of these different places. All in all though, hosting was a great time, and a good way to spend 3 hours of our day!

This whole week I spent my time in the gym-gym playing basketball with the elders. LOVED IT okay. Obviously there has to be at least one other sister playing, so don't think it was me and a bunch of guys. although if we weren't in the MTC that is how it would be haha. So we played lightning some more and I am not saying this to brag, but I was literally RAINING from the 3 point line. I won like 3 games in a row and all the elders were getting so mad! When the elders are mad, that's when you know you've done your job. :) Anyways, we started playing 3 v. 3 instead of lightning and sisters have to guard sisters and elders guard elders. So it was me and two guys vs. two other guys and the girl guarding me. I just can't handle it because I GET TOO COMPETITIVE! Most the time, an elder drives passed another and are going to the basket....what do they expect me to do? Step away out of bounds and get an easy lay-up? Uh no, not happening! So that was the only time I guarded the guys, (or got in the way.) But then as we kept playing, I am sure that Heavenly Father was not happy that I would sometimes guard the Elders because I hurt my back way bad playing, and could hardly get out of bed the next morning! Hahaha. Haha but don't worry, I am okay now! :)

So funny MTC story. My kasama and I were walking back to class directly behind these two elders. There was traffic coming the other way as well, and one of the elders that was passing reaches around and taps the elder on the butt that was right in front of me! I just chuckled cause it was funny. (stupid stuff is funny here). Well the elder in front of me turned around and gave me this indescribable look. I looked at him like, okay why are you looking at me like that? He was like ummm... I was like what? I told him THAT WAS NOT ME! And he said "oh I was just about to tell you how inappropriate that is for a sister to do". He thought it was me who did it! Gee wiz! But it is kind of funny because the kid that actually hit him was named Elder Woods hahaha.

I have learned the extreme importance of LAUGHTER here at the MTC. Or anywhere for that matter. Isn't laughing the greatest thing ever? I could do it all day, all the time. My kasama and I laugh all the time and it is the best! Being able to laugh about how dumb I am sometimes, or how weird she is sometimes, it makes everything better! Another reason why I love Polynesian people so much is because they make me laugh!!! And when they laugh, I laugh! Everything is just a funny joke. :) My fave.

On a more serious note, last Sunday we got to watch the talk the Character of Christ given by David A. Bednar. I think it is only shown in the MTC because he gave it at a Christmas devotional a while back. I absolutely loved the promises he made to us in the talk as well as the doctrine he gave. He promised that if we become CONVERTED in the Lord, we will never fall away from the Gospel. I think that is an incredible promise. He said that there will come a point when just a testimony of the church won't be enough. We have to become converted in the Lord, so we will never fall! He also mentioned a point that really hit me and that I will never forget throughout my whole mission. He blatently and boldly said "GET OVER YOURSELF! Your mission isn't about you!" Christ gave us the perfect example of turning outward to the people and forgetting himself. As we get over ourselves and turn outward as Christ has done, "You will truly find yourself, but you won't be looking for it." I just thought that was so cool, and so true. That will always be in my mind. He also challenged everyone when we have a question about something, to go buy a cheap regular Book of Mormon. Read the whole thing through, and as you do it, mark up the whole thing with stuff pertaining to what you want to know. And afterwards, go through and find your answer. I decided to try this, so I went to the book store and bought a little mini Book of Mormon. I want to know more about the true character of Christ, so that is what I am focusing on as I read it! I love it, because as I read it, I have a purpose and goal on what to find out, so I read it in a different way if that makes sense haha. So if you feel like this could help you I encourage you to give it a try!
The Character of Christ - David A. Bednar

Yesterday, we had In-Field Orientation. OKAY REALITY IS SETTING IN! The guy who was in charge of it was saying that next Sunday we will be in our mission (Philippines) in a ward having to get up and introduce ourselves in sacrament meeting! OH MY LANDS. I joked and said that I better start preparing my shpeel right now haha. But really! How cool is that? I am super nervous, perro sobrang excited! The next e-mail that will be sent will be from the Philippines! In all honesty, I know I am not fully prepared to go out into the field, but I am so ready. And with the Lord's help, I will be able to do what I don't think I can do now. I kow that because I am ready and anxious, God will help me as I am obedient, diligent, and turn to him for help!

Well, I think that is my week in a nutshell! Everyone pray for me that my luggage makes it under the 50lb. weight limit!

Lots and lots of love,

Sister Wood