Haha conference was legit. Did you notice how it was all on obedience and sustaining the prophets? We were all waiting for there to be a new commandment, but we were disappointed, haha!
I watched the priesthood session in Spanish which was really cool. I didn't get as much of the spirit because I was so focused on understanding, but to be able to sit through 2 hours of talks and understand most of it was a pretty big boost. Mostly the hard part is just having regular conversation though, haha! I've learned a lot of the words for teaching and talking about church stuff, but my Spanish overall needs to be more strong in the areas outside of missionary work. So I can 'capture the hearts of the people' like it says in PMG.

Our conference was 2 hours later and we got to say out till 10 so that we could watch the priesthood session, so that was cool. But other than that it was just being spiritually edified by the good word of Heavenly Father. :D

We didn't get a lot of rain, a little bit though. I do know what Sister Woodbury was talking about, because when it sprinkles it sprinkles really lightly, but the real rain is just crazy! haha

I might get to go to the temple when it re-opens but I'm not entirely sure. We'll have to wait and see.

Well, that's it for now. I love you so much though! Stay safe! You're in my prayers!
-Elder Wood

"We just had conference, which is like a spiritual Thanksgiving for all of the Elders. They go crazy about conference weekend. We have to wear our suit coats now though, it's a rule from October Conference to April we have to wear jackets and then April to October we don't. But we can take them off if it's over 75 degrees.

I miss the temple super bad, I read parts of that temple ensign we got this month and I just want to go back! haha but the Atlanta temple opens in January so keep your fingers crossed for me.

Well, the work is moving pretty well down here. Elder Wanlass and I (my trainer from last transfer) found this family that we knew was golden from the first time we met with them and they were just like, come on in and we taught them the whole first lesson and talked for a while afterward just about whatever. But anyways, they had a couple things they needed to work out and they talked to the Branch President and he said that the husband is ready to get baptized and that the wife(who was more skeptical) took some big steps towards getting baptized just by talking to him. It was so cool! and also they told the Branch President that Juan (their nephew) already wants to be baptized, which we had NO idea about. They even said that he doesn't smoke, drink, or have any problems with the ladies. How perfect is that? We'll keep you updated as time passes though, but even the Branch President said that his jaw dropped when they walked into church yesterday looking like members, haha!

Yesterday was SO awesome, we got home to eat dinner with the other elders and we about to eat when Elder and Sister Darby (the office couple) called us to get some help moving a couple washers and dryers. Well we went and helped them, got back and realized... It was FAST SATURDAY. And I was like... I'm so hungry... so tired... I should just eat. But I didn't! And ya know what? It was one of the most edifying fasts ever! I don't know if it was because I was perishing from hunger or I was just full of the spirit, but we got to church and I was just so happy and I got to talk to everyone and I could just feel the spirit SO strong, and Roberto and Xochitl and Juan and the two little kids came to church and so did some other investigators and this less active named Lucy(who's crazy! but super funny) who hasn't come in forever! and man, it was just AWESOME. Then afterward we had a meeting about The Day of Nations activity (where everyone from the different Latino nations brings food and drinks and what not) and all of the branch members were all in the primary room just making jokes and laughing and being loud and some of them were listening to Sister Castro (the one in charge of the program for the whole thing) but she is the Primary President so she's used to everyone being loud and making jokes and not listening so she handled it really well, haha! Well all in all, it was just super funny and even though I didn't understand everything that was being said, the atmosphere was just super welcoming and very homely. And then we went to "Break the Fast" at the Agirre Family's house and it was the same hominess all over again and I'm sure it wouldn't have been half as good if I hadn't just stuck out the night before and had eaten. Instead it was a super awesome/spiritual experience.
But anyways, thanks so much for everything! I love you!"

"Unfortunately, this week that same guy who we had a baptismal date with said that he's been reading other books from other religions and that he's decided to stop taking the lessons with us but that he'd call us when he's ready again.

Good news is! The family that we had come to church last week came again and that the father had this super awesome experience. He was telling us about how he was praying and he wanted to know that everything he was doing was good and that he knew that God wouldn't manifest Himself to him but that he just wanted a sign. And who calls?? Brother Dominguez(their fellowshipper)!

So they were like talking and what not and they've started going over to the Dominguez house without us there (perfect) and going to home depot with them and everything. I have BIG hopes for this family and I can just feel the love they have for each other. They have some stuff to work out before it all gets said and done but I think they'll be there soon.

We had transfers this week and my trainer got moved out which means I have to lead the area until my new companion is used to it which is a blessing and a curse. It's good because all I did was basically follow my companion around the first transfer and now I'm leading more and talking more and really building my confidence in the power that the Lord has to make me the missionary I'm supposed to be.

The Castro family is like my FAVORITE family out here. The husband isn't a member but he's still super cool and their whole family is just so funny and crazy that I just love it and want you all to meet them!(so we're all going on a vacation to Georgia when I get back)! "

We got a baptismal date out of the blue this week! We contacted a referral named Eddy(Eduardo) and that night he called us at like 12:30 and 4 but we were asleep so we didn't answer and then later, at like 10, he called again and told us he really needed us to come over. SO! We went over and because it was all in Spanish I couldn't understand most of it but the one thing I really remember was that he said "Quiero cambiar" over and over which means "I want to change" so my companion asked him to be baptized and he said yes!

We also have another family that we've been trying to get to church for WEEKS and they were SO close last week but backed out, but this week they came! Ah yes! It was awesome. They have a lot to do before baptism, but I can just see them SO happy as an eternal family forever.

I love this job..

I was worried about Dallin because the Stake President warned me it might be difficult for Dallin when Dustin comes home.... here is Dallin's reply.....

"I'm super excited for Dustin to get home and I don't really wanna be anywhere else, Georgia is SUPER awesome and I'm gonna try to soak up every minute I have here! :D I think it's mostly effected my companion that Dustin is coming home cause I keep talking about it and he only has like 4 months left... woops!

"I talked in sacrament meeting this week and it was cool cause right before I talked I was like... Heavenly Father, you know how nervous I get about talking and He was like. Elder Wood. This is your duty. I'll make you able, stop worrying about yourself and just trust me. So that's what I did. I got up there and gave my talk and I wasn't half as nervous as I am when I talk in English! haha How cool is that? I'm sure my Spanish was pretty bad, but nobody died so I think it went better than I had predicted! haha."

-Elder Wood

"Tell Lara thanks and tell Erin thanks, their family sent a package too! And then I got one from Cassie Kovacs so I have a huge pile of candy sitting at home! Goodness sakes!

Life goes on down here in Atlanta. This week was pretty slow just because Elder Wanlass and I got some sorta stomach virus that had us on the toilet for most of the last three days of the week and the first three days of the week he had leadership training so I went with the English elders that were right by us. On BIKES. haha! Biking was super fun but I learned you HAVE to drink a lot of water. I got a bit of a fever the second night because of the heat exaustion but other than that I was fine. And Sister Satterfield gave us some AMAZING chicken noodle soup to eat so we were fine. :D

Right now we're just focussing on inviting all of our investigators to baptism to weed out the ones who aren't ready and then help them know how they can know for themselves that our church is true and that our baptism is part of the "one Lord, one faith, one baptism" it talks about in the bible."

"Life is still good here in Good ol' Georgia. They are saying that it's record breaking heat down here, but I haven't noticed it yet. We have a car which is probably why, but even when we do tract it's not bad as long as you have a hankerchief with you to wipe off the sweat."

The Spanish people are SO awesome! They are super inviting and everything. They always offer us food and drinks of water and the food is SO SO SO amazing! Nothing at all like Mexican food in America."

"Everything is going great! I got Lara's awesome package and I'm gonna go give out those CTR rings this week at church!

I love you! Keep prayin' for me!"