Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Newest Missionaries in Jamaica

At last there is proof I made it to Jamaica.
I am the only tall, light skinned Elder.

Sis Bowen, Sis Brown, Sis Barrett, Sis Clarke,
Elder Medley, Elder White, Elder Brown, and Elder Wood

Sis Bowen, Sis Barrett, Sis Clarke,
Elder Medley, Pres Brown, Elder White,
Elder Brown, and Elder Wood

Elder Brown, Elder White, Elder Medley, Elder Wood,
Sis Barrett, Sis Bowen, Sis Clarke, and Sis Brown 

Pres Brown, Elder Brown, Elder White,
Elder Medley, Elder Wood,
Sis Barrett, Sis Bowen, and Sis Clarke

Monday, April 25, 2016

Jamaica at last

I Still don't know what's going on, but I still have enough time to write a decent email.  I am in the internet cafe in Junction Jamaica.  Anybody asking for an address to see where I am close to, Ha Ha, addresses don't exist here, but if you do wish to send a letter in my direction, it can be sent here:
Elder Thomas Wood
4 Garelli Ave
Kingston 10
Jamaica

It will take at least 3 weeks before I will even see it though.

The weather here is hot and humid.  The Jamaicans don't really believe in A/C.  It is also really weird spending $6000 on groceries.

My companions's name is Elder Brown (he is white :P).  I will be getting a picture with him later but as of right noe, I am lacking.  Elder Brown is from Kansas and has been serving for 18 months.  We have been assigned to the Junction area and it is about the hilliest terrain I ever did see.  I am gonna have massive legs by the end of it all.

I survived the flight here to Jamaica.  Customs did try to keep the other 3 missionaries that I came through with, but I went through fine.  I waited at least 1/2 an hour waiting to see if the others were gonna come through and they finally did.

English may be the language spoken here, but it is not the way they communicate.  They use a lot of patwai and everytime someone gets excited it sounds like a foreign language.  My companion understands it decently, so I just follow his lead.

I am also surprised I haven't fallen off my bike yet.  With these big hills you get some decent speed.

Well, I am out of time.
Elder Wood

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Week 2 at the MTC

4/13/16

This has been crazy, the weeks feel like days, and the days feel like weeks. We had a devotional from Bishop W. Christopher Waddell in the presiding bishopric yesterday. The food is decent but fattening. They have decent choices and its great for cafeteria food. We have been teaching some investigators recently and it is really weird. I won't be able to email until the 25th of April because I leave Tuesday morning next week. If you wish to send something I can read before i am gone, i believe there is a site call DEAR ELDER or something like that. They print out those letters and I can read them I think within a day of them being submitted. I will be uploading pictures shortly. Sacrament and Priesthood Meeting were different here, but I kinda of enjoyed it. This is our last P-day before i will be in Jamaica.
  

---Elder Wood---
My MTC companion Elder Snyder (from Los Angeles, CA)
and I on our First Day at the MTC.

A support beam for the new MTC building.
Signed by missionaries at the MTC.

Look carefully and you will see Elder Wood,
Jamaica, Kingston (upside down).

Here is a picture for Elder Snyder (Melbourne, Australia)

The building the beam will be installed into.

Here we are at the Provo Temple.
This is my MTC district companions.
I am in the back row on the left.
The only one with just a white shirt.

P-day laundry.
The one day we are able to get online for 30 minutes.
We do laundry and use the internet.
Clever place to put the computers from online access.

Friday, April 8, 2016

Week 1 at the MTC

Thomas was finally able to get a Personal Day on Wednesday (4/6/16) and this is the short message he sent and some pictures of the Missionary Training Center.

Views from the MTC
Views from the MTC


Views from the MTC
Views from the MTC


One of the buildings at the MTC
Elder Snyder, my MTC companion


Well, I have survived week 1. We had general conference this weekend and i really enjoyed it. My head is still spinning from getting here, and I cant believe I have less than 2 weeks left at the MTC. I have been made zone leader (inside the MTC). The host (Elder Thomas) that you saw take me away was only to get me stuff and to my room, I haven't seen him since. We are currently trying to teach two investigators in whats called TRC. We are role playing quite a lot, which is different. I hope that all is going well on your side. We had a Devotional last night from Ian S Ardern. It was so good that a bat decided to join in on the fun. It was kinda funny watching fly around for a while. So much has happened in this past week that it has felt like at least a month has passed. It has been a fun and spiritual experience, but I think that the cafeteria food is fattening me up, i weigh 200lb with all my clothes on. I send you guys my best.


---Elder Thomas Wood---

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

He made it!

Taking Thomas to the MTC was an adventure.  We were surprised to get a quick message from him the same night.  As usual he is not much of a talker in email.


Subject: I am fine and alive

They are allowing a few min for us to send a email to you guys. I hope you guys are doing well. I have hardly had a second to breath. I am doing fine and i hope you guys have a great time (even though i am not there). I wish you the best.


---Elder Wood---