7 Months a Missionary!

I hope that everyone had a great Christmas!  I sure did!  Christmas day we woke up and opened presents.  Sister Petersona and I got pretty spoiled.  We then got ready and headed out to the Senior Couple's house in Perdido.  We had breakfast with them and the Pensacola, and Perdido Elders.  That was a lot of fun.  Sister Peterson was able to Skype her family while we were there.  We went straight to our next appointment once she was finished talking to her family.  Before having lunch with the Nicholson's, brother Clanton, Sister Lee and her son travis, I was able to facetime with my awesome family!  It was great to see all of them and hear how things were going for them.  Lunch was very interesting!  We had Arroz con Pollo ( Chicken and Rice).  They had a recipie from panama city panama.  It was really yummy!  Just not your traditional Christmas meal.  Lunch was pretty awkward though... Travis was hitting on Sister Peterson the ENTIRE time haha I felt pretty bad, but i have to admit, it was quite commical :) We then went back to our apartment to have studies.  Later, Marina picked us up and took us to the house she was house sitting.  This house was BEAUTIFUL!  I didnt get any pictures because it was dark out already.  But it was an old victorian mansion basically haha it was awesome!  We made a very traditional southern Christmas meal.  It was really yummy! Ham, turkey, sweet potatos, squash casserole, stuffing, rolls.  It was delicious.  Once we had eaten dinner, we boxed up all the food and took it to the Hospital in Gulf Breeze where Marina's Daughter and son in law work.  It was a lot of fun.  The rest of the week was good.  Stressful at times, but good.  Stress motivates us to do and be better.  We got a new investigator this week!  She is awesome.  Her name is Jamila.  She was actually a referral who wanted a bible.  She was so shocked that real people delivered the bible and that it wasnt just sent to her.  So we got a return appointment with her tomorrow!  Pretty Legit.  :)  Well I hope you all have a wonderful week!  Have a very happy new year!  I cannot believe that 2015 is already almost over!  Too crazy! Love, Sister Wood  Sister Peterson, Me, Marina, Alex, Rain, and Lindsay Sister Wood & Hootie Sister Wood, Sister Peterson, Travis, Sister Lee, Brother Clanton, Sister Nicholson, and Brother Nicholson Brother Nicholson spiced up the picture for us... :) ​ ​ Click here to Reply, Reply to all, or Forward 0.6 GB (4%) of 15 GB used Manage Terms - Privacy Last account activity: 7 minutes ago Details

The Reason for the Season

The Reason for the Season

​ Well this week has been pretty great.  We have been busy going to appointments, dinners, and parties!  We sure have been blessed this week! 

We had a lot of unplanned meals provided for us.  That was such a blessing!  We also had our half mission conference this Wednesday.  That was AWESOME! 

We had a bunch of musical numbers performed by missionaries in our half of the mission.  Sister Peterson was one of them.  She sang " A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" beautifully with an Elder in our District.  There was one song though, that just touched me the most.  Elder Lee-lo changed the lyrics to the popular pop song "Hallelujah"  He made so it was focusing on the birth of Christ and his life and mission on earth.  It was BEAUTIFUL!  I wish I could have gotten a copy of the lyrics.  But the spirit just overwhelmed me as he sang. 

  At the half mission conference, President Smith shared some great ideas of gifts that we could give.
YOUR TIME
YOUR RESPECT
YOUR TRUST
YOUR FRIENDSHIP
YOUR PATIENCE
YOUR COMMITMENT
A SMILE
A KIND WORD
A COMPLIMENT These ideas made me think of my family tradition that I love so much.  

 Every year my family passes around a beautifully wrapped box.   We write down on a piece of paper what gift we will be giving the Savior that  year.   As President Smith listed those gifts we could give, I began to think of the gift that I could give this year.  The gift that I will be giving the savior this year is to turn outward and serve others.  When life gets hard, we mere humans tend to turn inward, and ask "why me?"  But the Savior turns outward when faced with trials and temptation.  When we turn outward and help others, we find out who we are to become and how. 

The greatest gift we all have received, is the Savior Jesus Christ.  It is only through him we can receive a fullness of joy and peace in our lives.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!  Take time to think of the ultimate gift we have been given, he, who is the reason for the season. 

Sister Wood 

Inbox	x
Melissa Wood	Dec 21 (1 day ago)

This week was pretty crazy!  We have been experiencing some difficulty due to my companion being under the weather.  But we had a great time attending Zone Training.  They taught us how we can more effectively do missionary work this time of year.  So that was very helpful.  We also were introduced to "Zwickify"   Elder Zwik of the Seventy toured the mission about a year ago and taught how we can simplify and intensify our teaching as missionaries.   Sister Peterson and I have put "Zwickify-ing" to the test.... and IT WORKS!!  It is awesome!  I have found that as I study with the intent of teaching a very simple and powerful lesson, I learn so much more.  I am then able to teach it simply to others without word vommiting all over the place like I do so often haha We used this approach when we taught our awesome investigators, Jonathan and Blessing, the Plan of Salvation.  We even had a fancy visual.  They LOVED it!!!  The Spirit was so strong as we testified of this perfect plan our Father in Heaven made for us. The plan of salvation just made so much sense to them, and answered a lot of questions that they both had.  Jonathan is determined to do baptisms for those diceased members in his family that did not have the opportunity to know and follow Jesus Christ.    Jonathan has promised us that once he is well, he will be baptized.  So we are doing all we can to strengthen his faith as we teach him and his wife the simple truths of the Gospel.  I believe that Heavenly Father is making him ill to humble him.  He is a very knowledgeable man. He went to college to become a revernd, so he knows the bible like nobody's business.  I believe he is being humbled so that he will be able to really listen to what we have to share with him.  If he was well, I don't think we would get a word in.  But because he is relying solely on his spirit and how he feels about what we teach, he is able to understand it and accept it.  I am so grateful for this Gospel.  I am also grateful that I get to be a part of this miraculous plan that our Father in Heaven has layed out for us.  All he wants is for us to be happy and to return to him.  I know that we are the happiest when we are striving to be like our savior Jesus Christ.  As we follow his example of caring for others and his unwavering obedience, we are the happiest we could ever be.  I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ blesses families.  Not only am I seeing how it blesses the families of those we teach, but I am seeing how it has blessed my own family and how it will bless the family I have to come. I am so grateful to have been raised by parents who taught how important the gospel is.  I am grateful that they taught us to pray, study the scriptures, and keep the sabbath day holy.  I am most grateful to my Heavenly Father for allowing me to be a part of such a wonderful family full of people who have the greatest desire to follow or Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Have a great week!  Remember what matters most! :)  Love, Sister Melissa Jean Wood Florida Tallahassee Mission Sisters in the Pensacola Zone They are awesome! Sister Harris Snapped a picture of me at District Meeting haha Oh joy :) ​ Click here to Reply, Reply to all, or Forward 0.58 GB (3%) of 15 GB used Manage Terms - Privacy Last account activity: 3 days ago Details

Tender Mercies

​
​ Hello all!  This week has been a busy one for sure.  That is a missionary's dream though, so I can't complain :)  The Lord has blessed us with so many tender mercies!  It has been truly incredible.  We taught a combination of 18 lessons this week.  It was pretty exciting!  I got to go Ukelele caroling twice this week with people in the ward.  That was so much fun!  The people we caroled to were so touched. 

The most incredible part of this week was yesterday.  The Sabbath day has such a special place in my heart. Yesterday I had the opportunity to fast. My testimony of the power of the fast has truely been strengthened! 

The highlight of the entire week, is our lesson with our investigator Jonathan.  We arrived at the appointment, and began to visit with jonathan and following up on the commitment we left with him last week.  He has been really struggling with some serious health issues.  Sister Peterson and I both felt impressed to ask him if he would like a blessing from the elders.  He agreed.  While waiting for the Elders to arrive, we intorduced the Book of Mormon to him.  As we read the last paragraph of the inroduction, he stopped us.  He began to tell us that something had touched his spirit.  He told us that the parable of the Rich man came into his mind.  For those who are not super familiar with this parable, i will explain.  A rich man comes to christ and askes him what he can do to gain eternal life.  Christ then asks him if he is keeping all of the commandments.  The rich man explains that he has done everything that has been commanded of him.  Christ then tells him that he must sell all that he has and give to the poor.  The rich man was not willing to give up his temporal things to follow christ. 

Jonathan related this to himself.  He explained that he has a great knowlege of the bible and of the gospel of christ.  But the one thing he has never given a chance is "the latter-day Saints"  When jonathan was telling us this, tears began to stream down my face.  The spirit bore such a powerful witness that Jonathan needs to join the church.  He of course began to weep as well.  He has not yet commited to a date to be baptized yet due to his health issues.  but he has felt the spirit testify to him that this is something he must do.  That was one of the most powerful lessons i have had on my mission! 

I testify to you all that our Heavenly Father lives.  He knows each of us by name.  He has a great plan for us all.  He wants us to be happy in this life, and in the life to come.  The lasting joy and peace we recieve is from the knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is only through Jesus Christ that we are able to be forgiven of our sins and change to become saints to return to our father in heaven.  I know that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ.  If you feel that your faith and knowledge of jesus christ is lacking, read the Book of Mormon.  It will change your life.  It has certainly changed mine.  I love you all and hope yall have a tremendous week!

Love

Sister Wood 

Florida Tallahassee Mission

Click here to Reply, Reply to all, or F

Turkey Day!

Hello dearest family and friends!  I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!  I certainly did.  We had two meal appointments on Thanksgiving!  It was awesome. 

Our first meal, we had at the church with a few families in the ward.  They had fried turkey.  Oh my goodnes... that turkey was sooooooo good.  I didn't think i would like it, but it is probably one of the best turkey's i have ever eaten! 

Our second meal was at the Nichols.  Brother Nichols is in the Bishopric in the Pensacola ward.  He and his wife have two little girls, Emily and Whitney.  It was crazy with kids running around and being loud.  But i absolutely loved it because that is how thanksgiving usually is for me at home.  So that was such a tender mercy for me to feel so at home on a holiday spent away from the people that I love the most. 

We had an incredible lesson with one of our investigators yesterday.  His name is Jonathan.  He is an international reverend from ghana.  He got dropped just before i came to pensacola because he went to uganda to go preach.  We had crossed paths with him a few times when he came home.  We felt like it was time to start teaching him again.  Last week we were able to teach him and his wife, Blessing, in their home.  We taught them the Doctrine of Family History.  Which is a huge focus for the FTM.  They really enjoyed it and said they would write down their questions so we could come back and answer them. 

Well yesterday, we were able to return to his home and answer the questions that he had for us.  Being a very god fearing man, he really wants his disceased family members to have the opportunity to be baptized.  When he said that, the spirit was so strong.  I could feel all of his ancestors, that he spoke of, there.  We testified to him that we have been guided by his ancestors to come to his home and teach this beautiful doctrine to him.  It was an amazing experience. 

I mean really... what are the chances that this international reverend lives in Pensacola Florida.   The only mission in the world that is focusing on the doctrine of Family history.  Its too crazy!  Heavenly Father certainly has a plan for Jonathan.  I feel so blessed and privileged to be part of something so special.  #blessingsfromabove

I hope you all have a great week!  Love and miss you all!

Love,

Sister Melissa Jean Wood 

Floida Tallahassee Mission

Only in the South....

Sister Morales fed us on Friday,and this is the home-made cheescake that she served us. She certainly spoils us sister missionaries!

The lovely fried turkey!  YUM!!

6 Months a Missionary!

This has been a pretty awesome week!  We had a lot of success with finding some new investigators this week. We had some really good lessons that could be a game changer for a few investigators.  We are really excited to see what the Lord has in store for them.  Tuesday night and wednesday, I went on an exchange with Sister Willis in Milton.  That was really good.  I love that missionary work always has the same great spirit anywhere you go.  It is amazing to feel how much the Lord loves each and every one of us!  I got to testify about the temple  in a lesson that  we had with a less active.  It was really great.  The spirit bore witness so strongly.  There is no denying that.  There is no better feeling in the world than helping others recongnize the spirit.  I absolutely love it! Sunday was great as always! We had 1 investigator at church, as well as two less actives.   The entire Pensacola ward was expecting me to be transferred this week, so they were all telling me that i needed to let them know if i was leaving so we could say goodbye. haha That was an adventure...  To our surprise, Sister Peterson and I will be staying in Pensacola for another transfer!  So I get to spend more time with all these amazing people that I love so dearly. Also, on sunday,Ermlisa got a calling to be an achievment days leader in the ward. So that was super exciting for her!  She will do a great job! Well since this week is Thanksgiving, it is only appropriate that I share what I am grateful for.  I am so grateful that I made the choice to serve a mission.  I have learned so many things in such a short amount of time.  Things that I definitely would not have been able to learn anywhere else.  I have learned how to love people for who they are, Children of God.  I have been able to feel of the love that our Father in Heaven has for them, and that is truly incredible. There is nothing more powerful than being in a lesson and seeing the Spirit working within the person you are teaching.  It is something I will never forget.  I am so grateful for my parents, and the many important things they taught me as a child.   I am so grateful to have been raised in a family centered on the teachings fo the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  To witness people who have been searching all of their lives to find the truth has made me really appreciate where i come from.  By no means was i anywhere near perfect.  Another great lesson that my mission has taught me has been humility and repentence.  I often associated the word repentence with negativity, like i had done something terribly wrong.  However, Repentence is one of  the most beautiful things we have been given.  We are given the chance to change, and become better.  We are given the chance to see ourselves the way our Father in Heaven sees us, and build upon that.  I am most grateful for our beloved Savior Jesus Christ.  I think of the many things that he suffered for each of us individually and collectively, making it possible for us to repent, and eventually return to our Father in Heaven.  I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is so very simple.  Faith, repentence, Baptism, Recieving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and Enduring to the end.  It is absolutely perfect.  By doing those five simple things, we are able to recieve a "mighty change of heart"  we can "become saints thorugh the atonement of Christ."  The knowledge of the gospel has blessed my life and has brought such peace, and joy. I have seen it change my own life as well as others that I have shared it with.  I know that our savior lives.  It is only through Christ that we can return to our loving father in heaven.  They have a plan for each of us.  They love us and want us to be all that we can be and more.  The more gratitude we show to our father in heaven, the easier it will be for us to see his plan for us each individually.  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!  And remember what you are most grateful for :) Sister Melissa Jean Wood  Florida Tallahassee Mission EVERYONE THOUGHT I WAS LEAVING.... HAHA JOKES ON THEM :) AND THIS IS MY CRAZY AWESOME DISTRICT IN PENSACOLA #FTM ​ Click here to Reply, Reply to all, or Forward 0.55 GB (3%) of 15 GB used Manage Terms - Privacy Last account activity: Nov 16 Details