A New Year!

Decorating for the branch New Year's Eve party!

What’s up!!! Happy New Year everyone!! Wow 2015 is here!! I have already had the craziest year of years!! It’s only been 5 days.  Ha-ha.  Sorry my email today is going to be a little crazy so just bear with me here.  Today Elder C** and I did the Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Wing Challenge!!   This is 12 spicy wings in less than six minutes! It was incredibly difficult to do. I have been eating spicy foods for the past 11 months day after day, but this made my whole face go numb and I felt my nerves in my hands and feet start to tingle the whole time. Ha-ha. Both Elder C** and I did it in like 5 minutes and won our t- shirts and our pictures on the screen in the restaurant.  The best part of it was that the wings were free since we did it. WHOO!! So much fun.

How many missionaries can we get in one car?  Looks like trouble!!

Okay well to start off on Wednesday night, the 31st we spent our night at the church setting up decorations with globos (balloons) and streamers and all sorts of sweet decorations in the gym for the Branch’s New Year’s Eve party! It was freaking sweet! We spent 3 hours hanging everything and doing all the work while we had the HNA's in the branch just freaking out because it wasn't how they wanted it. Ha-ha Oh well, in the end it looked great! There was a pro DJ there, too and they danced all night… or so we were told because we weren't able to attend since it didn’t start until 9:30 pm... all work and no play!!... Ha-ha.  While we were blowing up balloons, I had one explode right in my eye and it was bad.  My blood vessels all broke and I couldn't see for like an hour after.  It was funny, but pretty painful!

Choir practice for our district!  We sang during the holidays to everyone. 

Okay well New Year’s Day comes along. We finished up with all our usual meetings and then headed out to work at around 4 pm. We had an appointment set at 4 with a guy named A** so we were pretty excited to get there and talk to him. Sadly, he wasn't home so we decided to go visit a potential that lives in the house behind his. We came to a gate that was about up to my waist, and I was in front of Elder A** so I opened the gate and we started to head over to his door. All of a sudden I saw in the corner of my eye a black and white figure walking towards me it wasn't running it was just walking slowly and that's when I realized it was a dog! Ugh... was all I could think of when it got to about my foot and without any growling barking or anything immediately jumped up and bit me right in the worst area possible to get bit!!! The dog went right for the knock- out punch with success!! I was in agony, but out of reaction I punched the dog square in the face and it made a little whimper noise and we started to head for the gate to escape! But the dog came right back and bit into my right hamstring and ripped my pants all down the back, by this time I am beyond furious so I took off my backpack and just swung it like a bat completely annihilating the dog into the ground and so we were able to escape. I was in pure pain and just lay on the lawn trying to get my breath. Blood started to stain my underwear and back of my leg which freaked me out so we had some missionaries come with a car and take us to the urgent care so I could be inspected for rabies and any other damage. Thankfully nothing severe, but I have some nasty bite marks and cuts which make walking very unpleasant, but I am alive and had my first dog attack!! Sweet ha.  So that's how I started my new year off.  Whoo!! In the urgent care!

A little "fake" snow for the holidays.

So for the work we have been doing, it’s been pretty tough. We don't have any investigators right now. We have just been teaching lessons here and there to potentials that clearly don't want anything to do with the gospel.  We have been trying our best to work on finding by contacting or going by our members to seek referrals because that's the best way to find people to teach, but have been having very little success. Crazy that Elder A** goes home in about a week!! I feel pretty bad because we don't have the most success in the world for him to go out with a bang, but we are doing our best and that's all that matters.

Temple Day.  Love these guys!

We did find a super sweet potential on Friday while we were contacting on Signal Hill (which we never do) since it’s super far away to walk or even bike to. But as we were walking the streets, I could see a woman walking with her three little kids, and I was impressed to go talk to her. I ignored the thought at first, but kept getting the impression to do it so we did. Turns out her name is P** and is super cool!  We had a really good contact with her and found out that she lives far away from us, but said she has all the time to listen to us but had to go at that moment. What ended up happening was we got her address and she said to come by anytime during the day!! Sweet! Maybe this could be the one who takes the steps necessary to be baptized! Who knows I hope so!  Also, we have been working very hard with the LA's in the ward and especially the T** family which have five boys.  We have been helping them read the B of M and try to start praying on their own, but man it is hard!  Video games, movies, music and all of the above just dominate their life which makes them not willing to do anything. We are being patient and are trying to help them as much as we can because in honesty they are solid guys they just need a little push.

Well, that's about all that happened this week for me! I wish I could say more about investigators or lessons we have been having, but honestly we just have been going through a really long dry spell and haven't been seeing the success like we would have hoped. But that doesn't mean to give up! The Lord has us go through trials so that we can gain experience and grow stronger for the trials we will have later on in life.  I'm doing okay so I don't want you to worry about me! The mission is good! I love it and I have learned so much.  I am happy I decided to go and have no regrets.  I hope you all have an amazing week! My thoughts and prayers go to you all back home!!

Nos Vemos!!

Love, Elder Woffinden

The branch mission leader was Mr Olympian
in 1990.  You know how Ja loves a good work-out!