Another Encounter with a Hot Chili Pepper

Hola familia!!

Como fue su semana?? Mine was so long, ha.  Since today is a holiday and the libraries are closed, we have to go to the church to email and there are 35 missionaries all going to the same place this week to send their emails, so today's will be short.

This week was pretty good. On Tuesday, Elder H and I threw Elder P a 21st Carne Asada B-day party, haha. It was awesome! We made almost 4 lbs. of meat and tons of Pico de Gallo with tortillas--it was so good! It was a surprise party for him, so he was pumped to see what we did! I will show pics of it this week. This week we started teaching T’s brother E which is good, but we might have to switch them over to the singles ward elders by the end of this week which means no more teaching the G family. That’s going to be hard because, honestly, they are a majority of the people we talk to/teach now so we are going to be hurtin’ to find new people to teach after this week.

These little guys are HOT!

We were able to get back on our bikes for part of this week which was good. I was happy because driving around gets super boring and you can’t really talk to anyone. While we were riding around on Friday, we saw a huge Chile de Arbol tree outside a home. We stopped and looked and the owner told us that we could take some, so we did, ha. We then took my camera out and took a video of my experience eating the pepper because it was one of the hottest peppers there is, haha. I ate the whole thing and immediately got hit with pain, haha. My comp followed me around with my camera as spit was foaming from my mouth, my nose was running and tears were streaming down my face, ha. To be honest, I was scared because I had never tasted anything so hot before. I couldn’t breathe at all, so I ran to a nearby Seven Eleven store and bought 2 chocolate milks and chugged them down, still with no relief. It was bad! My throat and stomach were in agony for the next hour, but I deserved it, haha. But it was still worth the experience. I am going to send one home to you guys so you can try one to see how you like it!

Well it’s crazy to think that the transfer is almost over and my training as well. I am doomed, haha! My Spanish and teaching abilities are not good enough to be able to talk and teach by myself, so I’m stressing about that. I received your packages on Thursday and am so glad that I did! Thanks again for always helping me out! Well, we are going to the Buddhist temple today so that will be cool.

I hope all of you have a great week!! I’m sorry this email is so short, but to be honest, this week wasn’t very exciting so I wouldn’t want to bore you all to death trying to explain it, haha. I’m doing good things and the language is coming along slowly but surely. We are still in desperate need of finding the "one" to teach and hopefully convert! We have some potentials maybe, but we won’t know until tomorrow! So pray for them to want to listen to us. Thanks again for all you guys do! I have the best family and friends in the world! Make sure to keep me posted on what’s going on in your lives. I promise I will do my best to eventually get back to you all whether by letter or email!

Love you guys!

Elder Woffinden

Service Brings Blessings

Hola Familia y mis amigos!! Como le va??

Wow this week was interesting.  To start off, the trio we had finally ended on Saturday.  Elder P got a new companion named Elder H so we had to go to LB on Saturday to pick him up and help P move.  It’s nice to be back in a duo that’s for sure!! But it was a good week with him.  He is a very funny and crazy guy who laughs a lot!  There was a time on like Friday where I was saying a prayer and I said, "Nuestro Padre Celestial, Mucho Gusto"   When I meant to say “muchas gracias” haha   We all just busted out laughing during and had to end my prayer there.   So, this week we were on the finding stage, as usual.  We found this house and I think four families live there so it is crazy.  We came to find out that they are less actives and haven’t been to church in a long time! One of their nephews plays pro soccer for a team in Mexico and he was their while we were visiting.  They had this beehive with like a million bees just in their palm tree out front, and they asked us to perform "service" and take it down.   So Elder H immediately climbed the tree with a hose and went to work!! haha   But surprisingly, the bees didn’t do anything to us?  It was weird they just got soaked and their hive ruined but just chilled on the grass.  We were lucky we didn’t get owned by bees!

We still haven’t found too many people that are willing to talk to us a whole lot.  They tell us to get out of here or just ignore us at the door so it’s frustrating.  With Elder P gone we are getting Elder H bike fixed so we can be back out on the bikes!  I need the exercise bad! Plus that’s honestly where we meet most of the people we talk to is at stop lights or just chillin in their front yard, so it’s definitely a bonus being on a bike. Next week we are planning on P-day to go to the Buddhist Temple on Monday just for fun.  I hear it’s freaking sweet and missionaries go all the time on tours etc. so I’m excited to actually do that! I mean I love playing ball every Monday, but it will be nice to change it up.

Yesterday we ate dinner at a less actives home that I have never met.  We got to the house and I could tell that they didn’t really have a whole lot and were very poor so I felt bad having four elders roll up to eat free food.  But this family was so nice and humble! They don’t have a lot, but they made so much food for us it was awesome! The food was soooo spicy, but still the bomb.  I ate corn on the cob with mayonnaise and cheese and something else weird on it... It reminded me of the movie Nacho Libre when they eat the same thing.   It was interesting and kind of gross because I hate mayo and there was an absolute ton on there. haha So I just muscled it down anyways.  But, people like them are the best they are just so humble and give and give.  It makes us appreciate how much we really have in life, and how we are all complainers for the little things.  It was very humbling.

This week is going to be a long one but hopefully we find people to teach!! We have to do two exchanges this week and I am not looking forward to them because it just takes away time where we could be working in our area.  We went on one last week with the zone leaders and it was pretty good.  We actually started talking to T’s brother!  So hopefully we can start teaching his whole family!

Last night we attended another baptism at the Stake Center. The baptism was great.  What’s funny was it was time for the closing prayer and the girl who got baptized asked her very, very old grandma to say the prayer.  So we all closed our eyes and bowed our heads, etc. when we hear her just start talking about her own life and how she lived in El Salvador and what she is thankful for.  It went on for like 5-10 minutes and people were just so confused as to what was going on.

Well I hope you all had a good week and continue to have a good week!! Thanks for all you do!!

Hasta Luego!! Much love,

Elder Woffinden

                           (Jason didn't have time to send any pictures today)

Great To Skype Home

California Sunset

Hola Familia y Amigos!!! Como Le va?? It was so great to be able to skype home yesterday! It was so great to see you all and it amazes me how much the little grand kids have changed in only 3 months! You all looked great and I appreciate all that was said and for all the love and advice. Well like I said, today might be a shorter email than usual.  I’m sorry I’m just not very good at summing up a week into one day especially cause the days all blend together and seem like the same day! ha.  This week was an eventful one for sure.  We actually found two potential investigators on Tuesday and Wednesday, so we are hoping to meet with them this week! But other than that just straight ‘Tocar La Puertas’ which can be crazy because people straight up do not want to talk to us, and they show it in some of the funniest ways!  My personal favorite is, we can see you through the window or where we make eye contact and wave, and they just stare at us and do not move. haha or they just send their dogs out to attack us.

Favorite Trailer Park

Well Friday Elder H and I had a really bad day to be honest.  We just had tons of plans fall through and service opportunities also fell through which are a huge bummer.  However, that night we went too far away from home to search for new people to talk to and we realized it was 8:50 pm and we had to be home by 9. We were about 25 minutes away from home so we just booked it home.  As we were riding home we were almost home maybe .5 miles away when I saw in the corner of my eye a car zoom past me as we were about to turn right onto Santa Gertrudes.  The car either didn’t see elder H or he just didn’t care and just kept going almost hitting Elder H.   So Elder H realizing he is going to get hit by a car turns his bike onto the sidewalk where I was riding (because he was on the curb part in the road) and right then BAM!  We collided and wrecked pretty hard all because the car cut him off.  His bike is completely wrecked and his tire got bent into a literal taco shape from my bike.  We both got knocked off the bikes, but nothing too serious to us personally.   I was just amazed that we didn’t get hit by the car.   Count our blessings!  It is pretty funny looking at it now, but it’s going to cost a lot to fix his bike.  I love riding our bikes around because that’s where you meet and talk to the funniest or craziest people! 

Even learning to speak Macaw

All sorts of investigators

Now since we have a car and a new companion who doesn’t know how to ride a bike, we will have to drive all the time.   Yeah so like I just mentioned, an elder here is super sick and has to go work in the office so his companion is now in our companionship. It was crazy moving Elder P into our house yesterday.  It took us about three hours so our night was shot.  We have to go pick up his mattress today in our little red Toyota Corolla and have no idea how that’s going to work.   We couldn’t find a member with a truck to help us so hopefully it all works out!!

Saturday we performed service for Hermano E and it was great! I love service!
 1) It makes you feel closer to God and  2) It makes you feel like a normal person in normal clothes. haha.
We just did demolition of his backyard.  Lots of digging up of dirt, cement and weeds all that fun stuff.

Our favorite sign!

Well, that pretty much sums up my last week!   I am hoping for a real successful one this week! The language is coming along slowly, but time and practice makes perfect so that’s my motive.  There is a quote from PMG that I really like and it says, "After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel" - Prophet Joseph Smith.  That quote is so true and it just helps me realize that no matter how hard the days are the only important part is that you are trying and just preaching to the best of your ability!

Well I gotta bounce some Elders called me out on playing B-ball today so I gotta go show those fools up.  haha   Have a great week!! I love you all! Thanks for everything!

Hasta Luego!! Nos Amo Todos!!

Elder Woffinden

What's Up!

Tough Week, but We Got a Car!

Hola Familia!

Gracis por su email! I really enjoy reading them. Okay, sweet, I am trying to find a member to use their computers etc. for Skype, so pray that we can find one because it is rare out here! I’m surprised, usually they have computers, but a lot don’t, so I hope we can find one.If not, I will for sure call. It will probably be later in the afternoon on Sunday after church and all our meetings etc.That’s great to hear about Ty’s party!! Man the big 30!! haha. Dang, Ty is getting old! What did you guys make cake wise or eat there? Good job Lindsay for throwin' a bumpin' party! That’s awesome to hear about your mission papers, mom and dad! I’m super excited to see what you get! You guys will be blessed for your service and look at the blessings that you already received from your mission service out in Magna.

Well this week honestly was a hard one.We had J tell us not to come by anymore. Not sure why?  He just

Elder H wearing his "thinking cap" during study time.

texted us that, so we are pretty bummed because he really is a solid guy.  He has the faith and testimony, but he just doesn't want to change his life.   It’s understandable,  I know life styles are super hard to change! Look at me now, ha ha.   I’m just a stud. (jk) But really, I just feel so bad for him because we viewed him literally as a friend and it's just hard to get dropped like that.  

We had to do exchanges with two "sick" elders this week which meant two days were wasted doing absolutely NOTHING. But you know what, I got some good reading time out of it, plus our apartment is super organized and clean now! So last night we went to a house around 8 pm and it was dark, but we didn’t hear a dog bark or anything which is rare because everybody has pit bulls down here. As we were leaving the door, a German Shepard just bolted and is freaked us out so we booked it like 20 feet to the fence and cleared it effortlessly,  haha. We were losing our minds, the dog was so close to biting my leg I thought I was about to give up the ghost, haha. (jk) It was my first terror experience with guard dogs.

My Zone in Whittier.  What, didn't I shower this morning?

We had straight zeros all week for lessons taught, nobody was home or they just ignored us. We had 2 Noche de Hogars fall through, and 1 even for today we just found out. It’s hard because we really are trying so hard and our area is pretty white too. We now have to go into areas even further out to find people. But I’m okay with it now because we got a car. This transfer just ended, it was only 5 weeks for some reason.  But they finally gave us a car, ha! We are stoked. We honestly won’t use it that much cause we actually really enjoy biking, so who knows. President Tew had surgery on his stomach a couple days ago. I’m not sure why, but just pray he will get better soon. He is a super great guy! I honestly am just praying for success this week. There are days where I feel like my prayers don’t even leave the ceiling, but I guess that’s just my lack of faith.  I need to work on patience with others and especially myself.   We are speaking together in Spanish though! And I am usually the one who now gives spiritual scriptures at dinners with the members.   But, I’m doing alright. Don’t worry about me. But I’m super excited to hear and see you guys on skype! (hopefully) I miss you guys. Have a great week! Les Quiero!!!

Hasta Luego Familia!

Elder Woffinden

It's P-Day Again. This Week Went By Quick!

Hola Familia! 

Out in a California downpour, it felt great.

How are you all doing? I’m doing pretty good! Just soakin' up the Cali sun every day! It rained here so all the smog and haze is gone. Now we can see the mountains and downtown LA which is sweet! That’s good to hear about how you are thinking about doing another mission.   

 Well this week went by very quickly. I can’t believe it’s already P day again! We had an investigator go to jail this week and she got sentenced to 5 years in prison for selling like $20K worth of Meth, so yeah pretty crazy. It is really sad because she left behind six kids. A couple are in and out of jail themselves, but the others are just young little kids and they are now living with their grandma. They are always talking about how "mommy is a bad person". It’s really hard to hear them say that, and we just try to help them as best as we can so that they aren't so sad about her leaving.

The LA Temple is beautiful, even at 6 AM.

Well, besides that, all of our other investigators pretty much ignore us and they are not making times to meet with us this week. We have only had  two set lessons, and the rest of the time has been spent knocking

At T's chicken farm. Check out the hat!

doors and riding around on our bikes. We did participate in a Helping Hands service project on Saturday which was good! We helped clean up Whittier’s parks and raked leaves and trimmed bushes, etc. It was like four hours long, so I can now officially say I have done a service project on the mish!  

Last night we attended a baptism for the B family. There were four people in the family and the baptism was packed. The whole ward came. It started at 7 pm and we soon realized that the B family and also the ward mission leader, Hermano C, weren’t even there. Eventually they showed up at like 7:20 and it started. It was actually a really good baptism!  Elder M, our Zone leader, baptized one investigator and then realized he had his camera in his pocket! So his camera is ruined and all his pics are gone! That was pretty sad.   

Elder H has a slack line and we like to practice in the park on P-day.

We went out to lunch with a member on Saturday afternoon and I tried octopus. We went to this seafood place. The octopus was pretty awful! It looked like a purple mess with all of its tentacles and suction cup things. It was like eating a gummy bear, at least the texture part, haha.

Besides that, this past week was really quick. I am also looking forward to calling home on Mother’s Day! I’m still not sure yet on the details as to when I will be calling home, but I will keep you posted!  Hopefully this upcoming week we will have more success! We just need to work and pray harder! The Lord will put people in our path in his place and time. So we just gotta have faith.

Well I hope you all have a great week! Sounds like everything is going well back home.  I miss and love you all! Stay safe!

Love,
Elder Woffinden

A Baptism on Easter Sunday, What a Great Way to Thank the Lord.

Hola familia!!

Como estan? Life sounds good back home, and it sounds like you all had a pretty good Pascua! Yes, I got the package you sent and thanks so much!! It really was so awesome, and I loved the Laker cup and Superman shirt!!  Did the grandparents get the letter I sent a while back? Tell them I say hi and love them! I’m so glad you got the text that T sent you after the baptism, haha. I was hoping you would respond back soon and you did, just as we were about to leave. It was so good to have you respond back so quickly!

T on his baptism day, Easter Sunday.

The baptism was awesome! T was so pumped, and so were we, haha. He asked me to baptize him last Monday and I was shocked and thought he was joking at first, haha. But I accepted even though I was terrified to do it in front of the whole ward. I was so nervous when it was time for me to baptize him even though I had practiced the prayer at least a 1000 times. I paused for about 10 seconds, and then I baptized him. It all went very well for my first time.

Today we went to the Los Angeles Temple. We left at 5 in the morning, so I am very tired right now, ha. It was so cool! The temple is way nice and it’s huge! I didn’t know this temple was so big, I was impressed. On the way there we drove past downtown LA and, of course, the Staples Center was on the right side of the freeway. I was mesmerized by it until we couldn’t see it anymore, haha. You can see the Hollywood sign from the temple

The Los Angeles Temple is beautiful and it's HUGE!

way off in the distance, so now I can say I saw it on my mission. The temple was a very enjoyable and relaxing experience for me.

Well, this week was good and crazy, ha. It was pretty slow at the beginning, but on Wednesday I was on an exchange with Elder Jenkins and we went to a house for a quick lesson. Afterwards they invited us to eat lunch with them, which we of course were excited about, haha. Anyway, they brought out a bowl of peppers, and I can’t remember the name of the pepper, but I tried one and WOW! I honestly about died! It was one of the hottest things I have ever eaten. It hurt to talk, breathe, and even drink liquids, haha. But, that’s not the worst part. The next morning I woke up so sick to my stomach, I felt horrible. To make a long story short, I was sick for 3 days and wasn’t able to do any work on a bike because I had to go to the bathroom every 10 minutes, it was horrible! Thankfully I got better on Sunday morning, an Easter miracle, and was able to go to church.

Elder H and I are doing great. We get along very well and he makes things fun even in the hard times. We are having more success and we have 4 new investigators that I’m hoping will stick with it and allow us to share our message with them.

That pretty much sums up my week--got sick, had a great first baptism, got some new investigators we are hoping to teach this week and then went to the temple today, so yeah, it was a pretty great week. I hope this week goes well for you all! I wish Meg and Ashley have a happy birthday! I love you guys so much and I miss you daily. Stay safe and thanks for all your love and support!!  Hasta luego familia!

Love,
Elder Woffinden

We Are Having Our First Baptism on Easter Sunday!

Hola familia!
Hey it’s great to hear from you! First, I’d like to say that next week we are going to the temple so I will be emailing on Tuesday not Monday because that will be our P-day, just a heads up.

Today we got to go to Signal Hill.  The view was fantastic!

So yeah, T is getting ready to be baptized on Easter Sunday! I’m so happy!  We are excited, but also nervous, haha. We hope everything goes the way we want it to. I attended my first baptism here on Thursday which was good, but kind of chaotic.

Well, I’m sorry to hear about everybody getting sick! That sounds awful. I had to go to the doctor here today, haha. Yeah, so I guess I have some kind of skin fungus infection thing that has been spreading for the past couple weeks. I had to go get a prescription today to help with that. Yeah, gross I know, haha. Today I also went to Signal Hill in Long Beach

Behind me you can see the Queen Mary...kind of.

and got a view of downtown Long Beach, the Queen Mary and the spot where we picked up our cruise ship, so it was awesome getting to do that! On Saturday we went to Seal Beach. I wish we could have gone onto the beach, but we couldn't, so we just looked at it from our cars, haha. It was great though! The smog here makes it so you can never see anything from a distance, so actually seeing the ocean was awesome.

How did Dad like Toronto? I’m excited to get the package! We are seeing everybody get packages here and we feel left out, haha, jk. I’m super jealous that Dad gets to do that bike race, that sounds awesome! I want to do one when I get home. I basically bike 50 miles uphill every day here anyway so I think I’m ready for one, haha. My companion is from Phoenix, your favorite city! Well, I hope you guys have a great Easter week; you will be missed! I wish I could be home for it.

It was great to see Seal Beach and the ocean,
even if just from a car window.

Well, this week was good and bad, but that’s just a normal missionary week, ha. It was full of biking all around town to people pretending to not be home even when we can see them sitting watching TV in their living room.

This week was, once again, another very hard week for me with the language. I froze while giving a spiritual thought. All eyes were on me and I was so embarrassed. This language is beyond frustrating. Yesterday we had 3 investigators come to church that we started talking to this week! So it was great having them show up. I was going to bear my testimony since it was Fast Sunday, but I got up on the stand and the bishop told me to bear it next month.  Yeah, not sure why!??  I was super bummed about it, but, whatever, it’s all good.

Mom, send more money for groceries.  I'm ready to eat just about anything!
Lizard's Tail

Have a great week. Thanks for all your support and love and know that you're all in my prayers! Stay safe and I look forward to hearing from you again.

Love,
Elder Woffinden