Week 8 (Charleroi)

It feels like just yesterday I was doing this, so I guess 2 years will be what, a couple months?

Anyway, it's great here in Belgium! The work is going well too, we have two baptisms scheduled as of now, one for the 11th, and another for the 25th. It's great to see the Lord's work happening out here.

On Thursday, we had a "Bleu Conference" which meant all the new missionaries (or bleus) went to the mission home in Paris for some more orientation information. We had to stay with the Assistants to the President the night before because we're so far away. We had a nice sleepover.

The problem is that we weren't sure what time it would end, so we had already bought train tickets that left too early. We didn't want to be rude and leave in the middle of it because it was such a good conference, but eventually Elder Mendoza realized it wasn't ending and we had to go. We hurried to the train station, but we weren't going to make it on time. So we called the mission office and they switched us to a later train, except there weren't any with open seats until much later. That meant we got to stay in Paris and talk to people on the streets for 3 hours or so. We actually got a few phone numbers of people who were interested in hearing more! We finally got to Brussels at like 10:40, so we stayed the night with our Zone Leaders who live there and made it back home the next morning. It was exciting to get to be out so late in a big city!

We also got to go to a baptism this week! My first one of the mission! Elder Mendoza taught him a few lessons, so we got to go to Brussels for his baptism. It was neat to see, and Elder Mendoza and I talked about what we liked and what we didn't to prepare for our upcoming baptisms.

The rest of the week we've done a lot of finding, which mostly includes walking around Charleroi talking to people on the street. A lot of people don't even want to talk to us, and even some of those who do aren't interested in hearing about the restored gospel. But there are also those who are interested, those who are sincerely looking for truth but just don't know where to find it. That's why I'm out here, to bring the truth to them and help them find the joy the gospel of Jesus Christ brings. This is God's work and His glory, so He's with us every step of the way. Even you all at home, if you look for opportunities, you will find them, I know it!

Bon courage!
Elder Wood

With his companion, Elder Jonatan Mendoza

"Our photoshoot with Jimmy, a stray cat we met"

"Some of the San Fran Squad": Elder Birch, Elder Wood, Elder Bunker, Soeur Begay (aka Ivy), unidentified sister

"Frère Roubicek is the best MTC teacher!"

Elder Poulson and Elder Wood on the FrontRunner (public transport to SLC airport)

On the escalator at Salt Lake airport.

"Our mission for France: Eat pastries, change lives"

Belgian Waffle!

From the baptism they attended in Brussels. Elder Mendoza with Sister Aburto from the General Relief Society Presidency and he thinks her daughter.

"Weird reverse lady bug". He likes bugs, I think.

"Our apartment while swapping couches"

"Our apartment kitchen/bedroom view"

"My desk as I try to sort through all the pamphlets from transfers past"