Elder Tyler Wood: January 2011

Detroit Here I am

Yesterday, Monday, January 24, 2011 - We were woken up by Natalie coming into our room & asking us if we wanted to talk to Tyler. What do you think the answer is!!!!! He had been up since 2:30 am. They had to be at the Travel office at 4:00 am. They (a full bus load) were taken to the airport. He got through security with a little glitch (a CERT WRAPPER). He had to be frisked down his leg because the wand detected something metal! Crazy that, that little bit of metal would set things off! After going through that he got to a pay phone that was close to the gate. We talked from 6:00 - 6:30. It was so great to hear his voice. He was very nervous, but excited all in the same breath of what lied ahead for him.

Last night I called the Bradshaw's (our back door neighbors) to see when P-Day is (because their son Vince is in the Michigan, Detroit Mission also). Jana had just come home & was talking to me on the phone, when Bishop Bradshaw started to read Vince's email to Jana, but loud enough for me to hear the last part also. Here is the part that he wanted me to hear:

Some pretty crazy news: Elder Wood is going to be in our area today, the assistants are bringing the new missionary's in our branch today to get a taste of the D(Detroit), he'll be with Elder Seymore and I. We'll have a lesson with Nia then tract, , I'll be seeing him in less than two hours, sweet eh" Man it's intense, I'll also be training and President said it could be Elder Wood (Tyler), he doesn't know yet until he interviews the missionaries, that took me by surprise, wouldn't that be sweet!? We'll see what happens, I'll make sure to let you all know tomorrow, man it is crazy!

WELL..... today I received an email from Tyler. Here is an exerpt:

"I came here to Detroit safely yesterday, & I was able to go out on a mini tracting lesson. I was able to say the 1st vision to Dontel, and answer some questions this couple had about the Book of Mormon. And I went with Elder Bradshaw. Also, today I found out who my new companion is going to be. . .

ELDER BRADSHAW

It's going to be awesome to work with him for the next little while!!!!

Isn't that so cool that he started out the 1st day teaching. Then also, isn't it amazing that he & Elder Bradshaw are companions, & that Vince is the one to teach him the ropes & help him to feel comfortable in his new setting!

Three Weeks

Three weeks have gone by, sometimes fast & sometimes slow. We have received some emails & some letters. I think that Tyler's favorite (as with most missionaries) is the cafeteria. He said the food was awesome. I think that the favorite thing for Tyler was that they had (as our family calls it)Better than . . . cake. His Dad asked him if he had eaten any tacos. He replied that he had not eaten any tacos, but had eaten a few burritos. He said that he had to really be careful because he could really put on some weight because the food was sooooo good. Dad, Mom, & Natalie all received letters from him on Jan 20 & 21. In every letter it talked about how good the food was. I have talked to people who were at the MTC many years ago & the wish that they could eat at the MTC cafeteria every day!
It sounds like they are kept really busy from morning till night. Tyler is growing so much! I could see that in his first letter! It is amazing how much knowledge he has gained & especially his Testimony & how it is growing! I am so glad that Tyler has chosen to serve our Heavenly Father & the people of Detroit! Tyler got to do a Mock Teaching experience. He did such a good job that the lady wanted to be Baptized.

I forgot to tell who his MTC companion is. It is Elder Beach from Logan, Utah. Tyler said that they are alot alike in the aspect that they are both pretty quiet.