He was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at age 20 and about a year later left on a mission to Australia.
After returning from his mission he began studying at Ricks College, where he met his wife, JoAnna Merrill.
Among these are "An Islander's View of a Desert Kingdom: Jonathana Napela recounts his 1869 visit to Salt Lake City".
He has also published scholarly articles on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Tonga and South Africa.
One example of this is "I Long to Breathe the Mountain Air of Zion's Peaceful Home", a letter written by Agnes O'Neal to Brigham Young from war-torn Virginia.
In May 2014 an article by Woods on the wreck of the Julia Ann carrying Mormons coming from New Zealand bound for Utah, was published by Meridian Magazine.