Emergency Transfer and New Mailing Address

Out of the 4 missionaries in the ward I have been in the ward the longest so I know a lot of the members and the streets and stuff like that so they ask me a lot of questions so it is odd going from trainee to companion with a 6-week elder at 6-weeks and then going with a companion who is 9 months out but new to the area. It is weird as I'm only a 5 month elder, but yes prep is evil but needed I have had a lesson where we were completely unprepared but it went great because of the Spirit, but then another one were we didn't prepare either and it bombed so badly, but one where we were prepared and it went wonderfully and we could feel the difference in the lessons.

Well, right now we are going and finding a lot, knocking but mostly street contacting because knocking here is quite useless we do it but there are better finding ways here. Also we work with members. Things are going ok we have an investigator named Juan, he is 21 he used to be in a gang but now is out and is coming closer to Christ, we have hit one snag so far, he is Catholic and at the end of every lesson he wraps it up but tell each part that doesn't fit in Catholicism and it seems he isn't taking any of it in so we are trying to find a catholic convert in the ward to take with us and we keep looking for more people who want to learn, and sowing seeds. our Companionship is great i talk to much and he talks just right and we are very similar otherwise so we don't have really to many things to get annoyed over so we are really good as well as this is going to feel like it is going be a short transfer because every week we have something in the mission first week, transfers and then second week, Zone Conference third week, temple trip fourth week, Christmas fifth week, new year’s sixth week, nothing and then it is transfers again. So the weeks are just flying by and we feel like we have no time cause we blink and then it is the next week and we say, ”Hey wasn't it Sunday yesterday no, no yesterday was Friday hey how is that possible?” so we are doing pretty great. The area is a little small 1.999475 square miles to be exact, so yeah a lot of people we meet live elsewhere but that is ok then we get to send referrals, but yeah we are just trying to keep going. Teaching pool is more of a teaching shot glass really, we try to make it more but it shrinks fast. And the weather can't make up its mind if it is winter, spring, fall, summer or what.

Transfers came earlier than expected! We have moved to the Northridge apartment and one of the Northridge elders has had to go home because of medical reasons. I am in a trio now and we cover Granada Hills and Northridge. It is pretty awesome, I really like it. Elder Ford is our third. I got the bike and then the next day was emergency transferred to a car area haha. So yeah I will be in a bike area again sometime haha or I'll just keep it with me the whole mission and send it home to Utah haha.

How was your temple trip?



It was cool and we did one session but we did baptisms and confirmations before because we went early.

What are you doing for Christmas?

We don’t have plans for Christmas Eve, but we are going to a family in each ward on Christmas Day because Elder Ford already had plans and so did we. So we will go to both.

Getting ready for Christmas and pictures with Santa

Sorry my letter was so short last week. We forgot about something and had to run home very very fast like.

Yeah, we aren't teaching a lot but that is ok, I feel like we are kinda missionaries for members, farmers planting seeds. I have liked all my companions. I am a chameleon so I can pretty much be ok with anyone.

Are you warm enough?

I am warm I have an awesome Navy jacket that was bought in England and it has the guy’s name and his identification number and it is a real one it weighs like 5 pounds or more.

What plans do you have as a mission for Christmas?

We had zone conference last week and we have the temple trip this week. We had our ward Christmas party on Saturday night it was really fun, I really like the ward. They really like us. It has been a huge improvement since we first got here. I think it was good that it was me and Elder Miller who were their first elders for a long time because I talked to them and had them warm up and then Elder Miller taught and I help out on that too....... I did most of the talking otherwise though because ummm yeah still working on the not talking so much. Here are some photos from the party. We tried to leave after the party but we are elders we lift things. The sisters left 5 minutes before nine. We kept trying to get out of there because well, we had to be gone by 9 but didn't until 9:20. So yeah, weren't pleased because Stake President Jex's is all about making sure we get home on time from ward things but he kept having us do stuff. It was confusing. I wish I could work on the trucks with Dad. Uggg, I only have a stupid bike that doesn’t listen to me and doesn’t do what I tell it to. I have learned I am not a bike man. I am a motorcycle man because with motorcycles I don’t feel bad giving it to someone to fix because I’m not smart enough to fix them but the bike I feel I am smarter than it but it outsmarts me and then I yell at it.

Being on a mission is wonderful / hard but great/ not so great/ but I love it out here. I love you mom

Elder Hyde

Mosiah 4:15 was on the program at church and it was nice because that is my plaque scripture and it just reminded me of what i need to keep doing to teach them to walk in the light and to do good.

Under the Weather

Dear Mom,

So I don't really have much to say cause we didn't do anything this week because I was sick and then Elder Miller was sick so yeah the week was a bust. However on Sunday we got a new Investigator, she came to church with her son and then we set up an appointment for next Sunday after church and she said her husband will be able to come to church next week so that is going to be awesome. We find out if we get transferred this Saturday so I will let you guys know. I love you mommy! Also I kinda know what I want for Christmas, another pair of Doc Martins so then I will have two of them and I will switch them out, I will send the other brand that we bought back home and use them when I get back, because they are great Sunday shoes but I think terrible mission shoes, they aren't great for biking. Well, ok they might be good car area shoes but I don't know I really like Doc's. As well as I would like the new Hobbit CD when it comes out. I love you and read Mosiah 2: 41 because it is a great motivator of what we will receive if we follow the commandments.

Love

Elder Hyde

Mosiah 2:41

"And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."

Elder Hyde will be a USU Aggie Fall of 2015

Yay I have been accepted to USU! It would be much easier if you would submit my deferment form.

I bet dad likes having his Africa twin back and is actually in Africa haha, and yeah I do heavy lift for anyone here and that is fun that your gardener helped do the lifting there. 

That is crazy, that it is just you two there, and yay dogs, I like dogs, well off my mission anyways, they are hard to deal with when they are barking at you and you are trying to share a message with people. That is fun, collies are fun. Yeah sure, you aren't going to let her into the house, I give it like 2-3 months until she is an inside dog, yeah dad will make a nice dog house. That is good that she doesn't bark or growl or anything and are you going to take her with you when you move? That’s a fun name, Dolly. haha no I bet she isn't like Samson because no dog is Samson.

I am glad you had fun at the Marine Ball.

That is fun you got to teach Young Women there. We are helping out at mutual next week and doing the same lesson kinda but a little different, that is cool that there is a lot of young women, 15, that is more than we have in this ward.

Well I don't have a story this week but uhhhh I met a cool old Korean man so that is fun but yeah nothing else.

Using Classic Cars in Contacting

Well we knocked into a man named Loren because I saw the 1973 white with blue racing stripes, Chevelle in his driveway and it was beautiful, we were talking with him and I shared a scripture with him, Mosiah 1:6 “O my sons, I would that ye should remember that these sayings are true, and also that these records are true. And behold, also the plates of Nephi, which contain the records and the sayings of our fathers from the time they left Jerusalem until now, and they are true; and we can know of their surety because we have them before our eyes.”

I am still working on my door approach so when I get home and go door to door in the doors asking girls on dates I can be like Hello I am the person named Seth, and I have something that can improve your life, namely food but as well me, and if there is a better time that I could come back and talk with you more that would be great here is my card with my address and phone number on it as well as the best times to reach me, if I could just get your information so it would be easier to do scheduling that would be great, thank have a nice day, ok on to the next door, Hello I am......

Oh yeah sorry, sorry. so after I shared Mosiah 1:6, I gave him a Book of Mormon, and then we were talking to get his info and just to get to know him some and figure out the best time we can come back and tell him more, he told us that he was retired so anytime kinda works and I asked him what did he retire from and he said from working on cars and as well as racing and then he takes us into his garage and shows us his stock car it was awesome..... I touched it and it was the backup though his normal one was out in the trailer in the back and then he had another on the driveway for sale it was for $25,000, I said I had 5 bucks what would that get me, he said maybe half a nut, hahaha.

We then walked to another street and saw an old lady washing her windows, also we went to talk to her because there was a 1940's Cadillac and a 1950's Lincoln in her driveway, so we offered to help she said no and then we kept talking and then we said we felt bad for standing there while she kept working so we washed her windows for her and that was fun, and cool because Elder Kottcamp, one of the Zone Leaders I was on splits with, did window washing for the big stores like Target and whatnot before he came out so we did an awesome job because I was tall so I got the high stuff he couldn't.

Then we were out and about visiting less actives, none whom of which were home by the way, so we decided that night we would go out to Carl's Jr. to eat and the lady taking our order asked where the nearest building was and when it was at so I gave her a card with the address and the time and our phone number on it, she didn't come yesterday but we will stop by the Carl's Jr. again and hopefully catch her there and talk with her more.

We helped out at the ward's Halloween party. Elder Miller was a judge for the chili contest and so that was fun. We have a photo we will send you soon from that, we are still getting it. We just keep doing work because yeah, that's what we do here is work.

Love, Elder Hyde

Elder Hyde is still in Granada Hills

Hiya Mama

That is cool that there is a nice pool with a little waterfall. we have a pool right front of our house here so that is nice haha, its good that I don't like water or that would be a problem. The house sounds like it is pretty nice even though the rooms are all in one hall behind a safe heaven door. i would not like that seeing as i have always had a room kinda off to the side away from everyone, well except China ..... and Cali ..... and ok, ok so only Rwanda in the houses there did i have my own little area but i really liked it. That is cool that the ARSO is good to work with and so dad is the RSO this time, I didn't know that. That is nice that she is letting you use her car, i bet it is really weird to be driving on the other side huh, and yeah that is going to be weird trying to switch back to other side when you go back to the states. I too wish i was there to navigate i think it would be so fun to be there but i rather be here and doing what i am supposed to be doing right now. so the house isn't completely done yet? That is fun that you get to be the Relief Society President..... oh sorry I mean CLO haha that's what i have always thought the CLO is like you plan parties you help people move in, other than the lifting part, you plan things for families and stuff like that haha. Wow, that is so cool about the maid, and that she has been working for like 30 years for RSO's. That is so cool about Finnerday's over 100 years old that is crazy and it sounds like dad is going to have a hang out spot now haha and Petah sounds cool, I like that he could be the iconic Safari guy haha and can you guys send some cool stuff from there like awesome shoes or something just anything awesome hahah cause well yeah why not its a cool old store with cool stuff from Africa. ................................. would the Gouda make it through the pouch to me unmoldy? that is cool that they use the US Dollar there kind of i guess .... can you get some cool Zim money though too? or is it all US now? and really everyone speaks English that is weird, is it like kind of being in rural England? or something like that? ....... they don't have like McDonald's there do they? cause if they do i am sad for Zim. 

Q&A with Elder Hyde

Q- Were you transferred?

A-No I was not Transferred

Q-Are you still with Elder Miller?

A-Yes I am still with Elder Miller

Q- What do you do for your morning exercise? 

A- I do some sit ups some prison pull ups stretch breath deep yeah just stuff I don't know, nothing uniform or a system.

Q- What do you do on P-Day?

A- Well we email and then ummm shop, laundry,  ummm sometimes there is zone activity, just stuff.

Q- Are you able to take people to the LA Temple Visitor's Center?

A- Yes we are but we haven't yet cause well we haven't.

Q- What is your favorite food right now?

A- Ummmmm i don't know meat and german pancakes just food stuff.

Q- Have you read this month's Ensign? 

A- Nope not yet. 

Love

Elder Hyde.

65% of the Mission Has Been in the Field for 4 Months or Less

Laurence the Lizard

Mother, go online or wherever and listen to the Nashville Tribute to Missionaries: The Work, listen to track 7 bless my son, cry then email me back. OK, listen to it all, cry then email me again. OK, back to answering you. I wont forget papa's birthday. Wow, 30 years friends with Mish and yay Hawaii.

I tell people that I'm going to probably do what my dad does. It is starting to cool off here, too ..... it is said we wore jackets today (thanks for the coat mama) it was like 70s and we felt so ashamed. How could two kids from Idaho and Utah, land of the cold and snow, feel like 70s are cool enough for jackets!!!!! 

So we had a lesson on Sunday morning and it went very well, Her name is Marie she is a nice woman. It went quite well, we taught about the Holy Ghost. The member who was with us asked if she wanted a blessing and she said yes so we gave her a blessing and then at church the Mission Hills Sisters had a member that need a blessing so we gave her one. Elder Miller gave Marie her blessing and I gave the Mission Hills member a blessing so we are blessing right and left, and then we had dinner with our landlord last night as well. It was very nice, it felt like being with a grandma and grandpa, well other than they didn't know anything about exactly what we do so we kinda explained it, but it is funny they call us by our first names so yeah haha. We have a meeting with a less active man on Tuesday so that will be interesting and he is a person that has told people no many times before so we feel like we can help because he said yes to us coming back. 

Well, the transfer is coming up so it will be fun to see if either of us leave or train, well we are pretty sure we are going to train because we are getting about 30 new missionaries this transfer and we will have about 210-215 missionaries and right now more that 65% of the mission has been out in the field for 4 months or less so yeah we are a very young mission hahaha. Then on the 10th, so Thursday, we had zone conference and we had Elder Kopischke of the 70 come and talk to us and it was very interesting because he was nothing like we were excepting. He was funny and energetic, hahaha and he taught a lot. So yeah, a lot I got for myself so I will just say that he did an almost informal lesson where we just talk a lot so it was cool and then we had to wait after zone conference because our ride had to talk to president so we were doing role plays with the assistants and some other elders. President came up and gave us some advice on what we could do better and other ideas we could use in our questions so it felt kinda special to get direct council and teaching from President while we were just using some extra time we had, so it was great I love President. 

We don't have a scale but i know i lost a lot of weight because I was looking at a picture from the MTC and one I took a day or two ago and there is a pretty big difference so yeah it is pretty fun and then I have Calves of steel from biking haha. So yeah, I still get tired from biking and sweaty but yeah that's what I do. Oh, and yes the package was at the house when we got back from emailing so thanks mama it was great :) and nothing was spoiled cause I have eaten a bit of it all and i haven't gotten sick yet so that is a plus and thanks for the picture and thanks for the shirt and jacket and the MP3 player and olives and pickles, and everything else too mom. It is really good. If you could send CDs, I will then have more stuff to put on the player. Also, could you send me a good pillow? The one I have is well a crappy pillow so yes I would enjoy the comfort of a nice home pillow or a new nice pillow. It is really funny to see me sleep, I either have my head against the head bar or put my feet through the foot bars so I don't have a bruise on my head for ever haha so yeah I like being tall .... when I have a bed that fits me. haha  

We had our first animal encounter with a lizard that got in the house he was a nice fellow we caught him took pictures and released him i named him Laurence Lizard. so yes. i love you Mom, talk to you next week :)

MTC 

Granada Hills 4 months and a few pounds lighter

Just Chugging Along

Eric wrote to Seth this week.

Good to hear from you.  The Toronado is in the barn wrapped in plastic.  It is good to go. Conference was a good watch. First time I have watched all 10 hours of it.  What are you doing for work> Describe a normal day.

We are in the last week before departure mode.  Buying groceries, packing UAB and getting crappy tickets on Delta.  Yeah we can't fly United anymore, the contract is with Delta.

How is the biking going?  I liked it, it was kinda fun just getting into your  head and turning the crank.   Send us some picture of yourself.  It is always nice to see you.  I saw the ones you sent mom, I hope you are happy. You looked happy, So I guess you are since you are a what you see is what you get kind of guy. How is the teaching. Don't just say "yeah, just chugging along." Tell me how it is going.  Do you have investigators?  Any families?  Who are you working with, names, descriptions!!  I love you. Have a good week.

This is Seth's response to Eric’s letter:

Well, we get up at 6:30, then exercise, shower, eat, 8:00 to 11:00 studies, and then 11 to 12 lunch, then we go out and knock, talk to people etc. Then 6:00 usually is dinner, either at home or at a members house, and then either 7 or 7:30, depending when we get out of there, we either knock or street contact until 8:30, and then start biking home. We either get in like 8:55 or 9:00 and that's our day, usually. And I tell you, “just chugging along” because that's all we do. We have had one lesson since getting here. This lesson was with a Ukrainian man named Victor V, so we had a translator who would just answer questions without telling us what they were or what was really going on so we don't really know how the lesson went. We stopped by on Thursday and his daughter translated for us which was much better because she translated word for word so it was better. I am still working on my teaching. I do very well at the talking to them to get to know them and stuff like that, and I am good at putting it in ways that they can understand, with analogies and stuff. But I am still learning how to teach it well to people, but I am getting better, Preach My Gospel helps a lot and so do the pamphlets. We found a less active priest age boy who wants to start coming to church again so we are going to start with him this week. I don't know much about him since Elder Miller and the Elders Quorum pres. went there on splits. So I haven't met him yet but he sounds awesome, I think his name is Enrique and he is 16. No families yet, we do have a potential investigator who is a mom with a daughter that is 8. But the mom is in school, a mom, and a nurse so we can never find a time to teach her and when we do, something comes up that makes it not able to happen. But she seems very interested. Yes, yes, I am happy and right now those are the only photos of me so far, really I’m not one who is in front of the camera often, I like being behind it. And uggggggggghhhh stupid Delta why did they go with that? United is so much better and we have all of those miles with them. Oh is the bike just in the garage or in the barn too? We work with Brother Nelson, he is the ward mission leader, he is like 6 foot ish and then pretty wide, but not really fat, kind of an old white guy though, ummm Brother Thwaits, he is like 6 foot, red hair, trained tenor, and then plays a lot of instruments  he is the assistant ward mission leader. Brother Ravitch, he is Elders Quorum Pres. tall,30s, starting to bald. Brother Grover, 5'8" 25ish maybe 30, bio engineer, 1 year old kid, and wife. ummmmmmmm yeah that’s about it, oh the Sister missionaries help out a lot yeah Sister Bishop, 5'6" dyed black hair, smiley ummm yeah and Sister Rhodes, um 5'7" brown hair, nice kinda, serious-ish yeah.  

Elder Hyde with his MTC district

Q & A with Elder Hyde

Q-How has your week been?

A-Our week went by really fast and it was good we found a less active we are going to work with and stuff so it’s good.

Q-Did you get your package? If so remember to gush appropriately to your mom :-)

A- No I have not received my package yet but gush gush gush gush gush gush gush

Q-Did you enjoy Conference?

A- Yes I enjoyed conference it was amazing

Q-Where did you watch Conference?

A- Since everyone has cable it was pretty much just all of the missionaries at the stake center on White Oak Ave. so it was cool 

Q-Do you cook breakfast every day?

A- No actually Elder Miller mostly does cause I don't know, it just happens that way

Q-What do you eat for breakfast?

A- German pancakes biscuits and gravy pancakes bagels stuff like that 

Q- Are you learning your way around? Do you use maps, a Thomas Guide, or a GPS to find addresses?

A- We bike and we have a little map because our area is tiny. 

Cooking and Serving

Elder Hyde and Elder Miller serving in Granada Hills

 Well the Howser's are not a familiar name, nor Penrods, the Dunn family I think I have seen the name in the ward directory, same with the Tooley Family that is now just two really old people. The Hoki family, haven’t heard of them, Steve and JoAnn Allen neither, Lee and Claudia Brilliant, or the O'Kellys. Pam Bennett, haven't heard of her but I’ll ask around. Here are some of the names that have been here for a long time, The Toveys(Mike and Jill), the Richardsons, The Tribbles(Skip and Cory) Cory said she has lived in the same house pretty much her whole life on Los Alimos, she said sisters missionaries first showed up when she was cutting down a tree in her front yard, and that they played jump rope with her daughters, so yeah her last name wasn't Tribble then but yeah they are like our ward mom and dad though that is awesome. Yeah I would take my shirt and jacket that would be great mom :)  Yeah, I am too much like Dad. I see it more and more. It scares me hahaha. But it is great, it helps when we need to get some stuff done. And cool I like plaques, plaques are cool, kinda like bow-ties haha. And yeah I was wondering about USU cause I would like that off my mind knowing I have somewhere to go in two years. It has been a really hard past 3 weeks though, we haven't had a single lesson since the first Saturday we were here and we can’t even talk to our investigator cause he speaks Ukrainian. The member that is from Ukraine is in a different stake so we text him but he never replies cause in Russian / Ukrainian culture it is the waiting game. You are weak if you text/call back first. So yeah nothing ever gets done. Oh, another way I'm like Dad, I can’t be very kind while showing that I'm not pleased how people are acting or not acting. So yeah I said in our last text to the member, hi Bro Santony, we would really like it you could call us back. So yeah it’s fun, we are working hard with the members, though. So we are good and we just keep trucking along you know how nothing really phases me .... LAZERS...... and so yeah. They don’t feed us any better here. But we were feed every day last week, which was a blessing cause we barely had enough food to make it the week even with the dinners. And yes there is something I would really enjoy receiving: some CD's like any Motab and then also any from Desseret Book. Also, I would like any and all Vocalpoint CD's (they are an acapella group that are from BYU so they sing stuff we can listen too) and then Inside Out primary songs and any other CD's by them (again BYU acapella group) EFY 2013 cd and any others you think I would enjoy. Thanks mom, just lots of CD's and yeah other than that I think I am good. The bike is a great bike just needed some work on it so all is good. Wow Daniel looks Great! As does Katarina, give them my love and tell them I miss them and wish I could have been there. 

When Elder Hyde was young he would always comment after making a meal, "my mission companions are going to love me" As they are feeding themselves, I am sure it is true. :)

Grilled sandwiches - Elder  Hyde's specialty

Homemade Biscuits and Gravy

Elder Hyde is serving in the same ward his mom served in 25 years ago

Mom there is only one ward we are in the 2nd area of the Granada Hills ward. im in the same ward as you!!!!! and also the bishop knows Uncle Mike, his son works kinda with him abit and the bishop holds stock in one of Uncle Mike's things but hashahahaha im in your ward there is alot of old people so i wonder if they would remember you oh my gosh ahhhhhhhh this is awesome hahahahahahh im tired can ya tell. Yeah Dad said the same thing and so did Elder Miller's dad about the mission president trusting, confidence, etc in us so we think that it might be true by the mouth of two witnesses and all haha. Oh I got the vitamins and thanks that is alot more than i was expecting but hahah  thank you mom. There was a family in Valencia that flew small planes and yes they did know the Cable airport and kinda knew the Cables haha. That is great about Steven and his wife. Send me a picture of the baby when it gets here.  Yeah Mish told me about the game of course haha and yeah it is starting to cool down a little here too and it sounds like you really like Missouri and i love you mama i miss you.

Love 

Elder Hyde 

Opening a New Area

well my readers

short letter this week, i am opening a new area in Granada Hills 2nd  well it is only a split but none the less it is kinda hard and my companion is also 6 weeks out so it is fun Elder Miller, yes That Elder Miller the one From my MTC district so it is super fun we work really well together since we already know each other and we got a new investigator this week his name is Victor V. he is from Ukraine so we had a member from the ward over that was also from Ukraine so that was fun and yeah my 2 years of Russian yeah i got nothing hahah well ever so often i would get a little so yeah but we are working hard and trying to get members trust and everything but i will keep you filled in love you all
Love
Elder Hyde

Elder Hyde Is Being Transferred

Neighbors, Family, Friends, Countrymen(women)! Lend me thine eyes!

Well, big news, I am being transferred tomorrow..... to a bike area...... I find out where tomorrow at transfer meeting. Also Elder Ehninger is being made District leader and being a trainer of one of the 50 new elders that arrive today. It is pretty crazy we thought for sure I was not going to be transferred because usually trainers and trainees don't get split up but since there are so many new missionaries it is kinda understandable why we are getting split. I am a little nervous but it’s going to be fine and I’ll come out of that area with amazing thighs and calves haha. Well apparently my metabolism of Rwanda has returned because I have lost like 17 pounds .... so yeah ... well I don't have a lot of spiritual things this week because almost all of the missionaries had their work halt because the mission aka Elder Young and Sister Young had to open 10 apartments in 42 days. That entitles finding them, okaying them, signing leases, and furnishing them, and stocking them so we turned into manual laborers, and so it was very odd we helped Sister Young at Costco and we were in service clothing aka normal clothing and it was really weird cause we hadn't A been to Costco for a long time B we hadn't been out in normal clothing in a long time and C we were way way way out of our area and zone ( but that is ok cause we were told to go there and accompanied by senior missionaries.) but yeah really weird.

So yeah I have been packing a lot and it is great that I am a master packer cause well ....... I have packed a suitcase or two in my time...... score one for moving yay ....... point taken for ..... well yeah stuff. 

Well I will leave you with a thought then

Mosiah 1:6-7 

"O my sons, I would that ye should remember that these sayings are true, and also that these records are true. And Behold, also the plates of Nephi, which contain the records and sayings of our fathers from the time they left Jerusalem until now, and they are true; we can know of their sureity because we have them before our eyes. 

And now, my sons, I would that ye should remember to search them diligently, that ye may profit thereby; and I would that ye should keep the commandments of God, that ye may prosper in the land according to the promise which the Lord made unto our fathers."

I found this by picking up one of the Book of Mormons that we hand out and a page was creased on the side so I opened it up to fix it and looked at the verse next to the crease and it was these two verses and it was an answer to a prayer to know again that the Book of Mormon was true, so it is amazing how the Lord works. I love you all and I hope you a great week and I will get my new address out as soon as possible.

Love,

Elder Hyde

Late Night and Holiday Brings a Late Letter

Well, my good people of the world,

I went on exchanges this week it was Elder Holdaway, he came out to the mission field the same day I did and it was pretty awesome since it was the first time without our crutches, or trainers as other people call them, and we went to his area and had two lessons and a dinner with a member. It was pretty awesome they have a baptism coming up this Saturday and the baptizee needed his interview and he requested to be interviewed by President Hall and so President Hall was not able to make it to the interview until 9:05 pm so we had to wait for him there and then the interview lasted an hour so at 10:00 pm it started to end and then we had to bike home which only took 10 mins. That put it at 10:20ish and then we had asked President if we were able to teach seminary in the morning because the teacher had jury duty and president said we were able to do so, so by the time the member brought over the manual and the keys to the church building it was 10:50 and then it took 10 mins. to get ready for bed and then 10 mins. for prayers so it was about 11:25 by the time we were falling asleep and we had to be up at 5:30 am so we could get to the class on time so then we taught seminary it was Nephi chapters 3-4 and it was pretty awesome.

 Elder Ehninger and I had found a new investigator a week and half ago and we taught him on Wednesday and it went pretty well. We committed, or got him to promise to read and pray about, the Book of Mormon and  then I asked him to give the closing prayer and he did and it was a very well given prayer. We just need to get a return appointment with him in the coming week and he is pretty awesome.

 Well I don't have a lot of other stuff to say this time so I leave you with this amazing find in our apartment please behold its glory with quiet awe so not to disturb you neighbors. I warn you this is not for the faint of heart ..............................................................

Fineas and Ferb molds!

............................................................................................................. yes yes I did make my bed. shhhh quiet the shrieks of fear and astonishment it is true I did this myself well I love you all and hope you have a good week

Love

Elder Hyde

Elder Hyde forgot to share important information



Elder Hyde's view during companion study

Elder Ehninger

Hello again my faithful and captivated audience,

I may or may not have forgotten to tell you all some important information in the past few weeks, I actually am not on a mission, I am actually on a deep space mission to search for life on .......... oh I have just been told that I am not allowed to disclose that information at this time. Well then let’s go back to the cover story.

OK, OK, I actually did forget to tell you important information, for the past four weeks we have had an investigator with a baptismal date, and we had her baptism on Saturday and was confirmed yesterday. So I thought I should mention that now that it has passed and so yeah it was a wonderful service and her story is pretty cool. The reason I kind of forgot to tell you about her is that she is so golden she has been a member in my mind for like 2 weeks now, she read the entire gospel principles book and the entire daughters of the relief society book too before she was baptized. Well so here is her story so missionaries knocked on her door like 20 years ago; she took some lessons and then stopped. She got married young to William Bowman, he was in the Air Force, and they have been married for 42 years. They had 2 sons and one of them by his own choice was baptized because of his friends and then served a mission in the Philippines, like 10 years ago-ish. Then she comes to find out that Bill is also a member but he left the church and didn't tell her so she didn't even know about that and now she is a member, because Bill felt that he wasn't doing his part as a husband so he called the missionaries to come teach her, and he has decided to come back to church, so she wants by the end of next year to be sealed in the temple so she is really special. So now she is a member and she is going to be amazing. I was chorister for the service and apparently if you don't continue to kind of like do that every once in a while you kind of forget how to do it, so I failed tremendously or gave a valiant effort as Bro Macdonald said. Then on Sunday we went to the bishop’s house for Sunday lunch and I said we did learn one thing from the baptism, well other than Heather took the name of Christ on her and all, but other than that we learned that I shouldn't be allowed to be the chorister for things anymore and he said that I had to keep doing it and so he said I had to be the chorister at the next baptism we have as well haha I said ok so I guess I better get practicing.

We had a lesson with a woman named Cindy on Wednesday. She had the sister missionaries knock on her door 20 years ago, and she says the missionaries always seem to turn up whenever she is having a hard time in her life, Coincidence? I think not! She is an interesting person as well because the missionaries before either me or my companion were in the area knocked on her door and taught her 2 lessons and then she never answered the door or replied to calls or texts and then 2 months later when Elder Ehninger and I are in the area we decided to go and knock on her door again and she was there! Apparently she had just been on a two month vacation because the kids were out of school and so we set up a next appointment but she said oh I can’t next week I am going on a trip just me and my husband. But we taught her on Wednesday, and she is Catholic but half of her family is actually LDS and so she has been to church and knows about us so it is really cool, but the really fun thing is that she has a testimony that the Book of Mormon is true and Joseph Smith is a prophet.................. or kinda saint ... she says that she has prayed to him and received that he is true and so she has added him to her saints and that all religions are good just parts of each so yeah ........ just a few things that we kinda need to work on but she came to church but she came after we had the confirmation and after the sacrament and left during the middle of the closing song but its ok she is a mom she has a lot to do.

We had another investigator who is in the middle of moving and other problems but Elder E. taught her a month ago when she was staying with a member in the ward and hasn't been back since but on Thursday she was back up here and so we went over and taught her again and it was great I gave good input and used good scriptures so I am getting better at teaching people ( I have the walking up and talking to anyone part down, now to work on the teaching the gospel part too I hear that is an important part or something like that) and so then she went back to her friends she is living with down in LA and then Sunday she just showed up for church we didn't invite her or anything it was of her own accord it’s a 50 min. drive for her so it is pretty awesome that she came up.

While we were knocking house this week, we knocked on this man’s door, and started talking with him and slowly by slowly it got weirder and weirder until it got to his theory that white man was created by a black weird and that we are evil because we have ambition and that is why the black man does not have ambition because they are not evil ....... now the super great thing is that this is being said by a 55 year old ...... WHITE guy hahahahahha its awesome, he said that there were only blacks until white man was created and see what ambition has done to the world, wars and corporations and so forth and yeah it was awesome ...... and apparently he had been knocked on before but we didn't go to find him we just ended up there so we think that there is a reason why he has been found twice but can’t figure out why because he doesn't want to change. He likes think that he and the white race are evil so yeah we will figure out what we need to do here soon maybe...

Well we are still teaching our wonder friend Adrian, we think we (by we I mean Elder E. I gave like one thing that's it) found a way to help him understand a lot of things but we shall see. Well there isn't a lot else to talk about my good campadres thus I bid thee adieu, so adios

Love

Elder Hyde



Bonus picture and letter from Bishop Hansen's wife Sister Melanie Smith Hansen from American Fork Utah.

Good Morning Brother and Sister Hyde,

We had the pleasure of feeding your son and his companion dinner yesterday.  I thought I would send a little picture and note along.  We really enjoy having your son serve in the Valencia 3rd Ward.  He is a great missionary who works hard and is a great example of the Savior.  Thanks for raising such a great son!  He is doing great work.  We loved having him over yesterday.

It is a small world in the church.  We discovered that you both attended AF High School.  So did I!  I think I was a year or two behind you.  I graduated in 1986.  I pulled out my yearbooks and found a picture of you Sister Hyde -- but I guess Brother Hyde was a senior before I was in High School.  Small world.  My maiden name was Smith.  

Hope all is well!  Have a great day!

Gary and Melanie Hansen

Looking to Make Friends with the Mailman...

Valenica at night

Sorry about last week, we were in the library and it had an hour limit on the computer since I couldn’t get a library card since no one has sent me a letter to my apartment which address is, by the way, 27800 N. McBean PKWY Apartment 357 Valencia, CA 91354.

Yeah, it’s pretty crazy, I’m down to like 244ish. It goes up and down by like one or 2 sometimes but that is the average. The work is pretty good. We knock a lot of doors cause in this area there isn’t like a shopping center or any other gathering place for humans, um yeah. We found this interesting guy he is kinda atheist but then he said too many coincidences happened so there has to be something. So he read like 40 or 50 religious books and then wrote his own.  Kinda showing the similarities of them all but he said he was interested in what we had to say because normally he wouldn’t but for some reason he felt he should listen to us. So that was pretty cool and that was like at 8:55pm just before we were about to head home for the night.

The companion (our mission doesn’t use any abbreviations so no dl, zl, ap, pday, nor any slang so no greenie no whitewash no father son grandfather or died like when someone goes home they died may they rest in peace and all that jazz) he is a very patient guy, very quiet and organized and he is rubbing of on me I’m more organized than I have been in ever and I write neater too.  He is a great match for me cause he is funny and loud sometimes but we do have different views on things sometimes but we discuss them and then we are good. He is very smart; he graduated at like 15 or 16 and is going to be a mech. engineer so yeah it’s pretty cool. Yeah a lot of people said that there a lot of them (mechanical engineers) but its ok. One member is a cop and another is FBI and then a member has a daughter and a son in law that are cops so we have people we can call if need be and then also I handle myself well too haha.  Well we didn’t do a lot of interesting stuff this week just a lot of knocking and a lot of planning. And well, we had a short lesson on prayer with investigators, Ernie and Leticia, it was good. I committed them to pray as a couple ... Elder E did most of the other talking though. Still working on the teaching part but as you all know I talk to anyone on the street no problem. Elder E says I talked to people on the street right now 21 days out on par with him after he has been out for 8 months yesterday. So yeah that was pretty fun. We do feel the Spirit a lot though as we go about our day. During our 3 hours of study we pray all the time. And yeah so we have been trying to find people so they can hear the greatest news they can, the Gospel.

Well alas, I have ran out of time once again. Well I’m getting better but that is alright I will be super-fast ...... two days before I go home hahah! Well I love you all and hope y’all are well have a good week!

Love

Elder Hyde

Q&A with Elder Hyde

What are you currently?

Listening to - MOTAB and a few acapella groups from BYU that do hymns and that is it.

Eating - food just depends, bagels, meat, frozen pizzas, I just eat as much and I work out every morning and then walk around a lot so yeah I have lost a lot of weight but trying to not lose to much too quickly  

Drinking - water.... yeah a bit of root beer at members’ houses but other than that water

Wearing – clothes - oh, I have to send all of my t- shirts home except one because there cannot be any logos on them at all. So yeah would be great to have more than one shirt and also did I leave shirts at home, white shirts? Because it seems like I have a lot less then I thought I did and it was the same at the MTC so I didn’t lose any. I got here with like five long sleeves and only four short sleeve or maybe less.

Feeling - I feel fine. Every so often a little discouraged cause no one wants to talk to us really

Wanting - homemade mommy food and a framed family picture, t-shirts no logos whatsoever

Needing - more letters so I feel the love

Thinking - I love you and am glad that you taught me how to be a good person

Enjoying -working and just being in more of a really church environment

Weather- Bloody hot like 90's to 100 it got up to 105 two three days ago

Who's driving- Elder Ehninger cause A. he is senior and B. he knows the area........ I am having a little bit of dad feelings where I really don’t like not being in control of the car

Thank you for teaching me how to A. Be polite B. Know how to handle stressful situations and C. Talk to cops.

 

 

Well I have lost 12 pounds in 14 days and umm we plan a lot, and drive some and teach a little cause all of our investigators are out of town right now. We don't have a lot either but we keep trying.

Thank you for teaching me how to A. be polite B. know how to handle stressful situations and C. talk to cops. So on Saturday we went to a referral's house but all we had was an address and her first name. We show up at the house and then a man talks to us from his car for a bit. Then we turn and see a man and his daughter walking out. First off I can tell that the dad is a cop by just the way he handles himself so that's one time that I’m like yeah this ain’t gonna go well. So we ask if Emily (referral’s name) is home and he says no she isn't. We ask if she is interested and he says no, she isn't. We say oh, ok well we will try back again so we can speak to her. He then turns around and says no, no you won’t be coming back here. Well, Elder Ehninger probably could have handle this situation a little better, but he asks well is she 18 and the dad says that is none of your business. Then E.E asks well are you her legal guardian? And the dad says why do you want to know? Because if you are we will respect your wishes and not come back, but if you are not then we need to hear it from her. The dad says yes, I am the legal guardian now get lost. So we walk and knock some houses and stuff and then as we are walking back to the car, which is parked in front of the house, I saw him talking to the guy that we talked to and as we are about to get in the car he says wait I want to get your information, who is your boss? I said well, God (not the best idea but I was tired of him hounding us for doing nothing wrong, because we never made it on to his property so yeah) He says yeah but who do you report to and Elder E. started to say something that I knew would not help the situation. So I was ok, here is President Hall’s number. Then he pulled out his little cop note pad on a tiny clip board. I was looking for the number but then gave the phone to Elder E. to find the number. The dad is like she is in the house crying because she doesn't know why you guys are hounding after her. At which time I go into talking to a cop mode and I say, we meant no harm and that this was our first time stopping by. The initial contact was made by other elders. We just received a referral that just gave her name and address. And he said can I see it and then he said do me a favor and delete that and anywhere it may be. I said of course and he said I’m law enforcement, you know. And I said yes, my father was law enforcement, as well. He asked a little nicer, oh for who LAPD, SCPD? I said no he was federal and he works for the DSS. He kinda looked different there for a sec, and then said oh well, I have to go and you need to leave as well. I said of course and if any missionaries like us ever knock on you door it is just a random happenstance because we have a member that lives near and sometimes we go knocking in their neighbor hoods so just politely say we are not interested and they will leave and have a nice day officer. We then sent a text to Pres. Hall to give him a heads up and yeah it was fun. But yeah that's really it for my week love you

Love

Elder Hyde 

Q&A with Elder Hyde

Did you get the two boxes we sent you, your sheets and your birthday box?

Yes received both and Katie next time don't make it so messy with all the confetti

 Have you gotten mail from anyone else?

I’ve gotten mail from Grandma Kathyrn and Mish

Is the return address correct on your letter you sent from Valencia?

Yes it is:

27800 McBean Parkway

Apt. 375

Valencia CA 91354

OR

Seth.hyde@myldsmail.net

What did you do for your birthday?

I worked

Are you teaching anyone right now?

We have a baptismal date but it was made before I was in the area but we are teaching her until the 24th which is her baptismal date. Her name is Heather and her husband is Bill He is less active. Their son went on a mission and is married and yeah it’s pretty cool. Bill has the deepest questions ever so yeah it’s fun to go over there.

We just started teaching Adrian. He has been seeing missionaries for a real long time so he is all twisted inside because of conflicting answers. Also he takes the Bible and Book of Mormon way to literal so yeah.  He asks questions that have answers that are like if you have been in the church all your life and you know everything. But he doesn't believe in God so it is like he is trying to speak Chinese before he has learned any.

Describe a typical day in Valencia with your companion.

We drive around and work we knock doors sometimes but yeah other than that we just try to find anyone

How many dinner appointments do you usually have in a week?

We have like 2 or 3 a week.  

What has been your favorite one so far?

Uhh, I don't know none of it is as good as yours Mom

What area does Valencia 3rd ward cover?

From Decoro Drive to the top of the mission with not very much in between