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

Elder Hyde is in Valencia

Elder Hyde
27800 McBean Parkway
Valencia CA 91354

I got to my mission just fine and had a good first day. I gave out a Book of Mormon. We were in North Hollywood, Burbank area. Then I got my companion and we are assigned the Valencia 3rd ward. It is the richest area in the mission. It's been fun. I am alive, well, and safe. As of right now I am in a car area but the apartment complex has a gym we get to use so it's really good.

Dad,  I always try to listen to the Spirit. I have been listening to it a lot lately because it is around a lot and I am working very hard and enjoying it, too. On the first day I helped load, unload, and load again all the suitcases for the 30 elders and sisters who arrived with me. Everyone thought I worked too hard and kept telling me to take a break. But I kept working because only a few were really helping from the batch. It was all the ZLs (zone leaders) helping and telling us not to let Elder Jepsen lift anything. He is a senior missionary and he has a bad back. I said I would not let him and the APs (assistants to the president) said that is the best mentality. So don't worry, I am working as hard as I can all the time.

Yesterday at church the 2nd counselor in the bishopric announced there is a new missionary, Elder Hyde. Ask him where he is from because I don't want to spoil it, haha. So it was fast and testimony meeting so I got up and kinda tried to tell everyone in one fell swoop. But it didn't work 'cause I was kinda flustered because there were a lot of people (to me there was). I said I wasn't used to so many people and everyone thought it was hilarious. Apparently, we are a small ward, haha.

Love,
Elder Hyde

p.s. I met a man who knows the Whitakers from Beijing.


What is your companion's name and where is he from?
- My companion is Elder E. Ehninger from Oregon/Utah. He is awesome and he is great at planning and he is a great trainer.

What are your plans for your birthday, August 8th?
-For some reason no one ever invites us over for dinner on Thursdays so no one will be feeding us for my birthday but that is okay. We are having fun. They feed us way too good on other days.

Scripture for the day-
Mosiah 4:15
"But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another."