Transfered, but waiting to hear where I'm going

Well I am getting transferred tomorrow, and I am going to another bike area, so woo. I don't have any idea where I am going to go, but I really don't care these days. I have been out long enough to know that it really doesn't matter what I want or think, but it’s where I need to be and that is where the Lord sent me so that is where I will be. I have been in North Hollywood for 6 months, I was Granada Hills for 6 months and I was in Newhall for 4 1/2 months and in Valencia 3rd for 6 weeks or 1 1/2 month.

So yeah, I am old in the mission now and everyone tells me my favorite line “oh wow you are really close to being done”......... it is insane. I have realized that if I don't blink then time can't go by so thus I have taped toothpicks to my eyelids.

Well we had a good week, it rained and so we didn't do too much, the first part of the week. Then we had the temple trip on Wednesday, and then on Thursday I won a fight with a Prius (I am fine). I realized why I got in a fight with the Prius in the first place is because I can't hear them. I always hear cars before I see cars. That is why they would be the perfect vehicle for ninjas. But I ran into the front end on the side and body checked the hood and then landed on the ground and the first thing I say is, “I am ok! Is the car ok?!” and the lady said what? I repeated, “Was the car ok?” She said uh yeah but are you ok? I was fine, so I left. I had dented the side a little and dented and scratched up the hood as well, so yeah that was fun.

We had a baptismal interview for one of our investigators, Angel. He was the young man we found back in August, and he passed and got baptized on Saturday. I confirmed him a member of the church on Sunday, so that was cool. I was nervous because I don't know, it never really hit me that he had gotten baptized and that I was going to confirm him. So I forgot to look at the way to do it except I remembered that you say receive the Holy Ghost. One of the stake president councilors was in the circle, he is in our ward, reminded me in the confirmation to say I confirm you a member of the church so that was nice. But yeah, so I have baptized someone and confirmed someone. Now I want any other baptisms to be by ward members and same with the confirmations.

This has been a good area for me. The Lord blesses us for our hard work as well as when we have trials he blesses us. We went to a funeral this morning for a man that was in the ward that passed away on the December 5th. I had given him a blessing on Thanksgiving. He was a wonderful man that was 93 so he had lived a good life. He was a strong member of the church and everyone had nothing but great things to say of him and there were many people there, would have been more but they were waiting on the other side for him. It was just a wonderful service.

Well my trainer is going home this transfer as well as another companion, so two companions in one transfer.... sounds like two birds one stone. Ha-ha, but Elder Ehninger and Elder Mudrow are going home, it is sad to see them go but they will do well.

Merry Christmas and to all a good week!

Love

Elder Hyde

Angel is Getting Baptized

Well this week was a very odd week. We had a zone conference, the bucket of heaven over turned on us and we had a 3 day long exchange, well we were in trio for three days, we had P-day and so due to circumstances we had a trio for Monday because of a missionary going home and then we had a meeting on Tuesday so it was easier to just have the other elder stay, and then Wednesday we had zone conference so it was easier to have the other elder stay, so yeah, 3 day trio woo, ha-ha. But it is alright the third was Elder Miller my former companion and we were in the MTC together, so it was fun.

We had a zone conference and it was about being converted so that our grand-kids will be converted and applying that to our investigators. It was pretty awesome, we talked about that coming on a mission doesn't fully convert you, you must strive to become converted by doing the studies and always praying and other things like that. We also talked about helping our investigators learn by faith on their own. It was pretty great. We were told that we had to teach them first how to study so they can have a lasting conversion. We also watched the video‘He Is the Gift,’ promotion. We talked about how to use it with investigators and members. It is a pretty cool video; y'all should go to christmas.mormon.org and check it out it is cool and an easy way to share with friends and family. “Alright Break!” (There should be sounds of people rushing off to share it and stuff, so yeah excuse the loud noises)

It rained like the first 3 days of the week so we were slowed down kinda. But we lucked out because Elder Miller has a car so no wet for us, well no drenched I should say. This week we are going to have a district Christmas breakfast and I believe I shall make German pancakes. So yeah, ha-ha also I am my father’s son. We were texted who we could pick for the secret Santa we were going to do. Being Dad’s son, I replied who we had picked! And yeah....... weren't supposed to do that....... Dude, seriously, small secrets are useless if they are told to Pops or me.... so yeah. Well, have a great week everybody!

Love

Elder Hyde

Oh yeah we have a baptism this Saturday as well! His name is Angel, yeah the same one from way back when. He is going to have a member baptize him and he wants me to confirm him, so yeah that is cool, and yes I know Picture, pictures, pictures.

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was good. We had fun and went and shared messages with members, we used the Mormon message one about thanksgiving.

Stanley is great. He is really great. We don't have to do much with him at all at church these days, he says hi to us and talks for a bit but then goes and talks with members. That is great because he is converted to the gospel not to us. However, he was like that from the get go. But still it is nice to not really have to worry too much. We had the first new member lesson and we had him teach us the restoration to see what he remembered and understood. He taught us everything and very well in fact so he is great. He is always asking for more restoration pamphlets and cards to give out.

I have probably 2 more weeks here, and then I am on the chopping block. I have been here for 6 months, Newhall for 4 and half months, Granada Hills for 6 months (with a month stint in Northridge and Granada) and 6 weeks in Valencia 3rd. So I probably have about 1 or 2 areas left or 3 if I end how I started in Valencia 3rd.

We were knocking in this apartment building that had a few Thai people in it. We knock on a door and a man opens it and says, “Oh hi, yeah come on in.” We were confused because that wasn't the right response for a door approach, ha-ha. It turns out he is a member that was baptized back in '84 in San Diego and then moved up here and fell away because of his friends. But we are going to start teaching him the lessons and hopefully he will start to come to church. This was all told to me by Elder Tobchan as I do not speak Thai. We keep going along. We have Zone conference on Wednesday and then Zone training meeting on Friday and then the temple trip next Wednesday and then Transfers the Tuesday after that so yeah these weeks hopefully will blow by.

Love
Elder Hyde

This Weekend Was Amazing

Well this weekend was an amazing experience, our investigator Stanley was baptized and confirmed! It was such a spiritual experience; you could just feel the Spirit when you walked into the room. The new stake president came, cause he was having an interview with Bishop. I only had to do it once, and didn't even have a problem with his name. He was so happy. It was so great, after the baptism he said, "I no longer need the goal to be baptized, I can have my new goal of going to the temple!" Another time he said "my ambition in this life is to be able to live in the Celestial Kingdom with our Heavenly Father!" He is one of the greatest persons I have ever met on or off the mission. It was just a wonderful day as well as Sunday was amazing. I am thankful for him and his desire now to share it with his friends and family, He started asking us for restoration pamphlets to give to a friend, before he was baptized, He is just excited to share this with his friends! I hope that I didn't sound like boasting, I am just as Ammon was in Alma 26, "...I boast not of myself, but of my God..."

Thanksgiving is an odd time for missionaries, because it is prime time for teaching because of the gratitude and such as that but also very poor time for teaching and finding and etc because no one really wants these 2 random men showing up on their doorstep the week of a holiday.

Here are some pictures

Love you
Elder Hyde

We are Starting to See the Fruits of Our Labor

I am so happy I get to stay and baptize Stanley. I am Happy for him and he is so great. I know he was one of the people I was meant to look for when we came down to earth. I know that he would get baptized even if I wasn't here cause he is so prepared. Yeah, it has been great. We can go to the temple visitors center once a transfer. So it just happened to work out that we went only 2 weeks apart ha-ha. We got the exact same sister missionaries that we got last time which was funny. We keep going with Joe. He is doing good. We are going to the temple as a mission in December.

I don't need to much stuff for Christmas. I have enough of the small fun gifts. Just maybe one or two of those and then the cd and socks but the rest of what you might use on me can go into the pool for the Hyde family service gift or whatever you want to call it.

We have had a great past transfer, we have been able to find and teach more than ever before on my mission. We are starting to see the fruits of our labors. We have 2 baptisms set up for the end of the month! It is so amazing to see people that are prepared by the Lord and the Love that the Lord has for them, so that they can come back unto the fold! This is a picture of me, my companion and our investigator Stanley! He is going to be baptized on the 22nd! It is gonna be great! We are just trying to keep up with the area, so yeah it has been fun. It was a slow / fast week so that was good. Nothing else to really report, oh Stanley told me to say Hello to my Parents! And here are more photos of stuff. I made homemade Jalapeno poppers and toast and eggs for breakfast this week. Also I made French toast for us 3 times this week. So yum.

Love y'all

Elder Hyde

Look at that blond hair! He is spending a lot of time outside. Also pictured, Stanley and Elder C.

When Seth was younger he would be cooking something yummy and look up and say, "my mission companions are going to love me, right Mom?" They sure do appreciate his cooking.

November 3 Happy Halloween

Well, we are staying together for another transfer so this is going to be my 2nd 6 month area on my mission. But this time stuff is going on so I am good with staying.

This week was a good one. I have been thinking about the commandments lately because that is what we have been teaching one of our investigators, Stanley. We taught him 4 times, 2 of which were commandments- tithing and fast and law of chastity. We also taught him the word of wisdom this morning and we set his baptismal date for the 22nd. It was going to be the 29th, then we moved it to the15th but then we remembered that it was Stake Conference. So we wouldn't have been able to confirm him the next day (however I suggested that we could always just ask one of the 70's to confirm him for us hahah but bishop said no). So now we have moved it to the 22nd. We taught him this morning and organized more about the baptismal service. It will be 5 pm, Saturday the 22nd of November. He chose to let me have the honor of baptizing him and having Brother Mariano (a Filipino member in the ward who speaks the same dialect as Stanley who is also Filipino) confirm him on the 23rd. We are so happy for Stanley as he has chosen to come unto Christ through Baptism! So that is pretty awesome.

We are just trying to keep up with the work. It is hard sometimes but we know that it is the Lord's work so He will help us do it. However, it sounds like y'all teach like crazy over there haha, English work is very slow in comparison to Zim, well not in the 2 North Hollywood areas. Every English ward, except for 2 wards, has at least 2 sets of missionaries, some wards have 3, and in Spanish wards they have 5 or 6 sets of missionaries. Each companionship has like 4 lessons in a week, that is a high teaching week. We are just trying to keep up with the work, it is hard sometimes but we know that it is the Lord's work so He will help us do it.

We had an odd experience in the Laundromat this morning. We were off to the side behind a row of tables for folding that are raised. So it wasn't easy to be seen from outside of the Laundromat, but a man comes over and asks if we are missionaries, Mormon missionaries. I, never passing up a good contact, say yes, yes, we are. He then turns and looks sternly at me and says "Jesus is Alive! Jesus is Alive! Joseph Smith is dead... Joseph Smith is dead! Brigham Young is dead. ..... Jesus is Alive! Jesus is Alive! Joseph Smith is dead... Joseph Smith is dead! Brigham Young is dead." and then walks away. About a minute later I get up to get change for the driers, and he is nowhere to be seen, not at all. So I am really confused how he could have seen us if he wasn't in there using the machines or anything. Or how he could have seen use from across the store, so yeah that was weird.

We taught a few other people and are just trying to help them progress to baptism. Well we also had a great Saturday, we filled up the font for the Sylmar Elders, since we have the keys, and then we helped put together beds for our investigator/less active now active family, and it was fun cause it felt kinda like stuff we did when we had to move. Except this time it was me saying “don't drag it you will scratch it” or “don't tighten it too much or you will crack the wood” etc. and other things Dad would say, ha-ha. We got the bed done that Brother Newman and I were doing. The other three elders needed help so we did that. It took longer because we had to take apart some stuff that was put together with the wrong stuff. So yeah, thanks for teaching me how to do things.



We had a curfew on Halloween for 7pm. We weren’t able to see Angel’s family this week. We did have dinner at Joe’s on Saturday and Sunday. It was awesome. We went to the visitors center this week on Wednesday and that was pretty cool. So it was Joe, me, Elder Tobchan, and Martin. Martin is a friend of a member in the ward, as well as a friend of Joe’s. So we taught Martin down at the temple, that was fun.

Well, It is scary I was talking with some other missionaries, and they said I was an old missionary, so I stomped my foot and told them to stop talking. haha no but They told me that I was in the top five oldest groups in the mission....... so inside I curled up and died....... Well we are hoping to have a great next Transfer, it is sad though, I have 2 companions going home at the end of this transfer, My Mighty Trainer Elder Ehninger and Elder Mudrow, so that is sad.

We had the Halloween party last week. Here are photos as well as photos of the moon and street on Halloween night.

Have a great week.

Love

Elder Hyde

Oct. 27 Our Investigators are great!

We had a great week of contacting and teaching. We destroyed my teaching, contacting, and investigators at church record. So yeah, it was a good week. But that doesn't matter. What matters is our investigators, the actual people! They are amazing and ready, well ok some more so than others but they are all great!

We have transfer calls this week and uggh I don't if I want to stay or go. It is the first time on my mission where I have split feelings about transfer. Usually I have known for sure, oh well.

But to the missionary work, we found a man named Stanley this week. He is the awesomeist guy ever. He was a referral. We received it last Saturday the 18th and the description said "Wants to be baptized. expecting visit early next week, available between Mon-Fri 10 am-12 pm." I turned to my companion and said I believe we should go by this guy ...... like ...... now. So we went over but it was 7 pm and so the house was dead. So we decided to go by on Tuesday. We went by on Tuesday but no one was there so we gave the number a call and no one picked up, so we biked away. We got about 3 blocks away when the phone rang and it was Stanley. He told us that Tuesday was bad, but tomorrow we could come by at 11. So we went by the next day. He told us that on Monday night, he was sad cause he had first talked to the elders a week ago and gave his info to them but nothing had happened. He saw another pair of elders and gave them his info. Then he prayed that the Lord would send someone that would teach him. The next morning we called him! So he already knows The Lord answers prayers.

His family is all members back in the Philippines and he was just hard headed when he was younger so he didn't get baptized. But his conscience is now telling him he must be baptized. So we set that we would come every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and teach him.We set the 29th of November as a baptismal date( but we are going to move it forward to the 15th) He is so great I have never met anyone who is so prepared and humble and loves the Lord. His Prayers are the most humble and Spirit filled prayers I have ever heard on my mission by an investigator. He came to our Ward Fall Fest on Saturday and came to church on Sunday. He is amazing, and thus is why I am probably leaving the area. I come into Areas that are not doing so hot and work to get them moving. Once they are going good, I get going. Also, the ward likes me too much. That is usually a sign I am leaving as well, haha. But it is ok, I am willing to go where ever I am needed. I don't have to be in the giant booming areas to feel good. Don't get me wrong, booming areas do feel good and I do enjoy that but I don't need it to feel good about my area.

Love

Elder Hyde

October 21st Got the Ball Rolling

We have definitely gotten the ball rolling here lately. We found a new investigator this week and it is cool because she is an older Thai woman. The reason that is cool is because my companion is Thai and has wanted to teach some Thai people on his mission. Slight problem, she doesn't speak very much English only Thai so I don't say much in lessons now which is weird.... We also went to a big Thai festival at the Big Thai Buddhist temple in our area. It was kinda cool. It felt like being back over in Asia. We taught 7 lessons this week but I was only at 4 of them because we had exchanges this week with our District leader. Then one of the 4 I was at was in Thai so I guess I was only at 3, hahah. We have to help them not get into the interrogator status. Also 4 of the lesson we had members at, and one of those was a dinner. I was not there for I was in Studio City with our dear old Elder Miller, figuring out what to eat like we always did in Granada Hills. And just having like oatmeal or something. It was odd how much it hadn't changed in like a year of not being together.

Well lately we have had good dinners it has been 6 or 7 a week for weeks. Which is much better than September when we had maybe 15 in the whole monthish and maybe 7 or 8 of those were in the last week.

We went to a fireside in the ward and Mark Deacon, he is a bishop in the Encino ward in our mission, spoke. He is the actor that portrays Christ in The Lamb of God video. He spoke about his experience which was pretty cool. The thing that I remember most is how he said that when he was lifted onto the cross in the film that there was a little movie magic. He had some hand holds he could hold and then a line connected to his back, but it still hurt a lot, and he wasn't even baring all of his own weight. He would repeat that many times. So then, if that hurt so much, he can't imagine what the Savior went through. So it is just completely amazing what the Savior did for us. And that He would do it for a lot of people who would still reject Him even though He had died for them. I know that we are completely unworthy of such love but am in awe that He still did it. I know that we can be cleansed from our sins through Him and only through Him, as His name is the only name under heaven that salvation can be brought to pass. I am thankful for our Savior and thankful for the love He has given us. I know that He Lives, which Brother Deacon said was the most important part of the film and the part that has the most impact on him. He is our Savior and wants to heal us through His Blood. I am Grateful to be one of His representatives and His voice as if a trump, which by the way I think aptly describes my level of speech, and am thankful for the time I have left to do so.

Well here are photos. We went to The City Walk mall up by Universal studios

Love ya,

Elder Hyde

North Hollywood District with the Zone Leaders

Elder Tobchan, Elder Ashworth, and Elder Hyde on a bus

Elder Hyde and an angel that smelled slightly of chips and salsa

Elder Hyde, Elder McCauley, and Elder Lee at Universal City Walk mall

"This week was the best week both in experiences as well as numbers, but numbers aren't important"

This week I found a GPS that worked at a yard sale for 5 bucks so of course I bought it.

We had a lesson on eternal marriage in Sunday school, and then in priesthood we taught with the heads up of only Sacrament Meeting because the teacher had to leave. But it went very well. It was on chapter 19, whichever one that is in the Joseph Fielding book. It is an interesting subject about sacrifice and all. We can never understand the greatness of the atonement but we can try to understand it and apply it.

This week was the best week both in experiences as well as numbers, but numbers aren't important. Well we had a great week. We were working at Spanish work level this week. We had a lot of lessons and a lot of contacts. We were going around on Tuesday visiting people and slowly making our way towards a lesson we had. But we had moved faster than we had expected so we still had time before the lesson. So we went by a referral that lived near our investigator, hoping to catch him at home. We knocked on the front door 2 or 3 times but no one answered, even though we could hear someone in there. We were about to leave, until I remember that in the description when the referral came it said to go around back to get in. We went around back and a man was sitting on a small mattress on the ground. We asked if he was who we were looking for and he was! So we sat down and gave a quick first lesson and just kinda of got to know him a little. We asked if he would like to come to church with us this Sunday (the 12th) and he said he would like to. So we left to go to our other lesson which is with our investigator with a baptismal date, Angel. He is 15 and the son of a LA, well she isn't really LA anymore, but whatever. We were going to teach about The Gospel of Jesus Christ, but when we showed up, since we weren't able to get a male over 18 to come with us we had to have the lesson outside. When he came down he was carrying a big bottle of iced tea. So we had planned to teach the Word of Wisdom next week but I accidentally just started in on it this week, but it was following the Spirit I guess..... or me being absent minded one of the two..... I'm going with the Spirit and I'm sticking to it. He committed to live the Word of Wisdom so that was great, now to see if it stuck.

We went by Lance’s on Saturday and it was good. We took Brother Gary Pike (he was in The Lettermans if that means anything to you). He is our ward mission leader and Lance was great. He had read out of the Book of Mormon and he remembered like all he had read. It was only 4 chapters, but it was great. He would say the names wrong or put like a French accent on them and Brother Pike would correct him all the time. It doesn't matter right now how you say them he is reading it! Yeah, Brother Pike is an interesting fella.

It’s hot but it is cooling off , but then it will get hot again, so yeah.

We went to the Thai temple on Saturday where they have their Thai market and food stuff and we got some and I ate sticky rice and kabobs, so yeah it was fun.

I think I liked Elder Bednar’s conference talk the most. It was kinda fun and it is weird to know we were watching some of it at the same time, but mostly cool.

We have a Halloween party on the 25th and we get to be the chili cook off judges, so yay! Oh I like chili now.

I have run out of time so I will talk to you next week.

Love you
Elder Hyde

Safari So Cal Style

Yep, our investigators are coming along. We had a lesson with Lance on Saturday. The day before we were going to a less active member’s house and we saw him out front of his house so we stopped and said Hi. He said that he thought we were set for Saturday and I said yes and he remembered the time, too. So I kinda took that as a small sign he might be more there than I had thought. But after the lesson, once again I am not too sure. He would get a word and then just use it a lot until we would use a different word and then he started using that all the time. But not in the right place or anything he would just kinda substitute it for a lot of different words. So we asked in ward council if we could have a member come with us and kinda have a third party evaluate so then we could maybe get an idea from someone other than the 2, 20 year old kids. Yeah, Joe is pretty awesome. He is coming along.

And yeah, it is also good though that I stayed instead of Elder Hui. Because we got three new missionaries in the ward this week because they switched the sisters to elders and I got a new companion. I am closer with Joe and able to better relate to him.

Elder Tobchan is my new companion. He is from Thailand, but has been living in Colorado for a few years. The cool thing is that our area has one of the largest Thai temples around here so that is pretty fun for him cause there are lots of Thai people. I don't have a recent photo of him but I have one from about 6 months ago when he was up in Valencia the same time as me. This was on Preparation day, we went bowling. Oh, cool thing, Elder Tobchan’s step dad works for the State Department too.

We watched as a mission the new film Meet the Mormons this past Wednesday, and it was amazing. It really helps just show that we are normal people and not crazy cult people like everyone thinks, so yeah um it was good.

I am good now. You know me I kick things pretty quick and Joe's Grandma and Mom took care of me while I was sick.

Look! I went on a safari of my own!

Love you,

Elder Hyde

I Just Thought Missionaries Walked Around All Day

Hi Mom,

Joe is coming along, He is just getting everything in order that he needs to do and he’s working on becoming a better member, ha-ha. He says he is already a Mormon, which he pretty much is. He has an aunt named Kathy that reminds me of you. So I have started to call her mom. I already call his Grandma, Grandma so it’s not that weird. They say me and Joe are just brothers from other mothers. It is pretty great. The other families are coming along. This has been probably the best time on my mission and some of the hardest. I was not used to the whole like teaching thing it was weird; I just thought missionaries walked around all day ha-ha.

Lisa is just falling right back into going to church, and Angel is doing great in the youth program. So well he is now dating one of the young women...... so I am worried that it could be a good thing or a very very bad thing cause well yeah teenage relationships are like gunpowder ...... they aren't stable and very volatile.

I am staying on bike for another transfer. The new people showed up today and transfers are tomorrow. Elder Hui is moving on to another bike area. Um I will tell ya who I get next week I guess. I am staying.... and both the Sisters are moving, too. They are staying together but just leaving the area. They had a small problem with an investigator not understanding why sisters go to his house. So yeah, we aren't sure if we are getting sisters here or elders here. So once again I am the only missionary left in a ward. It kinda happened in Granada Hills. We had a 6 weeker and a trainee and then Chapman and me... so yeah here goes nothing. I love and hate that President knows I can handle pretty much whatever he throws at me because I just put my head down and keep going.

I was sick this whole week so we didn't do much. On Wednesday though, we get to view the new movie “Meet the Mormons” so that will be cool.

I love you Bye

Visit from Elder and Sister Carlson

Hi Mom,

I am enjoying my new CDs, thanks. The EFY one is different than the last one and so I am getting used to it, and the other one, I listened to only once so far, and that was while cleaning, so not very much got in. It sounded good; I just haven't sat and listened to it much. We don't have as much time for that here as I have in other places. We had the assistants call and congratulate us again on having a really good week. I don't know if they make rounds now or something or we are actually just doing really well. We only had 2 investigators (yeah only 2 that sounds so dumb. I remember when I was ecstatic if we had one or even just a less active) oh and we had 3 less actives at church. Well, 2 and a half, but one we had dropped because we couldn't get in contact with him after the first lesson. But then he came to church yesterday after not even seeing him for like 6 weeks. Yes, he is friends with one of our investigators and all but he came for the first time, so that is cool. Our ward is really trying to reach out and help in the work, which is a really big change since I got here. We are apparently going to have like Joe and then 2 or 3 of the young men and then the young men's councilor all at this next meeting with Angel. When I said we need to get more members to lessons, I was meaning more members to different lessons. Not like 10 to just one lesson, ha-ha. We got a ride from President Clink Yesterday, he is our Stake President, and he said he was grateful that we were hard working brethren.

We went hiking over on the Burbank ridge as a zone, we were south of the big white B for Burbank (which throws me of every so often, thinking somehow I am in Bountiful). It was a terrible hike because there was a fire maybe 5 years ago so the trail used to be almost completely shaded but now is barren and an oven.

Well here is kinda my week:
We gave a mini lesson at church to a member’s friend right after opening exercises. The teaching situation was weird, cause some how it worked out to be Sister Ogilvie and I teaching as a companionship. Elder Hui and Sister Hardy were talking to the member’s daughter that got back from BYU-I. I moved over to see what was happening with the nonmember. So yeah ..... it was weird. She was Seventh Day Adventist so her question was the same as others: why Sunday not Saturday. I gave a logical answer and a scriptural answer and told her to pray. Logical answer: because during the time of Christ, Saturday didn't even exist yet. Scriptural answer: Mark 2: 27, as well as that Christ said that he came to fulfill the law of Moses not break it, and so thus the Sabbath no longer would have been as the Jews had it.

As well as we had a hand off lesson with the Spanish elders they gave us a man named Lance who they found. He is interesting because he lives in a group home and it is a narcotics anonymous home as well, as for mental and physical disabilities, so we are still trying to completely make sure he is accountable.

We also had a great time at the Zone Conference. Elder Carlson’s wife, Sister Carlson, stood up and pretty much chastised us and said; all the rules apply to you. You can think that the rules don't apply to you, but they do. Then she gave some weird examples, like a guy in the Air Force who wanted to buzz his parents’ home and was told no. But apparently all he heard was blah blah blah and thought the rules didn't apply to him. So he went to buzz the house and made a pass. While turning around, his wing clipped a tall pine tree in the yard, and he crashed in front of his parents’ house. She gave some other examples. So we all thought, if that was the way she is then holy crap, what is the general authority going to be like?! So he got up and started and the gist of what he said was in a very nice manner: be obedient ... it's smart, ok, and then moved on. Ha-ha, so yeah, it was weird but pretty cool. He was a funny guy who didn't completely want to be a general authority. He said it was never a plan or on the radar or the top ten on the list, it just wasn't even on the list. So yeah, he was kinda cool.

Love
Elder Hyde

Top 10 of the Week and Big Changes in the Mission

A friend sent him their top ten events of the week. Here are Elder Hyde's Top Ten from this week:

Top Ten

10. Waking up

9. Walking

8. Biking

7. Shaving

6. Studies

5. Sitting

4. Talking to people

3. Eating

2. Sleeping

1. Preaching

Well, I have been here for 3 months and things have been alright lately, here is a summary of life.

We have seen a lot of people come and go and we have some people that have been around for a long time. But we have one guy named Joe, his whole family is members but he wasn't baptized because his parents were having some marriage issues and to spite the mom the dad said Joe couldn't be baptized. So he kinda took a hard left turn in his teenage years. He had to come live with his grandma because he decided he needed to change. So he has gone from doing everything you can think of, to now coming to church for 3 months straight. He will be baptized in the coming year-ish. He has some things that he needs to do before he is able to be baptized so we are just teaching and fellowshipping him for the time being, so that is pretty awesome. He has put some spirit back into this ward which has 4 people under the age of 40 that attend regularly. We have 8 people over 90 and 14 people over the age of 80, so yeah we have an old ward..... But we are trying to help this ward come back.

Yeah it is either the less-actives hates you or love you or just try to act as if you have the wrong person. One of the easiest I have seen was when we walked down the street and a lady flagged us down. Then we taught her and her son and they came to church 2 weeks in a row and then missed 2 weeks in a row. But it was because of travel, so I guess that is ok. But we will get them coming again this week. Yeah, it was pretty great. We just keep trying to help them come closer to Christ and Satan is like, “no don't go closer to Him” and we are all like Yes, Yes come closer to Him. So yeah, that is annoying when Satan gets all up in our business.

We have no idea what is going to happen this transfer since, we had some stuff go down in the mission lately. We had a zone leader emergency transferred and have had so far 4 elders sent home, sadly including one of my former companions, and there might be more, it just hasn't happened yet so we aren't sure. So I might be staying in my area or I might be going, so who really knows. I kinda feel like I might be the one heading on out but who knows. We find out the Saturday after the one coming up.

We also have a Seventy coming to the mission, Elder Carlson. It is on Thursday at The Granada Hills stake center. I can never get away, can I? Then we have one more week and then it is transfers and it is going to be an interesting one. Supposedly we are going to find out about iPads this month too, so this is a crazy month. Just like last year how we had 50 missionaries come in and Elder Miller and I opened an area and yeah, Septembers are a crazy month.



I have 10 months left, so it’s kinda soon, kinda not so long. I am an old man in the mission now, I'm 20 and I am over a year...... so yeah it is scary now. All of the missionaries that were here when I showed up are now leaving and it is like I don't know anyone anymore. The Sisters that came out with me only have 4 months left so ahhhhhhhh. Everyone has started to do the thing they did to Elder Mudrow, “How long you been out Elder, 14 months? Oh, so you are almost done?” No, stop saying that! I thought that would never happen to me, I would joke with him about it and now the exact same thing is now happening to me.....

I am just at the point where every day feels the same. They all mesh together and I sweat a lot. There are small differences, but nothing really major lately. So I enjoy watching the new missionaries have such drive and excitement. It is interesting and kinda sad to slowly watch that drive and excitement dim. They kinda see the real missionary life and realize that missionaries aren't some super people. That everything isn’t just smooth and there are no problems.



My bike is doing ok, it needs a tune up bad, but a real tune up not just me put some chain oil on and cleaning it off, so yeah, I am going to ask President if I can take it to a member in the Granada Hills ward who has been riding bikes for over 60 years now and fixes missionary bikes for free and I like free, free is good. Yep I have a new suit and I got new service shoes now I need to get some sport shoes, and my normal (normal is a relative term, I mean church shoes) are holding up ok, They are good old missionary shoes they are kinda tired but are still good.

I go fine, I'm a good old missionary, really tired but am still good. Life just keeps pulling along.

Love ya

Elder Hyde

Great Week and Teaching

This week wasn't a super week, but it was a great week. We met with our less active and her investigating 15 year old son and it was good. We had a member there with us who was able to explain prophets and apostasy really well. After that lesson we had another lesson, kind of. We didn't count it as a lesson or a new investigator because we aren't too sure how many lights are actually on upstairs for him. It is sad a little bit, he wants to find the light but he isn't able to hold on to it once he catches a little. He has lived alone for a long time and he didn't make the best of choices as he grew up, it sounds like. So we are going to meet with him again and see if he really is accountable or if he is going to have to wait for the next life to accept the gospel. Which he will, he loves God and Jesus Christ. But it so warped and twisted by the fog of his brain and the false teaching of man in religion he has grown up with. He just can't grab the light and keep a firm grip. It just slips through his fingers. Then we had a lesson with our investigator Joe. He has a little ways to come but is coming quickly. He has a good grasp of the gospel, now to get him to have a testimony of it, and to firm the one he already has.

The family from Arizona didn't come to church this week, so we are going to text and see if everything is alright. We haven’t started to teach them yet. They want to get settled a little more before we start. So here's to them finding an apartment on our side and not the sisters, ha-ha. It was funny. We had an investigator come to church. The first time by herself since I have been here. She always sits out in the foyer with her dad because he doesn't want to go in the chapel. He says he feels judged. So when she said she was alone, I told her to get in the chapel. She said no and we went back and forth for a bit. Then I stood up, walked out, and shook her hand, but didn't let go and pulled her up. She is 17 and weighs like 115. So it took no effort then I brought her into the chapel. We even got her to sing the hymns, so yeah a good Sunday, I like not really having the silly notion that I can't be myself just cause I'm a missionary, I am just a missionary me, ha-ha.

These last few days have been the first real times that I have been homesick at all on my mission. They are random and I haven't even been thinking of home a lot lately, but that just might be it. There is a good balance probably to think about home, not too much to make you home sick and not want to work, but enough to keep you from having a really big homesickness all at once, instead of small doses throughout each day. Also, we have a brand new sister in our ward. It has made me realize that we have been out for a long time. Sometimes it feels as if I haven't done as much as I could have in the time I have had, and that I only have so much time left to try and do what I can before I am done. It’s weird. I am the oldest missionary in the ward, in age.

I have been rereading the Book of Mormon, I am in 2 Nephi. I am also in Revelations and in Job and in section 65 and I have finished the POGP. Also, I am reading the war chapters of Alma I like them they are cool.

Love

Elder Hyde

Sporting the lost and found vest and bow tie

This Was a Week of Miracles

My birthday was a pretty good day. We had Zone Training Meeting. We had phone problems. Then we went to a member's house for dinner. It was fun and then at the end of the day the Studio City Elders and our Sisters surprised us when we got to the door. I got a card from Mish and Grandma. And I got the balloons and the Tower of circle boxes with candy in them. Thank You Parents, you are awesome.

Funny story: The temple Is great, I am going this month for my birthday, there is a Sister missionary in our ward that also has a birthday in August, and we thought both companionships should both go at the same time, ...... I being the dumb man, I am walked up to her and asked "so when did you want us to go to the temple?". ..... She just kinda looked at me and then walked away, I nearly killed one of our members because he was laughing so much..... so yeah go me!

Story for the week: Well this week was a week of miracles. We had A family show up from Arizona that had been taking the lessons there and they came to church, all 9 of them! We had a less active and her 2 children come, one of which is an investigator. And we had 13 non members at church from us and 2 from the sisters so we had 15 non members at our sacrament meeting, and 2 less actives. Also, the ward members just took over and took the investigators and the less actives to where they needed to go, primary, gospel principles, etc. So, it was amazing. So, this probably was the best week of my mission, thus far.

We are alive and have exchanges soon. This transfer is racking up to be a great one! Now to just keep the momentum going.

Elder Hui and I are staying together for another transfer.

Here are photos.

Love

Elder Hyde

We asked him to send us new Passport Pics.

A Note from Brother and Sister Kassouf

Dear Hyde & Hoi families,

We had your sons for dinner. We had good conversations, fun, and friendship. They are doing well.

Sincerely,
Brother and Sister Kassouf

Teaching Ed and Sky Bluespeak

Liked the picture of your sandwich, do you take turns cooking or do you cook for yourself?

Yep, yep, we usually cook for ourselves. He is a very Asian food person since he is Honkanese and all. So yeah, I love the smell of the house. Usually it is my favorite completely and utterly, your stir fried broccoli is my favorite smell, ha-hah- NO.

Do you like your new area? Why aren't there many people feeding you?

Yep I am enjoying it. There just aren't that many people in the ward, and they are like super old. I think we have 10-15 under 40 50ish, and then like 60 or more over 70, so yeah older ward. We have a member that has been in the ward for 75 years.

We had a good week; we found two new investigators this week. They were a referral from some other missionaries, Ed W. and Sky Bluespeak. They are African American and over 50. Ed is from Texas and Sky is from Detroit. So poor Elder Hui, he understands one in maybe every 10 words. An elder asked Elder Hui how much English he knew and Elder Hui said "poquito" so that was pretty funny.

Well I Love you Mom have a good week.

Love,

Elder Hyde

Zone Conference

Hi Pops,

It is getting really warm now. It hasn't really rained here since about March, I think. Almost the entire state is in extreme drought conditions. It is going to get bad in the coming year. I don't understand why Americans are so stupid, like sprinklers on at the worst part of the day and most of the water just ends up on the concrete. Also, why do we water weeds? I don't understand grass, it is such a silly thing.

Well we had Zone Conference this week and it was on Ch3 Lesson 5 – Laws and Ordinances, how to use it, how to prepare a lesson plan, and how to teach it. We learned that we will be getting iPads. We will get our instructions in September and training on it then. Then they will be shipped out after that so in maybe 3 months we will have iPads. I'm excited, I can't wait to use it for Mormon messages because they are awesome. I am wary of them too, though, because I see problems arising from this. But I know the General Authorities know what they are doing and wouldn't do it if the risk outweighed the blessings. But still, I foresee problems and hope that there is some mention in the instructions, ‘cause if not, I will mention it. I can also see it being the down fall of some missionaries, but yeah, that's just cynical ol' me. But I am happy we are going to get them. My only question I had for everyone when they were all hyper about the area book and stuff being on there, "yeah it will be great, my only thought is how do you think it is all going to get on there in the first place?" People kinda sat there for a bit, because yeah not looking forward to typing everything on to it. ha-ha.

At the end of the conference, we got our uncontacted referrals sheet. Yep, you guessed it, there were 47 referrals to be contacted, and the referral update system is down.... so yay. But it is ok, since a lot of them are so spread out we set aside some time on Thursday to call them. Since It is hard to understand Elder Hui on the phone, sometimes I do most of the calling when it is to new investigators or referrals. It is hard enough to talk to them when you speak English as your mother tongue, but it is another thing when it is a second language. But I make him talk to other missionaries and members on the phone, since it is not as imperative for complete comprehension on their part. I am slowly having him make a few of the calls to referrals and investigators so he doesn't use me as a crutch. I have grown tired of always talking on the phone, ha-ha.

Yesterday our only lesson fell through so we had a good 3 hours of contacting. Before that we had 6 contacts. At the end of the day we had 83 contacts and maybe 2 or 3 potentials. But hey, we were only 5 away for a weekly goal because of it.

Love,
Elder Hyde

Here is a sample of a Mormon Message https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-01-001-abide-with-me?category=mormon-messages/mormon-messages-2014&lang=eng

Pray for Our Investigators

Oops! my apartment number is 212, so it is 7651 Laurel Canyon #212, North Hollywood CA 91605

We had a picnic on Saturday with the ward so that was fun. It was kinda pioneer day related with that there weren't any electronic games, other than that it wasn't related at all. Oh, and of course there are photos and of course I did not take any of them so I will get them for you next week.

My week was an average mission week, an emotional roller coaster. Being so happy but so tired at the same time, being frustrated at investigators, loving the investigators more than I can understand, fretting about a ride for Preparation-day, and the Lord always coming through with blessing after blessing after blessing even though I do not feel like we had done anything that should merit such a blessing, but were blessed anyways; so yeah, an average week as a missionary.

I am in The North Hollywood Zone, In the North Hollywood ward, I seem to always be in a ward that the stake is named after Valencia 3rd, Granada Hills, North Hollywood, so yeah I found that interesting.

We have about 8 investigators and about 3-5 progressing. 2, Jamie 45, and his daughter, Allie 17, kinda are progressing but kinda aren't. It is because right now the only way for them to progress anymore is to get baptized, but it will happen sooner or later. Then we have Joe, who is pretty much a member except the whole baptism thing, he will be soon, hopefully. He wants to but just some stuff needs to be cleared up first. Then we have Ashley. She is dating a guy in the ward, and wants to learn but is like, “a bible a bible we already have a bible.” But is also very open to listen, yes it is weird but we go with it. We blew her mind last lesson so we are hoping to make some head way there (haha blew her mind and head way hehe hehe). Then there is Brett, we have a baptismal date with him for August 30th. He is coming along he came to church for the first time yesterday and it was great.

Speaking of yesterday, we had 5 investigators come to church yesterday! So that was pretty cool. Family is amazing. That is what I have come to realize as I talk to everyone, missionary or not, family always family. The Lord loves a lot. Sometimes I don't know why but other times I feel like I understand it completely. But The Lord Loves and we should just put our trust in Him, all will turn out fine. (Side note even a year ago you would have never heard such a thing proceed out of my ...... well not mouth but I guess fingers since this is an email.)

My area is a great place down here. The members are great, they love the missionaries. It is weird because there are so few people in the ward can feed us, so after all that time fighting and placing boundaries in Granada Hills and Newhall I come here and its free reign ha-ha. We are on bike, of course, what else would I be on ha-ha. It is weird to know I have been out longer than I have left........... Not ok.

Love

Elder Hyde

My companion is Elder Hui and he is a very excited missionary. He keeps me on my toes. Did I mention he is excited? Every so often I have to be, "Yes we want to share the Gospel with everyone, but during their drug deal is not the best time to do so." So yeah, he reminds me of Elder Mudrow, which was one of his last companions.

I asked Elder Hyde for a picture of himself. He sent me this signature sandwich and a peace sign. :) I love that guy.

Adventures in North Hollywood

I gave a talk yesterday, it was about pioneers and I talked about Rwanda and stuff like that. I also talked about you, Mom. The Rwanda stuff was already making me tear up and then talking about you, I almost- note almost cried. I was talking about the Stripling warriors and I said that it was there mamas that taught them and that most missionaries will tell you that it was there mom that has either got them out or keep them out. I told them that you read my mind, even if you are far away, and you send me silly mom things

We had exchanges this week and that was fun. I love exchanges because well, they are fun and great stuff always happens. Yeah Elder Hui and I are having fun. It is weird though, I haven't been around Asian culture for a little while and I forgot how much they do not understand about the whole personal bubble thing. But it is ok, we talk things out and it’s all fun haha. It is nice for both of us though, that I have been around his culture a little bit so we have a much easier time. Yes, I told him I had lived in Shekou, near Hong Kong when I was a baby and he isn't sure if he knows it or not. Language study goes well. I have helped his pronunciation a lot, spelling now that is a different matter haha.

What is North Hollywood like compared to the other areas you have served in?

Well there are a lot more black people and more apartments and more Mexicans. I give out more Spanish cards than I do English cards each day, it is weird. We always try to talk to everyone, but I do sometimes use judgment calls on when someone is too drunk to talk to.... I have made that decision more in the past two weeks than I have in the whole time I have been out.

I got yelled at by a big black man this week. I was told to f- off and get the f- out of here because he didn't give an f about this that and them. But it was ok, he told me he loved me, I said love you too man, so that was fun.

Love
Elder Hyde

Where are you?

Well, I am in the North Hollywood ward. It is pretty great so far, I miss Newhall, but that is ok it is going to be great. My address is 7651 Laurel Canyon, North Hollywood, CA 91605 It is nice that we also play basketball with some less actives and nonmembers every week. So yeah,it is bloody hot here. I am sweating the weight off. Oh, another cool thing about our area is we do splits with missionaries who are not in our mission. We have so many Armenian people in our area and we do not have Armenian missionaries so the ones from the Arcadia mission got permission to come and work with us once a week. That is really cool, it is still in our area but with missionaries not in the mission.

Who is your new companion?

My companion is Elder Hui. He is Honkenes (from Hong Kong) so that is pretty awesome. We do language study every morning. He speaks English; we are now working on pronunciation. Also, I am learning a little Cantonese. I am the senior companion, not that that matters, it’s just sad because I broke my run of no leadership, sad day, haha. So it is going to be fun and as my saying is now, “Here goes something,” because we are missionaries and we are always doing something! So we can't say, “Here goes nothing,” because it has to always be something or it is a waste of our time and the Lords time.

Tell me a little more about the pictures you sent last week-

The family is the Sirias family, they are members, well the son-in-law is not, but hopefully sooner or later he will. They love missionaries and they are the best people. They just make you feel like you are home, also Sister Sirias moms the missionaries. Bear and Mario are members and they were less active for like 20 years but are now fully active and some of the most wonderful people ever. Bear is one of the most missionary minded members I have ever found. He has a heart the size of him. I know that I will go back and visit that ward. But for now I have a different ward to love and help.

What did you do for the 4th?

We had zone training in the morning and then went out to lunch with another set of elders and then walked and talked to people and went in to our house for dinner at 7 and then unpacked and talked. so yeah very festive. our area sounded like a war zone. so that was interesting.

Did you get your packages?

I got Mish's but not yours, not yet anyways.

Jaron is a dad!?......... Well that is odd but still kinda scary. so yeah :) Congratulations!

1 John 1:5 “5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” This is what we share and this is what draws people to the Gospel Love you have a good week.

Love Elder Hyde

Tell the part member family she has hope. We just (the ward/ sisters) had a baptism of a guy who had been coming for 4 years straight and pretty much had a calling, but just wasn't baptized. Then one day he stood up and said he was getting baptized, so there is hope. I too have been thinking about using time wisely lately cause I hit my year mark in two weeks and it blows my mind. I still feel like I just got here and yet I am now old. Also, both of your children will be 2 decades old in a month..... he he old man you. Things are going well; I get transferred tomorrow so that will be interesting. We do a transfer meeting where everyone who is getting transferred goes to the main church building for our mission. And then President says where everyone is going and you leave. So you are never alone. You walk in with a companion and you walk out with a companion, since our mission is so small it works. But that also means I don't know where I am going until tomorrow.

And yes, I am still on bike.... horrific, haha. No, just a year straight on bike is a little tiring. It wouldn't be so bad if no one had cars and everyone biked. But no, some people luck out and get cars and some people have my luck and have no car. So yeah, but it is nice to have change. I like change. I’m not sure where I get that from..... haha.

That is really great that you always have the missionaries over, here we aren't allowed to both eat at the same member’s house as the sisters, unless it is the bishop, ward mission leader, or other ward council like things ... well I guess Pops is HPGL so I guess that works. Yes I have stayed informed on the world cup and I too have thought of being back in Rwanda, haha, I have been learning a lot lately how to just turn things over to the Lord and trust in Him. I can't affect if I get a car or if I’ll go to a good or great or bad area. I will go where I am needed and I will like it. That is one thing Pops taught me that I say ever so often,” You don't have to want to; you just have to have to.” So yeah here are photos.

I love ya,
Elder Hyde

Bear and Mario

Mission Temple Trip

Newhall member family

Gotta love Cali

Visiting the neighbors

P-day Pictures

Oh do you remember the living scriptures we watched? Well the guy that made them lives in our ward and he is really missionary minded. We go out with him on Wednesdays and go to his house for chocolate milkshakes every Sunday night. So yeah I thought that was cool. Oh, we had dinner with an investigator family and it was great we were able to give the dad a Book of Mormon and teach some and eat some food, always a plus.

Love
Elder Hyde

Sister Stewart from Layton 

Sporty Bowling Shoes

GQ In-n-Out

Abby Dropped Us, But We Are Continuing to Find People to Teach

May 19, 2014

The week has been interesting it has been fun and hard and trying and fast and slow and yeah that. We have been trying to keep up the morale here, because our baptismal date Abby, dropped us and our only other progressing investigator dropped us, so its back to basic's Finding! Yay we couldn't be more happy. haha No, we like finding it is just a tiring thing. However we did get an awesome referral for a family this week from another set of missionaries, and we hope to start teaching them soon. We have met the father and seen the daughter, but it is going to be awesome so we really hope that they progress. We also are going to focus a lot on less active work. We really hope to help some of the part- members too. All of the members here think President is really strict because we have areas and we have to stay in our areas for dinner and stuff like that but they are just used to very lenient mission presidents and not so obedient missionaries from times past. Yes it was very, very, hot last week but this week is supposed to be cooler. Elder Peterson and I are staying together for another transfer so we will see how this goes. I think it will be fun. One spiritual thing that happened this week, hmmmm, it has just been finding this week and not too much happened. The referral was pretty great. Elder Peterson hasn't been feeling good lately. So yeah, not too much has happened. We just keep trying, it has been a hard week. 

Love,
Elder Hyde

June 2, 2014

Hello Mom

It sounds like it has been a busy week. Yeah, Dad said your extension wasn’t accepted. I guess it is your turn to be in the States Well, 10 years straight of overseas would be hard for most people. Wow, 10 years 2005- 2015 can you believe that? Crazy, it has been 10 years almost since China; also can you believe that it is half way through 2014? 

We picked up a new investigator this week. She and a less active are dating and they just had a kid a few months back. They are pretty much married, they now just need to do the ceremony, hopefully it will happen soon. They came to church and had a great time, can't wait for our lesson on Thursday. We also met a Less active’s non- member daughter, Jenna Irvin, she isn't an investigator yet .. yet. But she has started going to mutual without us even ever speaking to her, we have just talked to her mom. We just had a member let us know she went to mutual and then told us she was coming to church. So yeah, I like that kind of missionary work. Where I didn't do anything really other than stop by and talk to the mom every so often and then have this happens. It’s fun, it should happen more often haha. 

We get to go in 20 or so days as a mission to the temple... it will be awesome. I bore my testimony yesterday, and then everyone asked if I was leaving or something. I said “no, I just bore my testimony, why does everyone keep asking me that?!” But it was nice, I had a few different people ask me that and then say good, you shouldn't leave for a while. We like having you around, so that was nice. Wards have always enjoyed me being in them. They say it is because I am different than the other missionaries, I am just myself. And just act as if I am part of the ward. So then they feel like I care more about the work in the ward. So yeah, that is cool. That is what progression is, just being better today than yesterday and better tomorrow than today.

I read Alma13:28 recently  “But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;” And I thought that it is true that the world today has the “act now deal with it later” mentality and it will drive them into the ground. It amazes me every time I read from the Book of Mormon how much it was written for our day. 

Love you Mommy

Elder Hyde

Preparing Abby

Abby is doing well, the family is doing ok they are having lots of trouble from the her dad's ex-girlfriend and ex wife. They might have to move soon and they just had a garage sale on Saturday so they could get money for rent so things aren't looking too hot right now but we are praying for them. We also have moved the baptism from the 10th to the 17th. Just so we can teach everything again and make sure.

Wow, it is so great to see the great change in lives because of the gospel and it is so amazing to see how powerful a testimony can be even if it is a few words. I agree with Emanuel that the explanation of 2 Nephi 2 you gave, Dad, was very well done. I will apply that into my teaching and hope that it helps those I teach. I think my favorite chapter of scripture is John 14. Because of the way Jesus teaches that the way we show love for him and his Father is by keeping his commandments. As well, he tells us that he "will not leave us comfortless I will come unto you." My favorite verse is 27, "Peace, I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." but for the Book of Mormon, I would have to say Mosiah 1, because of verse 6-7. 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.
7 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 promises which the Lord made unto our fathers.”

Well, have a good week Pops, not too much happened this week just a lot of finding and no crazy stories nothing really but I love you Pops

Love,
Elder Hyde

Newhall News

Tell me one spiritual thing that happened this week.

We saw miracles on exchanges like we always do. We are still alive so that is always a plus for the week. We also had exchanges this week with the Valencia Elders, Elder Peterson and Elder Banks were in Newhall, and Elder Matthews and I were in Valencia. We had a wonderful exchange, we taught 2 lessons and we picked up a new investigator from one of the lessons. We also had the Mormon Helping Hands, which was amazing. Elder Peterson and Elder Banks had a great time as well. They taught 2 lessons and picked up a new investigator from one of the lessons, as well. We picked up an investigator that had been a potential that the missionaries before me. I have been trying to get for a long time, so it was a great exchange. We have an exchange set up with the Assistants on Friday (they are in our district) it is pretty awesome to have them around. I love new investigators. We have one right now her name is Abby, but she is having a lot of family issues so we are hoping and praying that she will be able to make her baptism on the 10th.

Tell me one crazy thing that happened this week.

I am thankful that Dad, Daniel, and I got motorcycles because if I didn't ride those bikes, I wouldn't have had rode a bike in like 5 years, and having the experience on the bikes has saved me many times this week. Yes, we aren't supposed to tell mothers these things, but yes cars are stupid and they want to kill bicyclists, it is their job. But because I know how to handle a 2 wheeled vehicle, I have not died. And as Paija said, "to ride a motorcycle (or bike) you must be like prophet and think of what the other people will do before they do." Thanks to that I haven't ran over little children and I haven't gotten hit, or anything of the sort so yeah I LIVEEEEEE!!!

Tell me one truly "Californian" moment this week.

Well, on exchanges Elder Matthews and I tried to catch some rabbits in a park, but the rabbits out smarted us... He would try to push them towards me and I would try to push them towards him, but they would then take the one place we didn't think about, between us into the bushes, those sneaky sneaky wabbits.

Tell me your favorite companion quote from the week.

"Remember, same room, but not same bed."

Describe your favorite day this week.

Saturday April 26th,
bum bum
It was 8:00am, we were at Castaic Lake, we were there, For Mormon Helping Hands!
bum bum
It was about 63 degrees, overcast, it had rained the night before, there many mormons and many not mormons there, many in bright yellow vests. we went to the upper lake, and because of the Jones Genes, I was decreed as one of the big people. a shovel was trust into my hands and told "dig out the storm drain." so the Missionary I am, I said "Ok I'll be happy to do that!" and so we started shoveling out leaves and sand and dirt and trash. Once that was done, we move to a V-ditch and somehow a 4-foot pile of sand had been dumped in it. So we dug that out and then dug out the end where it went into the beach, and then we water sealed a barge with sealant, so now it is sealed and my hands are sealed and my jeans are sealed and my shoes are sealed ...... I hate sealant.
bum bum
12:00pm we are done... bum bum

The names and places have been changed but the story was true
Tract & Baptize
Bum Bum.

2 scripture for the week

1. Proverbs 21: 19 "It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and angry woman." 

So I have taken this as my motto for life, when the wife is angry I guess it is time for a camping trip, hahah joking. It is make the home a place where you don’t make a woman angry and contentious so that then the home is a happy place and you can sleep in your own bed and also then the wife is happy so everyone happy.

2. D&C 29: 4-5

4. "Verily, I say unto you that ye are chosen out of the world to declare my gospel with the sound of rejoicing, as with the voice of a trump."

5. "Lift up your hearts and be glad, for I am in your midst, and am your advocate with the Father; and it is hiss good will to give you the kingdom."

We missionaries have been chosen out of the world to go about preaching the gospel to those who need it and to those who have hear with their ears but have not heard. We do this out of love for God's children and not for our selves, anything that we are blessed with or gain while we are out serving is just added benefit, for we have chose and been chosen to do his work. I know that I am here for a reason. I know that there are people that need this and that we can help them. If I waste my time here, I waste their time, and I waste the Lord’s time. I waste the chance to bring souls unto Christ through the waters of baptism and they cannot start the path to the Lord until later once other missionaries find them. I also know that it is important to have member help because we are only in an area for a short time. It is easy to do missionary work as a member, and if you don't have any ideas ask the missionaries in your ward, or if you are in Utah your stake. I know that you will be blessed, the missionaries will be blessed, but most of all, those that you help will have the blessing of the gospel in their lives. They will know that they are a child of God and that He loves them, and they will in turn bless those around them.

Strength and Honor. Fight the good Fight, and Keep the Faith.

Love
Elder Hyde