Week full of MIRACLES!

This week was full of miracles, why? Because President Taggart has
been focusing his remarks to us on praying for miracles and then
expecting that they will happen. So that's exactly what we have been
doing and they are happening all over the place. One of the biggest
was finding a family of brothers that all want to be baptized. They
are all part of la familia Cruz and most of them will be coming to the
YSA with us. This week when we taught them about baptism they
responded "yeah that's something I feel really to do" and are really
excited to be baptized the 23 of May together. The most excited, Edgar
and Jessie, have both started reading and praying and love everything,
especially the word of wisdom.


Can I tell you how amazing it is to have recently returned
missionaries coming into your Ward almost every week for the past 5
weeks? Because this Ward is getting ready for something really big.
The Lord is preparing so many people right now. At church we had at
least 7 people come to church because of the members just inviting
friends to church and them saying yes. Everyone is really excited! One
of the returned missionaries named Jenny Acosta who just got back from
Mérida, Mexico where my friend Megan Manning is serving and they were
really good friends down there so it just shows how small this world
is when you're a member of the church. Haha


Brandon is doing really good but relapsed this week. He is really
hard on himself so we just have to give him a lot of praise and
realize that he can do it. He said one of the most heartfelt prayers
this week that I won't ever forget. I really felt like he was talking
to our Heavenly Father as if he was standing right in front of Him and
the spirit was really powerful. I know that as he realizes his
dependance on the Lord he will be able to overcome his addictions. And
he needs to quickly because he has to be completely clean from May 2
and on.


I found out today that I have a sinus infection and pink eye after
I was suffering this weekend with lots of congestion and a really sore
throat. But I got medicine today and should be fine soon. :) I want
you all to know that miracles are possible and because of Jesus Christ
we can reach new heights and see things that we never really thought
were possible. Gods ways are really higher than our ways and if we
have faith in Him and His Son Jesus Christ we can do all things.


Love,
Elder Hyde

YSA testimonies, I love Missionary work

I love missionary work! It makes me really happy to share the
gospel. So I'm going to have to be quick again but we saw some great
miracles this week. Brandon is really overcoming his addictions
amazingly and is on his 7th day without any smoking or drinking and he
even bore his testimony at church yesterday. He said he can finally
say that he knows that the Book of Mormon is true! Now we are just
waiting for his probation to end in May 15 so he can be baptized! He
has been talking all week about how he is going to have to save his
money so he can serve a mission and go to college and then get married
and make sure his kids don't get into the bad addictions that he did.
It makes me happy to see him progressing.

We also have some really great new investigators that members have
given to us. One guy named Raul told us in our first lesson with him
that he wants to learn more about the church because he is strongly
considering joining it. He is awesome! A little strange, but he just
really needs good friends like he can find here at he church and he
feels super welcomed at the couple activities he has already come to.

We went on two exchanges this week and I got to meet a newer
missionary named Elder Cottam who is really excited about the work and
we learned a lot together about contacting everyone and how to
contact. Then I got to bring Elder Kemp to the YSA for a day and it
was glorious to be able to have another day to serve with him. He has
grown so much and his Spanish has improved a ton since I trained him.
He has had 18 weeks with a companion from Peru so I'm sure that has
helped him. It was a really happy day.

Some cool things that happened during conference that I forgot to
mention. First off, President Bowen, my first mission president, was
called to be an area seventy. That was cool. Then our area seventy in
the mission was called to be a member of the first quorum of the
seventy. Elder Brent H. Nielson, who visited us a few weeks ago, gave
a a amazing talk and it was cool to see him teach with the same type
of power in conference as he does in person.

Today we went on a 10 mile hike in the wilderness and at the top we
climbed into a waterfall and it was really awesome. The best part of
the hike was when at the top of the hike we gathered together and
shared our testimonies as a zone. It was really spiritual and amazing
out in the wilderness without any other noises or distractions.
Something I have missed. I love nature and it really testifies to me
that God really lives and loves us and all of his creations. The
gospel really brings me more joy that anything else and I know it's
the only joy in this life that will last forever. The church is true.


LOVE,
Elder Hyde

Temple Day

This morning we were given the privilege to go to the temple. :) it
really is the house of the Lord and received a lot of revelation as I
followed President Taggarts advice to focus on accountability in the
temple and I really felt the spirit very often. I had a few seconds in
a sealing room and I just felt how great of a blessing it is for us to
be able to have eternal families. I couldn't imagine going through
life without that knowledge. We are really blessed to have the gospel.

Last week we had a lot of really good lessons and a lot of drama.
Being in the YSA they love to tell you everything that is going on but
as missionaries we aren't supposed to counsel others. So this week we
have had a huge focus on directing all of our recent converts and
members to the bishop to receive counsel because we really don't know
how to help them. :)

I really love all of the young adults in this Ward and am so happy
to be here with them. We had a mission leadership council yesterday.
That is when we have a 6 hour council with President and Sister
Taggart, the assistants, and all of the zone leaders and sister
training leaders. Wow, there are so many great missionaries and
leaders here it was a great learning experience to counsel with them
and try to add what I have learned and what impressions came to me
from the spirit as we discussed the needs of the mission. The day
before Elder Pace and I sent a really long letter to President on how
we felt we could improve our leadership council meetings and how we
could improve our vision and desire as a mission and it was great to
see him address our concerns with the whole council.

Brandon is doing really good and is making big progress with his
officers so he can be eligible to be baptized by May 15th. We also
made some big jumps with Maria Garcia and some of the new members and
their conversion. I am so excited for general conference and helping
others get excited about it has really made me even more prepared to
receive their guidance and direction this weekend. Make sure to
prayerfully have questions ready for conference and be ready to write
down spiritual promptings as you listen to their words. I want to end
with a promise from preach my gospel.

"Those who listen to and follow the counsel of living prophets and
apostles will not go astray. The teachings of living prophets provide
an anchor of eternal truth in a world of shifting values and help us
avoid misery and sorrow. The confusion and strife of the world will
not overwhelm us, and we can enjoy the assurance of being in harmony
with God’s will."

I know that as we follow their counsel we won't be led astray but we
will be able to stay on the path to return to live with our Heavenly
Father.

Love,
Elder Hyde

http://www.lds.org/manual/preach-my-gospel-a-guide-to-missionary-service/what-do-i-study-and-teach/lesson-4-the-commandments?lang=eng
Pictures: 1. Our zone at the temple! 2. Elder Pace and I :)