tortuga grande

so Elder Hyde emailed us this picture today,of course,with no explanation

so, I quickly sent him a reply and asked, "is that tonight's dinner?".

Elder Hyde responded, "no, but I did eat the family guinea pig Thursday".  

Dearly beloved families and friends,

Well I will try to give out as much information as I can I had to write a lot to President Stauffer this week.

 I want to start this letter off with letting you guys know how much I love each and every one of you and how thankful that I am for writing and helping me to become a better person, missionary, and man. I have had a lot of ups and downs this last transfer it has been hard watching people come so close to baptism and then just not want to take the step. I know that a mission was never easy and never will be, because it is the work of God but I also know that ''todo vale la pena'' ((it's all worth it) Spanish phrases are so great). Today I want to talk a little bit more about joy and about how we can have a joy more complete (I hope I havent talked about this already I can't remember very well). There is a scripture that has had significant meaning for me these last couple weeks that I wanted to share with you, it is found in Alma 26:30. It says that we have been through struggles and through all sorts of trials just to be the means of MAYBE bringing one soul to God, and now that we have had the opportunity to bring thousands of our brotheren to the Gospel our joy is complete. I find it really interesting that it doesn't say that we will have more joy or that we will feel a little more joy, but that it says that because they have brought more souls unto repentance and that becouse they have been able to help others that now they have a more complete joy. I know that when we help others that we can have an even greater chance to have joy and more importantly we can have a higher joy then that that we have now. I am still searching for that joy that only the penitent and humble seeker can find (Alma 27: something) but I have had even more joy at helping others to come unto Christ and have a repentance of their souls. I hope that this helps you all to open your minds even more that we have the responsibility of helping others to come unto Christ, but that in doing so he gives us the promise that we will have a greater joy and a joy more complete. I am so sorry for not writing a lot in my big letter this week like I said I have a lot running through my mind right now but I sure hope that you all will keep searching for this joy and this happiness that only the gospel can and will bring you. I seriously love you guys so much you all are some of my favorite people to talk to. Hope that all goes well for you this week love you!!!!

-Elder Hyde

temple experience

zapallala district- zone puente piedra

Elder Nielsen and Elder Hyde

Well it was another good week for me, a lot happened in a very short amount of time. I had a very spiritual experience that helped me know that God is still there and is listening to my prayers. I want to be the very best Elder that Elder Hyde could possibly be. I didn't come here to waste two years of my life in a foreign country just to be a tourist, or to learn a different language, or any other reason. I know that In the past I havent exactly been the most spiritual person, or at least I didn't reach my potential. I had a little experience before coming to Perú that helped me gain a little bit more of a testimony, I will share that one in a different time. I have had many since that have helped me grow piece by piece and grow a little closer to my Savior each day, but this week I had something quite strange happen. I wanted to be even more clean, even more pure, even more worthy as an Elder to be serving in the place of our Redeemer as his representative in Perú. This past Wednesday I was praying in the night for forgiveness with all the energy that I had for not being the best Elder that I could be, I asked if he could help me in my weaknesses and trials, and then I asked if he would help me to know that I was forgiven and that I was still worthy. When I finished my prayers I opened the sheets to hop in bed when the phone rang. It was Elder Nielsen with news that tomorrow(thursday). It has to be one of the fastest responses that I have ever recieved in my life. I hadn't been to the temple in 10 months and then out of the blue we get a text that we are going, and I dont think that it is a coincidence. The next day we went to the temple where I had another spiritual experience but a little bit more personal sorry, and then we bought all the necessities hymn book, garments, pictures, and all that fun stuff. Then we came back and I think that God gave me a little bit of a trial of my faith because my companion has been sick and it finally got to me late Thursday and friday and Saturday as well, I was in bed coughing with migrains and with pain in my chest and stomach etc and nasty sneezes and all that to the point where I couldnt leave my house. So after my big spiritual experiences I had to sit in the house and wait and suffer a little bit. I think that it is to see if it really is my desire to change and to be better or if I am just saying words to get on his goood side, but it is all good because I mean what I say and I say what I meant. I know that God always is there to give us an extra push and to forgive us fast. (Moroni 6:8) That is the point is to mess up as many times as it takes to get where we need but to repent fast to get us back on track to have the blessings of God again in our life. That is what I am striving to get and to obtain. To be just a little nearer to God each day and to grow to love becoming closer and closer. I know that if we make that our goal and our song that we will not only be happier but we can and will have all the blessings of God with us. That is what I hope and wish for each and everyone of you. I love you all so much please take care and keep growing and stretching. 

Con amor,

Elder Hyde

mission conference with Elder Oaks

Another week down. I have no idea where this week went, it seems like it is thursday or somewhere around there. I think this week just cruised by because we had so many things to do and so little time to do it. This week we had a visit from Elder Oaks in person. He is the third apostle that I have been able to shake hands with, and of course it was amazing and life changing. We went to his meeting and we learned a little bit more about how we can help others to find their way in the world. He talked a lot about ''real intent'' and that the reason that some people dont receive answers is not because they dont want to know, but a lot of the times it is because they wont act on the answer that our heavenly father is so willing to give. And I have thought about this a lot, and was wondering if that is the reason why so many of us feel lost, confused, or even depressed when we dont receive an answer. We as missionaries are always looking and trying to help our investigators to receive an answer for themselves and many of the times we think that if we pray hard enough, if we preach hard enough, and we give them everything that they need that they will be converts. I learned this week that that is not the case. Many times in my mission I have felt depressed like I didnt have the testimony, or that I couldnt talk perfect, or that I wasn´t sufficiently worthy or something, but I now know that sometimes after all that we  have done sometimes people just dont want to change. They dont receive the answer that they should/could because they are not willing to make the changes necessary to have these things revealed to them. I hope and pray that all of you are willing to make the changes and follow the promptings that your heavenly father gives you, because if you aren't ready or willing he cant and wont give you more information. I loved being able to hear from an apostle of God and being able to hear his voice, I now know with certainty that I have the best mission president in the world and especially here in Lima. All the mission presidents gave talks and they were all ok, but President Stauffer spoke last out of the presidents and he blew them out of the water hands down no contest. We also got to go to the beach and do a service project for the people of Perúand it was a great success, and no one got hurt.

We found a dead dolphin and an Israelite man who was fishing like the apostle peter and he had a great huge white beard it was great. It was a jam-packed week for us because we had ''rain'' (you cant call it rain it is more like there is water in the air and it just makes everything wet, I have no idea how to explain it it is just something you have to see for yourselves) and my companion was sick and we just seemed to be running from appointment to appointment the whole week. Not a bad week, nor a frustrating one, just a stress-filled week. I am glad that it is over, and glad for the success that we were able to have! I love you guys so much and love that we can still have a great relationship even though we are so far away! Love all of you so much hope that everything goes super fantabulistico for each one of you!!!!

-Elder Hyde

also got some questions answered....in a response from my email(doesn't happen that often):

(9/18/17)

Yes they are progressing, and we had 5 insacs this week it was a pretty good week! Um we had three baptisms a stellar activity that gave us a bunch of references and 10 news that we worked our butts off for. All is good for right now. And today was the first warm day that we have had in quite some time. Love you too mom 

(9/25/17)more questions answered this week:

That is fantastic! My week was good. The investigators from the activity are doing well and they are progressing really well as well. We had 8 people come to church so that was great. In my mission I feel better more pure, more ready, and more prepared to handle problems and difficulties that come my way, quick to jump back to good, and to help others to do the same. At the same time quick to love and to help others to feel the love of Christ as well. Nothing is really new for us other than that. 

Puente Piedra

This is Garrett's new tracting area   The big hill behind the buildings....

Puente Piedra with Elder Moyano

Hello family well I am back again to help you to understand my life a little more and enlarge your understanding. Well my area is great and my companion,Elder Moyano, is good as well.

 He is very strict and is trying to tell me how to do everything like I dont know so that has been a little frustrating but I know that his heart is in the right place so I am learning to deal with it as best I can. I live in the City Puente Piedra it is on the other side of Ventanilla and it is pretty fantastic, My penisionista is good and she is a really nice lady. I love my new area it is fantastic. Me and my companion are getting along good so far, we always have a lot of good things happen to us, I have been able to show him a little bit more about how we can work together and not always just have it be the Elder Moyano show. But really I am loving it here, 

I have Elder Wells in my district right now so that will be fun as well, my district is a little different than I am used to but I am sure that we will get along just fine. Ummm relatively the same lots of walking and a lot of convis (mini buses) to help us to get to and from our mountain. I know that I am going to love it here and that we will be able to have a lot of success. My district leader and Zone leaders are the best I am learning so much from them and I am really seeing the work progress already. I hope this helps a little bit still dont know too much but it really is a good area. I also got my camera so I will send some photos to help. Love you guys a lot and hope that you will send me all your questions so that I can help and to answer all your doubts, haha. Hope all is well Love you guys like crazy.

Elder Hyde

Ariza come, Ariza go

Hello again family,                                      July 3, 2017

Alright well I realized that I was slacking a little bit on my messages so I am starting on this a little earlier and writing a little shorter messages to get to the point that I needed. Alright well I am a little torn still but not as bad. Elder Alvarado had to go home Thursday due to his back and coccyx but I am feeling that that is probably best for him. But it was still really sad for me to let him go. But then I got my new companion Elder Ariza de Bogota Colombia and well we got right at it and went to work and we got more work done in three days than I had in the last 3 weeks so that was a huge stress reliever. He is a good elder with a little bit of pride but he wants to work and well I am not about to take that away from him haha. I am going to take him through all of the hills of profam and work him harder than he has ever been worked in his life, because I have three weeks stored up and ready to take out on him. But other than that everything is back to normal and I am just up and at it to go and find these chosen people and bring them to the fountain of life. I feel like I have been such a slack these last couple weeks and I want to make it up to you guys but I have no Idea how to do it. But please let me know if there is anything that I can do for you guys any questions, suggestions, or things that you need from me. I dont want you guys to stop writing me becuase you think I am busy or stuff like that, I want you guys to ask all the questions in the world and make it impossible for me to respond to all of you, but to try my best and then just keep loving the best that I can. But as of now I dont have to many things to share with you guys but I want to hear from your experiences as well.​

                                                            July 31, 2017

Alright well I finally got moved from the ¨Tierra Prometida¨ (Pachacutec) to the other ¨Tierra Prometida¨ (Puente Piedra Zapallal 2A). And well you all know that usually when you move areas you also change companions... So I am now with my new companion Elder Moyano and he is from Argentina. As far as I can tell he is a great missionary and he is willing to work hard so we will have to see. I recieved the notice that I was changing this morning at 6 am. Right now I am a little weirded out to be in my new area and to be in a place that is in no way the area that I know. First of all I am walking on asphalt and sidewalk and not sand. I dont know what to do with myself, when I first got here I started having shin splints because I wasnt used to walking on something solid. Second off I finally have a pensionista again and dont have to take as good of care of my money to make sure that I have something to eat at the end of the month haha. I dont know too much about my situation yet but I know that I am going to make the best out of it and that it is going to be the experience of a lifetime. I am super super excited to be here and for everything that I will be able to experience here. I am super excited to work in a different area and to be able to help this area and everyone that needs it.  I hope that I will be able to share a little more next week and help you guys to understand about my situation a little more. I also hope that you guys will continue to share your experiences with me I love you guys a lot please keep trying to do my challenge it helps me out a little as well and takes less time for me to find talks to read and more time to write you all. Loveyou all so much 

Elder Hyde

play hard, work harder

these missionaries obviously get into their p-day soccer matches!!   Luckily they clean up real nice too when it is time to get back to work