my baseball boy will be returning home a soccer man

Real Madrid soccer
jersey

zone conference

President and sister Stauffer with the Puente Piedra Zone

11/27/2017email:
well I am doing good I am a lot less stressed I am just letting things go as they go and just giving it all that I have. I am sleeping less thinking about all my investigators. I usually fall asleep around 12 and wake up at 6 or 6:30 now, I think that I function better on less sleep dont know why but I do. My week was good we had a baptism this week and it was probably my favorite baptism up until now. This guy is fantastic and it was a miracle that he was able to be baptized. We have to have the people come to church 3 times to be able to baptize them, and there is a young man who only had one attendance and he has no time works from 7am-9pm and we had no idea what to do because he wants to participate in the church and to have a better relationship with God but his work was always in the way. Well this past sunday 8 days ago he got released from work and so he could come to church, but that means he only had 2 attendances well then we get a text from the zone leaders saying that the face to face with the apostles counted as an attendance so we hauled him to that at 7 in the night. Then with all the friends that he had made they took him to play soccer and to all their activities and he loved it and they helped him progress even more. Until this saturday he was able to be baptized and confirmed (other miracle that he could come). So I am very happy and ready to have more experiences like this one. Me and Elder franco are doing better I am developing patience even though it is just like gracie now that when he has something in mind he just wont leave you alone until it happens, but sadly I am pretty sure it is worse. He wanted to go 20 min out of our area just to buy a spray to have the house smelling good and he probably said the name of the store like 50 times in a matter of 2 hours, but I am getting there.

here kitty, kitty

Elder Hyde and Elder Franco (of ElSalvador)

This is what my companion made me buy the other day because he didnt like to sit on just the bowl he says that it is unsanitary. I have not had one of these in eleven months so....

another new picture

Elder Hyde overlooking Puente Piedra ("stony bridge").

new companion

Garrett got a new companion this week.    Meet Elder Franco from El Salvador.   He has been out in the field for 7 months and transferred from the Los Olivos zone.    Garrett describes him as really clean, quiet,  and extremely shy.

another random picture in our email

so this week Elder Hyde sent us a random picture of a cemetary?maybe?- not sure what the significance of this picture is because (of course)   there was no further information given.  

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