Spritual Lessons January 26, 2009

It's good to hear that you are all doing good. That is really cool that
Dallin Craven is going to South Africa. Hopefully he is ready for the heat.
My week went really well. I don’t have to much time I think I might have enough time to write and tell you about spiritual lessons that we had throughout the week.

It all started with a reference from one of the members in our ward. We
contacted her and set up an appointment. We visited her and she had called her cousin to come listen to us. These last two weeks we have been visiting them frequently. Every time we go we can feel the spirit so strong. They don’t asked stupid questions either, they are very good questions that we can answer simply with a scripture or two. They are keeping their commitments to read and pray. They know that it is true. One of them was having a hard time accepting a baptismal date because his family is Catholic and he doesn’t know what they will think. He also thinks that it is really fast to accept a fetcha. (baptism date)

We talked to him one day this week and we read Mosiah 18:8-10 (the
part where it says "mourn with those that mourn and stand with those that stand in need of comfort.") and he said that he wants to do these things. then we read verse 10 and it says then what is stopping you from being baptized. It was amazing the spirit was so strong and then the three of us prayed. then we sat in silence for about 2 min. He said yes I want to get baptized.

They are going to Lima this week and won't return till after changes so I kind of want to stay here for another change. He says that every time he prays he feels peace and calm.(answer from God Galations 5:22-23)

This was a good week and my eyes are better. My health is good. The weather here is off and on rain and after the rain it is really, really HOT. We are thankful for the rain, but the bad thing is the mud. Well, my time is almost up. I just want to say I love ya´ll very much. I hope you all have a great week this week.
Sorry if this letter isn't very long or very good. The time limit is killing us.

Juan Carlos is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. January 19, 2009

There was a case of disobedience in the mission so the rules have gotten tighter. Now we are limited to 30 minutes at the computer and we can only write to parents.

Last Monday we went to the nature park. It was awesome and we had lots of fun. There were lots of different animals and different artifacts to look at.

On Tuesday I sent some cds with my pictures on them. I hope you get them soon.

Wednesday, satan was working hard on us this week. First with all the rain, then today I woke up with pink eye, in both of my eyes. It kinda sucks and it hurts when the light and wind enters them. We bought some heavy duty eye drops. We got a reference from a member and she is really interested in the gospel. She has a baptism date for this week.

Thursday, we have a baptism this week for Juan Carlos. We passed by to go over the interview questions and set up the appointment for his baptism.

On Friday Juan Carlos passed his interview with flying colors. His baptism is set for Saturday and he wants ME to do it.

Saturday we prepared for the baptism, filled the font, then went to work until 6 pm. We gathered all our stuff and went to the baptism. It was a really good service and we felt the spirit really strong.

Well my time is about up, sorry it is so short, I will try to type faster.
Love you all todos,
Love Elder Hyde

Transfers and Commitments January 12, 2009

The beginning of my week was a little difficult, just getting used to the change. Every missionary works a little differently or in this case a lot differently. My Companion is Elder Garnica and he is also from Bolivia. He is from a different area than my last companion. We get along really good the only thing is he works really differently. One way that he is different is that he is kinda pushy with the investigators.
This week it has rained a lot. Not quite as bad as last Sunday and just so you know I have not fallen in any more crap holes.

We worked on Monday because of transfers. Elder Garnica flew in and we picked him up at the airport. We spent most of the day visiting members and investigators to say adios. (to elder Torrejan)

Early Tuesday morning we sent the other elders off that were leaving the area then we had p day. We did play soccer and volleyball again. It was fun. We then got lazy we ate and slept. When we got back to work we went to visit the people whose baptism fell through the last week in December. This was Tereza Y Sergio, She wanted a sign from the heavens. This day they were more than ready to accept a new date and the have chosen January 17th.

On Wednesday we visited Juan Carlos, he is the 14 year old that we have been working with. He has every thing he needs to be taught and we are just waiting for his father to sign the permission slip. I actually got to talk to his father for the first time. It went better than I expected because elder Torrejan said that he was really bad and doesn’t want him to be baptized. I did not see that side of him today. We asked him to sign the paper and he did so we have another fetcha (baptism date) for January 17th. Juan Carlos is really excited and ready to be baptized.
I am running out of time but some other things that happened. Tereza wants more time to think about her baptism. I don’t know why she is changing her mind a lot, I guess it is part of life. I think her son wants to get baptized, he just doesn’t want to disappoint his mom.

Sunday we gave talks again in sacrament.

Today we are going to a nature park and I hope to get some cds to make copies of my pictures so I can send them home. (he has been saying this since Christmas!)

Flooded Streets and Surprises January 5, 2009

P Day we played soccer and volleyball as a zone and then my companion and I went to central to buy some cool stuff. On the way there we passed a shoe store, inside the shoe store there was a women without a shirt on, but that was not all she didn’t have a bra on either. That was a little bit of culture shock for me I have to admit.
Elder Torrejon bought a backscratcher and I bought this thing that hangs on the wall and says "Feliz AAO Nuevo Pucallpa". It is awesome

Tuesday it rained like crazy. I like it when it rains for two reasons. One because it is not as hot and the other is the people feel bad for us and let us in their houses. This time of year is kinda bad here because of all the drinking. Here is an example, we have taught a lady named Noami and her children. They sell beer and it is really distracting when you have drunk people outside. Everyone is getting drunk.

Wednesday we sent Pol, one of the members of the bishopric to buy fireworks for us tonight. We gave him thirty soles, some of the fireworks he bought looked like they were homemade. I am sure some of them were. He bought one that was really cool but pretty illegal in Utah.
We had to be at our house not later than 8 pm. It was hard to find people home. We found a few and spent a little time with some members. We went to bed at 10:30 pm. We set our alarm for five minutes to midnight so we could light our fireworks. It was fun but I felt the effects of it the next day even though it was only like 20 minutes.

Thursday we only went to member’s homes because a lot of people were sleeping and drunk. and all that not so good stuff. Loud music is a distraction too and almost every street has a bar type place, so every street has drunks.

Friday it rained again but not as bad as Tuesday. People are starting to go back to work and there are not as many drunks. Holidays and weekends are their drinking days.

I think my Spanish is getting better everyday. Well I hope it is.

I found out that I am staying and my companion is leaving to Lima because he is going to die, which means he is ending his mission this month. I am kinda bummed that he is leaving but I think I will survive. My new Companion is Elder Garnica from Bolivia and he will be senior companion. I don’t think I am ready to be senior. For the first few days I will act as senior until he gets to know the area. Elder Layton is also staying and his companion is leaving.

We started our fast on Saturday, I was very tempted by all the goodies in the fridge, but I made it. The president said that we are able to drink water if we need to. At first I thought it was weird but now I think I would die if I didn’t.

It didn’t start raining on Sunday until about 8:30 while we were walking home from the bishop’s house. It was raining so hard that the street we were walking down was flooded. The water was almost to our knees. It was actually kind of fun. Suddenly something horrible happened. I fell into a big hole that I didn’t see because of all the water. The water was up to my chest and it smelled really bad. It was so bad that when I got home I took off my clothes and showered really well. It was a septic thing that I fell in. It was funny but really stunk.
THAT WAS BASICALLY MY WEEK.
love you all mucho (tons) love elder Hyde

My Christmas Week December 29, 2008

Monday, December 22, we played Lucha Libre and watched a movie. My companion and I slept. We had FHE and watched “Joy To The World”. I think I watched this movie 10 times this week. It is a good one for the Christmas season.

Tuesday we worked until 7 pm then we went to a place called Plaza De Almas. The missionaries and ward members sang Christmas hymns, it was fun. We actually sounded good, I was surprised.

Wednesday we did service for one of the members of the bishopric at his house. We mowed his lawn and did it with shovels and machetes. It was fun, except it was really hot and I felt like I was going to die. After that we got ready for the day and went to lunch. We ate with the former bishop and we took pictures with his family. We took pictures with other families That night we made our pre-calls home.

In the night it was not easy to sleep because of all the firecrackers. I could have sworn they were lighting them off in our room, it was so loud.

On Christmas day we studied the scriptures that were attached to the gifts as we opened them. It wasn’t much of a study but it was fun to see which ones made sense in Spanish. In the phone call home I said “QUE” a lot, it is because it is habitual, everytime I don’t understand something that is what I say. We also got new beds and we spent the morning getting them up. We went to lunch and it was good but we had eaten a lot of sweets and could not eat much more. After our phone calls home we decided we are going to go on a shopping spree this week with the 300 soles that grandma gave me ;)

Friday we found out that our baptisms fell thru. They want to be baptized but they think that it is too soon. We had other interviews that we had to go to for the other missionaries in the district.
I had been falling behind in my journal writing, so Friday I caught myself up and it is up to date now. We walked around a lot today and then we found an investigator home and we taught them. We also had another interview.

We have an investigator named Juan Carlos, he is 14 years old. He is really interested and wants to get baptized. He is basically a member the only thing stopping him from getting baptized are his parents. They made a deal with him, that if he exercises everyday and losses weight and he needs to wait for his birthday which is January 18th.
We have a calendar that has a picture on each month of the coordinating season. It is odd for me….January has a sun and July has a snowman. I found that really weird and at the same time really funny.

THIS IS MY REPORT. ALL IS WELL, ALL IS WELL

LOTS OF LOVE FROM A SMALL PLACE CALLED PUCALLPA
LOVE ELDER HYDE

CHRISTMAS CALL

Derek called at one o'clock (3 pm Peru time) in the afternoon on Christmas day. Our daughter Britney and her family were here.
Alden, our last child at home, Shane and I, and our neighbor Ken were also here. We put Derek on speakerphone and called our daughter in southern Utah on the cell phone. We also recorded the call so we could listen to it again. We spoke for a little over an hour. It was wonderful to hear his voice and know that he is well. We talked about the jungle and the people in Peru. We talked about his pension and the baby monkey that they have. He told us about his experiences there. He talked about his learning of the scriptures and that he enjoys studying and wishes he had studied more at home. He bore is testimony is Spanish. It was a wonderful call and very difficult to say goodbye.

This is Derek's 6 MONTH Anniversary!!!

Twas the Week Before Christmas and Packages Arrived.....December 22, 2008

Monday we played dodge ball and basketball with all the missionaries in the zone. That was fun. We wanted to be lazy so we went home. Our pension lives right next door so we went over to watch the testaments. They have a baby monkey, so when we go to eat we get to play with it. It is so cute.















Tuesday we had a district meeting and then had a dentist appointment. They drilled two cavities and only filled one so Elder Torrejon has a hole in one of his teeth and has a hard time eating. I took out 100 soles from the ATM because we have run out of money paying for the dentist. It was easy to use the ATM. It took about 33 dollars out of my account.

Wednesday we had another work visit and I went to a different area and we taught a crazy guy that said he is like a mirror, when he prays for himself he doesn’t receive but when he prays for others they always receive. It was funny, he said that God didn’t give him gifts and then later he said that being a mirror was his gift. It was weird.

Thursday we had a dentist appointment and we don’t have to go back again. All is well. We had a work visit from one of the assistants to the president. One of our contacts we made today wanted to speak to me in English. He is from Toronto Canada and spoke very good English. It was hard for me to speak English, for some reason my brain wanted to speak in Spanish. I would start the sentence in Spanish and end it in English. After that we had a few lessons it was time to end the day so we took the assistant to the hotel and there I received my packages and letters. I felt so loved! We opened them as soon as I got home and had time.
Friday we had lunch with President Perez and everyone else received their packages. We got from the president and his wife a bag for our bathroom stuff. (like toothbrush soap and stuff like that) We also received candy from them. From your packages I decided to open the

gifts on the appropriate day

(12 days of Christmas) But as soon as I saw that one of them could be pictures I had to open it. I was right! It was pictures and I didn’t recognize the little kid in the pictures. I saw Tyson in the swimming pool but who where the others?

Saturday we had a few lessons planned and then we had a small activity at the church for Christmas, then we had a few more appointments. We watched “Joy to the World” a few times. A lot of people here think that we do not celebrate Christmas.

In church on Sunday we gave talks and the December Ensign that you sent came in handy. Thanks for sending it. That was basically my talk. I asked my companion if he understood it and he said yes. I felt pretty good until I realized that I had read most of it from the Ensign.

When I opened the two packages I felt the love rush out. I also got some dearelder letters and other stuff like the paper for voting. I got Paige’s announcement, I didn’t have a clue that she was getting married or was even close to that age. That was a big shocker!. (Paige is Derek’s cousin that is his age)

Sending love from Peru, Love Elder Hyde, talk to you Thursday

I Am Trying To Be Like Jesus December 15, 2008

We are still teaching the Gonzalez family and trying to get them married. We are teaching basically their whole street. It is fun. On this street we started teaching one lesson outside, because inside it is hotter than it is outside. The neighborhood kids started gathering around. One time this week I think we had 20 kids gathered around. Most of them are at or above the age of baptism. It felt like Jesus when he said “let the little ones come unto me”.

Christmas in Peru December 15, 2008

We have our Christmas tree. We drew it on a piece of cardboard. It is freakin awesome.

This Friday is our dinner with President Perez. The office has two packages and they should bring them that night. I am so excited to get them!! Now that we have a fridge, I can put the homemade candy in it and eat them the way I love them.

Teaching December 15, 2008

There is a guy, Luis, that we are teaching. His family sells beer and I guess he doesn’t like it so he wants to find something else to do because it is a temptation. We are teaching him and his family, he listens and is very nice. We have planned to watch the testaments with his family.
This week we have started to proselyte early in the day so we have had quite a few lessons.
On Thursday a return missionary from our ward came to our house. He is so trunky, he wanted to be back on the mission. We told him he could go out with us the next day. He didn’t show up though. It was raining hard that day. We had another work visit and I was senior companion again. It was ok, but we didn’t teach too many lessons.

Try Playing Football With a Soccer Ball Study and Learn December 15, 2008

For P day we played soccer then played football with the soccer ball. IT WAS FUN.
Tuesday we went to a different dentist for my companion and he said that he only had seven cavities. I think the other dentist just wanted money. On Saturday He had one tooth fixed and another taken out. The dentist told him to rest. We spent all day at home. I didn’t feel very good sleeping so I studied and learned. I am studying the Book of Mormon. Holy crap I wish I would have been better at studying before the mission. I have learned a lot. I read three verses in Alma 43:19-21 and learned so much, it is amazing.

Phone Call on Christmas Day... December 15, 2008

I have my calling cards, they only cost like 15 soles and will last me about an hour and a half. We have a phone in our room and I think we will spend the day in our room. What time in the afternoon do you want me to call. Should I call the cell phone or the home phone?

A NEW TEMPLE IN PERU

TRUJILLO, Peru 13 December 2008 Plans to build a new temple in Trujillo, Peru, were announced today by the First Presidency — the highest governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This will bring the total number of temples worldwide to 146 already in operation or in the planning and construction phases.
The new temple in Peru becomes the third temple in South America now in the planning and construction phases, along with ones planned for Manaus, Brazil, and Córdoba, Argentina, bringing the total number of temples in South America to 17.
“We are confident that this will be a blessing to the many faithful Saints in this and surrounding areas who have had to travel long distances to enjoy the blessings of the temple,” said the First Presidency in an announcement letter to ecclesiastical leaders.
“We commend the Saints for their devotion and faithfulness, and are thankful for the blessings that will come to them through the construction of this new temple.”
To members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, temples are the “house of the Lord,” the most sacred place on earth. Temple services bind families together forever, teach the purpose of life and explain God’s plan of salvation. Temple attendance strengthens Latter-day Saints’ commitment to living Christian principles, emphasizes personal spiritual growth and increases devotion to family.
The Trujillo Peru Temple is planned for construction on the site of an existing meetinghouse on Teodoro Valcárcel Street in Urbanización Primavera, Trujillo. It will serve more than 88,000 Latter-day Saints in the region.
Latter-day Saint missionaries began preaching in Trujillo in 1960. The first baptisms in the original Trujillo Branch — a small congregation, then part of the Andes Mission — were performed in February 1961. In 1963 the first meetinghouse was dedicated in Trujillo. The first stake in Trujillo (a stake is similar to a diocese) was eventually organized in January 1978 by Thomas S. Monson, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles — the second-highest governing body of the Church. President Monson now serves as worldwide leader of the Church.
Latter-day Saint temples differ from the tens of thousands of meetinghouses where members typically meet for Sunday worship services and midweek social activities and where visitors are always welcome. Temples are used solely for the performance of sacred ordinances and religious instruction aimed at strengthening members’ relationships with God and their fellow man. They are closed to the public after they are dedicated.

Ice Cream, Coconut, Pizza With Mango and Pineapple, Shrimp December 8, 2008

This week was a pretty good week.

Monday: We went to a nearby stadium and played soccer, It was fun and I am better than I remember being. After that we went to the zone leaders house and as a district bought 10 liters of ice cream, it was delicious.

Tuesday: We had district meeting, that we have every week. At lunch we saw some coconut trees and asked the family where we could get some. There was a lady down the street that sells them. So after lunch we went to get some. We had to retrieve them from the tree. There is a rule though that says we can’t climb trees. So we had the member that we ate with do it for us.

Wednesday: We had another work visit but this time I went to a different area. It was fun, I got to meet more people.

Thursday: The past couple weeks my comp has been having tooth problems and so he called Sister Perez and told her and she told him to go to the dentist. So we went and turns out he has 15 cavities and 2 others that really are bad. That is not the bad part. They want 750 soles to fix it. I don’t really believe that he has 15 I think they are trying to take advantage of him.
We had a FHE with a future elder. We watched “The Testaments”. He bought a pizza. To answer your question from last week, the pizza here is different, but is still good. We had a Hawaiian pizza and it had mangoes and pineapple, it was delicious.

Friday: We had a bowl of soup for lunch and while I was eating I found two big shrimp in it. It freaked me out but I ate them. It wasn’t bad but I don’t care for shrimp.
I guess the mission doesn’t want us to have pensions anymore so they are getting us fridges and microwaves and stuff like that. Today we received the fridge. It felt like an early Christmas

Saturday: I was thinking about Christmas today and got a little bummed because here it does not feel like Christmas. It doesn’t even feel like December.

Sunday: We were able to go to the First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional and it was really awesome. I had the choice to watch it in Spanish or in English. I chose Spanish because I want to increase my Spanish speaking and listening skills. I think Elder Uchtdorf was talking directly to me. He said one phrase that hit me. He said something like this. “The most memorable Christmases were the ones with the most humility”. I think this is going to be one of the most humble Christmases that I will have. I will make it the best for others and by doing that it will be the best for me too. Last night was the bomb. It was awesome. I really enjoyed all the talks. I really enjoyed what I understood of President Monson’s talk, He said that Christmas is a good time to think of Jesus but we should think of him more during the year and throughout every day.
Well that was my week. love you guys tons love Elder Hyde

Miscellaneous things from Pucallpa December 1, 2008

About Pucallpa. The actual city is not jungle like but there is a river on one side of it. I think around the city is completely jungle. I am not sure of the number of people here but it is a big city. Not as big as Chicago or Salt Lake City but it is not a village. It is very hot and humid. There is Industry here and most people are mototaxistas, people that drive other people around for money.

We have a ward and the people are really nice, there are two families that invite us to family home evening and they invite investigators.

The mission pays to get us drinking water. A lot of people don’t drink water, they drink soda. That is why they don’t have teeth.

One of our family traditions is to go to “Forgotten Carols” by Michael McLean. Derek had asked what day we were going. This is his response “I know you will have a good time tonight. I will probably be listening to the Forgotten Carols on my mp3 player". Love you tons, Elder Hyde