Staying Another Transfer

So, this week has been sweet...Oh so, I have some BIG news. I haven’t gotten my Visa yet (as we all know), but I guess they won't fly me out in the middle of a transfer, to Brazil at least. I think my mission in Brazil told that to President Holmes. So, the only way I would leave for Brazil is at the end of next transfer, which is six weeks. So I have another six weeks here at least. And on top of that, I am getting transferred, even though I already got switched areas in the middle of last transfer. So, I don't know where I am going yet, but I hope I get the package today because that would be prime.

So, tomorrow I go somewhere, and at first I was a little perturbed, because I just start to learn an area, and start to actually help, and then I leave. It’s quite a bit of work to learn an area, and I thought that I was just getting moved without much thought, because I am a Visa waiter, and we always get put in trios and stuff. But then, as Elder B and I were biking to our dinner appointment, we were on the shoulder of the road, and this car pulls off. We were going against traffic, and it looked like he was going to hit us, but he was flashing his brights, so I got onto the sidewalk because I didnt want to get hit. But as it turns out, it was President Holmes! I guess he meant to talk to me at Stake Conference, but he told me he was going to keep me here, but he really felt like I needed to go and be with this other companionship. And he said it was from the Lord, and he wasn't just moving me around like a pawn on the chessboard. And I was like, YES! Thank you, I really needed that. I should have trusted that he was prayerfully considering who and where we would be moved, but it’s hard because I am new, and I'm a Visa waiter, but I'm really glad he was able to tell me that. So Elder B is going to stay in this area (Canton West) and train a new missionary, so I’m going to miss him. 

Oh, and yeah, this last Saturday we had Mission Conference, and we all shook Elder Christofferson's hand, also President Wayne, from the Presidency of Quorum of the Seventy, and Elder Valenzuela from the Seventy, and a couple other General Authorities. So, we were in for a treat! They all spoke to us, and then President and Sister Holmes spoke to us, and their two kids, Matthew and Whitney. And all the missionaries did a special musical number as a surprise to President and Sister Holmes...we sang the Especially For Youth medley, As Sisters in Zion and We'll Bring the World His Truth. It was awesome! 

I guess Elder Richard G. Scott was Elder Christofferson’s Mission President back in the day, and he said it’s different serving with him in the Quorum of the Twelve, because Elder Scott knows a lot more about him than he knows about Elder Scott. So he said, sometimes I look down, and Elder Scott will just be looking at me, and I’m not sure what he is thinking. Pretty funny!

He spoke a little, and then opened it up for questions. I don’t remember a lot of what was said off the top of my head, but I remember feeling how important the Spirit is with relation to missionary work, and that we can actually recognize the Spirit, and that is the single most important skill a person can obtain in life, is to know how to receive revelation. So that is something I am going to be working on, recognizing a lot more how I feel, and if I feel like it might be an impression from the Spirit, to see how the results end up, and really evaluate and be sensitive and follow promptings. Because I figure, if you know exactly what it is like to get a prompting, then you will be much more likely to act on it, rather than if you are unsure. If you are unsure you can say, maybe it is, maybe it isn’t, and the strength is not there. It also requires a lot of faith. There’s so much to learn all the time!

And I can really feel the Spirit most when I am testifying to people. Yesterday, Elder B and I were talking to this guy, who was basically telling us that Joseph Smith was a false prophet. And I looked him in the eye and said, “Would the devil persuade men to believe in Christ?” He hadn’t read the Bible or the Book of Mormon, but he knew all about them. So we told him we know this Book is true, not because of what other people have told us, but we know for ourselves, and then we left. But it was really a testimony growing experience, being able to testify to someone who doesn’t believe at all. Usually I am not that bold, but a lot of times you need to be. It’s something I am getting better at.

I really liked what you said about giving your heart to the Lord, really that is true repentance. I have been completely enlightened on repentance, and what it really means...being completely willing to do whatever the Lord asks of you, and trusting in Him. I feel like I really could have listened a lot more to you guys. You have been teaching me these things my whole life, and I never really fully embraced it, but I have now. I'm glad I have finally learned what it means to be converted. I have studied the Gospel all my life, but I hadn't yet fully made the Gospel who I am. I guess that is the conversion process though. Now every time I read anything, I have such a better understanding. One important thing is, you have to want it. So many times in the scriptures after a prayer, the Lord says it will be granted unto you according to your desires...our desires lead to faith, and faith leads to action, or repentance. The way to truly learn is open your heart to the Spirit, and be willing to act on the knowledge you receive.

It is really important that we don’t get comfortable, but that we are constantly learning as much as we can and improving, especially on the mission. I don’t think I will ever be satisfied with my skills and abilities, which causes me to study harder each day, trying to figure out how I can be a better instrument in the Lord's hands. Trying to figure out how to deepen my conversion, strengthen my testimony, strengthen the testimony of others, teach better, ask better questions, recognize the Spirit, how to approach people, how to talk to people, how to work with ward members, how to teach with the Priests in our ward, how to set goals, how to achieve goals, how important it is to magnify our callings, how important Home Teaching is...the list is really endless. But we can really only achieve how much we want to, and how much faith we have, and how willing we are to exercise the faith. Jesus Christ came to earth not to be ministered unto, but to minister to the people. If we are to become as he is, I know that we need to serve others. It really changes us. The more we serve, the more we love what and whom we are serving. 

Love you all! Thank you for all the support! You are in my prayers, by name. I love you so much. I will talk to you next week!

Love,

Elder Hoyt

The Visas Are Coming!

Hello Family,

Wow! I'm having a blast this week! So, yes I moved, my new address is:

40548 Douglas Drive, Apt. # 204

Canton, Michigan 48188

Sorry I didn't get to that last week! I don't think I'll be leaving for a little while. Sister Remy from my District got her Visa, so she is leaving the 17th of this month. She is in Detroit with me, and I saw her at Zone Conference. Also my companion from the MTC emailed, and said he got his Visa also, and should be leaving soon. So the Visas are coming!

And thanks so much for your email...when you quote me it makes me feel special! I love you Mom. This lady gave a talk in Church yesterday about families, and she said she received revelation to tell her son that she loved him every single day. And I thought, you know what, my mom did that. Then I remembered everything you have done for me! You showed me so much love, I cannot describe. I will always be in debt. You and Dad both have. I remember that you always told me how much you loved me, and you wanted to read the scriptures with me, and you wanted me to do the right things, but you never forced me. You always loved me into everything. And that is one of the greatest lessons I have learned...you can never force people to do things. There are so many things I learn everyday.

But, here we are in Canton...so last week Elder B and I read this talk, or this experience about a missionary, it inspired us. Basically, our lives are about to change. So, like I was talking about the pureness of heart, this past week we have been learning about purifying ourselves and sanctifying ourselves and having real growth. So first, we need to take a look at ourselves, to know the true desires of our hearts and who we are...it is what you do when no one is looking, it is also what you think when you don't have to, or what you would do if you were alone.

Missionary work is work, but I realize that I need to purify myself, if I am to experience the fullness of joy that I have ever felt in my entire life, then this is the only way. I need to be purified through the love and the atonement of Jesus Christ. When you pray and ask for Heavenly Father to help you remove the things that distract you, and tell Him to take the heart you have, to change your desires, to give you a new heart and fill you with the Spirit of the Lord, you will have the fullness of joy, and the gifts of the Spirit that will make you become something Heavenly Father wants you to be. What He wants us to be is more than we can ever imagine. With His help, we can become full of love, patient, and we can desire everything good, and lay hold upon every good thing. We can have the ability to literally treasure up the word of the Lord in our hearts, so that we can live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God. Once we are filled with the Spirit, and have desires to do all good, and to lay hold upon every good thing, we are on the path of being purified.

I am on this path, and I am so excited to become the most effective missionary I can be, because that is what I want, and I know the Lord will grant it to me because it is my true desire, and because of my faith. I know He can change my desires because He has done it before. I am so excited and I can feel the Spirit so much stronger every time I talk about this. I know that eventually I will love all aspects of missionary work, no matter what continent I'm on. I know that this will change my life, and that the Spirit will be poured out upon me. I will experience the most joy in my life that I have ever experienced.

I love you all. I love our family, and it is so nice to look back and remember how much love there is in our family. Thanks for teaching me, and loving me, and showing me the way. Elder B and I are doing great, and we are getting some more appointments, and trying to help the member missionary work. Thanks for all the support...I love you all!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Elder Hoyt

Detroit Michigan Mission ring

I've Been Mission You All!

So, this week has been quite exciting! I’m in a different area now, the one right next to my other area. I am with a new companion, and not in a tri-panionship anymore. I‘m really excited to start serving with my new companion, Elder B. I’ve known him since I’ve been here, and we get along well. He is from Los Alamitos California, so that’s sweet. He is a good missionary, obedient, and has good desires, which I think is most important. If the Lord looks on the heart, then we should try to also. But really, I like to know the reasons for actions, especially with myself. So this should be a good time.

We are both fairly new to this area, so we don’t have many people to teach. We are starting off small, but we will build it up big! We are going to do our best. So we are trying to build the relationship with the ward right now, because we realize we literally need them. Last Sunday was great, and people are starting to realize that I’m here. I introduced myself in Elders Quorum, but I don’t know why, because I did three weeks ago. So that kind of shows our problem, we need to strengthen our relationship with them. Oh, let me clarify real quick, there are two areas in the same ward, so I’m in the same ward at least.  

Anyway, I loved what you said about listening to the people. It is truly what we need to do. People won't think they need anything, unless we can help them to realize they do, by discerning through the Spirit. Last week we were going door to door, and this lady said she didn’t want us to come back because she had lost her son five years ago, and was still having a hard time. All we said is that the Gospel helps with that type of thing, and she still said no, so we left and kept going.

We got home later that night, and I kept on thinking about that lady and how much she needed the Gospel and the Atonement and the knowledge. We didn’t convey anything to her! She probably just thought that all we had to offer was going to church. I could just tell by the way her face looked, I mean her expression, and the way she talked, that she was having a really hard time. So I couldn’t really let that stand how it was. So we went back and I said, I know you told us not to come, but there’s a video I thought could really help out with your situation. And she said she would accept the video, and so we need to take it to her. The video is Finding Faith in Christ, by the way. Now it’s up to the other Elders to take it to her, but I’ll make sure they do.

It was just crazy how much love I felt for her, and how much I wanted to help her. I know that it is the Lord's love working through me. I just wanted to do everything I could to help her. It was crazy! So, hopefully we can help her. I know that it is so important to listen to people and discern their needs with the Spirit. Look into their eyes, and it will be given to you through the Spirit. Even if they only talk to you for 15 seconds!

We have also had some nice experiences with the Michigan weather. It’s funny, everyone talks about the weather here. "Oh you’re from California, huh? How do you like the weather?" It’s not too weird. It just randomly rains sometimes, and it can be pretty humid. We were tracting, and then it just started pouring rain. Then we went to our dinner appointment on our bikes, and it started pouring. The drops of rain were huge, it was like we jumped in a pool. The pants that I have, called American Rag are sweet. I’ve been wearing those mostly. They dry from the rain super quick.

Something kind of funny is that everyone has screen doors here, so it’s so much fun talking to people through their screen doors, where you can’t hardly see them, but they can see you! One time I tried to open it to talk to them, and the guy like reached forward to hold it shut, and shook his head. People get pretty sensitive about us opening the door. That’ll be the last time I do that!

Something I realized is really important, and I love thinking about, I mentioned it earlier in the letter, it is doing everything with sincerity and pureness of heart, and with the right desires. It is a test of our true character and our integrity. I think it is really cool. If we are pure in heart, we are always more at peace, and more receptive to the Holy Ghost.

For instance, following a certain commandment, think first...why am I doing this? Then dig down deep and find the true reason, because in the Doctrine & Covenants the Lord says, all the commandments He gives us are spiritual and not carnal. So if we are following a commandment carnally, but the true desires of our Spirit are not, we aren’t truly following the commandment. Do we glory in righteousness or do we glory in wickedness? Do we wish we didn’t have to do something? I know I have felt like this quite a bit throughout my life, and I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, because we are judged on the desires of our hearts, but I know our hearts can truly be changed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and by listening to the promptings of the Spirit. By consistently living the commandments, we gain a stronger and stronger testimony, if we are living it with sincerity, and because we love and trust in our Heavenly Father.

It is an honor to be able to serve the Lord for two years, to represent Him. How does He entrust us with all this? This is going to be a point in my life where I look back and say, I couldn’t have done anymore, and I couldn’t have done any better. We will be working our hardest...doing our best. And I know we will be able to find some people to teach!

Glad to hear the Seminary kids are getting their missions going! It’s the best! Tell them to write me letters! I love you all and I hope you guys have an awesome week! Thanks for all the updates on everything! You are in my prayers!

Love,

Elder Hoyt

First Prayers

Hopefully, I get news about the Visa soon, but if not, I just need to plan on serving here for forever, because that’s the only way to really be the most effective missionary I can be. It’s a tough thing. They give me money for only two weeks at a time, just in case I leave, so I feel like I’m leaving soon, but I might not be.

One of the best lessons this week was on the Plan of Salvation, and making wrong and right decisions in life. Before we talked about it, I asked the guy what has been one of the happiest decisions in his life? He said when he went on this internal cleanse from drugs and smoking for like two weeks. And that was perfect for talking about knowing when we make wrong and right decisions. And you can just tell how the Lord had prepared him, and he knows he is doing the right thing. He prays to be able to change, and learn more about the Book of Mormon. It is so awesome. I love hearing people pray for their first time. They are the most sincere prayers I think. 

So, something cool about what you said about the Book of Mormon, and about the statement Joseph Smith made…that’s one of my favorite statements. We were at this lady's house, and teaching her about the Book of Mormon because she is a recent convert. We read the Introduction a little bit, and then I read to her that statement from the Introduction, "the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding its precepts, than by any other book," and the first thing she said was, I feel like I’m not as close as I used to be. And we told her, we know you can get closer by reading the Book of Mormon, and by praying with sincerity. It is true. That is one of the times when I really felt like we cared about her, and we were teaching her by the Spirit, because we knew what she needed. She had a true desire to want to become closer with Heavenly Father. It was the best.

We have also been teaching about the Atonement too. Something I knew before, but now I know even better, the statement from Preach My Gospel, "everything unfair in life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ." Isn’t that an incredible statement? The thing I understood better though, is it doesn’t mean when we are going through a hard time, it will automatically change our situation, and make it back to the way it was, this would stump our progression, because we are here to experience things and to learn, we learn most from our hard times. If those hard times were taken away, how would we learn and become strong? Paul says that he treasures his trials because when he is weak, he is made strong. So we shouldn’t ask for our trials to be taken from us, but we should ask for strength in our trials. That’s why Paul says he is strong through Jesus Christ. He has overcome the world for us, so He would know how to give us strength.

It is sad when people don’t understand, and they decline the Gospel because they are going through hard times. It doesn’t make sense. We met this lady at this random door who said she doesn’t want us to teach her because her son passed away two years ago, and she is still having trouble. But we said that we know this message can help her. Some people think of Church as just a Sunday thing, and how much sacrifice we have to make, and time we have to invest. But really, Christ suffered for us! Not that we would go to Church every Sunday, but that we could receive strength in our lives when we go through tough times. When we feel guilty, feelings of depression, sadness, unhappiness, frustration, He will come down into the pit, and lift us out of it. He doesn’t require much of us, He only wants for us to be happy.

We are asked to sacrifice some things for Him, and sometimes we complain, and when we do complete an assignment, we make sure everyone knows about it. Jesus Christ made the ultimate sacrifice and never said, "but look what I’ve done, look how bad I had it," even when we don’t do what He asks of us. He could only think of others. If we are to become like Him, we need to do the same. We need to change our outlook and attitude by yielding to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and becoming a saint through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The Spirit will always guide us. The more we listen to the Spirit, the more promptings we receive.

I love all this, and I hope to improve so much more, so I can know how to teach others, and become a better missionary and better disciple of Christ. I love all of you so much, and I think about you all the time! I’m glad to hear everything is going so well. I love the Book of Mormon! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Hoyt

Exciting Things!

Eating lunch with Brandon and Whitney was so awesome! I got a little piece of home! It is so crazy how we came all this way, and then we are two minutes away from each other! We had a nice dinner with them. 

Things are starting to heat up here pretty nicely, so that’s good. I was using the backpack from my carryon, but my back would get super sweaty while riding bikes, so now I use the side bag, and I like it much better. 

I have been reading a lot out of the Book of Mormon in Portuguese. It’s really cool because it makes me think of things differently, it like opens up new understanding. I think it is really helping my Portuguese, too. I am on 2 Nephi 5 now. 

Oh, and we are getting really creative with food. Well, not really, just more than I have ever cooked. I thought you would be proud to know I make egg muffins in the morning, and hamburgers for lunch, and Saturday for dinner we made Hawaiian haystacks! This family gave us supplies for those.

So anyway, thanks for all those inspiring quotes and thoughts! You are right…I do love them! I like the one you said Scott T quoted in his talk, also.

“In moments of fear or doubt or troubling times, hold the ground you have already won, even if that ground is limited...hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes. The size of your faith or the degree of your knowledge is not the issue—it is the integrity you demonstrate toward the faith you do have and the truth you already know...in this Church, what we know will always trump what we do not know. And remember, in this world, everyone is to walk by faith.”  -Elder Jeffrey R. Holland-

It went along with something really cool I learned this week from President Holmes. The way we can gain more knowledge is by being true to the laws we have already been given. By doing this, we are given more. More knowledge enables us to have more power to act, and not to be acted upon. I think the coolest thing is comparing it to the Wright brothers. They followed the laws of aerodynamics, and were able to fly. They were able to act on gravity and not be acted upon by gravity.

I was thinking about it last night, the commandments and word of God are truly given to us for us to be happy. Why would He give us these things to bind us down? It is insulting to think the commandments bind us. They really just enable us to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost, and so many more blessings. God has so much wisdom, and how small are we to question His way…to question His plan and promises that we are blessed with by keeping the commandments, to question His ability to bless us. 

There is a scripture that says something like, if ye being evil think you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much greater gifts can God give to you. Heavenly Father has things He wants us to become, greater than we can imagine. This is a blessing on its own, having a Father in Heaven who wants us to become as He is. This fact is just perfectly aligned with His character though. We are His work and His glory. We are everything He cares about, just like our children are everything we care about. Teaching them to walk in the ways of righteousness, by example, is the most important thing, especially in this day when it is so hard to be influenced for good. 

The only way is to seek the good, to read the scriptures, and to be filled with knowledge and light to guide us. Heavenly Father carefully sets up each aspect of our lives to help us grow and learn to the greatest potential possible. He stretches us and gives us strength when we fall short. He asks that we communicate with Him through prayer, and He listens to us. He encourages us countless times in the scriptures to ask Him, to come to Him with anything…rely completely on Him, and He will never leave us. 

Sometimes I find myself selfish and ungrateful, like my whole life. How incredible is the love Heavenly Father has for us…everyone one of His children, even those who rebel against Him! I know He loves us more than we can understand. The knowledge is not for us to just say, His ways are higher than our ways, and give up, though. We can gain knowledge upon knowledge, as we are obedient to what we have been given.

So, anyway, there’s everything in my head. Now some exciting things from my week! So, that guy that called to us from his car, and we followed him home has not been following through with the appointments, unfortunately. But there is a lady who called to us from the street, right outside our apartment, and she asked us for a Bible. We said, Book of Mormon? And she was like yeah! And so, we met her and gave her the Book of Mormon, and she was all excited. She said she used to meet with some nice guys like us, and they would have nice discussions. We made an appointment with her and met with her yesterday. She talks a lot, but it’s really nice because we know a lot about her, and exactly what she thinks about everything. She has an extremely strong testimony of the Atonement and prayer and the Bible. All good things! It was incredible…she is like golden! She was telling us how she knows it is important to be living our religion, and not just go on Sundays! She said she is looking for the true Church. We taught her the Restoration, and she loved it all. She agreed with everything, and showed so much faith. She doesn’t doubt that the Book of Mormon is true. She still needs to pray about it, though. But she wants a quad combination just like us, so she can have it all together. We committed her to baptism for June 22nd, and she said, “Yes, of course,” and wants her daughters to be baptized also. She has definitely been prepared to receive the Restored Gospel. I’m not sure if she could be more prepared! So that was incredible!

Other than that, we have been teaching a lot of less-actives, and finding new investigators. Things are going great! The best way to teach with the Spirit is to care for the people you teach, and truly listen. That is something I have learned, it’s like night and day. When you care for them, you are guided, when you don’t, you’re not. Simple as that!

I love you all! I know this Gospel is true! I truly, honestly, love reading the Book of Mormon because it can guide us in every aspect of our lives. It is truly the word of God. Thanks for writing me letters and supporting me! I hope you all have a great week! Love you!

Love, 

Elder Hoyt

Detroit!

OI! Tudo Bem!

Como estao? Eu estou contente e estou amando o missao. Still practicing! It was great to talk to you all yesterday! Wow, it was awesome! Just like old times! It was great to hear all your voices. Thanks Spencer and Lauren and Grandma and Grandpa O for coming to talk…very nice to feel all the love!

So yeah! I didn’t say on the phone, but the other day the coolest thing happened. We had just finished our dinner with some members at a restaurant, and we were coming home on our bikes. We were waiting to cross at the street corner, and this guy yelled from his car and asked, "Are you guys Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness?" Obviously, we yelled back that we are Mormons. He said, "Have any Books of Mormon?" And he did say, “Books” of Mormon haha. We said yeah, and he said to meet him at Somerset, which we did not know where that was, so he turned, and we followed him as best we could. Somehow, we managed to get to his house. He was a young guy with a girlfriend and a couple kids. We gave him a little taste of what we believe, and set up an appointment to meet! He wasn’t there when we went back though, but hopefully this next week we will get to meet with him. It was just cool because if we had not been at that exact place for that 30-second time span, we would have never seen him…very cool!  

So, yesterday during Church, we got to watch the kids in Primary during singing time, so the mothers could go to Relief Society…pretty fun haha! And the little boys were like so excited to see us. Something cool made an impression on me yesterday. The kids all drew pictures of the Prophet, and wrote what they would do to follow him. All the little boys want to go on missions, at age 8. I don’t know if they fully understand everything, but it made me realize how important family is, because the children grow up with the Light of Christ in them. They all wanted to serve, and I guess the only thing that stops them is the influence of the world. I just hope that they develop their testimonies to withstand it. They are so protected in the home, that’s why it is a perfect place for them to grow and develop their testimonies. They can become strong without bad influences, until they can hold their own.

I thought about that when the guy yelled at me. I got all discouraged because it was the first person I talked to, and I hate when people yell at me, that’s why I never give anyone reason to, or try not to. This guy didn’t have a reason except that I am a missionary, and I’m not even sure he knew which Church I was from. I was too scared to talk with anyone else after that, and I thought to myself, what the heck am I going to do, I can’t handle this. But then I remembered, I’m not on my own. We said a prayer right there on the side of the street with our bikes, and I remembered. I remembered our Savior and what He had done. How much He loved me, how much He was cheering me on. Then off we went. Think about how much love He has for us. Mom, do you remember that one time I was in the car with you on the driveway, and you said you could help take my pain away, that mothers can help take away the pain, that you have the ability to feel it with me? After you said that, I was thinking about it later, and I thought, that’s exactly what the Savior has done for us. He loved each one of us so much that He wants to bear all our pains for us. He wanted to take it all away. It’s way more than we can comprehend, but I want to be able to experience the Atonement more, and be able to use it more. I know we can become so much stronger when we rely on the Lord. 

I want to do that more. And I want to be a better missionary. It’s hard to do it. It’s easier said than done, especially being the week-old Elder whose been trained to teach in Portuguese haha. I’m learning all I can though. I love you all! I love all the support. You are all the best. I pray for each of you Mom, Dad, Ryan, Carina, Lorenzo, Spencer, Lauren, and Lizzie. Eu se amo voces. voces sao familia maravilhosa. Obrigado por seus oracaos. 

Love,

Elder Hoyt

I'm in Michigan!

Hello Family!

So I am here safely. We were picked up from the airport by the Assistants, and driven to President Holme's house. We took pictures and were fed hamburgers! We hadn’t eaten anything all day, so that was so nice! We then got interviews with the President, which was great. He is an awesome guy! He is going to be released in six weeks, but I get to have him for a little bit. He had all this information about me, so that was funny.

It would have been nice to go out proselyting, but our second flight was delayed a little bit, so there wasn’t enough time. All we had time for was interviews, and then we just watched Mormon Messages…well, Elder B, two other Elders and I did, everyone else got to go proselyting, and then I slept at the Assistants’ apartment, and the next day we went to the transfer meeting at the Church. I got new companions! Two of them! So I’m in a trio. I guess they usually put the Visa waiters in trios because they could leave at anytime.

Everyone is asking me how long I’m going to be here, and I was like I have no idea...hahahha. But today I just got an email from the Church, and it says, by now you have probably realized your Visa has not been approved. So yeah, I have realized that, but I’m glad they told me, so we are on the same page here.

But I’m so excited to be serving here! I have no idea how to do anything, except teach and speak Portuguese, but I also have a strong testimony of the Gospel and the happiness it has brought to my life. I also have the Spirit as my guide, and Preach My Gospel, which has the answer to everything! I also have great trainers…Elder F and Elder H! They have been out almost a year, so this is going to be great.

My P-day is on Monday, and I will be calling on Sunday. I’m calling at 5 o’clock here, so I think that is 2 o’clock in California. So I’m excited to talk to you guys!!!!!! It was awesome last time, how you got everyone on the phone, I loved that! Sorry I could only talk for a little bit, there wasn’t much time. We didn’t want to cut it as close as the first flight. Okay, well, I will talk to you all on Sunday! Love you all so much! You are all the best!

Love,

Elder Hoyt

Hey, I forgot to give you my address. Just to let you know really quick, I live at:

510 Hickory Lane, Apt. 104

Westland, Michigan 48185-3435