More Idaho Letters: Week 4 & 5. Goodbye Boise!

Week 4

Hola fam-bam and close friends and fam :) hope this finds everyone well and enjoying starting school and such lol. I am so good and loving the mission :) Best news of this past week... I GOT MY VISA!! I will probably be leaving around September 4th... right after the transfer ends. Just 2 weeks away! WOW! Its just crazy.

 

First off, so these pics are of our apartment :) we just cleaned today haha. And Jeff's baptism :) and me at the Consulate and my Visa. And then we went and played tennis today and Elder Nelson and I played singles for like 2 hours. We played Utah vs BYU hahahaha. We love that pic ;) hahha. He wanted me to warn you that he just had the shirt, he doenst like UTah. He wanted me to make sure the fam didnt hate him ;) hahaha. But dont worry.... i won lol. It was close... but BYU came out the winner ;) hahahaha.

 

First off, mail wont come to us until like... this Thursday... cuz the mission office is closed till then. Boo! But hopefully Ill get a lot when it opens so send stuff :) haha. So send lots of stuff lol. Ill start with some housekeeping stuff.

 

Mom, Im doing great on shirts, garments, toiletries, and stuff. I will be all prepared for Mexico. I never changed my Wells Fargo information so thats weird. I was a little worried cuz I want to Wells Fargo to check the other day how much was on my card, and it was low. But then I got your Dear Elder saying dont worry about it. So i wont lol. Just warning though, I will need money this week and next for groceries, cuz I used my mission card for the bike. But I should be able to sell the bike back.... and get some money back. So thats exciting! And I will need money for Mexico... obviously haha. Also, question. Should I get cash out here before I leave like at a bank and at the bank exchange some of it into Pesos?? Let me know if I should do that and if I should Ill do that next Monday. I wont do it till i hear back though haha. So maybe find out if I should do that. Thanks :) And how much cash should I have when I leave?

 

For the last package... I love pictures and just some little snacks maybe :) idk exactly what else.... just whatever you want I guess :) should I send back my first sim Card yet from my camera?

 

Well the family sounds great. Loved austins pics!! My comps and I loved looking at them. So legit and it looks like he is having a blast at BYU. Cant wait for us to be back there together after our missions :) Mom and Dad you look so good :) love your hair Mom, looks like you havent dyed it at all. And Dad looks great... loving his smile as usual ;) hahahhaa. Looks like you're doing well with just 3 kids. So excited for the big change next year too!!! Is that Spencer?? HOLY COW!! Ripped much?!?!?! hahaha. Now im really just the lame skinny one ;) hhahaha. CHiste! JK. But seriously kinda lol. And Madi... you look so cute ;) Im sure you're just rocking 8th grade and having a blast being the top dog. You look so cute :) and Parker you are so cute too! Im sure football is just a blast for everyone :)

 

Yea Mom! I have gotten so much mail this week. Amazing long letters from Taryn, Cass, and Hayley, as well as Hannah and Ashley and a couple other friends from BYU and Zella :) and of course the fam and others. Its been great! And yea!! hayley sent me a tape recorder with an awesome message! Im excited to send it back! Gotta do that lol. We've been so busy!!! But I am working on writing back. Its a lot harder in the field... but dont worry... I will :)

 

Can't belive Alex is in the MTC and Nige leaves in 2 days!!!! :) So excited for both of them :)

 

So, now about me :) first off, I would like everyone to go on to LDS.org and watch Staying within the Lines by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland :) its a mormon message on the youth section. AMAZING! Watch it for FHE and just talk about it. THe message is bold and so spiritual, and I am in love with it. It makes me so grateful that I always stayed morally and spiritually clean in preparation for serving a mission, because you have to be. Elder Holland and the music and images invite the Spirit amazingly in this amazing video.... So I cant wait till you all watch it :)

 

So this week was great! We had an awesome baptism Saturday with Jeff Row. I understand you Mom have been emailing Sister Hoffman (Jeffs best friends Mom) about it. She and her family are awesome and Jeff is so cool. The baptism went great and I was able to play the piano and bear my testimony. I spoke of how I didnt know the purpose of me serving in BOise, and why the Lord was sending me up here, but working with Jeff I know part of the reason was to help him come unto CHrist and take the steps to be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost so that he can one day return to live with our Heavenly Father and also serve a mission :) and his confirmation on Sunday was an amazing experience. The SPirit was so strong, and then after we went to lunch at the Hoffmans and had a blast. Sister Hoffman said she was going to be emailing you Mom about it, so keep an eye out for that hahaha. So my first baptism that I taught from start to finish in Boise is done :)

 

So, we have about 12 progressing investigators, 4 of which are a family of 5. The Wookwicks are an amazing family :) their son Dakota was just baptized 2 weeks ago, hes 15, and he got the whole family to take the discussions. THey are ON FIRE!! So spiritual, they have been prepared so much to just recieve the lessons. It has been a pleasure to go over and teach them. We have another lesson with them tonight, and will be baptizing them hopefully in like 2 weeks! Thatd be awesome if it was right before I left! But well see. I love them so much and the Spirit is SO STRONG in every single one of our lessons.

 

Fynny story haha. So the other night Elder McDonald had to go with the Zone Leader cuz he was sick, so it was Elder Nelson and I, which was a blast :) so fun! But we were riding our bikes and we passed by a lady and stopped and started talking with her. She was like 60's but very fit, and nice. She was just chatting with us, and we were like well if you ever need anything just let us know! She was like oh how about a date haha. And we all kinda laughed and Elder Nelson was like well actually we do have a singles ward. And the lady (60 mind you!!!) she got all serious and looked at Elder Nelson and was like "No... I mean a date with you." Serious, straight face. I ABOUT DIED LAUGHING INSIDE!!!! Absolutely hilarious..... super super awkward... so we got out of there pretty dang fast hahahhaha. Elder Nelson was just like talk with me Elder Hoyt as we were riding away.... and I just laughed even harder hahahhaa. It was great. so funny! Hilarious things are always happening.

 

But the Lord also always puts us in the right situations. Just the other day we passed by the Stake Patriarchs house and he and his wife had just prayed for some help to move a couch when we pulled up! And last night we were just riding past apartments and this guy called out to us to come over. So.... we walked up to where him and like 6 of his friends were all smoking and drinking. Super nervous.... we were like whats up? He wanted to talk... so we sat out on the grass and talked. It was a rough crowd there, but this guy Gabriel was serious. He was an awesome guy, just in an awful situation. He thought he was going to teach us something, but the Spirit turned out to teach him way more than he thought. His friends were jerks, and by the end were like throwing stuff at him. We walked off with him, and he just started crying. We saw in just the 45 minutes sitting there with him the Spirit change him, and we pray he was affected for good. He doesnt live in our area... but hopefully we will see him again.

 

We have so much work to do and are always sooooo busy! The work is great though, the time flies by, and we have a blast :) Elder Nelson and I and Elder McDonald all get along great! I love them both, and Elder Nelson will hopefully be at BYU when we get back so we will hang out there :)

 

But yea, the work is going so well. I am sooooo excited to be in Mexico! And have so much to learn, spanish and from the Spirit :) but Im super excited to work. Well, this has been a long one, and I gotta get going, but I love you all so much :) love all the letters that I have been getting!! Keep that up :) I love hearing about how everything is going. I am not homesick at all... I obviously just miss everyone so much but I really am loving my mission :) and its just going to keep getting better!

 

I love you all so much!!! Mom, Dad, Austin, Spencer, Madi, and Parker and everyone else :) I pray for you all nightly. Love you all!

Elder Hoyt, Seth :)

 

 

Week 5

Oh my goodness... just one week till I will be in Mexico!! AHHHH! haha. Hola fam-bam!! I love you all, and think of you often, but love hearing how all of you are doing :) I have so much for this email... but first I gotta send you some emails Mom to add to the list :) these are of my MTC teachers and branch presidency members! So sorry to all of them that these are just coming in haha. So jpatino23@gmail.com ; jennyleighelsey@gmail.com ;vonjolley@comcast.net ; mansfuield.vicki@gmail.com ; llisonbee@gmail.com ; Thanks so much! Please add those to the list :)

 

So, just some housekeeping stuff first. haha... So mom... my ATM Wells Fargo card got canceled this last week cuz it got to low at some point, so i am reordering a new one :) no worries! I just went to use it this morning and couldnt haha. So I called and find out that was why lol. But I have money in there, so this week I will have cash and pesos out and ready for mexico next week :) no worries Mom! i was just like whats going on lol. haha. Thanks for keeping money in there, always make sure I have at least some lol. I'll get both my bags under 50 for sure. I have quite a few errands to do this week, so i will be working at getting all of those done. Sorry i seem to have gone money this month, its cuz my mission card here was confusing cuz I was a visa waiter. But I will be not spending money once I get to Mexico! Im learning to be thrifty ;) haha. A much needed quality that I am learning ;) sure you'll be happy about that parents. Thanks sooooo much for the package!! loved the pictures and the food and the supplies :) thank you so much! Im so excited for you all to move into the house in November!!! It looks absolutely gorgeous :) Cant wait to see pics when its all decorated and stuff Mom! I know youll have a blast doing that :) and thanks so much Dad for the email! I love the emails that you send, you can send it just like that every week. Once I get to Mexico itll be a lot of emails lol. Work sounds great and Im glad you are all staying so busy :)

 

So, talking about my flight plans for next week! President Cannon showed me just this last week what I will be doing. I dont have it in writing yet, but I saw the email that he had received. So I should have those plans in writing very soon! But I leave next Monday at 8 in the morning! We will be getting to the airport super early so I will be able to call then :) then I board and leave at 8 and fly to LA International :) I should have a layover there I think, but Ill let you know, and then Ill fly to Mexico City. I am alone for this leg of the trip, but in Mexico City I am meeting up with at least 2 other Elders going out to Merida :) So I will have a layover in Mexico City where I can call hopefully :) then Ill fly to Merida!!!! Should be about 10 or so hours of flying.... or maybe a little less lol. With 3 oppurtunities to talk on the phone and let you know how Im doing. So make sure the whole fam has their phones on them that day :) Ill email one more time this week before I leave, probably Saturday, and make sure that that is good :)

 

Ok!!! Finally get to the work that Ive been doing lol. I loved hearing from Hermanas Jenkins, Stewart, and Adair. Wow... what an amazing testimony by Sister Adair. I can only say Amen. That is why we are out, that is why I am out. I am growing closer to my Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost daily. I love being able to read the scriptures daily and really ponder them and I pray sooooo much. All the time. I have so much to improve on, but dont we all? that is all part of life. learning and progressing in what we need to do here on this Earth to make it back to live with our Heavenly Father.

 

So this week has been pretty crazy! First off, Elder Nelson got a new companion on Thursday. His name is Elder Masiva and he was just transferred over from a different area. We split the areas again so I am back with Elder Mcdonald in our 3 wards. But we still all live together so that is good :) we all love each other and have a blast in our big companionship study and all learning from each other and chatting. Our area is doing so well! Except for our bike problems. Seems like every other day we have a flat or something. I have decided I officially hate bikes!! I am SO GRATEFUL my mission is all walking. I love walking. it is so much easier to walk and talk with people. Seriously.... cant wait!

 

So.... we have the Woodwicks baptism this weekend :) some background on them. A family from New Orleans who has been in Boise for about a year. Their 15 year old son just got baptized after being introduced byu some friends, and the family got interested through him :) we started teaching them 2 weeks ago.... and the whole family is getting baptized this Saturday!!!!!! :) Their is Jett and Tabitha Woodwick, a couple in their 40's and their 2 daughters Hailey and Schylar, all getting baptized. And.... they asked Elder McDonald and i to baptize them!!!! So... when I leave for Mexico I will have 5 baptisms :) and be able to actually do 2 of them. And I think Ill be confirming them. We are super close with their family and cant wait for them all to be baptized :) I KNOW the Lord sent me to Boise for a purpose. Part of that purpose was the Woodwicks. They want to keep in contact with us and Ill be giving you their emails to keep them updated when I get them :) but that will be awesome!

 

Also, we were tracting the other day in an apartment complex and randomly came across this guy from Iraq. We had a bad hour of tracting, a couple slammed doors and a guy answered his door naked to me. hahahaha. Super Awkie!!! lol. But right when we were about to call it quits, I chose a last door. Abdul answered the door :) about 60 and from Iraq... he let us right in and went on and on about how the Church helped his son here in America and how he loves the Church and how jesus Christ has helped him in his life. He just had open heart surgery, and has only been in the US for 1 month. His english is good, and he is recovering for 2 months from the surgery. So... he said he cant wait to come to church and he wants to learn more about the Church :) AMAZING! The spirit was so strong and he felt it and asked what he was feeling. We got to testify of the Spirit and how the Spirit works. We cant wait to go back on Tuesday :)

 

There is also an elderly couple we have been doing service for named the Dullmeyers. Jack and Eileen both grew up in new York City and are incredibly smart and amazing people. Last night we visited with them and talked about the Church for about an hour and they are just the best. They are both quite older, and jack is going through pancreatic cancer and the corresponding treatments. But we really hope to influence them towards baptism. But right now we are just their friends :) my companions all make fun of me cuz I just LOVE talking with elderly people. I love hearing their stories and what they have done in their lives. It makes me think of Big Grandma Eunice and how amazing she is :) SO... let her know how much I love her and I am thinking of her often!!!! :) she is an amazing example to me!

 

Well, we have a super busy last week ahead of us. We have so many appointments and things to do in preparation for leaving. Im so pumped and it will go so fast! Also.... on my facebook Mom... please go on and confirm the Hoffmans friend requests :) they want to see my pictures lol.

 

I have really been working on recognizing the promptings of the Holy Ghost and learning how he speaks specifically with me. I also am pondering my relationship with Christ and what he has done specifically for me. There is so much to think about.... but it is amazing. The other day I was doing language study out on our Balcony. I was just thinking about Mexico and how excited I was, and just the other night I had prayed to help me feel and recognize my Saviors love for me. I was sitting there and just felt an overwhelming sense of the Spirit, just felt so good about myself and Mexico and being on a mission :) I know that feeeling was from the Spirit and from my Savior Jesus Christ. I strive to do those things daily to have the Spirit with me so that I can powerfully and boldly proclaim the message of the Restoration. And Im so excited to learn how to do it all in Spanish :) haha.

 

Thanks so much for all the letters and emails and packages this week! Hayley sent a package and you the fam did :) so thanks! Love you all! I will talk to you all sometime this next week and then call a week from today!!!! I love you all so much and think of you daily. :) Ill also send a couple pics from just this morning!

 

With all my love, con amor,

Elder Hoyt :)

Idaho Letters: Week 1, 2 & 3

Week 1 in the Field

Hola mi familia! Como estan? haha.

Well.... I'm here in Boise. Made it just fine! It has been a whilwind of days but I'll give you all the details. Today is not my P-Day, but we were told to email our families to let them know how were doing :) My P-Day will be on Monday so expect another email on Monday. And go ahead and email me back here because we have quite a bit of time to email so I'll be able to read that on Monday to hear back from you. But send letters to cuz thats fun to get letters :) So first....

My address for the Boise, Idaho Mission is 1111 South Cole Road, Boise ID 83709. That is the address for my mission home, which is actually here in my first area so I will get everything that gets sent there :) So you can send everything there, They did say that to mail to there and then forward it directly to me you have to ship everything First Class, so send it first class. Cuz they can then forward it directly to my apartment. I hope that doesn't make things expensive! haha. But Dear Elders can always get printed and sent :) at least I think so.... haha.

WOW! I'm out in the field. I am in the world of Boise waiting for my Visa. No word yet.... but still waiting :) I pray daily for it but am enjoying my time here in Boise. So... I'll just update you on everything that has happened since Tuesday morning when we talked.

My flight to Boise went great! Really short haha. And we got off and met President Cannon and Sister Cannon :) they are AMAZING! sooooo nice and just loving. There are 5 visa waiters here with me, 1 to Peru and 4 to Mexico. So we all went to the mission office and had lunch and then got to know each other and did some training and just some orientation stuff. Then.... they brought in some Senior Companions and said.... Here we go. And out the door we went and into the vans and they went and dropped us off in Downtown BOise and Central BOise :) I was in central Boise and we were street contacting and tracting. The Elder I was with was Elder Mcdonald who is cool and has been 17 months. So, we talked to like 25 people, we placed 2 Books of Mormon, handed out a bunch of cards with our number on them, and actually taught a lesson, just on a door approach! In my first 5 hours in the mission!!! :) I loved it.... even if it was in English. We walked and talked for 3 hours and then headed back to the mission home for dinner and a testimony meeting. Then, we all went to a house owned by the CHurch to sleep early, and I was in bed by 8:45 and asleep by 9. Wow.... it was awesome haha.

The next morning we woke up and got all ready and went to the Mission Office for a breakfast and then a morning of training. It was great and we were all super excited and anxious to find out who our trainers were going to be! Oh... btw... I have played the piano so much since I've been here. Every meeting. So mom, thank you thank you thank you for making me stick with piano. I love it and wish I was even better, but I'm working on it :) its such a blessing though. So, we finished the meeting and got assigned to our areas and trainers. I was assigned to labor in the Boise Central stake with ELder Mcdonald... who I had just street contacted with on Tuesday! He is from San Diego and has been out 17 months. He is super nice and we have been finding out more about each other as we walk around and work together. He does not speak Spanish, so I am working on it whenever I can and doing language study for an hour daily. So, we got assigned and then they took us all to our areas. We walked into our apartment which is not horrible... not amazing... it needed some good cleaning haha. Dropped our stuff off and then picked up the area book and went to work. When I first walked into the apartment, I got a wave of homesickness. Just.... everything was so new and I was actually out in the field and it was like wow.... overwhelming. But... prayer works and the Lord always helps us. I decided to pray for comfort and to know that everything will be ok. I felt the impression that all I needed to do was work, and the Lord would provide comfort and I would be ok. So, we did :) we got the area book and started going. We are both new to the area so we are just working on getting to know the members and find investigators.

So, we made a list of possible contacts and started walking to find where they live. We knocked quite a few doors, and talked to quite a few people. Even had a lady tell us we were crazy and the CHurch is a business plan haha. But we know this church is true, I know it is. I have the faith that Satan just sends us people like that to try and stop this work that is going forth but it cannot be stopped :) Then we were walking back to our apartment to plan some more and get ready for our dinner appointment when we walked past 5 guys and this guy came out and was like "Elders!" Im buying you food, come on in haha. Turns out he is the owner, or one of them, of 5 guys, and a member. He got us anything we wanted :) it was awesome. The members here so far are super nice, and we always get waves and honks walking around. I feel like a celebrity lol. So that was delicious and then we went to our dinner appointment and had more food :) I was stuffed lol.

Then we got back to the apartment and cleaned... hard core. And unpacked. So our apartment looks much better now and I am pretty much unpacked. Then we went to bed :) I slept great.... solid 8 hours haha.

Woke up this morning and worked out, did personal study, companionship study, and then went to district meeting this morning :) my comp is District LEader and we got a ride from the Zone Leaders who are hecka funny! So that was fun. Then they came and dropped us off here at the Library where we are emailing now :)

So, that is what has been happening lately :) It still feels weird at times to be out in the world and actually doing the work... and sometimes Im like wow.... this will be long. BUt with more investigators and as we really start teaching lots of lessons I can see how the mission will just fly by. Which is exciting and scary and sad all at the same time. But I know this Gospel is true... and I will enjoy my time here in BOise until my Visa comes in. But ahhhh!!! I cant wait to get to Mexico :) I want to go so so so bad. So pray for my Visa still :) I want to learn Spanish haha.

I hope fair is going well and know that I love all of you! Give Hayley and Lauren and Cass and Taryn and Ashley all hugs for me cuz I'm sure they'll all be hanging out this week! ALl my best girlfriends hahahaha. And send this email out so everyone has my address here in BOise. Maybe put it on Facebook ;)

I hope all the pig shows go well today! And everyone makes money on Sunday. I will talk to you all again on Monday!! I love you all so much :):)

Con amor, Elder Sethy-poo Hoyt ;) haha.

Week 2

Hola Fam-Bam! And all the Grandparents, aunts and uncles, and amazing friends that are getting this :) This week has been INSANE but soooo fun and crazy. Wow.... its awesome! First Ill say thank you so much for the letters this week. I have gotten one from someone about every day. I loved the email updates Mom from all the other missionaries :) Sounds like everyone is doing great and loving being in the field. Madi and Hayley, I LOVED the picture and the letter. That was so clever haha. And sounds like the fam is doing great from the update emails. AHHHHH!!! Tell Tiff-Tiff congratulations from me!! Im SOOOOO bummed i wont be able to go to the wedding, but know that I love him :) he was so cool. Its him right?? haha. Whats his name again? I feel like that was forever ago lol. I think it was... idk haha.

Ok.... some updates that I have been writing throughout the week. Money is doing well. I got refunded for luggage and stuff, so I have money. Also, we got 160 dollars a month for living expenses. Just a heads up, I might have to get a new backpack. Mine is starting to rip (it was already ripped from BYU) haha. And my borrowed bike is just killing me right now.... And because of our new assignment we are biking so much more.... so I might get a cheap bike today or tomorrow. Like Wal-mart. Im going to try to find one.... and then if I do Ill sell it to a new missionary when i leave to get some money out of it. Hope thats ok! But this bike is killing me. YES! Please send me some pics :) I would LOVE LOVE LOVE a printed copy of the one of all of us above Lake Tahoe that we just recently took :) please send me that one! And then of course some of the fam :) Cant wait to show off my gorgeous family. Also, if you could send me a small copy of the Childrens songbook.... that would be amazing :) my piano playing is improving alot.... I play a lot for people here haha. And will really play even more in mexico. Thatd be really good to have one of those! Other than that, I am doing great on stuff :) I have everything and everything is working great except maybe the new bike and backpack. :)

OK! So.... this week has been crazy. Last Tuesday and Wednesday were great. We are meeting with an awesome young man named Jeff Row who is the best friend of 2 LDS twins here in the area. Their name is Matthew and Tyler Hoffman, and they just got their mission calls to Detroit and Arizona. Actually... Sister Hoffman might email you Mom! I gave her your email. She has a lot of questions about packing for a missionary haha. I said you would be more than happy to help :) thanks!! haha. Idk if she has emailed you yet. So we had an amazing first lesson with him :) he wants to serve a mission! he totally reminds me of Nigel. Ahhhh! Its pretty dang cool haha. We had a ton of appointments this week, trying to contact all of the referrals that we are getting, and had plenty of work to do :) but.... of course the Lord knows what is best. And he didnt want us getting too comfortable ;) sooooo..... we woke up Thursday morning to a call from president Cannon. An elder in our district went home, and so my trainer Elder McDonald and I were put into a trio with his companion Elder Nelson. We were told to move all of our stuff that day to the new apartment and pick up 2 more wards. SOOOO! We are now in a new apartment with just myself, Elder Nelson, and Elder McDonald covering an entire stake on bike consiting of 5 wards :) wow!!! Talk about a ton of work. but I LOVE Elder Nelson. He is so awesome and the 3 of us get along so so so well. We love our apartment, it is so much bigger and nicer. So yea.... it was stressful putting all of our schedules together but we figured it out and take it day by day :)

So this week we got 8 new investigators, have 4 progressing investigators, and should have at least 5 with Baptismal dates :) we have a baptism now from Elder Nelsons area this Wednesday! The work is going great. We are working with Charmane, David Rey (funny... I think of Dave Ray hahahaha. Except this Dave that Im teaching is black) , Jeff Row, The Woodwick family, and several others. And wow fam!!! thanks for laughing at the thought of me on a bike hahaha. It is pretty funny. Ive never been a big bike rider. And the bike I borrowed is for a much smaller elder hahahaha. I look ridiculous. Oh well.

So an area in our stake has a bunch of refugees from all over Africa and the Middle East, many Christians that were persecuted for their beliefs and they fled here to America. Its amazing going into their complex to teach them. We just sit out in the middle of grass and they flock to us. All the little kids come and sit on our bike handlebars, and high five us, and practice their reading and English with us, and the parents all sit and try to communicate with us and show us their Bibles and we all read from the Book of Mormon. They dont speak good English, mostly French, Somolian, and Nepali, and african dialects, but they can get some. And the kids are speaking lots of English. its just amazing. They are in the depths of humility, but just love to open up their homes to us and sit with us and listen to us talk. I am humbled every time I go there and just love love love them. Its one of the high lights of our week. We have quite a few coming to church like Benjamin and Jeweria, and a couple more families that we are working on :) like Diane and her amazing family. I am beginning to see why I am sent here to Boise. There are people here that I can help change their lives, like Jeff Row, Dave Rey, and these refugees and others. I am loving it up here, of course still cant wait for my Visa and pray for it daily, but the secret to missionary work is work, work, work. And i am doing that. With this work comes the love for the people, and I really am feeling that. Yesterday at a member dinner (which we have every night... I eat sooo much! hahaha) They told me that I am always smiling and that is the best way to do missionary work :) I try to smile all day, and love saying hi to everyone and smiling :) That is the best compliment I can receive and I love it.

Wow.... I love that news Mom!!! AHHHHH!!! I cant believe it and I cant wait to be back for that :) When does school start? next week? Work, and football, and summer sounds great :) Dad.... what is BYU's football schedule this year? Let me know! haha. I love you all so much and Ill send some pics right now :) I testify daily to anyone who will listen about eternal families and how I KNOW that our family will be together forever :) what an amazing blessing. And to all my ward family and friends out there, thanks so much for your support and prayers :) I love you all.

Ok, Ill send some pics :) Love you all so much!

With love, Elder Hoyt :) (Little Seth, Sethie-Poo, whatever it is that you all call me ;)) hahahaha.

Week 3

Hola the best Fam-Bam in the world! And all those who read these emails :) hope this finds everyone well :) I am doing so great. Loving being in the field and doing the Lord's work!

So.... first off list for this email :) haha. First off Mom and everyone mailing me stuff.... for at least the next 4 weeks you DONT have to mail Priority :) just mail to the mission office. The Mission office is in our area and we check mail there everyday haha. So don't worry about spending the extra money to send it priority so it can be forwarded. Hope that saves everyone some money! We are literally like right next to the mission office haha. Its nice lol. Also Mom, I have an hour and 15 mins every P-Day to email. So send the emails and pics :) I can look at those quick and then write back.

Shout out to Grandma and Grandpa Swearingen! LOVED the letter and hearing all about your adventures and travels :) your support to me is such a strength for me and cant wait to see you again in just 21 months! ahhhh! Its already going so fast.

Hey to all of my family! I hope all the aunts and uncles on both sides and the cousins are all doing amazing :) Im sure everyone is!

Thanks so much Bishop and Sister Jenkins, Gaylene, and Suzie, for all of the Dear Elders :) I LOVE hearing about how everyone is doing, and the ward, and all of our fellow missionaries! And thanks Mom for sending all those emails that were printed out for me. Loved reading those and feeling the Spirit about how we might all be in so many different places in the world but our work is the same :)

Got the package from the fam today! LOVED IT! All those pics look great. Looks like Dad is really going to be the short one in the fam ;) haha. But I loved the one of you and Austin next to Chad Lewis :) what a dream... huh Dad? haha. And thanks for the football schedule! Ill expect to hear all about the games :) haha. And loved the bacon and pizza Taryn and Hayley!! hahahaa. And seeing Hoyt and Cramer graduate... and NO WAY!!?? Lexi looks so old!!! Not to mention gorgeous haha. Write me Lexi lol. And so exciting for Cramer to be going back there this week. Hope they're doing well :) love them! I cant wait to practice the childrens hymns. Cant tell you how many times I have been called on to play piano, and how many times daily I thank Heavenly Father that I know how. So your dream Mom of me playing in Church sure is coming to pass haha. And that stuff will be great to give out at the refugee camps, and WOW! So, blessing definitely. Just last week we had dinner with a Recent Convert and her less Active husband, Ashley and John. But, John really is becoming active again. But they were telling us how with their little kids they dont know how or when or what to do during Family Home Evening. So we said tonight when we have dinner with them again, we'll talk about what we can do! Mom.... that 52 ideas for FHE you sent with the little books is going to be PERFECT for them!! My comps and I were like dancing around singing your praises we were so excited lol. So I know Heavenly Father worked through you Mom to get that book to me to bless their family and their little children :) cool right?? Also.... I am eating great :) lots of fruit... cereal... bagels and cream cheese... tacos and buritos and nachos... and today I got french bread and pesto :) I eat balanced haha. Elder Nelson helps us eat healthy ;) hahaha.

So yea, this week has been great. We taught 22 lessons this past week, had a baptism of Leonard, he is so cool! And we will be baptizing his daughter hopefully soon. We are still covering our 5 wards, Elder McDonald and Elder Nelson and I. We have 15 progressing investigators!! And hopefully a couple baptisms this weekend. I love it here in the Boise Central Stake and I love my companions. Elder McDonald is my trainer and he has been out almost 20 months. he is from San Diego area, Falbrook. He is nice, a little forgetful at times haha. But we love him. Both my  companions are 20! So im the young one at 19 haha. But Elder Nelson reported MAy 23rd like me, but came to the field way before me. He is from St. George and is amazing. I love him so much! We get along great, always joking and all three of us are always laughing. We teach well together, and are working at improving daily.

My new bike is doing great :) I used 60 dollars from my refunjd from getting bags up here, and then 70 off our missionary card, so I might have to use some of my own money for groceries lol. But its great and is working awesome. I also bought a new backpack today from Nike :) its legit haha. But I needed that really bad. Gotta check how much money is on my Wells Fargo card when I see that.

We have had some amazing lessons this week. One was with 2 investigators, Debbie and Mark. Mark didnt know how to focus during his personal studies, and the Spirit told me to talk about how I begin with a prayer and thats helped me. He loved that, and I know the Spirit prompts us in lessons. I strive for the Spirit daily in everything I do, and have come to really see already that with prayerful studying of the Scriptures and daily personal and companionship study that the Spirit is with us soooooo much more in our days. Our days go so much better if we all study diligently and then go out :) I can testify of that. I am over halfway through the Book of Mormon and reading the New Testament as well as Jesus the Christ. I am loving reading the scriptures and am finding them connect to my own life so much.

Yesterday in one of the 2 Sacrament meetings that we go to they talked about eternal families, and I can NEVER express enough gratitude to our Heavenly Father for my family :) I love you all so much! You all look so good from the pics and Im so excited for you all to start school! Be examples in school of the Gospel and always remember I love you all so much :)

So some funny things. Yes, I look ridiculous on a bike hahahaha. All day everywhere we go we wave at everyone. lots are nice and wave back, and we got honks of support all the time. On the other hand, I have never been yelled at so many times as people have driven by that they "worship Satan" hahaha. Or things much worse ;) hahaha. But we always shrug it off.... and without fail the Lord always sends a nice person after to wave at us :) its pretty amazing. We also met with someone the other day who went off about the Holocaust never happening and slavery never happened.... hahaha. Somehow we taught a little of the Restoration.... but they were out there. Always an adventure.

I am still practicing my Spanish! I will try not to get frusturated, because I know it will all come to me in Mexico. I pray for my Visa daily!

So, all in all, I am doing pretty good. Feeling the Spirit so much, and loving serving my Lord out here in Boise, Idaho :) thanks so much for all the support this week! I got 16 letters and 3 different packages this week :) thanks so much everyone! Ill work at writing back, so know that I am thinking of you all :)

I know this Church is true with all my heart. I know the Book of Mormon is true, and the Plan of Salvation is for all of us and provides purpose to our lives. I love this Church and all of you :)

To my fam, I love you all the most and think of you daily!!! Ill send some pics right now :) Be safe this week and have an awesome time starting school. Glad football is going well.... Austin you look LEGIT in all of your football stuff :) and everyone looks so great. I got some good looking siblings and parents ;) hahaha. Love you all sooooo much and always will :) thinking of you always.

With all the love I have, Seth :) Elder Hoyt :) Sethie-Poo :) Little Seth :) I have a lot of names hahaha.

Weeks 5, 6, 7 & 8: Elder Hoyt's MTC Experience

Week 5

Hola Familia! Well, Mom and Dad and Madi are all at girls camps this week so that is so fun! I hope that is going well. I wonder if Mom will climb a mountain to get reception to see my email ;) hahaha. I'm excited to tell you all about my past week. Its been quite a good one! I'll start out by saying how much I love all the updates from the ward. Gaylene and Suzie Mell always send me updates and I absolutely love the updates on Cassie and the spiritual thoughts from Suzie. Good luck to you Suzie with your new business adventure! I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying summer! I'm pumped you got the pic of me, bree, rachel, and caleb at the map :) how fun! Well, here we go .

 

This week was great! First I'll talk about this weekend. This past week was the Missionary President Training Conference so we had 110 Mission Presidents and their wives all weekend. It was crazy! Every Apostle and the First Presidency was here almost all weekend, and you could tell the Spirit was even stronger here at the MTC. We were all kept pretty seperate though, but its ok cuz Tuesday night we had a special devotional. And.... There were 10 of the 12 Apostles there!!!! :) We waited in line for an hour to get into the big gym to be with them and were some of the lucky missionaries who didn't have to go to overflow. Literally, we saw Holland and Nelson and Elder Perry spoke and everyone else was there except Packer and Hales, who are both sick I guess. But it was awesome. Such a strong spirit at the meeting and Elder Perry gave an awesome talk on how the church is turning to more technhology for missionary work and showing how it blesses the lives of members.

 

Spanish is going well. I pray in Spanish all the time (mostly) haha. And can teach a 40 minute lesson with my companions. All 3 of our investigators Jose, Abel, y Ada are all getting baptized! Thats been so cool to go with them and get a date with them and now work on preparing them. We also picked up 3 new investigators, Paula (Hermana Mangum) and Pedro y Jacob who are Elders Paxton and Hobbs. We all get the chance to be investigators for each other so I am Nigel (pre baptism of course) Hope you dont mind Nige ;) love you! haha. So lessons are going well. I am continually trying to improve on teaching with the Spirit and following impressions and directions of where to go in lessons. I feel that I am getting better at it, but it is definitely hard. But Ill get there with the Lords help :) its all about relying wholly on the Lord and I am really coming to realize and know that.

 

The Temple :) Dad was asking about it so I'll go ahead and describe it. It is amazing. I love going to the House of the Lord and partaking of the spirit that is always there. I was able to do sealings last week and did another endowment session today :) The spirit is always strong and I have found that as I go with specific questions about investigators or a personal study topic or soemthing that I need, I always receive inspiriation or answers that help lead me to answers. It is a really cool experience :) And the breakfast after is celestial! This morning I got 2 biscuits with gravy and a slice of chocolate pie :) (Which reminded me of home) haha. Sad thing is the Provo Temple is closed for the month of July for cleaning! So no more temple for us the whole time were here :( So that stinks. But, we will fill that time with studying and more letter writing and maybe even a nap ;) hahaha. Unheard of here lol.

 

My spiritual thought for this email is from a talk that we watched Sunday night after our devotional. It was given by Elder Bednar a year ago on Christmas. Such a good talk! It was titled the Character of Christ. He went into all sorts of simple yet powerful scriptures describing the Character of Christ. This Character is that literally when we would turn inside and consider oursevles, Christ always turned outward. What an amazing message. He shared the scriptures about Christ right after he had gone through suffering in the Garden of Gethsamane. He bled from every pore and suffered so much that he asked for the cup to be taken from him if God wilt it, but kept going. After this intesne and unimagineable suffering, he went to his apostles where he was betrayed. One of the Apostles (Peter I think) cut the ear off a soldier arresting Christ. Christ without even thinking automatically healed the ear and replaced it on the guards ear. Talk about turning outward at all times! he suffered the most pain anyone would ever suffer, and was betrayed, and was going to even more suffering, yet he healed a soldiers ear who was helping cause this pain. Wow! Elder Bednar challenged us all to be like that. Less selfish and turning outward in pure love nad work towards having that pure charity. So I am really striving to do this. I am selfish at times! I am, but I realize it and want to change. So I have been working on serving my companions and being nice to everyone, and making sure I reach out to those in need. Its a working progress definitely, but I am getting better and I encourage everyone to work on this as well :) Family project! Oh what fun fam-bam :) hahaha.

 

Well, everyting is going well. Last night for the first time I got a little homesick. I was in bed praying, and just thinking about home and I have to admit, I teared up. I prayed for help through the Atonement of Christ, becuase the Atonement is for everything, not just sin. I woke up this morning feeling a little off, but went to the temple with the specific question of looking for comfort though the Atonement at the temple. While at the temple, as the session moved on, I could literally feel my worries and homesickness dissapear. I felt myself becoming even closer to Christ and feeling his infinite love for me. When I entered the Celestial Room, its as if I was going back home. I felt so at peace and received confirmations from the Spirit that a mission is exactly where I need to be right now :) its hard, dont get me wrong family. Its hard learning Spanish and learning to love teaching, and having a pure love for everyone. But oh how I enjoy the work :) I know that by relying on the Spirit and Jesus Christ and his infinite Atonement I can be made better and help invite other to come unto Him and learn of the happinness that I have :)

 

On a fun note, my zone is awesome. We have a great new district that are all fun to chat with. At nights we get back to the residence Hall at 9:30 and then my companions and I change and chat about our day and write in journals and then pray as a companionship so thats cool. Then for like 15-20 minutes we all just chat. Usually I'm in Elder Odum's room with him and I and a couple other elders just chatting about life and girls and the Gospel and our families. I've told so many hilarious stories from our family, (cuz we seem to never run out). Btw.... Elder Odum said he cant wait to meet you all :) he said my fam sounds awesome.... and he loves all the little blonde things you've done Mom ;) like thinking Ihop was an arco!!!! hahahahaha. He and I are super close already. I think that is one of my talents. Finding people that I can connect with and just getting close super fast. It happened with Tyler and Hayley and other people at college. I definitely believe that is one of my gifts as a child of God. Goodness knows I'm lacking in other gifts, but through the Lord I can gain those other gifts :)

 

Any word from Tylers family?? Id love to get a Dear Elder with his email on it! Maybe this weekend when you get back from Girls Camp. Whenever you have time though Mom :) I know youll be super tired I'm sure.

 

So, how is summer everyone? Enjoying football Spencer? How is basketball madi? How is BYU austin? And how is it being home and no school Parker? Wow.... I miss you all so much but I know youre all doing great :) Be safe always and make the right decisions. :) I'm so excited to hear Lauren is getting her patriarchal blessing!! How exciting :)

 

Well, I'll talk to you soon :) Have a great time at Girls camp and I'll talk to you next week. Cant wait to hear all about Girls camp and summer and Dad's work :) I loved your letter Dad!! El oso :) haha.

 

I love you all so much and know this Church is true :) stay strong fam-bam!

 

Im forever grateful to be in an eternal family with you all :)

 

With so much love,

 

Elder Hoyt ( Little Seth) :)

Week 6

Hey fam-bam!! And friends :)

 

WOW! 6 weeks down and 2/3rds of my MTC training done. What an insane feeling... but wow am I getting anxious to be out in the field. I hope everything is going wel and that you are all having an amazing summer :) I have a whole list that I've been writing down of what to talk about today, so I'll have lots to say.

 

First, answer all your letters. Wow.... sounds like Girls camp was so fun and Spencer and the boys will have so much fun on the 50 mile hike and then football camp. I'm so proud you're working out Mom :) 30 pounds!!! Shoot girl ;) I love all the letters :)

 

Shout outs first to Grandma Hoyt :) I LOVED your letter and will hopefully have time to write back, but if not, know that I love you and Grandpa so much :) you have always been an example to me and I am so lucky to have such amazing grandparents.

 

Shout out to Suzie Mell! I love her missionary emails and love hearing about hwo everyone else is doing, the world news, the local news, all about her business experiences, and the spiritual thought :) it always inspires me and thanks so much. I will definitely teach it loud and proud :)

 

Also thanks to the Bishop and Sister Jenkins for the Dear Elders :) love hearing from you and hearing how the ward and fam and Rachel are doing :)

 

Ok.... here we go :) week 6!

 

Well, so much has happened this week. I'll start with last THursday. Right after I sent my emails and letters all off.... Elder Odum and his district got their travel plans! They all did not receive their visas to Argentina yet so they got reassigned. Elder Odum left on Wednesday at 3 in the morning for Denver South!!! I got up at like 1:45 with him 2 nights ago to help him finish packing and say bye. It was hard to say bye cuz we have gotten so close in just the past couple weeks but I know hes where the Lord needs him now and Im jealous hes out in the field haha. I'll be soon enough!

 

So, with Odum and his district leaving, that meant that we needed new Zone leaders. Soooo..... Me, Elder Maurer, and Elder Barham got called to be the Zone Leaders :) What another amazing oppurtunity to serve again. Tonight we get to welcome our new district of elders and give them the orientation and a tour. Elder ODum said he knew they would pick us, and me hahaha. So yea, our Presidency has confidence we can do wel and so do I.

 

Sunday night we had an amazing devotional by Ted Gibbons, the author. He did a monologue recreating the martydom and story of Joseph Smith as told from the eyes of Willard Richards, Josephs personal secretary. It was AMAZING! Never before have I felt the Spirit so strong before in association with Joseph Smith. After he ended, we all stood and sang Praise to the Man and the organ and our voices were so loud and praise Joseph Smith. Everyone was crying and the Spirit was literally rushing through the room. It was amazing and the biggest tesimony builder of Jospeh Smith that I have ever had. I know he was a true prophet and through him God and Jesus Christ restored the Gospel.

 

Spanish is going well! We just finished our last grammar principle (subjunctive...ugh....) hahaha. But we are reviewing now. I really feel confident in lessons now, but I'll have to learn it all in the field haha. THe speed will be so hard at first, and the accent. Oh well... I'm not stressing. Just knowing it will come :) We have not heard anything about our visas! We are going to check today at the office so i'll let you know in the letter what happens. But yea! I will definetelty get to call this month so keep an eye out for that! Ill give a warning, dont worry haha.

 

I will send my camera card.... I have a bunch of pics and would like some printed out and sent to me if thats ok. Ill have instructions in my letter today :)

 

The MTC is amazing. THe Spirit is always here so strong that at times when we are thinking about it, we just become used to it. I love it, and am really starting to teach after the manner of the Spirit and with the Lords help. We are teaching an average of 3-4 lessons a day! I love teaching. We are becoming really close with our investigators, and finding ways to help them overcome problems. Our investigator Ada has a "smoking" problem. So, we read with her scriptures about overcoming, and for dinner time we come over and read scritpures with her and help with her kids and make dinner with them because at night is when she is most stressed and smokes. :) (all fake.... but stuff that we can actually do in the field, so we practice now!) Its pretty awesome. I have 6 investigators right now, and its pretty cool listening for revelation for all of them at once.

 

Well, Happy 4th of July!! We had a pretty good one. Last night we had a special 4th of July devotional where a Judge came and spoke.... he wasnt as nearly interesting as you Dad ;) but still good! haha. And then musical talents, and a flag ceremony, and we all got to clap and yell and it was so fun :) THEN!! We all got to go outside and sit on the grass and they had Ice cream for all of us missionaries and we got to stay out till 11 and watch all the fireworks from Stadium of Fire!!! IT was soooooo cool :) Weird to think austin and I were watching the same fireworks.

 

So yea, that has been my week pretty much. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TOMORROW MOM AND DAD!!!! SOooooooo cute :) it makes me so happy to have you both as my parents. I love you both so much and thanks for going strong :) hahaha. Keep it up!

 

I know you've been super busy Mom with everything so dont stress about the blog or anything :) no worries! But, with the package if you could send some pics (ill tell you which ones I would like in the letter today when i send the card home) and also some acne face wash (the neutrogena red diminishing or whatever) i like that. And yea.... thats about all I need i think. Whatever else you want to send would be fun :)

 

So.... I'm going to go ahead and go. I have 5 mins left on my email but Ill send another one later this afternoon during laundry and tell you about our visas!! I love you all so so much :) This Church is so true and I miss you all.

 

With Love, Little Seth :) Elder Hoyt!

Week 7:

Hola Fam-Bam!!! :)

 

Wow.... 7 weeks in the MTC down and working on my 8th. Cray-cray!! lol. I am getting so excited to get into the field! To start we have not heard anything yet about visas.... but we are hearing of Mexican missionaries here getting theres. So we are praying.... but if not a reassignment will be cool :) its whereever the Lord needs me. So, I have a bunch to write about that I've been taking notes on all week. So Ill just start!

 

First, I was reading some talks this past Sunday on LDS.org (Cuz sundays were allowed to do that) and I read a really good one by President Uchdorf I think it was. And I know Parker and everyone loves him, and I was thinking all about Madi and Spencer while I read it. It was all about staying strong in highschool and the teenage years, and he suggested 3 main things to help us through. 1. Believe. 2. Obey. 3. Endure (or I like better Persevere) :) These 2 things apply perfectly to a mission and also to helping us get through our teenage years. I love what our said... "Let our code of conduct emphasize not "What will others think" but "What will I think of myself, and the Lord think of me?" I love this!!! I encourage Spencer and Madi especially to stay strong! What examples you are to all of us, and to keep up your faith and your testimonies :) always improve them and always move forward in your testimonies. Be examples to your friends and dont be afraid to stand up for what we believe in. Austin and I were so blessed when we did this and I know you two will be as well.

 

OK!! So, The MTC is awesome. We only have 11 days left!! We are supposed to get our flight plans today.... but have not heard anything about our Visas yet. We are hoping early next week!! Also, we just heard a rumor that 2 missionaries got kidnapped somewhere in Mexico, and proselyting in that mission has been stopped for now, and we HEARD a rumor.... from missionaries... nothing confirmed.... that proselything is on hold in Mexico. If you could maybe do some digging on that.... we would much appreciate to hear if ANY of that is true. We know the Lord will protect his missionaries and us :) But we would like to know.

 

So, I have been singing every week in the MTC choir and it has been so fun! I sing tenor and for the past 2 weeks the camera that scans the choir during the performances during Tuesday night devotionals has zoomed in on my face!!! twice!! I keep getting people coming up to me and saying they saw me lol. too funny!

 

So, how is the fam? I hope the 50 mile hike was fun! and spencer is having a good time today and tomorrow at football camp :) madis birthday sounded like a blast!!! hahahaha. Poor Dad! And then I hope Six Flags was fun! Has Holly had her baby yet? Say hi to Aunt Heather and the fam when they come in :) I love all the Dear Elders I get from the fam and i loved the letter from you Mom to all the elders and sisters in our ward. its awesome to hear4 how everyone is doing.

 

The 4th of July package last week Mom from Dear Elder was amazing :) I loved the cookies and the note!!! So good so thank you :)

 

So yesterday I had the opportunity to be a host!! It was so fun to introduce all the new missionaries to the MTC :) I hosted a missionary from Tahiti who is serving in Canada. he is here learning English and spoke only French!!! It was funny trying to connect English and Spanish and French. But we did it and we had a great time with each other and he gave me 4 pooka shell neckalces handmade in Tahiti that his village gave him when he left!! He was super cool.

 

So I have had a little cough the past couple days.... just my voice has been raspy. But Im not feeling sick.

 

They fixed the AC in our room so now we can actually use our blankets at night!! we think they were trying to prepare us for the heat of merida ;) haha

 

Oh Austin!!! your poor phone!! Im so sorry. What type of new phone are you getting? But yea.... maybe I will happen to see you this week as you go running! ;) haha.

 

Thanks for Tys email. Ill go ahead and send him one and hopefully hear from him soon!

 

Question for Mom.... should I stock up on bathroom supplies here like shaving cartridges for my razor and some face wash and little stuff that I might need before I leave? I definitely am going to buy a pack of 22 shaving cartridges.... if you think thats smart! its like 20 dollars and will last me such a long time. is that smart?? Ill wait till like sometime next week to get them so you can tell me if thats ok :) haha.

 

So, the MTC is going great. Our new Zone is great! It was fun to be able to give them the MTC orientation and give them the tour and help them know what to do in the MTC. I feel so old here!!! its pretty cool actually. But man, I am excited to go! My spanish really is improving daily. And my studies are just improving daily as my desire to read the scriptures and teach with the Spirit growss! We have really been working on asking inspired questions with the Spirit and making our lessons creative. We have 6 investigators right now so are teaching every day, most of the tiems twice a day. I can get through a lesson with no english and with passable Spanish :) and our only Spanish days on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays are getting better as we learn.

 

So Elder Kennedy, an elder in our district, this past week had to go home for surgery on his knee after he retore his cartiledge in it. So we have 6 elders now and absolutely love each other! Elder Maurer is teaching with Elder Corum and Elder Barham and I are teaching in a companionship again so we all prepare for the field and a companionship.

 

So yea, everything is going well. If you could let me know specifically if anything is happening right now in Mexico with missionaries, we would much appreciate that :) also.... Cant wait for my package! did the letter get to you with my camera cartridge? I hope everyone enjoyed the pictures!! And I hope you got those couple printed that we wanted so I can have those and send some to Elder Odum :)

 

Also, hey to everyone who gets this email! I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying summer. I love the Dear Elders and letters so keep them up :)

 

I love you all so much and my desire to grow in the Gospel and become more like Christ grows everyday as I fervently pray and read and ponder the scriptures. I hope the blessings of me being out on a mission are already evident :) I love you all so much!! next week will be my last email in the MTC!!! AHHHHHHHHH!!

 

Love you all and I hope everyone has a great week :)

 

With all the love in the world,

 

Elder Hoyt :) Little Seth.

Week 8

Wow.... 2 months down!! I only have like 15 minutes cuz I've been getting on throughout the day to email about calling tonight, but Ill give my update for the week. I just wrote letters to the whole fam today and sent them :) so everyone should be gettting letters by Saturday!! And I'll be leaving for Boise on Tuesday. I leave the MTC at 5:15 and get to the airport about 6 or so. Then my flight leaves at 8:30 so I should be able to call on Tuesday!! again... that is TUESDAY!! :) so I should be calling around 6 your time or even 5:30!!

 

This week was amazing. We had Jenny Oaks Baker come and give an amazing musical devotional. She is the daughter of Dallin H. Oaks and one of Americas most renowned violinists. It was so good!!! We watched Mountain of the Lord Sunday night... which reminded me of when we would all watch that like every Sunday when we were younger hahaha.

 

Once I leave the MTC on Tuesday... I will not be able to receive them sent here anymore. So send over the weekend and I'll get them all Monday and then start sending to Boise, and I'll get you my address there as soon as I can. They said that I can be pulled out of there at any minute, so whenever the Visa comes in. I CANT WAIT!!! We drove to Salt Lake on Monday to check with the consulate and sign for Elder Maurers. So weird to be out of the MTC!

 

This week I have been able to read the family history stories. They are so cool!!! If you could call Grandma Eunice Mom and tell her that I say this. "Hey grandma! I have been loving the family history stories Mom has given me and read your life story. WOW! Amazing and I am really getting an interest in family history. Family history is stressed to missionaries and is so cool!" Tell her I love her and hope she is doing well!!!!

 

So yea, this is super short and fast but I sent long letters to you all today and I will talk to you in just like 4 and a half hours. Remember I will only have 5 minutes, so itll be fast but I cant wait :) to hear you all!!

 

How is everyones week? How are you liking your Iphone Mom? What is the room set up?

 

Thanks so much for all your dear elders and I hope Fair is soooooo much fun next week especially with hayley and Lauren there :) jealous youre all there!! But not really cuz Im going to the field!!!! Im super pumped but not going to lie I am nervous. But I will learn as I get out there and I cant wait. Also.... I got my bags both under 50 pounds so i shouldnt have to pay overage!!

 

Ok, gotta go!! Ill talk to you all tonight :) oh also!! Uncle Adam wrote me. Tell him I am leaving this week but will only be in Boise ;) hahaha. Thanks for the thought of trying to get me a package here in Provo though :) tell him I love him and the fam so much!!!!!

 

Love you all and will talk to you so soon!!!

 

With love, Elder Little Seth :):):)

The MTC: Letters To Start Off Elder Hoyt's Mission

Week 3

Hola Fam-Bam!

 

Well, you are all just about a mile from me right now. It is so weird to know that you are all in Provo and we can't see each other. But I know that it is for the best and I know you are all having so much fun here. I'll start by answering some of your guys questions from your past Dear Elders and commenting on whats been going on and then update you on how I'm doing :)

 

Well, it sounds like you all had an awesome time in Idaho! Tell Aunt Heather and Ryan and the boys and Aunt Noel and Uncle Kyle and the kids hi next time you talk to them! I love that they wrote me in the Dear Elder. Im glad you were all able to travel safe. And how crazy!!! On monday morning I was at the foot doctors office right next to BYU at 9 on Monday. We probably drove by each other hahahaa. I was looking for you though! My companion needed a boot for a strained muscle in his foot. But yea, we are so close. But thanks so much for the coming package :) I cant wait to get it.

 

I am sooooooooo excited for austin to start tomorrow!! New Student Orientation is so fun. Austin, just make sure you dont hold back and try and meet as many as possible. Itll be so fun :) I cant wait. I cant believe just a year ago I was going to that same orientation. I feel old.... I wonder how Mom and Dad feel?? ;) hahaha. You will have a blast though.

 

Spencie!! I'm so glad you had so much fun at EFY. Im sure the hottest girls there were all over you and wyatt :) I love that you wore the batman cape. Atta boy!! have such a good summer. And enjoy utah :) also, you will be the oldest soon!!! CRAZY! im so excited for you though. Always be an example and remember to pray and read your scriptures and I know you will be blessed.

 

Madi! I am sure you are having a blast at basketball camp and arent the dorms fun?!?!?! have fun with tanners sister! Make friends with all the athletes ;) haha. I loved your letter and Ill be sure and write you back today!

 

Parker! Sounds like you got a ton of good stuff at the Bookstore. I love BYU clothes and Im sure you love the slippers. Have so much fun here in Utah!!

 

Well Mom and Dad, time for the updates :)

 

I get released as the District Leader this Sunday. They like to try to have 3 different ones throughout our time here in the MTC to make sure people get the experience. So that will be weird to not be the district leader, but exciting haha. Class is going well, Spanish is hard but its coming. We are almost done with all of the tenses and are pretty much talking in class in only Espanol. So thats been cool. 3 of our hermanas left this week for the Peruvian MTC. We miss them a lot but still have one, HErmana mangum with us cuz her visa hasnt coming in yet. So thats been cool to have her. We have to escort her around everywhere cuz she is a solo sister.

 

Caleb left yesterday!! I got to see him so much and we shared the food and took lots of pics before he left. I know that he will do great and I gave him big hugs from all of us!

 

The MTC is awesome. I see so many people I know al the time.

 

I get so many Dear Elders and its awesome. The fam, hayley, cassidy, taryn, griffin, easton, cameron, uncle adam, so many and its been so fun to get them. Everyones always like wow! You have so much mail haha. So thanks to everyone :)

 

Well, my spiritual experience of the week. Hmmmm.... where to begin?!?! haha. Well, last week I committed myself to really start working on making my prayers sincere. I have of course always prayed but when I got to the MTC i realized that they needed to be more sincere. So, my personal study for a week was all about prayer. The power of it, why we need it, what exactly it is, how it works, pretty much everything. I started thinking about how I could make them more sincere, and I read and studied and focused, my prayers have become so much more sincere. At night I love just talking with my Heavenly Father and letting him know how my day was and asking for my investigators, family,and friends to be blessed. The other night, I got an overwhelming flood of the Spirit and an impression that yes, My Heavenly Father really is listening to me and he knows me :) It was so cool. So I know that prayer works and I encourage everyone to make their praryers more sincere.

 

Another really cool experience happened yesterday to me. Tuesday night was really busy with devotional, and then district meeting after, and then I had leadership, so we didnt really get to plan a lesson for our investigator Abel the next morning, (who is Hermana Patino, one of our teachers.) So, we hurriedly threw somethying togehter that we thought might work, and went in. Absolute train wreck. Worst lesson i have ever given. The SPirit was not there and we didnt know what to say and just awful. So, about 15 mins in our teacher stops us, and lovingly says... Elders... whats wrong with this room right now? And I was just so embarssed and dissapointed in us, all 3 of us were. We talked about how the Spirit was not there, and how important planning is. So, he told us to go make the changes that were neccesary to be made, and our next lesson will be great. He was very loving about it, and could tell we were so so dissapointed in ourselves. It was awful... I was in tears cuz I was so ashamed. But!!! The Lord truly humbles us after we are on a high. We had a great lesson the day before, and were underprepared for the next both in our Spanish and lesson. So, the Lord humbled us. And what a humbling it was. BUT! It was one of the best things that could have happened to me. After, me, ELder Maurer and Barham all went into an empty classroom for an hour and prayed with our HEavenly Father, then made changes. We made changes in our companionship and made ways to get closer to each other. We planned all of our companion studies out and worked with soem of the other teachers on ways to share the load of teaching equally. The Spirit testified to me that yes, we needed to be humbled, but the Lord will always help us back up. Our companionship has never been better and we are going to deliver a powerful lesson today with the power of the Spirit. I know that this experience humbled me, which is what I needed. And I know that the Lord loves me and is teaching me the way he wants HIS Gospel to be taught to those that are being prepared just for me. And yes Dad, I have been praying for the people of Merida to continue to prepare to meet me and have their hearts open to the glorious message that we share :)

 

So, the MTC is the hardest, most draining, most humbling, most inspiring thing that I have ever done in my life. But oh so worth it :)

 

I also have been reading the BOok of Mormon every morning and can feel this already starting to bless me. I get up at 6 and read for about 20 minutes before getting ready and showering etc. :) so thats been going great.

 

Ok, lets see. Random updates! We have an elder in my district who is getting surgery today on his gall bladder, so he will be back on Sunday. Taryn and Hayley have been texting a ton and are planning to meet up at some point and hang out in So Cal :) how cool right!!!??!!! haha. I don't miss facebook at all really. I do miss my iphone sometimes, but have gotten so used to being without it that thinking about texting now is just weird. I MISS MUSIC THE MOST!!! Well, besides you fam bam, but life without music is just downright dull sometimes. So, to make up for it we are always singing musicals, Disney, some pop songs. Always appropriate of course, but just something a little different haha.

 

Oh Dad and Austin! There is a new district in my zone and they are all awesome. But there is an Elder Fanaika from Pleasant Grove. He is on a full ride to Stanford for football and said he met you both at one of the Nike COmbines!! So weve been chatting about Austin starting and you Dad. He said he was very impressed by both of you because you were so nice and Austin was so big hahahaha. So he says hi :)

 

I cant wait for my package! I finally figured out the alarm but it will be super nice to get a new one! So thank you :) Also, I love snacking, so I cant wait for the snacks.

 

I hope everything is going well with everyone! And HELLO to everyone who gets this email. I love you all :) and thanks for the Dear Elders :) keep it up haha.

 

So, what is everyones elses plan for summer? IS it weird to be dropping Austin off at BYU Mom? How you holding up? Know Mommy that I love you so much!!!!! You'll have fun with only 3 kids in the house :) lol.

 

I hope work is going well Dad! What cases are you working on right now? How did that murder trial go, with the death penalty?

 

My companions all say hi! :)

 

I love you so much family and miss you every day but know that I love my mission. I know that this Church is true. I know that our Heavenly Father knows us and that Jesus Christ suffered through the Atonement for us. Always stay close to the Spirit fam bam, and keep up the prayers for me. I need all the help I can get!! As do all the missionaries out there. :)

 

Love, Elder Hoyt :) (Little Seth)

Week 4:

Hola mi familia!! Wow.... a whole month down in the MTC. I cant believe it! At times it goes so slow..... like Saturdays with 6 straight hours of class haha. But then all of a sudden its P-Day again and Im writing an email. So, I'm going to start this one with a few shout outs. Mom, I know you send this out to quite a few people, like the Johnsons and all the Grandparents and aunts and uncles, so thank you! I love you all so much.

 

To Grandma and Grandpa Swearingen... Thanks so much for the package! I loved the sweets, so did all my companions and elders in my room ;) haha. And the notebook was perfect and the awesome letter. I love you both so much and you have always been there for me.

 

To Uncle Adam and Aunt Becky and all the kids, thanks so much Adam for the Dear Elder! I love your family so much. I hope summer is going well for you all :) crazy Jacob is a junior!! Tell him I say hi and of course all the other kids :)

 

To the Johsons, Thanks so much for all the letter!! They meant so much to me to hear from all of you. I died of laughter at Kates when she said she was mad cuz Jimmer just got married and now she cant marry him hahaha. Miss you guys but thanks for the support and prayers!

 

Lauren sent me a letter and I'll write her back today, but she is so awesome! I love you Lauren and you are such a part of our family :) have an awesome summer! And I cant wait for that package ;) haha.

 

To Hayley and Ashley and Cass and Taryn I love you all for writing! hayley sent an amazing package full of pics, sweets, and two of the most beautiful paisley ties I've ever seen. All the elders are jealous of them, and everyones been wanting to wear one of them. Thanks so much all of you :)

 

Im trying to cut down on my letter writing, so Ill send shout outs in the emails so save on postage and time during P-Day. Also Mom... could you make sure that the Cooks and Cassidy are getting my update emails. Also, maybe email it to the Ottesen family, (their addresses are in my email) and send it to them. Maybe get Tylers emails from them and forward it to me in a Dear Elder. I havent heard from him!! Thanks :)

 

Thanks to everyone who writes me! I love getting updates from Suzie Mel all about the ward and stuff in the world, and Amador county news and spiritual thoughts. Tell her thanks!!

 

 

Ok, here is my updates on week 4!

This past week has been spiritually fulfilling as usual. Last P-Day was a week ago! Time goes so fast. But yes, i did see the stewarts randomly drive past when I was heading to field day for gym time.... right across the street. I said tell you all I said hi :) it was cool to see them. It was sad not to see you, but thats how its meant to be. Its ok. Austin should randomly run by though sometime when Im at gym on Tuesdays and Saturdays or early in the morning. Ill write him. I want to see him just once. Maybe he can do baptisms at the temple or something when I go. hahaha. But were not supposed to plan to meet family. We'll see ;)

 

I have been trying as hard as I can to keep all the rules, like being in bed at 10:30 and I have been keeping my focus on the work. I like when Mom said have fun with the hermanas hahahahhaa. Im on a mission Mom ;) but there is a sister from Auburn who played volleybal full ride for them..... we play volleyball together... and ELder Odum and I think she is an amazing daughter of God ;) hahaha. But yes, I am focused on this great work.

 

My lessons are gonig great. We have 3 investigators at the moment. All 3 are our teachers, but literally when they are the investigator they are brand new people. Its cool to teach them! When is Jose, then Abel, and Ada. We just started with Jose, and just introduced the BOok of Mormon to him, which is so far my favorite lesson to teach. Abel is a little harder for us, we are trying to find out his needs and how to help his testimony of the Book of Mromon grow. Ada just committed to be baptized so we are preparing her for that :) and we are teacher her "sister" haha. HErmana mangum in our district with Ada as well. So teaching has been good. My spanish is improving daily... sometimes it is frusturating to not be able to say exactly what I want in a lesson, but that is what the spirit is for. The Spirit testifies no matter the language, and I just have to follow promptings and things will turn out. The Spirit is definintely in our lessons as long as we are doing our personal study, praying as a companionship, listening to each other, and being open to promptings. Its hard, but we are getting better :)

 

This coming weekend is the New Mission Presidents Seminar! We have been told to expect at least half of the Quruoum of the 12 here throughout the weekend and next Tuesday President Uchtdorf is speaking to us  :) We are going to go super early to try and get good seats!! Cant wait :) We just had Sheri Dew come and speak to us this past Sunday and she was so good! An inspiring talk about remembering our purpose and remembering the Lord is always with us.

 

To answer your questions Mom, we have not heard anything about our visas yet. But, we are expecting to get reassigned. Mexico missionaries here get reassigned a lot we've heard, so Im prepared for that. I love the MTC, but i cant wait to get out in the field and really live the things I have been learning. Elder Odum and the district above us were supposed to leave this next week, but no word of visas has them expecting to be here another 2-3 weeks and then getting reassigned. But, the church is so organized and no one is here longer than they need to be :) so Im not worried. Ill miss Elder Odum when he leaves! He and I have gotten super close. We are the same person pretty much hahaha. As everyone says all the time lol. Its hilarious. And my companions are just awesome. Im so excited to be with Elder Maurer in Mexico :) hopefully we fly together! And ELder Barham is such an example to me of exact obedience.

 

Sounds like you are all so busy! How was your basketball camp at BYU madi?? How was Parkers cub scout camp?? How is football going Spencer?? How is water zumba going with Lauren Mom?? (YOU are already skinny mommy ;) dont even worry. I think you're the hottest Mom ever. I am so excited for you and Madi to go to girls camp :) ill bet you'll climb a mountain Mom to get signal to receive my email next week hahahahhaa. JK. I dont expect that lol. Thats hilarious Dad that I spelled pero.... perro. Whoops! I learned though. so I wont do it again. How is work going Padre?  Btw Mom.... How is my blog going? I want to send pics but we cant email them cuz were not allowed and there is no way to print them here! Its super lame. Maybe send me another memory card so I can send mine home and you can print them and send it back? Idk exactly, but just let me know what you think.

 

I am so happy that Austin is having so much fun! How are practices going? How are the dorms? You already went to a bonfire and another girls house ;) shoot austin hahaha. Live it up :) summer term is one of my fondest memories of BYU.... along wth my San Diego road trips :) and really.... everything else hahahaha. But yea, summers amazing. Ill write you today Austin :) whenever you have time you can write back. No pressure!

 

I got your package last week!!! The donuts were AMAZING!! Thank you so much. And all the notebooks were perfect. That is so funny about the Disney store in Salt Lake! You are the cutest ever Mom haha. I miss you and the fam always, but know I'm where I'm supposed to be. It still hasnt quite sunk in yet that Im a missionary, but then again it does. It feels normal to be here, which is so cool.  A mission is definitely already one of the hardest things I've done, but so worth it. It even makes me get out of my comfort zone sometimes ;) and Im learning to embrace that.

 

I know that this Church is true. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God and every time I open it the Spirit gives me personal revelation for myself and for my investigators. I was teachign the Plan of Salvation yesterday and testified that the best part about it is that as families we get to live together forever. Not a day goes by that I don't think about that and it makes me so happy to know that I will be you Mom, Dad, Madi, Parker, Spencer, and Austin for ever. I miss you all so much but am having a blast. Prepare now for your missions Austin and Spencer. You too parker! Listen to Dad and all his stories of the MTC cuz theyre all true. And a missino is not all just work, I mean, it is always work, but it so fun :) we have a blast just chatting with all the hermanas and elders and the Spirit is with us if we obey the rules, always remember Jesus Christ, and rely on him. I know that that is true :) If you ever have any questions about preparing, just ask me and I'll give the inside scoop ;)

 

I hope everyones summer is giong well! I cant wait to email next week, but first hear back from all of you in Dear Elders. That works the best to send Dear Elders, cuz then I can focus al my email time on writing back. I love you all so much and know this Church is true with all my heart. We have challenges sometime, but the Lord is always with us :) I love you!!!!

Wuith so much love..... Elder Hoyt :) lIttle Seth