Week 31

 We went to sunset cliffs last P-Day and it was awesome. This is a picture of my District minus 1. It has been super awesome being a district leader I just get to love, motivate and serve these missionaries and I love it. I get to teach at our meetings we have each week and it been such a humbling and great opportunity that I have been entrusted. I love my district so much, they are some of the best missionaries in San Diego and I am so proud and glad to be serving with them. Oh yeah and last Tuesday night I got food poisoning and was puking and super sick for about 24 hours but was fine after that! :) Then it hit Elder Larsen, so we were inside for 2 days straight lol but I definitely got to sleep A LOT for those 2 days. Then I went on exchanges with my best friend Elder Hernandez the one in the green glasses and we had so much fun, we just click. We are definitely hoping that we can be roommates at BYU, but neither of us have applied lol We also had a missionary fireside and it was good and I had a pretty crazy experience. So I contacted this super crazy lady back in September, I mean drugged out lady in Old Town, she was super nice, but was higher than a kite lol We taught her a little and she said she wanted missionaries to come by. Since she was english speaking we sent her info over to the English Elders. So at the fireside 2 stakes away from were we met her, she was there! She actually has been talking with the missionaries and has been to church like 5 times and wants to get baptized lol. She actually was clean for about 2 months and then relapsed, but she wants to get baptized lol She came up to me at the fireside, sadly she was high, but she was like "I remember you.." and she almost fell over, it was actually quite funny. :) that is pretty much what has been going on. Training has been going good! Elder Larsen is such a good mission and has such great desires to serve the Lord it is great!

How have the kids been!? I love them! :)

Love, Elder Hays

Week 30

So everything is going well, my last companion is home now in Florida. My new companion who is brand new to the mission is Elder Larsen from Wyoming! He is super cool! We practically have the same vision for everything so it is super nice! It has if he is the one training me lol! He is just super awesome, doesn't talk much, that is just his personality, but he definitely teaches well and has a love for the work. He was in Mexico for a month serving his mission and it was absolute hell for him. His first trainer neglected him and made my comp pay for everything and then eat all his food, to the point where elder Larsen was eating powdered milk and oats every meal because he had no money. Then he had problems with his heart and had to come back to the states to get some studies now he is here! District Leader is great! i get to help out a lot so I really like it! 

I am glad that Brock is able to sleep well! :) That makes one of us lol :) Tell him and Ashlyn that I love them this_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ much. (that is alot). I died laughing when I heard that Ashlyn draws rainbows. She will do fine in school! I know it! I love you all so much and i promise I will have better stories next week this week was super slow!

I love you all! 

Elder Hays

Week 29

Hey Family!! 

It is now a new transfer! Oh yeah and mom I am not a zone leader i was just living with them :) I have been the district leader for the past 10 days, but that could change tomorrow or it could be the same. I do have fantastic news.. I am going to be training!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH!!!! I am super excited to have this opportunity! Hopefully I can be a good example to him! I am sure that i will do fine, President has faith in me, so I should have faith in myself. The past week has been good, I only had about 13 hours in my area to "work" because I had to also work in the Zone Leaders area. It is okay though! We taught 30 people which is super good, so we kept busy. Also I "added" this new family named Arturo and Patty. They are super golden and I am excited to see them progress in the gospel, they definitely have a certain light about them. We taught them the Restoration and it was sick! Oh yeah speaking of sick half of the mission is sick and I am starting to come down with something! Let's hope I don't get sick!

So it was pretty cool this week we got fed a lot which was nice! We ate at Hermano Sanchez's house and he is a chef and he makes the best food! We had tostadas and some amazing carne asada! We then we talking about him preparing to get the Melquisidec Priesthood (Sorry I don't remember how to spell it in English lol) so I was able to share my experience/ testimony about waiting to receive the priesthood and how special it was to me, also talking about how we all went to the temple together to get my endowment and also when we were sealed. Yeah... they cried.. the spirit came in SOOOO strong and just rocked us all. I really felt the spirit testify that what I was sharing was true, and exactly what they needed to hear. 

Love, 

Elder Hays

Week 28

 Three things to make you feel good: 1). This is actually week 34 in total 2.) I am the new District Leader for the Logan Heights district 3). I just want you to know that I had a fantastic Christmas!!! Elder Hernandez (my future roommate at BYU!!! lol I still have to apply though, could you help me out with that?) spent Christmas with me and it was freaking awesome we had a secret pizza party and everything! Here is the story:

This Christmas was definitely one of my favorites. So after I talked to you I went on exchanges with Elder Hernandez. There was a baptism so I couldn't really walk so he stayed with me. It was the best decision ever. So we talked for a little while and then we started talking about food because we were hungry. We were trying to figure out how to get food since we couldn't really go anywhere since I was injured. We talked with the English elders in the area that had a car but they couldn't. We tried bribing some sisters with cookies but they couldn't. We thought of a few members but we didn't think they could. Then the sisters called back and said that they could. It was funny because when we first called them we told them that we baked cookies for them and if  they could pick them up. We were going to ask them to pick up some little Caesars for us if they could. Well when they called back we told them "Hey we totally came up with this idea after we called you and we were wondering if you could like pick up some pizzas on the way." They totally bought it. They said "Ya you baked us cookies we can totally do that for you." It was a miracle! So we waited for them to come drop it off.  They were taking awhile and we started thinking "Oh crap what if the zone leaders and the sisters showed up at the same time." because they were coming back from the baptism. That would be bad!!! We were definitely blessed because like a minute after the sisters dropped off the pizzas the other Elders came. In that little bit of time Elder Hernandez and I scrambled around trying to think of how to keep the pizza secret. We ended up putting them in a garbage bag to hide the scent and hid it under his bed. We sprayed this smell good stuff too so they couldn't possibly smell it. We then thought they might check under my bed for some random reason so he ran and put it out on my balcony but then realized it was cold outside so he ran and put it under the bed again. The Elders then walked in and got ready to leave. It took them like 45 minutes to finally leave. All throughout that time Elder Hernandez and I cracked so many different jokes about the whole situation. I asked him "What do Mexicans cut their pizza with? Little Ceasars!" (say in a mexican accent) lol we were dying of laughter. We made so many pizza jokes and bed/under the bed jokes that I couldn't breathe it was too funny. I asked Elder Nielson if he likes cold pizza for breakfast since I started to think that the pizza was getting cold. Then I asked him if he has ever had cold pizza for dinner. We were rolling on the floor with laughter and Elder Nielson and Elder Seymour had no clue why. They just kept on looking at us like we were crazy. I said another thing about when I used to clean my room I used to put everything in a bag and put it under my bed. I haven't laughed that hard in awhile.They eventually left and we had our own little secret pizza party. It was the best Christmas ever!

Week 27

Oh yeah this is not my companion, this is Elder Hernandez from Miami and he is a super good friend of mine, we were on exchanges in Logan Heights!!! 

Week 26

Hey Family!
The holidays are hard without you.
The definition of a missionary is "Someone that leaves their family for 2 years, so that others can be with theirs for eternity". I have been called by Jesus Christ in order to help other families and His children to be happy in this life.

 The Savior on His mission had to sacrifice a lot more than what i have been asked. Mom you have seen me grow.  I know that its been hard for you with me being on my mission, I miss you mom, but I am not that far, you can write me, you can see pictures, and i get to call you. For these 2 years and for the rest of my life. In order for me to become more like the Savior I know that I will have to pass through trials, it wasn't easy for Him it wasn't easy for Mary, but it must be done. For the greater good. I am prepared to endure whatever the sacrifices the Lord has for me. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is what propels me each day. His grace charges my batteries to serve him. I take up a cross daily for Him. I do it because He loves me and I love Him. 

This time on my mission is short. I have almost been out for 8 months! The rest will fly by so quick. I have a testimony of this work, I have seen it change the worst of people into those that are worthy of His presence. This work is not easy. Neither was it easy for the Savior. I am at war Mom, the forces of Satan are getting stronger and stronger, i see it firsthand every day. But, the work of the Lord is hastening. I have a testimony that I have Angels on my left and on my right as long as i do my best to follow the Savior and His servants, my leaders, and as I do so I am showing the Lord that I am His servant, his warrior. Nothing has brought me more happiness than being on my mission, but nothing has been harder. Everyday i have to get up and not think about my self (not neglect myself) but to focus on others. These people need me, they need all of me. I need all of your support and prayers. I need everyones help to help me to stay focused on the work. I need constant encouragement to stay loyal to the Lord and His servants. I love you all, with all of my heart. I do this for the people that i have come into contact each day, and I also do it for you each of you. I know that you are being blessed each day for my service. I do it because I love you, the Savior did it because he loves us. 

I hope this wasn't too heavy. I love you guys so much :) 

Love,

Elder Hays

My Zone...