Week 50

This is crazy!!! I am almost at my year mark! I can't believe it!!! It has flown!! This week went by fast. The baptisms went great! Thank you for all the prayers! It went absolutely great. I didn't flood the font this time! hahaha. We did a musical number, luckily I didn't ruin it too bad. We had some really good food afterwards! There names are Katherine and Jesus. There mom is getting baptized June 7th after she gets married to the guy she is living with! (My Companion Elder Walker is in the middle)

     So Yeah I am in a new apartment with new everything. I am just close by. for instance how my first area Calexico was 2 hours away from my last area Logan Heights. I was just saying that I am just not too far away I am just like 10 mins away from Logan heights, but in a brand new everything. I AM IN SWEETWATER (sorry if I am still confusing you lol I need to remember that you don't live in SD and don't know where everything is at :) )  Sorry, We don't have plans to go anywhere for dinner Easter Sunday. But even better we have another baptism this weekend!!!!! :DD WHAT! Miracles having been happening like crazy! we are so grateful to be seeing them and it motivates us to work even harder. Now unfortunately there is no delegation of responsibility. It is part of the learning, every one has there specific responsibilities and unlike a job there is no delegation. But it is all good! I love it! 

     The members in Bonita 3rd ward are awesome!!! I got to give an extended testimony ( they asked me along with the new missionaries to bear our testimonies for like 5-7 mins each). It was super cool I got to share with them about our experience being sealed in the Temple and how that has inspired me on my mission to help other families do the same. Honestly that played a huge role in the missionary that I am today.

Well this is a brief overview of my week:

Lunes: 04/07/14

We taught zone meeting! It went sick! We taught for 3 hours lol it is like the district meetings that I held weekly back when I was a DL (District Leader), but these are at the beginning of each month and last twice as long and the 2 districts come and participate in that meeting. We talked about asking members for referrals and the crucial part that they play as members, because it it through the friends of members that there is lasting conversion. We then talked about how to teach to the needs of people rather than just teaching a rote lesson. Then we talked about vision and then formed zone goals for the month of May. It was a very fun and interactive meeting (that is what the other missionaries told us) and the Spirit was there super strong so I would consider that a successful meeting.

Martes: 04/08/14

We went to sunset cliffs again for P day. It was nice and relaxing. we just chatted with the other missionaries and threw the football around.

Miercoles: 04/09/14

Well we had our monthly District Leadership Council. We taught it combined with the English Sweetwater Zone (we are the Spanish Sweetwater zone, we cover the same area just different languages). so there were about 6 district leaders there. So we went over the responsibilities of the district leaders and answered the questions that they had and we then came up with ideas on how the zone leaders can better help the districts.  Then we went and taught some peeps! Was a good day! Then we had a weekly coordination meeting that night! Meeting meeting meetings! :)

Jueves: 04/10/14

Well today we went to the MCRD to help set up the picnic for the graduating marine class. we were soo excited to eat hotdogs and potato salad and stuff. Then when we arrived they told us they can only do cake! The reason beiong that on this day there are many businesses that set up tents and booths with food. and what we do is free and everyone goes to see "the Mormons" therefore the other places are losing money and got pissed off at the church lol. people can be so stupid sometimes loL! but the other senior missionaries there bought us domino's pizza from one of the stands, yummy!! 

sorry out of time!!! to be continued!

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

ELder HAys

Week 49

Hey Family!
I still have a couple weeks to a year! (May 1st) but I do come home in a year from next week! lol Hahaha but I am still here! Well this has been the craziest week of my life lol! Seriously though!..... Well.... I am now currently serving in the Sweetwater Stake which is the next zone over from Logan Heights so I am about 10 mins from my old meetinghouse (elementary school). It is awesome! It is still completely new although I am close to Logan I am super far from my old area. What is funny is that all of the leadership in Logan Heights for the most part live in my area because they are attending out of their stake, which is hilarious! There are actually people that speak Spanish here! In my old area it was all just white people that didn't want to talk to us and gay guys that would hit on us hahaha. So I am super excited to be here. It is super ghetto! Just like I love it! I am on the outskirts of Logan so it is no where near as dangerous and ghetto, but it has a little of that influence :) We actually have a ward building! YAY! This is the first time that I have met in a chapel in about 7 months it is fantastic (Nacho Libre voice). We have some incredible investigators! We actually have 2 baptisms this Saturday and then several more lined up! My goal is to baptize 8 more before my birthday! :) (If it is with the will of the Lord, that is the crucial part).

I am also currently serving as a Zone Leader!!! It is crazy! There is SOOOOO much responsibility! There are sooooooo many meetings and phone calls. The Zone Leaders practically run the mission with the APs and President. So I am super excited to be able to serve and to love the 16 missionaries in our zone. It is such a responsibility and has been super stressful, and i have just collapsed at night walking through the door, BUT I LOVE IT!!!! My companion is Elder AJ Walker and he is from Salt Lake City. He is really awesome!

So about Brock's birthday! I am feel terrible!!!!! I did not forget... I just literally and honestly had no time to drop it off. It has been GO GO GO for this past week. I had it all ready to go and when i finally had an opportunity to put it in the mail it didnt fit in the outgoing mailbox at the apartment. So I had to wait until today to drop it off at the mission office so the post man can pick it up. so it is in the mail! I literally was torn apart Sunday because I could just picture Brock being upset that I wasn't able to get the card to him in time. I feel horrible! I feel great though to hear that he had such an awesome birthday! Thank for the pictures! Ashlyn looks like a mini me lol with all the faces she makes in the pictures! Brock looks sooo good though! he has lost weight!. 

well here is what my week looked liked!

Tuesday: 04/01/14

So I found out i was getting transferred so i went and said bye to everyone and then packed my bags, I didn't get to bed until 12:30a :o It went well though. 

Wednesday: 04/02/14

We had transfer meeting at 10;30. Then I had to run to the mission office to get stuff for the other elders in the zone and then we had to do a lot of other business stuff. Then we had appointments and were flying around like crazy people. Then we had our coordination meeting that night, then afterward we had to redraw out all the areas because we added a companionship of sisters and they needed an area to proselyte so we as a district had to redraw the boundaries to accommodate them. So we gave up half of our area.

Thursday: 04/03/14

We had Mission Leadership Council in which all the Zone Leaders of the mission met with President Clayton and we discussed how we can better the mission and we received some training and shared miracles. it was great! I was super nervous becasue this is a very important meeting, it was also of course my first time. then I finally had time to grocery shop lol! Then we went and taught Yazmin Contreras her family is AMAZING! I honestly felt like I had been with them for years, it was just so comfortable being with them and they are getting baptized this Saturday (her kids). Once she gets married which should be soon she will get baptized. 

Friday: 04/04/14

We had district meeting. We had to plan for our 3 hour long Zone meeting that we had to teach Monday (04/07/14). we also visited a few people. 

Saturday: 04/05/14

General Conference all day! It was great! I love the talk by Dalin H. Oaks given in the priesthood session. Along with Elders Holland and Rasband. They were great! I also got to eat a fried California burrito! YUM!!! :D

Sunday: 04/06/14 

Well I also get to teach and attend church at the MCRD (Marine Corps Recruit Depot) on Sundays and Thursdays. it is SOOO COOL! I am on base and get to teach recruits at boot camp we have to go through security and everything. It is such a new world. So we get to teach the recruits and baptize them and that place is miracle central! So I will have more to talk about as the weeks come. Also they give you a military set of scriptures that only the military are allowed to use! 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Well I am doing great I love and miss you all! with how busy we have been I had only 30 mins to email  I am always thinking about you!

I wish you all the best of luck with the Realtor and with the things going on in life!

Love Elder Hays

Corrected to Week 48

Well I am getting transferred! I have been in this area for the past 7 months! I will have a new area and new companion tomorrow! Elder Larsen is awesome so it stinks leaving him, but i am excited to see new people and places! 

I don't have much time. so i am going to give you the only thing that happened that was really cool!

Yesterday we did a district lunch at Denny's because it was end of last transfer and Elder Campbell and Sister Tucker were flying home today (They finished their missions lol ) So we are sitting there eating and having a good time and then the following dialogue took place:

"Hey are yall busy today?" <random guy>

"Nope." <All of Us>

"Good' I really need your help with something." <Guy>

"ok..." <Us>

"I will buy you all lunch"

"Okay!!! Where do you live? What time?"

He gives us his information. we then walk up to the counter to pay. then he runs up and pays for us all'

"Thanks sir!" <us>

"Okay we will see you in an hour..." <guy>

______In the parking lot us as missionaries______________

"Elder, I have a really bad feeling about this.." <Elder Nielson freaking out>

"Elder, he just bought us all our lunch, we have to!"< His companion Elder dietrich>

"ELDER!!! HE IS GOING TO KILL US!! <Elder Nielson seriously freaking out>

"It doesn't matter.. he bought us lunch"

"Elder he is going to lock us up in the basement!"

"It doesn't matter!

So we go anyway...

We show up and we are sketched out but there were six of us and we knew we would be okay :) We all felt alright about it. It was just weird how random it was. so we get there and there was a note on the door that said, stay here I went to get extra supplies. Then he pulls up with this blonde girl in the car he is like 45 and she was like 24 lol they open up the back and there were tons of shovels, rakes and lots of paint!

so we did service for about 5 hours!! It went great!! 

Gotta go!!

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YALL!!!

Elder Hays

Week 40 (47 in the mission including MTC time)

Week 40 in the field and 46 in the mission 

Well these might be the last few weeks in my area. Everyone keeps saying that I am out of here because I have been here for almost 7 months, which is a long time lol Some of my friends are serving in Chula Vista right now and they keep telling me that I am going there lol We will see, it is all want the Lord wants not me. Well tell Ashlyn that I miss her a bjiillion times a bunch and tell Brock that I love him as much as he loves playing video games which is a BUNCH!!! :) 

I have been doing good. my ankle is same ol same ol I have been resting better! I would love some protein! I actually could use some! I am glad to hear that you finished up the house! Ya'll need to move to St.Augustine I actually feel like I want to live there at some point! 

well here is the run down on the week:

Wednesday 03/12/14

We had Zone Conference so we had a meeting with President Clayton and 3 other zones it was awesome! They fed us some hotdogs and salad and beans and potato salad it was good! He taught us about the 19 true points of the Book Mormon and it was really cool! We also had training other things to apply to missionary work. Then we had our weekly coordination meeting with the Branch President and ward Mission Leader. So I had about 8 hours of meetings throughout the day lol.

Thursday 03/13/14

We had trainer/ trainee meeting it was a meeting where they splits all the trainers in the mission from their trainees and then we have talked about our experience in the training program. It was really funny to hear some comments where people would throw their companions under the bus lol I only made a few comments because Elder Larsen and i didn't really have any of the problems the other missionaries were having. 

Friday 03/14/14

PI day!!! We did service in Balboa park (look it up online) for 3 hour like we usually do every other week. It was good we actually do some serious yard work  in the forest and stuff we clear out tons of brush it is actually a really awesome experience. Then we had district meeting later on that day. I had Sister tucker and Elder Campbell teach it and it went great. Then at the end this crazy homeless guy walks in and then starts claiming he was black Jesus and he really made us uncomfortable and had to stand up and ask him to leave and it was cool because he just turned around and walked out. 

Saturday 03/15/14 

Today was choir practice for the mission presidents fireside that was this past Sunday. It went well it was also good to see some of my friends there. Also that night the English Elders called us up and said that some members just gave them $40 to go out to eat and that they already had a $10 gift card for Five Guys. so... they took us to Five Guys!!! YUMM! 

Sunday 03/16/14 

Today was church and it went a lot better than last week. We went and taught the young men and young women and it went great! Later on that night we had the mission president's fireside. It went really well! 

Love you all! :) 

Elder Hays

Week 38

We had an awesome week! One of the best ones! I will start to write out day by day.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Monday 03/03/2014:

We had to do a lot of tracting because we don't have any members to give us referrals or anything like that. So we were walking around for about 2.5 hours and we finally found some mexicans all hidden near this canyon. It was great, we added 2 people it was great. That is when we met Nury. She is solid!

P-Day 03/04/14:

We did a BBQ near this bay and it was pretty sweet! We ate some good food! and I just threw the football the whole time it was nice! 

  

Wednesday: 03/05/14

Elder Dietrich and I were on exchanges in my area.

We went and found some more people and taught a lot it was a pretty good day! We met this lady Sofia who seems pretty solid so we will see!

Oh yeah I also lost my voice so it was interesting teaching all day in Spanish with no voice lol 

Thursday: 03/06/14

Well I was in all day sick so yeah...

But I went out for an hour later on that night and we found an old an investigator and wants us to come back and teach him! We will see him tonight and we are stoked to see how that goes!

Friday 03/07/14:

We just went and taught a bunch f random people nothing to interesting. We did meet this couple that was so against the Book of Mormon and then when they finally understood who Joseph Smith was and what the Book of Mormon was they totally shut up.. it was awesome!! :) 

Saturday 03/08/14:

So we had a 4 hour meeting in the morning as a Zone and it went well nothing crazy. We then went out tracting for a little bit before splits at church. We walked by this house and there was a dog barking and the lady says: " Go bite 'em boy!", Elder Larsen kept walking past, but I turned around and walked up to the door anyway :) She said she was just joking and we were talking for about 30 minutes and we told her we had to go and then she said hold on I am getting you pizza.... We insisted that we had to leave, but she ordered us a WHOLE FAMILY FEAST! Large pizza, spaghetti, lasagna. salad and soda! It was over $40! It was sick! So we are going back over this saturday to do service at her house! It was also from the same restaurant that gave us free food the other week! YUM! and then he gave us 50% off so we used the money and bought burritos last night (03/10/14).

Sunday 03/09/14

Sacrament started 15 minutes late none of the members showed up lol it also ended up 15 mins early lol Then I had to teach primary....... like I do every week... :p This week was good though because only the well behaved kids were there. So we taught about the Atonement, i mean THEY taught us the Atonement, this 8 year olds are Genius they started telling us how the Atonement plays a huge role in the Plan of Salvation and how without it we would all be damned because of the Fall, but now we can return to live our Heavenly Father!!!! MIND GRENADE! These kids are 8 and live in the poorest part of Southern California! lol

Then we ate chocolate swirl crumb cake later on that night....

Last night on the bus ride home 03/10/14:

We got hit on big time by this transvestite on the bus.... This guy stood in the front aisle of the bus and flashed us his tramp stamp, and in his tight yoga dance was booty dancing in the aisle.... No missionaries were harmed... LOL It was disgusting.. but freaking hilarious... yeah we run into that a lot lol 

I love those pictures you sent! Ashlyn is darling! Brock is a goober :)) I love Brock and Ashlyn so much! I have good news... there is a RUMOR that we can Skype for Mother's day!!! :D 

I love you all so much! I love being a missionary! I love the Lord! 

Love always, Elder Hays

Week 36

Familia!!
Thank you sooo much! Thank you for your sacrifice for this surgery it has helped so much! Literally when he removed the surgical packing it was like a whole new world! I was giggling like a little girl. It was nuts! I really am grateful for all that you do! 
Thank you so much for the surgery! I am so thankful for this surgery. It has helped! In the mornings I feel more rested.

What have i learned on my mission? Honestly about families. I have really learned just how important families are and showing love to the and being unified. It gets me pumped to have an eternal family. (But not any time soon lol). I get to brag about how awesome my family is. Also, i have learned how to be poor and now I will work hard so my family will never be poor. I have also learned what I don't want in a wife lol I have had some pretty crazy companions lol Also I can speak Spanish! that will come in handy the rest of my life. Also that genuine hard work is so rewarding. I also I have really come to know that i like being a leader and I have been able to develop Christlike leadership skills that will make me that much better in the workforce.

This week was okay it started out good and kinda turned a little sour towards the end. BUT IT IS OKAY!! :) Yesterday was pretty good. We went walking around for about 3.5 hours and were able to talk to a couple of people. We were walking past this small hole in the wall restaurant when this cute girl wearing a BYU shirt goes "Hey elders!" and introduces us to here friend Mike who owns the restaurant. He had us come in and he hooked us up with a whole box of pizza! It was seriously  the best pizza ever and the menu price was close to $30! It was sick! We have started the transfer off well. We are teaching about 3 families right now and they are doing super well and love us. I really prefer teaching families rather than individuals. 

So remember my trainer (my dad) Elder Bone he is here in San Diego and I get to serve around him again! 

Also Here is a picture of my new awesome district. This past District meeting I taught about 1 Corinthians 1:10 and about how we are a team and have an important role (related it to football) so that would explain the picture with all of the Sports hats :)

Love Always, Elder Hays

    

This is the Arriaga family! 

Love, Elder Cody Brian Hays

  We saw 10 random parrots in a tree by our house.    

Week 35

I AM ALIVE! I am doing good I went out and did a full day proselyting yesterday, i was pooped, but i did it! We had an awesome day too, one of the better in the past six weeks. So the transfer calls were made today, and the results and are in... Me and my companion are staying the same! NO changes. So by the end of this six weeks i will have been in my area for 7 months. walking the same street lol.... but it is all good, at least my companion Elder Larsen is a boss and is great! So I sat around for each day. I will give a day by day description it will be easy lol

Day 1:

 went in and got hopped up on anesthesia, was in the recovery room and I felt okay, funny thing is is that I was speaking Spanish to them and they couldn't understand me lol I didn't even know I was lol. I was sick from the anesthesia and just slept all day. Did  wednesday night call ins! 

Day 2: I just listened to John Bytheway all day, slept, not much pain.

Day 3: No pain, no meds, just for bedtime, I taught district meeting, it went pretty good. 

Day 4: Stayed inside, slept.. slept...slept, ate, listened to more talks...slept....slept....slept...

Day 5: went to sacrament meeting... went home and slept... and listened to talks... slept.. did sunday night call ins (District Leader stuff)

So i promise I have been good. NO pain, I have no swelling really and I am up and about (but still taking it easy) so we are going hiking to day for p day JUST KIDDING! everyone else is but me. 

With the testosterone i don't need any test, I am going to look at the hard copy of my results when I get them and we will go from there, I am thinking about dropping this doctor. I really really don;t like him. 

Money is the same ol same ol, I am struggling at the end of each month. no one feeds us. we get fed a little bit occasionally. so I am going to talk to the mission office. see if some how i can get some more money on my card. 

well I got to go!!! love you all!!!

Elder Hays!

Week 33

Hey Family!!
I have met with the Surgeon Dr. Mazer for my own appointment. All of the findings, diagnosis' are being reviewed and approved by Salt Lake and the mission president before I can actually get the surgery done. Dr. Mazer actually scheduled me for a couple weeks out...but I cannot commit until everyone approves.
I have been doing alright.... I really feel I need this surgery too! I am actually excited! I also got tons of Mexican ladies that will be willing to help lol

I, Cody Brian Hays, solemnly swear that I will follow all Pre-op and post- op procedures.... or I will face the Infernal Wrath of Mamma Hays :) I will buy all that stuff! Don't worry about me momma I will be fine! 

 I thank you all so much for your support with wanting me to feel better and have this surgery that will help me give 150%! 

Well this week was pretty good, we added 8 people!!!  We went and taught this family and added them they are super sweet and then we went and finally found an apartment complex with Mexicans!!! It is on the far side of our area and it took 5 months to find them lol 

So 2 miracles... we found this lady Gloria and she is super prepared, she is reading in the book of Mormon and we invited her to be baptized and she accepted! The bittersweet thing is that she just moved back to mexico yesterday :( but we are going to send the referral to Mexico! 

We had a pretty cool experience on Sunday night. It was kinda windy out and a little chilly so I went t wear a jacket. I was about to wear my new Columbia one that I wear all the time and for some reason i decided to wear a thicker jacket the I found in one of the missionary apartments that a missionary left a long time ago. So we went out. We knocked on doors and no one was home. Then Elder Larsen suggested that we knock to see if a lady was home, but she kinda lived far and we were on foot. I was like, nah we can just call her. Then as i went to dial the number, I had the thought of "nah, what the heck, let's go see if she is home". So we went walking then as we went under the underpass we saw this homeless man sitting there writing in a journal. We passed by and said hi and he very genuinely said hi back, we tried the door and she told us to come back later. As we went back elder Larsen said "hey he looks familiar" so we decided to talk to him. It was the greatest decision ever. We talked to him for about an hour about how he was studying English so he could work on his speech ability since he has a hard time pronouncing words. He was like the nicest Black guy ever ( I have a soft spot for black people lol). we gave him a book of Mormon and he was sooooo happy and oferred to give us a book that he had. The book was one that he had saved up for and was like $40 and very well bounded and looked amazing. He was just so grateful for this book. We started talking a litle bit more. I then had a distinct impression to give him my jacket. So I did. He honestly about died. He was soo grateful. I truly saw the light of Christ beaming from within him. I knew then that I was being the Lord's hands and that is exactly what he wanted me to do. I also knew that I knew him in the preexistence and I promised him that I would look out for him when we would come down. That was me fulfilling that promise.

Love Elder Hays 

Week 32

Hey Family!!

I got your package! thank you so much! I am suuuuperrrr excited for it! Right now I am emailing at the San Diego State University Library! It is so weird being on a college campus lol! There are so many cute girls! But don't worry I am still staying focused lol This week was pretty slow, but still good.

So one thing interesting did happen this week, my companion Elder Seymour had nose surgery like 6 months ago and we went to his follow up appointment. So he asked the Dr. if he could do a quick check on my nose. So the doctor was laughed and said my nose is pretty bad. So in my left nostril I am blocked 75-80% and in the right nostril I have 20% blockage. He says that my septum (I think that is what it is called) looks like an accordion and he sketched it out for me on paper, which I took a picture of. All of this was free, but at least we know more. Supposedly he is the best ear, nose and throat doctor in the West and his name is Dr. Mazer if you wish to look him up. But, this is just for your information. I also but the breath right strips yesterday and used it last night, I could definitely breath better, but I still am tired, I plan on trying it out for about a week before I make any decisions. :)

I am sorry this is such a lame email, but honestly NOTHING HAPPENED THIS WEEK! so I am kinda just rambling so you can get a long email :) 

Oh yeah last night we ate tamales ( A really delicious and fattening Mexican meal that I can't describe) they were to die for!! we had to bike for 30-40 minutes to get them but it was worth it! A member made them for us so that was good! we have been fed a little bit more than usual, Freddy (our recent Convert) has been feeding us a little when we go over, which is like every day because all of our investigators are related and live on the same street and in the same complex so we spend hours teaching all the people there, but it is all in the same spot lol. Which is weird for the mission. We also ate boiled pig feet which was not half bad, the texture was terrible, but hey it was free food! :) 

I love you guys and I am going to be sending you guys some letters today (with the memory card) just please get the memory card back to me as soon as possible please! :))

Love always,

Elder Hays

Week 34

Hey Family!
sorry for the short email, i am trying to prep my recovery entertainment and get it all on my flash drive, which consists of general conference talks...... lol

We are all good to go for the surgery, I go in at 6:30 am! I got your package thank you so much!!! :))) It totally made my companions day thank you, his parents don't and won't send him packages they don't even email him. So just that small gesture really meant the world to him. :)

You don't need to worry about my surgery everything will be fine! I have tons of faith that it will work out. I already have my medicine and pillows to be propped up so it is no problem! Thank you for your concern and prayers. Thank you for the awesome pictures too! :) I love you all!

So this is a question Uncle Scott asked me in my email and here is the answer: "So what are some things that you have learned in the mission field? Do you feel like being on a mission has changed what you were going to do when you get home?"

To be honest I have learned so much and it is hard to really narrow it down. I will do my best though. I have really learned and understood the Atonement, not all of it of course because that is impossible. I have learned that the Atonement is not just for sinners but for everyone. It is the means of progression. The great thing about the atonement is that it truly is infinite, we used the atonement in the pre mortal life, we use it here, and we will use it in the next life. Also everything revolves around it, everything does. I wouldn't say that this really effects my plans, but it totally effects how I will accomplish them. Also this is kinda funny to say but, I have also learned so much about the importance of families lol All we do as missionaries is teach about families and quite honestly am so pumped to have a family. Families are definitely such a key aspect. I have seen some very powerful families here on the mission and I have also seen families that have been destroyed by Satan. I have also seen families in between that if they applied what they knew they would be so much stronger and better off. I am definitely going to need to be picky with my eternal companion. I also need to be that much better. Also, I plan on adopting a little black boy from Africa! seriously... :) This definitely isn't all but it is the basics. and I am out of time. 

Love Elder Hays