November 2017 -- It's A Small World

11/06/2017

So this week has been a little bit different mostly because it has been overcast. Which was nice because it has been in the 60's all week.

 I have been on a lot of exchanges 

this last week  -- which is fun because  I get to talk to and get 

to know a bunch of different Elders. 

We have been working hard to find people that would be interested in hearing our message. 

Which is sweet cause there are so many people that live here and if I wasn't out here to talk to them I would never get to hear their story. 

It is like some people look up at the stars at night and marvel at the sight and vastness of the sky, but I have never really done that. To me it is when I am stopped at a stop light and look at all the peoples faces and think about each one of these faces has a story that has been going on for a while and is still being written at the same time as mine own. I marvel at the fact that I may never get to learn all of their stories, but I know that as soon as we meet  -- I am part of their story.  And that's what I am trying to do get my name in as many stories as I can.:)  

11/13/2017
Spent a whole day in Spanish work, rode my bike a lot, saw a ton of crazy people, got a lot of pictures of cool cars, took some members of the ward out to do work, had to jump start missionaries cars, planned a video for our zone welcome, went to 4 district meetings and a bunch of church meetings, got yelled and cussed out by plenty of people while tracting, got a 40 pound weight vest from a member, taught seminary cause we were voluntold along with being volentold for choir, knocked on a lot of doors, talked to a lot of people, handed out a lot of copies of the Book of Mormon, got bit by a dog which ripped my pants, Plan-plan-prepare, taught lessons, eat dinner, give blessings, say prayers, lots of prayers, study the Book of Mormon, Study the Bible, study Preach My Gospel, share scriptures, bare testimony,Tell people that the Book of Mormon was writen a long time ago- translated a little while ago- but you can read it today, Talk about prophets, miracles on miracles on miracles, see peoples day brighten, have a hard time then a great time( way more great times), Always have a laugh ( People are funny), learn, teach, preach, listen, then learn again, Get inspiration were to go, have a great door side conversation, then have one shut in you face :), have people yell at you to come on in to their house to tell we do a great job and that they are thankful but not interested, talk to a Jehovah Witness that only speaks Spanish but understand the whole thing, People tell you they are not a fan of Joseph Smith which is a good thing cause they are a person not a fan, Blank stares, great come back, stupid cheesy jokes, Walking like Bigfoot from bluff creek film, inside jokes, naps, workout for 30 mins, hate the alarm clock then love it, Spanish referrals, talk to someone, ask them how they are doing, Play basketball in a white shirt and tie. no tread on shoes, ties are the only fun we have on a outfit, these are just some of the things that i do in a week, And i would trade it for a thing in the world. Love to work, LOVE the People, LOVE GOD. 

11/20/2017

So this last week was transfer week and I am so glad that I am staying here in the Discovery Hills Ward in Escondido stake. I am thankful that  I get to keep my companion,  Elder Figgins, for another transfer. Other than that nothing really that new has gone on. We have been working with a part member family and he has said that he wants to start taking the missionary lessons. so that was a great day. A lot of less actives have texted us out of the blue this week saying how then need to come back to church and that they want our help and they set times for us to come over to talk with them. It is so good to see hard work pay off. I want to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving and hope that it is fun for ya'll.

11/27/2017

Well, this week was great! It was hard to see a friend go home from the mission but that happens when you finish the 2 years. Don't have to much fun Elder Phillips. Other that that it has been great.  We have been working a lot with the less active part member families here and they are all so cool. Things are going great here and the #light the world is really exciting. Hope y'all have a great week and have fun getting in the Christmas mood.

The number of missionaries in Escondido zone is now up to 37 --  which is crazy there are a lot of cool missionaries here. Just to show how small the world is one of the missionaries that is here for the transfer waiting on a visa is Sister Gee.  She is is my zone for this transfer. It was pretty fun to connect that we kindof knew each other. I was getting to know the new missionaries in our zone and she said she was from Rexburg.  I asked if she was really from Sugar City, because I lived there for a little while and remembered there were a lot of Gee families from Sugar City. Then she looked at my name tag and asked if my dad was John Hyde.

 

I said, "O ya he is!". 

Then she remembered that we went to church together all because her dad still talks about John Hyde all the time.

October 2017 -- So....

10/09/2017
So this week has, once again,  been great.   No complaints. We have been going around knocking doors a lot this transfer to see if any one is interested in hearing the gospel. We got our transfer calls on Saturday and I am going to the Escondido zone to the Discovery Hills Ward.  We will have two sets of missionaries there. Elder Wambeke, who just finished training, will be getting a new missionary to train on Tuesday.  So that is exciting! He has come a long way since his first day in the mission. Not a whole lot of new things are happening here other than people are getting ready for Halloween. So when we knock doors we have had a lot of people say, "aren't you too old to trick or treat?" or "You guys are too early to be trick or treating."

So, you guys know Elder Wambeke is going to train a new missionary -- which in mission lingo mean people can call me a grandpa. So, I am moving areas but it is literally only crossing a street that is right next to our apartment. I am just border hopping. I am going to be white washing and ward splitting at the same time so that was going to be interesting enough but then to add to it President Thomas called me to be a zone leader.  He released the last two zone leaders in Escondido,  so Elder Figgins and Iare both brand new and have no clue what the zone is going to be like.  

10/16/2017

So I have almost been a week now in the Discovery Hills Ward in the Escondido Stake. It has been a real crazy experience white washing in to the ward. It is a little but hotter here than in Vista  -  it has been in the 90's the last couple of days. It has just been a real busy week. 

My zone has 36 missionaries in it  -- we are still trying to figure out all of their names. We have to give a training over the churches Christmas initiative  -- it is a secret,  so I cant tell you guys. I am still in a bike area which is nice. So dad,  you asked if I knew Sister Fogg.  Yes, I do -- She and her greenie are here in Disco Hills. Jacob is doing well out in Oregon he says that he is really enjoying church and institute. 

10/23/2017 
So,  nothing crazy happened here this week. But there are all the crazy people out on the streets. No joke there are a ton of plan crazy people that walk the streets in Escondido. I live in San Marcos,  so,  I don't have as many crazy people here but I have been on a couple of exchanges in Escondido and have seen a lot. Other than than nothing else has been going on

10/31/2017 

WOW! This week has flown bye. Because of our all day  p-day we have been planning this whole week for the Zone Halloween activities for tonight. Which should have a great turn out partly because all missionaries have to be there with us or at they're apartments at 6 tonight. We had 3 baptism as a zone this week! It has been really nice to get to go to each of them.  The work here in Escondido is moving really well.

Bottom row left E pierce, E Van Dike, E Stone, E Gull, E Kapp, E Wallace, E Wittorf, E Armstrong, S Clawson, S Mendez ( is right behind clawson)S Nieto, S Pierce  Middle left E Taylor, E Flitton, S Zogg, S Freebeirn, S Harker, S Robinson, S Daley, S Wineger( right behind Daley), S Poter, E Halstead, E Lundquist(MTC Comp), E Cromer, E Noble, E Me, E Fletcher, Top Left- S Portez, S Henrie, S Fogg, S Wells, S Lee, S Hamblin, S Brust, E Wall, E Figgins(My Comp) that is my zone