I am more enthusiastic than I was in my last email sorry about that. I was really struggling. I still am but I'm positive this time. Also I was really feeling bad for not being positive cuz I thought to myself.. I gotta put on this face that everything is just dandy. No I do not. It's okay for you all to see me struggle and doubt. You then get to see that I trust the lord, believe in the lord and 100% believe in this church enough to stay out here and keep going. When life gets hard I don't quit. When miracles seem to dry up I try harder to see them. I am all in. I devote these next 17 months strictly to the lord and his work. So when you think about Sister Hoyt Remember she believed, she trusted, and she pressed forward despite trials and tribulations. She fully believed that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Jesus Christ's one and only true church. It provides me comfort, it provides me strength, and it provides me hope.
My thoughts: nothing that happens in this 18 months will matter unless I am positive, determined, and trusting in the lord
This is the lord's work he will make sure it is successful
Ohio: so many trees it's gorgeous. The leaves are just starting to change color. In the middle of the towns here are parks (not really a park, more like a forest with a pathway to walk or bike) they're so crazy. The people here take Halloween seriously not as serious as me of course but close. Each neighborhood picks a day out of Halloween week to do their trick or treating and activities. So there's a whole week of Halloween here. Dream come true except I believe Halloween is all month long… we'll maybe it's a few months long August-October.
Monday September 18th
Today lifted my spirit. My family, friends, old companion, Elder Hall, Elder Croft, Lily, my bishop, Sister Richards.They all shared things I needed to hear. I have no doubt that was the lords doing. No offense but the lord carried the team today. Guys he is so good. Tender mercies. I love you all… yes you that's reading this, I love you but God loves you more. I ate at a member's house and it was so welcoming and loving. I then got to lead the lesson and I think I absolutely slayed it. The spirit was so strong. Then we did a book of mormon call group, like a Bible study group with converts who have a hard time reading alone and understanding. It was beautiful. They are beautiful. People that are not white pray so much better. I intend to be more thankful and praise the lord more in my prayers. He really is so good. As I say God is good. He has been hearing my cries and I mean literally I cry out to the lord. I be sobbing and still praying to the lord. That's how much I trust.
Now if you are skeptical about the gospel. I invite you all to ponder for a minute. Would all these 18,19 year olds leave their families friends to go to a foreign place to teach the gospel if it wasn't real? I tell you I would not yall know that. I love my family too much and have way too much fomo to be gone for 18 months to teach about something that isn't real. Just think about that. I love yall
Tuesday September 19th
We are going to talk to our ward missionary but we want to set up a movie night every week at the church in the gym. We will invite friends, inactive members, and everyone we meet to come and watch the BOM and Bible videos. We will then follow with a lesson pertaining to what episode we watched. We also want to get the young women involved so we will have them come and help teach lessons and invite their friends. I know what you're thinking, that's genius. What a wonderful way to casually introduce the gospel and create a fun community activity. That is profound. My brother in law is to thank, he inspired me. It'll be like a drive in movie but with blankets and God. What could be better. This is the only idea my companion has liked. Everytime I suggest something big or small she just looks at me with a squint. Like imagine my mom or your mom trying to read a text message. That's the face. Anyways, my heart is so full with peace and assurance. We had a zone get together with the stake president. We are introducing new things to our work. We are now to have 10 member stop bys a day. That way we can get to know them, reactivate some of them, work together with them to further the work. That's a lot for us because our area is so spread out and we're the only area with only one pair of missionaries. We have limited miles so we might not be able to get 10 but we shall try. We still need to focus on our friends as well and finding so it's a lot expected in one day but where there's a will there's a way.
We are also creating group chats with the church leaders to discuss what we're doing who we're teaching and communicate about our work. We are to send in our schedule everyday and follow up at the end of the day with who answered and what we found out and what we shared. This way we can all work together as a team and get the ward more involved. All of Kirtland zone is doing this.
Something I didn't realize there's four places the lord promises to build up himself and Ohio is one of them with Utah, New Jerusalem, and old Jerusalem being the others. D&C124:83
It's calming to think the lord is building up Ohio and we're just helping. The work will go on with or without us
I love when my trainer pretends I'm supposed to know who these people are that she's never mentioned and somehow I'm supposed to know where we do and don't knock cuz ya know y'all I'm all knowing and can read minds now
We knocked on a door and I was all excited because the sign next to the door said grandma and grandpa's house.. I'm thinking oh goodie I love old people they'll be so nice. I'm assuming it was the grandma that answered the door and immediately yells…"no go away" …. my thoughts, *well that's not very grandmaie of you*. Sad day maybe they need to meet my grandparents to get influenced on how they can improve. Shoutout to my grandmas and grandpas for always being angelic.
Wednesday
Today we taught one of our recently baptized friends. I'm so happy for him. We met a lady named Ethel and left her our number and another lady both old and adorable. We then taught Doug and he is AMAZING. It felt like I was talking to my grandpa but if my grandpa was black and jazzy. He asked so many questions and has one foot in the font so to speak and guess what I'm convinced I'm gonna shove him in. Metaphorically speaking. He already loves me. It's so fun I finally feel like I met someone I can actually help and make an influence on. Once again God is good and there are no coincidences.
Thursday September 21st
It's my one month!!! I've been a missionary for a month and it feels like it's been a week. Today I met another one of our friends she's super nice and loves Jesus but she's not sold on the Book of Mormon yet, but is still reading. My companion has hit 15 curbs, ran a stop sign and almost a stoplight. I pray everyday we sit in the car for deliverance and safety. So many people are never home when we come by. We did meet a guy today that said we could come back Monday he seemed a little interested so that's exciting. The mission 15 is a real thing (gain 15 pounds) now that I have food I'm pounding it but I am doing my diary exercise to try and stay on top of it. At 7 am you can find me benching a chair, squatting a chair, and doing curls with a chair. When I wake up I do bicycles in bed to try and hold onto that morning skinny and get my body moving. We met another lady that set up a time for us to come back and give a lesson and then do service for her(help her move) so I'm very excited about that. Our zone had 4 people commit to baptism and have a date picked for October so exciting just today. Met some of the sweetest members today. Had a lot of unanswered doors but a few successes so I will take it. Still struggling with my ideas being shut down and getting snapped at but we move past it and rely on the lord. I led a lot of the short messages and quick chats that we gave today. It felt good to take charge a little and share what I felt was right.
Friday September 22nd
We started our day off with friday morning training after. Almost no one opened the door today and the ones that did were nice but were not interested. We did however pass by a guy that wants to come to church and took our card with the address and our numbers so that's good. All of our appointments had no shows except one. Good ol Keith. He's a faithful one but can't get past drugs and smoking. He feels so defeated but is trying so hard. We read with him twice a week and he comes to church every Sunday. We then did service for a lady in our ward she's single and just moved into a house that is a wreck so we are basically tearing down and rebuilding the inside. Today I did shelves, laid in mouse pee and poop totally unfazed. Her kitchen is looking so much better. After putting in the shelves for the kitchen I did her wallpaper. I about died by falling off a stool but minor injuries. Also I'm sick and I used a hot gun to peel this sticky stuff off of the floor and I had myself in a coughing fit inhaling it all. She fed us currey that was so yummy but so spicy my whole face was red and my lips and mouth were burning but I managed to finish it all. I looked over to witness my companion not even batting an eye while shoveling the food in. I swear I've got the whitest taste buds but I've probably never eaten anything as spicy as that Curry. 2 hours later and I'm still feeling the affects of the spice. Also fun fact spicy food does not go well with a gallbladderless person.
Saturday Sept 23rd
We had apartment checks today and the cutest old couple came to do ours. The Campbells and he has a bunch of Hoyt cousins in Utah so that's way fun!
I've been asked twice now if I'm the senior companion 😎 what a compliment
We were able to go to a women's conference which was amazing. It was all about reverence and what reverence really means. Basically reverence is two things, one respect and two awe. Awe is standing amazed at what God has given you. Being thankful and pondering the goodness of God. It makes me think of the song I stand all amazed. We met some really nice people, specifically John. John is semi active but has a very hard life work isnt great, has a crazy wife, kids hard life not apart of church. HERES THE PART YOU WANT TO READ: before meeting with John I picked a scripture I just fell drawn to. I planned to share this with him when we met. As were talking he brings up his kids being lost and him sometimes being lost and feeling forgotten unseen…… Sister Hoyt whips out 2 Nephi 10:22….. this man smiles and then we talk about jesus for like 20 minutes. He rememnced on his time as a missionary and about times he saw God in his life…. Oh yah I felt the spirit in that one I whipped it out so smoothly and testified so beautifully the spirit was hugging us all. My companion had no words. Thank you God for leading me to that scripture before hand. I think he really needed to be reminded of the times he knew God was there. We all need that. Oh remember remeber so when the tough times come you have hope to hold onto.
Today we ate dinner at 8:55 had half a pizza and three slices of homemade rice krispies the best stuff. Food comma into a sleep comma.
I had myself singing in the car after meeting with John. A new fire burns in my soul. Sister Hoyt is gonna shout from the mountain tops and proclaim the gospel
4 more people in our zone being put on date for baptism
Sunday September 24th
We went to visit a less active member and I had this reminder of this scripture i had forgotten about. so I hunted it down right before we went to her door and we talked for like 8 minutes then I shared my quick thought and she started crying. When she was 17 she finally decided to get her patriarchal blessing because of this scripture. She trusted that if she took the first step towards God he would answer her questions that were holding her back from the church. In her patriarchal blessing it answered one of her questions point blank. Straight forward. Since she has had almost all questions answered in different moments. My scripture that was actually her scripture brought her back to that moment and reminded her of that miracle. Yay holy ghost yay Sis Hoyt for listening.
I then taught three more lessons and had a delicious dinner. A burger with bacon, saute onions, pickles, and French fries. Almost heaven.
I cried because I finally received my grandma's letters. I have so much joy when I receive letters, especially from Gma. Love love love you all. My prayers are 30 minutes long because I pray for EVERYONE by name every night. Yall better be feeling my love, I stay up, lose sleep just to personally say your name in my prayer. Biggest hugs
Pictures:
Mom sent me apple juice because I didn't have enough money for it and that made my whole 18 months. Halloween. I ate a whole bag of Mike n Ikes in two days, no regrets. Good scriptures!!! My grandma's letters. Me and my bike- I had to tie my skirt because it kept getting caught in my bike- many people laughed Also if you don't have me on Facebook add me!!!!!!
If you want to send me a letter my address is
34800 Park East Drive A203 Solon, OH 44139 United States
Also I have almost no ones email so if you're waiting for me to email you you'll have to write first so I actually have your email in my phone
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