Awesome week!

Good afternoon,

What a wonderful week it has been, full of joy and success after a dry season. The week before we worked harder than ever and we saw success but not like we wanted to but we didn´t let it slow us down but kept moving foward enduring to the end, and teaching by the spirit.

One spiritual expierence that Elder Taylor and I had this past week was friday. These past few weeks president collado along side his assistentes have been going throughout the mission to each zone to help work and work one on one with each missionary and area. And as we were on divisions president collado called us up to meet up with us and help work in our area.

When he arrived we were on our way to a appiontment with a new family that we had found the night before while walking home, and we found that they lived right next to the house of the bishop. So we divided up and I went with president collado to the bishops house to invite him to accompany us for the lesson, as my companion went with the asistentes to contact another family with the son of the bishop.

As we went forth towards the appointment I began to pray in my heart that the family would be home and that the spirit would help me know what to say and teach. As we arrived we found that the family was waiting for us and we entered in. Before we began to teach president collado invited the young couple to bring there two young girls to listen, and then asked them if there was anyone else in the home that would like to listen. We then found that there mom and dad were home and we invited them to come sit in and listen and by time we had began our lesson we had a crowed of 10 people sitting humbly and ready to listen.

The lesson was outstanding as the spirit guided what we should say and do. We taught them about the restoration and how the lord had established once again his church upon the earth. we asked the family if they had questions about the pphamplet that we had left them with the night before, and to my astonshiment they had read it all and had looked up the defination of atonement becuase they did not know what it meant.

 The key part of the lesson was the testimony of the bishop who shared a powerful testimony of how the gospel has blessed him and his family life. At the end of the lesson we gave them a book of mormon and a commit to read 2 nefi 31 and to come to church to see for themselves. They accepted. I learned this day the power of the holy ghost that it has when we share the gospel of jesus christ.

The thing I rediscovered is that we are not alone in his work, that this is his church and we should never be ashamed to share our testimony and invite others to come unto christ through small commits, such as will you attend church this sunday with us? will you pray to know the truth of this message? and then share sincere testimony of what you know to be true and the spirit will testify to them such as this wonderful bishop did in this lesson. I saw as he spoke the love that he had for them and how he wanted them to have the same blessings that he had recieved in his family.

At the end of the lesson before the prayer president collado asked the family again if there was anyone else in the house to join us for the closing prayer. and they said yes and invited 5 more people to listen to the closing prayer. As we left we set a appiontment for the following day and then as we were walking back to the bishops house we asked the bishop if he knew anyone else that would benefit from hearing the message of the restored gospel. He responded si! and in this same time we went with him to present us to his friends.

This past sunday we had a astonding 7 people 2 families that came to church. These two families were the lesson we had and the reference that the bishop presented us to. I know that this is his work and we are not alone. We all have a small part in his work and the bishop was the key to our success this past week. He didn´t have to do much other than share his testimony, invite them to church and invite his other friends to listen to the missionaries.

The following day when we returned to the family we had visited, we had found that the husband had read all of 2 nefi 31 and the beginning of the book of mormon up to chapter 10 of 1 nephi. He explained to us the purpose of baptism and how it is the first step to begin on our journey to life eternal, the tree of life. We were blown away. The lord knows who our prepared to hear and many times the lord works through youth or childern of a family to get to the parents.

I love you all and I am grateful for your letters and great examples to me. Thank you james so much for your wonderful letter and funny jokes...Haha! Oh how I liked the cookies joke, and man how much I miss cookies. This past friday I realized that I hit my two year mark in the mission but it still seems that I year and half left. And dad loved the derby photos. Haha!! Almost there till you have to make the grandkids derbies to...haha!! You are great and I always will remember the fun time I had with dad make all of my derby for me.. haha! It was the coolest.  And thanks for all the fun photos.

Keep up the great work with sharing the gospel and better than anything is inviting them over for a family home evening where the missionaries can share a small message and they can be free to ask any questions they have about the gospel without commitment. or talk to the missionaries about sending a couple of missionaries to knock on there door where they live and talk with them.  In preach my gospel there are some great ways on how to Invite them to pray and to come to church with you guys, and invite his childern to mutual maybe down where they live. Or send them through email a video from Lds.org like dad did for me. Thanks dad for the link it was great. I love the small little mormon messages that the church has come out with. They really help people have interest to learn more about the church and in mormon.org there is a section where frecuent questions are asked.

The lord is moving foward his work in these last days and we are apart of it. Its the greatest. Love all of you so much and will talk soon. OH YA I almost forgot the president has told us that we should make phone calls on monday or tuesday  the 11 or 12 of may and for 30-45mins so that we can get back to work and continue the work. So which ever day works best for you guys..haha! its going to be funny to call and then see you a few days later but anyhow, I haven´t found anywhere here where I can skpe so I probably will do it by call. Let me know what you would like to do. Thanks be clean-be true-be grateful in the name of jesus christ amen.

pictures, April 28, 2014

 wow the toilets are gianormious!! haha! (of the movie elf)

sunday afternoon we went and had lunch with a less active family and helped them make tortillas...haha! well I guess they helped us make the tortillas after we messed them up. haha! it was a lot of fun and the kids thought it was halirous when we couldn´t make them. The kids were so good at making them it was incredible!! haha!

The church is true!!

Querido fAmilia,

wow where to begin... its been a wonderful time here in the wonderful heat of chinadega. haha! The work of the lord is steadly climbing and in these past few weeks we have seen small little miracles each day. The other day as me and my amazing companion Elder Taylor from washington, were walking towards a appointment that we had, On the way I said a quick little prayer in my heart that before we arrived at our set appointmente that we would be lead to a new family that we could help come unto christ.

 What happened next was astoniding!! We took no less than 11 steps down the road when all of a sudden I saw a man sitting inside his house and so we went up to him and introduced ourselves and testified that the message that we had would bless and strength the unity of his family. They accepted us in and we began right away to explain the grand message of the restoration and how we have a loving father in heaven that wants us to be successful, happy and united as a family. To complete his purpose he has given us the gospel of jesus christ through the mouth of prophets such as times of old. The prophets hold the keys to this gospel and our placed incharge of overseeing and guiding his childern on this earth. He speaks with them and gives them commandments to give to us. They hold the priesthood or the authority to act in gods name to preach teach heal the sick.... As we taught we could see a light turn on inside them. We then went on to explain how by living his gospel and being obediente to his commandments such as sabath day, praying, faith repentance and baptism, is the way to overcome whatever trial shortcoming that we might have and become prepared to return to live with our father in heaven agian.

The evidence that the church of jesus christ of latter day saints has been restored and that it holds the authority and is the only true church on the earth is through the book of mormon. The book of mormon another testament of our lord and savior Jesus Christ shows the love that our heaven father has for all his childern. He called prophets and apostles in the old world, and he did likewise in the new world. The book of mormon such as does read in the introduction, in the last two paragraphs is the means in which a son of god can read and pray to know if this book is the word of god. Those that do so and recieve a witness from his holy spirit, the holy ghost, that the book of mormon is true, will also come to know that joesph smith junior, was a prophet of god, that once again as times of old the heavens have been opened and god our heavenly father and his son Jesus christ live and love us. They want us to be happy and its through living the princples found in the gospel that we can achive this true and everlasting happiness. Peace I leave upon you, not as the world giveth... And if anyone has questions or wants to learn more about this wonderful mensage, I invite you all to invite them to listen to the full time missionaries, for they will be a help guide for those friends you have. The greatest thing we can do for are friends is share them our testimony, through words and deeds, invite them to activitys, and most importantly church. Most sundays people don´t do much with there sundays. You can invite them to attend church with you and get to know other youth there age or parents that have families happy. Through this step of going to church, they will be showing there faith to follow god and the lord will testify through his spirit that these things are true.

Keep up the wonderful work all of you. This is a time of much tormoul and strife and more than ever the lord is calling us to serve. Everyworth man or woman is needed, this is the age where all prophets of old saw in visions. I was reading in mormon yesterday and he writes about the book of mormon in chapter 3, it was to be saved for are day and time to bare witness to the world that he lives and guides his church through a living prophet today and twelve apostles. Amos 3:7 no hará nada Jehova sin revela su secretas a su servos los profetas. Sorry couldn´t remember how it went in english. HAha!

At the end of our lesson with the family we commited them to baptism for the end of april, they accepted with gladness in their eyes. I know that this gospel brings happiness, and brings hope to the broken hearted. I am truly grateful for the time left I have here and am grateful for your prayers and letters. Thank you guys so much for the fun videos of the easter fun reunion, The shoking game, the wise words of uncle mike about this game..haha! and the funny video of weston.

We have such a wonderful family, couldn´t have wished for anything better. Take luck, have a nice flight...you to haha!!-Brian regan. till next time.

Elder Boyd

Good afternoon from the wonderful heat!

Good afternoon in the wonderful heat,

Firstly I love you all so much, and I am so grateful for your letters be it big or small. They always make me happy to know what things you all have been up to, what things you have learned and things to come. Thank you Mom Dad erick and all for all your letters. I know it must be tough at times with so much to do but with each letter I feel your love.

Its been a very different time in my mission that has been so amazingly wonderful and sad at the same time. Time is coming up with each day and at times I wish that I didn´t have to sleep and could keep working. this past week was a little tough but my new area is incredible. The memebers here are truly the most kindest people that I have ever met in the whole world and from the very moment that I came to the area they came to us shaking my hand and giving me hugs of joy. We only had two days in our area to work this past week due to changes, doing divisions to help out areas with baptismal interviews and we traveled to managua on thursday morning at 4am and returned home at 9pm the same day. But what a termendous time of my mission.

The people of chinadega are to die for...haha!! Becuase of how positive and kind they are. As we walk down the streets all the little kids run up to us to give us hugs and say hi and show us there one toy that they have. They try to read my name tag and sometimes well they say it right and other times...haha!! its funny sometimes becuase they sometimes mix up the name boyd for voy or boyed and it just makes me smile and feel so good inside. I now know what the lord spoke of when he said in 3 nefi 17:20-21 Benditos sois a cuasa de nuestra fe. Y ahora he aquí, es completo mi gozo...y tomó a sus niños pequeños uno por uno, y los bendijo...

One thing that I truly enjoyed of conference was the mesage that was shared about service and love to those who are around us. I have seen the joy that has come from service and most importantly always loving and putting the people in first place. President Thomas S. Monson in the sunday morning session gave a wonderful talk on the love. Something that I  liked that he said was love can be exspressed in many ways and not only to those in our family but in work and every where we go.. Through a smile, friendly greeting, a complement of love. He also said something that I never realized completely but love is the essences or purpose of the gospel, and jesus is the greatest example of this. We say our prayers together as family each morning and night, For what Reason? I belive it is for this reason...to bring love between us, we read the scriptures as a family to have love and build testimonies together. We go to church to learn and improve as a family and learn how to love more. We partake the sacarement which was the greatest act of love that has been achived in this earth, the atonement. Little things such has prayers, personal and companionship studies in the mission, working with the memebers is all about sharing this love this hope. There are so many families that are searching for this love and can not find it becuase they only no not where to find it. As We pray for oppurtuntitys to love we will be lead to those searching for the gospel, Gospel=love.

I love all of you so very much, though I can´t show my love through my actions, I can show my love through my service and words and love to these childern and families here. I have felt many times the presence of grandma lewis as I am walking in the streets or teaching a family. Our ancestores are watching over us and the commandments brings happiness=love. I am truly grateful for prayer and its power to connect us to the love of the savior jesus christ. if we are sad or discouraged don´t wait till the end of the day, pause and say a quick prayer in the street or in work or car. Listen to hymns that will bring joy and love. Music has a great factor in bringing joy and positive thoughts. I don´t understand it at times but whenever I filled tempted or sad I think of my favorite hymns and I recieve strength

To finish we had a wonderful week, The memebers are incredible. No one in the ward knows how much time I have left and I haven´t told them, so that I can stay focused on this last few months left and build great relationships with them. Time to put in the 150% work and push it to the end. I can´t remember how many days or weeks I have left but I just know that its less than I want it to be. A couple of nights ago, we got home from a hug day of traveling and working and we were tired. as we were entering into our home. a memember on his motorcycle and his wife came to the door before we entered our house. They said hey elders how are you all doing? We replyed wonderful.. and then they said with the biggest smiles, we were thinking of you all and how much we love you and well.. we made you some food... they then pulled out to plates filled with wonderful beans and rice and a little bit of soda. We hadn´t eaten much during the day from lack of time and it was such a blessing to us. We smiled and with great love we gave the husband a hug and said gracias, gracias por pensar en nosotros. Thank you, thank you so much for think of us. Love is the key... that night as I prayed I thanked the lord for each person that had been a blessing in my day including them and I could feel such a peace in my heart and the spirit was overwhelming that I began to wept. I love them so much.

This is the gospel of jesus christ, that we love one another as Jesus has loved you. I know that he loves us so much, More than we can comprehend. Pray to him today and thank him for all those that he placed in your path today that were a blessing to you today, then ask and commit to have more oppurtunitys to love those around you. I know that if you do you shall find many oppurtuntys to share the gospel with them and very simplely invite them to visit church with you. I am grateful that I was raised in a home of love. Love is more than a event, its a process...

To finish off I would like to qoute what Donald L. Hallstorm said in the conference for the priesthood session...¨The Atonement of our savior Jesus Christ gives everyone the ability to change, no matter what our weaknesses might be, are faults are shortcomings or addictions. " no matter what "What we are now does not define what we can become." our potential is great in the sight of god.

D&C 18:10 Recordad that the value of one soul is great in the sight of god. vs 11 becuase the lord our redeemer has payed the price for us and has suffered for all men, so that all men can repent and come unto me.. We can do it my brethern!! We are in the restoration, will we be found on the side lines like reap van rickle? -Dieter F. Uchdorf ¨Have courage to say No and have courage to say yes¨ -Presidente monson

We are in the chosen generation and he is counting on us to bring home his childern 
"The person who firmly defends right to risk must be sometimes considered rejected and unpopular." but the reward is far greater. love you all.. faithful to the end!! Let us all press on....in the work of the lord....we will gain our reward...fear not...though the enemy derive...courage for the lord is on our side....we will heed not what the wicked may say...but the lord, the lord we will obey.

That was my favorite song of the conference... Let us all press on till the glorious day when we shall meet again. remember to love and the lord will provide. In the name of Jesus christ, Amen.

Elder Boyd

una mano del Señor!!

Elder Grant Boyd ready to serve till the endddd!

Dear family,

       Woooow time is flying fast, and the work of the lord is termendous!! It has been such a wonderful time here with elder compton and in this area of ruben dario. Last friday as we were teaching some of our investidagores, we recieved a missed call from presidente collado.... we completed our lesson and as we were headed to are next appiontment we called presidente collado to see what we could do for him and why he had called. I called and he spoke to me first saying hola elder boyd how are you doing? working hard? I replyed si como siempre, Yes always. He then explained that he had a special assignment for me to accomplish if I was willing and ready to take on the task... I replied yes always ready to serve! 

   

He then explianed that I was to be moved out of my area in the upcoming change and be moved to chinadega, the hottest part of nicaragua, for my final change and be called as zone leader for final 6weeks that are left. He then explained that my companion elder compton will be training, and that we had changes. Elder Compton is so exicted but a little nervous for the task. I told him that I know exactly how you feel for I once was in his shoes, but if he would put all his trust in the savior, he will be lead and guided. This week we have had some very special expierences while teaching and the spirit has been so strong as we have taught in unison, and the testimony of my companion. He has such a drive and exictment to share the gospel with all those that he comes in contact with and I know that he will find much success. He almost has the same age of jacob and he has reminded me of jacob much. As we are teaching I imagen sometimes that he is jacob and that I have had the chance to serve with him. I am so exicted for jacob, the mission is the best thing that has ever happened to me and it has helped mold me to become the man I need to be. 

Today p-day was truly amazing. As we were eating for lunch, a very poor man came up to ask us for some food and water becuase he was hunger. So we began to talk with him to see if he was actually really hungery and sure enough he was. So we invited him to sit down with us as we ate and we shared what little we had with him and began to share our testimonys with him about gods maravilloso plan of salvation and that he  loves us and wants us to be happy and if we keep his commmandments and endure we shall be saved. He loved it and we commited him to go to church. Right as we got down talking with the good old man, another man came up to us and said with curitosity asked ¿what church to do you two young men represent? we replied the church of jesus christ of latter day saints. I then stated that he always admired how we helped those around us and that he wanted us to come to his house and teach him and that he wanted to go to church this sunday. We always must be prepared and something that I have learned and has been the greatest blessing for me is always wear my mission clothes on p-days when I am not playing soccer or other sports.  I have found that the lord blesses us and has many ready to learn more if we are ready.     

I am so grateful for the extra time that the lord has blessed with to be able to serve his wonderful sons and daugthers here in nicaragua and to always serve him to the end. As time has past I feel much like enoch of old which was called to serve, and was not perfect in many ways of speech and in works and learning, but he was powerful becuase had a willing heart, was obiedent to ever commandment of the lord and served with all his might for his fellow men. The lord is counting on each of us everyday to share the gospel with those that our around us so that they can be brought to the fold. This saturday andsunday will be wonderful oppurtunitys to invite your friends and nieghbors to hear the words of living apostles and a living prophet. What A termendous blessing. Its as if peter of old who walked upon waters!!  will be speaking to us in our lives and helping us over come our fears so that we to can walk upon the waters and not fall. I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week. Thanks for all you do.

Elder Boyd 

Today was one of the sadest moments saying goodbye to my best friend and convert William!! What joy it has been to get to know him and once agian like all my areas I am sad to leave and so were they. We recieved word that I had changes sunday night and as we passed by to saygoodbye he just gave me the biggest hug. This morning early we awoke and me and my wonderful companion elder compton, went jogging with him and then worked out. It was such a great time with him and our bound is so great. he reminds me a lot like josh in many ways in his personality and he has become my greatest friend as well his wonderful family a little ones. Hermana rosita the older lady is who has cooked our food for the past 6 months and we call her our abuelita rosita our little nica grandma. They have shown through their examples so much love and care. when ever we were discouraged or hungery we always knew we could go to our nica grandma and she would make it all better. She has taken care of missionaries cooking thier food and cleaning our clothes for 18 years. 

I truly am going to miss this wonderful area and I don´t want to think of what it is going to feel like to have to say goodbye to nicaragua soon. I don´t let myself count the time so that I can be the best that I could ever be now. I love you all soooo much and I am exicted to see you all and have so much fun together. James and spencer keep up the great work and work very hard these last months of school, 110% no regrets, and that goes for you to.. Jacob and erick! boy it is wierd to think that you guys are growing up so fast. It was just like yesterday that erick was 11 and jacob was almost 16... Way to go bros keep up the great work. always say your prayers every night until you feel the spirit and you will feel so much better and sleep so much better. take care and see ya soon...

Everyday FUN!

Everyday for me and elder compton is a blast!!! haha! and sometime we have to much fun with our food. HAha! So just wanted to send you some funny pictures that we took while eating our breakfast. Haha!! We are coming up to the end of march and soon it will be changes. I really hope that we can keep working together for my last change but we never know. This past week we had a miracle as 5 investigadores came to church by themselves and loved it... It has been a tougher area to get moving along but things are looking up and the lord is our strength and our captain. There is always time to have fun in the mission and I have found that to laugh and have a good time with your companion, brings joy, which joy brings positive attitude and excitement for the work. We are loving every minute of the journey and the best part is see the change and growth in those we are teaching. I love you guys and I loved the pictures that mom sent. Thank you so much mom for sending those photos. My companion really liked the photo of spencer. It was really funny.

our investigador family that came to church has the quietest family and they were outside ride there bike and so we went up to them to ask if we could try. They were laughing so hard as I rode there bike and their parents loved that we talked with them. Children our the funniest and have the greatest love towards all. great times 

Joy

Muy buenas tardes familia,

It has been such a wonderful time. Last night as we were finish the day I began to ponder in my heart and mind of how much our savior knows and answers our prayers... (Sunday morning) Before heading out to visit those we had commited to church we took a few minutes to say a prayer of thanks and gratitud for this past week. It was a special expierence for mi and my companion. And as we looked back we could feel a peace in our hearts that we had given it our all.

as we left I held a prayer in my heart saying... Lord we have done all within our power to make it possible for these special sons and daughters to recieve the opprutunity to attend your house, where they can be relevied of there troubles and worries of the world. Lord we are not perfect but please bless these people with the desire the spirit so that they will be able to go and recieve a love to go to church...

First we went by our first investigador hermana jackling, and to are suprise her daugther answered the door and she looked ready to go to church and we asked her if her mom was home, she said yes but that she would not be able to attend church today. A feel of sorrow came into my heart and as we walked away from the house, I recieved a impression to go back. So we did and again the daughter received us and I did´nt know what to say.. so I just said we invite you to tell your mom that she should go to church and that you want to go with her and that blessings will come if she will.

We began to the next stop and the whole way I was feeling pretty down for my desire was so strong that they could go, but as we showed up to the next house to our suprise, they were up and ready with the biggest smiles that all the feelings of pain were washed away. We told them we would be waiting at the church doors to recieve them and we left for the church. 

As we arrived and were saving seats my heart was filled with gratitud for the family that wanted to come and was ready when all of sudden we saw jackling with her 2 daughters walked in, and right behind them the other family that was ready to go. We sat them next to the memebers that were saving the seats for us. during the whole church and the sacarament my heart was filled with love and joy that the lord listened to our simple prayer. 

I know that he answers prayers through our persistence to do good. Something wonderful that presidente collado wrote in his letter today was when we sin and want to change the best time to change is today. Satan wants us to think that its to late or that we can´t change but the lord does not have those words in his vocabulary. We can change we can make, we can be clean. When we make mistakes we should feel a sorrow or sadness for what we have done but it should be a sadness not of the world but of the lord. He wrote many times as memebers and sons of god we feel so sad for what we have done that we think he will not listen to our prayers or that we cant change. WE shouldn´t feel that sadness but a sadness that helps us relize that we need to change and dirrectly after this sadness comes a overwhelming joy and love from our savior jesucristo. 

Remember that Alma was one of the greatest missionaries and prophets of the americas to ever have lived and even he had to overcome his weakness. Weakness don´t define us weakness make us stronger. 

I love you all so so very much and I am so grateful for my mission. It has shaped and modeled my in ways that I could have never become without it. I invite you all to night as you say your personal prayers to say your prayers and keeping praying until you feel the spirit touch your soul. Presidente collado invited us to do so, to always remember to thank him love him and talk with him. As I have done so I have seen the difference of prayer. Not always is it a overwhelming feeling but just a feeling of his presence with you and then ponder... 

I love you all so much and can´t wait tell the day to give all of you such a big hug and have great times. Love you all this is the work of the lord and he is the master in the name of jesucristo Amen

Elder Boyd