Happy Birthday MOM!

Seres Queridos del Estado de Arizona, 

WOw!! Happy birthday mom!! Primeramente antes de todo, le quiero felicitar mama porque fue su feliz Cumpleaños esta viernes pasado. y también esta lunes que viene va hacer el cumpleaños de Josh. Mama te quiero mucho y espero que su cumpleaños fue extraordinario. (firstly before everything, I want to wish mom a very happy happy birthday this past friday. and also this monday that is to come will be josh´s birthday. love you mom so very much and I hope that your happy birthday was extra ordianry.) 

Wow time is continually moving fast and I had in mind this last p-day to write happy birthday to mom, but with all that I had to get done it just slipped the mind and so when friday came along I realized, Oh wow its moms birthday!! So very merry happy b-lated birthday all the way down from Nicaragua!! I love you so much mom and I hope that you were able to enjoy a wonderful delicious dinner with the finders and chocolate cake. Tell the finders that I say hi and that they are truly something else. I always enjoyed learning from brother finder in his wonderful classes at church. And to this day the wonderful phrase that he would always share has been engraved in my mind about when revelation is received and then shared=more light and revelation we receive. and also we are able to retain it more in our minds as well. 

It has played such a vital part in the lords work among his children and we find as the investigators put in their all and effort to learn and share what they learned with us and their friends, more progression is found and they answer their own questions through the revelation through the holy ghost. we had a experience this week with one of our investigators that we have been teaching, a family called the family castillos. Every time that we went to visit with them, they have had so many great questions such as what is the spirt world? What happens after this life? will we see our loved ones? To respond these types of questions we told them that those are wonderful questions and we asked them to write all the great questions they had and that we would ponder about them and then bring scriptures for them to study to respond their own questions. As we did this there questions were answered through personal scripture study and not by what we had to say or teach. The greatest part of the work and the key to true conversion for anyone is the spirit. and thats what was so great about it was we were able to stay on topic of what we were teaching them and help them understand the basics, and then they were able to study their questions and the scriptures just opened up for them. It truly been a miracle to see and this past sunday we were able to see that the spirit had touched their souls as they participated and came by themselves to church again!! I know that the spirit is the greatest teacher of all and as we allow him to instuirnos opps sorry as we allow him to instruct us we will never be led astray and we will be happy.

Well anyhow, give brother finder a great big hug and tell him thank you for all he has done. as well his family. Tell his son as well that I say hi and that I am so glad to have known him. We always had fun at mutual whenever he came. He is such a great guy and family.

And more over How truly grateful for such a loving family that has truly blessed my life with some much. One thing I have been eternally grateful for in my mission is Piano!! One because it has been a great source to relieve any stress that may be in the soul and it has been a great blessing to be able to play for the ward as needed. Talents are such wonderful things and helps us to feel special and happy. And am always in amaze when I hear such wonderful things the boys Jacob erick james and spencer... and weston HAha!! Weston has such a great talent of being so quite. haha!! its always fun to see him on the videos. YOu guys are incredible and I invite you whenever you feel down or discouraged look to your patrical blessings first and see what blessings the lord has given to you and then give thanks for what you have. One thing I thought about this past week that I am grateful for is carpets, My companion asked me the other day saying hey here in nicaragua do houses have carpets, and then it hit me, Carpet exist!! Haha!! Its been so long since seeing a house that has carpet or floor. Be grateful be smart and be happy. I am also very grateful for the holy ghost, for he is my light and my greatest friend, and through him I have been made whole. 

But what a great time it is here other than the wonderful heat that is coming on...haha! it has been the greatest times in my mission teaching so many people that my shoes are almost Holy shoes because of all the holes in them. haha!! But boy is the work so rewarding when you see the light come into their lives and direct their paths of those you teach. I am so grateful for all your prayers and support. 

Me and my companion elder Compton have been just loving every minute of everyday. He is such a great example to me and always has a big smile as we teach. The wonderful part is he is already fluent in speaking spanish and understands 90% of what they are saying. Together with the lord and his spirit we feel so good and are working harder than ever to help all to come unto christ. Thank you guys for all you do and the funny videos and letters that you send. Josh happy happy birthday from all of us to you we wish you happy birthday so we can have some to....(emprors new groove) best part Haha!! ((cronk) haha, its your birthday!!) hope you have a great birthday and that all are having a wonderful time and are working hard. love you all. Always remember to say your prayers and take time to let the spirit guide you through the scriptures and to also always be gratiful for what you have... In el nombre de jesucristo, Amen. till the next time.

Elder Boyd