Speaking Tagalog

I might not be able to call you guys on Sunday there and Monday here, because we have a weird transfer day, instead of it being on Thursday it is on Tuesday.  Which means we have district meeting on Monday.  So we might have do it on Friday there and Saturday here.  The same time.  I hope that works.  If not tell me next pday.  Transfers are May 15, so you will just barely miss meeting my new companion.  I really like having a Filipino companion, my Tagalog is really taking off.  I am not an expert but I am doing well, I feel that I am were I am suppose to be at this time in my mission.  We have district meeting every week.  I see every elder in my zone there.  I have a really good friend in the zone, Elder Green.  We have Interviews with President about every 3 months.  He is really cool.  He is kind of like Bishop Thomas and President Hunsaker put together.  He has taught me to love the scriptures and how to study from them.  I am kind of saving some things to tell you for when I call you guys so sorry  for the short letter.  Love you all Love, Elder Hatch

A Good Week

I am doing really good.  I am happy and heathly.  I am now a 180lbs.  It has been a good week.  I gave my talk in sacrament meeting on Sunday.  90% of it was in Tagalog.  The ward was impressed with my Tagalog, but I still am not an expert.  The talk went ok. I will prepare better next time.  I did speak for 10 minutes.  A big problem was the mic wasn't close to my mouth, so it was a little hard for the members to hear.  Probably the same thing that happen at my farewell.  I had a baptism on Saturday.  It could have gone a lot better.  It was my first baptism that I was in charge of and I didn't really know what I needed to do or what.  Thank goodness for the members. They came to the rescue.  I will always plan and double check the baptism so it always goes well.  I just got done teaching a lot of 8 year old girls.  Their families are all active they just wanted us to teach them.  We are having a big baptism on May 5, 5 will be baptized.  Those are the Highlights of the week.

YHEC sounds like it was a good time.  I miss it and it would have been fun to be there but Trevor will still have 3 years left when I get back.  Then I can coach him and then he can take first overall.  In the pictures did, Ty have a beard?  It was good to see everybody.  Right now, for Trevor, Shooting is the most important not until Seniors does the Tests really matter.

My shoes are good. I didn't take care of the insoles of my Johnson and Murphy's, so the insole are a little rough but still my most comfortable shoes.  One thing that would have been nice to know is that here, in the Philippines, they make rubber shoes that look like dress shoes.  So I wear rubber shoes while out at work and my nice shoes to the temple or to meeting with President.  All my shirts are good. I have 4 that are fitted and 3 that I need to get fitted, probably next support.  Garments are good, but if I need any I will just buy them at the temple they are only like 30 pesos which is less than a dollar.  I have plenty of money. Support comes every two weeks so I stay pretty good with that.  I am now in the groove of budgeting my money for the two weeks.  Thanks for the book it is really good. One thing you could send is eye solution. It is really expensive here, whenever you send a package, one or two bottles would be wonderful.  Oh and the Legos were way fun. It is really big.  One other thing is the pudding powder packets; the one where you have to make the pudding.  I think that is it.  Thanks.

Some of the members might be sending me friend requests so if you could check my facebook and accept them for me.

Love you all

Elder Hatch

A Good Plan

I didn't have to give my talk in sacrament meeting.  I was both relieved and sad.  I would have had to give it in Tagalog.  Which wouldn't have been too bad. I could use some of the time to translate from English to Tagalog.  It was supposed to be on how to build one's testimony through learning basic doctrine, accepting callings, and attending Sunday school.  I think it would have been ok.  At least now I have a talk prepared in case I am ever asked to give one on the spot.

 

What?  Brother Garbanati is released.  Phil and Bob will do great with the young men.  They know what's up and the young men will listen to them.

 

I email Shalya and Marshall if I have time which is about every other week.  When I email Marshall it is kind of how's the mission and what it is like in the states. 

 

Right now, it is supposed to be summer, which is supposed to be super hot.  I think that the humidity is what is changing, because it doesn't feel that hot. I just sweat all the time.  I am use to the heat though.  Right now if it was below 80, I would think it was cold.  In the morning, it is probably around 70 or 75 and I am cold.  It is really weird to think that it is 45 right now over there and it use to feel warm.  We had a pretty good week over here.  We finally hit our number for lessons to less actives this week.  I have learned that planning makes the day and the week better.  The day never goes as planned but in planning, I don't get so worried about who we are going to visit.  We have a baptism planned for this Saturday.  I am excited.  We also have baptisms planned for the next three weeks.  I was planting for a long time and now the time to harvest is close.  I really enjoy my mission.  I am learning so much. A lot of it, I wish I would have known before my mission so life back home would have been nicer.  I have come to love the scriptures.  The Book of Mormon has all the answers.  I love reading it.  Personal study is my favorite time of the day.  I hope that you all are reading your scriptures.  They are wonderful.  I am really trying to learn as much as I can now, so I can help my investigators and less actives and for when I get home.

 

I should get an Ensign with the confence talks.  I really liked the CD's of the last conference. A few more CD's of music would be nice.  Around Christmas time I would like some Christmas music.  I have not set up a skype account yet. I will after I get done emailing.  I don't know exactly when, but I think I will be able to skype you guys on Mother's day. Where do you think you will be?  I think I would be really cool if we could do at Grandma Hepworth's house with the whole family.  But it is up to you guys.  Love you all.

Holy Week

This week was a little rough. It was Holy Week so It was really quiet.  A few places, people would sing the scriptures. It was kind of weird.  We didn't teach a lot of lessons because a lot of people went to the province.  We had a priesthood activity on Friday.  It was way fun.  We played basketball and the ward fed us.  Conference was way good.  We watched the Saturday sessions on Saturday.  They started at 8 until 4, and the Sunday 9 until 2.  We all went to the Stake center.  With Conference there really was no celebration of Easter.  Holy Week was big.  In my area, I didn't see any thing with Holy Week. On TV there were some crazy things.  One of the the members in my ward is really good at chess, so I played him on the priesthood activity.  I was so close to beating him, but he came back and I lost.  It was a fun time.  At conference my bishop gave me a subject for Sacrament meeting next Sunday.  Next week I will tell you how it goes.

My companion is Elder Miles.  He is a Filipino.  He is way cool.  We get along really well.  Our teaching is really good.  He speaks less English than my last companion, so I will be learning and growing a lot this transfer, with Tagalog and in coming closer to Christ.  I love my area and the ward members and I am glad to stay here.  I want is be where I am most needed.

I got your package!  It was awesome.  All the stuff is wonderful.  The book is really cool, I probably won't start reading it for a while, because right now I am reading Jesus the Christ.  It is really good.  Thanks for the pudding packs, but I meant the pudding powder packs that you make the pudding.  Tell grandma and grandpa that I am getting there letters and really pick up my week. I love you thanks for all the support.

Love

Elder Hatch

Waiting for Conference

This week is transfer week.  My companion is leaving and I am staying
in the same area for another transfer.  This transfer has flown by. I
learned a lot.  I learned a lot about how to compromise.  On Monday I
will tell you who my new companion is and where he is from.  I
realized this last week that Mission life is normal.  There are still
crazy things that happen but it is normal to me now.  I really love it
here in the Philippines.  I was really called here and I am here for a
reason.  I am really glad to hear that the family is doing good.  One
of the elders in my zone is from Hooper.  He knows right where they
bought the pigs.  The weather is really weird right now. It is suppose
to be summer and really hot and miserable, but it has been raining a
lot so it has almost been cold.  That's another thing I am now used to
the temperature here.  It's weird to think that 78 is cold.  I have
gone to a fish market, I walk down to it every day.  We have bought some
fish there. They taste really good.  We stopped cooking at home,
because we found out that it is cheaper to eat out at the street
venders and they make really good food.  My favorite Filipino food is
Pork Adobo, I don't know what is in it but it tastes so good.  My
favorite place to eat is Angles Burgers.  We have about 15
investigators but only 5 are progressing and we teach about 15 less
active families.  Some of the members are some don't care because it
will be in English so for some it is still hard to understand.  We
will watch conference this weekend.  We will watch all the sessions.
I can't wait for it.  I don't think that I have been this excited for
conference ever.  With the language I am doing ok.  I still need to
improve a lot.  In lessons I can teach every lesson simple.  I am
having fun here.  There is a couple things that you can do for me.
The first is when you send my next package could you please send a
back scratcher.  Also were you able to get into my Facebook, if you
were I am going to have some members add me as a friend so if you
could accept those friend requests.  Thanks love you lots

Love
Elder Hatch