6 months left

Who is your pick for March Madness?  I didn't think I would miss March Madness.  The weird thing is here in the Philippines they love basketball, they LOVE basketball.  But they only care about the NBA, and most people in the States enjoy College.

Yes Mom, I am at my last 6 months.  It is a weird feeling.  I never thought it would come.  I had just started to accept the fact that I am going to serve forever, but being this close to the end and a letter I got from Marshall really got to me that my mission will end.  I just need to stay focused and work hard these last 6 months.

It is ok about the stamps, I just take it as a blessing for my faith.  I was willing and ready to write letters to the end of my mission but now I can email.  Thanks for the email addresses.

We teach a lot of people; yesterday we counted our teaching pool.  Our teaching pool has 70 people.  That is 70 people that I teach on a regular basis.  That is why it is so hard for me to remember what happened during the week.  I am very thankful that the people of the Philippines are very friendly and receptive.  I have about 2 or 3 days a month where we don't teach any one and those days are hard.  I don't know how elders do it in the States or in Europe.  We stayed really busy this week we taught 32 lessons this week. 

I have not gotten a package yet, but tomorrow is mail run (happy day).  I might get it tomorrow.  I did get the money last year that was in the book.  I will let you know when I get the package and how much money is in it.

Love you,
Elder Hatch

Teaching A Lot of People

Ok sorry again but another short email, but this will be the last because the Missionary Department just changed their emailing rules.  We can now email, Family (immediate and extended), Friends, and Priesthood leaders.  So I am now allowed longer time to email.  Also could you send me Sue's, Alison's, and Grandma and Grandpa Hepworth's email.

How is every thing going with Snow?  Were you able to move my scholarship to winter semester? Also when you sign me up for classes, please only sign me up for the minimum number of credits.  For the classes I am pretty sure you will just have to go to USU and ask them what I need to take.  

I had a pretty normal week.  Taught a lot of people, a lot of people.  It is really hard to remember all that I have done in a week.  We get out to work at about 12:30 and our 1st appointment is at 1:00.  We teach a lesson every hour until 9:00.  We go home plan, eat, sleep, and  do it all over again.  For pday we went to the temple, great day.  I don't really have a favorite place here in the Philippines.  I have loved all of my areas, and really all I try and do on pday is to get together with friends wherever we can.

Love you,

Elder Hatch 

Duck Bowling

That is cool that Grandpa could just step in and give a talk.  I am working on being able to just give a talk if I am ever asked.

It would be really nice if you could send a video but it is not pressing.  You did send me some pictures of Trevor shooting.

Yeah, last week was our Zone Activity, the most looked forward to Pday of the transfer.  We went Duck Bowling.  Duck Bowling is kind of the same a regular bowling, but the difference is you bowl three times instead of twice.  Also the ball is really small, a little bigger than a grapefruit.  It was way fun.  I will try and send pictures and a video.  We had to email early to get there on time.

We usually have 190-200 people at church.  We think it was because we fasted, which goes to show you fasting is very effective.  We don't know why everyone was late, it is a Filipino thing to be late.

Transfers are good I am staying and so is my companion.  We are both happy.

Time is flying,  I think it is going by faster for me than for you.  We have an elder who is in my district he goes home tomorrow.  He gave me some good advice for my last 7 months.

The temple was great, like always.  Yeah we only get one session, but it is just enough to get us through the next transfer.  We try and take people to the tour, but some times they have something and it is a little expensive so we like to make it worth it.  We will be going next month.  Yeah we speak Tagalog at the temple tours.

Love you,

Elder Hatch

Fast Sunday

That is way cool that the Church is printing new scriptures.  I can't wait to buy a new set when I get home.  I have decided that when I get home I am going to get the big ones, like Dad's.  It will be really cool to see how they look.

That is too bad that the Garbanati's are moving.  I won't be able to see them.  Oh well, wish them luck for me.

The past few weeks I have been studying the Light of Christ.  It is amazing how something so simple as the Light of Christ or faith or repentance, can take weeks and weeks to study.  Yet I still don't fully understand it.  Some really good scriptures on the Light of Christ is D&C 88:6-13 also Moroni 7:16-18

We are just going in to summer.  Summer here is March to April.  It is way hot here.  It is going to start to hit about 90 degrees, with 90% humidity, basically death.  It is really hard to stay hydrated just because I will never stop sweating.  But a funny thing about summer is I will get a tan line where my collar is.

The story of the week happened yesterday.  To start off we had a rough week this week because we had a bunch of meetings and it really threw off our schedule.  We were really worried that no one was going to come to church.  We show up to the church at 8:20 am, two families were there (Recent Converts).  We just waited and shook members hands until 9:00 am.  Then we went into the chapel and there were only 20 members there.  We were a little disappointed.  We couldn't start because none of the Bishopric was there either.  Then at about 9:10, everybody start coming in.  By the time the sacrament started the whole chapel was full and they had to bring in extra chairs for people to sit.  Also they had to bless the sacrament twice.  There was about 280 people at church yesterday.  The cool part was we had 9 investigators and 14 less-actives at church.   Then because it is Fast Sunday, everyone got up and bore their testimony.  Sacrament meeting went for an hour and a half.  It was a great Sunday.

Thanks for all the new about the stuff that is going on back at home.

Love you,.

Elder Hatch