New Companion

That is crazy to think that you guys are already almost done with school.  You guys are about to start summer and we are going to end summer.

It sounds like Nicole and Trevor are enjoying soccer and lacrosse.  I told Nicole that she should think about playing soccer on a competitive team because I think I would have stuck with soccer had I gotten onto a competitive team.  I know the only team I ever tried out for was the most competitive team in the Valley, but I think Nicole would enjoy it and if she starts young, she will be able to get on more competitive teams and play in high school.  I also told Trevor he needs to decide what he wants, lacrosse, YHEC, or both.  I know he can do both and do well in both because Marshall did it.

I am still a zone leader at least until June and maybe until July.  The hardest part about being a zone leader is I only see the member of the zone once a week.  For me it is very hard to help the other elders do better when I am not with them.  I don't know how to help them when I am not with them to see their problems.  But this transfer I am going to try and work with most of the elders in my zone to see what I can do to help them.  I did get a new companion, his name is Elder Tabiliran.  He is from the south part of the Philippines where no foreign missionaries are allowed.  He is just young enough in the mission and I haven't been in a zone with him before that I don't know him very well.  That is a really hard thing most of my companions I have known who they are.  He is also a new zone leader so I am training him on how to be a zone leader.  There are about 180 missionaries in our mission, 35 are sister missionaries. Thanks for the advice.

Oh here is some crazy news for the Philippines,  all foreign missionaries are going to start coming to the Philippines MTC instead of the Provo MTC.

That is really cool that you started running.  I can't run to save my life.  I think I will just stick with Mountain Biking.

Also it is almost the month of May, which means I get to call home!  I will be calling on May 13, at 10:00 am here.  I don't know what time it will be there, but just so you all know and so Whitnee can make sure she doesn't have work. 

I was really glad to hear about Tory's mission call.  I am pretty sure that Bret Cranney is in the Argentina Buenos Aires West Mission.

This week was a little stressful because I had to lead the area.  It is calming down a little bit but it has been really rough for the last few days.  It is always hard to lead but as soon as Elder Tabiliran knows all of our investigators and less-actives it will be fine.  Last week we had a FHE just before Elder Carr left with our favorite family, it was a lot of fun.  We also got 3 new investigators from it, one of our recent converts daughters and the neighbors of our recent convert. Also this week we started a dinner calendar with the ward.  We have a dinner appointment every night this week.  So don't worry Mom I am getting fed well.  The big thing for this week is Missionary Leadership Council (MLC) this Friday.  MLC is the same thing as Zone Leader Council except there will be some sister missionaries there.  Also at MLC all of my mission buddies will be there.

That is all that has happened this week,

love you all,

Elder Hatch

Multiple Baptisms

This week was great.  Elder Carr and I worked really hard and now we got to see the fruits of our labors before he (Elder Carr) transfers.  Elder Carr has been my longest companion.  The Baptism was great.  We baptized Sister Melanie and her daughter Minerva (Mini) and their friend Russell.  We also baptized Paul, his family are members but less-active.  He also just turned nine so he is under our jurisdiction.  The coolest part of the baptism was Sister Melanie's other daughter Mary Rose came to the baptism, then she came to church.  She is interested in listening to us.  I will let you know how she progresses.  Also Russell parents, who I had never see or talk to, came to the baptism.  We are trying to set up a time that we can teach them.  Then for Paul, his family has come back to church, all except his dad.  Guess who showed up to the Baptism.... Paul's dad and he went to church as well.  Lots of miracles happened.  The baptism gave me that little boost to keep going. Working with less-actives is great, but having a less-active come back to church doesn't have the same feeling as helping an investigator get baptized.  Another great thing that happened is after the baptism Sister Melanie wanted to set up a Family Home Evening and invite some of her friends.  That is going on tonight so next week I will report on how the FHE went.

My companion Elder Carr is transferring.  I am a little nervous about who my next companion is going to be.  Elder Carr and I both think that I am going to get a new Zone Leader and that this transfer is my last as a Zone Leader.  It is getting a little harder being a Zone Leader, just because every one else is so young.  Missionary work has just become my way of life.  It is all I do and all I know.  The young elders just don't quite know enough about missionary work for me not to worry about them.  I am really trying to think of ways to help them improve their missionary work, but I have found out that I can't do whole lot.  I can teach procedures and how we do things in the mission.  But I can't give them the desire to work, I can show them my desire.  I just don't know what to to with the Zone.  So if you have any advice on how to help inspire missionaries or me, it would be really helpful.

Next week I will tell you all about my new companion.

Thanks for the report on YHEC.  It made me miss home and YHEC a little bit but I know that I can volunteer when I get home. 

Love you all

Elder Hatch

Tracting Trouble

This was a good week.  We had interviews with President Sperry.  Interviews happen every three months.  They are just for President Sperry to see how the Zone is doing and see how each individual is doing.  I really like Interviews.  It just gives me a chance to talk to President Sperry with no distractions.  We also get to here awesome workshops by President and Sister Sperry and by the AP's.  I always learn a lot.

Interviews happened on Thursday, on Friday we went on splits with the AP's.  The AP's are really cool.  I went with Elder Smith and worked in half of our area.  I had a lot of fun and learned a lot.  Elder Smith is the oldest American missionary in our mission.  The cool thing is he hunts in Salina, over in Old Woman (Dad might know where that is).  We just swapped hunting stories, it was a good time.

Conference was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I loved it.  I can't tell you what my favorite talk was because they were all good and it took the whole Conference and bits of each talk to answer my questions.  The main theme that I saw was things in the world are going to get worst and the only safe place is going to be the home.  When I get married I am going to have to do everything I can to protect my home.  It was also reinforce how important the family is.  Also a lot of it was that God lives and loves us, it was said that we are from Heavenly Parents 3 times, and that Satan is real and trying his hardest.

We went tracting a few nights ago.  It was rough.  We knocked on this one door and the owner came out in nothing but a towel and asked us what we wanted in English (not a good sign).  We introduced ourselves as missionaries that had a message about Christ (we spoke Tagalog).  He said that he was busy (still in English).  We asked if we could leave a pamphlet for him to read (Tagalog).  He said that it would be ok (English).  As we were writing our names and number on the back, he asked us what religion we were (English).  We told him Mormons.  Then he says in English, "I don't want it, I really don't want it.  Don't waste my time, or your time."  I had not been rejected so harsh in my whole mission.  So we walk away with our heads down, but as we walked away a lady and her daughter were walking by, so we asked them where they were going (this is all in Tagalog).  She said she was just going up the street to buy something.  Then she asked us what religion we were.  We told her, "Mormons".  Then she said that she was a member, but hadn't been to church because they had moved and didn't know where the church was.  We gave them directions and everything, we got there address and some time this week we are going to go back to them.  I will let you know how it turns out.

Transfer are next week.  I will be emailing on Tuesday (here) and Monday (there).  I will probably not transfer.  I will probably get a new Zone Leader and next, next transfer I will step down.  I will let you know what all goes on with transfers.  Also next week I am expecting a good report on YHEC and lots of pictures.

Love you all,

Elder Hatch

Zone Leader Council

This week was good.  We had a lot of work planned and we had Zone Leader Council.  We had 4 investigators that are preparing for baptism, their date is on April 20.  Three of the four were a referral of the Belda famliy, the ones I told you about last week, they are doing really well.  I will keep you updated on their progress.

Zone Leader Council was a lot of fun.  Elder Anderson, Elder Green, Elder Smith, Elder Robinson and Elder Hawey were all there.  I know those names don't mean much but they are all my friends.  We had a good time catching up with what has happened in each others areas.  We have a good time and laugh a lot.  It is funny because Elder Anderson, Elder Smith, Elder Carr (my companion), and Elder Hicken are all going to BYU after the mission.  They are all trying to convince Elder Green to go to BYU as well.  Thet tried to get me to go to BYU but they stopped after I explained my plan to go to Snow then USU.  It is a lot of fun to watch every one trying to convince Elder Green.  Elder Green doesn't want to because he will lose all of his credits he had at Weber State, but he wants to go to be with friends.  So Elder Green has been fighting the dilemma for the last three months and a ZLC he explained his plan which is, He is going do transfer to UVU and live with all the guys going to BYU.  Now we are all just trying to figure out how I am going to hang out with them at BYU while I am at Snow.  That was the big news of the week.

This coming week is going to be really good.  We are going on exchanges with the AP's, we have Zone Interviews, and CONFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so excited for Conference.  I can't explain how excited I am for Conference.  This is what I look forward to.

I did get the package and the money was in there.  Thank you.  I have not yet eaten the Cadbery eggs, but I will.  One thing I notice is I am getting old.  I can't just eat lots of chocolate, one or two bite size and I am good.  I find myself craving nuts, fruit, or vegetables.  Oh I ate Sushi the other day, way good.  We bought some stuff to make sushi this week I am really excited.

That is what has happened this week.

Love you,

Elder Hatch

Easter 2013

First off, I almost don't even realize when holidays come.  Second, here in the Philippine they don't really celebrate Easter.  Because of the strong Catholic influence, the big celebration is on Friday.  It is crazy in some places. In some places they crucify someone, some places people whip themselves.  But there is none of that around here.  All we had were parades of Idols of Jesus and Mary (very weird and creepy).  The hard thing about the Philippines is the holidays here are not to get together with you family, it is to get together with all your buddies and drink and smoke (for the men) or get together and gossip and gamble (for the ladies).  Which makes it nearly impossible to find on holidays.  Also for not super strong or new investigators, they basically lose all their progress.  Same with less actives. Most of us here don't like holidays for two reasons the one stated above and we still have to work.  We did eat at a members house but it wasn't for Easter.  It was for a Family Home Evening.

I have not yet got the package.  I should get it in two weeks, that is when our next mail run is.

We have been super busy.  Teaching and Teaching.  I do have a family that I love to teach, the Belda family.  They are our Recent Converts.  We are reteaching the lessons over and teaching their friend Mini and her mom Melanie and Mini's cousin Russel.  They all use to be way shy and now we have a hard time keeping the lesson under control.  They are a great family.  I couldn't pick one family in the ward, I love the entire ward.  Everyone is awesome.  This is a great ward.  I would be happy to end my mission here, the problem is I have just a tad to long to stay here to the end.

Every thing is holding up fine.  I don't need socks I can get some really nice ones here for cheap.

Summer is here.  It is really hot.  Right after I get out of the shower, I sweat.  I have to have a fan on me all the time or I am just soaked with sweat.  This is the hardest part of the year.  I have to drink so much water yet I am still dehydrated.  But all is well.

Love,

Elder Hatch