I'm Coming Home!!

I fly to Tokyo and then to Seattle and then to Salt Lake.  I will arrive October 9, at 1:10 pm 

It is really weird I leave October 9 at 7:55 am and arrive October 9 at 1:10 pm.  I am going to fly back in time... ha ha

Crazy Week

This has been a crazy week.  Last Tuesday and Wednesday we could not work because a typhoon came through and it was raining super hard and flooded in a lot of places.  It did not flood were were are at due to the fact that we are in the mountains.  However, even though we did not work for two days we still had great numbers this week.  We had 10 investigators at church and about seven of them are going to be baptized in September.  September is going to go way fast, with all the baptisms and all the stuff going on in September it is going to fly by.  One of our recent converts, the family, lives in an area where there are tons of members, and we are working on making more members there.  Their friends were the ones that referred them.  My are is kind of weird, it is nothing but subdivisions.  We have like 10 subdivisions that we work in.  So really the only way for our work to continue is for referrals, which keep coming.  We are very busy.  The branch has welcomed our recent convert very well.  They are always going to the activities, especially the grandma.

I am not transferring.  This is my last area.  I am very happy about staying.  I have seen a lot of improvement in this area and I am glad to be here for some of the baptisms.  My companion is staying as well.  We are going to have a blast this last transfer.  Our transfers are not nearly as far as Aaron Briggs', our farthest is maybe three hours.  My mission is tiny.

I have not heard any thing from Tory, granted he is probably still in the MTC.  Not much happens in the MTC.  I will appreciate the dearelders for another six weeks.

That is kind of the report on the week.  Not much because of the typhoon.

Love

Elder Hatch

One of the Best Weeks I've had

It has been a great week.  During the week I didn't really feel like we were doing much.  I felt like almost all of our appointment fell through this week.  A lot of our workers were sick this week.  Also we had a lot to do with our investigators to prepare them for the baptism.  Also we have a lot of referrals that we are trying to contact.  Most of the referrals are really good referrals, most of them will probably be baptized in September and October.  We also have been looking for a new house, because our house now is kind of dirty and  the other elders don't live in there area and it make it really hard to coordinate with them.  We found this huge house.  We will probably move in about three weeks, if all goes well.

The Baptism was great.  We baptized eight people. Five were from one family. One was one we found. One was a re-baptism. And one was from the other elders area.  It was a great day.  The branch was really happy.  I was too.

I can't believe you all got new phones, but I guess it has been like two years.  I have heard of the Samsung Galaxy 4.  Elder Anderson, on of my really good buddies wants to get that when we get home.  I think my mind will be blown when I see the changes in technology.  I don't know what I am going to do about getting a phone and I am not going to worry about it now.

The neighborhood party sounded like it was a lot of fun and helped the neighborhood bond.  Just from the picture that was a lot of cotton candy.  Hope no one got sick... ha ha.

Transfers are next week.  I have no idea if I am staying to transferring.  I hope that I stay.  Mainly because I don't want to pack up everything again.  Next transfer I really have to start thinking how I am going to get all the stuff back.  A lot of my stuff is wearing out.  Most things just can't handle the stress of missionary work.  I do have a lot of advice for Trevor when he goes on his mission, if he goes to a tropical climate.  If he goes to Russia I can't help him.

Well that is about it for this week.  I will email you next week on Tuesday because of Transfers.  I will let you know what is happening to me.

Love,

Elder Hatch

My Best Baptism

I baptized four, the Grandma, the Mom, and two of the 20 year old guys.  The short Filipino is my companion.  The balding American and the bigger Filipino are the other elders in the branch.

HaPpy BiRthDaY

Thanks for the Ecard. So far I don't feel any different.  Back when I turned 20 was when I felt the biggest difference.  Before I turned 20 I just felt like a high school kid in another country.  After I turned 20 I felt like I was a missionary and that is were I really started to care about the people and thats when it really hurt when people would reject the gospel.  Now that I am 21 I don't think I will feel the change until I am home and an RM. We aren't doing anything for my birthday today because one of my buddies is sick so we decide to reschedule the birthday celebration.  Also there is a bagiyo (typhoon) We are just emailing and buying food then heading home.  But tomorrow is District Meeting so we will probably celebrate it tomorrow, when it is actually my birthday.

I can't believe that school is starting already.  It just seems like you all just got out of school.  It sounds like everyone will have a good school year.  I will talk to Trevor about his schedule.  I can't believe that Whitnee is a senor and Trevor is a freshman and Nicole is in 7th grade.  It is going to be weird to see how much they have changed.

It has been a good week here.  We didn't teach a whole lot but the lessons week taught were good. We have a baptism planned for this Saturday.  We are baptizing a whole family.  It is my first time on the mission to baptize a whole family at once.  It feels really good.  They are an awesome family.  I will be sure to tell you all about it next week and hopefully send some pictures.

I haven't seen my travel plans, but I know they have them from what my friends in the office tell me.  They usually wait till the last three weeks to give the flight plans so we don't get super trunky.

I am really close to getting all of the souvenirs.  I just have to get a few more things.

The next transfer day is August 28.  I hope I don't transfer.  I don't want to move my stuff. But I have a feeling that I am going to transfer, for two reasons.  One I am moving next week and I am going to have house mates, which I have not had my entire mission. Second It is just the feeling I have that I am going to transfer.

I am not too worried about school either.  Just remember to schedule the dentist appointment and the eye doctor appointment.

That is all this week.

Love you all,

Elder Hatch

Crazy Week

This week was crazy.  We had Zone conference on Monday, then temple pday on Wednesday, and a branch activity on Saturday, and then a funeral on Sunday.  We hardly got in any time to teach.  The crazy thing was we had 10 investigators at church.  We have this one family, they are awesome, we have been teaching them since I got to this area.  Their baptism will be the week before transfers, which I am pretty sure that I am going to stay in this area.  But it is nice to know that I will be here for the baptism. 

 

I was thinking the other day, kind of reflecting on my mission (which I do a lot), about all the be people I have taught and baptized and how the quality of my baptisms have gotten better throughout my mission.  Granted now I can speak Tagalog and I know how to teach, but I was thinking the main thing is that I have become more and more converted to the Gospel.  It is really weird being on the tail end of my mission.  Just thinking of all that I have done, if it was enough or if there was more I could have done.  I am convinced that the mission is an exact pattern of the Plan of Salvation.  My life as missionary is almost over and yet it will only just begin.  Also how ever I lived here on the mission will affect everything after.  That is really the thing that is keeping me going, I need to endure to the end, if I want to be able to return with honor.  I am not going to lie I am very trunky.  I have been doing the same thing over and over for such a long time that it is just wearing me down.  It is kind of part of the reason of the short email last week.  The same thing happens every week.  The good thing is our focus is changing slightly, just enough to keep me on my toes.  The other hard part is to help my companion become a Senior companion, to actually lead and make decisions.  It is hard to let him go and make mistakes, especially when I know if I would just do it, it would get done quicker and faster and better.  That is going to be my goal this transfer is to help him be better.

 

I do need you to set up a eye doctors and a dentist appointment close to when I get home.  Thanks.

 

Love you,

Elder Hatch