Talk in church

Hello family,

I am doing good.  Had a few good days with teaching.  We have a new rule that makes it really hard to teach unless we have members working with us, which very seldom happens here.  We talked to the Branch President and told him about the new rule so that should help with members working with us.  Last night the Elders Quorum President and his wife worked with us to teach a Recent Convert lesson.  It was awesome they taught the lesson and made our RC feel way more comfortable.  My companion and I are working really hard to help this branch.  On Sunday, I gave my fourth talk in this branch and usually I struggle to get 15 minutes, but this time the President Arvee had to slip me the "Your Time is Up" card.  It was really funny.  I was a little upset that they cut me short (I know, me, upset that my time to talk was cut short), because I still had a lot to say I might have been able to go for another 5 to 7 minutes, 10 if I used my extra cross references.  It was a good talk that made the members want to work on it.  I might use that talk for my homecoming talk HA HA. Joke Lang (Just Kidding).  Yes, we did ride a bus to the temple last week.  Buses are really the only way to travel out here in Baliwag.  That is about all that has happened in the area these last few days.

I don't know if I told you, but right now in the zone are my two best friends in the mission: Elder Anderson and Elder Green.  They were both in Caloocan (My first area) with me.  We are having a lot of fun and both of them are the District Leaders, so I get to call them every week and see how they are doing and share the stories for the week.  So sometimes I forget to tell you what has happened because I talk to them first and tell them the stories that has happened, and I can't remember which stories I've told you or them, so sorry.  This has been the happiest transfer so far.

Tomorrow we get mail run.  I might get one of the packages that you sent and I will let you know if I get or not next week.  I know that you already sent my Christmas package but one thing I thought of that you could send was "Hostess: Fruit Pies", the ones that are always in gas stations.  I just ate something that reminded me of them. It was really weird.  It is also really nice to hear and see that the cabinets are up on the wall and they look really good.  Also I really miss the old green couch.

Thanks for all of your support

Love, 

Elder Hatch 

Temple Trip

Sorry we just got back from the temple, it took four hours to get there and three to get back because of traffic.  Then Elder Tropia had to go to the dentist so we have been really busy and we have a dinner appointment in like 20 minutes, so I will answer you questions now.  I am sorry for the short email.

I am kind of taking pictures, because the batteries you sent me are not recharging so next pday I am going to take them to a repair shop to get them fixed.  But have no fear I have a companion that takes a lot of pictures so I just copy them on pday when we have time.  Don't worry I will get a picture of the 7-11 and I am getting a lot of the area.  I will try and send some more pictures.  As for the apartment this is my third apartment, and it is the biggest and we have A/C but we don't use it because it is expensive.  Teaching is going better, we have some new potential investigators that are really interested and they are potential Melchizedek Priesthood holders.  We don't have a calling in the branch we just go to church and help out, however we do speak every third Sunday, come to think of it that is this week.  I better start preparing.  The mission home is two hours away.  We go there every month for Zone Leader Council, that is about it.  Our mail comes every two weeks to our district meetings (which are every Tuesday), and we go to the temple once a transfer.  We just get assigned a day.  Our temple pday was not suppose to be until next month but they changed it last Friday.

My testimony gets stronger every day.  It is awesome, it helps that I read every day and try to apply what I learn, I bear my testimony at least three times a day, and praying always really helps as well.  I really love the Book of Mormon, it has given me so much strength and helped my testimony the most.  That is the single most important thing you can do to come closer to Christ is to read the Book of Mormon every day.

Sorry again for the short email, I promise next week will be better.  Love you all and thanks for your prayers and support.

Love,

Elder Hatch 

Still in Bustos

Right now our Sundays are one of our harder days.  We usually don't eat dinner at members houses, but that is about to change... During our branch council, the branch clerk Keryl (who is an RM) talked to the branch about setting up a dinner schedule.  I am very excited.

Really there is no way to prepare for mission life.  You need to prepare spiritually by: praying every morning and night, reading the scriptures especially The Book of Mormon, reading Preach My Gospel, going to church and seminary.  That is what you can do to get ready for a mission.  The asking questions about the mission, you can't really get a grasp on what life is like, especially when you ask new RMs, because it is just life not "missionary life".  Like now I forget what is it like to live in America, because I live in the Philippines and I have just gotten use to all the stuff that happens.  The best example of what missionary life is, is The Best Two Years.

About conference, we went to the  stake center and watched Saturday morning session at 8 in the morning on Saturday, Saturday afternoon session at 11, and Priesthood session at 1, Sunday morning session  at 8 in the morning on Sunday, and Sunday afternoon at 12.  That is conference in the Philippines.

Dad and Trevor both better write me next week and tell me about their hunt and how it went.

Halloween is different here.  They don't celebrate Halloween but they sell costumes and have Halloween parties.  They don't go trick or teating, it is not really about the candy.  On November 1, they have something like Day of the Dead, but they celebrate is like Memorial Day when  every one goes to the Cemetery, but it is not solemn, it is like The 4th of July.  Every one having a good time at the Cemetery.  It was really hard to work that day because everyone was at the Cemetery.

The only thing I can think of that you could send in the Christmas package is money to help me buy some souvenirs. Oh you could send some Muddy Buddies, or home made English Toffee, or Fudge.  I have not got your package with the card yet.  We are not getting mail run this week, and I don' know if they are coming to us next week.  I might get it in two to three weeks.  My pants are holding up really well.  I did rip my charcoal pants but I just need to take them to a tailor to get them fixed.  I am planing on getting some pants made here when I get some money.  I do need some new ties but I will just buy them here because they are only five bucks for some pretty good ties.

 Bustos has two stores, a 7 Eleven and a Grocery store.  What I compare Bustos to is home, the South end of the Valley.  Just take out all the stores and mountains and replace the Alfalfa fields with Rice fields, and you are where I am at.  So I hope that gives you a better picture of what it is like here.

Love you all,

Elder Hatch

Hard Area

I am doing ok.  I am in a really hard area.  The branch in cool and nice, but we have 3 investigators and we are working with like 5 less active families.  The rest of the time we tract.  This transfer I have felt what state side missionaries feel.  The work is really hard but most days we have fun and all of my journal entries start with "It was a good day..."  Life here is good.  I have learned how to make spaghetti. It tastes really good. I cooked Camp Eggs twice, and I eat a lot of fish.  One more thing this week, I became a real Philippines missionary.  You can ask Jed what that means or just wait to till later for me to tell you.

I did not get transferred, so I will be in Bustos for 4 1/2 months hopefully for 6.  My companion is not transferring either, so we will be together for 3 months.  My companion has stretched me. He was E.T. into my area for me to watch him and help him become a better missionary. And it was hard.  We are doing better now, but we still have a way to go.  It will be a good transfer.  

We have this one investigators, Nicole(15) and Karen(13), They are a little young but they read and always remember what they read and they have really good questions.  They are fun to teach because we promised them that if they will read then we will sing a hymn.  They love it and we don't mind singing and we still have like 330 hymns we can sing.

I am having fun and it sounds like you guys are having fun as well.  Don't worry about me.  I  have been out on a mission for 13 months and in the field for 11.  Nothing surprises me anymore and a new transfer is a great time to just start over and have a new attitude. I was a little down this transfer but I am doing good now.  I will try and keep you more informed on what is going on and how I am doing.

Love you lots

Elder Hatch