Love is All Around/ Choose the Joy.

Thursday, November 17th, 2016

Love is in the warmth of a smile, the hug of a friend, and the sunshine that fills your soul in a laughter.

As I was walking home from a long day on campus, drawing nearer and nearer to 9,000 deadlines before thanksgiving break, I ran into one of my roommates and dear friends, Caroline. As we embraced, shared a laugh or two, and encouraged one another on our endeavors ahead, the dark chill of the oncoming storm seemed to brighten and by burdens felt light.

This sudden change in my mood led me to reflect back on the week, the nearly finished semester, and the last 8 months since returning home from my mission.

Through all the hardships and triumphs, trials and joys, and experiences both good and bad, it seems to always connect back to love.  In these last 8 months I have learned what it means to be loved in a hundred different ways. Love from the Lord, from family, from friends, from roommates, from a boyfriend, from classmates and teachers, and so many others. I’ve learned that although relationships may end, and people come and go out of your life, love never does. in a world of ongoing turmoil and ever growing hatred and evil, love continues to be all around. All it takes is to recognize whatever love we have in our life, no matter how great or small, and embody that love, and give it back to the world.

If there is one thing I learned on my mission, it is that there is infinite worth to each, and every individual soul. I came home and felt as if I was yanked out of a better spiritual world into a cruel wicked one, but it is the same world with the same people and the same love. We just have to find it and in return, give it.

**********

Monday, December 19, 2016

I just came across these thoughts that I wrote down and realized I never shared them. It’s better late than ever but I also wanted to share a few other things that I have since learned. It has only been about a month since I wrote the following thoughts down, and while somethings have changed, love remains. I just want to add my testimony to this and express my gratitude for trials, and for people.

Yesterday my mom taught a Sunday school class to the 16 and 17-year-old youth of our church and asked each of them to share an experience that has brought them closer to Christ. Each of their experiences strengthened me and allowed me to reflect on recent experiences of my own. Trials and people. This may sound like a repetitious cry from every return missionary ever, but returning home from a mission was hard. As a missionary I learned all about consecrating my whole heart, might, and mind to the Lord. I had every intention of doing the same thing when I got home, but I was surprised by the challenge of finding balance in that. Instead of living everyday with one very specific purpose, I now had to learn how to consecrate my job, my schoolwork, my relationships, my church calling, and my own spiritual growth. I felt like I wasn’t doing enough or doing it good enough. I struggled with this for a long time until at some point, and I’m not sure really when or how this happened, I had a change of attitude and had pretty much the opposite challenge.  I told myself I was probably doing better than I thought, I got caught up in living life in pilot mode, and started forgetting the role of the lord in my life.

I reached a point when I felt my relationship with the Lord was declining and trials started hitting. When I made this connection I felt a sense of relief, because I have enough knowledge about this gospel that I knew exactly what I needed to do to get back on track. I spent more time on my knees and in the scriptures and making necessary changes without becoming overwhelmed by my imperfections.

It never ceases to amaze me that Christs atonement works. Every time. I still have so much to learn but I am beginning to find the balance of consecrating myself to the Lord and not becoming discouraged and downhearted by how far I have to go. The Lord loves us and encourages us every day to just do a little more to be a little better. He comforts us when we fall and then helps us back up. And what I have seen this semester more often than not, is that he does that through other people.

As I sit and reflect about the many people this semester that have changed me or been answers to my prayers, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. It’s left me with an unfinished blog post for days because I can’t quite put into words the gifts I have been given by so many individuals. I know that God works through people and his light is manifest through each and every soul He has created. I love my savior, and I love God’s children, especially those I have been blessed to have in my own life.

I testify that God knows us and wants us to succeed. I know he places people in our life at specific times for a specific reason. We learn from them, we gain love, and we find happiness. His whole purpose is for us to have joy. He has given us agency and His gospel to find that joy for ourselves, but he never leaves our side as we journey on in this life. I pray that today and forever we can recognize His hand in our life, in whatever way in comes, and choose the joy.

Some moments of captured joy:

When we hardly knew what good friends we would become

 Mission companion/ sister/ best friend. 

Always healing to be with my girl Lauren!

 Few things can bring joy the 

way dancing in the rain does

 Blest to have served in the best mission

 where my favorite people live so close. 

 Catching up with old friends 

is a treasure. Freshman friends.

 Those who know me know 

that Joy= FOOD. And those that know 

Lauren know that she IS joy. 

 The Wyoming temple open house 

almost made me smile as big as 

getting to see Sister Lawson there. 

(mission comp)

The Eberhardt's.

 My Mission President and His wife 

truley embody the light of Christ. 

 Biggest perk of General Conference is 

running into old companions!

 Sweet Sister Earl was my last comp. 

 Mrs. York! 

A whole day of pure joy. 

 Every so often we put on hoodies and 

red lipstick and say what we love

 about each other. Its our thing. #dressedtobless

 Puppies. Obviously. 

 Celebrated finishing finals with a Polar Plunge. Genious.

 My little Camilla Ri.

Hatch Girls.

Christmas and Sisters are two healing things. 

 Sweet Reunion with my best friend. 

Returned Missionary from Seoul, Korea!

**These are amoungst the few memories with a few of the people I love. Thanks to all of you and more!

Have faith, have hope, live like his son, help others on their way. "He sent His Son" (Children's songbook) 21 MARCH 2016

Friends and family,

What a glorious week of lasts. My heart is full but I have few words.  My mission is over!

We began this week with exchanges. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity these last couple of transfers to have been able to be a trainer for my wonderful sisters and to learn from each of them. I know that the Lord qualifies the called. I have seen His hand so much as I have worked with the sisters here in Wyoming and counseled with them to continue to grow and change and become. He loves us so individually!

We had lots of exchange miracles in both areas so it was such a good start for the week to really take off! We were able to find an investigator family of four and a part-member family with an unbaptized 9-year-old that asked us to come and teach their son and prepare him for baptism! God has given us so much and I wish I could stay to see the end of it. But as you said dad, as we let our light of Christ shine, the spirit of Christ will have a lasting effect. I'm grateful to have been a small part of the good things to come here in Rock springs.

We also had the opportunity to go to the Draper Temple as departing missionaries! It was so wonderful! I love the revelation that can be received as we go to the Lord’s House. I love the clear mind I have at the temple and the opportunity to talk with the Lord.

Saturday was Joe's baptism. It was a beautiful spiritual feast filled with love and the Holy Ghost. I was so touched as Sister Earl and I got up to teach the restoration like we always do at baptisms - while Joe and Brother McDonald were changing. The Spirit hit me so hard about the reality of this restored gospel. As I recited Joseph Smith's first vision, tears came to my eyes. I am so grateful for that pillar of light my brother Joseph saw. I know with all my heart that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, came down in that pillar of light, and because of that we have that light whenever we choose to follow the Savior. I know this because of the bright light in that room at Joe's baptism. I know it because I saw it in Joe's face, in his smile, and in his eyes. It is real, and it is full, and it is complete.

I know that as we have faith, and hope, and live like His son, we will help others on their way. Nothing can replace the tears shed at an individuals baptism or the smile on their face as they are brought unto their Savior or the light that comes into their eyes when they discover and feel the truth of this gospel. I love God’s children. I have loved these last 18 months of dedicated service to my Father in Heaven, to do nothing but help others on their way to Jesus Christ. It has brought me closer to Him. I know that Christ lives and I am grateful to be able to continue to now serve him in different capacities with all of my heart, might, mind and strength. "How great is our Calling".

See you soon. 

Hallelujah ~ 14 March 2016

I know that my Redeemer lives. What comfort this sweet sentence gives. 

The Lord showed us so many miracles this week and Sister Earl and I were able to feel His love in every which way. HE LIVES. 

The Lord has shown me miracles every single day of my mission, so I try to share those every week, but it is no secret there are hard days and often hard weeks. The last week, as full of miracles as it was, was really hard. We had nobody to teach. No one in our teaching pool was progressing - we had to exercise our faith and stop teaching all of them. For the last couple of weeks we have spent the majority of our time just searching high and low for those we knew the Lord had been preparing but we just couldn't find them. 

With no one on date we set a goal to have one person enter into the waters of baptism this month. The Spirit came to me as if the Savior was speaking to me and said, "Sister Hatch, I can do ANYTHING; what are you willing to do?" It really motivated us to work even harder and find that one soul before I go home. 

We were pretty saddened with our members as well. We don't have any ward missionaries and it has been really hard to work with our leaders. Sister Earl and I have been praying for what we could do to get everyone excited about missionary work and to really unify our wards. We decided to do a 40-day missionary fast in each of our wards. Don't get too excited, its not what you think. No one is being hospitalized as a result of our project, but it is a period of 40 days where families in the ward sign up for a day and take turns fasting for missionary work. When one family is ending their fast, they join in prayer with the next family to begin their fast, so it is like the whole ward is joining hands to keep the fast going for 40 days and bring miracles. 

Well, let me tell you all that God can do anything and the power of fasting is real.

This last week we went from teaching 8 lessons to teaching 20, we found 5 new people to teach, the members have been giving us referrals upon referrals EVERYDAY. We finally made contact with this excommunicated member of the Church that we heard about months ago and she has just committed to be baptized again! Christy, from my last area was just BAPTIZED!! One of my most favorite less active families, the Reeds, ALL came to church, including their mom who hasn't been for months! My pal Kimberly from my first area came to hear me speak in church! She hasn't been to church since I was a missionary in her area about a year ago. The miracles go on and on and on, but I think the biggest was Joe Toller. Joe has decided he wants to be baptized next Saturday, March 19th. 

It was so amazing! Through out his life he has had bad things happen on good days so he wanted his baptism to be on a day where something hard in his life happened but make it good with his baptism. Last week, even though he told us not to talk about a date, we told him we had prayed about the 19th and knew he would be ready by then. He said no way, too soon. But he committed to pray about it. Well we were down in Salt Lake a lot last week so we were texting him and encouraging him and seeing if he was able to receive an answer to his prayers. He said he still needed to pray and read about it. Then at about 10:00 pm on Thursday night, while we are in Salt Lake City, he says, "Sisters, I would like to be baptized on the 19th!" Turns out that was the day his grandfather is having his services and his grandfathers passing was the reason Joe started coming to church. I know that was not a coincidence. God knows us perfectly and He loves us perfectly.  

We also had a spiritually uplifting week by being able to attend the Salt Lake temple, and go to zone conference. I received such good revelation there and was also able to give my first zone training with another Sister Training Leader, Sister Uelese! I was so nervous, but the Spirit really helped us out and I think it turned out pretty good. Our training was about being bold, optimistic, and happy. It’s a good way to live (: President Eberhardt taught us about the Atonement and how we can apply it both in our lives and in our missionary work. We talked about setting goals and helping others to come unto Christ with real intent. Sister Eberhardt talked about obedience and the power we have as missionaries when we not only follow Christ, but represent Him in every way. 

We got to end our spiritual feast by a super filled Sunday. We had the opportunity to sing, speak, give a lesson, and bear our testimonies in church in different wards. After church we had a full day of teaching the gospel. The spirit was hugging my heart tight and didn't let go the whole day.

God can do anything. Hallelujah. 

https://www.mormon.org/easter?cid=HP_SU_3-13-2016_dMIS_fSPC_xLIDyL1-A_

Sister Hatch's Weekly challenge: Invite someone you know to meet with the missionaries. "Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together. That which is of God is light, and he that receiveth light, and contiueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light growth brighter and brighter until the perfect day." D&C 50:22,24

"How great shall be your joy." ~ 7 March 2016

Hello, beautiful people!

I can't believe another week has come and gone. Our trio is back to two and we are looking for work. We are beginning a 40-day fast which has been a huge help just in unifying the ward.

I just want to bear a quick testimony of the power of the Atonement.

This week was a little slow - full of lots of hard work with little results.  But as I sat in our first sacrament meeting I was engulfed with the love of my Father and felt completely cleansed by the redeeming grace of my Savior. I was overcome with emotion as I thought about the sacrifice our Savior made so that we don't have to make any real sacrifices. Yes, He asks us to keep the commandments, and He asks of our time, and He asks of our heart, but we see that as we give Him those things, He gives us more than we lost. There are no sacrifices in the Gospel. Only exchanges for something better. I know there is true joy when we serve the Lord with all our heart, might , mind , and strength. I have never been happier in my life.

--

XOXO, Sister Hatch

...The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. ~ Matthew 20:28 - February 29, 2016

Its Trunky Monday so I just have to start by saying this Thursday I will hit my 18-month mark. What happened to my mission? I'm so confused.

Anyway, life continues to be exciting with both of our areas, exchanges, meetings down in Salt Lake City, and more SNOW. None of it stops. Especially the snow.

This week we had many miracles. We were able to find two new investigators, which that alone is a miracle because we just dropped our last investigator last week and had a teaching pool of zero for this first time in my mission. Each of our 2 new people were miracles. Kelsey we found while going through an unbaptized list. We didn't find who we were looking for but Kelsey was there instead. She said she had never really been religious but maybe would want to be more into it when she had kids. She was pretty closed until we started bearing testimony to her of how the restored gospel blesses individuals and families for generations! As we spoke she lit up and asked us to come again.

Joe is a non-member who just showed up to church for the third time this Sunday! The 1st time we didn't know until he left that he was a non-member. The 2nd time we gave him a Book of Mormon and asked him to read and pray about it but we couldn't set up a time because he was leaving town for a funeral. This time we set up a time to meet and found out he has been reading and praying and wants to be baptized! HUGE miracle. We are excited to start working with him.

Sister Kennedy's area has work happening so it has been a tender mercy to work with them. Two of the people in her area were people Sister Earl and I found and were teaching them for awhile until we realized they weren't actually in our ward so its been cool to work with them. Both of them are preparing for baptism this month.

My favorite part of the week though was our visit to the hospital. We have been looking for people to teach and heard of an idea to go put our name on a list at the hospital as clergy for people to contact in times of crisis. While there, the lady at the front desk - she wasn't a member -  said there were some people in the ICU who could really use our message. We went up and told the nurse who we were and he told us the room numbers of people who were really struggling. We had the beautiful opportunity to visit with a man named Allen. He could barely speak and his eyes were dark, as we came into the room and told him that we were representatives of Jesus Christ, his eyes lit up and were filled with tears. We showed him the video "Because He Lives" and bore testimony of Jesus Christ’s Atonement. He almost laughed and said, "He did that for no reason." I said He did it because He loves you Allen. He said, "He loves us all" and more tears filled his eyes." We said a prayer with him and he kissed our hands goodbye.

I love what Allen said because it is true. Jesus Christ didn't have to do what He did. There was no personal gain for Him. It was 100% selfless. I am so grateful for His grace and the blessing I have to stand as His official representative. Though perfect, He came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. I feel so close to Him when I get the chance to minister to the sick and afflicted.

God loves you individually. He loves us all. As we reach out our hand to those in need, we are only filled with more of His love.

Keep loving!

Help my People ~ 22 February 2016

Hello to all my people, this week has been so full of good and crazy and stress and happy that I don't even know where to start.

First, I will start with my testimony. Heavenly Father knows us inside and out. He knows where we are weak and where we are strong and he gives us exactly what we need to let our strengths show and make our weaknesses stronger. He knows our capabilities and our potential and he never EVER leaves us.

This week we had the wonderful opportunity of hearing from three general authorities. Elder Pingree of the Quorum of the 70, Elder Christensen, the President of the Quorums of the 70, and Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles. Wow. What an uplifting experience. The whole thing was really focused on the atonement of Jesus Christ and being the BEST we can be.

I wish I could share everything that was said with you, but for now I will just tell you of one story that Elder Ballard shared with us from when he was a mission president in Canada. One day when they had just received a group of missionaries into the field, one of the brand new Elders came up to him and said, "I am going to be the best missionary you have ever had." He replied that he seemed like a wonderful young man and he had no doubts that he would be! The Elder said again, "No, you don't understand. I am going to be the BEST missionary you have ever had." He went on to tell him about his father, who he had just kissed good-bye at the Salt Lake City airport and who had a terminal disease that would surely kill him in less than 2 years. This Elder went on to explain that he had been pleading with his Heavenly Father during the entire flight that if he would be the BEST missionary he could be, would He keep his dad alive while on his mission.

So, his first night at dinner, they ate with some members and finished in 45 minutes.  The place where he was serving was the closest civilized place you can get to the North Pole. It was the middle of winter, 60 below zero, and the wind was blowing hard. But, he told his companion, "Elder, its time to go." His trainer said, "well we don't have any appointments tonight, the weather is not sufficient to go tracting, so I thought we could just stay here and teach a lesson." The new missionary said, "no, Elder, its time to go." So, the Elders put on their coats walked outside and the new missionary put his hand on his trainer's shoulders on this cold porch and said, "Elder, you've got to help me save my dad." This Elder went on in his mission for two years and truly was the BEST he could be, he had lots of success, served as assistant to the president and returned home to his father.

Elder Ballard said that when we are the best we can be, when we keep the commandments, and when we apply the atonement, we have the right to call down the powers of heaven.

I know that just like this Elder served with all of his heart, might, mind, and strength for his dad's sake, Heavenly Father NEEDS us to serve Him with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength so we can help His people - all of them. Each soul is so great, I want to save all of them. I don't think that is possible, but the least I can do is to be the best I can, so Heavenly Father can lead me to those who need me, and I can ask Him for ANY righteous desire of my heart.

It is the love of God which "sheddeth itself abroad unto the children of men, wherefore it is most desirable above all other things, yea, the most joyous to the soul.

I know we feel more of God's love when we are the best we can be. I know he loves His people, and His people are our people. So, we must all help the people.

Miracles with my people:

Shaun came to church for the 1st time and was brought by two of his less active friends, as well as Erica, who is also investigating. Shaun touched his heart at the end of sacrament meeting and said, "I know this is true." He is preparing for baptism.

Jerry finally started reading the Book of Mormon!

Kayden was baptized. He is 10 years old and was planning on getting baptized with his aunt who is his guardian. She had some last minute concerns and decided , unfortunately, to not be baptized at this time, but Kayden still went forward.

Lawrence is our new investigator! He is a self-referral who visited the visitors center in Hawaii and loved it!

I love the people!

Have a blessed week!

--

XOXO, Sister Hatch

Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name. ~Alma 26:35

Transfer news! ~ February 1, 2016

Sorry, time is short today, but I got news for my last transfer EVER. Don't worry. I'm not trunky yet. So Sister Hill is leaving :( She is going to Salt Lake so she can be closer to doctors and physical therapists and stuff for her neck.

I am staying and training in a trio with one of the sisters already here in Rock Springs, they are combining our areas so we will double up the work. We are expecting a few sisters in the middle of the transfer who are waiting for visas so at that time we will get one of them up here and she and Sister Kennedy will go back to her original area and me and the new sister will stay in this area. Crazy, but good!

Jim was baptized and Eric's baptism is next week! President Eberhardt came up and it was great to have him there. Jim's baptism was beautiful and he received some amazing promises in his confirmation blessing. I am excited to sprint to the end and am hoping to have a baptism every week until I go home! Hurray. Keep on Keepin' on. Thanks for the prayers. Love you all!