I
love you family and am doing so good! My testimony grows everyday and
I love the people here! Member support is amazing and we are working
hard to find new investigators. The weeks are so full I often forget
what I wanted to tell you about!
I
went to dinner with this cute older couple, the Andersons and some
how the last name Maxfield came up. Sister Anderson said, “Oh, I'm
a Maxfield,” so I asked if she knew Neal and she is Neal's aunt!
Her brother is Neal's dad! She knows Judy and her and her husband
just raved about how wonderful she is! Brother Anderson said, “Oh
sweet 4-foot Judy!" (: And, they know grandma Shirley as well so
that was so fun and exciting.
I
have to tell you more about the boy we are trying to teach named
Micheal. His mom was just baptized and he is atheist but is the
sweetest boy you will ever meet and loves all the people in the
church and LOVES me and Sister Britton. We have to constantly tell
him he can't hug us, but he often does anyway. He's 15 and Karson
would be best friends with him. He has looooong beautiful hair and is
super into guitar and acting. Any way a funny story about him when I
first met him. His mom, Sharon said, “oh Sister Hatch you just
radiate sunbeams and then she looked at Michael and said, Michael
thinks I'm crazy when I say stuff like that. So I turned to Micheal
and said, “You don't like my sunbeams?!” and he hates to offend
people so he responded quickly. "NO! i would deliberately BATHE in your sunbeams!!" hahahah It was so funny.
I
am so excited Dad got to see the Meet the Mormons movie. We talked a
lot about it in our ward councils yesterday. I hope we will get to see it!
I'm sure we will but we might have to wait until they show it in the
visitor's center or something because I don't think we will get to go
to the theater. But I hope you are each planning on inviting someone!
To
answer some more of your questions. My companion, Sister Britton is
the best trainer out there. She has so much knowledge and I learn
from her everyday! She is from Maryland and is 23-years-old. She
graduated from the University of Maryland in vocal performance and
vocal education! She has the most amazing voice and we sing to people
all the time! It's so fun!
Our
apartment was just the two of us until recently, which is kind of a
crazy story. There is a set of 3 Spanish-speaking sisters in our
mission in an area about 15 minutes away and there was a small
electrical fire in their building. It wasn't their apartment, but
they were right below the fire. So they had to evacuate and the three
of them our currently living with us! Today they were told they could
go get their stuff from the apartment but they can't go back to live
there yet. No one is really sure what is next but we are all together
right now. It's crazy and so fun! One of the sisters is from Queen
Creek!
SO
good to hear from Braden, tell him to write me when he has time! I
think of Braden's advice often and it really does help me through
small challenges I have had while here. I couldn't ask for a better
oldest brother. Keeping them in my prayers. I'm glad Karson is
sending a letter, they are the best and tell her I will write her
back asap!
The
lady that sent you the text and photo was Sister Taylor, she's the
Relief Society president in one of the wards we cover! She is so
sweet! I was so excited she thought to do that!
I'm
glad dance is going so well and its sounds like the events are the
same here! Lots of homecomings have been going on - I'm sure Karson
looked ADORABLE and that's awesome they took 3rd! Go Sophomores! Air
band is the best. I miss those funny twins.
Oh
mom you will do amazing in the primary presidency and bless all the
kids just like you did for your sweet class. They are perfect and
love you soo much. What sweeties. Aw, we also had the primary program
in one of our wards. Cutest EVER! I'm sure yours was wonderful, how
did my sweet nursery kiddos do? There was this little 8 year old boy
who talked about his baptism in our program. Oh my gosh it was the
best thing ever. He says -"Myyy baptism.... well. i was excited.
1st of all.... and there is this ghost - a nice ghost! - called the
holy ghost... or the comforter. It's like a blanket. You can call on
the holy ghost...or the comforter and you dress in white, and after
you get dunked all your past stuff is washed away and if you mess up
or do something bad.....NO WORRIES! you can just repent, which means
you pray and all your sins disappears.....” (silence) (then he
makes the sound effect: “WOOOSH!” then he steps down and runs
back up and says "oh ya! Amen" but he said amen with a
wink. It was hilarious but also so beautifully true! I love kids!
Heavenly
father definitely knows that it would be hard for me to see you at
conference. I get to go but I am going to the Sunday afternoon
session.. so the only one you aren't going to. haha but I'm so happy
you will get to see it. I am sooo excited!! I hope Caleb gets to go
with you.
We
teach SOOOO many less actives here and I love it. It's hard because
they know its true. They have testimonies but they are comfortable
with life. I am learning more about why the gospel is so important
and it is specifically for EVERYONE and I am learning and being
guided by the spirit how to help them. Oh, wasn't the General
Women's broadcast so great! WE FREAKED when we saw Sister Eberhardt!
So fun! Amazing! So much peace and inspiration. I love the
women of the church!
I
absolutely LOVE hearing about different things Dad learned from Elder
Holland. I look forward and count on hearing more each week. I love
that story of Jeremiah and his amazing insights. I can definitely
relate to Jeremiah when he was called. Being a missionary is scary!
But I'm so grateful for our Father's love. I know he is
mindful and I, like Jeremiah was chosen for this calling. I know that
the Lord is in me and I have his power to teach, though it is hard
and i have had some mini-trials.
Our
district leader says that we, as new missionaries, have just as much
power as the ones who have been out a year. Because we all have been
set apart with the same power, and as long as we are be obedient and
worthy, the power will come through us. Also that reminds me, that
when I was set apart I had so much on my mind about the MTC and
everything. The blessing I received was so beautiful but I barely
remember it. ;( I don't know if you can remember much of the
blessing now, but if you remember anything at all from it would you
mind writing it down and sending to me. Thank you so much.
Elder
Holland is so GOOD! I love what Dad shared with me because using
the Book of Mormon is something I need to be better at. Both
Sister Britton and I were talking about that this morning. We are
constantly testifying of the Book of Mormon and telling people to
read it, but by reading it with them we can be doing much more. We
did that a lot in the MTC and I love how my teacher, Brother Morris, did it as we role-played. He would have us pray right then and there
about a question we wanted answered and then we would start reading
in a chapter of the Book of Mormon and pause every 3-5 verses and ask
what we noticed. It's amazing to see how we begin to understand how
we can personally receive revelation and the questions we asked were
always at least part way answered. The gospel of Jesus Christ is
found on every page of the book! And the gospel is the answer to all
questions! So I know that works and I'm
glad Dad shared that from Elder Holland because I'm going to focus on
doing that more with the people we are teaching.
I
also know I am where I am supposed to be. In our mission the theme is
Salt Lake City East is the place, NOW is the time! SO true. I know
that I am where I need to be with the companion I need to be with in
the area where someone is waiting to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ
and feel the spirit of the holy ghost through me and Sister Britton.
It's amazing to think about the path that I have been set in by
Heavenly Father, and the path of the people I am teaching and meeting
was prepared by Him also and we will be coming together to learn and
grow together towards Jesus Christ. (Which reminds me, I don't know
if my plaque has already been made, but i forgot to give you a
scripture so if you can still add that i would love to have D&C
50:22)
Missionary
work is so hard. I knew that, but not at all in the way I expected it
but sitting in c ! hurch yesterday, (we cover 4 wards in one stake, the
zone leaders cover the other 4 wards in the stake) I could feel that
here in the Big Cottonwood stake is where I am needed, and Sister
Britton and I pray constantly to be led to do what we need to be
doing. We see so many miracles from doing this. I'm so grateful for
her example and leadership and for the support of Heavenly Father.
The gospel is simple and we all need it! God is good! Anyway,
I love the people here and I love you! Have a beautiful week and tell
people I love letters ;) The church is true!
No comments:
Post a Comment