Love being a missionary!

Our senior couple, the Hunts finish their mission on Tuesday :( We are so sad but grateful that they are serving from home. They said, “Even though we won’t be missionaries, we are still members, so PLEASE use us!” And of course we will. They are the best! Couple missionaries don't come much better than the Hunts. I told them that you’ll be here again in April for General Conference and Sister Hunt is already anxious. She really really wants to meet you! I can’t wait for you to serve, Mom and Dad. The Hunt’s gave there departing testimony today and it reminded me of both of you. They said one of the greatest things of serving their mission as a senior couple is that they get to have their eternal companions as their mission companions and they love spending so much time together everyday. What wonderful example they are!

We had fun singing last week and this week we got to sing again and give talks in Ron Radcliffe’s ward. We spoke about faith and prayer again, so it was perfect for him. GIVING talks is not my favorite but I LOVE preparing for them because I learn so much and am reminded of the many and wonderful experiences I have had concerning the topic. I talked about prayer. Prayer has always been so important to me and the easiest commandment to keep I think! I love being able to communicate with Heavenly Father so personally and so quickly and easily! I connected to the love of God and the Savior and how we most understand and feel through prayer. Sister Coleman talked about gaining faith through trials. It was so beautiful - she has such a powerful testimony. She used the talk, "That We Might Not Shrink," by Elder Bednar. It is awesome, you should find it! 

The song we sang was the primary song, Gethsemane and it is my new favorite. We are singing again for Kenneth’s baptism on Thursday! 

What a miracle Kenneth’s adventure has been. We went to see Meet the Mormons with him on Friday and he loved it! And also it was probably the most entertaining night if have ever had! Oh, he and the Minor family are too much! They crack us up! We took Trax down to Temple Square and laughed the whole time. 

Ron is progressing slowly but surely, He is digging deep and diligently searching for answers. He is really taking the time to be prepared for this step in his life; so, I don’t think the baptism will be for another month or so, which is really good for him. He is such a wonderful man. He brought his grandson, Charlie, to church this week, which was great. What a cute kid. This week will be mostly getting things together for Kenneth’s baptism. It will be a wonderful experience. It just all happened so quickly so there is lots to be organized! Can't wait to write you all about it.!

Thanks for the prayers!

Sister Coleman is feeling much better! Now we just need our investigators to be better! :( 

Glad to hear mom and Karson are finally better too!

Thanks for the updates. I can't wait to visit David and Holly and family in Texas someday! That will be fun and I already miss them being so far away! Poor Jenna.

I can't believe Jocee is having a BABY. Tell her congrats. But, to be honest, I'm a little freaked out. I don't even really know Kevin and by the time I’m home she'll have a husband and a 6-month old baby! haha but I am excited for her, she will be a wonderful mother.

Jordan Simpson will be a great missionary!

Laughing so hard imagining Jessica and Stratton at the Select Choir mystery dinner theater. And how I love Mrs. Faith Caffey - if anyone can make sure Stratton gets on his way to fame, its that woman. haha What a saint. Tell her I say, “hi”.

I was thinking about Tuck the other day, you better tell him to write me! I miss him too!

Cierra has written me, she sent me the cutest "box of sunshine" for my birthday! It was so sweet of her.

Things are going great and flying by, next week I will have been out 6 MONTHS!! I love being a missionary.

Love you mucho grande;)

Love, Sister Hatch xoxo

"Let us all press on in the work of the Lord!" ~ February 16, 2015

Things here are going great! Our week was a little slow because poor Sister Coleman was sick, but she is doing much better now and our week was still very eventful. 

Wednesday I had my first Exchange OUT of my area. It was a challenge. I felt so useless because I didn't know anyone and I was so sad to miss all of the lessons with the people I love in MY area.  But it was great to be with Sister Dodd, Sister Britton’s new companion. She has been in my zone for the past few transfers and I love her. I learned a lot from being with her. She is so service oriented and always wanting to help people. (even me, she made me raspberry pancakes and vanilla honey tea in the morning (:) She has a very powerful testimony and the best laugh! So exchanges are definitely inspired but I am grateful to be in the Big Cottonwood stake with Sister Coleman. 

On Thursday President and Sister Eberhartd asked Sisters Coleman, Britton, Dodd, and I to serve dinner to the departing Senior missionaries at the mission office and also sing for them! We had a lot of fun. We sang an a capella version of our mission song, Brightly Beams Our Father’s Mercy, and we were excited that we made Sister Eberhartd cry ;)  Sister Britton’s trainer, Sister Bowman was also there visiting the mission so I got to meet my mission  "grandma" (because she trained my trainer).

Valentines Day was fun. Sister Coleman was resting in the morning to feel better so I made valentines for people in our area and then we delivered them in the evening. We shared scriptures with the valentines, 1 Nephi 11:22 and Moroni 7:47.

Sunday we got to sing in one of the elder’s wards. I love singing with Sister Coleman! And we also had the best meetings!

We went to Sunday School in the 2nd Ward with Kenneth and it was on the role of the Holy Ghost. We were reading scriptures and sharing what truth the spirit can bear witness of in correlation with the Spirit. Kenneth read the promise in the end of the Book of Mormon -  Moroni 10:5 >> "and by the power of the spirit you may know the truth of all things." And then he bore his testimony to the class about how he did what Sister Coleman and I invited him to do and pray to know if this was the true church and if he should be baptized and he said he felt the best feeling of peace and serenity and he knew everything he has been learning is true. He said he has prayed other times to God and asked him questions before in his life and has never felt before what he just described. It was so special for me  to hear that he received that witness because of an invitation we had given him. The spirit is so powerful, but I, as the lords servant get to help deliver that spirit and this true message.

We went to the 14th Ward Sacrament meeting with Ron and a new young couple, the Hansens, spoke. Sister Hansen’s talk was on faith and it was literally exactly what Ron needed to hear. It was so powerful and simple and I could not have been more grateful. Brother Hansen’s talk was on prayer and it was exactly what I needed to hear. I lovvvvve going to church! 

Ron is so amazing, we are meeting with him tonight and rescheduling his baptism for the 28th. We just have a lot left to teach him. He and his wife Judy are also just having a hard time right now because their son Brook is not doing well. He is not making good choices and he has just lost all hope. Judy is worried he may not make it. Please keep him in your prayers. I know everything will work out though. I have so much love in my heart for Ron. He is an incredible person and I feel very connected to him. I know the Lord is watching out for him and his family, and I am praying that he can just recognize it. 

We had to drop Martha :( We haven't been able to meet with her and she is just showing less and less interest. One day she will piece everything together and remember the power of the light over the darkness, but she just isn't there yet.

We are headed into the last couple weeks of the transfer and working towards reaching our goals. Missions have lots of rough patches and lots of joyous ones. "Let us all press on in the work of the Lord!"

Tell Idalia I love and miss my Mexican grandma. ;) SOO excited to hear about my girl Saretta! Tell her congrats and send my love. I am so glad to hear about all the missionary efforts in happy Holbrook! Oh how I love my home town, (by the way I wore all of my turquoise and silver on Valentines day because it was also Arizona’s birthday! I love the Utah mountains but I’m missing the sunsets <3 Sister Coleman was showing me pictures of the Georgia green. I love all the beauties of the earth around the world

Love love love you!

-Sister Hatch

The 24-hour Challenge - February 9, 2015

Hey and Hi!

This week was really good! We are reaching more of our goals, and Sister Coleman and I are really seeing the stake grow and having lots of fun doing it! She is my best friend! I love teaching people about the gospel and feeling my spiritual knowledge and testimony grow! 

We started this month as a mission to study charity. Charity literally is everything. It pops up everywhere in my studies. Without putting my whole heart into my mission and without love, my mission would mean nothing! I might convert people, because the gospel is true no matter WHAT, but the PURE love of Christ is why the gospel matters to me. There is nothing better than feeling Christ’s love and that is really what I want to share. I am grateful for the opportunity I have this month to understand it more! I would invite everyone to study charity more this month! I promise you feel the spirit more in your life. 

Our zone has been doing the “24-hour” challenge. It is super hard. The scripture for it is Ephesians 4:29 and it’s this:

1. Go for 24 hours without criticizing anyone for any reason (including yourself)

2. When you make a mistake, and you will, you must start the 24 hours over

3. If you think a critical thought & control it within 30 seconds you don't have to restart

4. You have until the millennium to complete this challenge (:

We have started over a bunch, the criticizing yourself has been the hardest in the morning because it's when we are getting ready! :/ But, it really help to train your mind to think of everyone as Christ would.

Ron has been super sick so we haven't taught him much this week but he came to church and we stopped by to drop off a card for him and we chatted and shared a scripture. We are really trying to help him understand just how prepared by the Lord he has been. He has more faith than he understands and we feel so strongly about him being baptized on the 21st. We are praying so hard that he feels for himself that his testimony is strong enough. He is such a caring and genuine man, I know he just wants to give everything he can and feel really sincerely that he should know and feel enough to be baptized . 

Kenneth is probably the most fun lesson of the week. We just laugh and laugh! He is so solid though. He came to church and is excited to be baptized on the 26th! We taught the commandments yesterday. When we were talking about the Word of Wisdom, we got to “no tea” and  he goes, "OHH, I CANNOT do tea! That stuff is just NASTY. Its got this freaky wine-y taste and when I drink it i feel like something is ga-rowing on my tongue!" haha

Martha still hasn't met with us :( She is going to church with her friend in a different stake still but she has been really busy.

I am so sorry to hear everyone is so sick! :( Something has definitely been going around. Lots of the missionaries here got sick at Christmas time, so I was living off essential oils and vitamins and made it though, but its coming around again, I just got a cold but I am feeling better. I hope you all do soon!

It's pretty cool that Lily will be blessed the weekend of February 28th, because that is the Sunday that Kenneth gets confirmed! A baptism and blessing weekend (:  Those are always the best Sundays, so the 28th will be extra special. <3

It's so nice that you had Elder Chipman in Holbrook for such a long time, 5 months! Can you believe that’s how long I have been out?! I can't!  I still feel like a brand new missionary, it kind of scares me thinking about how quickly this experience goes by, sometimes I wish I could be a missionary forever! But anyways its nice to be in an area for so long. I love my area and I hope I get to stay until Sister Coleman goes home in May. or at least just before that. I love everyone here and I love having time to build relationships with all of them.

Gram told me about the Hatch’s move to Houston. I’m so happy for their family but will miss having everyone in Az! but Tay and I can have fun at the Y, I hope she gets in! Man, I have grown to truly love the mountains, but I was talking with a member here who used to live in Az and we just went on and on about the sunsets, I miss those, especially with Arizona’s birthday coming up!

Tell Stratton i am so proud of him for being excited for Disneyland-  eat a churro for me and try and make it on the peter pan ride(:

Tell aunt vicki I love her!

The new boots are fantastic!  And so adorable (: Crazy though, its been in the 60's and yesterday it was in the 70's! So I haven't touched my boots for a week! I guess Sis. Coleman and I brought the Az and Georgia sunshine with us.

I love the different stories about how people are brought in to the church. Music is so powerful! I am so grateful that I have been able to use music so much on my mission, it truly opens doors and I love singing now more than I ever have before in my life.

MwaH! Love, Sister Hatch

Heart, Might, Mind, and Strength - February 2, 2015

I love you all and am doing so well! I have learned so much about trusting in the Lord and being changed for the better, yet I still feel so much like me! The Lord does amazing things for us as we give him our heart, might, mind, and strength. I am working on doing that. I want to give him EVERYTHING. I am trying to learn how I can do that. 

Everything is going so great here! I am kind of holding my breath because this has been the best transfer ever! I love my area and my companion and my district, and all the people! It seems too good and I am just nervous it might change! I am just trying to show the Lord that even though I feel so comfortable here I can still work hard everyday. But, I know He knows what is best and I will enjoy it while it lasts! 

We do have district meetings every week and they are wonderful! That’s what I love best about my district, we are all like best friends and we have lots of fun together on p-day but they are also the most spiritual group of kids and I am so edified each week from Elder Tidd’s trainings. Zone meeting is once a month so that will be this Friday. Our senior couple in the stake is the Hunts. I think I have mentioned them before - they are the BEST. Truly our secret weapon. They finish their mission the end of February, which I am heart broken about, but they are serving in their home stake so when they are done they will still be here and we will DEFINITELY utilize them! 

We have had tons of miracles from dropping investigators this past week! Martha went to church and we are hopefully meeting with her this week. She is still a little sad I think but I feel so much that she is ready to take this step of faith and be baptized.

Also Ron. Man, his lessons are my FAVORITE. I really connect with him. He is preparing to be baptized on February 21st but isn't very sure he can get all his answers by them. Please pray for him. Sister Coleman and I feel sooo strongly that February 21st is when he is supposed to be baptized. 

Sister Coleman  and I prayed about a goal for people to be baptized this transfer and we both felt strongly we could get three. I know it will happen as we press forward with faith and LOVE, WORSHIP, and SERVE the Lord with all our heart, might, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30, 2 Nephi 25:29, D&C 4:2)

We found a NEW investigator this week who is SOLID! His name is Kenneth. He was at the home of a family where we were teaching a lesson to some kids. It was the lesson on the plan of salvation. He loved it and had lots of questions and contacted us so we could answer his questions. We did and he said , "Perfect! That makes sense. Ok, I am ready for another lesson." It was amazing!!! We taught him about the restoration and when we told the story of Joseph Smith, the first thing he said, before we even asked anything, was "Oh ya, I believe that! There is no other way!" AH, soo, we invited him to be baptized and he said yes. We are praying to know if we should put him on date this week for the end of February. Sis. Coleman and I feel like we are really here for him. We connected really fast. 

Our stake is lacking a little in missionary work. They have a desire but no direction. That is one of our goals this transfer: to get the stake excited and to correlate with them more fully. There is so much potential here and I feel that is key for helping us reach our goal of 3 baptisms. Sister Coleman came from a really strong stake in her last area; she is just what this area needs. I love hearing about the work going on in our stake at home. 

Oh, I am heart broken also about Bishop Miller leaving, :( I was so looking forward to being a part of the ward under his direction for a little bit when I got home since I never really got a chance. He is such a wonderful man and a wonderful family. They are going to bless the whole church, which I am sure is why he is being asked to move around. He is going to touch so many people’s lives. I am glad I got the chance to be touched by him in seminary for 3 years. 

Well, I love you so much! I love all of you who are taking the time to read my emails. I truly appreciate the love, support, and prayers. Thanks for all the fun news! Karson is so stinkin’ adorable and I promise I will write her soon! It’s kind of hard to find time to write on p-days… I can't believe how quickly they go by! But. if anyone is sad I haven’t written them back, tell them I haven’t forgotten about them and I am grateful for their letters. I am soooo excited about Lily's blessing!

God is good.

Love, Sister Hatch