Trust in the Lord! April 13, 2015

Familia y amigos!

Well it has been a mind boggling, wierddd morning. We got transfer news this morning. Our leaders always tell us transfers are always surprising, but WOW… transfers ARE always surprising! So, Sister Nelson and I were 99% positive how transfers would go. I have just been here one transfer and Sister Nelson has been here for 5, so that's 7 and half months. We thought for sure I would stay and she would go....Sister Nelson is STAYING, and I am LEAVING:( I have been praying all morning asking if this is really right and if I did what I was supposed to. At first I didn't think I have done anything at all! But the Lord is in charge and this IS what was supposed to happen. Sister Nelson’s family is all here. She grew up in Draper and her dad and siblings all live in this area. She has been called to serve in Park City. As for me, I got to teach Paula and prepare her, not only for baptism, but for eternal marriage in God’s holy temple. I got to help Lora understand the Atonement and how she can act on the strong faith she has and read the Book of Mormon. I got to teach Rebecca about the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, be by her side as she received a priesthood blessing, and help her though some difficult problems she is dealing with in her life right now. Paula is getting baptized on Saturday. Lora is reading the Book of Mormon and has faith she will truly find her answers there. Rebecca is moving and I have her email. I have done what I needed to do these 6 weeks and I will keep doing what I need to do for these people for eternity. I love being a missionary!

We had stake conference this weekend and it was of course so wonderful and inspiring. A theme was ward councils and family councils. It was focused lots on saving souls and working together. Elder Chidister of the Seventy came, along with his wife. I learned so much from both of them. Elder Chidister spoke so much about how Heavenly Father loves us and KNOWS us perfectly. When this was first mentioned, although I knew it was true, I thought to myself how crazy that is, with ALL the people in the whole world, that He really knows and understand our hearts individually. It really boggled my mind and was hard to comprehend, but then I looked out into the congregation as I was sitting on the stand with the choir. I looked at those hundreds of people and it didn't seem crazy at all that Heavenly Father knows and loves us perfectly. It made 100% sense. There is not a doubt in my mind that Heavenly Father has a plan for each and everyone of us and His love is great. I'm glad to have been able to reflect on that this morning as I received transfer news.

We taught Paula 3 times this week. The last lesson we gave her a chapel tour, talked about the restoration, and showed her the baptismal font. The sprit was so strong. The first time we taught her she had an absolute testimony of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, she liked the story of Joseph Smith but wasn't sure if it was true and if he was a prophet along with President Monson. We showed her the restoration video and she cried and said she doesn't have any doubts that the First Vision happened and she said she is so old she is never going to have any doubts of this gospel ever! haha She is so cute. Sitting with and teaching cute 80-year-old Paula and her sweet, patient 87-year-old husband, Keith, has really helped me gain an eternal perspective of my mission. We focus so much on baptisms as missionaries, but that is just the first step to eternal life. Paula and Keith have such a pure strong love for each other and they have the big picture in mind; they both know why this is so important. Eternal salvation is being with your family for eternity. Another thing mentioned in stake conference is that as long as we have a relationship with God, we have a family. He is our Father. I am so grateful for our baptismal covenants that help us remember our brother Jesus Christ, and our Heavenly Father. I am grateful to be with that part of my family.

So funny story of the week, but also the cutest story ever, is again about Paula. We asked her what she was most excited for with her baptism coming up. Paula is 80 and she has lots of life experience and she likes to talk. She usually forgets the question by the time she is done, but she is really sweet ;) She went on and on about her experience with the Church. She used to be anti-Mormon - her whole family is anti-Mormon. Her daughter married a member and he was not the best guy; she says he was a "con artist", so from that point on she has always viewed Mormons to be a bunch of con artist who just try and get you to join their "church or cult or whatever it was" then she met Keith and he is the sweetest man ever, but she still had no interest in the church what so ever...cuz we are a bunch of con artists ;)! She then started crying and said, I never thought it would take me 80 years to find the right path... <3 Annyy way, then we asked Keith what he was most excited for and he said this whole thing began with me sitting down with my wife a few months ago and saying, "ya know Paula, we are only married until death do we part." And Paula said, "well... I don't want to lose you when I die, Keith." He said, “So I told her, well there is only one way around that.” He had tears in his eyes and smiled at Paula, and then Paula flashes her head over to us and pipes up, "YA SEE HOW HE CONNED ME!" HAHAHA I love them.

So exciting that Analisa decided to go on a mission, I didn't know she was planning on one! She and Shandie will both be so great. I agree with you sisters are the best ;) Here is a joke I heard this week: Three Elders ran into a genie and he granted them each a wish. The first Elder said, “I wish our girl friends wouldn't break up with up back home.” The genie granted his wish. The second Elder said, “I wish we could get strong with out working out in the morning”. So the genie made them all buff. The third Elder said, “I wish we could baptize EVERYONE!” So the genie turned them all into sisters. (:  A mission president’s daughter told this and then he said, now all I can imagine is three buff sisters whose girl friends won't break up with them. lol 

Trust in the Lord this week, we never know how are lives are going to turn, but ask Him what he has planned for you and then listen. The answers probably won't come how you want them to, or even what you EXPECT them to be, but you'll know you are where you are supposed to be, and He will help you know what to do, no matter what situation you are in.

Love you lots and lots!

-Sister Hatch

I love being a missionary at General Conference time! April 6, 2015

Love all the photos! So, in preparation for conference I was reading talks from last conference and there was a talk by Elder Perry about eternal families and I read it with so so much gratitude in my heart because families are such a blessing.

It was so fun to see Vonda and Brea, I also got to see Cynthia and Bishop Stuart! They both said, “Oh, your parents are going to be so jealous!” ;) I was wondering if I would see you guys but just prayed that I could focus and whatever happened would be a good experience. So, Heavenly Father must have known it would be too hard for both of us to see each other. What a wonderful conference. I definitely got some answers and feel uplifted and inspired. Being a missionary is such a sacred calling and its hard work! Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with doing and being enough. I 'm grateful for the guidance I received and know that Heavenly Father is proud of me and just needs me to keep going.

Grandma's party sounds like so much fun! What a sweet family you have. I can just grams cute smile at the celebration. I am glad you got to be there for that. <3

We had a wonderful week. I love being a missionary at conference time because it is so cool that I can receive revelation for myself, but also for the people I am teaching! I am excited to lift and help them through the words spoken at conference. I had lots of inspiration come to me in conference. I know the Lord knows the desires of my heart and I know he is proud of me. I know that relying on the Savior and always marveling at the Atonement gets me through each moment. I know that Godly fear will help me overcome worldly fear and that Godly fear comes from a love for God, and “perfect love casteth out all fear.” I know that Heavenly Father has a hand in my life and he never forgets me. He never forgets anyone. Even when they forget them.

So, when the people voiced opposition to prophets during the Saturday afternoon session, Sister Nelson and I were in the car driving back from the conference center to the home of the members we were going to see the next session. We were listening to conference on the radio and without even seeing it, we could hear what had happened. My heart sank. I got so teary knowing that people go through all the effort to oppose our prophet and apostles who are called by God. But how much hope it gave me when Elder Cook told us that the church has never been stronger. The world is getting worse. We hear that all the time. But what a testimony it is to me that against all of that, the saints are turning to the gospel and being strengthened and our brothers and sisters are being gathered in. 

For the last session we got to bring 4 of our recent converts and an investigator. Our recent convert Philemon from Rwanda sat down in his seat looked around the filled conference center and with tears in his eyes looked at Sister Nelson and I said, "this.. is Christ's church." Sister Nelson smiled and said. "Yes, this is Christ's church". Philemon lost many family members and his fiancé for joining the church. I am so grateful for his example and for a testimony of Christ's restored church on the earth. Sister Nelson and I both think that Philemon will be speaking from that pulpit some day!

Our other recent convert, Gaetano, bore a beautiful testimony to Rebecca, our investigator, about the joy he felt when he was baptized; that it overcame every problem he had, or was currently dealing with, and he has lots of those. He is a recovered heroin addict and had a rough rough childhood. He is still dealing with effects from that, but he says he has never experiences so much joy in his entire life. He told Rebecca, “My advice is to get baptized. Just get baptized.”

We have such powerful members here. Rebecca really enjoyed conference. She loves this gospel, but she too is having a rough go of things. Please keep her in your prayers. 

I loved in Elder Renlund’s talk about the missionary who was having a hard time with his companion. I loved the idea that compared to the Savior we are all pretty much just as imperfect as the people around us. Even though we may be living the gospel, someone who is not, is not so much different. We are all on the same road back home. I really connected with that. That is why I love that scripture in D&C 50 on my missionary plaque back home. 

I am so blessed beyond measure to have been raised and taught, and continually am taught, by my family and friends. I pray for you and pray that I and my future husband will be as rooted In the gospel and filled with the spirit so I can have a home for my kids like the home I had. Dang, do you think marriage was mentioned enough in conference? I was like, “geeze I am a missionary.” haha But, I am grateful to know that families are forever; including my future family, so I don't need to worry about that right now, I just need to worry about helping families here know how they can be forever, too.

Paula had to cancel all of her appointments last week because she was waiting in SLC for her medicine to come and it didn't come all week. She has a respiratory disease and its really keeping her down. She needs lots of prayers. She wants to be baptized so bad, but we had to push the date back to be able to teach her everything. We had a wonderful miracle this week with some less-active people. I love teaching less-active members because so many of them just need love. I can really relate to them and understand some of their concerns and I love just becoming their friend and bearing my testimony of the Savior to them. I made some new friends this week named Guy and Melissa. We had a wonderful discussion last night and shared an Easter message with them. They want us to come back and continue to help them and love them. I love serving a mission so I can give and receive and grow together with those I teach. They teach me, too, and together we can reach our heavenly home.

I am so grateful for Easter. "I know my Savior lives and loves me, too." He loves each of us! Have you seen the new Because He Lives video? Share it with everyone! <3

Love, Sister Hatch

Pretty much the BEST WEEK EVER! March 30, 2015

Well… It has pretty much been the BEST WEEK EVER. And, I'm sure next week will be even better because this week we didn't have tons of time for teaching and proselyting, it was just CHALK FULL of spiritual-ness and I just know its going to set the tone for an AMAZING week!

In a nut shell, we went to the temple, had zone conference, mission devotional by Elder Allen of the Seventy, A BAPTISM :'D, women’s conference, the messiah performance, and a wonderful fast and testimony meeting.

We went to the Jordan River temple and it was beautiful. I love all the new things I get out of going to a session, however small they may be. Most of all I love the comfort and peace I feel when I am inside. I feel so protected. Even better, Spring is here! The flowers at the temple were just to die for! Made me think of Grandma Beverly of course (:

The next day was zone conference. Much of it was about our i-pads but in a different way than we expected. I really like what one of the zone leaders said about them, he said, "the i-pads don't have the spirit, you have the spirit!" We learned that just like the liahona, Heavenly Father can give us wonderful tools to build up his kingdom as long as we are faithful and use them correctly. What a wonderful resource! My favorite training was by the AP's. They didn't talk about i-pads at all. They talked about the Book of Mormon. They spoke about how with all the tools we are given to improve the work, we have always had the BEST tool and the BEST resource and that is the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon truly can resolve any concerns we have. They challenged us to use the Book of Mormon to resolve any concerns our investigators have at the time that is keeping them from baptism and to invite all of them to prepare for baptism. It was really inspiring and I am so excited to take their counsel this week! I know we will see miracles. Paula is already on date for the April 11th and we just had our first meeting wither her finally. She lives in SLC but has a home here for the weekends so she comes to church here. The senior couple has been teaching her down in SLC but we finally met her and she is so cute and prepared! We are meeting with her 3 times this coming week! I can't  remember if I told you about her, but she is 80 years old and wants to be baptized so she can be sealed to her member husband. (:

Of course President and Sister Eberhardt BOTH always give the most incredible trainings. President talked about 3 steps to anchoring ourselves when we are discouraged. 1. change your attitude; 2. accept help from others; and, 3. trust in the Lord. Sister Eberhardt talked out tying a knot and hanging on when we are troubled! They have 4 boys and she talked about different kind of knots and which ones are strong. If we tie the right kind of knot it can anchor thousands of pounds, like a boat. She taught us how we can tie our knots and never let our testimonies slip away. My favorite thing she said was to make it a lifelong endeavor to bare your testimony everyday. That is so easy as a missionary, but I have now made it my goal to continue this forever!

Ok, best part of the week started at the beginning of our mission devotional. Our whole mission got together outside for a picture and just before Sister Coleman runs up to me gives me a huge hug and says "Sister Hatch, Gina Montelongo is getting baptized." I screamed, jumped up and down and then burst in to tears! I can’t even explain the joy I felt! If you don't remember Gina, she is Anabel’s (the first person I taught to be baptized) Mom. Sister Britton, Sister Iniguez and I started teaching Gina my fist transfer. She wasn't super interested at first but wanted to quit smoking to be an example for her girls. For strength during this difficult time she asked us to come every single day and teach her the gospel. Things were going great and she was preparing for baptism and then one day she called us and said she wasn't ready for any of it and she didn't want us to teach her any more. It was heartbreaking and the sisters and I went over what we could have done better or different or what we shouldn't have done at all. I learned this weekend that when you have the spirit and are teaching with it, you can't make mistakes! Of course we can always strive to be better but I know that Gina’s heart was changed and prepared by the Lord for the right time and the right place. ahh I wish I could explain the joy I felt. Putting so much effort and love into helping someone truly find their Savior and then being able to see the fruits of your labors as you rely on the lord and never give up on anyone and pray for them and continue to support them and put it in the hands of the Lord and He takes care of each and every one of his children!  I was able to come down to SLC with a member on Saturday and attend her baptism. It was so fun to go down to my last area and witness how the Lord knows what he is doing! I know I was supposed to be there 6 months ago to be in the lives of the Montelongos and for them to be in my life as well, and I know that Sister Coleman and her companion are supposed to be there now so that Gina could be baptized. I could not stop smiling OR crying! haha It was funny when bishop got up to conduct he said, "I walked in and wasn't sure if this was a baptism or a party, or a reunion! (Sister Britton was there, too.) I read in the Book of Mormon this morning in Alma 26 about Ammon rejoicing in the Lamanites conversion and praising and boasting in his God. I love how joyous and pumped up he gets! I could totally relate to him from my experiences with the Montelongos! Missionary work is awesome!

Anyway, the devotional that night was incredible. Elder Allen, first of all, is HILARIOUS. He told a story about when he was called as stake president and literally said "OH MY CRAP!" It was so funny. But also super filled with the spirit and inspiring he gave us 8 questions to ask ourselves to make sure we "remember the Savior always" like we covenant to do when we are baptized and every week as we take the sacrament. I am working on the first question this week:: "What treasures have I given to the Savior?"

After the baptism on Saturday I drove down with Sister Coleman and Sister Anderson and Laura from my last area to the conference center and met Sister Nelson and the twins, Alyson and Ann, and their friend who they are sharing the gospel with. We went on Trax and it was CRAZY. Women’s Conference AND a Jazz game! Yikes! The power went out so we were stuck on the Trax for a while and barely made it in the doors of the conference center, about 10 minutes late! Satan is the worst. But the conference was so good! I loved how focused it was on families. I especially liked President Eyring’s talk about bearing one another’s burdens. The more I learn about the gospel, the more I realize how key charity is in all that we believe and do.

The Messiah was really neat. It was an interfaith event and every religious congregation in Park City was represented in the choir! Our stake president, President Robinson, was the speaker and he asked us to perform in it, so it was really special. The rehearsals were kind of a joke but the performance was beautiful (: The people in it were super talented and choir-enthused type people so the conductors were just kind of funny to watch during rehearsals; it was super intense! But I was really glad I got to be a part of it.

Fast and testimony meeting was all about the Savior and His love and Atonement. Everyone that bore their testimony was a young adult and most were recently returned missionaries. It was super powerful.

Sister Nelson is doing great! We have lots of fun together and she is such an inspiration to me as a missionary. She just gets it. She has a really solid and pure testimony and has such a wonderful attitude about overcoming trials and challenges. She almost seems perfect to me! She is always thinking of others !

I got Cierra’s letter and an email about her call! So exciting! Her letter was just at my last apartment. But, Sister Coleman just got it to me (: Disney looked like a blast! The choir looks so cute.

Tell Grandma Shirley I love and miss her dearly and still think of her every time I get to perform, even on a mission! I have a picture of her and I up on my wall and always smile when I see it! Tell her thank you for everything she has taught me. I have had some fun finding some things on Family Search about Devro and Gail and Judy and Grandpa Milt. I was just thinking, she has so many fun stories and things we could add on there, you guys should play around with it and upload some stuff! Like Gail and Devro’s book that gram wrote, that would be so need to have on family search. Anyway, sorry I am becoming a family history nerd! But it is so cool! Tell her happy like 30'th birthday or whatever it is, she looks great! (: Send pictures of the party! (: Glad she is in highland!

Ahh, the church is true and the Savior’s love is so real! I'm so grateful for His hand in this work that I am doing. I think I figured out this week that missions are hard but missionary work is easy. We just have to love people and invite them to do simple things that bring them closer to Christ. They may not accept, but you will strengthen them and yourself as you try your best and involve the Lord. It’s a good life.

Love love love you!

What does it mean to you to bear testimony? March 23, 2015

So good to hear about stake conference! Our stake conference will be after General conference, which I am so anxious for! I am jealous you got to hear from Elder Corbridge! He is an incredible speaker! The 4th missionary is my one of my FAVORITE talks! Thanks for sharing some of your thoughts. It is so wonderful to be spiritually fed. I always love your analogies. 

We had a great week! We started of the week with a training from a couple of people from the missionary departments over visitor centers. It was so wonderful! Brother Chris Billings quoted often, "If you can do it in the field, you can do it in the center!" It was AMAZING to see all that are capable of doing as visitor center sisters! We can teach just as we would in the field through technology. Just this week we got a new investigator from the center. She is from California and came in to do some family history work, we were able to share some of the gospel with her. She is not interested in having missionaries come to her home right now, but she said we could call to teach her over the phone when she is back in California. So, we will teach her until she wants local missionaries and even then we will stay in contact. So cool! We teach people online from all over the world! Right now we are working with someone from Poland and he wants to be baptized! The means Heavenly Father has given us to hasten His work really just blows my mind.

Speaking of technology, funniest comment in Relief Society yesterday. This lady was talking about the amazing new feature on the Google translate app and how you can hover over any words and it will change the language right before your eyes. She was saying how Heavenly Father has always had the knowledge of this "new technology" then she exclaims so loud, "GUYS! Joseph Smith was just wearing Google translate glasses!!" hahaha

The training was also about how we can focus on our purpose, just like Elder Corbridge talked to you about, of inviting others to come unto Christ with every single person we come in contact with, not just non-members. It was neat to see how we can hasten the work by helping members do missionary work, not by just asking for a name of someone to teach. So, that mini-training was with the three companionships of sisters currently serving at the Family Tree Center and also any sister that was called, in their call letter to be a visitor center sister. That just means they got extra training in the MTC and at some point they will for sure be serving in Park City.

We had our first lesson with Rebecca and Rachel, another lesson with Paula and Rebecca and Rachel came to church. Rachel was really touched! One of the talks was handpicked by Heavenly Father just for her! It was incredible! We are meeting with Lora this week on Thursday.

We have an exciting and crazy few weeks ahead of us, this weekend is zone conference and temple day (YAY) and then General Conference, we are taking our recent converts Alison and Ann down and hopefully Rebecca, and then stake conference!

Spiritual thought of the week: I was reading in the Book of Mormon this morning about the Anti-Nephi-Lehis who had a true change of heart and just as the Lamanites were preparing to go to war against them they decided to bury their weapons of war that it might be "a testimony to God and their bretheren".

I thought about what we all think of when we say "to bear testimony". I think of sharing my beliefs either by words or by way of example. I like that the Anti-Nephi-Lehis, because of their change of heart, really wanted to make a physical manifestation - not only to the non-believers but also to our Father in Heaven - of their testimony. I am going to ponder this week what "weapons of war" I need to get rid of and any other action I can DO to share and bear my testimony to those I come in contact with and to my gracious Heavenly father. I'd love to hear anyone else's thought about what it means to you to bear testimony.

Sorry for the scattered email. I had lots of thoughts this week and they are semi-mushed in to this email. haha. Love you and miss you and GOOD LUCK to ALL the choir kids in California! SEND THEM MY LOVE! Tell them to sing and dance their little hearts out. (:  

"In Christ Alone, My Hope is Found"

Hola!

It's been a little bit of a rough week but miracles continue! We have a few new investigators and found an awesome less active lady to teach.

Paula is in her 80's and has been married for years to an active member (kind of like Ron Radcliffe!) and she loves her husband and is ready to be sealed in the temple! She has never heard the missionary discussions but she knows a lot and wants to be baptized ASAP! HUGE miracle. She lives in Salt Lake but has a house here in Park City. They spend most of their weekends here, so there records are in this ward. So kind of hard to teach her, but we have special permission to go down to Salt Lake with our senior couple the McMullins to teach her two times a week!

Rachel grew up FLDS in a polygamist family but said she would love to hear the missionary disscussions! A few of her grown kids have been baptized.

Rebecca is someone who has been involved in the church for years and has said in the past she wants to 'eventually' be baptized but doesn't want to be pressured. Well, she has been to church for the last couple of weeks and is coming to General Conference with us and said she is ready to have the discussions from the missionaries!

Lora, our less active member, is the sweetest lady ever and just needs some love and friendship and I am excited that Sister Nelson and I can give that to her. (:

Okay, now for the answers to your questions ;)

• Send all my mail to the Family Tree Center : 531 Main St., P.O. Box 4620, Park City, Ut 84060
• Sister Nelson is so sweet and cute and we are getting along great and having lots of fun together! That's so funny that Mariah isn't answering her texts! She should be better at that since I'm not there, whenever she wouldn't answer Brenda's calls or texts, I would get one from Brenda ;) 
• No, I have not heard from Mariah or Cierra for a while. :(
• Being at the Family Tree Center is very different because some days it will be slow and I don't feel like a missionary! haha But, at the same time, the slow days are nice because I can do more of my own family history work and I am excited about the promise from Elder Bednar to be more spiritually protected by the spirit of Elijah. (: There are lots of opportunities there with non-members! It's really neat. Just last week we had people from Russia, New York, Georgia, Hawaii, Tennessee, and MESA ARIZONA -their family was from St. Johns (: - and many many more places! 
• Chat is really fun. We get some really interesting questions sometimes, haha. Sometimes people are just messing with us! But, we also get lots of wonderful opportunities. Just the other day we had some one in Wales searching for her own religion to join. She liked everything about our church but wanted more insight from people other then those who had been raised in the church. We were able to tell her that even long time members of the church have to seek answers for themselves. When we find people like her we are able to get their contact information and keep in contact online and they can become and "online progressing investigator" and we can send local missionaries to them!
• Park City is a lot different than Cottonwood in a lot of ways. Lots of people in the Salt Lake Valley say that this is a rough place to be a missionary because it's where people in Utah who don't want to be associated with the church go to hide, which maybe is true, but the environment is wonderful. The members of the church are really strong and faithful and very missionary minded. There are many opportunities.
• The i-pad is an AWESOME resource, but it is quite a development process. We have them now and can use them for teaching in our area. Next we are going through the training process to recive the online area books and records; after that we will add Facebook and other social things but that could be weeks away, maybe months. We don't really know the schedule, just that we will add and add little by little. I can still keep in contact with Sister Coleman and others by email on p-day
• There is one set of Elders in our district: our district leader and his companion. haha - we call that a "Sis-trict" and the Elders don't work at the Family Tree Center. 
• There is always one set of sisters at the Tree Center, so whoever is at the Tree doesn't have a car.
• We live fairly close to the Tree but everything here is spread out. There is just one stake here in Park City, we cover the Park City Ward and the Silver Creek Ward, which is like 15 minutes away! For comparison to the Salt Lake Valley: in cottonwood we were allowed to use 650 miles a month, here we are allowed to use 1700. 
• The weather is beautiful here, too! I'm so grateful! I came at the right time! 
• Yes, I got my package, thank you! (:

Well, I titled my email this week with my new favorite song because it's helped me a lot this week. Trials don't go away when you decide to dedicate your life for 18 months to the Lord. Sometimes I'd like to think they do! But, through the Atonement we can work through our trials. I am gratfule for the opportunity I have to understand the Atonement more in my life and find hope through it. I know I can find it in prayer, in my scripture study (which has become my FAVORITE part of the day) and in the example of my mission president, other mission leaders, and always, you, too. I was reading in my patriarchal blessing about how one of the greatest blessings I have is my parents who love me and love the gospel. Even though I am not with you, you continue to be an example and a strength for me. Thank you!

Fun Fact of the Week: Elder Don R. Clarke is in our ward and I got to shake his hand yesterday! He is who did our i-pad training, as well.

For mom: Sister Nelson likes essential oils, too and she showed me this scripture Alma 46:40 - And there were some who died with fevers, which at some seasons of the year were very frequent in the land—but not so much so with fevers, because of the excellent qualities of the many plants and roots which God had prepared to remove the cause of diseases, to which men were subject by the nature of the climate— ;)

For dad: We had a Relief Society activity and a joke was told that I thought you would enjoy: A Relief Society president sits down on plane next to a man and works up the courage to ask him the "golden question"... RS president: Do you know much about the LDS church? Man: Yes, ... a little. RS president: Would you like to know more? Man: YES! I am a stake president and I could use all the help I can get!! ;)

-XOXO, Sister Hatch

An ADVENTUROUS week!

It has been an adventurous week! So, I had a hard time leaving my area and all the people. Lots of tears were shed; it was really hard to say good bye, especially to Billie, Kenneth, the Minors, the Montelongos, and Karina, who I was able to get in contact with before I left and say goodbye - it was so good to see her again. She is struggling right now and said she really misses "her angels". Please keep her in your prayers. Everyone was so sweet when I left, giving me cards and sweet things. It really felt like I was leaving another home. It was really hard leaving Sister Coleman as well. We both went to transfers really wary of new companions.

Transfer meeting was CRAZY because there was a HUGE snow storm. Anyway, I found out I was going to PARK CITY and my companion is Sister Nelson! Because of the snow storm, no one from Park City or Wyoming was able to make it down to the meeting, so I had no idea who Sister Nelson was or when I would meet her. But it was really fun because the area I am in was Sister Coleman’s first area! It was really hard to say good bye to her, but I was very excited to be going to my dream spot while on my mission (: It took everyone from Park City 2 hours to get to SLC, but I finally met Sister Nelson from GILBERT AZ (I now make 4 of the 8 missionaries in Park City from Arizona) and she is awesome. It was funny, on the drive home we told each other our first names and later that night she said "you remind me SO MUCH of this girl I was in choir with in high school and her name is Mariah, too!" haha She was meaning Our Mariah, Mariah Tanner, so that was fun! (Mariah, if you still read my blogs, Megan Nelson says hi ;)) Also the other Sister from Arizona is Sister Greeley who was roommates with Jocee in Idaho. Such a small world!

So, Adventure 1 of the week started the night before transfers when Sister Coleman and I decided we needed to learn how to make the "food of the culture" from our missions and asked Sister Holtby (awesome RS pres, I skyped at Christmas from their house) if she could teach us how to make Jell-O. Turns out she has never actually made it before because their family thinks it is disgusting, but she agreed that it was important for missionaries serving in UT to learn how to perfect their Jell-O making skills ;) haha, so we went to their house for a Family Home Evening on p-day and had fun with their family making Jell-O.

Adventure 2: Being in Park City, do you want to make any guesses as to the kind of place where  live....? Well, you guessed wrong, I live in a hallway of a barn! haha It’s really cute and cozy but it’s just funny. So you walk in, There’s a dresser and a couch on the left side of the hallway and the sink, fridge, and table on the right side of the hallway. The bathroom is at the end of the hallway right next to the ladder that brings us to the loft, where the beds and closets are. It’s pretty snug but I actually really like it!

Adventure 3: Here in Park City I am a half proselyting-missionary and half visitor-center-sister! We work 30 hours a week at the Family Tree Center on Main Street helping people from all over the world with their family history! Its pretty ironic, just the other week, we were helping a lady in my last area with her family history, but really Sister Coleman was, and I said, "Wow, I know nothing about family history, I’m probably going to be sent to Park City next transfer.” And, here I am! I really love it though. I have already learned tons! So, half of our shift we are down on the main floor just waiting for people to come in and help them with their work or find names or give them a tour, etc. and the other half we chat with people all over the world who have any questions. So you know on Mormon.org where you can "Chat with a Mormon" - that's me! (:

Adventure 4: On Friday night we were leaving the “Tree” and someone backed into our car and our radiator was punctured so now instead of sharing two cars with three sets of sister missionaries, we have one car, which has been quite the adventure because we cover most of Park City. The other day we had to walk from where we dropped our car off to the nearest bus stop, which was all the way on the other end of a freeway - pretty scary, but we made it! It’s pretty nice being in a spread out place though because we only cover two wards! Before I was covering four wards and in Salt Lake City that's like the least amount you are EVER assigned to. So, two wards will be a piece of cake!

Adventure 5: I was able to start of the transfer by speaking in church about the atonement. I have really developed a love for giving talks! I learn so much from preparing them and I LOVE bearing my testimony – it’s the best part of being a missionary. I love the wards we are in - they are very welcoming.

So, its been a pretty filled week and its been pretty hard to be in a new place with new people out of my comfort zone, but I am very grateful to be where I am with Sister Nelson. I don't think I could have gotten any luckier.

We have lots of work to do this transfer. We don't have any progressing investigators, but only because they were all recently baptized and they are all super solid! They just baptized a 17-year-old girl named Ally, who has wanted to be baptized for a few years but her parents wouldn't let her; but they finally softened their hearts and she was baptized last Saturday. Another guy just baptized was a man named Gaetano and he loves the gospel and is an awesome missionary! His brother is one of our two investigators, but he is a little less interested, so we will see how that goes. They also just baptized a set of 40-year-old twins from New York and they are a hoot! And, last but not least, they baptized an awesome guy from Rwanda named Philemon. He is such a sweetheart, the first time I met him was on his 3-month anniversary of being baptized and he was so excited he gave us all thank you cards. He even made one for me and bore his testimony and thanked me for doing what I am doing. It really made my week and made me feel like I am where I need to be. There is another man from Rwanda who we are teaching named Yosouff. He is a Muslim, but is super interested in the church. We just have a hard time meeting with him because he works alllll the time - he usually only gets three hours of sleep, then goes to work all day. Pray that we will have time to meet him more this transfer! Our miracle of the week was being able to teach him the first lesson because he was given a whole day off, which hardly ever happens!

Well,  that's the week! I love you so very much! Thanks for your prayers and all that you do. I love this gospel and I love my Heavenly Father and my savior Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is true and the spirit I get from reading it truly leads and guides me each and everyday.

xoxox, Sister Hatch 

Transfer time!

It's been a rough morning. We received transfer news and I am leaving my first area and all the people I have truly grown to love and care for so much after a short short 6 months. I have been praying all week to feel at peace with what ever happens and I do. I know the lord knows me and the people who are in need of me next, but I don't want to leave! I feel like am leaving home all over again!

I will email more next week when I find out where I am and who my companion is. I am a little worried. I can’t believe Sister Coleman and I were only together one transfer! We connected so much and she is truly one of my best friends. But I feel so grateful that I get to leave this beautiful place in her hands. No matter how hard! Dang. Can you believe I have been out 6 months?! I can't, and I don't want to start over in a new place, but here comes a new adventure.

The Lord knows what is best for each of us. Sometimes it is hard to do it His way, but I am grateful for the peace of knowing God is in charge. That is definitely how I am feeling with this transfer. I wish I could stay here but I know the people I love won’t progress in the gospel as much if I stay because now they need some one new, and that kills me, but I am so grateful to be so close to them.

I will let you know my address as soon as I can, but for now you can just send any packages to the mission office and my zone leaders will get it to me. And, yes, Sister Coleman and I are both fashionistas so we borrow each others clothes quite often ;) - but my pink sweater is new, we went to Target last p-day.

Thank you so much for the beautiful family photos; Lily is an absolute doll. I was thinking about the blessing all day on Saturday. I know it will bless Heather and Braden’s lives so much.

Easton’s soccer story killed me! gosh I miss that kid! I am so happy he loves church, I am praying Heather finds the strength to go with him every Sunday; I know it will bless their whole family.

This week has been full and exciting! Kenneth was baptized, we had a fun volley ball activity with all the people we are teaching, and we had both a mission-wide and stake-wide fast for missionary work - I can already see the blessings coming from it!

Kenneth’s baptism was a huge success, we were worried about who would be there because he hasn’t made lots of friends, but the ward support was HUGE. Kenneth could not stop smiling, he said he has never felt happier in his life and the ward just fell in love with him, everyone was coming up to him and asking if they could get a picture with him even though they just met that day. The spirit was so strong; lots of teary eyes.

Funny story of the week was at Kenneth’s baptism. So, his good friend Victoria (she is Sister Minor’s daughter) is at hoot. She is this big black woman, missing a few teeth, and she is very boisterous and always makes us laugh. She was baptized exactly 2 years before Kenneth, which was fun, but after Kenneth gets dunked under the water the spirit was so strong and people were crying and Victoria screams, "AMEN!" and then everyone started clapping - it was too funny.

Ron is out of town for 10 days and I am heartbroken I don't get to say goodbye to him, but he postponed his trip to see the baptism and he really enjoyed it; Sister Coleman and I are planning on him being ready soon and I will be able to come back to attend the baptism.

Our volley ball game was awesome. Our friend and recent convert, Billie, came as well as our friend Laura, an in-active return missionary, as well as Kenneth and the Minors who are ALWAYS the life of the party and our district came as well. Billie is incredible and has just blossomed in the gospel. If you met her today you would think she has been a member all her life; she has had some amazing experiences and her testimony shines inside and out of her; she is the best missionary and is always just glowing! Well she and Laura clicked at the activity and we think that friendship will really help Laura out with where she is at. Laura is probably one of the best ladies I have ever met. She has a really strong testimony, too, but has been through some rough things. She always gives us great life advice about how to live so we won’t make the mistakes she did and hold fast to the iron rod. I am really sad to leave her.

Our fast was amazing. We attended two fast and testimony meetings, one was Kenneth’s confirmation and the spirit of missionary work was fantastic! I am sad to be leaving just as the miracles start. But this week we were able to find two new investigators and I know it was a result of everyone preparing for the fast.

Oh, another exciting thing is that we got our i-pad training - it was really neat! We will get the actual i-pads on Friday. This whole i-pad thing is different than in other missions with i-pads before, they are now doing it completely new, it’s a pilot program and we are the first mission to do it! All of our books are "DRAFTS" - its way exciting. They emphasized that we are not "social media" or "i-pad" missionaries; we are the same missionaries as always, but with a new resource - to further the work with a new tool. It just like it has always been, the scriptures were at one point a new tool, the Liahona, the radio for conference, and it continues and its all about the Work of Salvation. We will have Facebook and Skype with our new converts and so forth, and there will even be a training for switching back into real life mode after our missions. It will also be used as soon as new missionaries get their call: the newly called missionary will be in contact with his or her MTC teacher. It’s incredible. I am so excited to have this resource!

I love being a missionary. My heart is so full of joy each day. Some days I am so tired I can barely keep my eyes open; fasting while doing missionary work is physically exhausting; people canceling appointments or not keeping commitments or not answering the door is emotionally exhausting. I shouldn't be so happy, but I am. This church is true and the love of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is real. I feel it when I pray for my earthly family at home and as I serve my mission family here. I don't know the people who I will be serving next, but, I already love them because I DO know my Father and my Savior love them. I love all of you and you are always in my prayers.

xoxox, Sister Hatch(: