I started about as far south as the mission goes, and am now as FAAAR northeast as our mission goes in Green River, Wyoming, which I have nick-named Napoleon Dynamite Land. Man, it is a different WORLD out here. But, I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am supposed to be here. I have a feeling I will be here for a while. I have lots to learn and lots to do here.
My companion is Sister Kent. She has been out 17 months so she will be the first companion I get to "kill" - she goes home along with my former companions sister Britton and Sister Coleman! I am so sad to lose them all. They will be life long friends. I am glad to have a heads up that I will for sure be taking over the area in 5 weeks, because I am absolutely terrified. But, I know the Lord will provide.
Sister Kent is awesome. She is a convert of 2 and half years. Her only family is her mom and her older brother who are both very anti-Mormon and haven't been much of a support her entire mission. She has a great attitude and a strong testimony. Her friend who introduced her to the church has a strong family who has taken her under their wing and been her support while she has been here. She says she is extra blessed because joining the church has just let her gain another family. She is an amazing example.
I am just so so so full of gratitude that I got the BEST mom and dad who could not have done any better raising me in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have to most amazing examples in my life from my parents, siblings, extended family, and friends. Thank you all so very much.
Green River is a small town in the wide open. <3 It reminds me a lot of Holbrook, actually. I LOVE the sunsets here.. I can see them again! I have really missed those. Not quite as pretty as AZ, but still beautiful.
The people here are so kind, I feel very welcomed here. The teaching situation is exactly opposite of Park City. in Park City we didn't have tons of investigators. It was hard to find people, pretty much everyone we DID find really found US! They were very committed and ready to follow Christ and give up or start doing whatever we asked them. Here, we find TONS of people and almost all of the people we find are very interested. They recognize us as servants of the Lord. They feel the spirit and know our teachings are good and true. They desire to change their lives and be baptized, but it is really hard for them to keep commitments. There is a lot of illiteracy here. Lots of high school dropouts and lots of really hard lives that just haven't gone very far. Lots of drugs and alcohol and dysfunctional families. We have to teach pretty slow to help people understand. But, they have good hearts and want to be better. They believe in God and want to feel the Atonement. We just have to teach them how to access it.
We have already seen many miracles!
The Clark Family who LOVES the church, but again, has a pretty rough background and has a hard time with commitments, came to church! They have been taking the lessons for a year or so and they have not made it to church very often. The talks on Sunday were PERFECT for them!
The Norris family is a less active couple with a son, who had a baptism date last year but decided not to go through with it the day of. We stopped by and I know they are family I am supposed to be here for. They are AWESOME! They are this old hippie couple who basically spend their time not working on their big Harley-Davidson bikes XP. We showed them a the Mormon Message, "Mountains to Climb" and the husband took a big sigh, smiled, and said, "we need to go back to church." haha It was awesome and his son, who has just recently began to turn his life around, has decided to take the lessons again, he said he wants to be baptized! He just quit smoking and drinking cold turkey and is doing awesome!
The Rapues who are also very interested in the church but NEVER come, finally came on Sunday!
A less active named Misty who was basically taught nothing before her baptism came to church, and she hasn't been for 6 months!
I am so excited to be working with all of these people.
So, Saturday, I was able to make it back for Paula’s baptism. <3 I am 2 and a half hours away from Park City but a member was headed down to SLC for the day so she dropped me off in the morning and I was able to spend the day there and be at the baptism. It was SO special and very memorable. (: Paula is a fire ball. She was so excited and during the talks she just kept interjecting and saying, "Oh YES, I agree!" or "ya know I really needed to hear that, you are so special." or "Thank you for that. Thank you. I really appreciate it." She is so cute. Her sweet husband baptized her and they are both quite fragile, so they had to do it three times. They joked that it was for each decade where she SHOULD have be baptized! haha I got to beae my testimony and sing with all the sisters, Sister nelson and me, Sister McMullan who is a senior couple missionary and had a huge role in teaching Paula, and Sister Flake from Snowflake who took my place in Park City! She is so sweet. I am SO happy she is there!
While I was in Park City Sister Kent had a lesson with our investigator, Israel, from Mexico and they put him on date for May 9th! He is so excited to be baptized. he works a ton but made an agreement with his boss so he could come to church every other week. He is a half hour away and his boss only gave him two hours off, so he drives down for sacrament meeting and drives right back down to work. He is INCREDIBLE!
I am so grateful for being able to see the Lords hand each day in not only my life, but the lives of those around me. I love working with them. I love this gospel. I love Jesus Christ. I am so glad I don't have to go through this life without Him. It would be so hard. I love you. God bless this week.
-Sister Hatch
Also with i-pads we are allowed to read emails whenever we want we just can't respond until Monday. I check mine after planning at night so its like the same as getting a letter so feel free to send things any day of the week. (:
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