Week 25 Christmas in the Mission Field

December 28, 2015 Family, It was so good to talk to all of you! Seriously, it was the best Christmas present I could have asked for. Sorry I didn't really send y'all anything... I don't know what to get or when to get it but if you guys are ever wanting anything from Cali let me know, I can hook it up. But anyways thanks for all being at the house so I could talk to everyone! It was so great. I didn't think that it would be so hard, but it was. I guess just seeing your faces and hearing your voices. Anyways this week was alright. We had a very bad week as far as missionary work goes. But I guess that's partially attributed to the holiday season. Monday we went over to a family in the wards house that night and just visited with them. Tuesday, we had district meeting, and we combined that. We did a fun relay race thing. That afternoon we did a hot chocolate finding activity with the zone. That night we had dinner at a Thai restaurant with a member. Wednesday we did our usual service at the library, and had dinner with a cool family in our ward. Thursday was fun too. We did a caroling thing with both zones at the Santa Rosa mall. We just sang songs by the food court then sang as we walked then went to the entrance and sang more. It was fun. President came and surprised us so that was fun. That night we ate with a family in our ward, at this random Filipino family's house that they know. It was strange but pretty cool. We had some really strange Filipino food, like on tail soup, and a really weird gelatinous rice dessert. The food was good but the dessert was nasty. Oh well, it was worth a try. Oh, I can now play the 4 major ukulele chords. So I can play like over the rainbow and stuff. So that's fun. Christmas Day we obviously skyped, and we also made some cookies as well as on Christmas Eve. We had dinner at a family in the ward with 10 kids, though they are all grown up and only 6 were there. That was interesting; we don't know them well so it was a little awkward. That night both zones went to the stake center and played sports and stuff which was also really fun. President showed up for that and was giving me crap about being so much taller and how it isn't fair. Haha it was hilarious. Saturday we did planning which was boring as usual. That night we are at a member’s house that fed us on Wednesday. They are super cool people. It was weird, their daughter was in town, along with another kid from another family, and they both graduated same year as me and Julander, so that was weird. Sunday was normal. At dinner a member kind of chewed us out for not doing our job. Just like showed us what we should do and stuff. I love that family but that didn't exactly boost my spirits. Oh well. Life goes on. Other than that not much has gone on. Thanks for everything everyone. I really do miss you all but I know I'm here for a reason. Love, Elder Hatch

Week 24 All the Service!!!

December 21, 2015 Family, Well another week has passed and it's time to write again. It seems like the weeks are going slow but the months fast. It seems weird that in 2 weeks I will have been out 6 months, and Josie will be leaving! Pretty crazy but an amazing time for all of us. Who would have thought that we would be at a time when me, Josie, and Sam are all on missions! Very cool to think about. But, it is even weirder that I won't be with you all for Christmas and Christmas Eve, that I won't get to do the crazy nativity or bingo or things like that! But I know that it's ok, and that it's better that I am here and that I miss it, than to be home. Anyways, this has been a pretty long week. It has been raining pretty much all week with no snow. It doesn't really feel like Christmas at all with no snow but I can handle that. I never loved snow anyways. But Tuesday we had district meeting which I though went well. I don't like having to teach those but other than that I don't mind being a district leader. It really is like no difference other than teaching district meeting. I bet it would be different if I had elders in my district, instead of me being the relief society president(having only sisters in your district). So I haven't had to conduct exchanges or anything like that. Pretty sweet. Later Tuesday we practiced for our skit in the Christmas devotional. That was fun. I will send the video of our actual performance. That night we had a lesson with our recent convert at a pizza place. It was kind of distracting with a tv on in the background playing King of the hill. Wednesday we did service for the Salvation Army in the morning for a while picking out and sorting toys for kids. It was great. We then did service at the library as usual for Wednesday's. The rest of that day we did some finding that wasn't super successful. Thursday we had the Christmas party and devotional at the mission office building with a bunch of zones. It was really fun, every zone did a skit and it was hilarious. Afterwards we did a devotional that was also very good. It was a really good morning. After that we did the usual service at the food bank and then went off to dinner. We had dinner with a cool family in our ward. They took us out and the place we were going to go and that was closed, so they took us to another place and for 6 people total it was $250!!!! It was an alright place, like really good food but not worth that much! Called Mateos in Healdsburg in case you were wondering. We then went over to another recent converts house and had a little lesson with them. Mostly just a visit to check up and see how they are doing. Friday we did planning, then had a lesson with a new investigator. We did the restoration with him kind of. He had a lot of questions about proof archaeologically of the Book of Mormon and other sources and stuff. Also of any prophecies that Joseph Smith made that came true. We are going to see him next Sunday. We had dinner with a cool family in the ward and then had a lesson with the kind of weird guy in our ward that never comes to church or anything. Saturday we did finding pretty much the whole day. It was pretty rough. I honestly don't remember much from it. Sunday we had church, and we sang in the ward choir since it is so small. We also did sharing time in primary too. Afterwards we did studies and had dinner at 4! After that we tried to do some finding and were semi successful, afterward we had our Sunday night meeting which was good. Today has been a pretty good day so far. Also, sorry I don't send many pictures. I just always forget to take pictures haha I will try to do better. But here is the video of our skit. So pumped to talk to y'all on Friday! Love, Elder Hatch

Either Elder Hatch is really tall or those sisters are really short.

Week 23 Pretty Slow in the Mission Field

December 14 Family, This week was another fairly long week. It seems like it has been a while since I have sat down to write you all. But this week was filled with a little bit more success, but hopefully even more in the week to come. Luckily, we were able to pick up a few new investigators and hopefully we can help them out. It's weird how quickly Christmas is approaching. Even though the weeks are slow, it still seems as though it should still be November. But anyways, this last Monday was a pretty good P day. We had fun playing basketball as usual. We had our usual FHE at Sister Hands house. She is so awesome, she has that FHE every week and she feeds us a couple times a week, whether it be for dinner, lunch, or breakfast. She will feed us whenever we do service for her and she loves taking out missionaries to lunch if she knows them. She takes tons of pictures too, and sends them to her grandson who baptized her and is now on a mission in Argentina. Tuesday was pretty good. We went on exchanges with the zone leaders and I went with elder Green, from Alberta Canada. He is a really funny kid. He and one of the other elders in the zone have all seen Tommy Boy so we have a good time quoting that and other movies with each other. It's so funny. Also that day was our zone meeting which was good too, because I didn't have to teach district meeting. Also Tuesday was my 5 month mark! Super weird but it was cool to think that I have been out that long. Pretty soon it will be 6 months for me, and Josie will be gone by then too! Josie I know that you will do amazing. You don't have to worry about being a missionary, and the MTC isn't as scary as it sounds. Just enjoy the endless food there! Anyways Wednesday we went to the library and did service there, and later that night we went caroling at an old folks home. A sister in my district had surgery on her foot for an ingrown toenail earlier that day but was such a trooper and stood the whole time and didn't complain at all. I still haven't heard her complain once. So Christlike. Thursday we did our usual service at the food bank. Unfortunately we had to drop one of our investigators this week. He hasn't been keeping any of the commitments and we think he just likes the visits. So that was hard. Friday we planned, but that night we visited a couple people that said that we could come back again. So we are excited for that. Saturday we did finding most of the day, and we went up to Geyserville for the first time. It is a funky little place. Weird statues everywhere and in people's yards and stuff. That night was the ward Christmas party. That was pretty fun. Elder Julander talked to a nonmember kid and gave him a discussion while we were there. So that was cool. Sunday was pretty normal. And today has been normal so far too. I hope that the weeks go by a little faster and that we are able to do everything we can and not miss opportunities. Anyways thanks everyone for everything, I hope you all have a very merry Christmas season and I can't wait to talk to y'all! Love, Elder Hatch

Week 22 Struggling with Investigators

December 7, 2015 Family, Well another week has passed by and it's time to write once again. It has been a really long week, but then again it seems like Monday was not too long ago. This week was a little bit better and me and Elder Julander are doing well. Monday was a good day. Pretty fun playing basketball. Although it's not as good as this week, because we just sat here and laughed for the last hour or so. Pretty awesome. But that night was good, we had our usual FHE at our recent converts house where a few people from the ward come. Tuesday was district meeting which I thought went pretty well. Then we had our PPI's with the zone leaders. That night we had a lesson with a recent convert and that went all right. We had one of our super cool members go with us to that so he made it better. Wednesday we went to the Badger Building(mission office) and had interviews with President Wright. Those were really good. I always love talking to him, he just calms my nerves and makes me not worry about what I am doing and how I do it. It was really cool. President Wright is such an amazing guy. We then had a last lesson with a guy that just isn't progressing at all. He is the one that we had to cast out the demon from his house. It wasn't going well with him. Later we had a lesson with another recent convert and that went well. They have more Legos than I have ever seen. They sort them into colors using tool boxes and stuff. Pretty crazy. Thursday we went and gave a blessing to another recent convert because he got his wisdom teeth out that day. Later that day, he called us as he was high as a kite. It was soooo funny, he was singing Firework by Katy Perry. It was beautiful. Friday we did planning which was boring. Saturday and a lot of Friday we did some area book finding. That's what we are going to do most of this week. Should be good, hopefully successful. Saturday and Sunday we went to a nativity thing that they do down at one of the other buildings. It is a really cool program. Sunday was good too, as we went to find a less active, we ran into his roommate and long story short we set up a return appointment with him. Hopefully it turns out well. He doesn't want to read the Book of Mormon but doesn't have a good reason why not. So that was cool. We then went to our usual Sunday night meeting that night. It wasn't a super busy week this week, but pretty good nonetheless. I am just so humbled by all of this, and it is amazing the things that the Lord can do and does do to help us, and also to help us grow. I am so thankful for all of you and am excited to talk to you on Christmas! Thanks for everything Love, Elder Hatch

Week 21 First Thanksgiving on the Mission

November 30, 2015

Family, Well another week has passed and time to write once again. I hope you all had an awesome thanksgiving! Our thanksgiving was pretty fun, we went and helped set up the crèche festival at the Yulupa chapel at 7, and its 40 minutes away so we were up at 5:30 to be there on time. It was cool though, both Santa Rosa zones were there so it was super fun. A whole bunch of missionaries. After that we went over to the Toupins, who is a super cool family in my ward, and had cinnamon rolls with them. Unfortunately that meant that we didn't get to play in a turkey bowl, which is too bad but oh well. It was awesome being at the Toupins, they have 6 kids, 5 of which are boys so it was super fun. Later that night we were back at their house for dinner, so that was waaaaaayyyy nice of them. But Tuesday was pretty slow, but it was weird cause we had to say bye to the other elders that were leaving. We went out to brunch with a member in our ward for their departure so that was nice. That's where the pictures are from. So me and Elder Julander are now in an apartment with just us. Wednesday was about the same as far as the work goes, we had one lesson with our investigator but it is frustrating, because he hardly ever keeps commitments, and we do things with him that he should feel the spirit, but just doesn't, or doesn't recognize it or something. It's so frustrating we don't really know what to do. Thursday we don't really do much on holidays, so we were at the Toupins for a while during the day and at night. Friday we had one lesson, so that was good. Kind of the same situation with this guy as our other investigator too. Pretty frustrating. But that's ok. We also had district meeting and unfortunately I still have to teach district meeting. But it went ok. I have another one tomorrow and haven't done much for it but it'll all work out. Saturday was pretty casual too, we did weekly planning and not much else. We are trying to find people in our area book but have been largely unsuccessful thus far. But we will keep at it. Sunday was pretty good too. We actually managed to meet some less actives that we have been trying to find for weeks. It was helpful after not finding anyone all week. We then had a stake meet and greet with the stake presidency that night with all the Santa Rosa missionaries. That was pretty fun too. Other than that not much has been going on. I am looking forward to a much busier week this week, hopefully. Thanks for everything everyone, I love you all and hope that you have a good Christmas season. One thing with the new Christmas season is the new Christmas video, #ASaviorIsBorn which you can find on Christmas.mormon.org . It's a really awesome video, and I would encourage you to all watch it. Anyways have a good week! Love, Elder Hatch