8-26-13 email

Dear Family,

The emails you sent this week really made me miss you guys! I can't believe school is starting again! College for Miranda, High school for Tyler, and 5th grade for Nathan! Not to mention Mom teaching again. My mind still just doesn't grasp the fact that I haven't seen all of you for so long! I really hope you all enjoy this exciting week. As for me, school starting doesn't mean much. I had a pretty normal week. My companion was a little sick for a few days, so we couldn't do a whole lot. Thankfully, I haven't gotten sick yet. (Usually being with a sick person 24/7 means you get sick too, but I'm still good) On the bright side, we had our first sacrament meeting out in Fort Hancock! YAY!! It was really a great experience. We had 10 people there in the house of Hna. Ariola. It was a little less than we were hoping for, but the meeting was still wonderful. We had brother Gonzales drive about 40 miles to come! Anyways, it was great to be a part of the start of something so special. We have also been able to meet a lot of new people this week. For some reason, a lot of people have been home lately. Which is awesome. The Martinez family was out of town, so we couldn't teach them, but I think they are still doing great. Overall, it was a pretty normal week. I really don't have much to write about. This week is the last week of the transfer, but I don't think I'm going anywhere. I do wish you luck with everything thats going on back home! I miss you all so much! Until next week! -Elder Hatch

PS here's a picture of me biking out past Fort Hancock!

8-19-13 email

Hello Familia! 

Well this week has had it's ups and downs, but overall it was pretty good. To start out, I just wanted to clear up a few things though. First, I DEFINITELY want to be very busy when I get home. I want to get a job (hopefully full time) as soon as I get home, so any help with applications and searching would be appreciated. I feel very confident now about applying for jobs though. (easier than most of the stuff I have to do out here) Also, I'm pretty sure I want to go to spring term and get back on track with school as soon as I can, just not winter. I really feel like I have developed a lot of good habits that will help me to not be so lazy. Anyways, just wanted to say that. 

So, like I said, this week was pretty good. Sadly, we did not have any baptisms because their mom decided the kids weren't ready yet. Thankfully, it will probably just be another couple weeks, so don't get too worried. Another let down was the meeting this sunday. Because of some miscommunication and bad planning, it didn't happen. But we have figured some more things out, and it is for sure happening this week! Yay! we are still pretty excited for that. Other than those two things, this week was great! We were able to find 6 new investigators this week in the town of Tornillo! There is actually a cool story with that too. So there was this family that the missionaries had visited before, but we hadn't been able to contact yet. We were out with a member in our branch just passing by their neighbor (less active) when we saw this lady in her backyard. We figured it was the family we were looking for, so we walked over. (There wasn't a fence so we just walked in) She was on the phone so we waited for her to finish. When she does, she starts crying and tells us that her 3 year old nephew had just been hit by a car and killed. It was pretty sad. But she invited us in and we were able to teach her family about the plan of salvation. Needless to say, the spirit was strong, and they agreed for us to keep coming over and teaching them. So just another amazing witness that God knows his children, and we are His servants sent to uplift our brothers and sisters.

Oh, and some more good news, we got an air conditioner! Yay! It has been much nicer inside our little apartment now. Also, Elder Bath and I are getting along pretty well. Haha, he can be a little awkward sometimes, but hes a great guy. Plus, awkward doesn't really bother me as much anymore. Well, I better get going now, but I hope you all have a great week! Good luck with school too. Oh, and good call not taking Chinchen's class. He's insane. Hasta luego! -Elder Hatch

8-13-13 email

Hola Familia! 

First of all, I'm sorry I couldn't write yesterday. The one little library in our town was closed. But at least I can email today! Soooo, this week has been very intense. I have a lot to share, so hold on tight! 

So to start off, we got a place to start meeting in Fort Hancock! Hooray! We are really excited for it. It still needs some work before it is completely ready to meet in, so we are going to have to wait a couple weeks, but it's a good place. Until then, we got permission to start meeting in the house of one of the members. Hna. Ariola said we could use her house, so we are going to give it a try this week. 

Second big news, we are going to be having some baptisms this week! Hooray! Remember that family I told you about with nine kids? Well, they came to church again this week (about 40 miles) and they loved it thanks to the help of the senior missionaries (Elder and Sister Muntzing)  But later that day we were talking to them and they all got really excited and asked to be baptized. They have been taught everything, and meet all the requirements, so this Saturday, the four oldest Martinez children will be baptized! Definitely a miracle.

Other than that, the week was pretty good. Veronica Nunez had her baby (Angel) and they are doing great. She is progressing really well towards her baptism. We also met a really promising new family, the Castro family. They already have lots of friends in church, so I think they will do great. As well as the Mosqueda family. We found them when we stopped to buy a watermelon from their truck on the highway. Good watermelon, AND great family. So basically the work is going amazingly, miraculously, awesome here out in the middle of nowhere, Fort Hancock.

So the biggest news I have to share isn't really about missionary work. So for the past week or so, I started to get a really weird feeling about my plans after the mission. I was feeling pretty good before about going to winter semester, so it was confusing. So as I have learned on my mission to do when I have doubts, I prayed about it. I didn't really feel any different for a day or two, so on sunday I fasted about it. Still nothing, so I decided I would just wait and think about it some more. Then on Sunday night, I had something happen that I hadn't ever happened to me before. I had a really vivid dream of me coming home from the mission. I woke up around four and for some reason, I knew that I was not supposed to leave early and go to winter semester. I don't understand it still, there are a lot of reasons for both options, but I guess Heavenly Father has some plans for me that I don't know about. I've never had a prayer answered like that before, so I'm sticking to it. So basically what I'm trying to say is that I have decided to go home on my normal return date (Jan 8) and wait until spring or summer before I go back to school. I hope thats ok with all of you, especially Miranda. I was really looking forward to going to school with you! But don't worry, we both still have lots of college to go! And speaking of going, I've got to cut this off here. I hope you all have a wonderful week! I miss you! -Elder Hatch

PS congratulations to Grammy and Josie!

PPS Good luck with school too! 

PPPS Dad, you are a hiking machine! I think you should go to Colorado, but that's just me. Don't die on some rock climb when I'm gone... or ever. 

8-5-13 email

Hello Family! Sorry guys, but this is going to have to be a shorter email today. I only have like 10 minutes sooo... But anyways, this week was GREAT! So many miracles have been happening here. We are finally starting to get used to the area, and we were able to set a baptismal date! WOOO!!! Anyways, we were able to set this date with Veronica Nunez. Her husband is a member (less active) and she has already come to church twice.  They are also expecting a new baby boy either today or tomorrow. It's even more cool though, because the husband's parents are somebody that I worked with a lot when I was in Mission  Trails. Also, we are currently looking for a place to meet in Fort Hancock on Sundays. (not many options) but we have already found lots of people to work with there. Including a family of 11 who want to get baptized! A lot of the kids aren't old enough yet, but they are great. Well, it's still hot here, but I'm getting used to it. I'm already more tan. Just my face though haha. well, sorry, but I am out o time. I'm glad you all had a great time in San Diego! it looked so fun! thanks for the pictures! Especially Nathan's picture! That's awesome! Well, I'll try to write more next week! See ya! -Elder Hatch