Letter #7, Representatives of Christ

Dear Everyone, 

Ok, look up Moses 6:61 and define what the record of Heaven is. Research it ponder it and then you'll know the importance of everything that happens in your life.

This week Hermano Hallsted gave a totally rad demonstration, where I was his companion and we didn't know what the crud he said, but the spirit was working through him. He's really helped me understand that people do absolutely nothing for the bettering of ourselves, in fact if man were teaching man, I'm positive it would be another apostacy (see also D&C 1:19 [totally mind blowing for me]).

Ok, getting personal....I was attacked...not like some sort of physical bombardment, but my thoughts were attacked by satan...hardcore. It was in the middle of a fireside while I was truly and in intently listening, and I all of the sudden could not keep focused on what was happening. I started praying and pleading for Heavenly Father to help me because I knew what I needed to be doing, but for whatever reason I was unable to do it. I kept pleading for a solid 6 or 7 minutes and the speaker said, "You are a representative of Christ." BOOM!!!!!! Instantly all negative thoughts were gone and I was greeted with the welcome feeling of the Holy Ghost. Why is this significant? BECAUSE WE ARE ALL REPRESENTATIVES OF CHRIST! If I understood this before I became a missionary, HOLY SMOKE! The things I would have done differently! When we're baptised we take the name of Jesus Christ upon us. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS!?!?!?! Because I didn't until I started having a better relationship with Christ. Every action, word, thought, you have, do, or think, should be to further the progress of the Church of Jesus Christ. Now...this does not mean you abandon who you are. I was sent to this earth to be Kendon Hatch, and right now I'm priveledged to be Elder Kendon Hatch. I will always be myself and you should to, but the lord gives us talents so that we can use them to better his work, use your talents, do not lock them away! Ok, I'm done ranting and raving. One more thing that consists of two things....that was confusing. First read the section about listening to the Holy ghost...I think it's chapter 10 in preach my gospel, changed the way I thought entirely. And second, I wrote something in my journal I want to share, "It's funny to think that we get lessons where people say we can do too much of one thing. Too much focus on the needs that you don't teach anything, too much focus on the lesson, not enough on their needs...etc. I am beginning to see more and more my need to rely solely on listening to the spirit and listening to what God would have me do, and do it." (Inspired by D&C 1:17-23?) We need to listen to what the spirit wants us to do and get out of the way! DO NOT STOP THE LORDS WORK BE PART OF IT (see also D&C 3:2-3)

Ok I'm ten minutes over. Thank you for reading, I hope this helps you. I testify that Christ lived, he was baptised to fulfill all righteousness, he suffered for us, he died for us, and was then resurrected for us and lives today. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Love you all,

Elder Kendon Hatch

Letter #6, Working toward true conversion

Dear Everyone,

Ok, I am so backed up on responses to letters. Sorry everyone I'm trying to get responses back! They may be lame and short, but please keep the letters coming, I love getting them! So Elder Bahoravitch had to go home for a shoulder surgery, so now we have Elder Adair in our companionship and we are now a trio. I guess he did need to go home. I have been continuing studying about meekness, and get this....Moses was said to be the most meek man on the earth. Crazy right! it's in Numbers. So I've been studying Moses and how God works through him so I could be a more meek person. DO YOUR ASSIGNMENTS PEOPLE! YOU READ THIS, YOU DO THOSE ASSIGNMENTS, NO OPTIONS! JK. But really.... Um.....So meekness, I've been getting much better at it. I've got so little free time now because I'm using more of my time to study. Which is good, I've been needing it. I usually don't get back to my residence until about 10:10ish and quiet time is 10:15 so I have to ready myself for bed like a mad man and then write in my journal. It seems I never had enough time to write in my journal earlier this week so I started carrying my journal with me constantly. Which by the way I completed my first Journal and as part of my study time I've been reading my past entries and seeing what things I have improved on what I could still improve on and what things I wrote down to study but never did. My next challenge to you all! READY? Carry something with you at all times to write things down on. It has done wonders for me. When I get back to the residency I feel so much more liberated from my worries that I carry throughout the day, because I can write things down as I think of them and not worry about remembering them later.

 

In class we have been talking a lot about conversion and being truly converted. Oh my goodness, it's been amazing! I've realized something, like none of the people I personally know are TRULY 100% converted. Sorry folks, you just aren't. If we were, we would do everything how like and when the spirit directs and no one I know does that, including myself. I've been reading so much about it and finding different examples in the scriptures. So ask yourselves am I truly converted? and if not, how can I become that way...given none of us will ever get to it right after studying it, it takes character building. Which brings me to my next topic.

 

Richard G. Scott gave a talk I forget what it's called, but look it up and listen to it several times. Study it. It's called something like "building faith and character." Not a hundred percent positive though. One of my favorite lines is "If you have determined to live righteously don't become discouraged....you are making better progress than you realize. Your struggles are defining character, discipline, and confidence in your Father in Heaven & Savior." He's so amazing. He talks about how people will perform miracles, but they would not stay converted to the gospel because they did not develop character. Study this and how we can build character, then ask the Lord to help you to build character. After I asked Him to help me build character, I had my first nightmare in years, literally about 7 or 8 years. In my dream satan appeared to me and tried to get me to commit sin, I ran away and he kept popping up in front of me trying to get me to commit terrible acts that were vile and completely horrible. I work up afraid and scared that he was going to appear before me in reality, so I prayed for forever until all my feelings of fear were gone. It was beyond intense, I know that my Heavenly Father answers my prayers regularly though.

 

Lastly....I think I had a super profound experience the other night. I had been asked to be an investigator for someone so I went and watched a short clip of who my character was. It was a lady(in this case they changed my name to Miller and had me be a man) who's name was Milna. She had three children. Her husband had just one day up and left taking all of her inheritance money and leaving her and the kids homeless. She then got addicted to drugs for 24 years before getting arrested and put in jail for 3 years more. She lost her kids, had no idea where they were and was lost and confused. She had just got out and was looking for a way to find more purpose in her life. But she had major depression problems and had lost the will to live. I had to be this person for the good of the missionaries teaching me I thought. So I put myself in her shoes and said a short prayer asking for help from my Heavenly Father. As this companionship was teaching me, one of the Elders was spewing information at me, Jesus did this, Jesus did that...was all I heard. I was feeling like he was ramming the religion down my throat. I didn't like it when he spoke. Then the other Elder said something that was sooooooooooo awesome and an answer to one of my many prayers. He said, "Jesus Christ is YOUR mediator to God." It hit me like a garbage truck on the highway! The difference between the two was one Elder was trying to teach a lesson, the other Elder was trying to teach me. That experience will forever change the way I coach wrestling, the way I talke to people about anything, or do anything. We are all individuals, that have needs! If we listen to the spirit, we can help other find their needs as well as have ours fulfilled.

 

Oh, and read the Book of Mormon daily. Not even joking. This above all other things I tell you is most important. DO IT!

 

Love you all,

Elder Hatch

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Letter #5, I know some are missing!

Hey Fam and friends,

So the computers are being a bit weird. I am doing fantastic. I forgot everything that I wanted to write about back in the residence room, everything I write to you all I write down previously to make sure I get you all everything. So there will more than likely be a hand written letter later this week for you all with my deeper thoughts. I just woke up from a 15 minute nap too so I'm a little groggy. Something I've noticed is my senses are dulled after I wake up and I have a hard time until I read my scriptures or read preach my gospel. I've spent the majority of this week pondering. And I don't know why you are worrying lady. I lived by myself for years, I'm pretty sure I've gathered a few skills since being out there. Such as eating properly. Don't worry, there isn't any sense in it. I'm doing what I should and the Lord is protecting me more now than ever before, plus I'm not as dumb as some of the missionaries I see around here doing stupid stuff. I feel like I'm not making any sense right now. But, know that I'm fine and will be. Emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

For what ever reason I can't get out what I'm thinking right now so I'm just going to write and whatever comes out comes out. I've been studying and pondering TONNS! More pondering than I have ever done before, which has been excellent! I've noticed my thoughts have been refined and purified and my focus is so much more effective. Elder Judd and I had an awesome companionship inventory this week. I had expressed a need for us to be more focused during study time (aka him) and he said I will not make it through a mission if we don't have tangents. I told him a tangent would be fine if it was stated and then no more than a few sentences later we were back on task. He freaked and said no I don't agree with that but whatever I'll do it. I stopped him and more clearly than ever the spirit said ask him why he's upset. He and I then spent the next 2 hours speaking about things and the wall that was wedged between us was broken completely down. The spirit guided me that entire conversation told me clearly what to say and when to listen. I testify that as long as we are willing to listen the Lord can guide EVERY action that we want to take. My teacher Hermano Hallsted is an excellent exampler when it comes to this.

I've also had an experience when teaching our investigator Freddy. I was in the lesson just finish up and getting ready to close when the spirit clearly stated you aren't done yet. So I waited. It was about a minute before I said anything, we sat there all in silence, my companion was looking at me like what are you doing? I then just opened my mouth and asked how is your family? he said good. I then asked how do they feel about you being baptized.....He waited....I don't know I haven't told them. I didn't know where to go but I knew the spirit had told me to keep going I just wasn't sure where so I asked more questions about his friends and said I knew that those weren't the questions I need to ask but I knew no where else to go so we closed. I felt so unresolved and the spirit was saying that there was more. What had happened was I was so anxious to follow the spirit I forgot to listen to it's guidance what should have happened was me asking why he hadn't told his family and what concerns he had there. Once I realized this I felt so resolved. But the lesson was over. So next time.

Each week we do something called TRC where we go in to peoples "houses" that are members and teach them. Elder Judd and I got a native speaker from chili whose name was Natalia and she was amazing! She knew no english whatsoever and our message she said was so profound and that we were going to be excellent missionaries. I had a fun time trying to understand her, her endings on words where dropping off before they were finished and her tongue kept swallowing the words as they came out but somehow and I know how I was able to understand her.

This week for your homework....I've been studying a ton on how the spirit works and specifically meekness. Go look it up and make sure you ponder on the verses that you will be looking up for it. They are powerful and will give you a better understanding of how to listen to the spirit, and what we need to do to be more meek then after pondering. PRAY! Always! I spend so much time on my knees it's crazy. I literally get complaints from elder Judd because I make us pray so dang much! Tell Judy HEY! I love you all and am glad you are my family and friends! We have to go do daily planning soon so I better bounce. If there is one thing I want each of you to do is go lay out on the grass look up at the stars and appreciate what our Heavenly Father has given us. Lay there for 10 minutes. Think of how apparent his works are around us and think of how me can more fully recognize them. Think of how the earth has a spirit, how the plants, animals, everything living and dead has a fantastic purpose in the plan that God has created for us. Then after a bit of thinking go find a private spot and pray! Ask Father if he is there if you don't know whether he is or isn't, ask him a question you have if you know he's there, and so long as you are willing to do WHATEVER action it is he is going to direct you to do HE WILL ANSWER! Our answers are based on our willingness to do our Heavenly Fathers will or our SINCERE DESIRE TO KNOW. I have received more answers in the past month than I have ever been able to recognize throughout the course of my life. I love my God! I love my work! I love the fact that I'm always tired because I'm striving so hard to be obedient to the will of my Father in Heaven. I love the imperfections that I get to polish in my life! They help me grow daily and most of all I love my savior! Not only because he suffered for me sins, not only because he is my brother, not only because he died for the salvation of those I love, but because He was perfect, and the perfect example that I get to attempt each day to mold my actions to. He makes me want to be better, HE LIVES TODAY! In the name of Him, Jesus Christ, AMEN.

Love Elder Hatch