Letter #18- Guatita

December 17, 2012

Dear Everyone,

Hello hello! South Carolina is wet and warm this winter. I've been working crazy hard at trying to help people this week. We have three little kids that we are teaching that are 8 10 and 13 and they are going to be baptized on the 29th. They are solid little ninios that we have been blessed to be able to know and they are loving the gospel and soakin every little bit of it up. There mom is a less active that we happened upon after asking a member for a friend they think might need the gospel. They have been active ever since we went over there to speak to them.

Funny story this week, well, more like wierd/cool. I ate an ecuadorian plate called "guatita." Basically it is the inside stomach lining of a cow. The second I smelt it the memories of every old dirty barn and rodeo I've ever been to flooded my mind; because guatita smells exactly like that. And even worse, it taste the same as it smells. A member made it for us and we were eating with some senior missionaries who one is from ecuador and she said she wouldn't ever make that dish because it's gross. I got half way through the plate when I decided I wouldn't have any more. I actually wanted to vomit....But then I looked at everyone elses plates and they were empty! I said "NO! I am not going to be the only gringo in here!" I grabbed a lime and squezzed the lime juice all over the dish and then got shot in the eye in the process while spraying sister Benedict(the sister missionary from ecuador) who was right next to me. Then I grabbed a napkin dabbed my eye and went and grabbed some more fried plantaens and sat down and polished off the rest of the plate! They all clapped for me as I finished....And I would eat it again if it were given to me, but I could never make that stuff in my life.

We have several investigators that are Brazillian so I've been learning Portugese as I go here as well as spanish and it gets confusing at times. I feel like a 4 year old. I also have to give the lesson for the elders quorum on the 6th of January. I know I'm going to need some divine intervention on that one. Life's just been going well. Christmas coming up everyone seems to be to busy to listen to us, but it will be fine, I know that we'll be provided a way by our Heavenly Father. I've been reading a lot out of this last conferences Ensign, and it's way cool! I learned so much more from rereading all the talks again than I did when I listened to it.

This week I want to extend a challenge to have each of you bear your testimony to either a less active family in your area or a non member family in your area. I know it'll feel wierd and I know it might be uncomfortable. But you have a greater purpose than being a slave to the man as they say. More purpose than work, school, friends, and hobbies. You are all missionaries. The things you have done and will do have more effect on people than you know. I am just starting to see that as I get letters from you all. I did everything when I was younger because I was taught it was right and now 10-20 years later I'm reaping the benefits of it. I pray for each of you regularily. When ever I feel inspired to say a prayer for you I do it. I've even felt inspired to do things that are completely crazy and don't have any logic behind them, but I know that good will come of them so I do it.

I love you all,

Elder Hatch

Letter #17- On the Lord's Errand

Well, Everyone!

 

This week has been awesome! I've been really working hard and getting myself focused on the work and just having a blast! This week I'll start out with a funny story. I went on exchanges with Elder Hanson (our zone leader, way cool guy, totally solid missionary) and we were in a lesson with a family that has a non member dad, but we planned to stop by for referrals and just share something short. What happened was, they invited us in, the dad had just got back from some car show where he got a ton of free stuff. So he starts setting it up. (Dad isn't a member and doesn't really want to work on becoming one.) Mom is sitting there getting ready to listen to us and the 9 year old daughter as well, 2 year old son is running around on the ground, having a blast. We say a prayer. The spirit starts settling in and mom asks if we want some juice or water. We say, juice is great just to accept something so that we could start. She then asks do you want a sandwich too? We say no, juice is great! she asks if we are sure about twice and then we continue to start the lesson. She then looks at me and asks what size are your shoes?.....12 I said and I slightly chuckle. She looks at Elder Hanson, what size are your shoes, 9 or 10 depending on the shoe make. She then begins crawling over and around this table looking for something. I start laughing because it's something you don't see every day! Then she finds these way suave way not missionary slip on dress shoes and gives them to him. He says thanks and we continue to start the lesson. She then asks if we want yogurt with fruit and granola. We say no and then continue to start the lesson. Right then the son comes running across the floor wrapped in beads for the Christmas tree and a PlayStation controller wrapped on his leg and biffs it hard on the floor. At this point I'm just laughing hysterically and crying. The mom is looking at me like I'm crazy, Elder Hanson is trying not to laugh and the little girl is laughing at me because I'm laughing so hard. It was just a really funny experience, trying to get that lesson started took about 15 minutes.

 

But any way on a more serious note this week we had 8 people come to church. I felt like the whole time I was running around with my head cut off. Trying to get six kids to their classes and then show the adults where their classes were. But then all the sudden! Bam! Members start fellowshipping the crud out of them and just talking up a storm, taking them to class and being way awesome. As should all members! Out of these people that came one was a less active woman with 3 kids. 2 of these kids have agreed to be baptized on the 29th of this month and one is still not to sure. Mom is wanting to come back to activity completely and is way excited to be going to church again. I read the other day one of my blessings is that I would be able help people realize their purpose here on this earth and that God loves them enough that he sent Christ here to pay for their sins. Elder Zurita and I are known by our district for helping people become reactivated. We have been blessed to help several people find their way back to the church. And if I accomplish nothing more than helping people find their way back to activity I will feel more than accomplished in my purpose as a missionary.

 

I know what I am doing has greater importance than I understand right now. And I know that if people truly understood the restoration there would be no person leaving this church. Because I know that Christ church is restored by Joseph Smith. And that I carry that same priesthood power that Christ holds, because of it. I know that The prophet Thomas S. Monson is called of God. My challenge for each of you is to watch the movie On the Lords Errand on LDS.org and then pray to know individually if he is Gods called prophet today. I know he will answer you and I know your testimony will be strengthened from in. Keep working hard and trying to further the Lords work. I love you all!

 

Elder Kendon Hatch

Letter #16- Unprofitable Servants

December 3, 2012

Hey everyone (unprofitable servants),

 

This week has been a way cool week! My personal studies have been crazy awesome and they have really helped me have the spirit with me this week. Elder Zurita and I are trying to branch out and see more and more areas. Seeing as our area is about 5 times the average size of an English mission here we have been blessed with a car. Any way, we went and tried an area we had never been to, called Moncks Corner. We found some very cool places to look for people to teach. The most exciting thing is though we went to a place called fairgrounds and it's just a trailer park, a little run down, but not bad. We started at the 2nd to last trailer (The last trailer is a less active man we saw later that day) and knocked. No answer, next place, "Somos catolico," next one, this guy answers and for whatever reason the spirit directed to simply just ask if we come in, so I told him my name, he said his was Hector and then I asked if we could come in and talk to him for a bit. He said, "Claro que si (Of Course)" and just lets us in....weird.... is all I thought. We started talking to him and then opened with a prayer taught him the Restoration lesson and then asked him to pray. At the end of the prayer, we had invited him to be baptized. He said that he would and that he felt something unexplainable right then. We explained it was the spirit, taught him about the importance of church attendance, and then left. We then continued knocking down the line and door after door let us talk to them after that or had set up an appointment with us for next week! We were so excited!

 

Then we had scheduled to come back on Saturday. We show up to the less actives house, because he had agreed to come to the appointments with us. He came and we started at Hectors, knocked 4 times and no answer. Called him and he said he forgot and was apologizing and wanted to reschedule for Tuesday. Went to our next appointment. Knocked 3 times. Nothing. The same thing on every appointment we scheduled....Why am I telling you this and why did I put "unprofitable servants" at the heading? Well in Luke 7:7-10 it talks about being an unprofitable servant. 

 

"7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? 8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? 9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? 10 I trow not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do."

 

That saturday, I felt so inadequate like I was doing things wrong and that I wasn't fulfilling my purpose as a missionary. But why? These were things that were entirely out of my control. I have no power over their agency. Why was this making me feel discouraged. So I turned to the scriptures I read in Mosiah 2:21 and it sparked my interest on what an unprofitable servant was. It wasn't until I read in Luke that I understood, I have done my duty. Even though there is not a reward immediately. I know that I did what I could to help these people be ready for Saturday. And it reminded me of a quote by President Monson "Do your duty that is best, leave unto the Lord the rest." I know that God has purpose for me out here even when I am not teaching a lesson that I scheduled. Or even when I am not doing any good directly for a person. I'm running out of time. But know that each of you have a purpose. Regardless of your feelings of inadequacy. D & C 121:7

 

Love you all,

Elder Hatch