And he's off...

Elder/Hermano Kendon Hatch reported to the Provo MTC August 8, 2012. He will be in the MTC until October 9, 2012, studying and learning the Spanish language. Kendon will then be reporting to the Columbia, South Carolina Mission. 

Want to learn more about where he will be for the next 2 years? Continue reading below.

South Carolina was the 8^th state in the USA; it became a state on May 23, 1788.


State Abbreviation - SC
State Capital - Columbia
Largest City - Columbia
Area - 32,007 square miles [South Carolina is the 40th biggest state in the USA]
Population - 4,012,012 (as of 2000) [South Carolina is the 26th most populous state in the USA]
Name for Residents - South Carolinians
Major Industries - farming (tobacco, soybeans), textiles, manufacturing chemicals, processed foods, machinery, electronics, paper products, tourism 

Presidential Birthplace - Andrew Jackson was born in Waxhaw on March 15, 1767 (he was the 7th US President, serving from 1829 to 1837). 

Major Rivers - Santee River, Edisto River, Savannah River
Highest Point - Sassafras Mountain - 3,560 feet (1,085 m) above sea level
Number of Counties - 46
Bordering States - Georgia, North Carolina
Bordering Body of Water - Atlantic Ocean 

Origin of the Name South Carolina - South Carolina was named to honor King Charles I (Carolus is Latin for Charles).
State Nickname - Palmetto State
State Motto - "Dum Spiro Spero" - While I breathe, I hope

The State Flag - 

The state flag of South Carolina was officially adopted in 1861. It has a white crescent and a white palmetto tree on a blue ground. The palmetto tree was chosen because this tree had helped South Carolinians defeat the British in a battle at Sullivan's Island (during the Revolutionary War). The South Carolinians built a fort out of palmetto wood, and when the British fired cannonballs at the fort, instead of knocking the fort down, the soft palmetto wood just absorbed the cannonballs.

State Bird - Carolina Wren

The Carolina Wren, sometimes referred to as the Great Carolina Wren, was adopted as the South Carolina state bird in 1948, replacing the Mockingbird. It can be found in a wide variety of habitats including fields, woodlands, and swamps.

State Tree - Sabal Palmetto

Young leaves of the Sabal palmetto (SAY-bul pal-MET-to) are also edible raw or cooked which leads to the most controversial edible of all, the heart of the palm, the inner core of the terminal bud. Taking it kills the tree, thus the controversy. It’s called swamp cabbage and millionaire’s cabbage though it doesn’t taste like cabbage at all. Raw it is similar to cattail stalks, read it is mild and crunchy, artichoke-ish. Cooked it tastes just like cooked asparagus

Some famous South Carolinians - include James Brown, Jesse Jackson, Vanna White, Chubby Checker, Melvin Purvis, Mary McLeod Bethune.

Pictures of some of the things Kendon may get to see - 

Hopefully he won't run into any of these!!! 

Kendon celebrated his birthday the day before reporting to the MTC. Check back soon for updates on his progress! He is going to be an amazing missionary!