Letter #46- DOG WEEK!

July 22nd, 2013

Dear Everyone,

DOG WEEK! It's happened. Two attacks in one week and one completely unscathed servant of God. The first one, firstly my companion is deathly afraid of dogs. There was a really nice dog that was wagging it's tail and it really excited to see us. I even put my hand down to it inside the fence to see if it was nice and it didn't try to lunge at me or bite me or nothing. So I figured I was fine to head inside the gate. My companion opted out and said I'll wait by the gate while you knock. I get inside the gate, close it behind me take the steps and the dog circles down around me and goes straight for my ankle, wraps it's mouth around my ankle, but by the protection of the Lord was not able to latch on. So natural wrestling instinct I sprawl and shove it's face in the ground, it yelps and jumps back and comes at me again. I fist up and plant my fist on the top of it's head and ram it into the cement sidewalk. Once again it yelps and jumps back, but then comes at me again and I place the Book of Mormon and the restoration movie case to keep it from biting me and it chomps down on that, and puts a good size whole that of course stopped in 2nd Nephi in the Book of Mormon. Needless to say the persistance of the dog to try to bite me drove me back to the fence and out of the yard. I looked over to a nearby house and the whole time 4 men were watching me as this battle went on. It was pretty funny. And I was blessed to get away without a single scratch, just some sore knuckles. But my business isn't finished there...There are Hispanics in that house and I plan on going back and out witting this dog and knocking on that door.

Next dog experience was yesterday (Sunday) I was walking away from having talked to a door when me and my companion spot a fairly good sized dog coming down the street to us. My companion instantly says, "unlock the car please!" and starts running for the car. The dog then starts running towards me, so I start yelling at the dog and stomping towards it and it stops barks at me and runs a big circle around. Needless to say I have been blessed to be safe this week.

This last week I wasn't able to spend much time in my own area. I went on three exchanges, Myrtle Beach, Sumter, and Goose Creek. I got to see the Aguilar family, who I taught and who ended up getting baptized, and are preparing for the temple in May of next year, YES! I also got to see the Johnsons and Larry Fitzgerald, wierd combination....But it was great there. I also got to go through the same trailor park that Myrtle Manor is shot at (Hit MTV TV show) The elders there have a few recent converts and formers that live right next to the set.

Luis is a guy we have been working with for a while now. He loves the church, he loves the scriptures and he knows that it's all true. The only thing is that he has an alcohol and smoking addiction. When I first met Luis, he was drinking about 8-10 bottles of beer a day...A lot over the weeks we have working on dropping it down last week he only drank about 2-3 a day and he has now commited to only drink 1 a day, so if you all could pray for him that would be great! He is a fantastic person, just has some wounds.

The thing I learned and loved this last week was my personal studies. I am finally to the point in Spanish where I can read a whole chapter without looking anything up and it has been amazing the difference of the spirit that there has been. I have been more in tune and more capable of speaking Spanish to people. There are so many more spiritual gifts than I think we realize at times. I know that if we each go to the Lord and ask Him to show us our strengths He will do so. (See President Eyrings talk from October Priesthood conference for more detailed inspiration.) You may recieve a few trials because of this but, I promise you that you will come out the victor. I love you all I don't have much more to say this week. Oh....Elder Taylor is getting transfered, so I'm getting a new companion, that means I'll have a new companion every transfer in this area. Love you all.

Love,

Elder Hatch