6/20/2011

This week has been a week unlike any other of my mission so far. Elder Orcohuaranga was finishing up his mission and did so very well. We had pretty good numbers, even though for the last few days we were mainly saying bye to his converts, etc. It was really cool to see how much the people remember the missionaries who brought them the Gospel. One family orco baptized just went to the temple a few months ago, and it was so so awesome to see how happy they were! I can't wait to have people i've baptized go through the temple. So, this morning we woke up at 3:30 AM so we could make it to the bus agency before 5 when orco's bus left to piura. He'll spend the day there today then tonight he'll be home before 10. We exchanged ties and stuff, it was a cool last day together and he was an awesome trainer. I'll definitely miss him and wish i could still ask him for advice during this next transfer.
 
So, today i'm with the zone leaders waiting out the change that will happen tomorrow. We found out this morning at like 11 all the transfer info. dun dun dun... I'm staying in my same area of Campodónico, and my new companion is elder Insurralde (i think) from Paruguay! but my companion only has one transfer in the mission, and we´re a co-companionship. But since it's my area and i have more time than him, etc. my zone leaders told me it's basically like i'm senior companion. I was absolutely scared when i found out. I was just sitting there meditating on what in the world i was going to do and what i did to deserve such a radical change for like an hour. Then i went to pray and read the book of mormon for about ten seconds before i found the answer to all my doubts and it put to rest all my nerves. I read in 1 Nephi chapter 9, and the last two verses of the chapter gave me such amazing peace, i can't explain it. I know so strongly that the Book of Mormon is true. Every time i read it it gives me in some way exactly what i need. My testimony has also been strengthened exponentially by seeing other people recieve their personal testimony of it. It amazes me how much people are willing to change when they feel the spirit whispering to them that it's true. This next transfer is 9 weeks, because there's an extra three weeks for the new mission president to get settled in kind of, so my new companion and i will have a little extra time to see what the Lord can do through us with so little experience. President Chipman even wrote me an email and told me that missionaries with so little experience are almost never put together like this, but told me  to trust in the Lord and that we would see His hand in the work. I'm really excited to see what will come out of these next few months. I have faith that we'll be able to have some baptisms, but i feel like there are going to be some serious challenges too. I'm so excited!
Thanks so much for all the prayers and support, I can feel the extra help i'm receiving. Please keep it coming in these next few weeks, as i'm sure they'll be a tough transition!
 
Mom and Dad, i'm sure you're having a blast in Europe, and I can't wait to see photos and hear all about it!
Love you,
Elder Hatch
 
The first photo is of elder orco and i with Yaruska on the right, who we baptized a few weeks ago, and her little sister Katia on the left. She's the last member of her family who still isn't baptized, we'll try to fix that! :)
The other photo is taken from the window of our zone leaders' apartment, but it's basically what all the streets in my area look like too. All of chiclayo is identical!