7/2/2012

Family, 

This week was very busy doing things other than working in my own area, but somehow God found ways to bless us with success in the very little time we had. One of the people Jhon gave us as a referral has a baptismal date now. Her name is Tatiana, she´s 16, and her parents are very involved in their Evangelical church. i don´t know why, but she just doesn't want anything to do with their church. But when we teach her she listens so intently and every time we invite her to read something she does it, and understands well too! Yesterday we went to visit her and i asked how her reading went. (i had assigned her Mosiah 3 and the second half of the restoration pamphlet) she said "i read and prayed and i know that the book of Mormon is true" That is my favorite sentence in the world to hear! In moments like that i never know what to say, i just feel so happy for them and get excited to work with them. We taught her about baptism and she accepted a baptismal date for the 28th of July. She really wants to join the church now that she has a testimony, the only problem will be her parents.. I hope they give her permission! 

Our other progressing investigator is Esther. She went to church on Sunday, is also reading her scriptures and praying, and has a baptismal date this Saturday. Her mom has been on vacation for a week though and gets back Tuesday, so she´ll need to talk it over well with her mom so we can get a solid permission from her. 

Wednesday we had a special meeting with president Risso for all the wards in chiclayo that haven´t had baptisms lately. My ward is number one on the list.. There were about 40 missionaries there. We talked about problems and possible solutions in the wards we´re working in. 

Friday, my stake put on a future missionary MTC in the stake center. About 30 future missionaries went. President amd Hermana Risso spoke, i was president Risso´s scribe when he talked, and Elder Santos and I did an example of how to do a contact in the street and teach a principle of the Gospel. That was fun, but we had to leave early to help the sister missionaries with a reactivation activity in their ward!

In the afternoon one of our areas, Picsi, had a baptism in our chapel, the stake center, and president Risso went to that too! (we were there helping set up) Then i had to go work with Elder McAllister while elder Santos sat in their room with Elder McAllister´s companion, Elder Maldonado, because he got surgery on his ingrown toenail and couldn´t walk for two days. 

Saturday the sister missionaries had a baptism, but their font wouldn´t fill up, so we had to have their baptism in our chapel again, and president Risso went to that baptismal service too! Basically every day this week i was with president Risso... life´s different being a zone leader. And in the afternoon it was my turn to sit in the room with Elder Maldonado while our companions worked. I took advantage of the situation and read half of Genesis.. I´ve read all the other scriptures, but never the old testament in its entirety. We´ll see how this attempt goes. 

That was my crazy week. I hope this next week we can have a little more peace! 

I love this work and love the Lord. I hope you have a great week. I love you! 

Elder Hatch 

ps, answers to mom´s questions..

we live with Elder Chub from Guatemala, and Elder Yagual from Ecuador. They´re super funny and crazy. Our house is an apartment with two rooms and a kitchen and an entry room. it´s pretty nice with tile floors. We cook breakfast and dinner, and have a pensionista for lunch. 

David Cusick is in the mission Chile Viña del Mar.

Here it´s cold at night! Elder Santos liked sleeping with the window open, and we both ended up with colds. Mine´s mostly passed but last night i woke up at 2 am and couldn´t stop coughing for about an hour. that was stinky!  But i bought some cough drops and i´m good now :)