2/11/2013

Family,

I have so many mixed feelings right now! 
looking back to the day i went into the mtc, it feels like it was such a short time ago, but when i go back and think about the individual experiences, i can't believe so many things happened and that i've learned so many things in just two years. It has been amazing. Honestly, i don't feel like it's ever going to end.. but people keep reminding me that it's almost over.. it's  basically all anyone talks about to me anymore. 
This sunday i gave a talk in church. Finally when i've got giving talks in spanish down and it's totally normal for me to talk in spanish, i have to start working back into english mode.. I feel like talking in English is going to be a struggle. On sunday i talked about the scripture in Luke when Christ tells Peter that he had prayed for him, that his faith wouldn't falter, and that when he was converted he could strengthen his brothers (it's something like that.. i'm trying to translate it into english) and i compared it to how the members have to have faith to participate in missionary work. a lot of times when we try to get references from them they tell us that nobody wants to hear the gospel and that they've already tried with everyone.. i spoke to them very directly about that. Then, i talked about the second part, about how we need to be converted to help others. I took a little part from Elder Bednar's talk from the october conference, which is amazing. It went great, and i felt so good. Sometimes when i give talks i feel weird after, like i didn't get my message across, but this time it got there. After sacrament meeting a lady came up to me crying and thanked me for helping her realized she's not converted and that she needs to make some serious changes (she was one of the people who had told us that nobody in her whole neighborhood wanted to listen to us... Victor and María are from her neighborhood.) I was surprised and kind of felt bad, but it was cool that she was humble enough to let the spirit help her change. It's so much easier to just  not listen, or think that the things don't apply to us. 
This weekend was nuts. We didn't really go out to work at all. 
Saturday was the offiicial start of carnavales. That day we went on a trip with the ward to a cool farm like an hour away. That day here in cajamarca people go out in crazy gangs and get drunk and paint people and houses and cars, throw rocks, etc. it's nuts. When we got back from our little trip it looked like a post-war zone. And today was the sweetest parade ever known to man. It started at ten in the morning and went until 7 at night! It's so cool. I can't even explain it. Imagine thousands and thousands of semi-drunk people throwing water balloons (seriously, everyone throwing water balloons) and an 8 hour long parade!! The water fights are so nuts that they shut off the power in the whole city so that the power lines don't fall and kill people! That's why i'm writing late today. We watched the action from the third floor of a house and were throwing tons of water balloons at drunk ladies sitting in the street.. And when the parade was almost over they came up to where we were and soaked us with pots full of water! I was so, so cold. 
But now it's back to work! One more week of the glory, then i get to move on to other things. I'm so excited to see mom and dad and go see Perú, it's going to be awesome. 
Thanks everyone for always supporting me, i love you so much! 
Elder Hatch

2/4/2013

Family!

This week was great. 

On thursday Victor and María were baptized and confirmed, because victor had to travel for work and wasn't sure if he could be there for church on sunday to be confirmed, so we just did it all at once. I baptized Victor and confirmed María, and elder Giraldo did the same but opposite. It was a very spiritual service and everything went perfectly. I'm so happy for them! And after all, Victor made it to church on sunday, and said his wife has changed a ton in these few days just since their baptism. What an amazing experience just at the end of my mission. 

We're also teaching another family that has been investigating for almost a year now.. We had a super powerful lesson with them last night, and the mom, who's the doubtful one, said we resolved a bunch of her doubts and felt something special telling her it was true. I made sure to explain to her that it was the spirit and that it's because God wants her to follow those promptings! A few more good lessons with them and they should accept a baptismal date. But there's not time for me to get to baptize them because they're going on vacation to Trujillo for a week :( 

Other than that, we're looking for new investigators. We have a lot of good investigators but they're never home, it's so frustrating! We had three days go by with only three lessons, it was terrible. But i'm just happy we could baptize Victor and María. 

Genaro and Sonia, the family we baptized a few weeks ago, fasted this week! And María already paid tithing this week! It's so amazing to see these people putting the tough principles in practice and progressing spiritually so quickly! Victor and María are travelling to Lima where their families live, and Victor´s parents are members, so they want to go to the temple together and do baptisms! We don't know if their paperwork will be able to be processed fast enough to get it all through, but that would be the best. 

Other than that, i'm just happy, loving life, and i can't believe that it's all going to be over in a few weeks. I feel like it's going to be a lot harder to go home than it was to leave on the mission. 

I love the gospel, and am so grateful to have had it in my life. I hope we can all truly appreciate it and apply Christ's sacrifice daily to help us become better people. We have to commit ourselves to change the things we know aren't right, and when we do it we can honestly feel His love for us. 

I love you!

Elder Hatch 

Here's the baptism!! I'm wearing the onesie that was supposed to be for Victor, but his shoulders were too wide to fit in, so he used my clothes and i used his.. i think it's a good look for me. :)