Hello from Sunny--I mean Stormy Suburbia!

It's Crazy, Crazy, Crazy! but in a good way:) - except for the rain today..

Just finishing out the week so it's been fun. My companion, Sister Dicky, and I are opening up a new area so it's been a fun ride:) I guess not technically opening an area but before us, was an Elder's area so we're not familiar with the area in any way.

We are covering 5 wards with between 150-300 members each so it's a pretty member dense area in 2 square miles. Everyone is a member, was a member or their parent/spouse was a member so basically they all have a pretty good knowledge of the church. The elders before us, Elder Mayer (only been out three months now) and Elder H....I don't know how to spell his name, worked mostly with the members. Teaching them the lessons and such so I feel that is was we will be doing a lot, as well. We also are going to try and recontact some part member families (PMF) that we think might respond better to sisters than elders (no offense to those elders out there but- we can get into some doors you can't).

Our district is the Paramount Ward with us and then Elder Welch and Elder Mayer. Mayer was the one who covered our area before us (we live in the same room as the elders when they live in our area.. it smells like boy in our room. Not stinky boy smell but more like-- Axe i guess you could say.. or knowing Elder Mayer it's some expensive version of it). Then we have 3 districts in our zone. Oh! I get to see Elder Usevitch in our district meetings since he is companions with our zone leader. It's nice to see a familiar face now and then.

Getting to know everyone that we can is hard enough but then we also have to know the name of the streets. I miss the grid system of Utah.. But the area is gorgeous here! We drove down one street (I believe it was Cagney) and we were looking around for a camera! Seriously! Perfectly manicured lawns, trees lining the streets, people walking their dogs and the sun setting very colorfully behind it. All I can say is if I were ever to live in a subdivision (which I probably won't) this would be the place. Perfect Suburbia. (We figured there was a reason that this area is named Paramount)

We hope to really have it pick up with the members and investigators in the area. It has been a long couple of days. When I think about it, it doesn't feel that long but my companion and I both fell a sleep during our studies this morning.. and slept for close to an hour. We're exhausted and it's only the first week. We figured that it is probably because of the fact we are trying to get everything down now since we are both new in the area. 8 hours of sleep is totally not enough time to sleep when you work each day as hard as we do. Our third day out here was really discouraging but It's starting to pick up a bit. We do have one new investigator that really reminds me of Jaime Hansen so I thought that was really fun. Also, we're trying to do a switch up on an Eternalgator family (Eternal Investigator). They have been reading the BofM a lot with the Elders but don't want to take that last step. We're hoping to get them to it. We met with a PMF for a few minutes but hoping to get back to them this week. Those are really the only families we've been meeting with. Mostly members here so it's still really good.

P-day was today and it was.. Interesting.. I saw Sister Haas for the first time in a week so that got me excited! And.. as you all know very well.. I SUCK at sports. Like.. yeah we'll not go into how bad I am.. We played ultimate Frisbee today and I basically just walked up and down the field. I didn't really get the Frisbee that much until Elder Jones and  Sister Edstrom took pity on me and told everyone to throw it to me.. It was pretty sad.. they meant well but yeah.. don't need to point out how bad I am! haha So I went and sat by Sister Allen after I made the "play of the game". A.K.A. when they all made a perfectly straight path for the Frisbee to come to me then off to some one else.. it's soooo pathetic I know.. but volleyball next week so hopefully it will be better.. probably not.. but at least I know how to play the game this time haha but I'm still pretty bad.. Funny story, I was talking to Elder.. Tinkle I think his name is.. anyways He asked my name and I said "Kelc...er Sister Hatch.." Everyone laughed haha... Well.. it's a missionary thing if you all aren't laughing right now.. It's hard to switch. That is actually the first time I have said, or almost said, my name from my past life. Crazy.. Oh, I learned Sister Dickey's name is Chelsy so were were like, ya know, meant to be together:)

Anyways, write you all again next week!

Love, Sister Hatch:)

Still Alive!!!

So.. yeah:) I'm still alive! Sorry I couldn't pick up the phone if you did call the airport. I got put on the first direct flight thankfully! (I was able to sit by Sister Haas. Seriously, we think we were just meant to be together) I was going to try and call from the Boise Airport since we were going to wait for the second direct flight but the Mission President was there when we arrived so I didn't get the chance. But I'm here in Boise:)

When I first arrived, they threw all the bags in a trailer and since most of us weren't there, they took us out to Cafe Rio (usually they have pizza but.. not everyone was there). Then off to the Mission Office to find out who our temporary companion would be. I was paired up with Sister Tonuu (Ton-oo-oo haha) loved her! She was from Samoa and had been out for a year. We went out tracting as soon as we were paired up! Crazy! No break but they said they rarely went tracting it was just a fun experience. Then we had dinner and another meeting before packing an overnight bag to sleep at a member's home.

Next day, we arrived at eight for breakfast and to start training and around one we were paired up with our trainers! And my trainer is..... *drum roll*... Sister Dicky! Love her:) She is from Ohio Kirtland Area and I believe eighth in her family out of 15 kids.. yeah 15! Kinda fun haha but she is great:) went straight to work after. Not really, actually.. She was new to the area that we are serving in. Oh yeah, you don't know where I'm serving! Well... at the moment we are in the Paramount Stake in.... Meridian, Idaho! Still Idaho Boise Mission! Told you I would still be here;) It's great! But anyways, she is new to the area as well so we're both learning but it's only about 1X2miles so really small but 5 wards. We met with 2 Ward Mission Leaders (WML) yesterday and stopped by some members homes but really going to start working today after I'm done with this e-mail.

Oh another funny story. One of the A.P.s (Elder Jones) is from Richfield. He is from Dad's ward, actually. Elder Jones says he remembers me coming to the ward some years ago haha connections are really great:) but he played against Gunnison in Soccer before he graduated in 2010 and was friends with several of them.

But everything is going really great so far:) Overwelmed but Sister Dicky is great. Really lucky I got her and yeah.. Still in the Boise Mission even though that doesn't change for most until the first. Hopefully meeting our Mission Presidents either this weekend or next. The new president is actually related to our current mission president so it's kinda sorta really funny:)

Anyways, I'll e-mail you all again on Monday! Hope everything is still going good and stuff.. OH! One more thing. So you know when I was in Washington how we got to drive that brand new Camero that only had like 72 miles on it? That is like the car we are driving now. Not a Camero (Chevy Cruze) but still brand new:) It is really nice and I really like it haha but I'll write again on Monday!

Love, Sister Hatch:)

If you want to know where I'm serving, the streets within the area are Ustick, Meridian, Ten Mile and Cherry Lane I believe. It's the suburb area. One street in the middle of our area is Bell Tower. I love Meridian and if I wanted to live in the Suburbs (which I really don't), this would be the place. It's beautiful!

Love you!!

T'was the Night Before (Monday June 17)

Looks like I do get to e-mail you again:)

Anyways, just doing a last load of laundry before I head out to Boise! So excited I cannot wait. We have to be at the travel office at 4:30 but before that we have to eat, dress and pack all of our things out of our room.. talk about a lot to do waaaay to early in the morning! But I am so excited:) I really want to send.. oh! One of my instructors sent us all a picture and I will forward it to you. Brother Fuller was one of our teachers that we said today. Sister Knowlten was the other and she taught us the 14th Article of Faith: We believe in spiritual Karate and round house kicking Satan in the face! we love her! I will send more pictures hopefully when I get to Boise and get access to a computer that is not on a deadbolt... 

I cannot wait to talk to you all tomorrow! Just the thought of it makes me sooo excited! We land in Portland at 9:22/10:22 so be ready around then. Only if our plane isn't delayed because that would just not be good.

I really can tell you that I now feel like a missionary! My companion, Sister Haas, and I had a really cool experience this week that I so want to share but I'll do it when I get home in a few months because I can't express how great it feels. I hope that I can feel like that again sometime soon and I will because that is my purpose here. I cannot wait!

Oh! I have a song that I want Macady to sing for me:) either just cuz she can or for my homecoming. You choose. I don't know what it is called but an Elder sang it last night and it just melted my heart. I believe it's called "I Know" and some of the words are (in random order. left my journal in my room sooo.. yeah) -I know and he knows I'd give my life for it. I cannot deny it. The world may hate me The truth of it sets me free I want the world to know what I know. Something like that.

 Cade- I want you to learn this! Please, King Julian?? haha oh loved how you signed that letter btws..

I'm trying to think what else you might want to know.. Everything is really good... I wish I had my journal but left it back in my room. It had a list of things I wanted to tell you but I guess you'll just have to wait;) it's okay haha

ahhhh... the smell of laundry..

I really can't believe I'm leaving my district peeps for possibly the rest of my mission.. I guess it's okay since half of them are attending BYU but still. It won't be the same. I feel I have always had real good luck when I'm starting out things. This first year of college, I had the best roommates that I could possibly ask for! Now, I have the best (and most likely the best singing and loudest) district at the MTC. Speaking of singing, so last week I sang in sacrament with sisters from our zone and then this week our district sang since it was our last week. I cannot tell you, and I don't mean to brag but, we were good haha really good. In our sacraments, there are about 36 so not very big (and 11 of us sang) but there was not a dry eye.. It was cool.. need to stop saying that word.. but I can't think of a different way to say it. The spirit was so strong in that small room and I was just so grateful to be apart of it.

But I gotta get going so I'll talk to you tomorrow:)

Love you all!

Sister Hatch

Okay.. few more minutes I guess:) Sorry you're not rid of me yet;)

There is only one thing I'm upset about right now.. We are missing a world wide broad cast that will be coming from here on Sunday. Well, I'll still get to watch it but I wish I would be here.. It's the first presidency so sorta a BIG deal around here. A historic event of sorts. Although, we have been apart of many of those these past few weeks. My group was the largest they have received ever in one day: 947 missionaries. Apart of the largest Relief society they have ever had: 1297. And I was there when the first gathering of all the missionaries in the MTC gathered from Main and West campus at the Marriot Center last Tuesday (as some of you already know). There have been a lot more first this past week but those are the main:) It's been quite a ride! 

And I realized in my past letter I never said what I wanted you to send. I did really love the candy but it's going to last a loooong time. Shared most of it with everybody but it's still going to last. I need to know how much is on my card. If you could just send me an update everyweek I would love that. I'm not going to spend it if I don't have to but I will need to buy some things in Boise when I arrive. I bought most of it here because the book store is 40% off! Love it! I bought a cheap set of scriptures because the more and more I taught with investigators I realized my scribbles on the side confused them.. So I just bought a soft back set. I would like those earasable highlighters. Also, I think I left my face wash there. Um.. I don't know.. I wrote it all down but back in my room. Maybe I'll tell you tomorrow. I do need another pair of jeans. We aren't supposed to wear super skinny jeans while on the mission..

But I'll talk to you guys tomorrow:0

Love you!

The Life and Times of a Professional Missionary Kickboxer

Hey mom and everyone else!

Thanks for the letters! I've sent you a couple but need to wait to send more because I can't buy more stamps until tomorrow night but I've sent you 2 or three and have a few here that I've written that I can send. It's been crazy but done a little bit of writing every night so yeah.. :)

Today is P-Day for us actually and in the field is on Mondays. First thing is first.. I get to call you A week from today! We fly out of SLC to Portland then on to Boise. I think I will call you from the Portland airport which we get there around 9:22 am there so 10 something our time I believe... You figure it out haha but Yeah.. can't wait. I won't have much time so make sure everyone is there please! I will most likely have under an hour to talk to everyone. Can you make sure dad is there, too?

Anyways, on to your questions. Most of them are in the letters I've written but I'll tell you here to. My companion is one of the girls I did meet with:) Sister (Tessa) Haas and let me just tell you it was hard adjusting to calling everyone sister for a couple days but getting easier now. Oh just so you know.. I am now a PROFESSIONAL MISSIONARY KICKBOXER!!!!! haha It's legit I know;) they have classes here every morning at 6 and on Friday's it's kickboxing! that was our first and last time waking up early.. Mostly because we don't eat until 8:45 so we're up 3 hours before we eat.. food isn't that great here either.. like it's good but not as good as it is at home. And you have to be careful because there is soooo much that you can eat.. and you do.. Thank goodness I have Sister Haas and Sister Dodds (another sister in our mission with us) because those two are sooo health oriented its crazy! Like, our family is healthy and active but these two are just crazy! Freakin beasts.. I can't keep up with them even! (although that's not saying much..) any ways there were 12 in our district when we first arrived but we had one elder leave because of some health issues not worthiness but we pray for him every night as a district. He should come back soon.

Umm.. I'm trying to think what else you all might want to know. Oh.. This might be my last e-mail for about two weeks. I hope not but P-day in the the field is Mon and here is on Tues but we leave Tues morning so missing both but hoping they will give it to us Monday night to let you guys know whats up:) But can't wait co call you all! Which reminds me I need go pick up a calling card.. and there might be a drop on my card credit because I guess we have to pay for baggage but I don't know what is going on with that.. Don't get worried though with that. We get reimbursed.

So I guess I'll start at the beginning of my adventure here. I have about 15 minutes left until I have to go check my laundry.. Oh the joys of living away from home! JK I have to do laundry there to!

But we arrived and my Host took me to 1M (main building. don't ask me what the 'm' means. All the buildings are #M) and she took all of my bags, not sure how since she was so tiny and my bags are heavy, and I walked in alone down a really long hallway (My host is going to the same place as Chelsea Gubeli). About halfway down the hallway was a room that you walk into, give them your name and they gave me a small yellow envelope. I then waited in a line for a teach to be open where they can help you and show how to put on your tag and ask the basics of "have you been endowed," "have you been set apart" and many other questions that get asked a lot during a MTC stay. then heading to talk to another teacher who directs you to another line to get your agenda for the first day and a map. Following the line I walked an orientation room and it went from there.

I would write more but Want to tell you about my district a bit. So my companion is Sister Haas. With sisters we also have Sister Thomas and Sister Dodds (I'm friends with her on FB) and Sister Bailey (met her for lunch) and Sister Aamodt. Elders are Elder Thompsen, Elder Neilsen and Elder Shreeve and then Elder Boswell and Elder Usevitch. Usevitch reminds me of Ty. Reeeeaaaly tall and skinny, eats a lot but doesn't show it, plays basketball and just reminds me of him. He's also from El Paso so thought that was pretty neat. (Ahh 2 min!) Um.. um.. um.. Oh! we have the best district because we all sing.. like ALL the time. One time our teacher didn't show up for one of the orientations so we just sat and sang:) One of the teachers walked by and was very impressed since, according to her, most just leave. but yeah.. best district ever!

I might send you another e-mail in a bit but I am such a slow typer. this has been half an hour and now laundry!

Talk to you guys in a week!

Love you!

 

Sister Hatch:)

Last one..

So I didn't plan on writing again but I couldn't help it.. Only I was going to leave you with this big, inspirational, eloquent goodbye that would leave everyone speechless.. But you get this instead:)
 Love you all! And.. Yeah haha hope to hear from you!

-SISTER HATCH:)

It's The Final Countdown! (The song is now playing in your head . You're welcome!)

Really the countdown began on day 136 but who is really counting..

Soo haven't updated this thing in over a week and boy has it been a hectic one. From posting nearly 100 flags on veterans graves to having THE most epic ice cream fight the world will ever see to going to Youth Conference again after they said goodbye to you and you won't becoming back ever again.. but then you do:)                                 (Haha! showed them!)

I have love this last week and that is thanks to some very important people. I'm holding off writing about my amazing family because I know that I won't be able to keep it together even if I am just typing it. Sorry guys! Anyways, I had a fourtune cookie a few months back and I've held on to the fourtune that was inside since I opened it.

If you can't read it (I can't. The quality on my phone isn't the greatest) it says "Soon someone new in your life will become a very good friend." I'm not a superstitious person but it has turned out in so many ways. It hasn't been one person but a couple. Namely Jakolbe, Amber, Jake, Chaise and too many others to name! Thank you guys so much! You all have been amazing and I'm glad I had you for this last month before my mission. You all are more than I could have asked for:)

Now on to more important things.. this very well could be the last time I am writing to you all as "(Almost) Sister Hatch" as I have on my last few posts. I am getting set apart today (it is today right? Past midnight so yeah haha) in approximately 17 hours.. ah! From 136 days to just 17 hours and it feels like I just opened my call. I am having doubts about my preparedness for this mission BUT I know that it's just that horrible meany Satan trying to bring me down. And you know what they say. "When someone is trying to bring you down it just means that you are above them," and I truly believe that! I've been attacked by him for a while. The first time was probably 2 weeks before I recieved my call. I just felt so low. I went out on a walk (at night. For those of you that really know me, it's my worst fear but I did it for who knows why) and read my scriptures but I couldn't get over that feeling. The next day I felt a little better but still not the greatest until I went to Institute and my teacher went off on a tangent to the Book of Moses about the fact Satan does have incredible power.. But we have MORE. It was the answer to my prayer! I love this church and believe in it so much! This is when I realized that I need to go. I want to bring this feeling of pure joy that I felt to those searching for something more. We sometimes don't realize how good we have it and the gift we have. I really cannot wait (and don't have to much longer) for my chance to share the gospel that I love and know to be true.

Okay, that's my missionary plug-slash-tangent:) so hope you guys keep in contact with me at least a little bit while I'm out. I might need a little help for everyone so I don't go completely crazy.. my MTC address will be on my contact page of this blog as well as an e-mail address if you want to send me your mailing address.

It's sure to be an adventure! And now for the last time..

- (Almost) Sister Hatch