Life at the MTC

Hi mom! Thanks for the email! 

Turns out my p-day is on Mondays, so that will be nice to have some continuity with that. Next Monday will be interesting though, because my flight to LA is at 8:30 in the morning (I have to be at the travel office at 4:30am AAHHHHHH!) So really I will only be here for a grand total of 11 days, with 1 p-day in the MTC, and one temple trip too. Hopefully I will be able to email when I get to the mission home. And do laundry and take a nap. :)

I am glad you guys made it home okay. Dad said that you get a new wind shield because of a rock. That's fun. Reed is going to have a blast with the ACT ;) haha I hated that test. 

I did okay my first day at the MTC. I cried for a while but then was almost too busy to cry. We had a huge meeting with all of the new missionaries that day and we sang Army of Helaman with some of the words changed. I cried. I had a hard time the first day and part of the second day. Then something happened and I was alright. Still missing normal life, but quickly adjusting to the craziness of the MTC and learning to go with it. My companion is Sister Charlesworth from Draper Utah. She and everyone else in my district are going to the Chesapeke mission in VA. There are 9 missionaries in my district. There are only 2 sisters going to LA next week, and I am pretty sure that the other sister is the one from Hawaii speaking Mandarin. My companion has type 1 diabetes, so she taught me how to check her blood and what to do in case of an emergency. She is nice, but I am still getting used to the having someone with me all the time thing. We are in a little shoe box of a room for quite a while, as we have personal study and class and daily planning in our classroom. We have 2 teachers: Sister Draney and Brother Craw. We did have Brother Cowdin, but his wife had her gall bladder out and it has caused some serious issues for her, like weighing only 75 lbs. Yikes! I like it, but breaks are definitely a must. 

President Thomas S. Monson's nephew, Brother Monson is a substitute counselor in our branch presidency. He reminds me a lot of his uncle. There are 2 districts in our zone, and that's it for our branch too. We won't get a new district this coming week either. That will be kinda weird since we have the other district also. The elders from the other district are going to Phoenix, and 2 sisters are going to Cleveland, and I forgot where the other 2 are going. 

I saw Shania on my first day, and also a bunch of people from Hawaii too. I saw Andrew on Thursday and that was cool. He seems to be doing well. 

On Saturday (I think) one of the elders from the other district ran away. They got here a week before us. It really showed me just how much you are pushed and challenged as a missionary. Its sad, but don't worry, I won't run away. Ain't nobody got time for that. 

I feel like I am starting to recognize the Spirit more, which is good. I still find that I don't have much patience with myself and I still struggle. We were able to teach Jesse (one of our teachers pretending to be an investigator from his mission) and it went really well. It was so cool! His name is Brother Craw, and I have to say he is pretty handsome, even though I am a sister missionary now and not looking at people like that ;) Anyways, teaching him was really cool and made me super excited to get to LA and get to work. I know its going to be hard and there will be people who say no, but I hope that as I lose myself going about the Lord's work, I will be able to find myself better than I was before. So keep praying for me and sending me letters and emails and all that :)

I have noticed that I think about how long the time until 15 August 2016 (the date my ministerial licence expires) seems to be. I really try not to think about it, but when I do, it seems like forever. I am hoping that as I get to the field and get going, I won't think about it and also won't notice the time or days passing. I know its going to be great, but as you know, sometimes I am not so patient. hahaha

I don't know what else to say... just be prepared for next August, because then you will get an ear full!!!!! My mission has been crazy already and I haven't even left the MTC yet. As I get going, I will have more to share, but until next time I think that's it! I sure do love and miss you guys, and hope that everything is going well for all of you. Keep praying for me and sending me scriptures and letters. Next week is going to be exciting and hopefully I get to LA without any problems. 

Love, 

Sister Lauren Hatch

This is my district on our temple walk yesterday (Sunday). From left Elders Alexander and Lelenoa, Sisters Hanks, Young, Hatch, Charlesworth (my companion). Back Elders Reed, Jensen, and Johnsen.