The Work Begins

February 23, 2015

Hi Mom! And the rest of the family too I guess.

I did get to do some laundry at the mission home, thanks to Sister Weidman. She helped me get my laundry started and then let me take a nap for about 20 minutes before I went to do my first street contacting. She is awesome. I went with sisters Ordaz and Pinto to contact in the neighborhood south of and on Sunset Boulevard! It was kind of scary at first, but then I got more comfortable as the time went on. That neighborhood is one with the gated houses and security cameras, and no one really wants to talk about religion. Oh well, their loss. After that, we went back to the mission home and had dinner with President and Sister Weidman and the APs and a senior couple who work in the office. We had a brief orientation after dinner. Once that was all done, I went with some sisters to the Visitors' Center for about an hour. That night I thought I would stay with a member, but instead stayed at the patron apartments behind the temple with a couple of sisters who serve in the visitors center. On Tuesday morning, we got up (I didn't exercise because I thought I was staying with a member) and then got ready and walked to the mission home to meet Sister Bielamowich (SP? who is the sister and husband we ate with the night before) so that she could take me to the transfer meeting. At the transfer meeting I met my trainer, Sister Scott, and then we had a brief meeting with the 3 of us new missionaries, me and 2 elders, one from the Mexico MTC. After that we headed out!

I am serving in the Harbor 1st ward area. Harbor City and San Pedro are in the boundaries. I don't think we are allowed to cross the bridge Dad mentioned in the Palos Verdes zone, but that is our zone. I have been to the projects/ghetto and that's interesting to say the least. I stick out like a REALLY sore thumb, but the people here are super nice. I won't be going hungry any time soon... in fact probably the opposite! Oh well. I have heard that in some areas the members don't feed you as much, so I'll enjoy it while it lasts.  Our mission is small enough that we can see the HOLLYWOOD sign from our area, which is almost as far south as it gets. Crazy.

Yesterday we had a lesson with a little Filipino woman named Josephine and she accepted the invitation to be baptized! We don't yet have a date for her, but that's okay. We visit less active and part member families and they are great. We are hoping to get Anton to get baptized too. His wife and kids are LDS, but his hang up is Joseph Smith/ Modern day prophets. Hopefully we get to work with him more and get that taken care of.

The mail is delivered on Thursdays or Fridays, so when you send anything, make sure it will get here by then if its urgent. I don't know how well I will be at writing letters, but I will get to them when I can. I love getting real letters though, so please keep that in mind and send them. I didn't get any last week, which was hard, but I think that is due to the transition from MTC to mission field. I need a lot of prayers and support right now, even though I know I have a lot anyway.

I am not sure what else to say. There is a lot to tell you, but too much for the time allotted. I am still getting into the schedule of things as a missionary in the field as opposed to the MTC. I jinxed myself when I gave my district a hard time about going to So-Cal warm weather. It rained yesterday and gets fairly cold once the sun starts to go down. But besides that the weather is pretty nice. I have made sure to use my sunscreen, and hopefully I don't get too white while I'm here. :)

I love you guys a bunch. I hope that you keep doing what you know is right and keep loving and supporting the missionaries. I have used the scripture you wrote on my cookies letter, Mosiah 4:9 a bunch and I really like it. I think I want my mission plaque scripture to be 2 Nephi 31:20, as it applies to missionary work and the missionary purpose. Things are slowly getting better, for which I am thankful, and I can't believe its going to be March already next week. Happy Birthday Ashleigh!

I hope you are doing well and enjoying being a missionary family. Have a great week and don't forget to pray!

Love, 

Sister Lauren Hatch