Hello family,
May the 4th be with you too! Hahahaha! That's pretty funny. I am glad that at least you all got some rain. I don't know if they do things about the drought in AZ that they do here. It is kinda ridiculous. And so I am especially aware when my companions leave the water running when the brush their teeth, wash their face, etc. It is a serious problem here though, and plenty of people are complaining about the government and all that jazz too. I've never heard all that before have I??
Today is May 4th, 3 months since I went to the MTC. I think about how it still feels like I got here yesterday sometimes, and how it also feels like I have been here for a long time. 3 months are gone, and with it means I finish my 12 week training! YAY! I am so thankful for the blessings I have received so far as a missionary, and hope to continue serving well so that I can receive all the other blessings Heavenly Father has waiting for me.
Our investigators are doing alright. None of them except Thomas are really keeping commitments. He is still waiting on Victoria to take care of her divorce papers so that he can be baptized. We started teaching Richard and Regina, I don't know if I've mentioned them or not. We taught them the first 3 lessons, and then something happened and we haven't been able to go back. They are going through some sort of something right now and we have the solution, but they don't recognize that, and that makes it hard. We had our first lesson with a referral named Dimitri yesterday and committed him to be baptized at the end of May, so hopefully that works out. It was our first lesson and it went well. He is wanting more Jesus in his life, and looking for a better relationship with him and God too. He claims to be very open to what we have to share which is a good thing. We have another lesson with him on Wednesday.
It has been hard lately for our area. We are supposed to fight for our investigators and all that, but they aren't doing those things that we know will help them. Sometimes their past history/actions make it hard to have deep faith and high expectations, but I am working on it. Josephine has expressed an interest in going to Santa Monica for a lesson like the one she cancelled, but it makes me hesitate because she won't say for sure that she will go. SOOO we are just trying to fight for the investigators we do have and also find new ones. That has also been a bit of a challenge lately, but we have some different things to try and hopefully they work out.
It has been hard lately for our area. We are supposed to fight for our investigators and all that, but they aren't doing those things that we know will help them. Sometimes their past history/actions make it hard to have deep faith and high expectations, but I am working on it. Josephine has expressed an interest in going to Santa Monica for a lesson like the one she cancelled, but it makes me hesitate because she won't say for sure that she will go. SOOO we are just trying to fight for the investigators we do have and also find new ones. That has also been a bit of a challenge lately, but we have some different things to try and hopefully they work out.
I do love the ward members here though. The Jessops have a son who comes home from his mission to Paraguay on Friday, and that's neat. Another missionary came hope a couple of weeks ago. She was only here for like 48 hours before she left for school at BYU-H. That would be crazy. I am excited to come back and see these people after my mission and hopefully bring you to meet them all. They take great care of me and I love them. It is a ward that has its share of struggles (like getting a new bishop in a couple of weeks, after this one has been bishop for 6 months or so) but it is full of good people.
I think that's all for now. I am thankful for you fasting for me yesterday, I fasted for my family too. I love you all very much and hope you are doing well. I look forward to seeing you all via FaceTime on Sunday, and hope you are excited too! Things for Sister Hatch are looking up, for which I have to thank my sweet parents and family. You are wonderful and I hope you do what you know is right, because it really is what helps!
Love, Sister Lauren Hatch :)
