Hey!!!
Good to hear about all the fun stuff you've been up to lately! I've decided that I probably won't recognize the house when I come home, but that's okay. That and Courtney confirmed that I am going to need some new clothes when I get back. That should be fun.
ANYWAYS - We had exchanges with the USC sisters this last week, and it was fun! I went there. We had a lesson that was part Chinese and part English. I kinda just sat there and waited for someone to say something that I actually understood. Unfortunately the guy we were teaching had been accessing a lot of anti-Mormon material on the internet, so he doesn't have a baptismal date anymore. It was pretty sad. But we still had a great exchange and that's what matters most!
I thoroughly enjoyed Zone Conference this last week. I am so thankful that we had the opportunity to be taught by the Spirit and by our awesome leaders. I had anticipated bearing my testimony, and was thankful that I was one of the first ones to go, because I would have been a little less put together by the end of it all. (All the missionaries who will be departing before the next zone conference share their testimonies. Zone conference is every other transfer; when we don't have zone conference, we have interviews with the Mission President). I really tried to give a strong testimony, not a "thankful-mony". That was something I remember hearing about recently that really hit me. I prayed beforehand to know what it was that Heavenly Father wanted me to say that would help the missionaries there. Hopefully something I said touched or helped someone. I just really enjoyed listening to those elders and sisters share what they know to be true. It is awesome to serve in this mission with such awesome people! I can't believe that was already my last zone conference. I think I definitely left things on a good note. I felt so empowered and could very much relate to the talk from Elder Holland during April General Conference. It was hard to go back to doing the things we normally do. I just wanted to feel good forever! But we don't learn unless we leave these experiences.
President Weidman made a comment that I was very thankful for. He said that he and Sister Weidman are 100% committed to the Lord and His work, and there is no quit and no give up in them. That helped me solidify the person that I want to be. I am working every single day to do whatever it is that Heavenly Father wants me to do, and be who He wants me to be. I am striving to be who He wants me to be. I know you all are too, and it makes me so thankful for the greatness that I am surrounded with. ;)
The rest of our week was rather uneventful. It sure warmed up the last few days of the week. I struggle with the heat. In AZ we have air conditioning, so it's not so bad. Here you just have to deal with it unless you are in the car. These coming weeks are going to be a big test for me. It is the last two months of my mission, and it is going to be HOT. But I am committed to going out to work and I am working on not complaining. That isn't too easy though, when you feel like you're melting. Tis a work in progress.
Last night was kinda rough. We had a special Mission Leadership Council conference call about some things that President feels we need to work on in our mission. We have been working really hard to find people to teach, have conversations, make everything productive, attend to our Sister Training Leader responsibilities, etc. Yesterday one of our appointments with a referral fell through and we didn't make up for any of the convos we missed during the week, so I was pretty frustrated. Then hearing about the mission projecting less than our goal and the MLC being down, all I heard was me or us or our area. It was frustrating to say the least. During the call I broke down and started to cry. All I could think was "what else can I do?" After the call I just cried some more and then talked a little bit with Sister Syu. I have just been struggling with not feeling like we are doing something wrong. We haven't had anyone come to church in several weeks, we haven't had anyone with a baptismal date, even though we have been trying to invite people in lessons and on the street. (We haven't followed up with Visitors' Center guy yet, so I'll keep you posted. As for everyone else, we have been struggling to contact people).
So yeah I guess that's my trial for now. Pushing through the frustration and continuing to be a consecrated missionary despite the setbacks or lack of progress that I feel is happening. I know there are prepared people in this area somewhere, and I am going to work as hard as I can to find them! And when I do, I'll go out and find some more! Last night was just a rather weak moment for me.
I am looking forward to going to the temple this week. I hear it is going to be closed for the duration of my last transfer, so it looks like this will be the last time I get to go as a missionary. It will be a nice way to recharge and prepare myself. I am so thankful for the temple in our mission!
I love you all very much and appreciate your prayers of love and support in my behalf. You are the best!!!
Sister Hatch
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