9.21.14 tasmanian happenings

To the people in America and whoever else,

This week has been the best one yet! I mean not as far as "numbers" go but wow it was the best. Wanna know whyyyyyyy???

HAYLEY AND JEROME WERE MARRIED AND BAPTIZED AND CONFIRMED AND HOLLA. Hayley and Jerome are the famous golden couple, they have been investigating for about 4ish months now, and I've been lucky enough to be here to teach them for a bit over 3 months of it. They have two beautiful boys called M (has the same bday as me) and R. They are so amazing and wonderful. We spent all week making preparations for the baptism which is SO much to do! We asked people to speak and sing and cleaned the chapel and made programs and cleaned the font and boiled water and all these crazy things.

Just a bit about this font we have in Launceston chapel. It takes 3 hours to fill up but only 1 hours worth of hot water...so about every baptism that has been there has been stone cold. Like fareeezing! And this was really special because it was Jerome and Hayley so we tried the best we could to get it warm for them, our ward mission leader came and rigged a gas heater to it and heated the water more so it wasn't that bad for them. I just wish they would get that fixed you know. Haha it just makes life harder.

So guess what? We sang at the baptism and guess what else? It was shocking. Shockingly terrible!! Hahahaha Sister S was dead set on singing for them and I refused at first and just decided to do it. Worst idea ever, but thats okay because it was for Rome and Hayley so oh well, haha. But the rest of the program was really good, the primary sang and RP gave a perfect talk on Christ, which we taught them just a week prior and she didn't know so it was perfect. And after they were baptized Jerome bore his testimony, it was the most beautiful testimony! His testimony of the Book of Mormon is unreal, he has really felt the change that comes from reading it every day and night. He says it speaks to him. I can't put in to words what Jerome and Hayley are like, they are just amazing and have so much to give, through their testimonies people will change as well. Ah they are awesome and were so happy to be baptized finally. 

They were planning to be married and baptized on the same day, one after the other, but we went over on Friday night for the baptismal interview and they said that they were going to be married that night! It was awesome, they got married by Bishop Rogers in the house they have raised their boys in, it was so good! They had this amazing cake too.....haha it was really special. They love each other so much.

Our week has been a dream! (apart from the crazy stress and everything) its been the best. Also because we started it off so well too. We got to hold WOMBATS and feed wallabies and pet tasmanian devils!

Brother TR and his wife P (from esk ward) took us and the elders to Truwana on Monday to see all the animals. We had the best time and took some pretty good pictures.

Just wanted to add something from my personal study of the Book of Mormon this week. Based in Alma 30, "..The Book of Mormon..fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies and doctrines of the devil in our day. God so moulded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat false educational, political, religious and philosophical concepts of our time. " Ezra Taft Benson. There are a lot of antichrists like Korihor in the world. They try to destroy the faith of the believers, they all go about it in about the same way as Korihor did as well. They ask probing questions that are meant to be answered with a full knowledge, not faith. But if we knew the answer to every question about every detail there would be no need for faith and no need to be here living and being tested in our faith, right? Korihor insisted on a strictly rational scientific approach to all problems, trying to steer the people away from "the silly traditions of their fathers" 

vs 31.

Alma used his most powerful weapon in response, the power of personal testimony!! That is sometimes all we can do, is testify of what we know to be true.

Another quote I found "..When a lie is told often enough, even the one who knowingly spread it may begin to believe it." Robert J Matthews. Its so easy to get caught up in the lies and things of the world, if we say it or do it enough it begins to be okay....noooo! Those contradictions to the church are Satans way of taking the faith from the believers, he acts as if he were God, telling us that his way is the right way and making us think that by turning from what we know deep down is right we will be happier, because its easier. Satan is on our side until we have nothing else and then he leaves us be (vs 60).

Kind of all over the place but just a bit from what I studied. I loved it! Basically all we need to do is have a testimony of the Book of Mormon, it's true. Joseph Smith and all the others would not have gone through what they did over a book full of paper and false words. They just wouldn't do that. I know its true! If you haven't, read it and ask if its true! You'll get an answer.

Shout out to the Woodwards for always making the best food and the best faces

Love you people, you are the best.

Sister Hatch

9.14.14 miracle mowbray!

This week has been full of miracles! Let me tell ya, the Lord is ready for the people of Luanie to hear the gospel. We went finding a lot this week as we didn't have many investigators, and we found so many amazing people! We mostly GQ'd (street contact) in Mowbray (miracle Mowbray) and found a lot of cool people that way. We met a Korean guy named Yoo. Haha its so funny because it gets confusing to say his name to people because they think you're saying "you" and its just confusing but he is good! He's been here for two weeks and is staying for 3 years and learning english. So did I say that we teach english classes! (never taught an english class in our livessss) So he was really keen and we met the next day and UTas (university in Mowbray). We called the elders to come with us to help a bit because they are chinese speaking and have to teach english sometimes and thought they could help. Well they got there a bit before and got in trouble with security! They kicked them off campus and said that if they come back they will call the police, uhhhh we felt so bad! Haha I guess its happened before to them but never like that, the poor guys have had such a hard week, they got in trouble at the mall too. Its an outdoor mail and they would go GQing there but city council said they can't anymore. It's so sad! Haha they are so good about it though, no complaining or anything. Something amazing must be around the corner for them.

So english class went well, Sister S is a genius at it and taught most of the english, I taught the GOSPEL. He is pretty good at english but explaining to someone that doesn't understand a lot is a challenge! It helped me teach simply though so it was good and he liked it. He is 21 and really easy going and I think that he will go far! We are excited. He also came to church! Best Sunday ever.

Late that day we went GQing and brought M with us. She is awesome and we love her! She is already preparing for a mission at 16 and she's good at it too. We love to take her with us. Well we were done and going to our tea date and before we got to the car we talked to two islander men. They were both keen to learn more and were familiar with missionaries. We asked them to come to church too and they came for all 3 hours!! It was so awesome, they were all participating in the class we teach as well. We were able to have 5 investigators at church which never happens! It was an amazing week.

Okay now the best part, J and H are being baptized on SATURDAY!! We are sooooo excited! They will be married at 3:00 at the gorge and then straight to the chapel to be baptized at 4. We printed beautiful invites for them and it took us 2.5 hours but we were happy with them. Those two are just amazing, they are so strong in their testimonies, if you didn't know better you would easily think they are already members. Ah they are so great!! I'll send a video of them soon.

Well I don't know what else to say other than God is great! Nothing happens without him, he is the leader of this work. We are just the instruments in His hands. I think thats what I've tried to focus on this week. Knowing that I don't have all the skills and abilities of more experienced missionaries but that I have the Lord on my side and he is going to help me! He is always there and will always put you in the right place at the right time saying the right thing, it's so true and the miracle of this work. As long as we are obedient God is bound, He always keeps his promises to help us. I know its true and I know that this gospel is true. It's all we need.

Have the best week ever, send me emails and letters because our mailbox is pretty empty! 

:(

Sending love from Tassie :)

Sister Hatch

9.7.14 platypus in the wild

Hey fam,

This week has been a great one! Monday we had district pday and were ably to spend it in Launceston with everybody. We had so much fun going to museums and to the park to see the monkeys. We also went to Airtime which is just a version of Jumpstreet, just not as cool! we had a lot of fun though, I loved it.

We planned a little bit of J and H's baptism and wedding stuff for the 20th. We are so stoked for them!! Have any ideas on how to make this baptism/wedding awesome?! Any song suggestions or anything would be great.

We started teaching a really solid lady named N this week. She was a referral from  little girl that we met on the street, miracle! Anyway we went around and talked to her about things and she was asking so many questions and insight that were profound! She is really keen to learn more and we are going back on Friday. We are soooo excited about her especially because our teaching pools so small these days, everybody has been baptized. So starting over is hard but we are off to a good start with her.

On Friday we got to visit the famous grandpa Jack Prebble (did you like his page on fb yet?). He is the greatest man alive! At least in Australia, he is so sweet and willing to serve everyone even though he's 88 years old. We did service for him. I cleaned his dirty kitchen and organized his cupboards and I don't think I have ever seen him so happy! He gave me a really cute necklace haha he's so sweet! he's a special one! 

And then we get to the best weekend of my mission! We got to go to Deloraine that night so we picked up the elders and drove in at 5:00. They had a choir fest there and asked us to be the ushers (all the missionaries in north Tas) and so we all went and listened to some good singing and I got to see all my favorite Deloraine people! I love seeing everyone. L was there too, I think I've mentioned her before. she is EG's friend from South Africa and is the most beautiful person. I love her! We all stayed in Deloraine that night because we had president interviews the next day in Deloraine and didn't want to drive. (we stayed at J's)

So there are elders in Del flat (where I used to live) and the Launie elders stayed with them, well ALL the elders stayed with them so there were 7 of them in one flat. Haha but that night we made a joke saying that me and Sister S were staying there with all of them. All the elders were going along with it to trick Elder D from the Philippines. We told him it was fine and that we got permission from the president and everything. You should have seen his face, it was hilarious. He avoided us the whole night. haha and we took the elders to the flat and acted like we were join in but obviously didn't. It was way fun, we love the elders in our district they are all so good! But it was soooo funny. Then we just went to J's and had a nice tea (at 10pm) and then the next day was interviews and stake conference.

We got up and looked at the phone and had a call out from President and Sister Maxwell saying that the area president over the pacific area said that elders and sisters can't ride in the same car together! What! That means that we can't drive them anywhere anymore and they have bikes so it causes so many problems. Haha dang it! Oh well they will have to figure it out. But we go to interviews, I'd had a few things on my mind for awhile and I was able to talk to president about all of it and he helped me so much. He showed so much love and assured me that it was okay. He gave me a blessing, that interview helped me so much. Something special he did this time was asked me to teach him (role play Mr Brown) the first principle. And that is a bit daunting but I did it and it was so spiritual and went really well. It was so cool! He loved it. I mean he really felt the spirit and loved the way I taught. It made me feel so much better! It's nerve racking thing ya know but it went well. I love President and Sister Maxwell. I know they are here at this time for a reason! I don't know what I would do without them.

We were at the chapel all day! So interview in the morning and then we were invited to the priesthood session of stake conference so we went. It was so weird! It was missionary oriented so that is why we went. It was good though, so that was at 3 and then we went on a walk when that was over and the coolest thing happened. I always hear about platypuses and people say that they are almost impossible to see in the wild. So we walked down to the Del river (my stomping ground!) and SAW A PLATYPUS IN THE WILD! What! It was so cool they actually exist! And then talked to this lady about the church for ages, she was so keen to learn more but her husband wasn't and wouldn't let us get a number. That was a bummer but her seed was planted! 

That night in stake conference President and Sister Maxwell spoke and did so well!!! They have a knack for speaking and bringing the spirit so strong, they are such inspiring people. Then we went back to J's for a sleep!

Sunday was the last session but it was in Devonport. We went and it was really good and then there was still 30 minutes left over! We all got nervous because we were sure he was going to all up all the missionaries to speak. Luckily he didn't but called up 5 random people to bare testimony and President Maxwell as well!! Haha it was crazy. The stake president,  President Walters is only 30! This was his first stake conference but he did well.

Then we went to lunch with some members and then with the Launie elders to Devonport beach! Wow it was beautiful. I love it there. Devonport is right on the coast and I have some killer pictures of it!! There was a cute lighthouse and so many starfish! We caught them and put them on our arms. Haha it was such a fun day! The best weekend ever!!!

The boat that takes people from Tas to the mainland and beautiful Deloraine

Well I know the church is true, wouldn't still be here if it wasn't and I love being on a mission, everyone needs to go. Thats all.

Sending love from Tas,

Sister Hatch

8.31.14 what week isn't good here in TASMANIA??

Hi!!!!!

This week as been a good one but what week isn't good here in TASMANIA??

We got to make a massive card/book for Sister Maxwell for her birthday. We had fun going to Sister C's to do that, she's the scrapbooking queen. Then Elder R and L came to fix our shower head that has been broken for the whole transfer! It just trickled but now we have a proper shower so its been nice. Our flat is pretty old and falling apart but it's home and we love it :)

Monday nights we have FHE at our ward mission leaders home, he's awesome! It's C and L W. They are really missionary minded and have helped us out so much. We have all the recent converts and others come to it every week and it's really good. Who is the WML at home?

Tuesday we went finding in Mowbray. We GQ-ed (street contact) so many awesome people and met a girl called N who is looking really promising. We need new investigators because all the others are getting baptized and we won't have anyone to teach! We always need more people to teach. But it's fun and we know people are being prepared for the gospel and we will find them! We also got to visit our amazing investigator H and do a bit of service for her. We love her and J her fiancé. :)

Tuesday we picked up the Deloraine Elders from the airport at 9:45 pm!! Then we had to drive them in to Deloraine (hour drive) so we just stayed the night at J's which I was completely fine with. The bed was so comfy, I haven't had such a good sleep my whole mission. And we woke up and got amazing omelets!! Love her, we get to go to Del about 5 times this week for stake conference and all that jazz. And president interviews on Saturday too, I'm excited.

So its the end of the month and every missionary runs out of money by this time and thats what happened to us. We have no money! Haha that means no food or fun. We luckily have the best ward ever and get fed every night and some lunch but we were at tea and complaining about no food, joking, and we went to a baptism and didn't think anything of it, but the next day the family called us (T family) and said they had groceries for us!! We get taken care of by the Lord through his awesome members. We are blessed, we were so happy and couldn't believe it. That has happened so many times since I've been out, it just shows the tender mercies of the Lord every single day.

Thursday Elder R (district leader) was supposed to be getting a golden (new missionary) to train and he never came! I guess they wouldn't let him leave the MTC because he couldn't speak English, poor guy is with the Burnie elders for the transfer and doesn't get to train as of now, but he also took his GPS back that we have been using but luckily I have a lovely mission mom (Sis B) who sent down a different GPS with the Del elders. Her name is Stacey!! haha

Friday was so good! We visited an 88 yr old man called Grandpa Jack! (on FB he has a page called snr jack prebble) look it up and like it!! He is the sweetest man ever and a convert. Most of the people here are converts, its really cool. But he goes to all 6 hours of church every Sunday and serves everyone, he even gave us a huge tin of Milo and milk and all these things. He is always serving people. And we went to see him and he told us his conversion story and the spirit was so sweet and strong in him. I had tears in my eyes the entire time. I just love him so much! I will take a picture with him this week and send it, he is our grandpa here :)

And have I told you about my obsession with the new peanut butter tim tams??? because its real and its bad. I LOVE them so I tell Sis S to not let me buy them because I am actually addicted. I have a tim tam slam. Where you bite two opposite corners of the tim tam and suck up hot Milo through it, then the tim tam melts and gets soft and is probably the best thing on the earth no lie! Thats probably all that will be in my suitcase when I come home.

Sunday was so great too, we got to enjoy the beauty of Tas. Spring is coming, actually today is the first day of spring. The roses are out and so many bright colors everywhere and its all contrasted with the huge green fields. Its beautiful here!! I love it@! I'll send some pictures of it when I get some!

Also Just a weird Aussie thing, the locks on their doors are locked with a key from the inside and the out. It's so weird!! They have to unlock the door with a key to get OUT. I don't know but I think its pretty dangerous, I mean whatever Australia. :)

Thats my bit for the week, I hope everything is good at home. Jealous of the cabin you guys, I miss it there! I love the pictures and the emails and everything you guys are THE BEST! I tell everyone.

Love you heaps :) Tell everyone to send eamils and write to me bc...I need mail :)

Love from Tas

Sister Hatch