Yah so what a week!
Wow good times. A lot of progress, and a lot of steps backwards, hahaha but we are working hard and that’s what matters. Let me explain this week through people:
1. Sebastiana and Wilber, so last week we got a baptism date with them and this week they dont want to anymore, i have never been so sad. Hahaha they have faith, they believe, they sometimes go to church. But they can’t committ. I walked out of that house and cried the whole way home, I felt pretty dumb for tearing up in the lesson, but i was reminded of an elder holland quote,"this is eternal life at stake!!!" My comp patted me on the back as we trudged home and he said,"bienvenidos a la mission”.
2. Paula. Why cant we all be like Paula. Paula rules. She passed her baptism interview, she comes to every activity with a smile on, she started her personal progress. She is the strongest branch member and she isnt baptized. I’m a big Paula fan. She brought someone to church, a friend named Melissa. I asked Paula how she knows melissa, turns out melissa was someone she met yesterday. Paula is a better missionary than me. What an example!!! We had not taught the word of wisdom yet, and her mom asked us in a lesson,”it's normal to drink, why are Mormons like that??"... Paula turns to her mom,"no its not, our bodies our temples"... BOOOOOOOOMMM. LET’S FREAKING GO!!! Paula was my first person i ever talked to in my whole entire mission, and now she is getting baptized. So happy.
3. Eduardo. Miracles man. Miracles. Eduardo is the coolest 12 year old kid. We have taught him 3 lessons. after the 2nd lesson we gave him a Book of Mormon. We came back to find out that he had read all the way to 1 Nephi Chapter 15. He gave me a perfect account of the tree of life, and Lehi had 4 kids, and Jerusalem was about to get flushed, etc. and he even made tabs for his book of mormon. What a cool kid. He wears this sick Nike jacket, I’m totally jealous.
This work is sad, happy, fun, boring, hard, all of the above, but I love it and I’m having a great time doing it. It’s so awesome to share a message about our brother Jesus Christ, and the more we appreciate the gift of the Atonement, the more we will want to share it. Good times, not much more. no great jokes but a lot of great miracles this week. Peace out!
Much love,
Elder Hatfield
Monday, September 19, 2016
Monday, September 12, 2016
Week 7... Two Months Already?!
Wow 2 months marks today. Crazy. I better start writing my homecoming talk. Hahaha but seriously where has the time gone. Good times.
Last week I pulled a total Dad. Our room was a mess and it was driving me crazy, so i just started chucking crap on the floor, and throwing it away. My comp was confused, but when it was finished he was happy.
Peru rules. You never see them getting in wars or having world problems. It’s just a good peaceful time, and there is always a parade or a party in the streets of Mission Cusco. Totally heard Its Tricky and Crazy In Love while walking in the street. oh man it took me back, I was holding back dance moves.
Taught my first English class, good times. We learned how to say I want, and I like. I’m basically a pro teacher.
The best joke of Peru is, "Do you participate in any religion.?" ..."No , I am catholic."?????? What? I get that answer about 3 times a day, so funny.
9/11 yesterday, didnt even realize til I went to write in my journal. Missions are weird like that.
We have 4 investigators with a baptism date!!! WOOHHHOOOO. It is so rad, one in particular is pretty awesome. It is the husband and wife, Sebastiana and Wilber. My comp told me they have been saying they want to learn more, and won’t be baptized till at least 2020. Well, we went in teaching the plan of salvation, and I just had so much faith, i was not gonna settle, and I knew the Lord would provide a way for them to say yes finally. So I ask him to be baptized, he says his usual 2020, and then all of a sudden I start quoting some Thomas S Monson quote I read that morning about how you haven’t learned everything of the church until you enter the temple. My study was inspired that morning by the Lord. And next thing you know. Wilber says, YES. Faith is so real. If you wanna see miracles, you will, just be obedient and allign your will with Gods.
Yesterday everything fell through but I read Helamen 10:5. I wanna finish this mission exhausted and tired. My companion wanted to rap it up, and honestly we could’ve, cuz there was nothing to do. But I made him read that scripture, and I dragged him out. Cuz whatever, if we dont have success, at least we know we went hard.
This week we taught honor thy father and mother to an investigator. She started crying because her parents weren’t great to her as a child. We asked her to thank them anyways this week and she would feel better. Well my parents and friends and teachers and leaders weren’t even mean to me, so I would be a hypocrite not to say something. I truely am grateful for examples that taught me the gospel, and prepared me for the mission. This is not braggin of myself because I’m thanking people, but seriously i have felt prepared and ready for this whole mission thing, and its cuz i had so many great peeps in my life.
Anyways Good times in Ilave Peru, Love it here. One last thing, We are all children of God. That has stuck with me hard this week. If we could all just look at a random person, and the first thing we see is a child of God, imagine how great the world would be. Seriously it would be great times. 4 Nephi is the only `peaceful part of the scriptures and it is because there are no "ites". MJ said it best in “It Don’t Matter if Your Black or White. Hahaha we are all children of God and that is just soo cool.
Elder Hatfield
Last week I pulled a total Dad. Our room was a mess and it was driving me crazy, so i just started chucking crap on the floor, and throwing it away. My comp was confused, but when it was finished he was happy.
Peru rules. You never see them getting in wars or having world problems. It’s just a good peaceful time, and there is always a parade or a party in the streets of Mission Cusco. Totally heard Its Tricky and Crazy In Love while walking in the street. oh man it took me back, I was holding back dance moves.
Taught my first English class, good times. We learned how to say I want, and I like. I’m basically a pro teacher.
The best joke of Peru is, "Do you participate in any religion.?" ..."No , I am catholic."?????? What? I get that answer about 3 times a day, so funny.
9/11 yesterday, didnt even realize til I went to write in my journal. Missions are weird like that.
We have 4 investigators with a baptism date!!! WOOHHHOOOO. It is so rad, one in particular is pretty awesome. It is the husband and wife, Sebastiana and Wilber. My comp told me they have been saying they want to learn more, and won’t be baptized till at least 2020. Well, we went in teaching the plan of salvation, and I just had so much faith, i was not gonna settle, and I knew the Lord would provide a way for them to say yes finally. So I ask him to be baptized, he says his usual 2020, and then all of a sudden I start quoting some Thomas S Monson quote I read that morning about how you haven’t learned everything of the church until you enter the temple. My study was inspired that morning by the Lord. And next thing you know. Wilber says, YES. Faith is so real. If you wanna see miracles, you will, just be obedient and allign your will with Gods.
Yesterday everything fell through but I read Helamen 10:5. I wanna finish this mission exhausted and tired. My companion wanted to rap it up, and honestly we could’ve, cuz there was nothing to do. But I made him read that scripture, and I dragged him out. Cuz whatever, if we dont have success, at least we know we went hard.
This week we taught honor thy father and mother to an investigator. She started crying because her parents weren’t great to her as a child. We asked her to thank them anyways this week and she would feel better. Well my parents and friends and teachers and leaders weren’t even mean to me, so I would be a hypocrite not to say something. I truely am grateful for examples that taught me the gospel, and prepared me for the mission. This is not braggin of myself because I’m thanking people, but seriously i have felt prepared and ready for this whole mission thing, and its cuz i had so many great peeps in my life.
Anyways Good times in Ilave Peru, Love it here. One last thing, We are all children of God. That has stuck with me hard this week. If we could all just look at a random person, and the first thing we see is a child of God, imagine how great the world would be. Seriously it would be great times. 4 Nephi is the only `peaceful part of the scriptures and it is because there are no "ites". MJ said it best in “It Don’t Matter if Your Black or White. Hahaha we are all children of God and that is just soo cool.
Elder Hatfield
Monday, September 5, 2016
Week 6 What did you gain from the mission... A SKIN INFECTION???
Hello people!
Last week I had a district meeting, and everything went well, (with the 4 of us in our district). All of a sudden this kid, that is being trained, like me, starts packing his bags. What?????? I didn’t think he was being serious, so I was cracking jokes. Turns out it wasn’t a joke. I told him that no duh the mission is hard, but we gotta make it through the next couple of weeks. Anyways I bet him 100 soles he stays. Turns out after an interview with president he is staying. Good roast. I’m the only white English guy of the four of us
Me and Elder Aguilar wrote on our white board Forget yourself and go to work. He wrote above yourself, the name of his girlfriend, and I wrote Lucy, cuz Lucy is always on my mind.
Speaking of Lucy, we taught this awesome recently converted family a lesson, and before we started, this little girl was totally dancing to shake it off, she was 6. Can you say lucy??? Good times. I totally jammed with her.
People are totally placed in front of our path by God. My very first contact in the mission, Paula, has gone to church twice already, and we haven’t even taught her a full lesson yet. So impressive. Also Solidad, a nice lady, literally said, I have been looking for religion. who says that?? idk, but it is not coincidence that we found her.
I had a bible bash. This lady was being so laaaame. I even proved her wrong. Eventually I cut her off and said no more, I know this is true, take it or leave it. There is a reason I am in peru with nice people. I probably would kill someone if i was in the US. I about punched a whole in the wall with that conversation.
Something cool I found in 3 Nephi. In the last days there are gonna be tons of peeps who try and claim to know Jesus, and Jesus will be like, Who are you? We can’t be on that Christ bandwagon. It may not be a number one seed now, but how great is it gonna be to finally have our 16 seed win the championship. I’m taking this cinderella story all the way.
Last but not least. So my face and body are scabby as ever. So gross. We met with the doctor in Puno. and he says uh you probably have some skin infection. How in the heck. What the heck. Anyways we have another appointment later today. We shall seee. But the skin infection is totally worth it, because when we were in the big city for my appointment, we found a grocery store that was like the US. and guess what? I found DEW. I FOUND ME SOME DEW: Skin infections are totally worth it for some dew. hahahah jk, but my companion was probably so confused. Who is this gringo, that is infected, and now he is freaking out over some soda I never heard of.
Good times. I love you all. Things are looking up. I see Gods hand in my life everyday. Sometimes life is the hard, and honestly there is nothing you can do about it. But you just gotta see the light at the end of the tunnel, because you’re never gonna be permantently sad. much love. Elder Hat
Last week I had a district meeting, and everything went well, (with the 4 of us in our district). All of a sudden this kid, that is being trained, like me, starts packing his bags. What?????? I didn’t think he was being serious, so I was cracking jokes. Turns out it wasn’t a joke. I told him that no duh the mission is hard, but we gotta make it through the next couple of weeks. Anyways I bet him 100 soles he stays. Turns out after an interview with president he is staying. Good roast. I’m the only white English guy of the four of us
Me and Elder Aguilar wrote on our white board Forget yourself and go to work. He wrote above yourself, the name of his girlfriend, and I wrote Lucy, cuz Lucy is always on my mind.
Speaking of Lucy, we taught this awesome recently converted family a lesson, and before we started, this little girl was totally dancing to shake it off, she was 6. Can you say lucy??? Good times. I totally jammed with her.
People are totally placed in front of our path by God. My very first contact in the mission, Paula, has gone to church twice already, and we haven’t even taught her a full lesson yet. So impressive. Also Solidad, a nice lady, literally said, I have been looking for religion. who says that?? idk, but it is not coincidence that we found her.
I had a bible bash. This lady was being so laaaame. I even proved her wrong. Eventually I cut her off and said no more, I know this is true, take it or leave it. There is a reason I am in peru with nice people. I probably would kill someone if i was in the US. I about punched a whole in the wall with that conversation.
Something cool I found in 3 Nephi. In the last days there are gonna be tons of peeps who try and claim to know Jesus, and Jesus will be like, Who are you? We can’t be on that Christ bandwagon. It may not be a number one seed now, but how great is it gonna be to finally have our 16 seed win the championship. I’m taking this cinderella story all the way.
Last but not least. So my face and body are scabby as ever. So gross. We met with the doctor in Puno. and he says uh you probably have some skin infection. How in the heck. What the heck. Anyways we have another appointment later today. We shall seee. But the skin infection is totally worth it, because when we were in the big city for my appointment, we found a grocery store that was like the US. and guess what? I found DEW. I FOUND ME SOME DEW: Skin infections are totally worth it for some dew. hahahah jk, but my companion was probably so confused. Who is this gringo, that is infected, and now he is freaking out over some soda I never heard of.
Good times. I love you all. Things are looking up. I see Gods hand in my life everyday. Sometimes life is the hard, and honestly there is nothing you can do about it. But you just gotta see the light at the end of the tunnel, because you’re never gonna be permantently sad. much love. Elder Hat
Cusco or Bust! Week 6
Good times in Peru, I am learning a lot and staying busy. You guys should honestly help the missionaries out in Mesa and invite them over. Cuz honestly nothing is worst then being bored as a missionary. When you are bored you have time to think about how much the mission kind of stinks. But when you are busy and losing yourself in the work and chatting it up with people its a good time and you forget how sad you are.
Finished my time at the MTC, some sad goodbyes to our hermanas, the presidents, and my awesome teachers. I honestly loved the mtc so much, wouldnt give that up for nothing. Anyways we left to cusco and let me tell you the plane ride was beautiful, insane mountains. I'll send pics. We arrived and everyone is just feeling sick with bad headaches hahahaha. We had lunch at presidents misssion home and I chated it up with his cute little daughters about princesses in Spanish. They both love Belle and Sleeping beauty. Spent the night in a hotel with Ruekert and Austin, and then we got trained the next day. At the end of the night we got our companions. Elder Aguilar is mine. Next 12 weeks with him. Cool guy from Lima. Spent that night in the mission office appartment with like 30 elders crashing on the floor. We were talking with the white guys and one of them didnt know what the whip nae nae was. I was shocked. hahahhaha thats how long he had been out. I was like, DUDE its the whip nae nae its totally basic and lame now. hahaha.
Anyways next me and Elder Aguilar left to my first area, Ilave, Puno. It's good times here. We got on a tour bus with a bunch of british people for 8 hours. There was a dvd player so we put on the Restoration. All the British people were so flost and they got a kick out of the love story between Emma and Joseph. Great roast on them. Got to Ilave and met our Pensionista, and old sassy grandma but so funny. I dont really know what she is saying, in fact I don't really know what anyone says. I spend alot of time in my own thoughts. Somehow I thought my Spanish turns on during lessons. Teaching by the spirit is a real thing. One night we met a recent convert family, the Lupacas, they were so sweet to me. We went around doing a toast, everyone drinks from the same glass, weird. And I taught them how to say cheers. Then they asked me about Obama, Iraq, Hilary and Trump. It was interesting trying to explain in Spanish. Los dos opsiones son malas. hahahha. Everyone is fascinated by gringos, they all wanna know about the US, and they all wanna learn english.
Anyways, I had a great Sunday, found out one of our contacts, Paula, actually went to church, and was very interested. There are no coincidences, I know paula will be baptized. Anyways while we were in church, I was so lost, understanding nothing, when all of a sudden this white older couple missionary pulled me out. She didnt know Spanish very well, and needed me to help do family history work. I was able to get this old Peruvian couples information, and now they can do ordinances for their own parents, such a sweet moment. I have never really appreciated family history before cuz ours is so Mormon, but what a great oppurtunity for this couple. Finished the night with a first visit with someone we contacted. her name was Flora. we just got to know her views on religion, and asked her to be baptized. She said yes. I kid you not if you wanted you could get all of Peru baptized, the problem is activitiy and commiting to the church. Good times. Loving it here, it stinks al ot, but you get those happy moments, and you forget all the stinky ones. much love.
Finished my time at the MTC, some sad goodbyes to our hermanas, the presidents, and my awesome teachers. I honestly loved the mtc so much, wouldnt give that up for nothing. Anyways we left to cusco and let me tell you the plane ride was beautiful, insane mountains. I'll send pics. We arrived and everyone is just feeling sick with bad headaches hahahaha. We had lunch at presidents misssion home and I chated it up with his cute little daughters about princesses in Spanish. They both love Belle and Sleeping beauty. Spent the night in a hotel with Ruekert and Austin, and then we got trained the next day. At the end of the night we got our companions. Elder Aguilar is mine. Next 12 weeks with him. Cool guy from Lima. Spent that night in the mission office appartment with like 30 elders crashing on the floor. We were talking with the white guys and one of them didnt know what the whip nae nae was. I was shocked. hahahhaha thats how long he had been out. I was like, DUDE its the whip nae nae its totally basic and lame now. hahaha.
Anyways next me and Elder Aguilar left to my first area, Ilave, Puno. It's good times here. We got on a tour bus with a bunch of british people for 8 hours. There was a dvd player so we put on the Restoration. All the British people were so flost and they got a kick out of the love story between Emma and Joseph. Great roast on them. Got to Ilave and met our Pensionista, and old sassy grandma but so funny. I dont really know what she is saying, in fact I don't really know what anyone says. I spend alot of time in my own thoughts. Somehow I thought my Spanish turns on during lessons. Teaching by the spirit is a real thing. One night we met a recent convert family, the Lupacas, they were so sweet to me. We went around doing a toast, everyone drinks from the same glass, weird. And I taught them how to say cheers. Then they asked me about Obama, Iraq, Hilary and Trump. It was interesting trying to explain in Spanish. Los dos opsiones son malas. hahahha. Everyone is fascinated by gringos, they all wanna know about the US, and they all wanna learn english.
Anyways, I had a great Sunday, found out one of our contacts, Paula, actually went to church, and was very interested. There are no coincidences, I know paula will be baptized. Anyways while we were in church, I was so lost, understanding nothing, when all of a sudden this white older couple missionary pulled me out. She didnt know Spanish very well, and needed me to help do family history work. I was able to get this old Peruvian couples information, and now they can do ordinances for their own parents, such a sweet moment. I have never really appreciated family history before cuz ours is so Mormon, but what a great oppurtunity for this couple. Finished the night with a first visit with someone we contacted. her name was Flora. we just got to know her views on religion, and asked her to be baptized. She said yes. I kid you not if you wanted you could get all of Peru baptized, the problem is activitiy and commiting to the church. Good times. Loving it here, it stinks al ot, but you get those happy moments, and you forget all the stinky ones. much love.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)