Three's a Charm

December 2, 2018

We got our third baptism of the transfer this last Saturday and I feel undeservedly blessed from everything that's happened to us this past transfer.

I really don't know what else to say about it besides I feel like the increase in effort I put forward was equivalent to going from a 6 to a 7 out of ten, while the Lord blessed us with 6-700% of what we thought we could/would accomplish.

A couple weeks ago I told Elder Wilson that if I were to go home right now, what I've experienced already would be more than I could ever want again in my life - like already the Lord has blessed me with so much. I would leave with experiences and blessings more valuable than most anything else that could happen to me, like already what I've done will shape my future more than anything else past. I'm trying to get across that I still have a good portion left in my mission but already what I've had is such a huge blessing, like it's only 16 months and I have so much to go home with. I feel like I had so much even back in my training. It's fantastic.

^ I shared this with President in my email today.

President wrote the following to me after last week's email:

Hi Elder Hatch,

You are really leading your District by example!  Thank you for your increased diligence and work; I can see you are being greatly blessed as you bring those people you have prepared into the Gospel.  Well done!

Loloma yani
President Higgins

Well Elder Wilson leads us through this week for his last full week of training so that's exciting.

See you next week!

Love you all!

Listening to the Spirit

September 2, 2018

I started to apply counsel [from my mission president] to simplify after my interview and saw immediate results. It was like looking through a new set of glasses - I sort of felt myself turn away from myself and toward pure missionary work.

We went to a house to see two people we've been working with. They weren't home, but a couple of men nearby said they ought to be back soon, so we sat on the porch and waited. It was a few minutes we were there, and then one of the men came outside and sat on my right. Elder Olsen was on the left. I started small talk with the man - just sort of awkward waiting-time conversation. Just whatever comes to mind to break the silence. I started getting to know him a tiny bit. Married? Yes. Kids? Nah. Stay in Taveuni? Nah just here for work a couple weeks. Then I had a thought: ask him if he's seen the missionaries before. I asked. Yeah, he can see the chapel in Labasa often. Then I had another thought, doubtless a prompting. Ask him if he's heard the message. In my head I'm thinking "Nah, it's too fast - not a good time" as I do often. But this idea/prompting was different than the others. Ask him if he's heard the message. And I didn't again. Then the conversation went somewhere else for a bit. Talked about a couple other things. Then it came back to missionaries/the Church. And I had the prompting again. Ask him if he's heard the message. I was hesitant. I don't want to ruin it. I worked it up. I said the words in my head. Then I said them out loud. Have you ever heard the message of the Elders? Missionaries? Of the Church of Jesus? Church of Jesus Christ? Of Latter-day Saints? I butchered it, a little embarrassed.

Nah, I haven't heard the message.

...would you mind if I share it quickly?

Absolutely.

He listened intently as I explained the Restoration with the pamphlet. I introduced the Book of Mormon, asked if he would like one. Invited him to read it. He loved it all. He offered his name. He gave us his address. He gave us his work to see him there. He gave us his phone number. He gave us a backup number in case the first didn't work. Detailed a map for us to find him - or for the Labasa missionaries to find him. He asked a couple questions, liked the answers.

During all this another man came out and sat beside Elder Olsen. Did the exact same thing.

Afterward the first man said "Man, they're really late. You two coming here was meant for you to meet us."

If I hadn't simplified and really got down to the meat of the work - inviting others to come unto Christ - I wouldn't have had the Spirit and if I did I would've let that opportunity pass with all the others. I'm really glad it turned out the way it did. It gave me a testimony of the work, of the gospel. It gave me a standard to hold myself to.

So I'm excited for what continuing down this path will bring me.

Thanks,

- Elder Hatch

Miracle Baptisms

August 5, 2018

Guess who got four miracle baptisms yesterday.

So Mere and her family of six kids and a not-wanting-to-be-affiliated-with-the-church-husband-from-an-arranged-marriage were finally able to be baptized last week. It's the mom and three of the kids. It was something like this:

When I got to the area: the husband was cool before but now he isn't going to let the kids be baptized so we'll work and pray and hope.

A couple weeks ago: guess what - the husband said he doesn't care anymore just do whatever as long as he's not there for it (because the reason he doesn't want it is really because of his extremely Methodist parents not wanting it) so now we can be baptized when he leaves for Suva [around mid-August].

Tuesday: guess what - he said he doesn't care at all anymore just do it right now!

Wednesday: Oh shoot - ok - finish up preparations [plan interviews] so we can get them baptized this weekend (they've already been taught and gone to church, just waiting for husband to vakaio [say yes]).

Friday: Oh ok - the district leader is coming up today to do the interviews.

Saturday: [kids arrive at doorstep of our flat in morning] "Why haven't you been picking up your phone? We need to tell you the kids are going to be leaving soon because the husband wants them to be with him somewhere else for something so we need to get these two baptized RIGHT NOW!"

*changes clothes*

*on-the-spot program in their living room*

*baptism in the ocean for two of the kids*

"Alright... see you again tomorrow morning for the other two baptisms."

Sunday: Oh - they're not going to the place anymore - we could've just done them all today. It's ok tho - can't complain!

*two other baptisms*

*all four confirmed in Sacrament Meeting, which was placed at the end of the block to allow for Branch President to be present*

*i confirm the boy in Fijian*

Awesome experience

Tender Mercy Message

June 16, 2018

Editor's note:  This morning I awoke to the following message and picture.  I just had to share.  :)

My husband and I are in Fiji doing humanitarian work and came to town for supplies and ran into these young men!  Faithful hard-working missionaries.  So proud of how they were in the streets talking to people being great representatives of our church!!  As a mom I wanted to take a pic and share!!  

Blessings!

Stephanie

Yay no cyclone for Fiji

February 18, 2018

Well I didn't flood in a cyclone and I'm probably not going to be transferred this week so... yeah that's me right now. I did however get to upload all my pictures and the work keeps progressing well. Lots of good food! Also I ate Weet-Bix for breakfast the other day and it was good so I'm gonna buy more. :)

We got to go to the temple last week. It was a really good experience. Right as I entered I just felt so much peace and happiness - just rest of my spirit. It was excellent.

I love you and I hope you have a great and disaster-free week!

Got soaked, reading Book of Mormon, going to Temple

February 11, 2018

So my area is Navatuyaba, Toga, Rewa. Pretty sure. Not really sure how to describe where we are - it's maybe 5k from the main road but a bus comes all the way in on a pretty decent road; there's 3 koros (villages) - one where we stay and where the chapel is, one in the middle, and one at the end; it's got electricity and running water and we have all the good appliances EXCEPT a warm shower (just some PVC sticking into the middle of the shower and the broken water heater laughing at us as we shiver); it's pretty civilized. I would say it's actually pretty stinkin' on-par with everything in Colorado - dirt roads and forest and not the fanciest but still some cars and power and a place with shops & good stuff a short distance away (Durango town there, Nakasi/Rups [rupes, roops, roupes] here). Also natural disasters (forest fires there, floods here! don't look up pictures)

And I'm still technically on an island - it's just this island is between two rivers instead of in the ocean.

So the Book of Mormon reading goes pretty well - the two biggest struggles I have are 1 - figuring out where "Lord" means Heavenly Father and when it means Jesus Christ and 2 - making it meaningful while trying to make the reading mark at the same time, in limited study time. But, I really do enjoy seeing all the marked references to Jesus Christ when I've finished a couple pages. I've noticed we read around 4-5 chapters a day, or about 9-10 pages. Improvements I've seen seem unrelated to reading the Book of Mormon but I've just had a couple cool realizations about the call and ordination to share the Gospel, especially relating to chapter 9 of Preach My Gospel. I've seen some perspective changes I think about the way we should go about our work. I think this comes from reading the Book of Mormon but also the things we've learned about its importance.

So we just got a phone call that we are going to the temple as a zone tomorrow!  So we're going to finish up our emails here then just head back I guess? Either way I'm super pumped.

Actually tons of people know the Bible here - Brother Brower once said he never met a native Fijian who wasn't Christian. BUT we just found a Samoan whose husband is Fijian who is our investigator who has a baptism date of Mar. 3 who speaks English and we have to explain some concepts to her so it's super weird. 

So yeah this is Elder Shumway's week 11 and we're both really proud of how far we've come from a practically closed area and our whitewashing before our 6 months. And we have a temple trip tomorrow too! I really hope this will be a great week, and even if it's not, that we'll be able to enjoy it the best we can and learn from it too. Hope things go great for you guys, and though I don't always have reliable pictures I hope you all keep them coming! I love you!

Short and Sweet and Pictures

February 4, 2018

Last week was Zone Conference all about the BOOK OF MORMON and we're going to do a mission-wide 60 DAY READING of the whole thing starting Feb 8 and ending April 8. So that's gonna be awesome!

Oh yes we got rain - and even more this last week. 

Our ward chapel - There are 239 members according to a list from last June -
about 110 maybe who come on Sunday

That was chicken and potato that we took out from a member because we were in a hurry to catch a bus that never ended up coming. I had half of it. But man it was good. I could've eaten more I'm sure but we were in a hurry.  But anyway don't worry we got good food.