May 13, 2013

Happy Mother's Day!! I'm not sure if I said that yesterday. I hope you got breakfast in bed. From the sound of it dad might not be too good at walking right now though. Just bring the stove to the bedroom and cook from there. It was great to see you guys and the cats, I hope you weren't waiting on the computer for too long. Too bad that Kiefer couldn't have been there too.

It’s good that Kiefer's doing well and staying busy. Seventy five hours (working the week of Women’s Conference – BYU) is a ton! Tell him he needs to send me something expensive to celebrate. Stop buying those (cheap NET10) phones! He should just put Skype on his iPod and call you from that.

Our Sacrament Meeting this week was just Family Relations counselors giving talks on their courses so it was a bit dry. We had a ton of people there (not as many as we would like as a companionship) that don't usually come so it was really great. There’s a less active who is coming back. He's an MMA fighter. Great guy.

Have a great week! Transfers are next week and I may be leaving, I'll keep you updated.

Colin

It was great to Skype to Colin on Mother's Day!  I wish I would have been smart enough to take of picture of him on the computer screen.  He looks and sounds great!  We are so proud of him.

May 6, 2013

Hi Mom

I'm actually really mad I missed Cinco de Mayo. My companion and I were planning on it being a big deal, but we both completely forgot. Sad day. I'll be picking up the package (from home) from my Zone Leaders today. I'm excited. And so are my companions. I may or may not be draining my personal funds today. We'll see what happens. I need a coat mainly, which I will be getting this week.  I just a windbreaker I can be on the bike with. When we're in the car we're fine with just suit coats.   I also need some little things that I can't go any longer without and a watch. Did I tell you mine broke? And then I lost it? So irritating. For a few days we had one watch for three Elders. Not fun.

Our Ward’s area is basically, if you draw a circle around Mawson Lakes, Tea Tree Plaza, Holden Hill, and RiverCrest(...River something I don't remember. Something like that. With an R.) There is one other Elder companionship that covers from Para Vista east, and travelling Sisters comps that covers our Ward and Golden Grove Ward.  So 7 missionaries, a lot. Our flat has a washer, but there aren't any dryers in the Mission, everything is hung up. I don't really know about fresh bread and produce, the Woolys is pretty much just like grocers in the states. We eat pretty well. Aussie food really isn't that different, it’s more how they eat. Yes we get just about as much boiling hot water as we could want and the flats pretty new so the bathroom isn't smashed yet. We're working on it though. Toilet broke for the first time last week.

We'll be Skyping Sunday morning around 9am Adelaide time (for Mother’s Day). I was just informed. Prepare yourselves. We'll be at a member’s home going from their computers.

I love you, happy Mother's week.

Elder Hatch

April 28, 2013

To Dad:

You're the man (ran his first ½ marathon on April 26^th). That's fantastic! I'm glad the race went so well, it sounds like a great experience. A seven minute miles at the start is pretty intense. I think eight minute miles alone are pretty intense. It’s a great pace. Unfortunately I don't think I'd keep up much if I had been there right now, but when I get back and have some time to train we can run one.  So what are the workout plans now that the race is behind you? It’s great to hear from you, have a great week, let me know how it goes.

The weather around here is still just about right. We're hoping for it to get just a bit more a chilly side right now so that we can wear sweaters (makes contacting way more effective), but most of the time it’s too hot for them. It'll cool down a lot soon though. And yes I'm still in the trio, but probably only for the next three weeks. We'll see what happens when all the new missionaries come in.

This week was pretty solid, the President popped up at our District Meeting unannounced to do interviews so that was fantastic. He's pretty much the best. Other than that not a whole lot going on. We’ve got another baptismal date, hopefully we'll have some Mawson Lakes baptisms in mid-May to early June. We're excited.

To Mom:

Thanks for sending the package; I'm excited for it to get here. I know I shouldn't be spending a lot money I'm still thinking about grabbing the mini scriptures. We'll see about the windbreaker, everything is just so insanely expensive here. I think I'd rather just be cold.

I have no idea what’s going on for Mother's Day. We'll see what President says. I'm sure it'll work out though, I'll keep you updated in the weeks to come.

This week was pretty uneventful; we did some more missionary work. We're still working with a Chinese guy named Erming and a Pilipino family right now as our focus, but we have about 20-25 solid investigators. The work is good. Ask more questions so I can write longer letters!

I hope this week goes alright, good luck :)

April 21, 2013

There was some problem with the library computers and reservations today so I got to read all the mail but I'll respond in full next week. First, my Mission President is the best he really cares about his missionaries and the work. We had a Stake Conference with Elder Rasband this week and he pretty much demanded he make time for a special meeting that morning. 

I'm going to be needing to buy a windbreaker style coat soon, the one I came with doesn't work with suits and I need something to throw over it when we're in the rain. I think that was it. I'm going to look around the salvos here for some more suits. Thanks for sending the sweater over. I love you, have a great week, sorry I couldn't write more.

Colin

April 15, 2013 (and the 8th)

Transfers have been a bit revealing for me as a new Missionary.  It was interesting to be able work with new Elders who had different ideas and focuses than my last companion, and so far it’s been fantastic. Last week we cancelled two of our baptismal dates.  It was unfortunate, but neither had come any closer in progression to their (baptism) dates.  But in just three days, in this first week, we set dates for four more investigators, all in the month of May, and are looking forward to setting at least two more in the coming week. Each of them is solid and excited to receive answers to their prayers.  Being part of each of those in such a short amount of time was, for lack of a better explanation, overwhelming.  I loved it, and I love these investigators. I can't wait to see how the Lord blesses their lives in the coming weeks.

One of the former investigators had a really rough week though. She's socially unstable, and came to rely on the Elders she was speaking to in the past few weeks. When my companion was moved, she was extremely upset. Most of the weekend I was worried we'd drive up to the Modbury Chapel and find that she'd started it on fire. Her date had been set for last weekend, and she claims if she had been baptized, and Elder Stirling left right afterward, she'd have (done something bad). I'm completely lost on how to handle the situation. I know that if we cut contact she'll be even more upset, but continuing to talk with her seems dangerous as well. Either way, she's likely to confront our Bishop about my companion's transfer, since she believes he makes the decision on transfers and is "responsible".  We've tried to explain that it’s through revelation, and doesn't have anything to do with our Bishop, but evidently she has not understood.

Transfers were a blessing. My last companion is, while a genius, (was a difficult) person.   It's not healthy to focus on (our issues) even now that we aren't Companions anymore so I say it only to contrast my two new companions (we're a trio) are two very humble missionaries. The first is Elder Paulo from Samoa, he doesn't speak much English but he has a great testimony and he asks everyone to get baptized. He's great. The other, Elder Sexton from Tennessee, was at BYU at the same time as I was.  He's a great missionary. This is going to be a great transfer.  Elder Stirling took the place of one of our Zone Leaders who went home so he's fired up more than ever.  Things are going well though.

Conference was awesome; there were so many great talks. Elder Holland is fantastic, Elder Ballard, Pres. Uchtdorf like always, and even Elder Cook this time. Great Conference.  Blanca shake everyone's hands!  I'm excited to get the Ensign and really study them (the talks).

(In response to questions about if it was nice to not be experiencing finals weeks at BYU)… And no it doesn't feel nice because here it’s like every week is finals week and no one is getting baptized yet. We're working on it though.

Have a great week! We'll talk more soon.

April 8, 2013 

(A short email with simple responses to the emails he received from home.)

Yes, we don't get to watch it (General Conference) until next week so don't say anything about it. It’s like missing the Super Bowl. I don't want to hear anything until I see it.

(His flat) a pretty cool place. The bikes are (kept) under the stairs.   We are on the third story over the (Bellezza Gourmet Chicken) chicken shop.  Mawson Lakes (his area) is upscale and very green.  Maybe it won't be in a couple months, but at least right now it is.  Great biking weather.

Elder Hatch

Facebook Post

Today, one of the alumni from Colin's Seminary class posted  this on Facebook.

CC: I do love L. Tom Perry. Plus he kinda looks like the old man from Up!

ML (Seminary teacher):   That observation reminds me of your running commentary during seminary while watching seminary movies. Thanks for the memories

CC: Hahaha I loved doing that! You're welcome Every time I watch one of those videos (I saw one just three weeks ago, actually) I can't help but turn to make a comment to Nathan and Colin even though they're not there.

Class of 2008-2009:  Back row:  Ashton, Kiefer, Colin, Nathan, Michael, Bobby.  Front row:  Stephanie, Devin, Chandrie, Marissa.  Motley crew, especially at 5:45 am...

April 1, 2013

I have literally less than 20 minutes to write. I had to give a talk in church on Easter Sunday; it went alright but like always could have been better. My trainer is from Brisbane, he came out when he was 18 so he's younger than me, and he has been out about a year. We have the nicest flat in the mission its third story on Goodall Parade in Mawson Lakes. 

As you can tell our schedules are pretty busy, we teach about 20 lessons per week and pretty much follow the standards of excellence for the Pacific missions, except in Church attendance which we're working on now. Member lessons are difficult too with the Ward we're in, there aren't a whole lot of great members right around us and we work a lot with the ones that will come out with us. We eat a lot, we don't sleep enough, and we teach all the time. Thanks for the mail, it’s good to know everything is still going well at home, good luck this week, can't wait to hear more. Time goes so fast!

I'm not sure which set of flats he lives in, but here are some examples of flats on Goodall Parade.