Monday, March 14, 2011

Hey Mom!

To let you know I should be getting my package in my district meeting today because my district leader told me that he had it so it got here. You can send me the hoodie with my package today or you can wait...however you want. But I have a few more things to ask for...one of the small hymnals like the one I have in Spanish only in English. My companion wants one to help him learn English so if you have time and can find one it would be greatly appreciated!

I'm glad everything is going great! President asked that we ask our families to not write us about things that will distract us. You can still write me about what is going on in the family and stuff so don't worry about that! Just not things that might distract me. I'm glad that everything has been going great and that the camp out was a success.

I like the topic that Bishop chose to talk about. Without obedience we can't have the Spirit to lead us and to guide us. Something that I learned last night from a talk is that when we disobey we choose to follow Satan, he takes control and starts giving the commands. We feel guilt, and feel embarrassed, which makes it only that much harder to repent, just when we need it so much more. But we can heal from these feelings and leave behind all the sins and wrongdoings through the Atonement of Christ. I always knew that obedience was important but just trying to be obedient isn't enough. If we try to be obedient we fall. But when we use obedience, it is a way that we can show our love and our diligence to our Heavenly Father, to be able to return to live with him again. Sometimes he lets us have tests and difficulties, but it is just another trial that he gives us to test our faith and obedience, with King Saul from the Bible we learn that to God obedience is more important than sacrifice. Sometimes people think that after they have been obedient that they should be freed from the trials and tests of life, but it is just the opposite, it is when they need them more so that they can learn and grow. Just like Job, who had everything he needed and wanted, he was obedient and almost perfect, but Satan asked to tempt him and God let him, each time the trial grew more difficult but he was always obedient and learned something from the trials, but he never turned his back on God. Later everything that he had lost was returned to him and more. Obedience is an amazing commandment that really lets us find joy and peace and helps us feel the love of our Heavenly Father.

This week has been awesome. I have had the opportunity to have divisions with my district leader to put into practice some things we have been learning so that we can have more success and be able to help our investigators more. It's been great I've learned alot and have enjoyed it too. This week was stake conference, we invited a man named Manuel and his family, he has come to church before but his wife and his daughter came this week too! It was awesome, we have helped him to stop drinking and smoking! I have seen how much more receptive he is to the Spirit and the confidence that he puts in God now. It's an amazing feeling to be able to help people develop a lost relationship with someone that I know loves them so much! We also have a boy that is 9 years old who his parents are a little defective but are members, he lives with his grandma who is inactive for 2 years, but they both came to church and he wants to get baptized, he has the date of the 26th of this month and we are hoping to put baptismal dates with the other family that came to church!

Dad told me about the tsunami in Japan, and I've heard bits and pieces here but not much! I'll be sure to put them in my prayers. Welp I had better get going now! Love you very much and miss you alot! Thanks for everything!!!

Love Elder Jake Hatch