December 15, 2014

Mom, its been pretty good out here not to much going on. And yeah Elder Brian is a great missionary. We get along pretty good. I havent got the package yet. and ill have to get back to you next week on when and where i will be for skype. I dont know where ill do it. Nobody in out area has the internet(weird huh) so ill have to find somewhere to do it. Im glad you guys are getting ready for Christmas. It doest feel to much like Christmas down here. other than 1 in every 10 people has something Christmas related outside. Its 85 degrees and im still tanning so no not really like Christmas haha. Work is progressing pretty good here we had a few changes in our boundaries so we will be getting busy to know the new area and the members who live there. We are doing really good. Being safe. We got a few places that we can go to during the Holidays so that should be fun. Well you take care. Im grateful for all you do. And i know that your really looking out for me. Im learning alot and this experience is the best thing ever. Its hard at times. probably the hardest thing ill do for a while. teaching people and then watching them make the wrong choice and every once in awhile the right one but im growing and changing daily and i can see it. Its amazing. Love you mom! Dad, Its been a blast down here. We have been busting our butts to bring the gospel to people this holiday season. Im grateful that i have the chance to represent our savior this holiday season. Its a big responsibility but nothing is better. Thats exciting news for Jenny! She is going to fall in love with missionary work. She is a strong person. Just needs to set good patterns in the mission early. Helps the process of change down the road. Looks like the campout was really cool! we dont have anything like that down here really. Just alot of cactus and mesquite trees. The environment is alot like the people. Tough and dry. Just the way i like it haha. We got some pretty interesting people in our area and it always makes it fun to run into them. We also recently just changed the boundaries to the area so we have a bit more responsibility. Im doing good, im healthy(gaining a little weight actually shocker right?) working hard we got alot of people to help out but service is my favorite thing in the world so of course actually the other day i was helping a member put up christmas lights and tore the crotch on my suit pants and she in turn was able to do some service and sew them up for me haha. I know this church is true and i have a personal testimony that God knows us perfectly, He loves us perfectly, and He know exactly what we need. I have grown so much and I have a testimony as well in the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I trusted him before this life and I trust him now. Nothing has changed. In a sense all we are doing as missionaries is reactivation. Because we were all pre mortal mormons. We all knew what we were doing so now its just keeping the second estate. I know that we can talk personally with out father in heaven and just as joseph smith did after reading James 1:5 we too can gain wisdom by the father of all by simply asking. Love you dad, Elder Brayden Jeffrey Hatfield

Elder Hatfield's email for Dec. 8, 2014 ~ New Companion Elder Brian !!

The fun part is that Brayden has a new companion and that the companion knows a friend of Brayden's from OHIO. Too fun! Such a small world. I think he will do great with this his new companion. first off yes its elder Brian. He is from Utah and friends with Sydney Tanner?!?!? wierd right? hey also at least one long sleeve sweater and then a box of powerbars por favor. we are getting some ready too so we can enjoy our christmas. The mission has been really good. Glad that your making friends with the people out here. they talk about you a little bit with me. its nice to be updated haha. and no she didnt email me back so i havent emailed hannah. Just want to say thanks again for all the great things you do for me. Your a great mom.(alot better than alot of moms here) So im grateful that i have your example. Not a whole lot of new things to right about. Just that it rains alot out here this time of year. Ill be eating alot of tamales this time of year haha. Well you take care and ill probably send you the time that i will skype you guys next week if thats okay. I need to find out whose house i can do it at. Love you tons! that helped alot with my question thanks a lot! And yeah i have noticed a huge change in my knowledge of the gospel. Before it was mediocre and now i can hold my ground against preachers in other churchs(more impressively in spanish even) but i do my best to avoid arguing. Nothing will be taught with a spirit of contention. This transfer i plan on putting my knowledge of the area and my relationships with members to the test by being a challenging missionary. With the new church movement of "He is the gift" im trying to help the spirit of missionary work penetrate the hearts of our members here. Something needs to change in our branch so that it can be a ward and i think its the feeling of urgency in our last 4 minutes. The all is well in Zion (I have accepted the gospel so im good) Mentality needs to change. Im grateful that i can share this great gift this holiday season. THere isnt anything greater than being here and serving the lord in this great work. One thing i think you can help Mckade do that i wish i learned a little bit better is how to set and reach personal goals. The new year is coming up and my full year as a missionary is coming up. So i want to set some important goals. I think that would be a good thing to do with Mckade so that he has that tool the rest of his life. Just a thought i had. Im grateful for so much. I love you guys but i wouldnt want to be anywhere else. Missionary work is probably one of the most "selfish" things you can do I know its a selfless work but you receive so much more than you give that i dont feel like it can be called selfless. Thank you for your example of righteousness and for your resources(Im lacking a few that i could use in my gospel study haha) But i know that im hear for a reason and im going to make the most of the time i got with these great people. Love you dad, Elder Hatfield

WOW- Elder Hatfield will be 6 more weeks in Roma, TX!!!

Elder Hatfield will be in Roma, TX for another 6 weeks. He thought for sure he would be transferred since he has been there almost 6 months. But he says he has more work to finish!! So proud of him!!

Few photos of Elder Hatfield having Thanksgiving dinner in Roma, TX 2014

Elder Hatfield had a great Thanksgiving eating at 5 different houses!!! I sure hope he got full!!! Sure happy he had a fun Thanksgiving!

Elder Hatfield's November 24, 2014 email!!!

Hey mom! its been an awesome week. One recommendation would be one long sleeve sweater like a v neck type thing. And thats all ill need for the winter its not that cold. Sounds like the work is hastening over there too! Its been pretty normal out here though. and mom ill be stuffed for thanksgiving. i think im eating at 5 different houses. Lots of food. Its been great out here. we were able to baptize this man named rodrigo who thought he was a less active member. he thought he was baptized but we couldnt find his record so he was baptized on sunday. it was really cool. one of the most humble and ready people i have met. He loves the church and everything. He is a great guy. I like that about testimony. Its a constant work in progress but you build it and shape it and it will come out the way you need it to be. I like the refiners fire reference. we are staying safe out here and having the time of our lives. The time is going by super fast. its kinda crazy. Well i love you guys! Take care! Elder Hatfield

A few more photos of Elder Hatfield with his new toy...MACHETE!!!

Elder Hatfield's Email November 17, 2017~ Still in Roma, TX and loving it!!!

Elder Hatfield is still in Roma, TX and loving it! He has been having lots of baptisms and found that using a "MACHETE" is quite fun! Not loving that but what's new!?! He is doing great and it is always wonderful to see him in pictures. I get the pictures from a sister in his mission that is wonderful and sends them because she knows Brayden doesn't do it. Thank heaven for her!!! Miss my Brayden but he is loving his mission!! Latest Letter: That photo is of me and a machete cutting a bunch of grass and stuff(Im buying a machete when i get home or one here and bringing it home) We have been very succesful down here. We have had a baptism every sunday for the past 6 weeks. Its good for the branch to see that we are working hard. We are building up there trust and trying to do alot of work with the less active families. One of the families we have been working with for awhile finally came to church. I told her i was going to paint her blue for lying if she didnt come to church. It was alot of fun to see them come though. We have two new missionaries in our district and i get to help them alot and they are awesome missionaries. Definitely going places. You take care and keep rocking those sombreros. Love, your son Elder Hatfield

Brayden's email Oct. 27, 2014

Man thats crazy! I miss the Colors and how pretty it is up there. Its just cactuses and weeds here haha i got a pic of our apartment actually its a little hard to sleep comfortably but i manage. Its going to be so weird to get back. I am really happy with all the work that i have done here. I can be happy when i leave knowing ive done my part. I have worked hard. my spanish has really improved and im just alot better at being a missionary. Im going to be sad when i have to go. So we had a baptism this week with josh. His family is going next but the mom just needs a bit more time. She is alot like you actually. She is white and is very strict with her kids. Obviously not from down here. she doesnt speak spanish so we translate it for her. IT makes it alot of fun. well im eating well and getting taken care of. THe only thing i would ask for at christmas is maybe a new shirt or something but thats about it. I love you guys!

Elder Hatfield is Happy to have another 6 weeks in Roma, TX. Oct. 21, 2014

As i opened this email to write you guys i got bit by a fire ant. Welcome to south texas haha. I hope you guys are all doing well! we are doing great down here on the border. so transfers are in and im going to be staying here in roma for at least another six weeks. I guess the Lord wants me to see all the things ive started to the end. He has alot of confidence in me because there is a ton of people we are working with right now. Its kind of ridiculous. We recently were able to see the baptism of Jesus and his family. His baptism was coming up and thenon saturday out of nowhere his whole family said that they wanted to be baptized. It was an awesome miracle and it was great to boost the spirit in our little branch down here. you guys be safe and have fun. And ill talk to yall next week. Thank you everyone for the prayers and the help that you are and have been for my family. I Pray for you all every day. We dont get the colors down here. just more rain and wind. The cactuses dont really change colors like trees but i hear their flowers are pretty. So ive officially got two moms down here. They feed me and do my laundry haha. THey are both amazing women and have great testimonies. Im glad ill get to be here another 6 weeks there is alot of work i have to finish up. we are teaching a ridiculous amount of people and we are doing service. haha i think i will be buying a machete when i get home. IT is a very helpful tool. I got more work done with that than i did with the weedwacker haha. I cleared out something like our garden in the backyard. it was cool. Love you mom! you guys take care and ill get some more pics this week! Tell Hermana barnes Buen hecho for me! Love, Elder Hatfield We dont have trees like that or colors. The only thing we get this time of year is a ton of butterflies. But they just make a mess on our truck. And yeah its nuts how time flies out here. makes me want to appreciate it alot more. there is alot of missionaries going home this transfer that i have looked up to. Im glad that I can be here doing this though. We had the chance to hit the missions standard of exellence this transfer. That was a great blessing. Its important to set goals. We are working with a family as well the moms name is jennifer and its cool to be with here family. Its alot like families up north. Bed times and all those fun rules. We built up her confidence in us and helped them to see that we are really called from god. And then we test the relationship. The son is getting baptized next sunday and the sisters and the mom will folllow the mom just wants to learn more. Its great how im going to also be in roma another transfer. Im really able to harvest all my work now. We have alot of people set up to be batpized and confirmed this coming month. We also were able to reactivate a family. And that is a great blessing. Im having a difficult time remembering all these words in english because we talk spanish about 70 percent of the time. and the past two days we fasted from english so my spanish is getting better. not nearly perfect but improving. Im learning alot about what it takes to really be a priesthood man. love you guys and you guys take care!

Yeah i miss my pups haha. THe dont have stinking polgas(fleas) so im glad that you got the letter and your amazing. That was really thoughtful of you to get me a new debit card haha. i was wondering how i was going to do it and then you did it for me. Thank you! AND WHAT THE FREAK HAPPENED TO TATE! he is like a full grown man now! i was expecting a freaking beard on that picture that dad sent! i need more pics of you guys. I have been away almost 7 months so alot has changed. I dont have to much time today but ill put a pic in from this week. you take care! and look for Petra chavez on facebook if you get time. SHe is like our mom here. (I do her dishes and im sorry i never did the ones for you) Love your son, Elder Hatfield You know me and kids haha Jeff's letter: Im glad you guys got the letter. Thats something that i shouldnt have any excuse for not doing. Writing you guys more. And mom is great. You picked a keeper. Im really learning that the mission is just a big preperation for our lives. Marriage and all that. I never put as much thought in it back home but President Maluenda is always talking about marriage. Its weird how that mindset changes. Im glad that story helped. Hey also thanks again for your sisters dog tag. It helps me remember my purpose here and who i am. I dont have alot of time today because we got to head to mcallen to go pick up a truck for our area. The car was getting pretty beat up out here haha. you guys take care. Tell everyone i say hey! your son, Elder Hatfield

Great email from Elder Hatfield Sept. 6, 2014

Im really mad at myself from before the mission and not making a bigger effort to listen to all of conference and really listen and study the talks. Conference as a missionary is amazing. You have a much bigger vessel to be filled with the words of the prophets. I have three words to describe the transition from last conference to this one. TIME FLIES BY. I cant believe that i have been out for over half a year. That was way too fast. But I feel like i have grown so much. Im learning alot of good principles and im noticing that all though i may have had alot of rules i didnt understand as a kid im seeing the blessing of being raised in the family that the lord gave me. My understanding of the Gospel has exploded out here and my ability to teach is way better. Having the ability to serve a mission and not doing it is one of the worst choices you can make in your young adult life. You learn how to grow and use the scriptures. To put on your spiritual armor every day and fight the battle of life. Im proud to be your son and im not making excuses. Never have liked to and im not accepting them from others as well. If they want this message i will give it to them. And im so grateful for this gospel. I heard a story the other day that made me just want to get everyone to conference. There was an investigator a few years back(he is branch president now in another area) and he was really really stubborn. (I can relate) and he knew for a fact the church was true. He had been to others and had seen for himself and taken the steps to pray and read. But he wouldnt be baptized for some reason. So they invited him to conference and at the time the Prophet was Spencer.W.Kimball and Kimball just walked up and before he said anything this man was bawling. He knew that this was a prophet of god and was baptized in between the sessions of conference. I know that we are blessed to have a prophet. And Id follow him wherever he wanted me to go. He has called me here and im going to do my best down here to help our Fathers children. Thank you for the example you have set and all that you do to help me. Love your son, Elder Hatfield I was about to log off but i felt like i should share this story with you that happened yesterday. So yesterday after conference every single appointment that we had fell through in about 5 mins. So our plans were shot. So we prayed on what to do and just started driving to our area. A member does our clothes so we dropped them off there and she wasnt there so we just left them with her kids(she is amazing and i plan on you guys meeting her one day) so then we started driving and i had a prompting to visit this house that was in a file we found of a less active member who lives kind of out in the middle of nowhere. so we go and we get in the house and the kid answers the door and said that she still lived there. ( she was a very old woman as well so we were scared she might have passed away) so she had us come into her room and the first thing she says to us is. Por que no han venido antes para visitarme! (why havent you come earlier to visit me!) we both said somos nuevos! (we are new here) and she sighed and said esta bien. (okay) so we sat with her and just talked for awhile and she has been a member for over 50 years in fact i think she is one of the first members if not the first in rio grande Texas. She has an amazing testimony and she said she has been praying for help and now she knows god has given it to her. We left her with a blessing and i have to tell you dad that when people say you are an answer to a prayer it is through the service you give administering to those in need(like Hollands talk) that you truly are the ones who are blessed and getting an answer to your prayer. Love, Brayden

Email from Sept. 29, 2014

Yeah, I have been without mom for awhile and its hard. I had to grow up really fast as you can Imagine. Its been a lot of fun out here the past little bit it has been raining a lot and we have needed it. Had my first sickness of the mission after my comp got sick. La gripa. (cold) so that was not fun at all. But we were able to spend a lot of time with the zone this week due to the most recent revelation from President Maluenda. We need to have at least 5 meetings a week lasting 2 hours just on our teaching methods. and honestly we needed it. We have really improved and im getting to master the scriptures more. We have been able to bring the spirit more strongly and teach short simple doctrines. (we even taught a Jehovah Witness out of his own bible) Their bibles are missing a lot of important doctrine but the just was the same. It was an interesting lesson but it goes to show that the truth is omnipresent and there is no way to hide from it if you are looking for it. Especially if you have some stubborn missionaries like us. We are working with a lot of people right now and we have a lot of great people down here praying and working to get a temple down here. They deserve one for sure. Glad to hear all is well. You guys are great and I love you! Love your son, Elder Hatfield

September 22, 2014 Email...

Hey from el sur de tejas, Todo esta bien en este parte del reino. we are doing great and we had a really good week to build us up and get us pumped for the week ahead. We had zone conference and stake conference and the temple was really focused on. I want to challenge you guys to see if we can get a temple announced in the texas McAllen mission before you get one announced back in Ohio. I think we might be able to do it. Just need to convince to get a temple recommend that they cant use until we get a temple. we are having a ton of fun down here with all of the work that is going on. There are so many people who are just growing in their faith and testimony. Its a bit crazy the growth we are seeing. We just hope the members can keep up with us haha. The members here are amazing they sacrifice a lot and they give to us even when they don't have anything for themselves. If you want some food really bad just tell one of the hermanas and they will cook you more food than you can handle. And I can eat a lot of food. Probably more than I was able too before. I feel like I will probably gain a bit of weight out here haha. I need it. Well no huge things happened this week. Just the normal for south texas I think. Not too normal but whatever. Well you guys take care and im keeping you in my prayers. Love, Elder Hatfield

"Cake in the Bottle" made it to Elder Hatfield for his birthday! YAY!!

I had sent Brayden some homemade "Birthday cake in a bottle!" Coolest thing ever!! I found the idea on Pinterest so that I would be able to send him some cake down in TX for his Birthday! Worked GREAT! The missionaries all were able to enjoy cake with him!!! Its been a crazy week haha. We stayed at the ZL's apartment. 10 missionaries in one apartment. its interesting haha. Its been a lot of fun out here and the work is going super well. We are getting in a lot of doors and teaching a lot of people. We are also working with some amazing less active families. One of them had callings in the church as relief society president and the elders quorum president. Its kinda nuts that the could fall away but we gave them a run for their money. They kept setting up return appointments because they were always "busy" and we kept going back but it was the same thing over and over again. Then we found out they were moving and we didn't know where. so we had to do some FBI work and find out where they moved too and then we showed up and they were really shocked to see us. So eventually her heart softened and she realized that it was the lord trying to speak to her(we also saw her at the store for 2 weeks in a row. Not a coincidence haha) so she let us in and we had an amazing FHE with them. It was amazing.

Sept. 15, 2014

HOWDY YALL, Things are going great down here. A lot of good things are coming to pass! THe branch is growing really fast and we will be a ward real soon. There are a lot of great people down here and im really beginning to understand them and be able to talk. ITs weird I didn't change anything really just my desire to learn the language grew I guess but its just clicking and sticking now and its great. I translated the services this sunday and did really good as compared to the times in the past. Also this week it rained and flooded our area and was awesome. We went on bike and there was a few spots where the water covered our shoes through the whole pedal rotation. It was awesome until you hit a pothole 2 ft underwater haha. People thought we were crazy but at least now they can see how much we love what we do. you guys take care and have fun up there. Love, Elder Hatfield

Sister Guzman from Roma, TX sent these fun pics of a surprise birthday party for Elder Hatfield!!!

Sister Guzman from Roma, TX threw a surprise birthday party for our Brayden! Makes this mom happy that his birthday was celebrated. Thank you Sister Guzman!! Happy Birthday to Elder Hatfield!!!

Roma, Texas update... Sept. 8, 2014

Howdy Yall! Its been one big week down here at the bottom of the states. We had an amazing miracle this week resulting in two souls starting their path back to our father in Heaven. Satan put up some fierce opposition but we punched him in the face in the end. We are growing so fast that our church building cant hold all the people anymore and so we are going to be building a white person church(big fancy church) because our trailer chapel isnt cutting it anymore. The lord i think decided that this place has been a branch for too long. So im glad i have the privelege to be apart of the work in this part of the vineyard. It seems like all my friends back home have moved on to mission or college so it seems kinda lonely back home. Im glad that i can represent the Hiram ward. What a blessing it is to not say im from utah like everyother missionary. Keep up the good work guys. I love you all. Love, Elder Hatfield P.S. I met a girl this week who said i was the first person she has ever seen with blue eyes. That helps put the culture in definition down here haha. Thanks for taking care of harley for me. I miss that dork haha. Love you mom and im good and healthy. I have you to thank for that. alot more stuck than i thought when i was watching you do stuff.

Still in Roma, Texas... Sept. 2, 2014 email

I am wondering why most missionaries send home sweet pictures of themselves but my Brayden likes to send pics of dogs and dead chickens?? LOL!!! Howdy yall! fun week. I had some fresh chicken that was dead about 30 minutes before he was in my tostada and got to do some pretty cool stuff overall. Still dont really have the hang of missionary work but im getting better and just having lots of fun overall. Still learning the language its kicking my butt a bit but im glad to hear that everyone is doing so good back home. it sounds llike everyone is growing up and moving on so fast. Ive learned to make a few different types of mexican dishes and i dont mind saying im getting to be a pretty good chef. We had over 85 people in our branch this sunday and my first sunday in this area we had almost 40 so we have pretty much doubled it. The work is progressing so fast its crazy. Im glad i was called to work here. Im learning so much and i wouldnt trade what ive learned about the savior and his teachings. Ive learned really well this last week to be as children. So far on my mission I have seen how special spirits children really are. so if we all want an example look to the little ones. They are there as our example. You guys take care and chambiar. Love, Elder Hatfield