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

August 24, 2014 Letter

howdy yall or ustedes! la obra misional esta progresando con animo. Los misioneros en la gran zona de rio son muy bien misioneros y tambien hay muchas milagros que podemos ver en este obra. La rama va a ser un barrio en algunos meses. So as far as miracles go ive seen just a few this week. We had a girl we didnt think was going to church outside with her family all ready to go when her ride came, We answered a mans prayer and we are teaching him and his wife now, and we found a guy Saturday night and brought him to church next day and he wants to get baptized next week. But thats just a few to say the least. and as far as other cool things go i ate a rabit with my tortillas the other day. really good and i had a dead chicken throw up on my nice pants. But other than that its been a really easy going week as far as easygoing goes in the mission of the mcallen texas mission. We are being led by truly inspired leadership and the lord knows exactly what he wants from us in his work. We just got to keep in mind that it is HIS work. not ours. The scriptures have come alive for me like never before and im understanding them like never before as well even though im reading them in spanish haha. Im beginning to get some real desires to help and do this work. The Lord knows exactly what we need and when we need it. But as far as all that i couldnt be any happier. I love all of you guys! and take care! Love, Elder Hatfield

August 11, 2014 Letter from Roma, TX

Howdy Yall from down south, The mexican border is looking fine but apparently ours looks better because they keep trying to come over here haha. Well its been a good week so far. We have found alot of really cool people that i hope make the right choice and use their agency correctly. We are working hard and sometimes it feels like i just closed my eyes when i go to bed and wake up because i feel the same as i did the night before. tired, exhausted, and ready for more. Im learning alot out here and im falling in love with basic simple principles because we arent really ready to learn anything deeper. we havent mastered the basics yet. For about 3 months i wasnt getting alot out of personal study because we have been asked to read the scriptures in spanish. so ive been just reading and being confused and not learning alot. but its starting to click a bit more and i can understand most of what its saying. its kinda cool haha. and the other day we were at a restauraunt and a lady asked me a question so i answered in english and she didnt understand so i began explaining in spanish and she got even more confused. it was pretty funny. Well the branch is growing and the members are awesome. We have a guy Named JR. and he is the ward mission leader and that man has a powerfull testimony. basically his world fell apart and he finally prayed for help and he went outside and met the missionaries. and this week in our district a guy was found who is very wealthy. well he died for 3 minutes from a heart attack and he said he talked with god and god told him that he would find the truth and that once he did he needed to give his fortune away. Well not to long after the missionaries met him. He asked them questions straight from the 17 points of the true church and they answered it all and then he said well what do i need to do to join. he is volunteering to pay for our branch presidents heart and leg surgery so he can walk again and everything in cash. Its a huge miracle. So everything is going great and the work is progressing. Love you guys. and always remember the best way to chase a dog away is to kick it or hit it with a rock. and dont touch the cute cactus flowers they have thousands of tiny little needles that you cant take out. FYI. Love, Elder Hatfield

Letter from August 4, 2014

Pretty short emails this week! Elder Hatfield must be busy! Hey mom! Thanks for being so awesome! and poor tate i got a few pics that should make you guys laugh haha. So its been good down here alot of changes! my companion is elder Avila and he is from utah. its all going super well here and the work is progressing. our area got changed alot so its all new. basically our area is like from our house to the church in size. its a bit crazy. haha yeah speaking of changes... my comp left so im in charge of a huge area. take everything from my house to the church it takes about 25 mins to get from our apartment to the church and on top of that is the changes of having 4 more missionaries come into our area. its a bit crazy haha. all the areas were changed and we lost every investigator so we are starting from scratch. and dont worry about the heat it was 87 the other day and that was super nice! I love you mom. Love, Elder Hatfield