7/5/11

Glad to hear everything is going good ! To answer your questions: There are a lot of less active members, we don't have any solid investigators right now, but we keep on trucking along. Elder McCord has 7 brothers and 1 sister and he is the third youngest. He goes home a month from today !! I'm gonna miss him cause we are having a good time together. The ward here is amazing !!! Tell Stacy to not worry cause we get fed a ton here and I am gaining weight back !!!! HAHA But we hike mountains when we tract and the elevation is not too shabby. I finally saw a bear !!!!! It was awesome !!!!!!! One of the families in the ward have a cow who just had its baby calf yesterday, it is so cool to see this little cow already walking around and stuff, and its really soft too ! For the 4th of July the ward had a breakfast and then we stopped by a few get together and basically got fed tons of food. While we were tracting yesterday, people were like, "its too hot for you boys to be out!" It cracks me up cause its amazing weather for July !!! It was a really good day for me yesterday because the 4th of July took on a whole new meaning for me. As we celebrate the day of our Independence I came to understand that, this day made it possible for the Restoration of the gospel to come about. This promise land was prepared for the great truths that we have today and I am so grateful to be an American and am grateful for those who serve in our military to defend our country. I love you all and am so very,very grateful for your love and support! Have fun at the reunion !!! Tell everyone that I love and miss them !!!

Love,
Elder Hathcock

More photos!

Tyler has been transferred to Rye, Colorado so here are some last shots of Kansas and some first few shots of Colorado, in no particular order. ENJOY!

6.27.11

Rye ... is ... AMAZING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe that I am here, it is so beautiful !!!! I guess it is the driest it has ever been here but it is still beautiful. There are deer everywhere ! There are also black bears all over but I have yet to see any. I have seen like 30 deer already, it is so cool ! They have a ward here !!! (about 150 active). Its weird being in a ward again but I'm loving it. Everyone is very nice, we get fed every night, and did I mention how beautiful it is ?!!!! HAHA

The ward is very missionary minded too, it is a whole new world !!! We have a family that we are teaching ! The church building is surrounded by trees and the mountains, it is GLOOOOOORIOUS !!!!!!

Elder McCord is the MAN !!!! He is a big ol' guy from Seaside Oregon. I could not ask for a better companion, we get along great and he is a funny guy who loves to sing all day long. I am so happy that the Lord has blessed me to be where I am. Our apartment is really nice, I have a view of trees and the mountains from my desk.

We drive a truck cause we hit a lot of dirt trails. But I am going to get in pretty good shape because we straight up hike when we go tracting, it is something else. There are a few beautiful lakes in our area as well.

I have met a few people in the ward who know some Hathcocks ! Its crazy ! A sister knew a Brandon Hathcock in Cedar City Utah. Another brother with the last name Reidhead was raised in Mesa and knew a Jim Hathcock and thinks he might know Pops, but he is a few years older than Pops. And another older brother knows some Hathcock's that are members in Colorado. Its a trip !

That's awesome about Cory possibly playing ball for BYU.

I love being a soldier of God and am so grateful for all the blessings that the gospel brings into my life and my family's !!! Those pictures of my niece and nephew are so cute !!!! The pool looks so refreshing ... (sigh) ... someday ! :]

LOVE YOU ALL !!!!!!!!

Elder Hathcock

6.21.11

Tammie sent Tyler a picture of Ellie Sue (her nephew Lance's new baby girl). Tyler also wrote his dad for Father's day and that note has been included.


Ellie Sue is so precious !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't have much time to talk, I am being transferred to Rye Colorado !!!!!!!! It is where Elder Darley just came from ! He was there for 10 months !!!!!!!! But I am very excited !!!!!!!!! Its a small place of like ... 600 people, but I hear it is in the mountains and very beautiful !!!!! It is tough leaving Colby, I love these people. But I know that Rye is where the Lord wants me. Girls camp sounded amazing !!!!! So glad it was a success !

Love you all !!!!!!
Love, Elder Hathcock
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HAPPY FATHER'S DAY POP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love you so much Pops, and am always mindful as a missionary of the great example you have been to me and what an honorable priesthood holder you have always been. Sunday I was touched by the spirit thinking of how humble of a man you are. I all the sudden realized how humble you are and how much that means to me and how it has been an example to me. I love you Pop !

Your son and soldier of God,
Elder Hathcock

6.6.11

It was a good week. Brent was confirmed yesterday and also ordained a priest and received the Aaronic priesthood ! His father Brad was there and things have been going really well with him. The Lord prepares those who are ready to receive this message. It has finally warmed up here in KS ! The branch is doing well and we are getting fed frequently now so I have gained back some weight !!! :[ HAHAHA but its good to have the branch's trust. That is so cool about Kerry's nephew getting called to my mission ! He is going to love it !!!!! Billy, one of our recent converts, bore his testimony yesterday at church and that was really cool to see. He is a very humble man, with a big heart. I continue to be amazed by the lessons you learn on a mission, it is the best thing I could have ever done !!!!! Home teaching/visiting teaching is so important !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please make sure that you all are making your very best efforts to accomplish these assignments from the Lord. The Trails moved to a new house in a smaller town about 8 miles from Colby. They are very excited about it ! That is so great that Yaya and Ben are moving to Murrieta !!!! Im so pumped about that !

Well ... I love you all and am so grateful for your love and support !!!! I am honored to be a soldier of God and want to remind us all how important prayer is (2 Nephi 32:8-9)... pray always !!!

Love, Elder Hathcock

HI YA'LL !!!!!!! Both my companions have been district leaders Maa, so there is no difference. My new comp kind of looks like cousin Clyde. It trips me out. Brent was baptized on Sunday !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is such a great kid ! His dad came and had a really awesome experience and we are now teaching him !!! I am so pumped ! The Lord has blessed us here in Colby. Yesterday it meant a lot because we went over to their house [Brent and his dad (Brad)] and had dinner. Brad told us that he considers us family now, that really meant a lot. He is really proud of the decision his son Brent has made. Brad is a very humble man and I know that the spirit will confirm to him that the gospel is true. We had zone conference yesterday and it was a very memorable one. It was the last one we will have with president and sister Pfile. It was an emotional one but very spiritually uplifting. There is an Elder Hansen in my district who is going home in 3 weeks along with president and sister Pfile. He is such a character, I love this guy. He has been through a lot on his mission too... one thing is that the apartment he and his companion were living in burnt down along with everything that they owned. He comes from a very big family with not a lot of money. He is a farm boy from Idaho. Anyways I am gonna miss him a lot. He bore his testimony at zone conference and it touched my heart. I can't express how grateful I am to be a missionary and to be numbered among these amazing young men who are serving the Lord right along with me. We have a very united district, and are seeing miracles through hard work, obedience, and prayer. I gave a talk this last Sunday on one of my favorite talks by Elder Joseph B. Worthlin, of the quorum of the 12 Apostles. It is titled, "Come what may, and love it!" I talked about the importance how we react to adversity in our lives. Depending on how we react can determine how happy and successful we will be in life. I am very grateful for the opportunities I have to learn and grow from adversity in my life as a missionary. Sister Pfile said that when you are going through adversity, you need to turn to God and ask, "what would you have me learn?" I know it is so true, when we go through tough times the Lord wants to see who we will turn to. I have had many of these growing experiences within these past 2 weeks and I am grateful !


I love you all !!!!


P.s. tell Ryan and Julie thanks for the letter but I didn't get it ! HAHA It got damaged in handling, so they sent it to me but there was no letter ... just the envelope :[ thank you though Ryan and Julie !




Love, Elder Hathcock

5/23/11

YELLOOOOOOO !!!!!!! My new comp is awesome !!!!!!! He is from Wisconsin (near the Milwaukee area). He is also our new district leader. He has been out 18 months, and he was in his last area for 10 months !!!!! A town called "Rye" in Colorado, a town of only 600 people but he loved it there ! He is excited to be here in Colby, it is about the size of the town he is from in Wisconsin. I have been stressing a lot though cause it feels like I'm training in a way because I have to help him get acquainted to the area and the mission out here in KS is different from ways in Colorado. He is very humble, very easy going, very positive, very happy, and it helps out things a lot ! I love this guy ! Brent was not able to be baptized yesterday because of a situation in the branch but he didn't let it get him down. This kid is so smart and is so humble and is so excited to be baptized !!! I love him !!!! His dad is totally supportive which is awesome !!!!!! His brother and his girlfriend are thinking about getting married so that is sweet ! We will see how things continue with them. Kathy is really awesome and we have had some really great lessons with her , I know she will get baptized someday if its not next week. Oh ya !!! My comps name is Elder Darley ! I call him Harley Darley !!! He is awesome and made me feel real good cause he said, "Its weird being with someone who is good at teaching, I'm not use to it." He told me how well I was trained and said that he thinks I'll be training very soon... and that thought stressed me out !!!!! Its funny how stressed I've been getting lately, I'm not use to that feeling. But I love it cause it helps me know how important this work is to me. I was praying early on in my mission to the Lord to help me love the work and now I am seeing how truly important it is to me and that I do love it ! I am forever grateful for this opportunity to serve the Lord at this time in my life.


JoJo looks good in that cap and gown !!!!! Bkua looks adorable ! I love the picture with their little family. We've had a couple of rainy and cold days in the last two weeks !!! Its crazy, but it looks like it should be staying warm from here on out. Oh ya, it was crazy ! So when I went to transfers, there was this Elder Smith who was there who is in KS too. It turns out he is from Fredericksburg VA, and he knows the Browns and others from there. I kind of knew his older brother ! Its a small world.


Anyways, love you all and am grateful for Y'ALL in my life !!! I am catching myself say "ya'll" a lot lately ... ... crap HA


Love, Elder Hathcock

5/16/11

Well I don't have much time to write because Elder Andersen is getting transferred. I am staying right here in Colby, but I am pumped because we have some great miracles going on right now. We had seven investigators at church yesterday !!! I think it might be a record in Colby ! Elder Andersen said that's the most people he has ever had at church. Elder Andersen is heading to the city !!! CO Springs area, the 1st time he will have ever served in the city after 20 months in the missh. He is a little nervous. But he has been called as zone leader for the northeast zone and I am pumped for him. Things are going great ! I am excited to meet my new companion Elder Darley, he will be our district leader. My testimony grows stronger everyday ! That's crazy that Derrick goes home in August ! Very proud of him and his hard work, he is a great example to me. Love you all and am grateful for your love and support.
Love, Elder Hathcock

5/9/11

This week's email is short because he got to call home and chat with the family for a little bit for Mother's Day. Missionaries get to call twice a year, on Mother's Day and Christmas. Only two more phone calls and then he'll be home!!!
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IT WAS SO GREAT TO TALK TO EVERYONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU HAVE NO IDEA ! Racho, you look absolutely BEAUTIFUL !!!!!! I love the pictures !!! I LOVE YOU STACE !!!! I forgot to tell you Maa about this place we go eat at called "J&B's" ... the BEST double bacon cheese burger I have ever had !!!! Love you all !!!!!!!!!!

5/2/11

HI YA'LL !!!!! HAHAA We had a great finding week ! A lot of great potential investigators. I thought it was really cool that you felt impressed to share Bishop Burk's letter because I bore my testimony yesterday about (John 14:15) and how that scripture really hit me hard. How obeying Gods commandments is our way of showing Him that we love him, and I want to show my Father in heaven how much I truly do love and appreciate him. I had a great sabbath day yesterday, we had an excellent lesson in priesthood about "gratitude" and read from President Monson's talk, "The Attitude of Gratitude." It was so humbling because as a missionary I have found myself constantly giving thanks to God in my prayers more than I ever have before. It is so important that we make sure we remember to thank God everyday for the things we are blessed with and not just focus on what we need or desire. There are so many everyday, little things that we are so lucky and blessed to have that others don't that we take for granted. Be thankful to the Lord. OK, so about calling on Mother's Day ... I'm not going to be calling you, sorry .... ...


HAHAHHAHAAAA just kidding ! I can't wait ! Sister Rose is giving us a calling card and we are going to be calling from the church. I am going to be calling at 4:00 pm my time, so 2:00 your time. We couldn't get access to skype :[ but maybe on Christmas I will be able to. I get 40 minutes to talk. Glad as always to hear everyone is doing great !!! Hope Ben gets the job ! I love and miss you all !!!!!!!!!!!!!


P.s. Heather sent me an EASTER PACKAGE !!!!!! It was so awesome !!!!!!!!!! Love you Heath !!!!
P.s.s the pictures you sent were tiny, I could barely see them HA