2.27.2012

I Don't have a lot of time again but wanted to mention a few things.
I had an opportunity to go on exchanges with the AP's (Elders Schmidt & Bischoff), and it was really great ! They are very good missionaries and I learned a lot in the time that we had together.
One thing that President Anderson talked about in one of our meetings is the importance of our choices. So much revolves around the choices we make. It is up to us to make right choices and wrong choices. We cannot blame others for the choices we make. I pray that we all will make the choices that will make our Heavenly Father pleased. I am so grateful for this blessed calling that I have been given at this time in my life. I love you all !!!!!!!!!
Tell YaYa and Ben and Travis that i am sorry that I am sorry but won't be able to write them back until next week or maybe after since it will be transfers.

Elder Hathcock

2.21.2012

side note from Tammie: I will be sending Brother Morgan $100! I have asked Tyler several times how his clothes are holding up and if he needs anything!
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HAHAHAA !!!! they are so cute !!!! I miss them SO MUCH !!!

My suit pants finally ripped beyond repair and a member in Rye (bro Morgan) gave me 100 bucks to get one !!!!!!!!!!!!! I tried and tried to not accept but he insisted. It really touched my heart and was such a great act of kindness and love. So when I got here i got a new suit, it is really nice and Ive received a lot of compliments for it.

We had zone conference yesterday and it was awesome !!!! President Anderson asked that i conduct the meeting and that was fun. It was great to be able to present at zone conference and help with the progression of the mission.

I got a letter last week from the Handerhans in Rye and that was great !!!! I miss them a lot. Then guess who I got to see on Sunday?... The TRAILS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They were in Denver for the weekend, finding Ashleigh a prom dress. So they were able to stop by at my ward. They all look great, and I loved seeing them even if it was only for an hour or so.

Love you all !!!!!!!!
Elder Hathcock

2.13.12

Finally !!!!! The computers here at the library have all been giving me trouble. So I don't have much time. To answer your question: Being a ZL (zone leader), you don't get as much sleep and you have to do a lot more paper work. Elder Rios and I do still get to teach, we just are trying to "find". We recently got a referral for a LA (less active) member and he has some what of a similar story as mine, so I am looking forward to meeting with him. I am enjoying being back in the city cause there are a lot more people and a lot more things to do. You get to be around a lot more missionaries too which is cool.
Oh ya, I got a V-Day card from aunt Kelly and she gave me 20 bucks !!!! It was so awesome !!!
The card was really sweet. Love my auntie !!!!
Hey Maa, tell Stacy that I am sending off her Valentines card today so it will be a little late. Elder Rios was pumped to hear that there was something in the package for him too. I am always tired. It is really starting to get frustrating. I have been working out regularly in the mornings too but
I still am not getting the energy I need. I pray that I am not anemic like you (no offense Maa).
Oh ya ... HAPPY VALENTINES DAY MAA !!!!!!!!! Love you so much !!!! Love you all !!!

Elder Hathcock
AkA "Soldier of God"

2.6.12

Hello everyone !!!!!!!!!! It has been a busy week ! I got some amazing news recently that an investigator I started teaching in Colby KS is getting baptized !!!! He was a really cool guy, who use to be in "Special forces" in the military. It made me so happy to hear that !!!
It has been a great blessing being able to work with so many missionaries and to be able to help them with their ministry. Elder Rios and I attempted another "food challenge" in town. It was a pizza place called "Fat Boys" and it is the "Gut Buster Challenge!" It is a ten pound pizza with two meat toppings. The APs (Assistants to the President) came for encouragement cause if you win you get $300!!! So we were determined. But.... we failed :[ I had one piece left and I BLEW CHUNKS !!!!! I was so disappointed in myself. Elder Rios had about 6 or 7 pieces left. It was my last time doing anymore challenges. I am retired. Its time to get back to my normal life !!! HAHA !!!
Well I hope all is well. The work is going forward! No unhallowed hand can stop it!!! I love you all !!!!!!!!! That is awesome that Racho is in Taekwando!!!
Elder Hathcock

1/30/12

Aloha !!!!!!!! I have served around a few Hawaiian elders in the past little bit and they are making me fall in love with Hawaii. Elder Molina is the one who made me the "BOOMSHOT" shirt and he is a convert. His story is awesome, ill have to tell it someday. He is a very gifted artist.

And now, Elder Kahawaii is in my zone and he and another Elder Tanner serve in the same ward as Elder Rios and I. So we see them a lot. Elder Kahawaii is an awesome guy. He is from Oahu, and it is amazing there !!! The pictures Ive seen and the things I've heard sound like my kind of place. He told me I would fit right in there. He makes us rice all the time, its delicious !!!!!

So yesterday was my first day in a new ward and it was great !!! Bishop Robison came up to me before church started and asked if I would bare my testimony during sacrament meeting. So it was a good way for me to introduce myself to the whole ward.

I am really excited to be here. It was a little crazy at first being in a city again but it feels like home and I am really enjoying it. Some more responsibilities and more work but I am really enjoying having the opportunity to serve so many other missionaries. There is a pretty big Spanish district in our zone and they go to our same building. Elder Rios is a great guy and very good missionary. We have had some really good laughs already and are going to get along great. He has been in this area for a while now so I am a little bummed of the fact that he might not be here much longer. He is from San Antonio Texas !!!

Bruce R. McConkie's (I don't think I spelled that right) son is our stake president and is in our ward. I met his wife yesterday and she was very nice and gave a good firm hand shake. :] We have an investigator right now who has been an investigator for years. She is friends with the McConkies. We are feeling that it will not be long before she is ready for baptism. We had a great lesson with her last night.

OK, so I have a little story. There is this burger joint in the area that is very well known. Its called "Crave" and they have some very interesting/delicious burgers. One unique thing about it is the have a burger challenge called "The Three Little Pig" challenge. It is three HUGE burgers with a patty,ham.pulled pork, bacon, cheese, and fried onion straws !!! No missionary has been able to do it. You get 45 minutes to accomplish it. So after district meeting this week ... I TOOK THE CHALLENGE !!!! If you dont finish it, it cost 25 bucks !!!! So I went in there with the mind set that failure is not an option and I am a machine !!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAA !!!!! IT ... WAS ... SOOOOOOOO HARD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe how tough it got at the end and the waitress didn't think I could do it !!!! ... BUT I DID !!!!!!!!!!!! With 2:16 left on the clock !!! I got a t-shirt and my picture taken to put on their wall. Only like 15 people have done it. I did it for my fellow brethren. It has brought many of them joy ! I am now a legend. HAHAHAAHAHA !!!!!! But I felt absolutely misserable afterwards !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would never do it again !!!!

HA !!! Well, love you all. I love that Bubbas loves to wrestle, i just knew he would !!! :] I can feel your pain Maa. I have tendinitis in my left hand and it is painful !!! Anyways, LOVE you all !!!!!!!!

Hope that was long enough for you Maa ;]

Tell Stacy I love her !!! Thanks




Elder Hathcock

AkA "Soldier of God"

1/24/12

I am sorry Maa, but it is going to be another short letter. I am being transferred to the "Colorado Springs Zone" and I am going to be a zone leader. I am a little stressed but I know it will be a great new chapter in my mission. My companion (Elder Rios) is a really good missionary and I am pumped he will be my comp. It is really hard leaving Rye. I never thought it would be as hard leaving an area in my mission as it was to leave home. Its crazy !!! I got so much love from the members here, it really has brought me so much joy. I am also bummed that I will not be here for Tommys baptism, but he understands.

Love you all.

And Maa, you can send the letters to the mission office. :]

p.s. tell Stacy I LOVE HER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Elder Hathcock

AkA "Soldier of God"

1.17.12

Hello !!! Glad to hear all is well, I have been sick the past few days.

Tommy was not baptized, he was not ready so we are doing all we can to help him, he is a really great guy.

Tell Tara I got her letter and little Logan looks so cute !!! Love you Floff !!!

Please tell Judy Baca that I got her letter and it meant so much to me, and tell her i love her.

I will be getting transferred next week but don't know where yet.

The church is true !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love you all !!!!!!

Elder Hathcock
AkA "Soldier of God"

BOOMSHOT !!!!!!!!!!!!!

1.9.12

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING EVEYONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is a beautiful day !!! About 40 degrees out right now and the sun is shining !!!

We decided to have Tommy's baptism this Sunday after stake conference. It will be great cause there is a "new member" fireside prior to stake conference and that will be great for him to go to. He was really sick yesterday and couldn't come to church. We went by and saw him and gave him a blessing. He is doing great though !!!!! He has such a strong testimony of the restored gospel. He is reading the Book of Mormon everyday and praying and he says he feels his faith getting stronger and stronger !!!

There was a baptism service this past Saturday and Tommy came. One of the Benz families little boys (Brock) was baptized as well as little Sierra Porter (our relative). It was really cool cause i got to meet some more of our relatives ! I met two of Virgils daughters (Jolee and Kathleen). It was great cause Kathleen turned to her husband and said, "This is FBI Bens son." HAHAHA !!!!!

It was cool too cause brother and sister Benz asked Elder Chaput and I if we would be the " witness' " and also stand in on the confirmation ! I love the Benz family, it is going to be hard to leave those kids of theirs someday. I love being a missionary !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope everyone is doing well, I love you all !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I loved the Christmas stuff Maa !!! I forgot to tell you how much I loved it all ! The cd is great !!! And yes, I got the electric shaver and it is really nice !!!!!!!!!!!! I am writing Stacy today about it. Tell Pop that I did get his letter and it was totally inspired because that day in our District Meeting we discussed ch. 8 of Preach My Gospel and it was awesome !!!! Love you Pop !!!!!!!!!!!




Elder Hathcock

01.02.12

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WEE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am pumped about this year that lies ahead !!!!!! So many goals and things to accomplish !!!!!

Tommy came to church yesterday and had a GLORIOUS experience !!!!! It was amazing cause he shared an experience in our class of when we first came across him. He was walking from some apartments and we approached him and i talked to him. I asked if we could come by his home in the near future to share a message and he was hesitant at first but then agreed. He went on to tell us that he was going to decline at first but then something told him to say yes. He was on his way to get ahold of an old "friend" to get him a ride to Florida which would have put him back in a bad situation that he didnt want to be in. After we had met him he called the "friend " and told him nevermind. He went on to say how happy he is that he did that cause he has been praying a lot and reading the Book of Mormon and he keeps having really good feelings about everything. It strengthened my testimony so much of how the Lord puts us in places where we need to be, to be instruments in his hands. The Holy Ghost was what Tommy had telling him to meet with us and now he is preparing to be baptized this Saturday. His humility has brought him to where he is today and now he is taking the first step to coming closer to our Savior. Then preparing himself to enter the Lords holy temple someday.

I was so grateful for the opportunity/blessing I had to go to the Denver Temple on the 28th of December. It was a great reminder of the covenants I have made and also where i want those who I help find the truth of the gospel, prepare to enter. It helped me keep my focus on "the eternal perspective." I testify that our Father in Heaven lives and loves us all and that his son Jesus Christ is our savior and redeemer. The Holy Ghost is what testifies of these truths to us. Knowing these things have changed my life and continue to change my life for the better. You cannot compare this kind of happiness with anything else.

I pray that all of you have a blessed new year. I LOVE you all !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Elder Hathcock

12.25.11

We had a wonderful visit with Tyler on Christmas day! Thanks to modern technology, we were able to talk to him via skype! He looks great and his countenance just shines! We had the whole family gathered around the computer and it was just so much fun to interact with him along with everyone else! Jordan and Kristyn were not there because they had to head back to Carlsbad for their Christmas gathering with her family but luckily Tyler was able to skype with them after he finished his visit with us and they had a great visit also. He was able to see his little Brooklynn too so that was great! Tyler did not write a letter, but he sent us some pictures. He has become very attached to the people in Rye and he is going to be very sad when he has to leave that area. He says it is such a beautiful place! We are so proud of Tyler and his commitment to serve a mission. Next Christmas he will be with us! We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!
Love,
Tammie