12/10/2012... LAST LETTER!!

Hello everyone !!!!!! We had a big day on Friday !!! In the morning we had our "Zone Training" meeting. Then the Relief Society sisters in our ward made us a really nice lunch. During lunch, Elder Brandon and I had a little activity planned... "Mr. Krueger's Christmas Trivia!!!!" HAHAAHHAAHA !!!!! We came up with 10 questions to test everyone's knowledge !!! The winner received a copy of "Mr. Krueger's Christmas" signed by Jimmy Stewart !!!!! (I signed it) HAHAHA !!

After that we had our "Christmas Conference." During this whole day President and Sister Anderson, the assistants (Elders Durrant and Maumau), and our entire zone were in attendance. The Christmas Conference was really good and I was asked to be the chorister for the entire meeting !!! I did my best. HA !

Then after that we headed to the Stake President's home (President and Sister Seger) for a Christmas celebration !!! We had a delicious dinner, then a white elephant gift exchange ! The Segers also gave each of us a Christmas package and also one for each companionship !!! They went to a lot of work and money to do this for us. It was really awesome of them. They do it every year for the missionaries in our zone. They are good people !!!

We have been working hard ! Yesterday was the first time it got really really cold this year and I wasn't prepared. I didn't grab my winter gear from our apartment so I froze for a while !!! I was trying to be a tough guy but it really messed me up when we finally got warm I was in a lot of pain. I thought I had frost bite on my ears for a minute but I'm ok.

I love my mission and know that this is Gods work. I love you all and will see you soon !!!!!!

 

p.s. Thank you for the b-day wishes !!!!!!

 

Elder Hathcock

aKa "Soldier of God"

I'm not getting released until 8pm ????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  DANG !!!!!!!

12/3/12

HELLO EVERYONE !!!!!!!!!!! It was a great week !!!! J passed the sacrament for the first time yesterday at church !!!!! It was such a blessing to see him fulfill one of his priesthood duties, he was so happy !

The "Christmas Devotional" was so good and one of the many people we invited came!!  Good ole Mr. P!  He really enjoyed it.   The music was so beautiful too!  

Coming to the close of a mission is so hard in so many ways.  But I have been so happy and at peace lately.  I will be a finisher!!!   My Savior has done WAY too much for me for me not to be!!!!!!!!  The gospel really does bring happiness.

Recently I have thought about when we, as God's children, go through tough times.  I recognize that even members of the church and others who are really good people, all go through tough times no matter what.  But I thought about how much harder those tough times would be without the gospel.  I feel so blessed to have the gospel in my life.  I've lived both ways (without the gospel and with the gospel) and let me just tell ya.....Life is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much happier and better with the gospel!!!!!!  

I testify that God lives, that his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ lives.  I testify that Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet of God!!!  That he restored the same exact church that Jesus Christ established when He came to the earth and that this church holds the power to act in God's name. I testify and I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and is holy scripture along with the Bible.  I know that the Atonement is real.  I will never fully comprehend that amazing gift but I know my Savior has redeemed my soul and I will have the blessed opportunity to live with God again and be with my family forever!!!!  I know all of these things because God has made them known to me by the power of the Holy Ghost.  ANYONE can know of these truths if the sincerely want to know and pray and simply ask their Father in Heaven.

I LOVE YOU ALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Elder Hathcock

aka "Soldier of God"

11/19/12

So happy for Carli !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It will be the start to a glorious life.
It was a pretty good week for us. We are working hard and I am staying focused. J will be receiving the Aaronic priesthood this coming Sunday and we are so happy for him. He really blows my mind how awesome he is. He has been sharing the Gospel with everybody !!!
I'm excited to hear where Mackenzie will be serving !
We are having Thanksgiving at the Santiago's. They are an awesome family and it will be a blast. That morning the ward is also having a Turkey bowl and I've got my cleats ready to rock !!! I am happy to hear that our family will be together along with some Monettes !! That's awesome !
I was blessed with the opportunity to teach Elders quorum yesterday about "forgiveness" and it really helped me to understand how important it is that we first seek the forgiveness of others before we go to our Heavenly Father and ask for forgiveness. I want to invite us all to make that effort to forgive someone who may have done us wrong and I promise that we will be the ones with a burden lifted.
Oh ya !!! I got to go back to Colby like you already know Maa. But it was a tender mercy from the Lord.  I was so grateful to have been able to see those who I got to see.   I didn't get to see the Trails which was a BUMMER as well as all the Rose family but it was great to see Sister Rose, Abby and Judd.  I even got to see Brent Bandy and Travis Sies and that was a great experience that I I will have to share at a later time.  But it was so great going back to where I started.
Andrew Cordova wrote me and wanted me to say hi to you all for him.
Well I love you all and am blessed by your love everyday, I know that's true !!!

Love Elder Hathcock

11/13/12

Its been another busy week!   Every-ones costumes were amazing!!!! 

We have had to do a lot of traveling again this week but it was beneficial.   We had our zone training meetings last Friday and they went really well.  We do two different ones in our zone because of the distances.   But Elder Brandon and I felt that at the end of each one we should take some time and talk about the importance of being united as a companionship.   Then we did a little activity where we had each companionship do "trust falls." It was fun  and we feel that the message was received well.

I love the Savior Jesus Christ.  I am nothing without him.   I love being one of his soldiers and I will continue to serve him forever.   I love you all and thank you for your love and support.

I am so proud of my cousins Elder Lange and Elder Larsen !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Hathcock

11/5/12

Hello everyone !!!!!!! another glorrious week in good ol Kansas just doing the good Lords work. I don't have much time to write because I love reading my cousins letters!  Things are going good. I am so strengthened by everyone's prayers. Thank you so much !!! I LOVE YOU ALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Elder Hathcock

10/29/12

Hello !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for the package !!!!! It was truly a treat !!!!!

We had a rough week but we are trying to seek guidance on what we can do better and are looking forward to this week. J is continuing to do great !!! He is the MAN !!! He is preparing to receive the priesthood so we are helping him with that.

I feel like I don't have a whole lot to say except that life is good, the church is true and I love being a soldier of God !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween.

Something that I read recently in Preach My Gospel has really changed the way I read scriptures. In chapter 2 it talks about really visualizing whats happening as you read. It has been amazing as I have done this.  It has allowed me to really grasp the reality of everything that is happening in the scriptures. To feel what the people or prophets must have been feeling and how hard it would be to experience a lot of what goes on within the scriptures. I invite you all to do this and see how much more it will invite the spirit as you do.

I love you all and am so grateful for your love and support.
I recently got letters/cards from Heather and Kim Parker which was really sweet of them to do.

Love you all !!!

 

Elder Hathcock

10/23/12

Hello everyone !!! It was another busy week. I don't have a whole lot of time to write because I had to read through some upcoming travel arrangements that Elder Brandon and I are involved with. We have 2 visa waiters in our zone that we have to drive in to the Springs.

But anyways, J was confirmed on Sunday and he is doing great !! He was walking on air after he received the Gift of the Holy Ghost. It was beautiful to see. He loves to participate in Sunday school. Its great !

We had interviews yesterday and it was nice to talk with President again. It was also nice to see Elder Clark again, I missed that little rascal. It was great cause his mom and dad sent me some granola that they make and a letter. So sweet of them.

Coming closer to the end is rough but I keep on striving to rely on the Lord and think of others and I am strengthened. I love you all !!!!!

 

Elder Hathcock

aka "Solder of God" (Soldado de Dios)

OK for the package if you could include some "cheeze its" that would be great !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :]  but whatever is fine, I am pumped !!! Love you

10/15/12

Hello everyone !!!!! J was baptized yesterday !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is the MAN !!!! It is so amazing to see how happy he is. The gospel changes lives !!!!

We have been teaching one of the recent convert's fiancee and she is getting baptized this Sunday !!!!

I am loving it here !!! Spanish is hard but it has been cool to be able to understand more of what I hear.

We had our Zone Training meetings last Friday and they went really well. We have to do a lot of traveling as zone leaders out here because it is so spread out. Next time we are in Liberal I will have to get a picture of Dorthy's house from "Wizard of Oz", That's where it was filmed!!

I love being a missionary. I continue to learn and grow everyday. I know this is Jesus Christ's church on the earth. I love you all and pray that this week we will all pray everyday for an opportunity to serve someone.

Elder Hathcock

aka "Soldier of God" "Soldado de Dios" :]

P.s. you also forgot to mention who the new Stake President is... HAHA

10/10/12

I had no idea that Racho was planning on serving a mission !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is so awesome !!!!!!!!!! I was hoping she would. :]

It has been amazing coming here to Kansas ! Back to my roots !!! HAHA !! Elder Brandon is a great missionary. He is from Spanish Fork, Utah and speaks very good Spanish. We have not had much time to do language study this week but Elder Brandon has been teaching me the conjugations ... talk about a headache. We are not teaching anyone in Spanish right now but we do have two investigators. J is getting BAPTIZED this Sunday !!!!!!!!! He was actually found when we came down for exchanges a couple weeks ago. He has been doing great and now his mom is interested !!! I have been waking up so happy lately ! I am grateful for my last calling but I am loving life right now !!! We have done a lot of traveling this week because of baptismal interviews and also we had to drive back to the Springs for Zone Leader Council. So that's why we are just now having p-day. I love you all !!!!!!! General Conference was amazing !!! We need to "hasten" the work of the Lord. We all need to be sharing the Gospel !!!!!!

Elder Hathcock

PHOTOS!!!