Sister Kirsten Hatch: Settling in

12/15/14

Hello Beautiful Family Whom I Love So Much,

It sounds like you have all been having a blast!! Ashlyn send me pics of your hair show stuff!!!

Everything has been getting better. I think I've settled in mostly to the new area and ward. I know a lot more people than last week so that's good! I'm slowly getting to know all the members of the ward but I know mostly all the really active one's so far so that's good! Sister Kolkova and I spoke in sacrament meeting yesterday as well! We spoke on missionary work, why we do it and how we do it. And one of the members came up to us after and said the talk was perfect for his daughter. His daughter is really struggling with staying in the church and they have been praying forever about her and he said my talk was perfect for her. I really love her and am so glad I could help answer their prayers for her. I know I am in this ward for her and I hope as we go and visit her more that she will be more open to the gospel. She is 18 and just out of high school as well so its really easy to relate to her and talk to her.

We went back to see our new investigator Andrea this week and taught her the first lesson!! She still seems really open to everything and wants to continue meeting with us but not until January... so that's a bummer... She has a lot of crazy family stuff going on that she wants to get settled out and it's the holiday season as well which means everyone is busy and rarely anyone has "time" for us. But oh well we will still be out trying to find people to teach!

My companion has been out four months so she still pretty young in the mission as well and she has only had 2 other companions before me. I think her healthiness is rubbing off on me a little I mean since she doesn't eat meat or dairy really the members don't have much to choose from when serving us dinner so we have been getting healthier meals than I think we would get otherwise. Also she is an exercise freak as well so Saturday morning we went out running and 6:30am. And it was raining, ice raining!!! It was fine when we were running in the direction of the rain but when we had to turn around and run against the rain that was the bad part. When ice rain hits you while you are running it feels like little needle pricks constantly stabbing your face. So that was fun!!

We have been doing a lot of tracting in the cold weather so I have been getting used to the cold. it's starting to get colder and colder everyday though. Today it's -8 C which is the coldest it's been all week and it's going to get much colder!!! Today we were trying to wash the car and we don't have a hose or anything so we were just using water and rags and that wasn't really working because it's just ice stuck to the car. So we gave up... plus our hands were frozen so we will probably just go to a car wash.

So for Christmas my companion wants to skype her family on Christmas Eve because her family celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve. But we haven't found a members house to skype at yet. We are going to be asking everyone this week and I will let you know the full details next week but we are planning sometime Christmas Eve morning. We do have dinner with members Christmas eve night and Christmas so we might end up doing it then... I don't know we'll see. I am also sending Christmas letters and treats which you will love!! But you can't open them until Christmas!!

Also I don't think we are going to get ipads any time soon... I heard they are trying to get them for our mission but it probably won't be until next summer if we ever do get them. So hopefully then!

Yeah I think that is everything if I think of anything else I can always tell you when I skype you next week!! I can't wait!!

Love,

Sister Hatch