Happy Easter!

March 28, 2016

Happy Late Easter!!!

We got to color eggs for FHE last week which was really fun! Other than that I didn't do anything special for Easter. I did however get to speak in church yesterday about the Atonement and it is truly crazy to see how much Christ has done for each and every one of us. Obviously we can't comprehend all that He went through but I know that because of that I have the opportunity to change!! I know I shared this talk with you a couple weeks ago but I just love it so much!! In the talk, "His Grace is Sufficient" there is a part where he is talking to his friend and it says, "I have born-again Christian friends who say to me, “You Mormons are trying to earn your way to heaven.”

I say, “No, we are not earning heaven. We are learning heaven. We are preparing for it. We are practicing for it.” They ask me, “Have you been saved by grace?” I answer, “Yes. Absolutely, totally, completely, thankfully—yes!” Then I ask them a question that perhaps they have not fully considered: “Have you been changed by grace?” I love that last question. What are doing to change yourself because of the Atonement? The only way we can "pay back" Christ for all that we have done is to live our lives the way He has asked us to live it and share what we know with others!! 

I loved the Women's Conference because that was all it talked about!! Forget yourself and go to work!! That is something I needed to be reminded of. When you start thinking of yourself too much in missionary work, that desire to work leaves you and you aren't as effective. I think now I have finally understood why it is so important to stay focused on the mission. I didn't feel this way until recently when I started to think of home way too much and didn't have any desire to work. But we had interviews this week and President Miles said that sometimes we have to rededicate ourselves just like sometimes we have to rededicate temples. We get worn or tired of what we are doing and we need to rededicate ourselves to the work. So that is what I am trying to do!

It has been such beautiful weather here!! I am so afraid to go home to the heat!! But it is supposed to start warming up here a lot more this week so maybe it won't be so nice for me anymore. Sister V. is always angry with me because I am constantly praying for snow or rain and she hates the snow!! Hahaha!! The other morning we woke up to snow on the ground and I was so happy and she was like "YOU PRAYED FOR THIS!" and I was like "YEAH!! God does answer prayers!" haha:) I love it!! Oh how I am going to miss the snow...

Leah's baptismal date got pushed back a week to May13th because her family won't be in town until then and they wanted to come to the baptism so that is awesome!!! I am so glad her family is so supportive and wants to come!!! Her mom wasn't so excited when she first told them about her wanting to get baptized. 

Other than that we have had a lot of crazy run ins with people downtown. One guy said he doesn't believe in Jesus because he believes in sex and so he can't believe that Mary was a virgin... That was probably one of the most hilarious run ins I have encountered on the mission!!! It was awesome!:) 

I love you guys!! I am glad you had a great Easter!!! You guys are truly the best ever!!!

Love,

Sister Hatch

"I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him? It seems to me that missionaries and mission leaders have to spend at least a few moments in Gethsemane. Missionaries and mission leaders have to take at least a step or two toward the summit of Calvary." (Missionary Work and the Atonement by Elder Holland)