The week

Well this week has been an awesome week! On Sunday the baptism went down! It was such a beautiful experience as her and her son embraced in the baptismal font after the baptism. Not only was that great, but the father of the family has been waiting for a disciplinary council along with his nephew. And the district president showed up to the baptism to tell them personally that the council was going to be held on Thursday, which is tomorrow! It is so exciting because they have been waiting forever and have really made changes in their lives. It was an amazing experience.

Other than that we have been working the missionary work. That has been fun. I don't know why, but this week has been filled with really funny excuses at the door. For example, one was "Ho roba sul fuoco, mi dispiace" which is literally "I have stuff on the fire, sorry." And my personal favorite from this week, "Sono catolico, non credente." Which is, "I am a non-believing Catholic." What he meant by that my companion and I will never know.

While we were knocking houses the other day, we knocked into an investigator's house - which was amazing because for some reason, she comes to church and will be taught at a member's house but would not let us know her address. So we were just innocently knocking houses and she opens the door and was like, "Who told you where I lived?" It was funny, but she let us in and we taught a short lesson to her and her parents and a friend who might become an investigator soon.

On Monday I had my first exchange with a Zone Leader in my time as a District Leader. It was a really great day. We taught five appointments - two to investigators, two to new members, and one to a less active member. It was an amazing day. Then on our way to the train station we ran into parents of a member who is on a mission in England, but the parents have been "investigators" forever. And the mother of the member asked us if we could come over and give her a blessing before she goes into some kind of surgery. That was an amazing step for her. We think that she is close to accepting the gospel, but her husband does most of the talking and he doesn't want to "change his traditions" to use his words. It is sometimes shocking that people actually quote the Book of Mormon in that way.

Okay, picture time.

First is us with the baptismal candidate and the baptizer

Then second is the family that in a few weeks (we hope) will be a complete family in the church!

Love you all and thanks for letters and things. That makes life even more fun!

Love, Anziano Hatch