WOW

Hey Julie, lookin' good girl! Dad, keep the shotgun close!! haha just kidding...but seriously, really close. Sounds like all is well in IF town and its surrounding provinces. As for here in Pisa, we received more news that puts more weight on our shoulders. Yesterday in interviews with President, we were told that the senior couple here will be going home next week due to health issues. That is sad, cause they were a great help, they spoke Italian, and had investigators, and could help teach and translate and stuff. So we have closed a companionship at the beginning of the transfer and then another will be closing. So that leaves my companion and me to shoulder all the work together with the ward members.

So that was pretty big news. This week has been another week of getting things under control and under our belts. Lots of house visits to investigators and such. We have a very good pool to work from. And now with more work coming our way it looks like we will be doing some more of that next week.

We have some good thing planned coming up. This branch has a lot of youth and so does the Livorno branch. This Saturday, we are getting youth, members, and investigators and friends alike together and we are going to teach them to play American football. That is going to be fun.

Last night I was talking to this guy on the bus, but we got off really quick so I didn't get to leave anything with him. Later last night, I got a call from Sister Acerson and her daughter who just finished her mission in the Milan mission and they were touring the Pisa area. They ran into this guy and he told them that he was a member but hasn't been to church since he was about ten, and he wanted to meet with us but we didn't have time to exchange numbers or anything. So she got his number and called us and gave it to us. Then we called, and we are going to pass by him today and see what is up.

Good experience. Oh and mother, I withdrew that money to buy some flip flops for the house cause my old ones fell apart. But you can only withdraw in amounts of 20, but I thought I had enough. Anyway. Guess not. Thanks for taking care of that for me though! I love you!

Well, you all keep up the good work, and I will keep up the work here!

Love,
Anziano Hatch

The Leaning Tower

A drawing that Jessica Warden sent me in a letter for my birthday. Really funny. I thought you you would all enjoy it.

This one is specifically for Chris and Justin. This "temple" was constructed here last transfer I guess. Complete with Mountain Dew Angel Moroni.

Week Due

(This is the second of two posts this week.)

Ok, this week has been a long great week. Pisa is a great town and there is lots of work here to do. No, I haven't knocked the Tower over yet, and I am sorry I don't have a picture of it yet either.

To answer a question about boundary changes, all missionaries in the Toscana and Umbria regions would become part of the Milan mission. So where I am right now, I would be in the Milan mission borders.

Which reminds me - Yes, Toscany is as beautiful as they say -rolling hills with orchards, flat farmland. I feel more at home here in Pisa than I did in the big city of Rome. Ok, so my companion is from north Italia from a city called Udine. I don't know what it is called in English, so Italian will have to suffice for now. He is fluent with the language of Italian. His English is not very good at all, so I am learning Italian at an increased rate of speed which I enjoy quite a bit.

The members here in Pisa are amazing. There are a few American members from the military base that are rather cool, and then just the members are great. I don't know what to say more about it.

Oh yeah, Louisa is just a member in Rome that was baptized while I was there. If you want to friend her (on Facebook) you can. Which reminds me also, Julie remember to udpate my Facebook so members and stuff don't think that I am a jerk or something cause I didn't get to say goodbye to anyone in Rome 2 because I had to leave early.

Sounds like you are all doing great. Sounds like this last trip was really fun. There is no snow here which is sad. I guess last week a few days after I left, it snowed pretty hard in Rome. That would be the first snowfall in 10 years for Rome if I am not mistaken.

Well as usual, thanks for all the letters and such. I love you all!

Love,
Anziano Hatch

Oh Yeah

(Clark also sent this little tidbit of news in last week's letter.)

This is REALLY big news but doesn't come out till this FRiday. President told us last week. I am sending you the email he sent us. Italian missions are being consolidated again.

Love,
Anziano Hatch

PS This is a secret until the 13th

27 January 2010

President Jeffrey Acerson
Piazza Carnaro, 20
00141 Roma, Italy

Dear President Acerson:

Realigning Boundaries of the Missions in Italy

The First Presidency has determined that the Italy Catania Mission will be dissolved and the boundaries of the Italy Rome and Italy Milan Missions will be realigned to include the area of the discontinued mission. This will take effect 1 July 2010.

This move will not affect the role of the missionaries. It is a positive move as the Church continues to expand throughout the earth and as ward and stake leaders and members take a more active role in missionary work.

This consolidation, together with many others, will be announced in the Church News on 13 February 2010. It is critical that, before that date, you notify your missionaries of this change and the significance of it. It would not be proper for them to receive this information from the media or e-mails from home.

Details on the boundary changes and the steps which must be taken for the merger will be sent to you shortly. Thank you again for your excellent service, which has to a large degree, made this consolidation possible.

Sincerely,

Europe Area Presidency

Erich Kopischke Gérald Caussé José A. Teixeira
Area President First Counselor Second Counselor

c: President James A. Toronto
President J. Scott Dunaway
Elder Alfredo L. Gessati

Surprise

Well this week was a big surprise. As you may or may not know, it is transfer week. And...I am already in Pisa. So the work continues under the shadow of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It is pretty crazy. I received a phone call from President Acerson on Monday, and he told me that I needed to go to Pisa on Tuesday because the person I was replacing was coming back to Rome to be an assistant again. My companion is a good guy, although he has been struggling adjusting to missionary life. So last transfer president pulled one of the assistants to be his companion. And now I am here just me and my new companion working together. He is doing great. His name is Anziano Toniuti. He is from North Italy. Speaks Italian REALLY WELL haha.

Anyway, in other news the sisters in my old district had a baptism last Saturday. That raised the total to four in our district in one transfer. We have another one set to be baptized tomorrow. I hope he makes it. I am completely out of touch with him now, so I won't know for a while.

Julie, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!! Wow, you are 16 years old. Sei vecchio tu sai? I hope you birthday was a great one. You didn't get any animals for your birthday did you?

I saw the picture of the girls, Justin. They look great. Sounds like your house get busier and bussier everyday. (I can't spell anymore I know). Sounds like you all have a great trip lined up.

To be honest I am freaking out about being in Pisa because transfer day is not until tomorrow. So I am still trying to adjust and therefore am having a hard time of thinking about what to write. We will keep Chase's dad in our prayers though.

Question, is Todd married yet? When does he do it officially? How are Logan, Andrew, Chase and Brian doing? I hope they are doing good.

Well that is about it for me. Hope that you are all doing great as I know that you are. Have a great day! I appreciate all the prayers and letters!!!

Love,
Anziano Hatch

A Miracle of a Week

So last Wednesday, we went to the Villa Borghese and saw many a classical statue and paintings and stuff. I guess we saw some pretty famous stuff. I didn't know until afterwards. I guess that goes to show how much of a simpleton I am. That was really cool.

Then we had a dynamite Saturday. Remember Riccardo, the really cool referral that we had from Milan? He was baptized. We had two baptisms on Saturday. One was an eternal investigator of the Assistants who decided to take the plunge. Riccardo is amazing. He had had a dream about meeting the missionaries, was baptized in four weeks after meeting them, and he has told us he wants to serve a mission. He is just an amazing guy. He is a sound technician working concerts and stuff, and he is a social butterfly - just talks to everyone and speaks Italian, German, and pretty good English. That was a great experience.

Sunday, we had a lesson with another investigator from Nigeria. He is doing really great and has a date set for the 11th of February. He is a really humble guy. He is doing great.

Last night we were doing park and talking to some people. We got a few good contacts and taught a lesson/got a new investigator. His name is Vladimir from Russia. He has lived in Italy for 6 years and speaks good Italian. He looks like a pretty promising guy. We have had some really good finding opportunities. Things are really blooming here in Italy.

Sorry for the short letter, but I am going to send a few pictures. I got my birthday packages by the way. Last Friday. I got a letter from Aunt Karen. Thanks for all the letters!

We went to the zoo today. That was really fun.

We saw a peacock with its feathers out. Awesome.

Yes, that chimp IS reading a magazine.

Riccardo at his baptism

Love,

Anziano Hatch