Elder Hatch

What a week. Well let me see if I can remember everything that happened. First off, me and Elder Hatch are getting along great. He is seriously just filled with knowledge. I have learned so much from him. We spend a lot of our time walking the streets and telling stories in between contacts. I feel like I am listening to a bishop or stake president giving me advice when he talks to me, not a 19 year old missionary. He is just way intelligent and just a blast to be with. Well, he also has helped jump start the area. We are teaching a lot more now. This last week we spent a lot of time with less active members, and to be honest it was a little hard. Not many wanted to listen, but we did get this one 17 year old kid to listen named Israel. In fact, we even got him to come to church. Not only that, but we gave him a ward roster of all of the less actives and he knew a lot of them from back in the day. He said he would help us! So maybe now we can finally get in the door!!!
I am also the Aaronic Priesthood teacher so I showed the kids a General Conference talk of someone that they knew. Gayle M. Clegg. She gave a talk in April 2004, and it was awesome. Hmna. Clegg is now serving a senior couple missionary with her husband here in Spain, and I am blessed to talk to them all the time. She told us all of the behind the scenes work it takes to do a talk. It's quite a blessing to work shoulder to shoulder with some of the truly inspired leaders of the church. (He used to be a Mission President in Portugal, she used to be the 2nd cons. on the general Primary board).
Then again, it is great to have even amazing local leadership. Presidente Montes and his wife came over to our piso last night since we had some problems. We had a couple lights out, a sink faucet broken, etc. Well, to us, the problems seemed like... well problems... He just came in after church and was like, oh this is easy to fix, and fixed it all for us. Elder Hatch and I have gotten permission from the Pres to invite them back to our piso later this week and cook dinner for them as a thank you.
Well, yesterday was a pretty busy day. I had to give a talk about the importance of being prepared. I actually thought it was really good. I was impressed with myself haha. I used the analogy of preparing for a car trip. Before you leave, you check the oil, bring food and water and buckle your seat belt. Well then, like all great talks do, I used that analogy and expounded on it. The oil, well I used the story of the 10 virgins, and applied it. The food and water??? Well, Jesus did say he was the bread of life, and drink his water and you will never thirst but have everlasting life. And the seat belt?? Well, even if you wear a seat belt in a crash it will hurt, but it will save you. Sound familiar??? When we sin (crash), we can be saved (seat belt) even though it might be painful it will save our soul. Yeah??? Yeah??? Well, obviously I went into detail into each one, but that was my main idea. Use an analogy at the start then keep going back to it through the talk.
Elder Hatch and I also did a special musical number. He sung and played his recorded and I accompanied him with the piano (You'd be surprised at how well I have improved). IT was just a great Sunday. The overall week was pretty good too. I mean, we were walking the streets and these chicos invited us to play basketball with them, so I got to play for the first time in forever. It was way fun, adn since their hoop was only about 8 and a half, I got to dunk it haha. Elder Hatch is taller than me actually, so he had fun with that too. Well, now we are in Ciudad Real about to have a zone P Day. The Cleggs are taking us to some ruins and lunch. It should be a fun day!! Until next time!!!
Love
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