The Final Week!

The last full week on the mission is in the books! Only a couple more days and two years in the desert will have been completed. It's a humbling thought, looking back at all the things that have happened and all the lessons learned.

 

This week was super cool! We met a guy named Brandon, who basically just walked into the church and asked some missionaries how he could learn more. He is an awesome guy that is simply looking for something more in life. He feels like there is a lot more to life that he simply doesn't understand and he wants to find out what it is. So we were talking with him a little bit and he is just so open to learning. He came to church on Sunday and was paying the most rapt attention. All he wanted was to learn, to find truth and that was awesome. He is so sincere, and keeps wanting to see things improve. I'm pretty sad I won't be able to keep working with him after this week, but I know he'll be all right.

 

Well, with everything winding to a close, I'm not sure what I want to say. It's been an awesome two years. God is good. He lives and He loves every single one of you. I know as we keep that at the center of our worship and our beliefs, He will help us to come closer to Him and to continue growing in our knowledge of the truth. Hope all is well! See you soon!

Take care and God bless, 

Elder Hiatt

Miracles

So, it has been a while since I have written one of these, sorry for the long break.
Christmas was awesome, New Years was pretty relaxed and moving into the last month of my mission is pretty intimidating. It doesn't really feel like it has been two years most of the time, but there are also times when it feels much longer than that. When I see and hear about how much has changed at home it seems like its been forever. But when I realize the changes that have happened in myself and how quickly those seem to have happened, it seems like it was just yesterday. The mission definitely changes you, and I know it has definitely changed me for the better.

I have realized that the last couple of months and was talking to a good friend recently about the miracle of change in ourselves. We often think of miracles as being supernatural events that take place in the world, but I think the biggest miracles are the ones that happen within each of us. Like the story of Alma the Younger in the Book of Mormon, the changes within us are only possible with the help of our Savior. When we turn to Him and seek His help to make changes in our lives, the results are truly miraculous. I have seen that countless times over the past 2 years, particularly in myself, but also in the lives of all the people that I have had the opportunity to help make those changes. And that, I believe, has been the biggest reason for the changes in me. When we focus on helping others come closer to Christ, we are automatically changed to be better and come closer to Him ourselves. It's kind of a paradox, how the greatest changes to ourselves come when we are entirely focused on others. But I know that is true. We can only do so much for ourselves when we are all we focus on. When we reach out in charity to bless the lives of others, we are granted through the grace of God experiences that change us and make us better. Miracles do happen, every day. And we can be a big part of it by seeking to be the answer to others' prayers. 

 

But anyways, still a few more weeks of good to be done. Hope all is well back home! Love you all. Take care, and God bless, 

Elder Hiatt

The World Opens Up to God at Christmas

Well this has been an awesome way to start the Christmas season!
Ashley had an awesome baptism on Saturday and that was super cool! She
is an awesome woman that has simply been looking for where she needs
to be in her life and God has definitely been preparing her to accept
the gospel. It's interesting to see how even small details, small
experiences in people's lives can prepare them and lead them the way
that God needs them to go.
We were also able to go see Joseph when he got baptized. That guy has
come such a long way, and he doing so good now. Seeing the changes
that come into people's lives because of the gospel is one of the best
things about serving a mission.
Probably the next best thing is being a missionary during the
Christmas season. It seems like the world opens up to God a little
bit, even though we do tend to get caught up in the not-so-important
things about Christmas. But because there is an overall shift towards
God, it is so great to be able to simply testify of God and Jesus
Christ practically allllll the time. Cause people that would normally
want to talk about other stuff seem to be a little more willing to
share those things at this time of year.
I hope everyone is getting excited about Christmas, and don't forget
to remember why we really celebrate. Remembering the birth and life of
our Savior Jesus Christ is the most important part of the season. I
know He lives. I know He offered Himself for us so that we can improve
our lives and overcome the obstacles that come up in our lives. I know
He loves every single one of us. May we all remember to have a MERRY
CHRISTMAS!
Take care and God bless,
Elder Hiatt

Spreading Light

So this week was a pretty eventful week. Joseph is doing awesome and moving towards his baptism this week. On the down side, he is moving today so he is gonna have to be baptized in a different ward, that is outside our mission. So that's a bummer, mainly just because we have been able to see such a huge change in him over the past few weeks. It's been awesome to see the growth that has come into his life just by simply adding Christ and living in a way that reflects that. Sara is also doing really well. She is planning on getting baptized soon as well and she is doing awesome. She and her parents live in the area and her parents have 6 horses and several acres of land. Her step dad is needing hip replacements so he can't do a ton of the work around the house so on Saturday we were able to go over there and spend about 4 hours helping them with a lot of the work around the house. It was pretty nice to get out and sweat a little bit. It's crazy what service can do to simply lift your spirits when you are helping those that need it.

Sunday night we had a fireside at ASU. It was so awesome. The main speaker was a lady named Josie Thompson, the creator of the 444 project. She was talking a lot about how she has been able to overcome the darkness that is constantly a part of her life, largely from her bipolar syndrome, which for her is pretty much a constant manic low. She shared some very personal experiences of the times that that darkness surrounding her has been chased away by the feeling of love and peace that she received from turning to Jesus Christ. She still battles with those conditions every day, but has made it her mission to spread light to those in darkness, to help all people to have some glimmer of hope. And that is where the 444 project came from. So if you have a chance, check it out, it can make a huge difference hearing the message of hope that she shares. 

Things are awesome in AZ. 70* days are just about perfect. Anyways, hope all is well back home! Take care and God bless!

Elder Hiatt

An Answer to Her Prayer

Well we have been having a pretty good time in San Marcos Ward. We have suddenly been blessed with several awesome people to teach that are coming along and progressing really well. There have definitely been miracles happening in people's lives to help them be prepared to accept the gospel. There aren't very many things holding them back at this point, so that is awesome. I also had a cool experience on Facebook this week, where I was able to start talking to a sister that I know that is here in the valley, but not in our mission. She had come to her sister in law's house a couple times for lessons while I was in Phoenix but had never ended up going anywhere when the Elders came by her house. So we were talking on Facebook about prayer and how she really doesn't feel like God answers her prayers very often and so after talking to her a little more and having a friend of mine share a testimony with her about prayer and its power, I invited her to pray to know that God loves her, just keep it simple. Two days later when I followed up with her, she said she had prayed to have more faith and then that next day the sister missionaries came by her house wanting to know if she wanted to come closer to Jesus Christ. So she was asking me about that and whether or not it was a coincidence and I was able to help her see that it was probably an answer to her prayer! So that was super cool, and the sisters are going back by tonight for a lesson. So that was a cool miracle I saw this week. 
Arizona is finally cooling down a little bit! It starting to get really nice, like a normal September fall weather back home. I hope everyone is doin well and loving life! Take care and God bless!

Elder Hiatt 

Strengthen the Feeble Knees

So, when you're in a single's ward and don't have a ton of people to teach, what do you do? I'll tell ya, you play frisbee. and softball. and basketball. and go to FHE. and eat out a loooooot cause that's just what everyone does. Doesn't sound like too bad of a life does it? It's been cool to just be able to interact with the members in the ward and their friends that maybe aren't members that they are able to bring to those things, and help them try to feel a little bit more of God's love.

Joscleyn is doing super well after her baptism. she has progressed a lot and has a ton of people in the ward that love her and are looking out for her. It's interesting how different peoples' experiences with church can be when they have people that surround them with love and help them with what they need versus when they aren't taken in as well and aren't kept up with as well. Both people can continue to grow in the gospel and overcome their challenges, but the first one is a lot easier for them. Whether they are spiritual challenges, social challenges, or physical challenges, they are always easier when you attack them with people surrounding you to support you, and that is what we promise to do as Christians, to strengthen the feeble knees, and lift the hands which hang hopelessly down. I hope that is something we can always remember to do. 

I hope all is well at home! I love you and pray for you. Take care and God bless, 

Elder Hiatt

Responsibility

Well that was a great Conference weekend! There were so many great talks and valuable direction we were able to receive from the leaders of the Church. I loved the theme that I noticed of the need for each of us to take responsibility. For ourselves, for our testimony, for the effort we put in to follow Christ and love and serve others. Elder D. Todd Christofferson's talk in particular was huge for me. One of the biggest things he said that stood out to me was the idea that freedom doesn't come from resisting truth, but from accepting it and applying it wisely, and that agency and responsibility go hand in hand. We cannot keep our agency if we try to be loose from the responsibility of our actions. 

We had a pretty good week beside conference. Joscelyn is all set to get baptized tonight! Pretty cool family home evening activity right? Things here are going good. The cooler weather is exciting. We have been willingly driving with the windows down for a while now, although that can still get pretty warm in the heat of the day. But before 12 and after 5 it feels pretty good. 

I hope all is well back home! Love all yall, take care and God bless, 

Elder Hiatt