Area #1!!

Why hellloooooooo thereee!!!

Okay, so let me just begin by saying that sending letters is very expensive. It costs about 7 sol's to send a letter to the States. I figure it would probably be double that for a letter to Canada at least. So about 15 sol's. And since we really don't get that much to live off for a month 15 is a lot! That's like 15 Inca Cola's! ahaha. So I am very very sorry to regret you that you probably will not be receiving very many letters from me hand written except on special occasions or when I am feeling super rich! But please feel free to send me letters or what not, because I love reading those and look forward to them! But here is where it get's more depressing! For me to receive a letter it will take about 6 weeks! Also packages for me to receive them here in Barranca will probably be about 12 weeks to receive! But that doesn't mean I don't want them!  And this is why! Apparently when the Package comes they hold it there at the package place.  When you go to the office (Transfers) they have you sign a document saying it's you and that your signature is the same as your passports etc. etc. They then will go and get the package (eventually, not sure exactly when) and then give it to your Zone Leader to give it to you? Something like that! However Barranca is 4 hours north of Lima so the only time our Zone Leader will go there is for Transfers! Since transfers are every 6 weeks we won't be going back to Lima until then... Assuming we get transferred!! So until further notice, please continue to send packages and or letters to the Mission home! And I'll get them in bulk in 6 weeks!

Sooo what can we take from this? Well if people would like responses to their letters then they will need to attach their email with all their letters and packages! I probably won't have time to write a huge long response but enough to keep everyone happy! This includes Dear Elders most especially! Okay information on Packages! Packages should be sent as following: Name and address of the Sender in the top left corner AND full name of the receiving missionary on the middle-ish area!

Elder Jonan K. Hatt

Perú Lima West Mission

Carlos Salaverry # 3664 - Los Olivos

Casilla de Correo 39-054

Lima 39

Perú

Also the following should not be sent in a package! Money, cameras, other electronical devices, object of high value, used clothes (all clothes must have the tags attached) beef jerky, and plastic toy action figures (Don't ask me why! hahahaha). The reason for this is that they could get stolen in the mail system. It's because when packages arrive here they must pass through customs and if they contain items of value they charge taxes. It's better to send a few smaller packages than one big one. However the office doesn't have a problem accepting big ones, they just want it to be as easy and convenient as possible. As for Peru! Peru has been going well! It's really hot and it's really busy. However it's definetely not the prettiest area that exists! It's quite dirty and there's moto taxis and everything everywhere. At about a million stray dogs running around. It's definetely not Kansas anymore :) My companions name is Elder Garcia. He's from Guatemala and he's been here for exactly a year now! It's been going well! He know like almost no English and it's very hard for him to learn... even though I feel like it's a million times easier since you don't have a million verbs with litterally 8 million ways to Conjugate them which you need to memorize! Literally millions :P The language is coming little by little! I wish I was fluent and I didn't have to learn it but that's just wishful thinking of course! That would be too easy! The food is different but it's not terrible! However I just happened to be called to Serve in the country that easts the most rice in the world other then China. Needless to say I get my intake of Rice that's for sure. And I haven't had anything cold to drink since I've arrived which is because pretty much no families have a Fridge in their homes! It's crazy, I feel so thankful to be from a place like Canada where we have so many oppourtunities to grow and progress. We have nice, clean places to live and some really nice people. It's definetely a Humbling experience to be here in Peru!

Anyway I really don't have any time left!

Love you lot's!

Elder Hatt

January 12, 2011

Doctor Hatt and Family!!

So yes my Pday IS on Wednesdays but 2 weeks from now I have no clue! It's really weird to think that I'm beginning my 9th week here in the MTC now and that I only have 2 left, it really does go by really quickly. But for now if anyone wants to send packages or letters please have them sent to my mission home address in the Mission Field seeing how I won't be here at the MTC anymore by the time they arrive.

So let me fill you in a little bit about how my Peruvian adventure is going thus far! Every day is super busy. We study, we learn, we eat, we learn, we study, we play football (soccer), we learn, we eat, we teach, we learn, we plan, we sleep... then we rinse and repeat. Ahaha so some days it's a little bit tough when it's the same schedule and same thing most days. However I'm learning a ton, and the language is coming! I'm able to teach principles and ask questions in Spanish and understand all my teachers! And I'm almost able to understand my companion, although he speaks very quickly. I received a brand new Companion last week; since the Latinos here only stay for 3 weeks. His name is Elder Rodriguez and he's from Columbia. He's a really nice companion and it's hard sometimes to remember that I've been a missionary for almost 2 months now and he's just beginning again. Ohhh does it ever take me back to my first day :P Ahaha I'm getting so old! He's having a bit of trouble I find adjusting to the missionary lifestyle. He's very tired every day and he's really missing home. I tell him "Welcome to the Missionary life" and give him a big pat on the back. I don't think that's what he wants to hear most of the time however... He's also going to my same mission! Right now we currently have the most missionaries at the MTC here that they've ever had. We have about 160 missionaries and that's pushing the capacity. It's very busy and there's lot's going on! I'm one of about 40 North American missionaries... It's the first time I've been in the minority. 25% of the population here are North American... I guess it's something I'll have to get used to living in South America though right? Anyway so that's the MTC for you. It's still a little bubble and I can't wait to get out! Except I'll probably be wishing I was back in here by the time I do get out into the mission field.

So last week was my 3 week mark here in Peru, and we were able to go on a tour of the City! They took us all around Lima Central to see some really cool things. First we went to the Beach which was a really cool thing! Even though it was all rocky... and dirty... and foggy. But it smelled like the East Cost which made me smile :) Then we went into the main square of Lima and were allowed to just go and do whatever for an hour and 1/2! So we did what any tourist would do... We went and bought pizza! Ahaha we were really craving some North American style food! Afterwards we walked around and bought some things like some shoulder bags and football jackets (Soccer again). It was really fun and a great experience to use some Spanish to talk topeople. A  lot of people would just walk up to me and my companion and just start talking to us. Sometimes it was out of curiosity, or sometimes it would be a member visiting from Brazil. Or a young family

who was visiting from Trujillo Peru who's father served his mission in Lima South! Aha it was really cool! And then this Saturday we get to go out into Lima Central and actually proselyte (I have no clue how to

spell that word) to the people! We're given two copies of the Book of Mormon and two pass along cards and we're expected to come back with nothing! Except referrals if we get any! I'm kind of nervous but super

excited! And apparently we get to go to like a super poor part of Lima to teach. So I might have some cool stories for you next week! Stay tuned!

Okay well I'm running out of time now so I better wrap up! Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers. I definitely feel them! Thank you for your letters and kind words and everything you do! I'm having a great experience here and I don't want to be anywhere else! I can't wait to teach those whom God has prepared for us. I love this Gospel and I love this work! I thank my Heavenly Father every day for this

opportunity to work. I thank him for the great blessing I have of having the Family that I do! It's crazy to think that I could have just as easily been just like the people here or millions across the

world who have never heard or felt this gospel before. It's a great blessing I feel. Please send my love to everyone and tell them I say ¡Hola! I love you lot's and can't wait to talk to you next week!

 Love always,

Elder Hatt the Third.

Snapshots #2

Here are some photos from the Provo MTC. Please excuse the quality since they had to be scanned. These were sent by snail mail, so hopefully that explains the timing as well. Enjoy!

Doesn't he look happy?



Elder Hatt and Elder Oswald

Elder Hatt being an awesome district leader. I imagine these fellows wept when he left.



Elder Hatt with his Provo MTC companions-  Elder Pearce (centre, from Seattle) and Elder Fredrickson (right, from Utah)

He's such a scholar, just like Dad

...and never has any fun

Elder Hatt and Elder Oswald. Looking good guys!



NOTE!

Hello!

There seems to be a little bit of confusion about sending packages. Packages CAN be sent to Elder Hatt on his mission, they just can't be sent to the MTC in Peru. They can be sent to the mission home (address under "Contact Me" section) and Elder Hatt should receive them in a few weeks.

Also, since mail takes around 3 weeks to get to Lima, any letters and such can be sent to the mission home now since Elder Hatt should be out of training shortly!

Thanks so much, and sorry for any headaches this may have caused.

:D