March 31, 2014

I have been here in General Rodriguez for about 6 months now and I have had 8 different companions. All being very great, just struggling with some aspect of the mission. President has put his trust in me to help those missionaries. As you know, I struggle in focusing and sometimes the Obedience is hard for me, but having the Opportunity and Responsibilty of helping to save the missions of these missionaries has really helped me a ton. I have learned the importance of obedience and trusted soooo much in the Lord. The scripture found in Ether 12:27 has never been more powerful than it is now. I have been show just about every weekness over the past little while and been able to slowly, little by little, with lots of Faith and Patience, become a stronger person.

This last month we had the blessing of baptizing 3 different families here in Rodriguez. I have come to LOVE them so much. They are awesome. Augusto Szendrei is the dad of the fmily and he reminds me of what would be an Argentine version of Silvester Stalone. He and his wife Debora and their kids Abril and Ramiro are awesme. We had a District (stake) conference yesterday and it was an hour of travel to get there but they did everything possible to go. They wife and kids even went alone early because Augusto had to finsih working and then was going to go there in Bus. They don´t have a car, they bike everywhere, and they literally were a miracle. They waved us down in the street because they wanted to know why we were always so happy! There is nothing more amazing than seeing a family make changes as they repent in their lives.

In the Conference, President Carter (mission president who covers the district becasue it is technically not a stake yet) talked a lot about the importance of members in the mission work. He also talked a little bit about the power of true conversion. As I went to bed last night thinking about that, I ended up dreaming about giving a talk in the branch that I am serving in. 

The talk had 1 Topic: Conversion, and 3 things that are required to gain that.

First being TRUST: So many people look to God for answers, but they have a hard time trusting that he will be able to answer them. That can´t be the attitude. It is like saying "I can´t" and then trying to do something. The odds that whatever you are trying to do will actually turn out well are very small. We all have to have the Nephi, " I will go and Do" attitude.

Second being Commit: Making and Keeping Commitments are probably 2 of the most important things that anyone can do to make changes in their lives. (PME)

The third being Receive: After haveing the faith, making and keeping commitments, that is when you are able to see the blessings in your life and the lives of others. We receive what we needed/wanted, and more importantly what God had in store for us. 

It is definitely not easy. Life isn´t easy, but theJoy that we get when we are really searching and living everyday for a deeper Conversion is exactly what we need to feel recharged in this life. The promise is SO real, that we will receive the Peace in this life when we live it how we should.

I lvoe you and hope everyone is doing well! I think about you and the family whenever I have some sort of time (which isn´t a lot) haha. but I am alwas praying for you deep down in my heart.

--

~Elder Hazlett

Hello President,

So the end of this transfer has ended up being a little crazy with the change of companions and everything. At first I had a hard time with it because I really enjoyed working with elder Sepulveda and the people in Rodriguez were really warming up to him. When Elder Martinez got here everyone was a little bit bummed. But now we are getting accustomed very quickly. He now has no problems with getting up on time or going to bed on time, and I am having him lead the lessons and stuff so that he can feel more involved and less trunky. He is doing well and realizes that he messed up and really wants to finish strong. I know that he is going to as well. All he needs is a comp that wants to be obedient and knows the rules and he follows them. I am positive that if I got transferred in the future that he would be able to lead rodriguez and finish strong. He has already gained the confidence of all of our fechas and he is working hard to be as obedient as possible.. He knows how to do it, he just needs a little bit of help sometimes. He knows that he has lost your trust, but he really is and will continue to push himself until the end.

I am doing well, strugging a little bit with the members. I have gained the confidence of all of them, and I have learned to be more Bold in speaking, but I still have not been able to get the message through to them about the importance of members in the missionary work. These last 8 baptisms that happened in Rodriguez were miracles of our diligence and desires. The members haven´t really grasped how effective they can be in this work. 

I know each of them very well and know their problems and struggles and I understand that they themselves are still trying to develop true conversion. It is just super frustrating because I know that if they just help 1 family become converted to the gospel then they will have the heart full of joy and will love the missionary work.

I had a dream last night and I was giving a talk in sacrament meeting here and the topc was "Prioritizing your life by making and keeping commitments." It included 3 topics. Trust, Commit, and Receive. Trusting in the lord being the first part. Having the faith that he can and Will give us the strength to succeed in this life. Second is Committing ourselves to make choices and following through until we have achieved what we were striving for. Third, receiving the blessings that God has in store for us when we put him FIRST. When our Priority is focused on Him and not on US, when we make commitments to become more like HIM, we then recieve the blessing of becoming perfected through the Atonement of Christ. 

I have the BIGGEST desire ever right now to be a succesful missionary and I know that I am having success but I am not satisfied! I don´t know what I have to do to satisfy...? and as I have been praying, my answer has been that I will never be satisfied...I interpret that as God telling me that I have a lot of potential and if I am ever satisfied than I will stop trying as hard to reach that potential. But at the same time, It is super discouraging.

I will be honest, I feel like I have kind of reached my potential here in Rodriguez and I was expecting some sort of change after this transfer at least to a different area, but now I am pretty sure that I am hre for a little longer. I love it here, and I would love to stay here to be able to help the branch, but I have always been the typer of person that adapts really well to small changes and just kind of gets comfortable, but when there are bigger changes..that is when I really have grown. 

I know that you are a very inspired Man and that the changes that you make are revelation and I will agree completely and give it my all in whatever changes you make.

Love you President. Thank you for trusting me. I will do everything possible to never lose that trust.

Elder Hazlett

March 24, 2014

"Dear President,
This week has been a fairly good week. We had another confirmation and we have a total of 7 new members and 3 new familes here in General Rodriguez. I am happy but not satisfied becdause a few of our people that were steadily progressing have fallen and I know there are more souls that need saved.
As I have reflected on this week, I have been able to recognize some of the things that I will be able to improve on. I am definitely not perfect and I have made errors but I am improving. I have made a lot of progress over these last couple transfers as District Leader and I have been able to help a lot of people in the process. Elder Magnesen is a completely different missionary than what he was the first two transfers of our time here in Rodriguez. As you can see, we are doing well here and I know that it is because of our desires. Elder Escobar as well is doing great. They have their hard moments at times but they get through them because they have been able to focus more on the people that they are learning to love.
Elder Sepúlveda and I are doing well. He is a great Elder and an Incredible teacher. I have learned a lot from him and his ability to focus especially.
Elder Morgan and Elder Nacimento are also doing well. They have been improving each week and are getting better. They have a baptism for this weekend and they also have a possibility for 2. I did the Interview for Santiago and he is great. I talked with President Ramponi as well and we discussed a little bit about his situation. I think that from me to Elder Sturgell and to you his story might have been a little bit exhagerated. Either way, I trust you and your decision to have him wait 6 months but I think an interview from you might help to figure out better the datails of his situation.
I enjoyed your message in the Sol this week. As I was doing the interviews for all of the Baptisms that we had here, I really stressed the question about repentance because I feel as if that question is overlooked sometimes. I can honestly say that the families that were baptized here in Rodriguez really do understand Repentance and that we have been able to really fulfill our callings as agents of repentance. The thing that I have been focusing on this week really has been the statement, "we can only convert someone as much as we are converted." The same can be said for Repentance. We can only call people to repentace as much as WE have Repented. IF there is one thing that I have learned or one part of my testimony that really has strengthed throughout my mission it is the power of repentance. I have become more and more Bold in my teachings and in calling people to repentence.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to help people in the process of repentance. Seeing people in white as they are getting baptized is an incredible thing, but even more incredible than that is seeing people rely on the Atonement of Jesus Christ and Completely change their Lives. I love this work and Love the people that I work with."

There is my letter to president. 

We have had so much success here in the lst few weeks with a total of 7 baptisms and 3 new families that we have helped bring into the Gospel. IT really has been an incredible experience because I have been able to see incredible changes in the lives of the people. 

I have caught myself thinking about home a couple times over the past week or two but every time it was about the misisonary work that is happening there. We talked a little bit about how powerful returned missionaries are and that they are the leaders of the next generation. I didn´t get homesick, I only got a little excited to help in the Lords work back home with some friends that I know can and will change.

That is an exciting announcment that you guys are staying in for a couple more years because I was honestly a little bit worried about that. I wanted to be able to use the incredible blessings that our family has to be able to help in the lords work. 

A scripture that I wanted to share with you this week. Two actually. Both are found in D&C. 33:3 and 100: 1-2. This week we have David Vergara who is the son of the Branch president that just came home and he used 100: 1-2 in his homecoming to share how he found comfort while he was gone. Estrella Gomez is leaving this thursday on her mission and she shared the other scripture talking about how she was able to find that exactly when she needed help knowing whether she really ws needed or not. 

There are 5 returned missionaries here in the branch that I have seen come home and 2 that I have seen leave and I KNOW that the mission changes the lives of the youth. I know that you are all working hard with other people and with the missionary work but PLEASE do not forget the youth that are struggling right now (Kory, Jake, Colby, Caleb) whoever else it may be. I know that they are struggling a little bit with the decision to serve but just think, without out them as the misisonaries...there is no mission work.

I think about you guys often, as often as I should at least haha. And I know that the promise that is made in D&C 100 is so true. Trust in the promises that the lord makes. I remember a quote that Thomas S. Monson said, "The greatest thing that we can learn in this Life is that when God speaks and a man listens, that man will ALWAYS be right." 

The Chruch is True. The scriptures are Real. And God Lives and Loves all of us. Trust in him in Everything that you do and he will be there at all times. I love you all and miss you like crazy but know that the blessings are incredible that you are receiving! :)

I hope this makes up a little bit for the lost time. I will never ever forget about you even when I might not write you the best letters (or texts ;) haha) Don´t think about me too much. But it is ok to miss me a little bit.

Your Son Forever and Always,

Elder Zakariah Hazlett

March 17, 2014

Thanks for the message! I am going to apply it this week and the rest of the little time I have here! Time flies! Love ya dad!

I will ask the office today. I REALLY REALLY REEALLY hope that they can get it. No worries about the rubix cube...I will try and find one here. Now you just have to learn how to do it. IF not then hude it in my stuff and I will teach you in a few months :) Love ya mom. We have a meeting today and I have to travel so we don´t have a lot of time. Say hi to everyone for me and I will write and send pictures next week!

March 10, 2014

Packages From Home

We are sorry to say that with new restrictions and fees that are being imposed by the

government of Argentina, we are no longer able to accept packages for the

missionaries. We have made this decision in conjunction with President Robertson, who

will preside over the mission beginning in July and in conjunction with other missions in

Argentina.

Do not use other methods such as FedEx, DHL or UPS as we will not attempt to retrieve

those packages.

We recommend sending your missionary a bank card that you can refill from home if they

need to purchase items here in Argentina. Before sending the card, please ensure that the

card can be activated without the involvement of the missionary in the field.

We will do our best to obtain those packages that are still in transit, but there is no

guarantee that we will be able to retrieve them. Thank you for your understanding

and cooperation with this issue.

--

~Elder Hazlett

March 3, 2014

Lacie is home...that is ridiculous! it goes so fst. You gotta tell him to shoot me an email. I bet he is a lot different, but totally the same at the same time. I know exactly how he feels about the prayer. A family told me to give a prayer in english the other day and I couldnpt do it haha. But hey, good thing we don´t have to speak english here.

Lily is driving...crazy! She´ll be getting her license here in may won´t she? Man time flies.

I love how great of an example our family is. I am proud of everyone. That sounds a little prideful but I really couldn´t ask for a better family. I love everyone and know that we are extrememly blessed. And for that, we must give as much as we can to everyone else!

Speaking of family. I had a dream about kip and marianne and Vicki the other night. How are they doing? Tell everyone hi for me.

I know it isn´t much, but we don´t have a lot of time and I am a little scatterbrained right now. Love ya!

Elder Hazlett