August 18, 2014

This week was exhausting and auxhilerating at the same time. We had changes nad got a bunch of new misisonaries in the Zone, and I got  new Companion. His name is Elder Conrad and he is from Logan, UT. He is a stud and is really similar to Marshall (my uncle) so it is fun. We both love to cook, sing, and smile...so we are using those talents to help the people here. it has been really fun and I am looking forward to the time we have together.

It has been exhusting because it got SUPER hot this week and it hs drained our energy. However, we have had a ton of awesome things  happen that have helped us to be super excited about the new changesw as well. We have 4 new missionaries straight from the MTC in our zone, and changes in almost all the companionships which means a LOT of energy and excitement, and a lot of opportunities to learn.

We had  couple of miracles happen this week. One of them being a visit that we did with the young mens president and 3 of the deacons. We went to vsit a couple familes and we ended up finding a few new investigators. We were able to teach a great lesson and use the deacons to do examples and have them help us to teach. it was great because we were planning on just visiting less actives but we ended up ahving the  opportunity to teach a lesson to new investigtors from the beginning to the end nad the deacons got to see a little bit what missionary work is. IT was great.

Another miracle was that we werewalking in the street heading to our next lesson was that we had set a goal to talk to everyone! We headed towards a lady with a stroller to contact her and as we were about to open our mouths...she said"Hola Elder!" WE were so surprised and we got to talking. she said that she was goig to the church in Bolivia and she just moved here but she was never baptized. IT was a miracle because we were looking for new people to teach that had a desire to learn, not just to talk to two americans.

And the miracle that helped me to stay strong the most is when Gonzalo (22 years olds) who gets baptized on the 30th, called me last night just to see how our day went and to let me know that he isn`t gonna let his friends get him down anymore and that he considers us his best friends. He isn`t even a member yet and he already goes out on visits with us and is bringing his friends to church. I know that people chagne their lives when they come to know and feel the truth of what we have. I know that I am not wasting my time, no matter what anyone says. And i Know that this is the best thing and the only thing that I should be doing right now.

I hope that everyone is doing great and that you are all accepting the changes in your lives and taking advantage of them to help change you. I lvoe you and hope you have a good week! 

Elder Hazlett

P.s...if anyone wants to send pictures, they are just as good as words if not better (time is short) haha

Our Zone, MY new companion, and us at the Mtc in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

A nice pic of the temple, Ausberto our 22 year old stud who is getting baptized in a couple weeks, and a crazy wolf looking thaçing that was dancing in the street saturday night! They ahve the best dances!

We made pork chops with veggies and mashed potatoes and gravy. IT was soo good and the first time that they had eaten anything like that.

August 11,2014

This week was pretty crazy!

It was the last week before transfers. We are receiving a ton of new misisonaries in the mission this wednesday and it is gonna be awesome. 

Miracle of the Week.

We were looking for a guy named "jesus" which is a typical spanish name and we ended up finding a lady near his house and we asked her if she knew him. She said no...but that she knew someone that was looking for us. She said she just moved here from Peru and her daighters were baptized there and were looking for the church. We talked to them and arranged plans so that they could get there. 

As we left, another older lady called our name and asked if we knew someone who was looking to rent an apartment. we said no, but that we would be looking. We then started talking and figured out that she was baptized almost 40 years ago in Paraguay. WE are going to visit her this nect week. 

We were able to find a bunch of less actives and help them come back to church after a long time!

Crazy thing.

Yesterday after church, we went out to visit people and literally 90 percent of the people were drunk and falling over....it was super sad. One guy that was in the church 2 weeks ago was in the street with a giant cut on his head....he didn`t even recopgnice us because he was so drunk. I think it was some kind of party or something but even the women were all drunk. (it is hard to understand or imagine that happening where we livem but here in this part of argentina they are all bolivians and it is tradition to drink)

Amazing Experience

The Temple!!!!!!! We took a family and 4 recent converts to the temple, saw a family that got baptized a year ago get sealed in the temple, and I got to see Eva and some of the other converts that i had in General Rodriguez (my last area). IT was so awesome and such a blessing.

What I learned;

That revelation and Discernment are very interesting study topics and neccesary in personal conversion! I suggest that everyone studies then both in true to the faith and applies the steps given. Personal Revelation is necessary for conversion and vital for salvation. 

I am loving it here even though it is the Hardest thing I have ever done. I love helping people and seeing them change their lives. I love seeing miracles and knowing that I was in the right place at the right time to be able to witness them. I know this church is true!

--

~Elder Hazlett

  Don`t know if you recognize them but they are some of my converts from my last area that I ran into in the temple!!!! Such a great feeling! :D

 The family that got baptized a little while ago, and elvis, and silvia.

A pretty picture of the temple

 I was able to jump on the bus and take a picture of eva, malena, and dalia (converts) from my lasty area as they left the temple.

us 4 elders celebrating the end of a good week saturday after a baptism

August 4, 2014

This week was pretty crazy...My letter to president basically summed it up, but to tell you a little bit about what is new here:

We eat every day with members and it is a ton. I am not losing weight...but not gaining either because luckily I can run with elder lindquist in the morning. My ward is 100 bolivians and they eat a ton so we aren`t lacking in that area. 

We had an open church activity last night and we had about 300 people who came and visited in the space of 3 hours. The people who came from the office of the church said it was one of the best turnouts that they had seen. We had some new families that came and we were able to teach them about what we do in the church. 

I printed off your recipe for coklkies today because everyone wants to try them haha. It has been a while since I made them last.

My comp is still elder santizo from guatemala. I think we are going to have transfers this next week but if not than I am fine with that because he is great.

WE go to the temple a couple times a week because it is closer to me than back home haha. who would have thought right?? It is a blessing. We donpt get to go in, but we get to visit at least.

Look up Cochabamba Bolivia on google maps and that is what it looks like where I am at. They build giant buildings and there they live 20 families. But each family only has a room and they share a couple kitchens and bathrooms. it is realyl hard...and sad...but it is culture.

We are teaching right now a few families but mostly a lot of YSA. They are all YSA age here and a lot of them come to work from bolivia because bolivia has no work right now. Elvis and Omar were two that got baptized this last month and they both blessed the sacrament alone yesterday. it was the first time for omar and second for Elvis. IT was a great sacrament meeting. 

Luckily the weather is a little warmer now. My clothes actually dry in a day. We have the choice to send the clothes in to get washed but it costs money and I prefer washing it and eating something more delicious haha. We have a little fridge and a stove but that is it in our apartment. no microwaves or washing machines. those are luxuries.

We travel by bus EVERYWHERE and it is pretty fun. Sometimes there are a billion people and we are all smashed together.

Anyway, If you have more questions, let me know! I hope you are all doing well and if you get the chance to read: The best is yet to come by Elder Holland. It is a great talk.

Love you!!

baby of a family in our ward and our friends that we found from colombia

 At the Temple :)

 Lunch with a recent convert family.

Another Temple pic

Presidents letter

I hope you are having a good week and are feeling more and more comfortable here. I know that you are used to living in other countries so that is a plus. This last week was a little bit hard for my companion and I. We had set goals that we thought were achievable and we worked hard to achieve them...but we came up really short. As we reflected back on what happened and what we can change, we came to the conclusion that it wasn`t necessarily the goals that were off track, but our spiritual discernment in working to achieve those goals. All of the things we did were with good intentions, but we didn`t allow the spirit to help us discern whether it is what we should have done or not. 
In the SOL this week you hit the nail on the head (for me at least). WE need to focues mentally, spiritually, and physically to be able to be in tune with the spirit. As far as the obedience and diligence, I don`t have a problem...but letting the spirit guide my every action has been the hardest part for me. A lot of times I am quicker to act than I am to observe...and my actions result in something ineffective. We had a lot of great lessons this week with a lot of great people, and we found a lot of new investigators that don`t live in our area, but at the end of the week I felt as if my decisions had been taken without meditating and consulting it with the man upstairs. 
I am now putting my focus in getting in tune with the spirit because I know that I cannot be an effective leader without letting the spirit lead me. 
I think the hardest thing for me so far has been that I have had to fall to learn and that is what happened in our area. We had 3 families that were all progressing and we focused on them with pure excitement that they wanted to be baptized and we got to the end of the week and they didn`t come to church and we were at a complete loss...we have a few people that still made it, but we hadn`t even visited them the whole week to help teach them because our vision was focused on the other families that didn`t really have a lot of interest. IT was hard for me to knwo that, yes we did work hard, but, no we didn`t work with the spirit. 
We were analyzing a few of the companionships and the difference of how they are doing now and we decided that they as well have the same struggle with accepting and working WITH the spirit in everything they do.
I know that we are going to move forward and that this is just a moment of learning. My focus and purpose has not changed and I will continue to help everyone receive the ordinance of Baptism and Confirmation. Thanks for everything you do and always being an example in having and working with the spirit.
Elder Hazlett

July 28, 2014

Hola President! 
This week has been a learning experience for sure. It has been very uplifting spiritually speaking and physically rough. I have been a little bit tired this week and it has been hard. Feeling a little bit dizzy at the end of the day. I am positive that it is a little bit of physical stress because we have been working up until 1020 every night...we are going to start to take some more time and relax a little bit because I have felt like I have been able to work 80% I just haven`t fulyl recovered from being sick. But I am getting better. Still working really well with elder santizo. We are doing everything possible to try and help out our Zone. WE ahave great misisonaries with a ton of potentiaol and I know that they are all making changes. We are just having a lot of patience and love so that we can feel the empathy towards them and help them to feel our love and support. 

We had an amazing experience the other night where we were able to go to the temple with an investigator as he watched some of his friends and 8 of our recent converts enter into the temple for the first time. IT was incredible the spirit that was felt and the joy that we felt being able to help those converts up until that moment. We were pushing them to get a recommend and do whatever it takes to get off work in time. They all made the neccesary sacrifices and had an awesome experience in the temple.

This week at the end of the week we had the divisions with Elder rivera and jarvis that complicated things a little bit and we had a lot of our investigators that weren`t able to come to church for some reason or another and they let the little things get them. Howver, we were able to find out who are the elect and how we can help them. One of our recent converts (Elvis) was baptized a month and a half ago and blessed the sacrament for the first time today. " months ago we saw him drunk in the street with his friends making fun of him and robbing him. We thought "how sad..." but couldn`t really do anything. Then, he showed up at church with a recent convert and from that moment on he did everything he needed to to be baptized. We had another recent convert who received the priesthood yesterday and is studying to bless the sacrament next week.

This work is real and it is the most important and greatest thing that we can do. WE have had the opportunity to do studies and practices with every companionship and have seen progress in each of them. Elder Michael has been sick, but his faith has not been weakened. he is still excited to keep going with the new goals. Elder Wiggins and Gonzalez have improved and are verifying a lot better. The only thing that keeps them from progressing is a little bit of Pride. They have worked together well, but I feel as if Elder wiggins isn`t able to reach his potential with elder Gonzalez. Elder Gonzalez is great, he just has little moments that upset the spirit and unity.

I am sure that the Sol will help everyone. We have been praying and will continue to pray to find the balance in the Zone and I know that with patience and time, everything will be ok. Thanks for everything president and I hope you have a great week.
Elder Hazlett

Our Area

Where we do our emails

Temple Trip

 and our last meeting that we had with the leaders. the presidents wife made pulled pork sandwiches! SOOOO GOOD!

elder Lindquist and I how we go running haha. His cousin is Daniel Lindquist in my grade.

July 21, 2014

This week was a very special week for me. We had divisions. We had struggles. We had ups and we had downs, but the ups defenitely outnumbered the downs. As I sat in the sacrament meeting singing the opening hymn, I was looking around at who was in the sacrament meeting. We had an incredible amount of people and we set the record for the ward in the last while with 86 people. However, the most amazing part of that 86 was that 10 of them were recent converts, 9 of them were investigators, and about 8 more were less-actives that we had visited during the week and helped them to re-kindle a flame that had been lost for a year or more with some of them. As I continued to sing the song, I was filled with the joy of knowing that God LOVES each and everyone of us, and it is our responsibility to show that love. That same sunday morning we had the opportunity to be a part of the confirmation of a family that was baptized on saturday, and also we were able to take part in giving the Priesthood to 2 of our converts in the last couple months. I think I can honestly say that even though I was super tired, and our week was pretty hard, and there were quite a few crazy things that we had to deal with...that it was the best sunday that I have had in my entire mission because I could take a step back and just see how many miracles God has brought to pass in our little ward. I know that the lord k ows and keeps track of every single one of his children.

Our ward is finally starting to click. The missionaries over the last year or so have been excellent and they have had converts, but the ward has not been very strong so the retention has not been outstanding. We are going to really focus on helping the members to undertsand their role in this work because it really is hastening, and we cannot do it alone. 

In the Zone, everyone is "ok". I think the changes have been a little bit stressful for some, but they are doing better and I know that todays message in the Sol will help them to understand what they need to do to acheive their personal 100%. That has been a focus that we have been talking about. Helping everyone to acheive what they are able to acheive. We talked a little bit already in your office about the struggles that are happening, and I am going to take your advice and talk about what we are going to do and most importantly, go to it in prayer and Fasting to e able to know what to do. I am excited to help each missionary because a "True Convert and a Great Leader".

I am loving the vision that is being seen by all at this moment in the mission. I know that the new missionaries that are coming are going to be able to start strong with a focus on "The work of Salvation" and not just Baptize, baptize, baptize. You have no Idea how excited I am for the new recruits that are coming in. I got here a year ago exactly and I remember how much of an impact those first few weeks went and also how big of an impact my first Leaders had on my mission. I hope that I can be that type of an example for those new missionaries and that I can do and give me best effort in order to help them all achieve their potential. 

Thanks for everything and mostly for being worthy to receive revelation for this mission. I love working together with the group of missionaries that we have and I look forward to the rest of my time here as another opportunity to learn and grow.
Have a great week and see you on Friday!

And their son Dallas. He is 15 and a stud.

mission president and his wife. When they first got here all the leaders gave him a tie to welcome him and a bracelet for her. 

my vision for the rest of my misison 

We had a zone activity and these our my missionaries ;) they are awesome! 

Also, a member cut open his leg and bled everywhere at the temple.....long story, but we did service and cleaned blood off the sidewalk outside the temple. IT was a good feeling.

and the convert that cut his leg open at the temple. we didn`t want him to faint..

And our converts at the temple. We basically work all with YSA. It is great. 

The family we just baptized. One daughter was baptized 2 weeks ago, now the other two kids, and the parents are waiting to get married.

the family that got baptized and what we ate with them on sunday ;) 

July 14, 2014

IT was NUTS here, but they lost, so it is over now. but just a imagine. IT is the ONLY sport that they all play and everyone can particapate. 

it is hard to imagine. you just have to kind of do it. IT reminded me of when the football team took state a few years back. but ALL of argentina was like that haha.

Sounds about right. I am sick of alcohol. The area I am in right now is crazy for alcohol. Even the woment get drunk with the men. And it isn`t jsut the weekend, but every night. I am so grateful for the gospel and being able to live it and receive that blessings.

In the misison right now, there is a new focus. We were really focused on baptisms and finding new families to teach. Now, because of the lack of strentgh in the church here in argentina, we are focused on reactivation and retention. The lords work is still hastening and the baptisms will come, but I have been able to see a lot of joy in helping families come back to the church. Also, working with the new converts has brought a lot of people to the church. I am excited to apply these new focuses and work hard to remind the less active members of the the spirit and truth that they once felt, even though they may not feel it now. 

Eli sounds like he is mellowing out a lot. I am excited to meet him again and help him know what not to do based on what I would have done different. First, I am gonna help him know the importance of knowing the scriptures. With knowledge comes testimony and confidence in the gospel. Also, I am gonna tell him to stay away from girls. We have had a few missionaries get sent home these last few months because of problems...it is hard because after doing divisions with them and getting to know them, and finding out the real reason why they are struggling...it is really hard knowing that they might not be here much longer. But I know that it is what they need. Also, he needs to focus on 1 sport if he wants to do it. I have kind of given up a little hope...(not everything) but if not than I am gonna make him Jimmer 2 ;) haha

I am loving what I am doing and even though I miss you all a ton, I have been able to make soooo many changes here that I know I wouldn`t have been able to make if I was home. 

My invitation to you for this week, is to make the extra effort to visit a couple less active people. Make them some cookies or something and just see how you can help them. I know it is easier to say as a full time misisonary, but I know that it is possible. IF the poor families here that live in cement 8x8 rooms with no electricity and that work from 8 in the mornign to 8 at night can make time to go visit those in "Need" then we can do it a whole lot easier. Sacrifices bring forth blessings. 

I know that the church is true. I Love to live it, and I live to love it. I know that Anyone that has faith and hope will have waht they need to be happy in life. just remember that. Faith is knowing that God CAN. Hope is knowing that God WILL.

I love you.

Elder Hazlett

July 7, 2014

The other day I was thinking about Gary and how he was going home. So crazy! HE looks great and I am sure he has changed a lot. Personalities never change, but the focuses and testimonies that we have do. The only times I ever find myself thinking about home is when I think of what I am going to do to help the missionaries when I get home. Hopefully they get some good ones back in Moab by the time I get home. I have a different perspective on misisonary work now and it is gonna be important that they are obedient because we work everyday with disobedient missionaries and it is SOOO hard! I know that we are super blessed for obedience

This week, we saw so many miracles that happened. WE received a new president and we met in a counsel with him as we discussed the needs of the misison. IT was a very spiritual meeting and it made me think and reflect of the importance that Each One of us has as disciples of jesus christ. If one of us isn´t doing well, we drag everyone down, but if we are all pulling together...no one will get left behind no matter how down they are. At the end of the meeting he bore his testimony and said "I need you" (talking to us all). I realized how important the role is that we have in this life. Also, he ended by saying this "With the keys that I hold I bless you that you may receive the revelation and strength that is needed to have success in your misisons." He is a very spiritual man and I am excited to receive his guidance.

My companion and I were sick this week and for a few days my companion couldn´t even move from his bed. I was able to do a lot of Studying and read like 200 pages of the new testament and jesus the christ. MY testimony of Christ and my Faith in him has increased a ton because we were not able to work very much and we were nowhere near the goals that we had set for the week, but we somehow were able to finish half a weeks worth of work in 1 day. I saw the miracles and the Grace of christ working in my life.  

We are focusing completely right now on the atonement and making personal changes in our lives in order to help everyone else make changes in their lives.

Keep being the great examples that you are and making thechagnes that YOU need to make, and I know that you will be able to help more people than you even think!

 Love you all, have a great week!

Elder Hazlett