1/5/14 The snow does not stop and neither do the miracles!

Hey! Yeah you said it right. I'm hoping this year will be awesome, too. Actually, I know it will be!!! Thanks for your quote from church and I'm glad your lesson went well! I'm also glad everything with grandma went well. My vision for the basement is probably coming true now that I am gone, hahaha. I'm glad Mara is doing great and that's so exciting about Mara's friend! I wish I had tried to find so many awesome missionary opportunities like her. When is her baptismal date? If the missionaries haven't made one yet they are slacking off... hahaha! Not really, but from what I've heard about her she probably could've got baptized a long time ago. How is Mara's other friend in seminary? We did the santa suits at the Christmas party a few weeks ago and on Christmas morning before we called you. The crab was at our apartment on Christmas. The KFC was from before. Sorry I didn't even think of saying anything about p-day. :(

Zone conference is tomorrow and we, well...we do all of it hahaha. Basically we get everybody to go to Asahikawa and have a big workshop there. I'm a little nervous, but it should go awesomely. Definitely tell Spencer congrats! That's awesome for Lily and Mya as well. Nice!

So I procrastinated writing this email so I'll try to sum stuff up.

Wednesday we ate lunch w/ the Saito family and had new year's food and it was great. Saito B loves talking about how Japanese people are descended from the Jews and stuff it is really interesting though not (yet) doctrine hahaha. After that we went to Sapporo for a little gathering because Wilson E came back to visit Sapporo w/ his family. Lots of red heads. They actually knew the Prices because they're from Palo Alto. We came home and had dinner w/ the branch pres' family. Cutest kids. Oh man. We had a lot of fun and a good FHE w/ them. Thursday was deep clean day, but we also had lunch with the Miyazaki fam. They're super amazing - they have two boys and they're awesome. Their mom is also one of the only people I've met in Japan who bakes bread using whole grain/whole wheat so I was really happy and she was really happy that we liked it hahaha. They had these interesting toys that we played with called LaQ. We also got a "toshidama" whichis a Japanese tradition where all the kids get money at new year's. Since we can't receive money we gave it back as fast offerings, but it was still cool. Ahhhh, there is another cool miracle story I want to tell you about, but I'm out of time!!!! Sorrryyy :( remind me to start from here next time!!! Aishitemasu!!!!

Hutchinson Choro


Then Braden's mom opened this email:
Hello!
This is Elder Hutchinson`s companion, Elder Hatch. Elder Hutchinson didn`t really have time to tell you about our crazy Sunday with the Adachis and so he asked me to send this to you. Your son is awesome and I love working with him! We are having a blast and seeing a lot of miracles!

Arigato gozaimasu!
Elder Hatch
(Below is his letter)
Hello!

Iwamizawa is very famous for the amount of snow it gets during winter. Up until about two weeks ago people were saying there wasn`t very much snow at all and that it usually snows more. You could probably google Iwamizawa and see some crazy pictures and videos about the snow here. Well this week it seemed to be snowing all the time. Yesterday I think it snowed all but one hour. It is steadily building up. Fun, fun! Also, we have seen some REALLY long icicles.
This week was great! We had meals with several members. New Years was the Saito family and Adachi family. The Okuizumi family also brought us dinner on New Years Eve to our apartment when we were reading the Book of Mormon. The second was a deep clean day but we had a nice break and went to the Miyazaki family`s house for lunch. I really, really do love the members here! Not just because they feed us well and are so nice, but just because they are all such great people! I am really grateful and lucky to be here.
Friday was kind of back to normal routine. We went with Pres. Adachi and visisted Yamashita. We ended up being there for 3 and a half hours because he just keep asking questions. It ended up being a really good lesson and he is doing very well. He feels like he needs to learn all of the church doctrine before he gets baptized. He was busy and couldn`t come to church yesterday but he is doing very well and we are excited that he is still progressing.
Saturday we got invited by the Adachis (the older couple that gave us a ride a couple weeks ago when we were out in the middle of nowhere and who invited us to a Christmas party in Sapporo). We were pretty excited to go. We thought it was only got to be the husband and wife, but when we showed up there were about 8 people from the company Christmas party that we attended. Apparently they all wanted to come see us. Some of them even came from Sapporo, maybe an hour and a half hours drive away.
Mainly we just ate with them and had a good time. We were able to share a little bit about what we are doing here as missionaries and why. We also showed them our family pics, which Japanese love seeing (probably mainly because we are foreigners....). The night ended and the husband took us home. We thought maybe we shouldn`t try continuing to meet with them so often because they didn`t seem interested in the gospel. Then Sunday happened.....
So, Sunday as church is about to start (priesthood is first and Sacrament is last here) and we got in priesthood. Bro. Kaneko came in just after the opening prayer and then mentioned that two people who have never been to church before are here in the parking lot. Elder Hutchinson and I decide to go outside, curious who decided to suddenly come to church without us knowing. We got outside and Adachi (the wife) and one of the other woman about the same age who was there on Saturday are walking from their car to the church. As we called out they were a little disappointed that we came out and saw them. They were wanting to surprise us showing up at church.
Long story short, we go to Relief Society with them, then we had a very simple lesson in Gospel Principles, and then they attended Fast and Testimony meeting. Also, upon talking to two members, one of the other LDS guys that works at their company is a relative of the teacher or Gospel Doctrine, one of a member`s best friends is also an employee of the comany, etc. There were so many crazy things, but I think it helped them build friendships with the members. Also, several of the members talked about them in their testimony and we had an AMAZING lesson with a Sister Oikawa in the ward after Sacrament meeting on the Restoration. Sister Oikawa was really strong and really bold. At the end of the lesson we asked Adachi to pray. She said a good prayer and we were about to finish when Sis. Oikawa boldly asked Okuyama (the friend) to pray as well. Okuyama`s prayer was really short, but she was having a hard time getting words out because she was choking up. They definitely felt the Spirit, which was SO cool!
The main reason they came was just to come see us, not to come to church, but it turned into an amazing 4 hours. We gave them each a Book of Mormon and challenged them to baptism. What a miracle! Meeting Adachi two weeks ago on that lonely rode when she gave us a ride seemed like it was all just a coincidence. It was not coincidence. Everything just played out too well! If timing had been off by even a minute, this whole story would not have happened.
Everytime I start to think "Man, nothing special has happened lately. Am I doing something wrong?", is when an amazing miracle happens. I testify that Heavenly Father works by faith. As I read in the Book of Mormon this last week focusing on faith I realized that everytime somebody exercises faith, something good happens. It doesn`t always happen right away, but it does happen. It is amazing to see how much Heavenly Father really does look out and love each one of us. I know He does love you and me.
Happy New Year! Its 2014 but lets make it a good one!
Love you!
Elder Benjamin Hatch

12/31/13 akemashite omedetou gozaimasu (happy new year's)

Hey! Christmas was pretty missionary-y and Japanese-y, but still way awesome. I'm glad the call worked out. I always feel like they end up being all over the place, but I guess that's what happens when everyone is excited. Thats crazy you had to have Christmas dinner at Maverick! Sounds like Lily got some great presents and Adam's phone call was fun too. Definitely send me a pic of Dave's present when you have the chance. I'm glad the Hutchinson family is doing good. It doesn't snowstorm here every day, but there was a way crazy one last Saturday. My new shoes are definitely awesome and you don't have to worry about money. They were a present. I was only gonna get one pair of shoes, but since they were on sale she bought me 2. Way generous and awesome! I hope Mara's talk, etc. went great too!

Here's the week. (since talking to you) So Wednesday DTM went great and we ate sushi with everyone. Then went back to Iwamizawa and planned a bit for zone stuff then went out to do Merry Christmas dendo. Basically like normal housing, but we only went to houses with Christmas decorations and talked about Christmas extra. We did find one pretty cool guy we'll meet again on Friday. On Thursday we had some planning and then rode w/ Adachi B to teach Yamashita at his house. He lives in the city next door called Bibai. It went pretty good. He had a concern at church so we addressed that and then taught him about the plan of salvation which he is really interested in. He definitely has a lot of potential and I can almost say for sure he'll get baptized. We just need to be patient because he likes to talk a lot and has lots of little concerns. After that we rode from the station in Bibai to Shibetsu! We had splits there and they went awesome. It is the second smallest area after Nemuro. There is a lady there who runs a pretty classy shop and is like a Mom to the missionaries. She fed us all for free and we talked with her, a member, and a non-attending. I went on splits w/ Hirata E who is on his 3rd transfer. It was way fun and we taught some awesome people that he had found + I taught him how to street contact because his trainer never taught him. On the way home I found a way interesting shop called "Rodeo" that was just full of retro American stuff, playing oldies rockabilly music. It was way cool and I met the shop owners and they were way happy to meet a real American. It was a pretty unique chance to share the gospel because I tied his desire to show Japanese people what America is like, to us wanting to show everyone they joy we get from the gospel. He was really cool. Kinda looked like a biker with a super long goatee, but we made pretty good friends.

We rode back home and did a bit of finding on Saturday before riding w/ Adachi B and Yamashita to Sapporo to see the Messiah concert. He had a good time + we got to review and talk more about what we had talked about so far in the car. Also, I got to meet a ton of members from Eniwa and Toyohira! That was way happy. Best part is that everyone remembered me! Church went pretty great even though Yamashita had a thing come up and couldn't come. We did a bunch of finding after talking w/members and stuff a lot. I actually translated sacrament meeting into sign language for the deaf member and it was way hard, but I did it somehow. It's pretty fun, but I definitely don't know that much yet hahaha. Monday was DTM in Ebetsu that went great. We ate and came back to visit this NA family (whose daughter came up to visit for new year's-she's active). It was pretty fun and though her parents are in their 80's we had a fun and spiritual time. Yesterday was read the BofM all day day. I got way tired and fell asleep while reading several times and didn't even get half as far as I got last year, but it was still awesome and I got some good revelations for our zone. At night we ate "toshi koshi soba" which is a Japanese tradition that they do every new year's. It was pretty fun. Maybe I'll do it every year from now on :) Did you do anything for new year's?

I'm so grateful for the Christmas season and chance to think of Christ so much more. I'm also really grateful for the awesome responsibility I have to be a leader and serve the missionaries in my zone and district. I miss just focusing on investigators sometimes, but all together it's such an awesome experience. Love you tons! Happy new year's!!!!

Aishiteimasu
Hutchinson Choro

toshi koshi soba

in front of Rodeo

My district at Odori park after caroling

Me on Book of Mormon day

Icicles

Day after snow storm

Everyone at the shop in Shibetsu

Our Christmas dinner

Christmas cake

Christmas morning in Ebetsu

more icicles

1/13/13 Seven Months Out Today

Hey! This week was good. Sounds like work is complicated, but good! Sounds like there has been a ton going on there!! A You've Got Mail party, huh? That's way funny hahaha. Sounds fun though! How is Mara going on personal progress?? That's pretty cool.

It actually hasn't been snowing very much lately here at all, but it is way frozen and icy. The roads are covered in inches of ice, but I have been doing fine. Just have to be careful when I walk around. I haven't seen any car accidents or anything, but there are some funny drivers now and then. I'm way sad to hear about the car getting damaged, but at least it was the oldest of the cars eh? I hope you can figure out what to do with that whole situation. That's cool about Richie and Xela's reception! You said hi for me right? I heard the Jordan River temple was closed for a long time, but that's good to hear dad is back and working there again. I miss the temple lots. It is really interesting to talk about it here and teach about it to the new converts, etc.

Good luck with whatever your new calling might be! I am having a hard time remembering what it's like to not be a missionary, but I remember that I really loved being in the Elder's quorum presidency at USU and in stake YSC etc. and I wish I did more for those callings then. That is funny about Lauren and her stomach too. (That is, us trying to tell if Max is moving) The pictures of her you sent last time were pretty good!

I am praying for you to find missionary opportunities too, but the main thing you need to do is look for them. Remember that prayer is just the first step. There was a plaque one of my roommates had at USU with a quote from Gordon B Hinckley that said "get on your knees and pray, then get on your feet and work". It's just like that out here too! I'm glad to hear you are doing better with scripture study! What kind of things are you trying? I also want to hear about how FHE is going. Hatanaka Shimai and Haramai Shimai want to know more about it so if you had any cool ideas that'd be awesome. Also Haramai Shimai made a new years resolution to learn to make candy at home just like you do at Christmas so if you could send me a bunch of recipes she would be really happy. She reminds me of you a lot in a lot of ways actually. She has said before that you sound cool and she wants to meet you haha. If you have any patchwork, stitching, etc. things that you think she might like let me know.

Let me know how the YSA fireside went! I am jealous you get to see it! I am glad Adam is doing great in institute and German sounds way fun too! That trax thing does sound like something I would do. How is he liking riding the train??? I think it sounds fun and I want to try it when I get home.

I hope church was awesome! I gave a talk in sacrament meeting yesterday on the sabbath day and focused on the Lord's rest, because in Japanese the Sabbath is "rest day." It actually went really awesome and I spoke for almost 20 minutes which is double what they asked, but they were okay with that haha. It felt really good to be guided by the spirit and be able to expand on the things I planned to talk about. My Japanese has been getting a lot better I think, but the tough thing is always being led by the spirit to know how and what to say. Really the secret is just opening your mouth. The time that is the most tough is when you don't even know how to say it in English and you somehow pull it out in Japanese.

So the cool things about this week are that on Monday I bought a sweet new backpack in the mall in Chitose and on Tuesday we started Eikaiwa again with Elder Rodenberg and it was way fun and energetic. Then on Wednesday was straight housing and going to Brother Katanuma's house for dinner. He used to be the area Seventy and spoke at the Sapporo Temple groundbreaking. He is also good friends with Elder Holland and a few other general authorities. He recently wrote a book about Christianity in Japan focusing on our church and it has actually gotten a lot of high up people interested and it is way cool. He is an awesome guy who has gone all over the world, served several couple missions in Japan, and speaks English pretty much fluently. He also taught at BYU for 3-4 years. At the end we watched this movie called "home" that was from 1992 (one of those cheesy seminary ones) but it was really good and afterwards we shared scriptures and testified about the hope from the gospel. It is pretty cool to testify to someone who used to be a general authority! haha

Thursday we planned and visited Haramai shimai. Friday was visiting a lot of people in Chitose and one of them was a girl that Elder Hansen got almost all the way to baptism, but went on vacation and got protested by her parents so he had to drop her, but she sent us a new year's postcard and when we visited her she said she talked to her parents and everything is good! Her name is Miyashita and she is pretty much a kinjin. She came to church on her own because she said it seemed like a warm place and she could feel that it was full of love. Literally. She has still been reading the Book of Mormon everyday. We will see how that goes :)

Saturday was amazing too!!! We had the mochitsuki activity which was tons of traditional Japanese new year's games and toys plus making mochi!!! Mochi is rice turned into this doughy stuff. To make it like that you... Smash it with a giant hammer!!! It was so awesome. I didn't get pictures, but lots of other people did. It was way great plus we got a few investigators to come too. It was a great way to make better friends with the ward and feel closer to Japan. Haramai's husband came too! We are trying to help her a lot to share the gospel with him. We also did a song there with me on the guitar, Brown Choro on the keys, and Rodenberg and Ishiga Choro singing. It was kinda loud with the mochitsuki going so the beat got a little funky, but it went great!

Well that is what has been going on in a nutshell. I am getting my haircut today because I need it really bad. Who cuts my hair?? Some Japanese dude. Not my companion. Haircuts here are expensive by the way and there are probably more hair salons than any other building. Literally.

Anyways I love you tons and and am so grateful for you! Jesus Christ is my Savior and He lives and loves us! Keep showing good examples and do your best to become more and more like Him!

Aishitemasu!!!
Hutchinson Choro

Funny things seen at the mall:

1/6/13 "I'm starting to get the basics, I think"

Hey! That is tough that your first letter didn't work out, but I'm glad this one still got to me :)

The Messiah was pretty good, but I didn't participate in it. I sat with an investigator and had a decent time watching though. I do appreciate that kind of music a lot. I don't know how fun of a date that would be... hahaha! I'm way glad you got to see the Christmas Devotional too! That's crazy school has started again. Most of the students in Hokkaido have a pretty good break in January till the 17th or 22nd depending on the school. Cool that Adam is taking the train too! Trains in Japan are one of the main ways to travel anywhere. I'm so glad he's taking Institute too. One of the most important parts of college for sure! That's neat Lily (our dog) had a birthday! That is super nostalgic hearing about all the silly stuff she does. Happy birthday to Andrew too!!! It is Elder Rodenberg's b-day on the 16th and Elder Ishiga's on the 19th so those are pretty exciting.

What kind of project did you have at work? Have you always been on salary? Good luck and I will be praying for you to do awesome there! Haha don't leave the Christmas stuff up too long, ok? If you just do it little by little it'll be easy I think. I'm super excited for the other missionaries coming out! Please tell 'em all good luck etc. for me. I am staying healthy, but everyone back home better be careful with that stomach flu. I pretty much ran out of vitamins yeah, but I think I am just going to order some from the Honbu when they go to Costco. I can actually buy sweaters here pretty easy and cheap at recycle shops so I wouldn't worry about those actually. Some new CTR socks would help I think. Plus I want some cool music CDs if you find or know of any (not Motab, stuff like Mindy Gledhill or Alex Boye that has religious themes etc.).

Do you see Mya and Olivia weekly lately? That's crazy! Good luck with 1:00 church. I like our 10:00 church the best. Doctrine and Covenants is way good! I have been thinking about starting it over again soon. There is so much good stuff to read and so little time to study when you're on a mission! ah!!!

I'm very proud of Adam giving Mara a blessing. I still remember the time a girl in my ward in college needed a blessing and only one of her home teachers was around so I went and gave the blessing and it was a really good experience. So cool. It has been even cooler to be blessed with opportunities to participate in blessings here every once in a while.

Elder Rodenberg is way boss. We just got finished making a way sweet song in the other room in the church. How often do you talk to his mom? I still think that's way funny. I have been doing a bit better with Elder Ishiga too. The apartment went from all Japanese to probably half and half and it has been a huge change. I did draw out a bunch of money, but I haven't bought anything with it. I'm for sure going to get a dictionary when we have a chance to go to this recycle shop where I found a cool one, but I'm thinking I might buy a new backpack today or something.

Thank you so much always for the prayers and encouragement!!! It helps more than either of us can understand I think.

So for the summary of this week we ate a lot of Japanese new year's food. It was almost just all time with members and hardly any normal dendo. Really yummy though. Elder Ogata transferred on Thursday and on Friday I went on splits with the APs. I went with Elder Davis and it was incredible. We talked to EVERYBODY and had so much success in just one day and it was really all about attitude, no fear, and being happy as you dendo. I hope I can apply it more with Elder Ishiga and get all the people I found with Elder Davis that day to progressing. Yesterday at church was testimony meeting and Elder Rodenberg, Ishiga, and I bore our testimonies and it was a way powerful meeting and I talked to almost everyone after church! I have grown a lot as a missionary and even though I still have a long ways to go and lots to learn I'm starting to get the basics I think.

I love you tons and I know that this gospel is true!!! I have been able to know it more and more fully through all of the big changes and miracles that I am able to see here, even when we aren't having tons of investigators and stuff. Sometimes the Lord just wants us to be right where we are for the time being you know? I'm really grateful I get to be in Eniwa one more transfer too since it is such a lucky thing.
Heavenly Father is watching out for you and answering your prayers. Please be ready and he'll provide opportunities for you to share the gospel.


Aishitemasu
Hutchinson Choro

What rice cooker...?

Ishiga Choro with the cereal we sent him

Braden with a Christmas present (speakers?)

Christmas cake

Christmas present (suit jacket)

Holiday decor (Lauren, recognize the tree?)

12/31/12 Akemashite Omedetou Gozimasu (or in other words, Happy New Year!)

Hey! Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu!

That's what they say on New Year's in Japan which is a ridiculous affair. No one (almost) in all of Japan does anything for about 4 days. On the way to the church was pretty much a wasteland. Yesterday I spent the entire day fasting (until 6) and reading the Book of Mormon. I could only get to page 330, but I tried my best! Today we are eating lunch and dinner with members and trying to find a place that is open to buy stuff.

Also sorry that the email is a day late. This weeks P-day moved to Tuesday. And I have lots of pictures, but today is crazy and I forgot the camera again... :(

It was so great to talk to you on the phone too! I wish I had prepared better, but I was especially grateful to hear how family things and scripture study are going. I'm also glad I could hear Andrew and David's mission advice and hear about Adam's mission preparation.

Christmas Eve we had a really awesome party in the Kotoni church in Sapporo. There were some fun games and great food and we got to watch the Christmas devotional which was incredible. Did you watch it??? Then a group of missionaries did a presentation of the Christmas story from Luke which was great too. We also practiced for caroling which we did that night in Odori park in Sapporo. The second half of which was in the subway where we got in trouble by the guards and had to leave early... But it was still a good experience! While we sang other missionaries contacted those listening and when we got stopped lots of people got mad at the guards because they wanted to keep listening! hahaha Christmas back home sounds like it was wonderful. I miss pizza. It's 20 bucks for a plain medium size here. Glad everyone liked their presents and stuff! Good luck with your new computer haha be careful with it! I can't believe there is a windows 8!

I am probably fine on sweaters since I don:t know where I'd pack them, but I do use them everyday and only have 2...

Christmas day was supposed to be normal dendo, but ended up being lots of service and visiting with members. We sang carols at a day service place in Sapporo and "heart attacked" (Ishiga Choro is really into stuff like that) a few members' houses and then ate dinner in the igloo we made.

Adam's court of honor sounds like it was awesome. I feel really honored that he is saving the pin for me. I'm glad it went smoothly and I bet he looks great in the uniform. I have been getting a few emails from Dan Hansen lately too.

So I feel really bad too because today is another short email day (the other elders have a bunch of stuff they want to do) and I feel like I have way more than usual to talk about. The Japanese elders don't really email much.

I want to tell you more experiences, but they're really scarce as of late. Last Saturday the area put on the Messiah concert that was really good. We got Nakamura shimai, a guy from Eikaiwa, and Haramai shimai's family to come and it was a blast, plus tons of missionaries were there. We have been getting fed by members a ton lately, yes. The Christmas party was on the 22nd and this random guy I housed one day came and brought a friend. That friend sent me a picture of Mt. Fuji in the mail the other day and it was really funny because I didn't suppose that giving someone my meishi (business card) would lead to that. Remind me next week and I'll tell you more about the stuff this week.

I love you all and I'm grateful for this work and the support you give me!!! Stay safe and warm and share the light of the gospel as much as possible!!!

Oh yeah, we got transfer calls early. I:m staying in Eniwa with Ishiga Choro and Brown Choro's companion is becoming Rodenburg Choro who sang with me in the music thing.

Aishitemasu!!!
Hutchinson Choro