TRAVEL PLANS!!! (and David Archuleta)

Oh boy, so yesterday when we checked the mail there was a few papers in our mailbox. Turns out it was our travel plans, WHICH MEANS I LEAVE IN 9 DAYS FOR ARGENTINA!!!!! So the 19th, we have an 11 o clock flight to Atlanta, we will arrive there around 4. We have a 5 hour lay over in Atlanta and then we get on a plane to Argentina at 9 o clock and will arrive there around 8 the next morning. The district is so pumped up and we are all ready to see Argentina. I cant believe its almost been 6 weeks that I've been here. 

So let me tell you guys about my week. It was amazing. Since I've been here we have got to meet and hear from Elder Oaks, Christofferson, Andersen, President Uchtdorf, and Tuesday Elder Holland came to speak to us. It was the most spiritual devotional I've ever been apart of. He is so "in your face" with how he talks and he tells it how it is. He spoke to us about how hard missionary work is. That when we're out in the field and we are struggling, spit on, rejected, and life is just plain tough, he said remember that we are standing shoulder to shoulder with the greatest human being that has ever walked the face of this earth. We are Christ's disciples, we are walking where he walked. Why should it EVER be easy for us as missionaries when it was never EVER easy for him. Elder Holland really spoke to my heart and I'm so thankful I had the chance to meet him. 

Tuesday night as I was laying in bed, I heard that it was starting to storm. I got up to go see how much it was raining outside and it wasnt raining or storming. I started to think I was hearing things, when I heard thunder again. I heard a lighting crack but saw no lighting. I quickly crawled back in bed and starting to slap myself because I figured I was dreaming. I kept hearing BOOM and BANG. I was so scared. I woke my companion up and he heard it too. We then was under the impression that someone was in our dorm and we was about to be shot or someone was robbing us. We saw a light go on and I knew I was done for. The other guys in our district walked out and goes "Whats wrong with you guys?" APPARENTLY, Elder Baker in the next room over listens to CD's of rain and thunder to help him sleep during the night and somehow it got turned all the way up that night. I've been rooming with this guy for how long and had no clue about this. I felt so silly, and scared all at the same time. But i was super relieved that we wasn't being robbed. Wednesday my companion had a doctors appointment. As I was waiting out in the lobby for my companion this other missionary and I got into a conversation about girls. He goes "I've had a terrible time since I've been here at the MTC with girls." He continued to talk and I was like "Shouldn't your mind be on other things than girls?" He showed me a letter from his girlfriend that he had been dating a few years that he got while in the MTC, the letter said the few words..."Ramon, as I was going through my family history and genealogy, I've found out that we are second cousins, sorry It had to end like this." Now I don't know if thats a laughing matter, but I laughed until I cried. What a terrible way for someone to break up with you while on your mission, right? 

It's crazy how this MTC can change the way you act, think, and feel about this world, about God and about yourself. It's like this. My English is already slightly broken from talking so much Spanish. My relationship with Christ is growing so rapidly, I feel the spirit every single day while I'm here and I know that God is working these blessing into my life. I've been teaching actual investigators while here in the MTC and I've found that just being myself, Tanner Hutchens, is helping these lessons flow so much easier. I love talking to all these different types of people and teaching the gospel and telling them my conversion story and my religious background. I love telling them about the example my grandparents set for me while growing up and the roots of my faith in Christ comes from all those years with maw and paw. I love telling them I'm a recent convert and letting them know that even though these lessons are ackward, and seems so weird and different, that this is the Church that Christ established on the earth, that God is our loving heavenly father, that Christ is alive today. I only have 9 days left here but in the past 6 weeks I've felt that this is taught me more than anything or anyone has in my whole entire life. Responsibility, leadership, LAUNDRY..(yes grandpa I do my own laundry) Its just been an amazing experience and so much more to come the next two years.

 

By the way GO PACERS. So glad you guys can beat the 8 seed. Lets wipe it up with the Wizards and BEAT THE HEAT...BEAT THE HEAT...BEAT THE HEAT.

 

Got loads of pictures this week. The one on the bus is me with Elders Pallila, Allred, Whitt(from NC) Hutchings. Our new zone in front of the temple is Hermana Hathoway, Crawford, Tagg, Afu. Elder Christoffersons nephew is our teacher, the guy with the red tie on is Hermano Christofferson who left to start his family in OhIo. Hermano Porter who left to go to France for a college project. And the picture where I'm kneeling down in front of the other Elders is myself with the new elders in our district. 

 

I love you all and thanks so much for all the support. Times are changing very quickly for me and soon enough I'll be in Argentina. Not really looking forward to flight, but hey I'll get over it. God has a plan for me in Argentina and I cannot wait to see what is in store. GO PACERS!!!!

 

Elder Hutchens

 

Elders Pallila, Allred, Whitt (from NC) and Hutchings with Elder Hutchens.

 

New Elders arriving in the district

 

Elders with their teacher Hermano Christofferson who is Elder
 Christofferson's nephew.  He left to start his family in Ohio.

 

Elders with their teacher Hermano Porter who has left for France on a college project.

 

P.S.  We went to the Art Museum today and I was sitting down looking at a painting and I look over beside of me and David Archuleta is sitting right beside me..I didn´t believe it at first but I just got up, went and asked my companions if that was him and sure enough it was him. I went and sat back down and shook his hand and all of my companions shook his hand. He thanked us for our missionary work service, for all my non LDS friends. David Archuleta is Mormon and just got home from his mission in Chile. Was too cool, right place and right time. We couldn´t get a picture of it but it was still awesome!!!

 

Elder Hutchens and Elder Staples in front of the temple.