6.15.2015

see ya in a few.

From his mission president we received the following letter:

As your missionary prepares to leave the Chile Concepción Mission, I would like to thank you for the opportunity I have had to work with him . No other work in the world promotes more emotional and spiritual growth for young men and women than the work of bringing souls to Christ. It has been a privilege to work with Elder Hutchins as he has served the people of Chile.

Elder Hutchins has been a faithful, dedicated missionary. He is loved and respected by all of us in the mission and by the members and nonmembers whom he has served. He has influenced the lives of many for good by encouraging them to love God and follow His Son, Jesus Christ. His missionary experience prepares him to step into the future, knowing that his Heavenly Father will help him succeed in accomplishing his righteous desires.

You will receive a copy of a letter that will be given to your stake president regarding your missionary’s service in Chile.

Thank you for the support your family gave Elder Hutchins while he was serving he mission and the support you will give him as he adjusts to his “post-mission” life. We hope that he will continue to strive each day to retain the companionship of the Holy Ghost, as he did in the mission, and that he will also continue to look for and fulfill opportunities to serve others. May the Lord bless you and your wonderful missionary as he returns home.

He'll be home on Wednesday June 17, 2015

6.8.2105

I love the Lord. This past week he blessed my companion and I so much that I can hardly express it, I will try to show some of the miracles which he has brought to pass:

Santiago: He is 13, and has been coming to church for a few months now. He is super excited to be baptized, this week he received his approval from the mission president to be baptized on the 27 of June so we are working hard with him to prepare him for that date.

Saturday he left with the deacons to see how they collected the fast offerings, then on Sunday the very next day he stood up in sacrament meeting and said in front of everyone that he had a wonderful experience and felt great for having been able to serve the Lord in his own way, and then he said that as the date of his baptism approached, he felt happy to be able to finally take that step. He is powerful and already has the goal to go to the temple in August and to read the entire book of Mormon before that. He also wants to receive the priesthood in order to pass the sacrament with the other deacons.

Gerardo: He is married to Cristina Parra a super active member in the ward, but he is not a member, actually in the ten years which his wife has been active he only really began to meet or talk with the missionaries about three years ago and in that time he never picked up the book of Mormon and read, never came to church and never accepted a baptismal date or anything, well that is changing.

 In the past two weeks he has had an amazing change of heart, It began about two weeks ago after we had left a reading with him and returned on a Saturday, he told us kind of jokingly that he had not read because he did not have time.... Well after that preach my gospel verification response we committed him to read and were back the very next day verifying it again, he read. And since that occurrence he has not failed to keep the commitments which he makes with us, and so he is reading chapter upon chapter of the book of Mormon, sincerely seeking to feel the truth of the message and the desire to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized in order to one day go to the temple and be sealed as a family with his wife and their son.

Well, yesterday after a super good lesson where the spirit was present ,we challenged him (yet again) to baptism and to a specific date, he accepted and said he still wants to feel it before he takes that step, but he agreed that he would pray and specifically asked God if he should be baptized on the fourth of July and explain to God what he desires to feel in his heart and promise God that if God allows him to feel the truth of this work in a way that he can understand that he will be baptized on that date. Well, I know that if he prays in that manner that God will respond to his prayer. "Ask and ye shall receive, Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." That promise is true.

I Love all of you!!!

Elder Hutchins

6.1.2015

Just to get it out of the way, I would like to make a quick shout out to the best looking dude in the family.... Yes, Derek, that is you! 

Other than that I got nothing... Except for this:

Santiago:We are currently teaching a youth who is 13 and whose father went less active when he received his mission call to Columbia (with past problems with drugs and women the prospect was too much for him to take) and he has not been back since and does not want to go back now, although he has said that he wants his son to join the church and this week he arrived almost before the bishopric in a shirt and tie and pumped up to be at church, he has a baptismal date for the 13 and is super excited to be baptized! I am amazed at the change that is going on in his life.

Gerardo: He is the husband of Cristina Parra a super active sister who is in the relief society presidency and who loves the missionaries, well Gerardo has met on and off with the missionaries for about 10 years and has not progressed at all whatsoever, until now. This week we shared a lesson of the plan of salvation and the true importance that seeking an answer has in his life right now because if our message is true ( and I testify that it is) then it is the single most important thing in the entire world. Well after our lesson he committed to read and to pray about a chapter in the book of Mormon (we left Alma 7 with him) and then we taught him how to ask step by step: 1. Sincere Heart 2. Real intent and 3. With faith in Christ. It was a spirit filled lesson and when we came by Saturday night he had not read.... So we sat him down and did a preach my gospel version of verifying when people do not keep their commitments (if you don't know what that is look it up PMG chapter 11) Needless to say we were back there the day after (yesterday) and he had read (twice) and his attitude was notably different. For example the if I ever decide to be baptized changed to a when I get baptized and the I'm never leaving coffee (Grampy should appreciate that one) changed to a I'm going to have to change that. But the spirit of God is working within him and our prayers fasts are going out to him to aid him in that sincere change of heart, that permanent change of heart that only comes from the Holy Ghost. 

I know that this church is true, I love the gospel and I have a profound love for the book of Mormon, for those of you who have not read it ever or recently (as in today) I invite you to pick up a copy and to read it, even if it is just for 5 minutes, do it you will be thankful that you did.

Much Love,

Elder Hutchins

5/25/2015

This week has been great week. Just to give you an idea, each day my companion and I talked with (and shared a principle of the gospel along with an invitation to) more than 40 people each day.  It was awesome, I cannot tell you how much I love just talking to all of the people on the street.  It always makes for an interesting experience.  

One of my favorite contacts was to a mother, her daughter and niece.  Her name was Janet.  As we began to talk with her, my companion testified about the book of Mormon and the difference that it can make in the life of an individual.  She then asked us how she could get a copy of the book in order to read it.  Well, we solved that problem for her and further testified and promised her, in the name of Jesus Christ, if she would read the book that her family would become more united and a feeling of peace and serenity would fill her home.  As we promised this to her, her eyes filled with tears and she gratefully thanked us and went on her way.  We gave her as a referral to the sister missionaries (she lives in their sector).  The best part is that experiences such as this one are not one in a million or one in a hundred, but they occur many times a day, each day. 

We are teaching a less active member named Maria Salazar.  She, after 28 years of inactivity, has come back to church.  All it took was a single invitation to General Conference two months ago,  She came and has not stopped coming since then.  Her biggest challenge is that her entire life (since she was 16 or so) she has smoked, and a LOT.  But over the past month she has lowered the quantity to 20, and then to 15, and now to ten, and is growing ever more close to her ultimate goal of freedom from her addiction.  She asked us this week if she could have an interview with the bishop because she now recognizes him as the individual who is called of God to help her in her process of repentance. 

I love being a missionary, it is wonderful. Remember that the missionaries wherever you are, need your help, please help them.

Elder Hutchins

5/18/2015

Bueno, 


I think that the biggest blessing that I could write to all of you this week comes in one word, Temple. This week the ward had a trip to the temple and included in that trip were: 

The Seguel Family: We have been leaving a lot to work with the 17 year old son who is preparing for the mission (we were the first missionaries to ever leave with him).  They were sealed together for time and all eternity this past Saturday. The bishop had them come up and bear testimony of the experience, it was marvelous.

Silvia Quiroz: A new convert who had been baptized in December.  She went to the temple for the first time and did the baptism for her oldest daughter who committed suicide two years ago. As she shared her experience with us on Sunday (the bishop also had invited her to go up and share her experience also) the spirit saturated the room.

Daniela Muñoz: She is a new convert who was baptized in November.  She went to the temple for the first time and did the baptisms for her grandparents.  Whats more is that when she shared her thoughts and feelings of the experience in sacrament meeting, for the first time

ever, both of her parents (less actives that we are teaching) were in the audience. That was good.

Camila Johnson and Matias Rios: Both shared their experience of receiving their own endowments, both of them will leaving within two months to go on their missions.

The Lord is blessings us through His holy house. I love the temple.

Elder Hutchins

PS. My companion is doing a lot better and no longer wants to go home, he actually says that he is beginning to like the mission!!!!! That's what happens when Elder Hutchins is your pops!

5/4/2015

Well, today are transfers.  My companion is leaving.  He is going for the first time as senior companion to Talcahuano. As a replacement, I am getting a new missionary.  That's right training. I am super excited for this opportunity to train a new missionary.  Actually, it will be super interesting because the other two missionaries in our ward are getting taken out and my new companion and I will be the only missionaries working here.  It is a huge ward so that will be fun and there will be little time for resting, just how I like it!

Honestly, this week was super rainy and just kinda normal.  My companion knew that he was leaving, so he wanted to say goodbye to everyone and other than that, we were visiting members and less active members. We did however have a really cool first lesson.  We contacted earlier in the week, Solange Cordones, a young mother and she invited us to come by and visit with her and her family later, so we did.  As we began to speak of the gospel and how it strengthens families, she was dumbfound by how much we focus on the families.  Her biggest desire is to be able to join a church and go as a family.  Her husband is a little slower and less religiously incline, but I have seen God work mighty miracles through the faithful prayers of woman. We are excited to go back and visit them again and I know that we will be able to do marvelous things. 

I love you all!!!

Elder Hutchins

4/27/2015

This week flew by, but it was a good one. In order to help my companion and the other missionaries in our house to get up on time, we do insanity each morning.  It is a workout video that takes you through an intense workout, but hey, if it helps everyone else get up on time, count me in. 

Also this week we went with Gaston and his future wife to the registry civil to set up the date and the time for their marriage, they will be getting married next Monday at six!!!!! Also they loved the experience at church once again, God is working miracles in their lives and little by little they are changing and coming unto Christ. It is going better in their restaurant and they are excited to keep learning. 

The other person we are focusing on right now is Juan, he reminds me a little bit of dad, (except for the fact that I had to teach him how to pray) But he is the father of Mitzi, the young woman who got baptized a few weeks ago and his wife is Silvia she got baptized in December. Anyway, we had a few lessons with him this week and he loves the church, he has actually began to call it 'our  church' whenever he makes a comment about it.  He told us that the big difference between our church and what we teach, and all of the others is that 'ours is true'. Words of wisdom. When his family first began meeting with the missionaries he did not like the church, but now that is changing (now he is starting to remind me of grampy) and I can see in him a great church leader. 

I love preaching the gospel and i love being a missionary. Please remember to help out the missionaries wherever you are, they need your help.

Much love,

Elder Hutchins

4.20.2015

This week was a good one.  I would, dispite the many miraculous experiences which I have seen and been a part of this week, like to focus on one particular story, that of Gastón and Belén. 

The last week we asked a member, Marta, to come visit one of her neighbors with us ( we had contacted the neighbor the previous day and she told us to come back the next day). Marta is a single mother of four very young children and also a convert of a little over a year. So we went to visit her neighbor and surprise surprise, we got rejected.... or in other words: God had another plan. 

As we went back to drop Marta off at her house, her sister in law was sitting outside and Marta began to explain to us that they ( her brother and sister in law) had moved in the day before because Gastón had lost his job and they had nowhere to live.  Really they had nothing, so he came to live with his mother and his two sisters. Marta asked if we wanted to talk with them (as a missionary you never pass up that opportunity) so we accepted.  

The lesson that we then had was ehhhhhh, not too good.  Gastón was pretty much asleep and Belén was not extremely interested.  With the help of the Spirit we still managed to commit them to come to church that Sunday. They came, and in that moment God changed their eternity. Gastón sat on the front row and for the first two hymns sat sleepily reading the words of the hymn.  At the first testimony his eyes stopped drooping as much and he sat up a little straighter.  Then the Stake President got up and looking right at Gastón or more correctly worded, looking into his soul he bore a powerful testimony directly to Gastón.  From that moment on, to the end of the meeting, (he sang joyfully the closing hymn), I do not believe that the tears stopped rolling down his cheeks. After the meeting he was bombarded by hugs and by welcomes and kisses (Chilean style).

 In the next class we spoke of the importance of making covenants with God the first of those being baptism. He latter told us that as he listened his soul desire was to enter into such a covenant with God. What's more, the very next morning (Monday morning) he received a phone call telling him that he was the new owner of a restaurant.... what the....???? God knows His children, and so it was that Gastón was blessed for his efforts to come unto Christ. 

We also learned latter that he has had a very 'dark' past, and so Sunday morning before he came to church he said a prayer and told God that if he helped him to feel like it was true and that this was where God wanted him that he would change his entire life to put God first and the church would become the central point of his life. That is true intent and God did not hold back the answer, but rather responded as he often does, by the power of the Holy Ghost. He is committed to get married to his wife and baptized this coming month. God knows HIs sheep. 

Elder Hutchins

4.13.2015

This week was a good week. First off Mitzi got baptized!!!! That was a fantastic experience. Her mother got baptized in December and she just made her personal decision to follow her example and to be baptized. Maybe the best part (besides the font being way too full-as in up to her chin when she got in) was that her non member father was in attendance and that he came to the full three hours of church the next day and loved it! We talked to him that night and he told us that his intention was to join the church. He said he might take a little more time, but that it was his goal and what he desires for his family.

This week we found a couple named Gaston and Belen, they moved in to the house of Gastons sister, Marta (she joined the church about a year ago and has been active since, she is a single mother with four young children) They came to church on Sunday and the stake president got up and bore his testimony directly to Gaston and following the testimony meeting about a hundred people came up and thanked him for being there with them and long story short he loved it. After the principles of the gospel class (we learned about covenants this week) he pulled me aside and asked me, Elder what do I have to do to be able to be baptized? That is the kind of question that I like to hear! 

I love working in the Lords work. 

Elder Hutchins

4.6.2015

WOW. I honestly do not know what else to say, conference was amazing, I was left, as always about twenty spirit pounds heavier from the spiritual feast that I had. I would just ask that in addition to remembering Grampy in their prayers that we also remember our dear prophet, he is not doing 100% either, health wise right now, so keep him in your prayers. 

This week I would like to share one experience which I had which inspired me. We are currently using a new initiative from the church, it is like the last one He is the Gift, but instead focuses in Thanks that He lives, and shows the gifts of the Resurrection the blessings that each of us can and have the right to receive in our lives. We watched this short video with many people this week and had the opportunity to testify many times of the truth that Jesus Christ lives. But one specific time had a great impact of me. We shared the video to a mother and her daughter.  The mother is recently divorced and recently reactivating in the church, the thirteen year old daughter comes to church as an obligation of her mother but is a self proclaimed atheist.  After the movie I felt deeply impressed of the truth of our messages I felt deep within my soul that just as the movie portrayed, Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, and that he rose from the dead and I felt with all my heart that it is He that I represent. I felt with so much power and simplicity this truth that I could not refrain from bearing my personal witness to this mother and her daughter the eternal and great nature of the God whom I represent. Both were moved and are making small, but deliberate steps to activation. I love the Lords work, for it is truly His.

Elder Hutchins

3.30.2015

This week was.....interesting. The ward here in Tierra Bella is just as big as the one in Talcahuano, we had an assistance of 194 on Sunday. Our focus group consists of mainly less active members who are coming back into activity, as grampy would say, This is good' and it is. We will have on baptism on the seventh of April, the daughter of a new convert and we hope that the husband is not too far behind. Her name is Mitzi, she is twelve and is super excited for her baptism and to become a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 

My companion is Elder Ramirez from Columbia, he is 27 (turns 27 on the first of may) and is a member returning from being less active in the church from his entire life, he reactivated and a year later came out on a mission. 

I love working in the Lords VIneyard.

Elder Hutchins

3.23.2015

The winds of change............After three short months and much labor and blessings and miracles it is time to say goodbye to Talcahuano and time to welcome in the beautiful earth of Chiguayante (my sector is called Tierra Bella or Beautiful Earth) I am so excited!!! 

This week continued to be one of blessings and miracles. Just to mention the biggest one, this Saturday in the afternoon Teresa and her daughter Pía will be baptized. I think that is the hardest part of this transfer, not being able to see them get baptized, but it is in the Lord´s hands. As we taught and spoke with Teresa and Pía this past week we learned something that made us super happy and shocked us a little bit, Pía is seriously considering going on a mission this next year!!!!!!!!! She was asking us a ton of questions and has already invited a bunch of her friends to listen to us and explains to them the commandments and invites them to live them... It is amazing! and Her mom, Teresa wants her to go on a mission. They are seriously the coolest people ever I love them so much, the Lord has changed their hearts and their desires. 

Also Christian is progressing super well He is excited for his baptism on the fourth in between general conference sessions, he is living all of the commandments and is excited to help his wife begin to listen to us as well. I love working for the Lord, he always pays.

I love each of you,

Elder Hutchins

3.16.2015

Para que voy a mentir yo amo la misión!

Things are, as usual, being hastened here in the mission field of Chile. Our ward has a Bishop, we people to teach and the Lord has the plans. 

Terea and Pia are both super exited for their baptism on the 28 of March, nothing is going to stop them from making a covenant to serve God the rest of their days. This week we taught them of the Living prophet upon the earth today. Thomas Spencer Monson, as we listed to his special witness the spirit was felt in great abundance, I cant say it any better that Teresa, that man just has something special and you can feel it when he speaks, yes Teresa, that is correct it is his divine mantle that comes with his calling as prophet seer and revelator. I cannot express with words the changes that this gospel works and makes within people. For all those who are willing to allow the gospel to enter into their lives it does so in such a marvelous manner. I love the Lord and I testify that He does live and is aware of all of His children. The only lesson that we have to teach Teresa and Pis is tithing and from there we are going to go all out on Family History work and getting them to the temple as soon as possible. It is the most important.

Speaking of the temple very quickly and its importance to newly baptized members of the church, if you recall recently Macarena, HIlda, Vivianna, and Jaqualine were baptized in our sector. Three of the four are set 100% on going top the temple in April the 10 and 11 to do their own personal family history work. Macarena will have the work done for her father who was murdered two years ago! That will be a great experience for her. The only one who is a little hesitant about going is Hilda for the theme of work, but she has the desires and the names and as God is a God of miracles we are still working on that front. 

Christian , another man that we are working with is progressing super well he is committed to live all of the commandments and is going to be baptized the fourth of April in between conference sessions!! that is going to be a spiritual feast. We have only known him for about three weeks and already the changes that have taken place in him are noticeable and the best part is that he has noticed the differences in himself. He has committed to honor his baptismal covenant by coming to church for the rest of his days.

I felt this week the Love of God in my life more that I think any other single week in my mortal existence. I testify that Jesus Christ is the savior of the world and that he atoned for my sins, through his forgiveness and cleanliness are possible. I love the gospel and I love my savior. I also love each of you, keep on going, and remember to help out  the missionaries, they cant do anything without you!

Elder Hutchins

3.9.2105

This week was a great week just like all the others that have past and similar to those to follow. Today we had a zone activity, we made pizza and played a little bit of basketball, the old mans still got it. (I may or may not have gotten a little too aggressive and coming down from a layup nailed a missionary in his mouth slicing open his lip....but its part of the game) Anyways it was once again a week of miracles, Just to name a few:

Teresa and Pia are progressing super fast and their testimonies are growing at a rapid pace. This week they told us that they were sure about their baptism. Teresa told us that she has decided and that it is what she is going to do. She has not smoked since last week and its funny because she asks for a fist bump every time that she keeps online with her commitment not to smoke. She told us this week that she is like our mother, since our moms are far away and after every lesson she gives us a huge amount of fruit to take home and eat for breakfast. I love that tradition. (also the lessons are usually accompanied by fresh made fruit juice) its good stuff. Pia (the daughter) was a not at all sure about being baptized early in the week, but this week the spirit worked within her are shes sure. She said that she was looking at a picture that we had given her of a baptism and she just felt peace, she felt good and from that moment on she is decided. She actually told us this week that she was telling some of her friends the decision that she is making to become 'mormon' and some of them laughed at her, but as she recounted the story (now with tears in her eyes) she declared, 'But I defended the church and I will always defend it' The spirit dominated the hearts of all those present. 

Christian is feeling more sure every day with his decision to be baptized, this week he as well stopped smoking. He has not smoked since Wednesday! He is also reading the book of Mormon and is halfway through first Nephi. 

I love the Lord and the many miracles which he has worked and is working every single day in my life and in the lives of many, many of his children. Thank you all for supporting me, my service would not be possible without each of you. I love you and hope the best for each of you. Please help and care for the missionaries in your part of the world. 

Elder Hutchins  

They just keep coming

I cannot comprehend the mercy and the love and the goodness of God. He truly has so much planned for us but still waits for us to act in accordance with His will to bless us. 

This week We started with almost no progressing investigators, and ended the week with three investigators in church committed to baptism on the 21 of march. How God does it, i know not. 

Last week we contacted a less active woman from Santiago visiting her daughter. Her name is Gabriela and she had not been to church since she was baptized thirty or more years ago.... when we contacted her we insisted on meeting her daughter, we didn't know why, but the blessings followed. We meet her daughter and her granddaughter Teresa and Pia. they were both super friendly and Teresa insisted on serving us homemade natural plum juice (count your blessings) we invited her to the baptism of Macarena and Hilda the next day. She came. and she felt the spirit fill her soul. this next week we learned a few things about how the Lord had been preparing her, for example two days before we passed by she was cleaning out a room in her house and found two white tunics, she was confused as to why she had them and then on Saturday she realized that they were the same tunics used in baptisms..... miracle, I think yes! also this was the first time she assisted church yesterday and it was the most powerful fast and testimony meeting I think i have ever been in, and where else was Teresa sitting (with her daughter and less active mother)??? No where else than the front row! Two babies were blessed ( including Sebastian, Macarenas son) and Teresa's eyes filled with tears when one of her best friends (who she had not known was a member) stood up and bore a powerful testimony of the restored gospel. Whats more the principles of the gospel class (there were about twenty to thirty people in this class!!!!) was on the ability to choose and how it necessary to have opposition in all things and they said afterwords, "it is amazing how you actually learn here, that doesn't happen at the Catholic church" Needless to say they are doing super well and are reading the book of Mormon, they have friends in church and they are feeling the spirit. 

Number two, Christian, a man that we also contacted, but it was Monday night if I remember correctly, in the contact he told us that he had moved in three weeks ago and was going to quit his job, we thought, 'hey with all these changes you might as well make God a part of your life' and he told us that he had a copy of the book of Mormon and that he committed to begin reading it that same night but the he wanted us to come by the next day and to guide him. So we went by and read 3 Nephi 11 and challenged him to baptism, he accepted right away and has been reading the book of Mormon and feeling a peace in his life that he hasn't felt....well ever. We are going to meet his wife tonight, she recently lost her child at five months of pregnancy so is very sensitive in this moment, and Gods eternal plan for the families will give her the hope that she needs that she will return to see her child, if she lives according to God's commandments.

Macarena, Hilda, Jaqueline and others received callings this week in church despite having only been baptized a week of two ago, and they are loving their assignment to go to the self-reliance class. Whats more is that they are all being taught and helped to do their own family history work so that they can take personal family history names to the temple in April when the ward has their next ward temple trip!!!!!!!! hastening the work of salvation, I think so. God is a God of miracles and he is showing forth His hand. 

I love you all

Elder Hutchins

You cant seem to stop the miracles!!! They just keep coming, it is like someone opened up a huge flood gate and Whaboooom miracles. 

This week I think ill begin with the funny story and then well get to a few others. Today (P-day) we got together (seven zones) to play some dodge ball, it was epic. Our team in the first match lost by a hair so we all huddled together afterwards to come up with the game plan.  We were struggling to think of what we could do when Captain Moroni.... I mean Elder Hutchins came up with a wise strategy.  When Elder Miller gave the call I would go up to the front line of the gym and run, back and forth dodging the ball and bringing as much attention to me as possible, the second game we played we put it into practice, I felt a little like Samuel the Lamanite as the balls hurled around me, but no one could hit me, long story short it was a sure win. enough said.

This week on Thursday we had a special conference with Elder Di Geovani from Argentina it was a powerful conference, the spirit was there in abundance and much was learned.  My favorite words actually came from Presidente Arrington, he told us directly, that there is no such thing as the 'faith to find' people to teach or the 'faith to baptize' but really the only faith that there is, that is important, and is truly faith, is the faith that we have in Jesus Christ.  If we want to find more people to teach we must increase our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Its as simple as that.

This week Saturday was an incredible day, Macarena and her mother Hilda were both baptized and Sunday they were both confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. It was a good week. The best part was when we set up the appointment this Tuesday to talk with them and the family history worker to help them get names ready for the temple in April!!!! that is going to an experience that they will not forget! 

The two sisters who were baptized last week Viviana and Jaqueline will also be at that trip to the temple and it will be a spiritual feast. Sunday we had a lesson with both of them and the ward mission leader and his family and we spoke of the importance of the family and read the family a proclamation to the world and at the end Jaqueline and Viviana both had their eyes fill with tears and in the closing prayer Jaqueline expressed her gratitude to her Father for showing her (in a moment that she had thought that she was all alone) that really there were a lot of people who care about her and love her and are in a way her family. 

I love the Lord's work, He is at the head, we just have to work hard and diligently and things will play out as they should, Please everyone help the missionaries where you are, or to paraphrase a special witness of Jesus Christ; lift where you stand.

Elder Hutchins

More miracles

Jaqueline and Viviana's Baptism

Well here in Chile the miracles just keep coming. Let me share with you a few of my favorite from this week:

1. We have been teaching a woman by the name of Rosa, she came to church last week and loved it and has committed to continue to attend church in order to get the rest of the Principles of the Gospel classes. She is super cool and understands almost everything that we teach her. 

Well with her this week two miracles occurred, first off she lives in front of her mother in law, who is 86 years old and who has not left the house in a LONG time except for various trips to the hospital in an ambulance, well this week that streak ended. After her request to join Rosa in her quest for truth we made a few calls (later Saturday night-that story contains a few miralces of its own) and we got a wheel-chair and brought, bright and early Sunday morning, this 86 year old woman Teresa to church. 

The night that we met her (Saturday) she was doing very bad, she was bleeding a lot from the affects of her hip surgery and other illnesses that she had, but we gave her a blessing and promised her that if she made the effort to come to church the next day that God would heal her and help her to regain her strength. He did from the moment that we gave her that blessing until this moment she has not bled, she came to church, she was talking and eating (something that she has not done frequently) and God has poured his blessings out in great abundance. 

Another story with Rosa, she told us about a month ago when we first began to teach her that she would never give up tea (she said that before we had even taught her the word of wisdom) well after building up her personal testimony of Joseph Smith and the idea of continuous revelation we taught the commandment, last night we taught it and she bore us her testimony of how it makes sense that we have personal and continuous revelation and that she is going to live this commandant because it is for her personal and eternal well being. Wow.

2. Macarena and Hilda a mother and daughter who we are teaching (the father was murdered about two years ago and this has been very hard on the daughter and the mother) But this Sunday afternoon they both made the decision to be baptized, together, this Thursday. After about a month of teaching them and helping them to gain their own personal testimonies of the changes that God desires to make in their lives they desire to make this covenant with God. There are so many miracles involved in their progression that I don't even know where to begin, Ill just let everyone read my journals when I get back (yes pops one page every day.)

3. One of the biggest miracles and blessings were the baptisms of Jaqueline and Vivana, they were found by the missionaries doing a service project (they were moving the stuff of Jaqueline into the house) and since the first Sunday that they came to church they have not stopped. Now they have the plans set to prepare their very own family history names and go to the temple with the ward in April. Miracles upon miralces.

I love you all

Elder Hutchins

Going Before our Face

La Zona

This week was a blessing to me. I learned the importance of prayer and trusting in the Lord to keep his promises. Before various lessons this week my companion and I prayed specifically that the Lord would keep his promise and 'go before our face' that he would enter into the houses before us and that He would prepare the hearts of the people to accept our message, and He did. This week God worked miracles in the lives of many people here in Talcahuano.

First off with Jaqueline and Viviana, they are a mother and a daughter that we have been teaching and they have decided to be baptized this Saturday at six. Viviana has been sure about it for about a month, but she was waiting for her mother to make the decision because she wanted to get baptized together. We made phone calls during the week to verify the book of Mormon reading of Jaqueline and she read everyday and by Sunday there was a distinct change in her. After the meetings on Sunday we had a lesson with her and we read from Mosiah 18: 8-10, it talks of the covenant that we make when we are baptized. We must be willing to serve those who need it, to cry with those who cry, to comfort those who stand in need of comfort and to really just serve your fellow being. Then the question is asked, if this and the desire of your heart (and she expressed that it was) then what impedes your from being baptized as a testimony to God that you are willing to do these things, in order that He can more fully bless you with his spirit? Her response, Nothing. Saturday at 6, here we come.

Second with Macarena and Hilda, another mother and daughter that we are teaching who are preparing for baptism on the 21 of this month, they were sure that they wanted to get baptized, but they were not too sure about the date, this week in Relief Society some sister (no idea who it was) but announced that not only Jaqueline and Viviana, but also Macarena would be getting baptized this Saturday.... well she was a little surprised at that, but said nothing until later in the evening when we went by her house to visit with her and her mother, she told us that she wanted to get baptized and this Saturday, after talking a little more (taking into account how often we can visit her and her mother and her comprehension) we decided with her to stay with the goal of the 21, but know she is super sure that it is what she wants to do and she is excited to be able to see a baptism before she gets baptized. This was a huge change (earlier in the week she said that she was really unsure about her date). God works miracles.

Lastly was with Rosa, the mother of a member. We have been teaching her about once a week, sometimes once every other week, but her comprehension is incredible and she remembers almost everything that we teach. Furthermore, she keeps her commitments, when she commits to read, she reads and has read various parts of the book of Mormon as well as a few pamphlets. But she has not come to church yet (until this Sunday when she came and loved it!!!) She told us that she will probably be baptized in the future, but she would like to feel the need before she does it (that is the general idea) This Saturday night we went over to her house with an older married couple, we watched a short movie (twenty minutes) on the restoration, after the movie we discussed and conversed the importance of prayer and receiving an answer for ourselves. Afterwards we invited Rosa to offer the prayer, so we each kneeled down and she offered a beautiful prayer supplicating God, her Father, for the feeling that this was the right path for her. After the prayer the room was silent for a minute and she said, I feel it, this is the right path I feel good. 

I love the work, these were just three of the many miralces that I have seen God work. He lives and truly is a God of miralces. Please, family and friends, help the missionaries, they need your help they cannot do it without you.

Elder Hutchins

It's all in the Book

This week was really good.  Monday we played a classic Hutchins family home evening game called 'Dont eat pete' or Chilean style 'No come pedro' we played with an active family, the Angulos.  And we had invited two of the people that we are teaching Viviana and Jaqualin, they all loved the game and we played about twenty rounds, they would have kept playing as well (its all fun and games when Elder Hutchins buys the candy). Viviana and Jaqualine (a mother and her daughter) have plans to get baptizd the 14 of this month at 6:00 pm. it is going to be a spiritually uplifting experience.

Also during that same family home evening lesson Jaqualin opened up and expressed how at times she feels sure that she wants to get baptized, but other times she feels some doubts as well.  Brother and Sister Angulo are both converts and they responded to her doubts excellently and by the end of the night Jaqualine was committed to redoubling her Book of mormon reading efforts. That is how certaintly is achieved. 

Also this week we had a few key lessons with Macarena and her mother Hilda. They are both reading the book of mormon and this week we taught them soley from the doctrine found in the book of mormon. (which is all the doctrine needed for salvation) we taught them the restoration from the introduction and the testimonies at the beginning of the book, the plan of salvation from 2 Nephi 2 (which focuses a lot on agency, and that hit them hard.  That they have the ability to choose for themselves, liberty and eternal life or captivity and death), we also taught faith from Alma 32 and are going to teach the doctrine or gospel of Jesus Christ from 2 Nephi 31. It's all in the book of mormon. They are each preparing to be baptized the 21 of this month. 

We are teaching a less active family who has gone less active because the father lost his drive.  We are taking care of that, we have him reading the book of mormon daily with his wife (trying to get the family study going) and the changes in his countanance are clear. He was a church this week in a suit and tie.

Furthermore, this Sunday two of the less active brothers which we have been teaching recieved the higher preisthood and are preparing to go to the temple. 

Elder Hutchins

Workin' Hard

1.26.2015


This weeks letter is going to be a little shorter for lack of time, so forgive me ahead of time, but it has been a busy week. 

Wednesday and Friday mornings this past week we went to the second councilor in the stake presidencies house and helped him to make the foundation of his house....oh boy, that was probably the hardest I have ever worked in my entire life. We had to move about a ton and a half of rocks and then the same weight of sand from the street into his yard. It took from early in the morning until lunch to move it all, but in the end it was done, and so was I.....until after lunch when we left the house and did a different kind of work. But seriously I think that was (at least on my mission) the hardest I have worked physically, and I was sound asleep when my head hit the pillow that night and every night. 

We kept teaching Macarena and her mother HIlda, they are progressing well, the only problem is that Macarena got sick this week and had to go to the hospital twice , but now she is on medication and is feeling a little better. They are reading the book of Mormon and are loving every single second of the time they spend in church and with the church members. They are feeling the spirit. 

This week on Thursday the entire mission stayed home in the morning (before lunch) and dedicated the entire morning to cleaning up the house. I love having a clean house, it is the best. You just feel better, and boy, is our house clean. It wasn't terrible before, but now it is celestial. 

On Sunday we had to help cook the lunch and the sister who asked for our help at first didn't trust is us to make the food taste good, but after she tried a few of the inventions that I made she changed her mind and selected me as the "master chef" ;) that's what we do it.

Love you all!!

Elder Hutchins

Me in my new sector

This week was an interesting week I guess I'll just go right away to the part that is interesting, the stories:

1. Last week (for of you who read my letter) we found two new people who are interested in the church, Macarena and her mother, Ilda. They are looking for something to 'fill' them spiritually.  They want to start a new life and just find hope and happiness. Luckily for them that is everything which we share. How it is that we can do each of those things? 

This week they passed through some trials. The mother of Ilda died about a year ago and her brothers and sisters are fighting over who gets the house, this week the brother of ilda came to stay in the house for the birthday of their deceased mother. With him in the house they could not receive us (they tell us it would have caused endless problems with the brother) so this week we only had phone contact and contact at the door. But they are so excited that it didn't matter that we didn't teach them.  Sunday Macarena was at church with their neighbor (a super active member of the church who reminds me a lot of mom in both her physical appearance and her personality) she stayed the entire time and loved it. She is committed to a family home evening tomorrow, and another one in the church on Friday as well as the relief society activity on Thursday. 

My companion and I did a special fast for them on Friday because we had not been able to contact them and Saturday afternoon we saw them in the street and talked to them for a good ten minutes, they expressed their love for the church and their intentions to keep coming. 

2. We are teaching a young man named Eric, he is in the navy and his wife is a less active member of the church, He came to church this past week and loved it. This week we did a service project with him on Saturday. He was constructing a metal fence, so we helped him to cut the iron bars to the correct length and to help him construct the fence, it was super fun, except when burning hot sparks were flying into my face from the iron cutting that we were doing.  That was not so fun.

3. We are teaching a less active woman whose is living with her boy friend who is not a member. This week we went and did a service project for them. Their yard has not been cut in probably a year, but we took care of that.  We cleaned up their backyard and made the place habitable. It was a fun time and was appreciated a ton. Yesterday the Sister was at church and is committed to come to the ward family home evening on Friday with her boy friend. 

I love each and everyone of you. If there is one thing that I would ask from each of you it would be, Help the missionaries. Support them. Work with them. Please.

Elder Hutchins

Work is Kickin'

Well this week was a good one, the wind is kicking up here in Talcahuano Norte, and so is the work of salvation. We had set a goal this week as a zone to bring 10 people to church with a baptismal date, we brought 12!!!!!! I honestly have so much love for and respect towards this zone. The leaders are working hard and so is every single missionary, but there is more to do. I don't think I have to quote Elder Dubby to make it obvious that we must keep the eye single to the glory of God. (don't look back whens there is more to be done) 

This week I had a few fun experiences (story time: specifically for you Naomi) 

1. This week we received a call from our neighbor (also a member of the church) he told us that he needed us to go with him to give a blessing to an older lady that was passing through a really rough time. When we got to her house she told us that recently she had, had an operation on her heart and that although she was doing alright physically, emotionally she was a wreck. She lives alone and apparently after her operation has not cried or laughed and finds it almost impossible to feel any emotion at all. Well God sent the A-Team to emotion. Elder Hutchins and Elder Lake on the job. In a little while she was chuckling along with us. My favorite moment was when she said that she was just too old and might as well give up, the brother we went with asked "well how old are you?", "61" she replied in her frail old woman voice. Then one of the sisters that we had come with retorted in a raspy voice " no honey you're still young, I'M 74" Building upon that, the last sister who came with us muffled out "you're both children I'M 78!" With that bomb laid out there I couldn't help but throwing in there, "WELL I'M TWENTY!!!" that got a chuckle out of her.

2. This week we found, taught, brought to church, and made a baptismal date with Macarena and Ilda. A daughter and her mother. They are super interested in learning more and coming unto Christ. In the first lesson we had with them (in a house of members) they told us that they feel empty and would like to feel full, feel a purpose to life, they seek peace and happiness and joy. They told us that they would like to start a new life, one in which they knew their goal. Well, we told them we can help. After testifying of the purpose and divine nature of baptism (as the first step to getting their desires) they were excited to prepare and put in their part. 

3. On Saturday the sisters in our zone had a baptism planned, but as their baptismal font was out (bad draining) they asked us if they could use ours. So we got there early, prepared everything for the baptism and then I got a call from their district leaders about half an hour before the baptism. He told me that when he had done the baptismal interview everything was good, but the person who was going to be baptized had, had some problems with smoking and they had seen him earlier in the street, not smoking, but with a pack of cigarettes. He was not going to come to the baptism (the district leader) so he asked me to conduct an interview with the young man and verify to see if he was ready for baptism. The end result of the interview was a postponement of the baptism for two more weeks. I increased my testimony that the Lord wants quality members of His church, not quantity. (quote from Richard G. Scott) if someone is not ready or prepared to get baptized, they don't. But everyone and anyone can and should prepare and make changes in their lives to get to the point that they are ready and prepared to get baptized. 

Well that is just a little taste of my week I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. But here I am saving lives (ask me about new years eve sometime and maybe Ill tell you the story) and making old ladies lives just a little more bearable.

Mom , Dad, help the missionaries. Please. 

I love each of you with my entire heart. 

Elder Hutchins

Until Next week ;)  

Straight story time

This week was a good one. I am in Talcahuano right in the coast about ten fifteen minutes from Concepcion. And compared to the house that was in Linares I am living in a straight paradise. There is a constant breeze here which makes the temperature not just bearable, but at times it even gets a little 'chile' (if you know what I'm saying ;) 

1. So we are teaching a mother and daughter who love the church. The mother is Jaqualine (shes about 50 years old) and the Daughter is Vivianna (shes about 28) They love the church. This week we had a Family Home evening with them (with the Elders Quorum president and family) and Vivianna told us that she made the decision to get baptized the first time she came to church. She told us that she felt such a feeling of peace and relief that she knew that this was the path that she had to follow. They committed this week to live and follow each of the commandments. (Word of Wisdom, Law of Chastity, and Tithing) 

2. We taught a less active this week who told us a little story about how getting drunk had saved his life. Many years ago he was in the navy, at one point he was serving on a boat that traveled to the southern tip of Chile, the point most far south in the entire world, without getting to Antarctica. While he was down there on duty he began to drink. Some say it was to fight off the cold, but others say that it was a habit that he had. But the thing is he began to drink and drink and drink until he was completely drunk. Then his boat was called to set sail, to leave dock. Recognizing that he had broken the rules (his contract not to drink) he went to his fathers house, who happened to live close by. As it turns out while that boat was at sea it came under some difficult circumstances which ended up in the sinking of the ship and the deaths of the entire crew, each of the 81 sailors assigned to the ship.....or so they had thought until the now sober (in more that one way) Jose came forward and let all know that he had not died.

3. A woman this week told me a story that astounded me. He very own conversion story. She met the missionaries about thirteen years ago. She recounted that the very first time that the missionaries spoke to her their words resounded with such power and truth that she could not deny that the message which they shared was the absolute truth. (the same which will happen to all who listen with a sincere heart and true intention) Anyways it turns out that she was not married, but was living with her boy friend (they had already been together for about 25 years) and he did not want to get married, actually he refused. And so it was that for five long years she attended church, each Sunday, each activity. When one day her husband read in her journal (while she wasn't paying attention) "My goal is baptism. My goal is marriage. My goal is a temple sealing." These simple words struck him to the center and a little while later they were married and she was baptized. Not too long afterwords he joined her and they were sealed together in the temple.

4. This week we taught a family of 6 each of them less active members of the church. To be completely honest it was one of my favorite lessons on which I have participated. As my companion and I taught the Restoration I do not think a single eye blinked. The entire family was engaged and involved. End result: Six more people in church in Sunday. Each made the commitment and completed it. 

5. We just had a Council in the mission and there were some major changes from the area presidency in how we do missionary work. I can currently only reveal some of what occurred. Return Missionaries who remember something called Key Indicators, whelp now we only have four... Baptisms, Sacrament Attendance, Investigators in church with a baptismal date, and contacts. Nothing else. We have been ordered to unite with the members and to create a focus group with them and hasten the work. There's nothing else to it.

I love the work! I love Chileans! and I love you guys!!!

Elder Hutchins 

Dec 29, 2014

Transferred...............i am going back to the coast, close to Concepcion. The sector where i am going is called Talcahuano in the Cruz del Sur ward. I have not been close to Concepcion for about a year now, crazy how time flies when you're a missionary. 

Well as requested by Sister Naomi Hutchins here are a few adventures that I had this week aka stories:

1. It was Christmas day and my companion and I were in charge of planning and carrying out an activity (Christmas activity) for about 40 missionaries. The heat was on (literally) we planned the activity to perfection or so we had thought. the one fault was the cook. For some reason unbeknown to me I was selected as the cook out barbecue burner guy. Getting the fire going at the activity was child's play, as it is for any real eagle scout (also for any worthy priesthood holder) as the flames died down and the coals heated up, I put the meat on the grill and as it was greasy.  I ran to the bathroom to wash my hands (just so you know that is about a thirty second trip there and back including the hand washing) so thirty seconds later I come back to find about ten missionaries staring at the wall of flame where the grill was once standing...... I instantly grabbed my tools and set to work trying to save the meat, but all that happened was I lost a lot of hair, on my eye brows and my arms. It was quite the adventure.

2. Same day, Christmas, A sister from our branch called us at about 3:30 crying her brother has cancer and was having trouble breathing for the past few hours. She asked us if we would come and give him a blessing. (for those of you who don't know the plan was for my companion and I to talk to our families at 400 and 500) so we said our families can wait (and they did until about 9:30ish) and we went to give the man a blessing. He was bad, all that the sister asked us to bless him with was rest, help him to rest she pleaded. So we laid our hands upon his head and by the authority of the restored priesthood which we hold and in the name of Jesus Christ we commanded him to rest. Within an hour he past away.

3. Last story for this week, Sunday after lunch my companion and i were coming back from lunch on our bikes, while riding along we came to 'sharp drop off' meaning a steep sand hill which we had to go down, but right after we got to the bottom we had to turn in order to avoid crashing into the house in front and we couldn't turn too soon of we would hit the car on the other side, it wouldn't have been too hard, but as it so happens my bike doesn't have breaks.....As i tried to make that turn my bike was going way too fast the wheels went one way and my body followed as the bike turned on its side and my leg skidded along the ground. I hopped right back up and kept going until we got home only to find both my pants and leg destroyed. But with my sewing skills......I was able to 'fix the pants' and well alcohol saved my leg from any possible infection.

Love you all and hope you enjoyed these small tales from the land of Chile were people are smaller and the the sun a lot closer. (at least that's what they tell me) also apparently the first man to own the moon was a Chilean.....

Elder Hutchins