Raleigh here I come - ready or not!!!

Well this week was crazy crazy busy so let me tell you all about it...

Monday- we went to the beach. It was a ton of fun because we played football and soccer and had a ton of food.. and the weather was super amazing! It was over all just a really really great day to be at the beach! I had two awesome catches in football! I was being guarded by these giants to.  It was pretty crazy but I got the ball and was like yea that's right its mine! haha then soccer was a ton of fun.  I played it with Elder Walker and we had a ton of fun.  There wasn't really anyone who knew how to play so I didn't really have any one that could stop me so they would gang up on me it was funny! But the funny thing was I ended up cutting my foot.. there was so many shells out there and man it hurt so bad it!! The worst thing was, I put it in the ocean not a very smart idea! But it was a ton of fun! Then that night we went out and worked and we taught this lady named Quan and she is super solid well we think she is... but it was cool because we shared with her the purpose and what the Book of Mormon is.  She was excited to read it.. but we still have to get her a copy because we were out of them! Then you wanna know what the worst thing is we went to Walgreens and that shady store doesn't sell mole skin!!!  So I bought these pad things (for my cut foot) and they made it worse it was so dumb I was so mad! But i got a great tan!  We ended the night with having the Hampstead elders come down and spend the night with us at the zone leaders which was a party!

Tuesday- Woke up at 4 in the morning to shower and get ready and dang was it so worth it! We drove to Fayetteville and we had a Tri Zone conference with Elder Hamula and wow was that amazing! We prepared that weekend  by fasting for a specific question that we had. Then the meeting was just amazing!!  Elder Hamula taught us all! He taught about faith and building faith and that whole process.  It was really spiritual and just mind blowing.  It was crazy because I went in and my fast was to learn more about the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  It was nearing the end of the meeting and my answer hadn't come.  Then right at the end Elder Hamula taught about it and it was mind blowing!!  I know Heavenly Father heard and answered my prayers! Then that night I was in a trio with the Leland elders because of the car ride things so I was with them for the night.  It was crazy because we went and taught a lesson to these people and the spirit was so strong and the Dad had great questions.  It was just wonderful! 

Wednesday- We had so many appointments it was crazy but the best was we went and taught a man named Devon who we have been trying to catch up with and it was so good! He has a masters degree from UNC in theology which means he knows a ton about religion.  It was pretty scary because he was super smart.  We had the spirit and Brother Grishman and it was the best. We taught him the restoration, talking about prophets and the role they play and he was like yeah they are like the one steady drum beat that we can all hear and follow and its from god and we were like exactly!  He committed to read the Book of Mormon and was like I want to know if this is the path for me... and then Brother Grishman and him start talking about reading Hebrew and boom - Brother Grishman studied theology at Yale and is like yea I'm a boss!!! It was crazy amazing!

Thursday- We finally got our meeting with Marlyn and it was kinda scary.  The lesson started off rough and it was getting bad then we felt prompted to just start teaching the plan of salvation and whoa! Miracle!!  It was amazing and we got to the fall of Adam and Eve and we taught her that it was necessary and shared scriptures from the Book of Mormon. Her eyes lit up it was so crazy she was like whoa whoa this is something I have always believed but have never been taught.  It was amazing and she was so happy to have learned that and it really solidified her in wanting to learn more.  I was so happy and Brother Macarthur who was with us just did a great job on teaching her about prayer and it was just one of the best lessons I have been in!

Friday- We went and taught Adiamond - yes that is her name! Super great lesson with her.  We taught the plan of salvation again and it was amazing.  She is really looking for direction in her life and her mom just passed away so it was amazing to be able to teach her all about the plan.  We testified of her being able to see her mother again it was amazing!   Brother Williams was with us and he was just super great! Then that night was the best we went out and taught Will in Bishop Paces home.  It was the best thing ever the spirit was so strong! We talked about his baptism and how he said he was ready and everything just felt right! It was amazing and we got an amazing dinner!! What was fun was we biked out there and it was like 5 miles up the busiest road in Wilmington!!  It was such an adrenaline rush!!

Btw everyday if we werent out teaching we were working on packing our apartment!

Saturday- We had a ton of service it was so much fun! There was a run thing on UNCW campus and so we did service picking up trash with these grabber things. It was really cool to see campus and be on it! Then came our move.. its 4 now the move had to be changed times like 3 times and so its finally the time we can do it and its just elder miller and I so we started trucking .. then I wanted to cry because a miracle happened and before we knew it we had 2 trucks and 4 huge guys from the ward there to help us move apartments!!  It was a blessing and went a lot faster then if we would have done it ourselves! It was great and we spent the whole rest of the day having to unpack but it was great!  The sad news - so while we were all packing I got a text from President James... Elder Hutchings please give me a call... I am getting transferred to Raleigh on Tuesday :( but i know where it is where the lord needs me.. I will be a district leader there and I think I'm being sent to help a missionary so i will go and do!!

Sunday- they announced that I was leaving and so many members were sad but its all good.  I got some great advice from Bishop and was wished luck and was able to say good bye to most people! Then we had a super great dinner!!  It was chicken Parmesan and it was so good!! Home made spaghetti sauce - Yummy!!  We ended the night by teaching Mimi who is super elect and we told her all about how she was like Joseph Smith and how she can know and not feel lost anymore it was really great! We finished unpacking everything for the apartment and then started to repack it hahah but it has been a great adventure and I have enjoyed it!!! 

That is my week love yall have a great week!

Love,

Elder Dylan Hutchings

In a Flash!! and Moving On!!

Wow this week went by in a flash it is pretty crazy! One second it was Monday and then what do you know its Monday again! It was crazy to watch the days go bye. We would be out working and then what do you know its night time and we were just like what did we do today? Haha it is great but a ton happened this week! We will be moving apartments!! Its within the same complex but it should be a ton nicer and not so dark and rat filled as the other one!! 

Monday- we ended up having all of the district come together for sports which ended up being really really fun! We played something called chair soccer which is my personal favorite!! Everyone has a chair and you try to hit everyone else's chair because when your chair gets hit your out and the last man or woman standing wins!! Tons of fun! Then we played like bump but you couldn't bump (lame) but it was fun.  I won one round and even beat Elder Miller and he's playing college! Then that night we were so lead by Heavenly Father it was crazy! So we went to contact a media referral who's name is Beverly.  Well she ends up not being there but her grand daughter was so we taught her and set a return appointment.  Then the next thing you know Beverly comes walking up and boom we teach her as well! We taught them both about the restoration and it was amazing!!  When we shared the first vision with her and talked about how the one true church is here on the earth and she was like that makes sense.  The grand daughters name is Adiamond it is so amazing! Then we went to an appointment and she wasn't there but we taught the baby sitter and she is super interested it was amazing!! And the plans got switched.   

Tuesday- So we were getting ready to start planning and oh no we have an appointment in and hour and we need a member to be with us so we can go in!!!  We don't have one so we frantically call everyone we know and then boom we get one and he came and he got us and we got over there.  So of course what happens - they weren't even there! But we did our part and had everything ready!! That night went pretty great I don't really remember what happened but it was really good and we found 2 more people to teach!

Wednesday- we had a pretty splendid district meeting with 3 missionary companionship's and it was great and then the best thing ever! I went to Leland on exchange!!! Whoot whoot it was amazing.. we went out and tracted and saw a few less actives so it was pretty great. Then the best thing ever - we had dinner with the Childs!!!  It was so good!!  Cathy Childs food is some dang good food! But Tripp was there and he is really awesome and I wore my Elder Hutchins name tag for him and it was so funny! Then we taught their investigator who was over for dinner with us and the lesson went great.  She is really converted to the gospel and will be baptized here in April.  It is so amazing to see that!! Then I got to go and visit Randall Child he is my favorite and it is always great to see them! He gave me a big ole hug it was pretty awesome!!

Thursday- it escapes me i have no remembrance of it.. but I'm sure it was good though!

Friday- was the best we finally caught up with this media referral Marlyn and she is so solid!!  She really wants to learn. We had a great lesson on the restoration with her and she had a ton of good questions and at the end she was really wondering about the first vision and we were able to talk to her about prayer.  It was really just an awesome lesson and we are going to try and get her whole family investigating! Then we met with Will and had a great lesson with him in his home and it went really good and he also has great questions and wants to know.  So now we will see if he is going to read or not and find out!! It went really well and we were able to see how much he has changed and will keep changing all by himself it is amazing!!

Saturday- the only story I remember was we were driving around down this road and then boom ton of cops everywhere!!!  We just drove around them and kept going -  it was crazy how many of them were out there!!!  I do remember that we did have a great dinner it was baked spaghetti!

Sunday- no one was at church it was so lame!! but our bishop volunteered his wife to go and give a Book of Mormon to Marlyn and boom fellowship happens!!!  Their daughters know each other and they talked for like 20 mins!!  It was such a miracle #bishopswifeisawesome! It was really great and then we found John and it was all because of an inspired question from Elder Miller on why their are so many churches and then boom he was interested!!!!

Today we are going to the beach!!!  It might be a little cold but hey the beach is the beach!

Love y'all and have a great week and if there are any questions just shoot me an email!

Elder Hutchings!

Oh these Bikes and Ties!!! AND IT SNOWED!!!!!!

Well this week was very interesting to say the least.  A ton happened and I will explain it all in this weekly. It was pretty crazy and a ton of fun. We are now living with the zone leaders it is pretty fun and now I have some great new ties from some sweet tie trades!

Monday- Was great we went down to the beach with Brother Grishman and we got some mexican food it was really good!!!  I got this huge burrito that was chicken and man was it good! Brother Grishman has been looking for a good mexican restaurant and he said he liked that one but it wasn't the best!!  He treated us to some Baskin and Robins and it was the best!  What was super awesome was as we drove we listened to this CD about this one guys visions.  It is so good and the most intriguing thing I have ever heard! It is called visions of glory! Brother Grishman drives a Lexus so it was a very comfy ride! Just over all a great day! When we got home we realized that we hadn't even planned for the day it was a pretty big oops on my part! But we were able to find out where we felt we needed to be and get out the door and get moving!! 

Tuesday- Was an interesting day... I ended up getting a flat tire but I was able to patch it up really quick and keep going so that made me happy. We found these interesting country people who just moved here and taught them a little.  They live in this neighborhood right by a mall! Then that night we ended up biking 6 miles out to an amazing appointment it was great! It was with Will Champange. He had a great question on why we need a president of the church, and then we were able to see how he really wants to know if this is all true. What is crazy is he is 15 and really mature and its weird but it has been great teaching him. On the bike ride out there we almost died, "Elder Miller more so" but it was crazy so were biking and its this little back rode and we have to take a left turn... so we signal and my gps is in my hand.  I was a little lost but this person can obviously see that were going left and what do they do... they pass us on the left nearly hitting us both causing Elder Miller to eat the asphalt. Then I'm like elder are you ok.. and he just jumps up and starts biking and is like lets go I'm good I'm good and wont stop and I'm like Elder stop!!!  We have to go left remember and hes like oh yea and then stops and we check everything out and he's all good!

Wednesday- We had zone training and it was great because we made it so it was like going back to the MTC except it was the NCWMTC the (north carolina wilmington missionary training center). I was one of the "instructors" it was pretty great... i instructed on being a preach my gospel missionary! It was fun I got to take my suit coat off and roll my sleeves up! It was a fun time, then we had a zone lunch it was pretty great. We went out and worked that night and it was fun and we get a random phone call from this less active spanish member who needed help.  We went over after dinner only to see they are trying to move and their whole house wasn't packed at all!!  We didn't have time to help them right then because we had to go give a blessing but we told them that we would come back tomorrow and help them! The blessing was really awesome it was to a part member family who isn't active and she totally had a testimony of blessings!!  So we will be seeing what we can do there to help them out and bring them into the gospel!

Thursday- we go back to the family and helped them move but what was fun was we took the other wilmington missionaries with us and they were a huge help.. it was probably the most unorganized move I have ever seen.. flippen crazy!!  We received a referral from Utah about some people who want to learn more about the church and be baptized so we will see if we can meet with them!  We had a member come and inspect our apartment and now we are living with the zone leaders it is pretty great...

Friday- We helped them move again so much service it was crazy! I don't really remember what else happened.. all I know is we are living with the zone leaders at this point! I got a tie trade from Elder Shearer and I whooped him!!  I got 2 ties for one tie and it was pretty great and I will making one of his ties skinnier! It will be beautiful!

Saturday- This is the day.. we had so many problems it was ridiculous! Bike tires flat to start the day because the patch wasn't holding.. then biking using a different bike and Elder Millers tire goes flat... get them both fixed and we are going again then we made a bad decision and Elder Miller was asking me how to do wheelies!!  I can do them so i said put it in 1 and 1 and then book his derailer "the back gear mover" catches the spoke and bang the bike gets destroyed!!!!  We finally get back home in Brother Nortons truck! We get Elder Miller a working bike and then were off.  We biked up the freeway and it was an adrenaline rush it was pretty great! We found 2 more people we are going to teach!

Sunday- Snow!! Thats all we need to know!  It was a good fast Sunday.  I went up ad bore my testimony super scared and scary but it was all good then the rest of the day I don't remember.  I did get one tie from Elder Miller that I wanted for a tie trade and I won on that as well it was great!!

Great week lots happened - Great to be a missionary!​

Elder Hutchings

It snowed!!!  Best snow Ever!!!

Ugh bad bike day!!!

who is this masked man!!!

Great, Amazing Week

To preface this week it was pretty dang insane and awesome those reading may need to advise their children not to read... jk but it was a really fun week and I really enjoyed it. The whether here is the bomb -  it is hot then cold and then warm and then I don't even know it is so weird! Our investigators are doing good we have had to stop teaching a few of them and that was pretty sad but they are not ready yet. But lets get into the week!

Monday- Was very interesting for the main fact that we went to the beach and it was the best! Nice and warm and sandy and we played volleyball and the whole district was there it was great! Elder Nadauld and I built a sand cave.  It was pretty great.  It was by this sand burm and we dug into it! It was great I fell into the ocean well sorta just in the shallow water it was pretty funny! Then we ate at this really cool place called the famous Toastery.  It was really good and I got this strawberry creme cheese french toast Yummy! As Elder Shearer would say the atmosphere was great... hahahaha! But it was a great day! That night we found two new investigators who aren't to solid but we will see how that turns out and we were able to meet with our favorite guy named Steve! He is so funny!

Tuesday- I had what is called zone council it was pretty great.. it is when all of the leaders of the zone get together and talk about the needs of the zone and plan zone training!! It was fun but lasted for quite a while I didn't get to go out and work till like 2:30 but it was all good because then we taught Darius.  We went over the restoration again with him and he is so solid, he had great questions and really wanted to learn more and said he would read the Book of Mormon. We also got to finally see our investigator Beverly who is this crazy old black lady who I got a picture with!  She was sick so sadly we didn't get to teach her! So that was sad but we will catch up with her again! It was a great day and I am honestly struggling to remember everything!!

Wednesday- district meeting went really good and then I got to bring Elder Nmesirionye over to my area and we kicked but!! He is super good to work with.  He is a convert to the church. He connects with people really well and really is a good missionary.  He came out with Elder Miller and is in Leland and is super fun.  He really opened up to me and talked to me on the exchange and told me some really funny stuff about people that he knew! I took him to the ghetto because he is black and it made me feel more safe haha!!!  It was funny and he thought I was more safe when he was there as well! We got to have dinner with the Thorups who are this like sweet old couple who made some super good ribs ( i don't know if they were as good as Bubbas in Jackson Hole) but they were super good!! Elder Nmesirionye was like please adopt me hahahah.   Then that night we were up way to late doing a tie trade it was so funny but I got a sweet floral one but he got a good plaid one from me so it was a good trade! 

Thursday- we had so many appointments and then they like all fell through.  But we had a cool experience finding this lady and she said to come back when her husband was home.  We went back and taught them it was really cool! At first she was like I am not interested and then she was like yea actually here I'll text you when to come back!!  We were scared that she was gonna try to bash us but she didn't so it was all good.

Friday- We found this black lady who was super nice she was so interested by the Book of Mormon and wanted a copy so we will go back Tuesday and deliver the copy and teach her more!! Then we had dinner with Brother Blevins.  That was fun and he is crazy you will see with the picture that I send but we love him!! Then the coolest thing ever we went and taught our investigator Will on the beach! It was one of the best lessons we have ever taught and it was on the beach so amazing!!  We set him with a baptismal date and everything! And then the most magestic thing ever it was dark afterwards was amazing!! The ocean tide and the moon light it was the best... I would highly recommend it!

Saturday- ... We went and played basketball with Will and we dunked all over him and Luke his member friend it was great!! Then we got to stop by and see Steve and teach him more.  He is going up to Chapel Hill for a while which is sad because we won't be able to teach him but it will all be good we will get him when he gets back!!

Sunday- Stake conference it was so good the speakers did a really good job and we didn't have anyone at church.  That was lame but still good.  I sang in the choir and it was great!! We went out with Brother Macarthur who is super funny and we had a great time with him.. he told us this joke why do cemetery's have fences... because everyone is dying to get in!!! Ha it was pretty great! We had dinner at the bishops house.  He is one of the funniest bishops I have ever met and his family is great! We got a referral from him of someone we can go teach so it went really great!! That night we went out tracting and these college kids were lameos!! They offered us a shot and then were just being mean and it was funny because one of them was so embarrassed by what they were saying he was like stop shut up, it was great to see that!

Monday- today we are going down with Brother Grishman to the beach and getting some mexican food so it will be great and we will see how it goes!!

Have a great week everyone

Elder Hutchings