Dec. 30, 2013 Midway We are God's Army!

Dec. 30, 2013

FELIZ CUMPLEANOS JARED MI HERMANO!

I hope your birthday was the best!  HURRAH! Feliz Cumpleanos!

Also to :Kristin, Brett, Danielle & michael! 

Well it has been a great/crazy/fun/hard/everything in between WEEK!

Thank you for ALL of the packages and everything you sent me! I loved everything! I have already given out tons of the candy to the cute Mexicans in my ward. They love it:) So thank you, I really do have the best family ever! I loved talking to you, and honestly I didn't love talking to you! jaja, sorry! But it was wonderful to see all of your beautiful faces, but it was hard because it made me miss all of you!

Miercoles (I'll start there) - Christmas dinner with La Familia Gamez, was really nice, and kinda interesting, she made us mole, it was SO gross, I almost threw up.. its like Chicken in this gross sauce stuff. yeah, gross, (I told myself, while eating the mole)..well, Merry Christmas to me! Then we went caroling to tons of less actives and actives and investigators. They LOVED it! We went with the four sets of missionaries in our ward and oh my goodness the people just died, all of them! I loved seeing there faces!

Jueves- We went to La Familia Granados, and it was SO fun! I love their family! While we were eating (really good food today) Hno Granados and Hna Granados told us the story of the birth of their two CUTE twin girls (the ones you have a picture of) and my favorite part was, (I have to tell you this because its hilarious) Hna Granados said the hardest part of giving birth is you cant eat, (totally Mexican right) and so IN LABOR, her Hushband tried to sneak in tacos for her to eat, but the doctors caught him trying to feed his wife tacos, and then she went into labor, bajaja I DIED LAUGHING! So that was jueves!

Viernes- Well, this day was interesting. we had NOTHING to day, because this week almost ALL people are out doing Holiday stuff and they didn't want us over or to come in at ALL, so as a last resort, it ALWAYS comes to knocking. We ended up knocking for 5 hours that day, from 2:40-7:40. Every 30 minutes I had to tell myself OUT LOUD, that I was a champion. "I'm a champion, or, I am so awesome." Because no one else was gonna say it... jaja.Well played A LOT of Spanish walking games.. made up by Hermana Hammond. So after 4 hours of tracting, (here is a good story) we were about to try this one house and it was one you ALWAYS have to be careful because there was a face around the WHOLE house, (meaning usually dog), and so we looked at the scene and there wasn't a dog so we open the gate and walk like.... 35 ish steps, (a long way) and I see it...... a huge dog just glaring at us, invisible and blending in with the house, and it starts to stand up, and do this REALLY freaky pounce thing. And it was a German Shepherd, SCARY BIG HUGE TEETH, so (me being stupid) spin on my heels, and just start running bahaha, so naturally I hear it starting to chase after us. yep, we were running from a really freaky dog, I thought my life was over! then, me being really nice and awesome, let my companion go first, and out the gate, and it is literally on my heels, when I get to the gate and slap it shut. My heart was beating SO fast, it was the SCARIEST thing of my life! People here in Chicago have dogs to bite people like MISSIONARIES!.. I was SOOO blessed it didn't bite us! That was Viernes! SO SCARY!.. oh and then we had a really good lesson with Angeles after! Haha

Sabado- So one of Hno Jones Less actives in her last ward invited us to go through the temple with them. So we went to the temple:) It was really nice, the only thing is, (because we have to get Presidents permission) he said temple time=p day time. So after I write you, that's my p day! The temple really was incredible though:)

Domingo- We HAD AN AWESOME lesson with Ricardo y Carmen, I need you MY FAMILY RIGHT NOW TO MEET THEM! They need to be fellowshipped! I just think about it ALL the time! And of course Church, is my favorite:)

Well, to finish up this letter, this week I have been fascinated with the principle of God working through weak things so men can see His power. And one day in personal study I was like I am going to read 5 minutes in the bible and I turn and opened to the story, in Deuteronomy. Of army of Gideon, it is about this army and they are going to fight and the Lord tells the leader and He wants a smaller army, (and you need to read it as a family, dad knows where it is) and finally as the last test, The Lord tells the leader of the army to take his army and whoever drank their water a certain way would be Gods army, and the army gets down to 300 people! That's it! Fighting against thousands of people, but they were how many the Lord wanted! They were Gods army! But the coolest part is that honestly out here, we are SO few. The members are SO few in Chicago, the missionaries out the world well we are SO few! But the important thing is that we are Gods army! And maybe we don't have the greatest numbers, but God can show his power by working through us! IF we were a huge big army, then people would just see us, that we have big numbers so of course we would win, but because we are so few God can show his power by working through us! Anyway, don't know if that makes sense! But there are a million other examples!

David and Goliath

Joseph Smith translating the Plates when he had HARDLY an education

Moses who wasn't a good spokeman, but yet one of the GREATEST prophets!

Anyway, that is my shpill:) I love you my family, I gotta go get back to work! But I love you and I miss you! Your the BEST support team EVER! I love you!

Con MUCHO amor

Hermana Hammond

                                             This is at the German Festival

                                             Apparently this is a famous tree!!

                                         I took this for Brooke & Brielle

                                                Greetings from Chicago!!!!

 

Dec. 25, 2013 A Pic of Skype

We got to skype Brittany!!!!

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She is awesome & amazing!!!! We got 40 wonderful minutes!!!
We are so proud of her!!!  This MADE our Christmas so special!!! She has such a great spirit & light!
Oh how we love her!!!

Dec. 23, 2013 Midway Ah isn't Navidad the best!

Dec. 23, 2013 Happy Birthday to : G-pa Hammond, Shawn, Mckenzie & Melanie Mi Querida Familia,

 

Okay.... SO I AM SOOOOOOO GIDDY TO CALL YOU TOMORROW, I just cant hold it inside anymore:) I love the pictures you all sent me! and I got ALL of the packages mom:) everybody was really jealous, because they all know I have the best family in the world. Oh and Pres and Sis Woodbury were SO grateful to you! they LOVEd the stockings, and I saw them TOO, I was like... "yep, I definitely have THE best mom EVA!" These are Sis woodburys words, "WOW, your mother is SO kind, no one else sent us anything! I love these! We really needed some in the house!" Ah, I was like... yep that was MY MAMA! Okay yep, today I gotta hurry and write because we are going to the down town today to look at all of the lights, and decorations! YAHOO! (oh ps, I haven't opened all of the boxes... just the one for the 13 days of Christmas.. super fun:)) So I am excited!

So, to sum up a really good week in not very much time.... BAHHH I love teaching about the Savior at Christmas time!

What we have been teaching people is this (lesson plan)

The people in Jerusalem were SO excited and waited for the birth of the Savior, but a lot of people don't realize that people here in America were SO excited to. We tell them the EPIC story of the nefitas in a life and death situation and then we read 3 Nefi 5-20 ish!... And its SO fun! Because people don't realize that people here were SO excited about Jesus's birth here in America! And the Book of Mormon is the bomb, we use it ALL we can, because once they get that testimony... of El Libro de Mormon, they are solid!

Prophets ALL the way from Adam were testifying of Christs birth! Isn't the gospel awesome?

Well, that has been our lesson plan and we share a Mormon Message with them called Que le daremos? I don't know what it is in English but its President Monson and SO many people have LOVED it!

Okay, as far as investigators go.... RICARDO AND CARMEN ARE DOING AMAZING! I want you all to be here RIGHT NOW, to meet them! Oh my gosh, because I just think.. (Hna Hammonds thought process)

"okay mom could TOTALLY get Carmen fellow shipped, and they will be best friends because Carmen is SO awesome and I love her and she loves me! And then we can all go to church together.

Dad- get Ricardo excited about the church and FELLOWSHIP HIM and he is awesome so they can be best friends 

Jacob, Haylee, Brielle , Brooke- Fellowship Brian (which is really hard because hes 13 years old and is starting to fall off the deep end here, and is SO quiet and needs cool friends... I wish you guys were HERE SO BAD TO HELP ME....)

Jared- help me teach the lesson:)"

Last night we taught Plan de Salvation.... Ricardo and Carmen LOVED IT AND ATE IT UP..... it was SO fun to see their faces when we talked about the Spirit world (and how there a second chance) and the temple! Then Carmen expressed that she wants her son Brian to be a missionary one day, and her hope that her family will all be there in the Celestial kingdom together, and then I died!... well of HAPPINESS.. okay, yep I am obsessed with this family! AHHHHHHHH... (sorry that's me being all giddy for them!) 

This Saturday was a ward activity, and okay, our ward put on the most hilarious play EVER, like full on legit play with back drops and everything, and it was hilarious (Ricardo and Carmen came), it was also spiritual I wish you could have been there, because the musical numbers were my favorite part, I videoed some of it, and I will send you the SD card, because ... oh my goodness it was the best Mexican thing you'd ever see. Then they had food (of course) and IT WAS AWESOME.

Well, this letter is SUPER random but, yeah sorrynotsorrry:) I guess I am just excited to talk to you all! This week we also went to the temple, and that was beautiful:) I loved it. On my mission I have learned many many things, but one thing I have learned is that Satan's power is real and its scary, but because we have Christ we can beat anything and anyone!

Have I mentioned that I love Mexicans?.. One day, I wanna be one;).. haha, they are just the best. Yes, es verdad. Sorry this is short!

I love you mi familia! CANT WAIT to talk to you on NAVIDAD! YOUR ALL THE BEST!

Hna Hammond

 

 

You know you are mexican when you put it up with green tape!! Hna Hammond & Hna Jones

Dec. 16, 2013 Midway "we must remember that the vessel is in the hands of the divine potter."

Dec.16, 2013

Hola Mi Querida Familia!

Esta Semana-Jaja! Those are all my words!!!

Estoy bromiando! (I am joking) jejeje

Mi Querida familia!

This week has been insane! It has been really really hard, but I have learned SO much. First of all I am GLAD you got my package! That made my WHOLE day! Well, how about we start off with my companion

Hermana Jones- She is a really hard worker, I am really grateful for that. We work, and that's how I like it. She is 23 and from Utah. She is very.. interesting. To say the least.

My week

Lunes- After I wrote to you all we went back to (its called 26th street) to a Mexican mall. And it was hilarious, there was just random random food, and clothes and a lot of Catholic stuff. The coolest thing was in the middle of this mall (it was like an indoor swap market) there was this station of tons of birds, rats, snakes (what's with Mexicans and snakes? jaja) and of course TARANTULAS, like 6 of them. It was awesome. I will send pictures. Then with Hna Felt we went to La familia Tremillo, and they fed us some WICKED good Mexican food. I love the food here, but then we shared a message and that was good.

 Martes- Well, this day, ah was horrible. On the morning of transfers we were about to pack Hna Felts stuff out of the car, when accidentally I locked us out of our house. Good thing I had the keys to the car, but literally EVERYTHING was in the house, like phone, scriptures, bag, wallet, EVERYTHING, so we drove to the other Hermanas apartment and it took forever, but LONG story short, we just had to wait at the other Hermanas for 6 hours! It was the WORST thing ever. We literally couldn't do anything except do studies FOREVER) and clean the other hermanas apartment, I felt SO bad, for leaving the house keys in. (We were taking out the garbage and I shut the door). Yeah, so because we were 7 hours late for transfers, it was a great start of the day! jaja, not! It was the worst thing ever. But then I got to meet Hna Jones! That night we had a leccion con Hno Ortiz. He is an awesome man! Who NEEDS to go to church! But he fed us some awesome food too. And that was martes.

 Miercoles- We had district meeting and that was good, then we had a leccion with Consuelo and she told us right out that we need to drop her. That was hard, and then we had to knock and do lots of studies, and stuff. Then we had ua leccion con Margarita! It was good, she is a sweet lady! I love going to her house because she ALWAYS compliments us.. even though shes blind:) Ah, I love these PEOPLE!

 Jueves- We called this day... an adventure. We did weekly planning, which always is fun. Then we did all of studies and knocked doors for an hour. Then walking home we met this woman and we talked to her, then some man came up to us and he was, well a little crazy (don't worry the whole time my hand was on the pepper spray) then he lifted up his shirt to show us some scars he got. After 30 minutes of trying to get outta there we did:) YAY to prayer!

 Viernes- We, had a day full of rejection. Every house, every person, was so mean. But that meant BLESSINGS were coming right? jaja, Well at night we had a leccion with Maria and Edgar! We are hoping and routing for them! They just don't like to keep commitments, so it might have to be another drop:(

 Sabado- This day, wow, we accidentally kept the lights on all night in the car. So it definitely died, my fault again. and we knew we had a cita at 12, and so at 10:30 we started walking because our Zone Leaders didn't answer the phone to rescue us. So we just start trekking.... bahaha, this part makes me laugh out loud. Because leave it up to me for directions, we just trek for 30 minutes in the blizzard snow. And finally our Zone leaders call and say they are on their way, and so we have to trek back. (this whole time I didn't know we were trekking in the opposite way of the cita)... bahaha, well then we trekked back and got the car started, and got stuck in the snow and so our poor Zone leaders... yeah. Well to say the least we only were 5 minutes late to our cita! jaja, we don't know how that happened! Angeles! SHE is a Sweet heart! She made us Tinga... ITS SOOO GOOD. And (the person that shes living with).. is a member! SO YAY she will get baptized! Then as a Zone we went CAROLING! for three hours to less actives! It was SO fun!

 Domingo- I was kinda feeling down, this day because well, it was kind of a tough week. So then I read a talk "like a broken vessel." by Elder Holland, my favorite quote from it was, "Though we feel as though we are a broken vessel (which I kind of was feeling that way), as the Psalmist says, 'we must remember that vessel is in the hands of the divine potter." This really strengthened me, because this was a hard week, getting used to a new companion, getting lost, stuck, and locked out. I just remembered that all of us feel at times a little sad, but we are molded and shaped into what we need to become. Which I have realized this life is simply time to learn how to be a God, or a Goddess, and so humbling experiences are necessary for growth for ALL of us! That day 7 of our investigators came to church:) and 1 less active. It was truly a miracle. Ricardo Carmen and their family (including her sister and son) plus Angeles and her son. Wow! It was a miracle:)

 Well my family, I love you! I don't really know too much about Skype, yet or anything. But I love you! Merry Christmas! It's coming soon! Feliz Navidad! What a cooler time to share the gospel! I love you mucho mucho muchisimo! (the lights here are awesome, everyone DECKS out for Christmas)

Con amor

Hna Hammond

                                                The Mexican Mall with Hna Felt

These are all of the birds!! there were TONS of them! (and me wearing the big mama!) (my coat)

                                                           Ya ya !!

                                                   Look close up at all of these!!

                                                                Scary!!!!

 

Dec. 9, 2013 Midway (South Chicago) How great is my calling!

Dec. 9, 2013  How great is my calling!!

Dear Familia,

I can't even describe this week. Oh my goodness, it has been a week full of hardship, full of miracles and full of.... unexpectiveness? ja ja. That's not a word... But let me first just say, Yo amo ser una misionera. WOW, I love working with less actives, I love working with investigators, I love working with members and I love this gospel! Okay, now here was my week.

 Lunes- Pday!  Miracle day! After I wrote to you all we went thrift store shopping! I got THE coolest sweater for 3 dollars, I will take a picture and show you all. Then after p-day we went to visit this member family. La familia tremillo. They have a son who just got divorced, named Armando. We spoke with him, (the first time we talked to them he was VERY drunk) But this time we spoke about the atonement and ah, I just love him so much! He has SUCH a desire to change, and this sunday HE CAME TO CHURCH for the first time in 34 years! Ah, the coolest thing was that missionaries have been working with him for YEARS, but finally in his time of need we came into his life and I am SO grateful I have the opportunity to see his faith in the gospel grow! I get to be the instrument in Gods hands for him! HOW GREAT IS MY CALLING! It was SO cool, Hna Tremillo fed us, holy cow SO good. Mexican food is SO good, and SO fattening. Ah, we are meeting with Armando today:) at 6, and yep I'll be fed even more, ja ja.

 Martes- It was, rejection day. One reason we knock doors so much is because our district has a goal of everyone knocking for at least one hour a day, and we count the minutes from when we start knocking the first door, and every door in between we literally run literally, (half to keep warm and half because we want blessings so we work urgently). But today we had some tough rejections, so we caroled to ourselves:)

 

 Then we met with Hno Ortiz, he is less active. He joined the church 4 years ago, and IS AWESOME. But we just can't get him to church because of some personal reasons, but HE LOVES US, and feeds us A TON. Hna Velez comes with us too, and we shared a message, ate and it was the best because he asked us on Viernes to come help him put up his Christmas Tree and eat dinner! He is coming SO far! YAY FOR WORKING WITH LESS ACTIVES! Really it is one of my favorites, because they are the source for referrals and they love us and we love them:)

 Miercoles- We had a training meeting and I got to see HNA PEARSON! Happy day!

 

 I learned a lot! Then we had a rough lesson with Consuelo, she REFUSED to pray, because she only likes her recited catholic prayers, oh have I mentioned everyone here and their dog is catholic, yeah. So that was so very very hard, so then we started knocking doors, and we came to this door and I had a really big impression, KNOCK THIS DOOR, so we did por que no:) and the ladies name was Maria (we found 5 Marias this day, because everyone and their dog is named Maria as well ja ja) but she let us in. We got to know her, and she was the sweetest lady. We taught her the Restoration and after Jose Smith we asked what she felt and she started to cry, and then I almost started to cry and she was like, "yes, this is it, this is what I am looking for, I feel paz, y gozo.." and we were said this is the spirit telling you this is true. It was the coolest lesson ever. After I invited her to be baptized and she said YES, and we said we will be holding a baptism on Jan 4th, will you be baptized on that date? And she said Yes. She described that she didn't think she was ready and we said,  oh no don't worry we will help you EVERY STEP OF THE WAY... ah, well so then it was awesome, because we have someone ON DATE! WHAT! Hot lucky am I to be the one led to her! And to see this womens faith grow! We are hopefully seeing her tonight! AH SO cool!

 Then Nelson, (our less active we found) Came to an activity at the church! WHAT DAY OF MIRACLES! that was awesome! what a good day it was.

 Jueves- Well, this day was planning day, and both of us were SO tired. it was awesome, we took some pictures that show, after four hours of weekly planning.. ha ha. This day was full of studies and knocking as well, kind of a hard rejection day, but after the rejection days ALWAYS come miracle days! So its worth it!

 This night we got a phone call at 11 at night and both of us were SO confused because, we were asleep and it was President. And he called Hermana Felt to be SISTER TRAINING LEADER! ... which is SO sad, because I LOVE her and she's leaving me. He also said (I wrote his exact words in my journal), "We had choosen You Hna Felt, 6 weeks ago with the strongest new missionary, because your missionary is going take over the area." ... These were exactly my thoughts, "Does president know I am directionally challenged."...Bajajaja well, so yeah, I am getting a new companion Hna Jones, I am worried and scared to take over an entire area, and I can't speak Spanish fluently. Yeah, either of us couldn't sleep very well that night.

 Viernes- This day we got to go to Hno Ortiz and help him put up his Christmas tree with Hna Velez and we shared a message about the healing power of the atonement. He fed us some AWESOME food.... uh.... I am so glad I am getting fat... yep... ja ja. This day I went on exchanges with some other Hnas because Hna Felt had a "sister trainer leader meeting" and we SADLY had to cancel our cena apt with the lady with 14 snakes, hopefully we are going to her house soon! Hna Felt and I were so tired this day, but then again, I am SO tired every day. Literally, I cant explain it, I am so happy, but I am SO tired, ja ja.

 Sabado- Good day, we had a lesson with a new investigator Angeles. She is really nice and fed us some Awesome mole (Mexican dish) and she is very catholic so we need something to soften her heart. She also LOVES me for some reason, she was like, wow you just look like a child, how do you survive here, and why are you here. She also asked my favorite question for an investigator to ask, which is "How did you get your testimony, how do you know." and I got to testify and say all that I know and love it's true, and that if I didn't know it I couldn't survive out here, and she said "why" and I got to testify even more! Ah best thing ever! Knocking today was freezing! PS, it is SO cold here when we knock doors we look like bandits I have a picture, don't you worry:)

 Domingo- AH THE best day ever! We had Armando come to church and another less active family! MIRACLE! Wow, so cool, then we knocked doors and apts fell through, but we really did try! Also had an AMAZING lesson with Ricardo and Carmen! We brought a member and her son to be friends with their son and it was the coolest thing, the members son BORE AN AMAZING TESTIMONY! Only 13 years old! He was like, "hey, at school I get judged, bossed around and hurt, but I know the Book of Mormon is true!.." he went on and it was AWESOME and Brian (Carmen and Ricardos son) is SO shy it took him 25 minutes for him to come sit down to listen to us. At the end of the lesson we (committed them to read, pray, and go to church) we were saying goodbye to the members son, (this is my favorite part) took Brians shoulder and said "hey I wanna see you at church" ... Brian just kept looking down, but ITS okay! I know on paper it doesn't sound as cool as it is! But IT'S AWESOME!

 Well this has been my week. I am nervous for my new companion, I am nervous to take over this area, but how lucky am I to be called here! To work with all of these amazing people! How lucky am I to be the instrument in Gods hands! I feel SO blessed. I have found that we have to work for our miracles here, whether that's a day full of rejection or to just keep moving forward. We have to work! There isn't enough time out here already! Well mi familia! I love you! I miss you! I really wish you were here sitting in on all of these lessons and with all of these people, because I love them SO much! Ah, well transfers are this Tuesday, AH Manana! CRAZY! I love you all, here we go for another adventure!

Hna Hammond

 

Mom,

I am scared, because I just hear (from Hna Felt).. that Hna Jones isn't so lifely, and I thought Hna Felt wasn't lifely.... so I am scared, because I GO insane when I don't laugh and have fun! But I am SO grateful she is a hard worker:) its hard because every day is a day of hardship, miracles, work your brains out, and FULL of choice, but every day I know that by poco a poco I am building Gods kingdom, and that's good with me! I just sing! (My mission pres said "Your goal Hna Hammond is to get Hna Jones to sing, ya know what, youre goal is to get this WHOLE mission singing") haha well that's what gets me through! and a lot a lot a lot of prayer!

Oh to answer your question, I drive ALL of the time, it is SO scary, people here are crazy, lets just say I am now a very good driver:) its because all of the these Mexicans come right from Mexico and think driving is the same here.. well nope they are wrong:) and the Christmas call, I have no idea- I will find out & let you know! Thanks Mom, you are the best!

                                  Making lunch on thanksgiving in our apartment

                        Thanksgiving Dinner! These are the people I work with

                                                 Chicago Illinois Temple

                                         Helping Hno Ortiz put his tree up

                                           Hna Felt y Hna Hammond

                   Hna Velez y Hno Ortiz Cooking for us while we decorate the tree

                                     This is how we knock doors!! We are Bandits!

                                           The cute twins in our ward

                           The coat she gave me while wating for the one Mom sent

                                 I saw Hna Pearson, I just love her soo much!!

                                                        We are so tired!!

                                         Look Mom I'm cooking lunch!

 

Dec. 2, 2013 10:31 Midway South Chicago. Acting on a twig of Faith allows God to grow it" -Elder Eyring

Dec. 2, 2013

"Acting on a twig of faith allows God to grow it" -Elder Eyring

Mi Familia,

Wow, que semana. I missed you guys LIKE CRAZY. How fun you were all together in Utah! That's sooo fun! I missed you all. I had quite the week, and literally gained 10 pounds, (yes I weighed myself).. Its quite scary, but this is the life of a missionary si? Let me tell you about my week.

Lunes- It was P-day! We went to a place called Little Village. It is quite the place, we were the only white people for miles literally. It really is like you step into Mexico it was CRAZY!.. If you are there at night (which we weren't) you get killed by the gangs The Satan's Disciples, or the Latin Kings, they are Hispanic gangs, total rivals don't ask me how I know that. The graffiti of theirs is pretty awesome I must say:) ja ja! 

 After we got home we had a lesson with Maria and Edgar- they LOVE us. But they don't like keeping commitments. So its really hard because we might have to drop them, BUT I DON'T WANT TO DROP THEM! It's crazy how sad you get when people don't read the scriptures and when they don't pray and especialmente when they don't come to sacrament meeting. Well it really was a great lesson, and my Spanish is coming:) Poco a poco:) everyone here speaks Spanish so that really is a huge blessing.

Martes- This day was a day of miracles. It is the coolest thing how the Lord works. Well we had done all of our studies and we went to the library and for 4 weeks EVERYDAY we had been talking to the security guard. We even ended up giving him a Book of Mormon, but he DID NOT want the missionaries coming over, but he LOVES talking with us and so this day we were telling him to have a Happy Thanksgiving with his cats, because he just got a divorce. Everyday we give him chapters in the Book of Mormon to read) and asked him about that, and then he was like, ya know could you maybe have some missionaries come over and teach me more about this? (he knows we live out of his area) We were SOO excited, he gave us his information. We left happy from the library:)

The next day when we went back to the library he wasn't there, they had  moved him to another location. MIRACLE we got his information THE DAY before he left! I know coolest thing ever! 

 We taught Margarita (the blind lady) Her family is AWESOME! Her son texted us later and said, "ya know, thanks for comin guys, your the best." AH! We were soo happy about that!

That night we went knocking doors and this guy was walking into his home and we of course stop him (like we do with everyone else) and told him, Hola! somos misioneras de la Iglesia de Jesu Cristo,.. he stopped us and said, "De los Santos de los Ultimos Dias, soy miembro" He explained that he was less active and he hadn't gone to church in 30 years! We quickly made an appt with him for the next day! Coolest day ever! And we also got some horrible nasty cookies from Hna Velez, IT WAS THE CUTEST THING EVER! I love that lady SO much!

Miercoles- Today was a good day, we had district meeting, and that was good. Then We had studies, then we went and we knocked doors, and it was a day of rejection. TOTAL rejection, we had some... well not so nice words said, PERO, esta bien:) Then we went to the cita con Nelson (the less active we found) and in his words after giving him the restoration were, "you guys..... started getting teary eyed.. my family and marriage is broken." We had come at the perfect time is his life when the gospel NEEDS to be in his life. yeah, it was the coolest thing ever.

(I also got your package and letters today!) They were So good, mommy! thank you for them! And also the quote from Jacob which said, "it ain't about how hard you hit, its about how hard you get hit and keep movin forward, how much you can take and keep movin forward. That's how WINNING is DONE" thank you Jacob for that quote! I needed it today!

Jueves- Thanksgiving! We had.... weekly planning, then did some studies and such, but later in the evening we went to La Familia Gonzalez! It was soo fun! they are the sweetest family, they joined a year ago and sent a daughter off to the mission last week:) La Iglesia es VERDAD! Except they just kept feeding and feeding us, and they MADE us eat it ALL... a plate big enough for all the food you eat in a week. That's always kind of hard to eat. Well, it was kind of hard too because I missed my familia. This family invited 4 companionships to their homes, 8 missionaries! They are champions!

Viernes-Our ward put on a dinner for us this day:) oh my goodness it was the greatest thing ever:) I LOVE our ward, and here I found out that all of the ward calls me, "the happy Hermana, who loves everybody" I think because every time I talk to someone I tell them I love them, and in Sacrament in my talks and testimony I tell them I love them! And its true! And so, whenever they see me, I get a BIG kiss on the cheek and a huge hug! I LOVE it! ... I have also been kissed on the mouth, by 3 older ladies... that's always exciting:)

Sabado- I WENT ON EXCHANGES! And we got to go to the temple! It was really fun:) we went to a Spanish session:) One of our ward members was going through for the First time. I went on exchanges with the Hermana training leaders Hna Miliron. It was really good:)

ANOTHER miracle happened! I met one of DADS students! he was going through for the first time! It was awesome:) He is heading back up to Rexburg, so I made him promise he would go see you today Dad! He better! Well then Hna Miliron and I went to a Members home and I have never been fed so much, she fed me THREE chicken breasts, and wouldn't let me leave the table til I finished, she thought I went hungry, I was literally chocking down my food. Almost threw up. It really was torture. But we do it and we get miracles!

Domingo- Church is ALWAYS my favorite:) I LOVE the members oh my goodness, please come down here and meet them! You would just love them ALL! We sung Cantas Santos Angeles for choir, ah! Spanish wards are the best best best! And it was THE best! Sadly none of our investigators came to church:( It really is SO hard when people don't come to church, but esta bien. Then right after we went to a members home and they fed us, A TON and wouldn't let us leave. so now you see why I have gained 10 pounds in one week. Its great........ yeah....

Well my familia, I love you and I miss you! I have learned so much this week that if we act on a little faith God grows it. With Mike (the security guard) and Nelson (the less active we found) If we so much as act on a twig of faith, by knocking one more house, God grows it. It's incredible. Spanish is coming:) thank you for your prayers on my behalf, I feel them everyday. Sorry if I come home as big as the Mayor on Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.. ja ja! I love and miss you all! Hna Felt and I are SO good! We just keep, keeping on! Even though our numbers are low, and we are planting seeds, we just keep singing! I really try to stay happy in this place, but one thing that has helped me SO much is loving the people. I love the people SO much its insane! I love you my familia! You are the best!

Its not about how hard you hit, its about how hard you get hit and keep moving forward! How much you can take and keep moving forward! That's how winning is DONE!

Hna Hammond

                                             Hermana Felt & I at A Little Village

                                       This is at our dinner appt on Sat.Black tortillas! Super Yummy, Super Fattening!...Love it!

The man is Hno Hernandez... he IS AWESOME and he is moving so we had to take a picture... the first day I got here he told me, He could see my light and spirit. Awesome man:)

This is at Thanksgiving at the Hernandez's!!

 

 

Nov. 25, 2013 Midway"Christ wants to lift us to where He is, do we desire to do the same for others?"

Nov. 25, 2013

Familia,

This week.. has been.... quite the week! Let me tell you what happened!

Lunes- it was p-day. And I love p-day oh so very much because I get to talk to all of my wonderful family who prays for me EVERY second and I love it!

 Martes- I got a wonderful letter from Haylee! I loved your talk Haylee babe! I needed that letter that day because that day ALL of our appts fell through and ALL of our potentials dropped us.. ja ja.. SOPRESA! But we had a really great lesson with Hno Ortiz, he is less active and we see him once a week and he ALWAYS feeds us the best stuff, and he knows I love his food, and so he makes me eat like three plates of everything he gives me... so yes, I am fat. Yay for missions!

Miercoles- This day was an awesome dia! First we felt that we should go to this one potentials home and just try to get in with her. (Hna Felt had taught her once or twice) and she answered. It was amazing, we had a great lesson with her, and we came to find out that she had 14 snakes in her house, and that her husband was a snake charmer... and then she invited us to dinner on Dec. 4... or something like that. And right after that she was telling us that about everyday at least one of the snakes gets on the loose... and she said one of the snakes was a Boa Constrictor... yeah I almost threw up. Almost wet my pants ja ja. But, alas we are going HAPPILY to her house to eat dinner:)

We also got in with two other investigators that never answer, it was AMAZING! We  had a lesson with Consuelo, and we found her knocking doors. So we went to her house that night and that was kind of a hard lesson because, well mom knows this, but Hispanics LOVE to talk, and so for an HOUR we were "talked" to by her husband (Alfredo) saying literally that he respects all religions, FOR AN HOUR... my brain cried a little bit when we told them we had to go.. but hey, Consuelo read in the Book of Mormon, and miraculously we committed her to reading another chapter in the Book of Mormon. Don't know how we did that with her Husband... giving us, a talkin to.

 Jueves- WE GOT IPADS! It is really cool!  The reason we have them is because of the Area Book. Soon probably every missionary will have one because of the Area Book, it makes things go much quicker and much more organized with all of the records we deal with. Also, that day I got to see, Hna Hatch and Hna Pearson! Oh my goodness, I love those girls! SO much.. I can' waitt for you all to meet them when I get home, you will LOVE them! So that day I was happy.

 When our meeting was done we went ..... KNOCKING:) WAHOO! .. ja ja, and I guess you could say, we went, "Blessing homes with our voices" ( is what I like to call it) and then we had an apt with the CUTEST member family! They have  twin girls who are 7, and they cooked for us, ah so yes, I am fat right now, literally. But the food, is just so good!

 Viernes- I found a quote this day and its my theme! ( I think I have like 50 themes for this mission, but esta bien) it's a quote from Ezra Taft Benson, which says, "Christ wants to lift us to where He is, do we desire to do the same for others?" I thought about that for a long time, because I love that! we are teaching people so we can lift them to where Christ is! Ah! La Iglesia es VERDAD! Well this day, we had weekly planning.... (Jacob prepare yourself for weekly planning my brother, prepare) Then we went out to knock and TONS of families were putting up lights for Christmas... Oh how I miss my family! But I love you all! Today I also got MOMs letter! And it came at a perfect time, because I was really missing home, and it was an incredible talk by President Eyring, about Rising to your call. I read it and then made my companion read it, because it was SO powerful! Thank you mom:) that was very inspired!

Sabado- First, today we went over and cleaned the church, and then we did all of our very many studies we have. Then I was feeling kinda down because this language is REALLY hard, and with all of our studies and Face book and Area Book and everything I didn't know how I was going to learn it, but then we were going to do a ton of stop by's (going to see potentials) and no body answered, SOPRESA :).. and it was kind of a long day, and then randomly I got the laughs really bad, and then I gave the laughs to Hna Felt. Then.. we went back to our house, learning we locked ourselves out, but really at the time is was hilarious. Because of this we ate at a place called La Cebollita. And it was really really good Mexican (real) food. and then our kind land lord let us into our house. And then we went to a baptism that our Elders were having. And, earlier that morning I was like, Hey I'll sing a solo! (totally joking).. we get to the baptism and it says, special musical number -Hermana Hammond. Oh great, so then we hurried and practiced, and right as the baptism starts, President Woodbury walks in. Oh yay, even more great. So, I sang, (in Spanish) "I Like to look for Rainbows" ... scariest thing of my whole life. Ja ja, and that was Sabado!

Domingo- Not only did I have to sing in Spanish the day before, but, today I was asked to give a talk in Church. You think giving a talk in English is scary? Try a ten minute talk in Spanish... yeah. Scary, but esta bien. We practiced it a lot and I gave it! (I'll send it to you in the mail, its pretty funny) Literally copy and pasted, (like with actual tape) all of the talk. Its pretty good. Then church was GREAT because Ricardo and Carmen CAME! They are seriously SO golden, I love them! So it was a great Sunday so far!
 We also got invited by a member for Thanksgiving! How sweet is that? With the Familia Gonzalez. Then I went to CHOIR! My favorite time! Today we were singing Angels we Have Heard on High, and I couldn't even hear myself AT ALL! ah, the men singing GLOOORIA behind me, singing with what I like to call, "Sing with your WHOLE soul and more" made impossible to hear myself. But right when I heard that first Gloria in the song my thoughts were, "Wow I must have died and gone to Heaven, because I love this SOO very very much." it really is the best thing in the whole world.

 Well then, that night we had a lesson with Ricardo and Carmen and we were going to bring a member with us! (Key to missionary work, BRING MEMBERS) so we went to pick Hna Rojas, (who is AMAZING) and she realized I didn't have a big coat. Just my pee coat. And she felt so bad, but I explained to her that my mother was sending me a coat and hopefully it should get here soon. And so the lesson went SO great! Ah, I wish you could have all been there! Well, then we were dropping of Hna Rojas and she invited us into her very humble home and of course we went in. And she looks at me and literally takes the coat off of her back and places it on my shoulders. Tears filled my eyes, because I know she and her husband can barley get food on the table for her four children, so I insisted that I was totally okay, and that I couldn't take her coat, but she refused to take it, she said (in Spanish of course) no, you keep this coat til your mothers comes. I will not see my missionaries go cold in this weather. Again my eyes filled with tears, thanked her again and again and left. I left feeling so incredibly humbled. That was my Domingo.

Well, as you can see its been quite the week. And I have prayed and prayed for strength over and over again, and I know He helped me!  I have been so richly blessed because this church is true! I love you all! HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I will miss you all SO much:(.. but PLEASE know I am there with you in SPIRIT! I love you my familia!

Con Amor

Hna Hammond

Nov. 18, 2013 11:24 Midway (South Chicago)Good timbers do not grow with ease!

Nov. 18, 2013

 Good timbers do not grow with ease!

Hola mi familia! Esta semana fue muy.... bien:)... y muy dificil, y muy bien:) I will start off well, at the beginning.

Lunes- It was the first time it snowed! And it was literally freezing! That day we had no car, of course, and we did A TON of stop bys and a ton of knocking.. REALLY divertido ja ja.

 Personal study was really good that day! Well, actually its my favorite time of day, so its the BEST every day! Here is a really GOOD quote I got from today from George Albert Smith about Missionary work! (I only know it in Spanish.. ja ja)

"Obtendremos nuestra exaltacion en el Reino Celestial solo con la condicion de que compartamos con los demas hijos de nuestra Padre las bendiciones del Evangelio de Jesu cristo." WOW right? AMAZING- (mom.. translate)

Martes- I got to write all of you lovely people my family!

Miercoles- We had a district meeting, SOO good. Our District leader is awesome, and so are our Zone leaders, they kinda, well crack the whip I guess you could say. Which is good. Something I learned was God and Jesus Christ's work -To bring to pass immortality and eternal life of man. Our purpose (D & C 11:20) To keep the commandments with ALL of our might, mind and strength! With EVERYTHING!- only then can we hace an eye single to the glory if God!

 

And.. (this made me think of you dad!) in D y C 81:3-4 To promote the GLORY of Him.. we must proclaim the GOSPEL... yeah, coolest thing you ever heard! I know it is! Quote from my journal about hoy, "I feel so bad, every time Hna Felt says a prayer, I fall asleep, whenever ANYONE says a pray I fall asleep, I have never been so tired in all my life!"

Jueves- Journal quote today, "Nos tros tratamos!, we try we try we try!".. We get potentials, we try going back to see them and they drop us, so we try again! But cool story at the end of knocking we found one person who would let us in, and it was a blind lady. Wow, the spirit was strong during her lesson. She lost her sight because of being pregnant and having diabetes.. and at the end of the lesson when she said the prayer, these were her words, "Thank you God, for sending me these lovely beautiful missionaries."... man I almost started crying, because I knew she couldn't see us, but the spirit testified to her, and that is why we seemed beautiful!.. ah SO cool!

 

Viernes- ja ja, I realize now the the flu was coming looking back at my journal, Quote from my journal, "well, my tummy can't handle me eating today, but well esta bien!" We had a lesson with a less active family! La familia Diaz, okay, the coolest family EVER!.. they were hilarious, so that was fun to have a short lesson with them, and as we were leaving (just imagine a middle aged Mexican, stout, and short..) Hna Diaz, said SISTERS SISTERS (In a Spanish accent) you need to eat this lasagna! You need to eat it all! ha ha and gave us a TON of it! I love Latinos:) and this night we had an AWESOME lesson with a member Hna Garcia! Who actually just got home from her Spanish speaking mission and got married to Hno Garcia, who WAS AWESOME! Our investigators are coming to their house to watch the restoration, Maria y Edgar! It was Awesome:) church is true.

Sabado- well, I had the flu... the double dragon (ask Jacob)... I watched every church movie available.. it was rough. Having the flu on the mission, is quite unexplainable. It was horrible.. ha ha... but I am grateful that I had an awesome companion who took care of me.... ( but I really wanted my mother.. oh sooo bad)

Domingo- Well, I really tried to be happy at church, but it started out, hard, because of the CRAZY weather! More then anything we thought it was going to be a flash flood, but the Lord protected us! The time it took from me running from the car, to getting in the car, I was soaked... and sick. But church was good, and our members our awesome. My favorite part of church is the choir:) ... the sing with your whole heart.. and even though they are all tone deaf... it really is beautiful to me! In fact, we stayed for the 10 minute choir practice after so that I could join them! I couldn't even hear myself at all, but I LOVED it! Ah, I love Latinos:)

So, Thank you my family for you prayers for me:) I really do have the best family in the whole world:) I keep in mind, Good Timbers do not Grow with Ease, because that's what President Monson said in Conferenica General! I want to be a tree with good timbers, though the process, is long and hard, its worth every minute! Also I loved what the prophet said, Shall I falter? Or shall I finish?? I SHALL FINISH!

I love you!

Hna Hammond!

Nov. 12, 2013 11:08 a.m. Chicago South (Midway)1st mighty change of heart. 2nd work as hard as you can. 3 proceeds the miracle

Tues. Nov. 12, 2013   11:08 a.m.

 First- the mighty change of heart Second- work as hard as you can Third- proceeds the miracle

 

My family.

Wow, thank you thank you for all of your support to me, I have felt all of the prayers, literally I have felt the prayers of all of you! I love you all! It has been ..... quite the week. Let me start off with Martes... because Lunes was P-day

Martes- Well Martes we had one lesson with a less active member, Hno Orties.. nice fellow, and we brought  to our appointment Hna Velez, WHO IS AWESOME! She is like 65 ish, and she is super short and super stout, and she is the bomb, she has the best testimony, and always says stuff like "reading and praying in the book of Mormon (all in Spanish remember) .. es BONITA.. everything about the gospel is BONITA.. ah I love her. Then we went home, and before that had a lot of knocking we did.. oh yes we did!

 

Miercoles - We had district meeting- and that was really good, our district leader is Elder Johnson.. he is an AWESOME missionary. Then, our investigators Kevin and John texted us saying, "Hi guys, please stop coming, our family talked together and we do NOT want to convert, thanks"... so kinda a little crushed there, but its okay.. because for some reason I was still happy, .. then we knocked doors in the rain (freezing rain).. and no one wanted to have anything to do with us for the rest of the day.. but this is directly from my journal about Miercoles "all of our appointments fell through sadly, oh well, my goal was today to be happy, to love the people, and the weather is PERFECT, I CAN DO THIS."

Jueves- In my journal it says, "Ah, hoy fue un buen dia!" .. It was a good day!... we knocked doors, visited potential investigators that either didn't answer the door, or told us no, and then it was planning day, and planning takes around 3 hours... kinda the hardest thing ever, and then we had our first dinner appt! With Cynthia! Her daughter is crazy, and sooo cute Bella, during the whole lesson to keep quiet she put stickers ALL over my arms, ha ha, hilarious, and then she ripped them right off me, along with a few of my arm hairs.. and the food made both Hna Felt and I sick, but not too sick! Another blessing!

(today I got moms and Jared's cartas!).. made my day... I really needed those, thank you, they were so inspired, thank you!

 

Viernes- theme of the day "Look ahead & believe" (from the talk mom sent me) stand together & "Lift where we stand." Dieter F Uchtdorf. Hna felt and I knew it was going to be kind of  hard, because EVERYONE we had.. potentials and all had turned us down... so we did all of our studies, did face book like everyday and then knocked doors.

 Before we did, we said a prayer to endure, and a prayer to help find. Right after the prayer I decided to sing, so at every house we knocked we asked if we could sing them a song, in Spanish or English (whatever they were).. (usually latino or black)... and.. then we would sing going to and from the houses. That day for 4 straight hours, we were singing.. well knocking... I have never been so happy. Everyone turned us down, only 3 people even listened to us sing, but we sang anyway.. My poor companion, I like made her sing with me, we sang every possible hymn, every primary song, that I knew.. ha ha.

Then, we wanted to go to pizza at this place... for our dinner hour, and so we got in the car (the car is switched back and forth between us and another companionship).. and the car had died.. because.. well we don't really know, so our awesome Zone leaders helped us, and we ate canned soup.

Then... sang (knocked more houses) until nine. This is what it says in my journal, "I have never been so tired in my life, I feel like I am going to die! Ja ja ja, there is tired, and then there is MISSION TIRED." and then I said, "well its all good, we work hard, and the Lord will bless us, these are just the hard times before the rainbow"... quite honestly I was happy all day... and the only, literally only reason why, is because of prayer!

 

Sabado- more going to potentials homes, a little bit less but still a lot of knocking, here's a line from my journal about Sabado "Its hard, we have NO new investigators, am I a successful missionary, when literally ALL of our numbers everyday are Zero?, I guess if I come home with one convert, that being myself I will have been successful, esta bien"

 

Miracle Domingo- We did our studies and went to church.. and PS I LOVE CHURCH.. I love the screaming kids, and the SING FROM YOUR HEART, (even though its the worst thing you ever heard) culture here. The Latinos really are all authentic, NONE of them in our ward speak English... except the kids.. so... I absolutely love it, I don't think I could go back to an English ward after this.. for real.

 

Well, on our way home we were going to stop by a man named Alex and his family, and he actually let us in! Miracle! and not only that, we taught the WHOLE first lesson! And, he was soo interested! And... we set up another appt! WHAT! The CHURCH IS TRUE! ... so the lesson went super well!

 We started walking home because it was around 8, and as we were walking we saw this couple taking in groceries and so of course we asked them if they needed help and (they are Latino.. like everyone here) and we told them who we were and then they were, "Oh please come right inside."

 This couple listened intently to our whole first message, and the mom started crying saying,  We have been looking for the truth, our son is struggling right now with some things at school and with God, and we cant even tell him we know there is a God, well, I asked them that (yes me in Spanish).. that if they knew the Book of Mormon was the word of God, and if these things are true would they be baptized?, WITHOUT hesitation they said... I am not kidding, they were the most genuine people I HAVE EVER MET!.. The whole time I was teaching them I was thinking.... "they don't know the truth because they know not where to find it.".. and so here is where the miracle comes in! EVEN if they don't join the church, we PLANTED a seed in these peoples hearts and we have another appt set up with them AND hopefully they are coming to church.. holy cow, THE CHURCH IS TRUE!

Well, yes my family, I have felt your prayers, this place is a very sad place, BUT you can make ANY place happy by singing! I love to teach people! Spanish is hard yes! BUT... I love it.. and I love the people here ALL of them! (yes a mighty change of heart)... I may not love, the place.. ha ha at all, and even if I am just a seed planter, hey, I AM HAPPY! (because of all of your prayers!) YES, this church is true! YES, Chicago is FREEZING, but hey, I am here because I have a testimony, and I have a smile, and I want to spread THOSE TWO THINGS WITH EVERYONE!

 

I love you all! Time is out! AH.. oh and PS cool news, our mission was chosen as an IPAD mission! Sooo EVERY MISSIONARY gets their OWN Ipad... yes and when we come home we get to keep them! Pretty legit right!... we get them on Nov. 21.... pretty sweet! The church is true!

Hna Hammond

Before  Going out in the Snow Storm

 

Oh Hello Chicago!!

 Don't worry we are just freezing!!

 

A peanut butter yummy thing from our investigators (well, kind of investigators)

 

Tamales from the laundry mat!

Nov. 3, 2013 11:59 First letter from Illinois. It doesn't matter where but how you serve you're mission!

                                                              

                                                                                 This is her address for now               

Nov. 3, 2013  11:59                                                     4438 S. Kilpatrick Ave.

                                                                                      Chicago, Illinios 60632-4341

Hello my FAMILIA!!                                        She said letters should take 3-4 days ;)

                                                                  Packages will probably get stolen here.      

                                                              You can mail anything to the mission home at

                                                                                     800 Waukegan Rd. Ste 203

                                                                                       Glenview, Illinois 60025

 

Holy cow, I wanted sooooo bad to talk to you longer at the airport. AHHH, I was like crying on my way into the plane, its HARD talking to you guys.. ha ha but its the Best too.

Okay, this week, much to say in sooooo little time. First is my mission president is AWESOME, I love him and his wife they are soooooo in tune with the spirit and they are sooo sweet. The first night we got here we had some Chicago Pizza, and all of us were like dead, I have never been so tired in my WHOLE entire LIFE! but the pizza was great.. ja ja.

My companion.... She is a hard hard worker, shes not the happiest person in the world, but we work hard and she is fluent in Spanish.

Chicago, I am going to be quite honest, I do not like it very much. The sky is always grey, the buildings are ALL old old old, and so are the houses. I am in an area called Midway. South Chicago, TONS TONS TONS of black people, TONS of Hispanics.

 

I thought EVERY mission fit under this, either a really really really COOL place (like Europe, south America,... beautiful ... etc) or you have the loving accepting people. Well, I am here to say Chicago, is neither. The area, is one of the scariest, darkest, saddest places I have ever been in. And quite honestly, the people match the place, they are either rude, or Very catholic. That's how it goes here.

 Its hard, my companion opened this new area last transfer, and so this week TOTAL we have taught 4 lessons. 2 in Ingles and 2 in Espanol. And the rest of the time, we are knocking doors, on the bus talking to people, or walking to potential houses with them telling us they don't want to hear our message.

  It is really hard, my companion isn't very happy. Literally EVERYWHERE surrounding us is seriousness and sadness. So, basically it's the hardest thing ever. I have wondered SO many times why I am here, when no one even looks at me, or even knows who I am, or doesn't even care that we have THE greatest message they will ever hear in their WHOLE lives. So basically, all week I have been praying to like the area and love the people I serve

  You'll be pleased to know that I have made some progress, now, I don't hate the area! Yay! ... I just don't like it! I know! ha ha, step up right?

There have been two songs that have been playing over and over again in my head, and one was Savior Redeemer of My Soul. (from 17 miracles), the line where it says "Make me more worthy, of thy love. And fit me for the courts above" The reason I am doing this, is because I want to be more worthy of Heavenly Fathers love.

 It doesn't matter where I serve, it matters HOW I serve. On Wednesday when I realized this I have been MUCH happier because I realize that it really doesn't matter.

 

You'll be proud to know that not once have I complained out loud, I smile/talk/wave to EVERY person there is. (my thoughts are a little different)... but I am really trying hard to be sooo positive.

The other line that is going through my head is from Joseph King of Dreams- "You Know Better Than I". Heavenly Father knows why I am here. And He called me here, so I WILL FINISH His mission, because he called me here. Even though most times I do not want to go into the freezing weather, and I do not want to go get rejected. I will go serve His mission happily.

 My theme on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday was Fake It Til Ya Make It! Now it is, It doesn't matter WHERE you go, but HOW you go! I love you my family. Thank you for the prayers! I am so glad to hear everyone is doing well! Sorry time is running low!

LOVE YOU!

Hna Hammond

                        Hermana Hammond & her trainer Hermana Felt from Salt lake City Brittany says she is glad that her companion will wake up with her to exercise!

                                               This one was just for fun!