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!