Jan. 28, 2014 Woodstock & Harvard Home of the milk day

Jan. 28, 2014 Woodstock & Harvard Home of the Milk day!

Feliz Cumpleanos:
My Great Aunt Bee turning 90!!! My cute cousin, Kaylee!

Wow my familia, sorry about yesterday, its just freezing outside, its fine;).. yep!
 

Lunes- Wow, this day was SO hard, but so good too. After I wrote you all I went to Giordanos, pizza place and that was really good, as always:) Then we had a cita at Jennifers and that was good, she was SO sweet. Then we went straight to a cita with Hno Ortiz, Hna Velez, and the Garcias, ALL, as a goodbye to Hna Hammond. They had a cutest little cena and they were ALL so sad! (secretly I loved that they were sad, because I was so sad) Then Hna Velez (at the end) (in espanol), gave me the biggest hug, and just hugged me and said, "We love you Hermana Hammond, we will be waiting and waiting til you come back to us in Midway. I know you will. I love you, and cant wait to see you here soon again. Le quiero muchisimo." Then I started to cry and said, "Oh Hermana no quiero ir, no quiero ir, pero le quiero tambien muchisimo!" Then Hno Ortiz was like, Aye Hermana, Stop your tears, stop crying. We love you, and we know you'll see us soon thank you for all you have done." Anyway, to say the least, I HATE (thats a strong word) saying goodbye, worst thing ever. But they were so sweet.

Martes- TRANSFERS... I am in the sticks.

Woodstock- to sum it up,  EVERY time I told someone I was going to Woodstock they would.. laugh.. and say, "oh man thats the celestial kingdom right there." jaja Then President was like, well, Woodstock, hardest area, you hermanas can do it.
Then I got to Woodstock.
 

We work in Harvard as well... Harvard Home of Milkday jaja

Then we had a cita with the Familia Colon. There boys (Kelvin y Joshuel) are recent converts and the parents aren't married yet, but they are AWESOME investigators, like SO cool. They are SO strong, and they are getting married soon as they can. And, they DO NOT like me. At all. They loved the last missionary Hna Russon is her name, and they don't even want me in their home. It's really hard.
 

Then we had a cita with another investigator, Arlene who is 10 and she is the daughter of a less active. She's cute:) shes getting baptized this Saturday:)
 

Miercoles- We had district meeting. Our zone here, and district is very interesting. But I love them:) Our district leader is Elder Gomez. He's from Mexico but moved to Utah.. Nativo. lucky cause there Spanish, is well, native. jaja Then we went to go find Less Actives. There are over 50 familias in our branch who are less-active. In our tiny little areas. TONS of less-actives. But none of them were home, literally... and thats how Woodstock and Harvard Home of Milkday are almost everyday. Its considered the sticks because its ALL farmland, ALL corn (in the summer) and just nothing. That was Miercoles... Welcome Hermana Hammond to Woodstock and Harvard Home of Milkday :)
 

Jueves- was planning day and we went to see the Colons again. We taught a good lesson, but, aye, its really hard because when you come from people just loving you in your ward and your investigators are just so sad, to investigators who really don't like you its really hard. At the end of the lesson I was like, "well I hope you all know that we are here because we love you. We really do love you" and they were like, (to me), "okay." But cool thing is the familia Colon are SO cool that we started teaching (this is with me, so he actually likes me) Aaron's (the dad) best friend Arik. Which is SUPER cool, because he's awesome.
 

Viernes- Today was a day of finding people, yay:) trying to find LOTS of less-actives:) its great:)
 

Sabado- It was a good day, we went to Harvard Home of Milkday and we tried to find people and then we had a dinner cita with a member se llama la Hna Alcantar. She LIKED me:) Miracle. She was really nice:) fed us A TON, then LITERALLY right after that we had to go to another dinner cita with el Hermano Lemus who is less active and he LIKED me too! YAY! People kind of like me! Well he fed us SOOOO much. This area, we drive and we drive and we eat and we eat and we eat, BUT we have a gym, its a blessing. jaja.

I have never eaten so much in my life, the problem is, is these people get SO offended if we don't eat their food and tons of it, then they don't come to church.. so what do we do? WE EAT!
 

Domingo- Well, our branch needs some help. It needs A LOT of love. Hardly anybody comes, and people really didn't like me too much. BUT here's my goals and my plans. I am PRAYING my very hardest that I can love the people here, NO MATTER what they think about me. I tell the people, just like I told the Colon's, I love you, and I am here to help you. This transfer is gonna be ALL about LOVE! (YAY for being hippy)
 

Well, theres not much more to say. Its freezing, I am out here with hickish Mexicans and A LOT of white people. Lots of what we do is try to find those Mexicans. I know I am here in Woodstock to learn how to be a consecrated missionary. I am grateful for my companion, it really is helping me in everything. We were in the CCM together, and we are the two newbies here! Learning Spanish together! (we speak together almost 24/7 so that really helps). I am here, to learn a lot. My companion is awesome!
 

OH, to clear things up, the reason I left Midway was because my companion (haha for the second time) got called to be an Hermana training Leader, but now we have 4 Hermana training Leaders, so the station was at now, Midway Oeste, MY AREA jaja, so they kicked me out, to Woodstock.

Well I am learning a lot familia. I love you! You're the best ever. Honestly, Woodstock and Harvard look a lot like Rexburg, only smaller, with different people. sooo, like Rigby, and REALLY cold. I love you! Your the BEST!

Con Amor Hermana Hammond

 

My new amazing companera!!  Hermana Michael!    Zone activity

Jan. 27, 2014 Woodstock Severe Weather

Jan. 27, 2014

Okay! Soooo I have SOOOO much to say! But I don't even know if this
will get to you,  I am going to write you tomorrow, because due to
severe weather everything shut down! Sooo you will get my letter
tomorrow! But I love you!
Really fast, I love my companion! SUCH A BLESSING!!!
This area, is considered the hardest area in the mission, and it is
soooo hard,  (here I was complaining about the city.)
I am working on the border of Wisconsin called Woodstock and Harvard
Home of Milkday (yes that's the full name) it's super..... Like Rigby
haha, sometimes I feel like I haven't left...
We drive and we drive and we drive in this area. I will tell you everything tomorrow because I don't
even know if your gonna get this. The storms here are horrible!

Well familia, please pray for me, I love you!
Til tomorrow,
Jacob that hair cut looks nice!

I hope this gets to you. I am sorry our wifi is freaking out and you don't get any letter
from me! Here is my address officially

898 Prairie View Lane #3A
Woodstock Illinois
60098

And Brielle... A Gale fan.... Sinner :)

Love you!
Hermana Brittany Hammond

Jan. 20, 2014 Midway Y yo debo obedecer

Jan. 20, 2014
Feliz Cumpleanos: Baby Ellie!!
Yo debo obedecer!
Familia!
Wow! It has been such a crazy week, seriously

Lunes- well Pday we had a zone activity and that was fun! Then
that night we had a cita with Nelson. It was SO hard because his
children (who are the cutest things in the whole world) were acting SO
bad, I was thinking, wow I want to  tell you children that if you don't
shut your mouths I might shut them for you, but no we tried to be
nice. We also tried watching the Restoration video, we tried doing an
object lesson, but they were CRAZY! Running around, and saying, "HAHA
I FARTED, HAHA SHE FARTED, HAHA MY DAD LET IT OUT!" And by the end I
was like, I'm never having children... But I was really just kidding
promise:) haha but those girls really are so cute.

Martes- well! this day ja, it was just one of those missionary days,
we drove around and probably stopped by 25 people's homes, and
literally no one was there, we also got lost (you know my directions)
we drove literally all day trying people, but esta bien! Getting lost
was quite an adventure, and sometimes you need those:)

Miercoles- this day, well, we had a district meeting, and we didn't have
the car, so when we went to go find other people that were closer, no
one answered again, kind of a bum two days, but that is the life of a
missionary! Si si si!

Jueves- well this day was planning day, and we saw Jennifer and we
shared a Mormon Message in courage and she loved it and cried, because
she is going through such a. Hard time, and it's so interesting
because as a missionary you feel their burdens, because you love them
so much, and it is just so hard because you just want people to be
happy. But ah it was such a good lesson and she fed us yummy
Guatemalan comida. So very very good:) we were tracking also this day
and it was pretty awesome, because it was freezing and well, the least
is to say, that we are champions, that's it.

Viernes- Well, this day, I don't really remember. But we had a lesson
with Cynthia who is an active member and she fed us and we had a
lesson with her. And she told us some hard things she's going through
and honestly it's the best because the Spirit really did tell us, what
we needed to share with her, she started crying, and man it was an
awesome lesson. I learned that honestly EVERYBODY that we teach has
problems and challenges in life, and with every trial the best
solution is ALWAYS is to follow the Savior, honestly it's the only
solution. Then we had another skype lesson with Lindsay, and wow again
it was scary. But it was a great learning experience. When people tear
apart your religion, it either makes you crumble or makes you solid,
honestly while she talking (Lindsay) I was just thinking, "who cares
about some a little off the wall quotes you found from our prophets, i
know the Book of Mormon is true! and honestly that's all that
matters." Least is to say, I came out solid:) jaja, it helped me
realize how much my testimony means to me. And also made me realize
how much I hope none of you hear the things she told me, but I am
grateful for it. It was another epic bussing day in a Chicago blizzard
waiting for busses, yes, awesome:)

Sabado- well, this day was so good and so sad. But first, we had a lit
real miracle lesson with Angeles. And this May same like a tiny
miracle to you who are reading this, but to me, it was literally one
of the biggest miracles that's ever happened. So while we were walking
to the door of Angeles we realized that we didn't have a Proclamation
to the World and we left it at home and it was to far to walk back, so
we go in there, an dew prayed SO hard for her this week, and felt that
we needed to share a message on the Proclamation to the Family, some
start the lesson, and these are the words I said, "Heavenly Father I
know I didn't download the Proclamation on my IPad, but I know that if
I pull out my IPad it will be on there and it will be in Spanish,
(this was me testing my faith)" and my companion knew I didn't have it
on my IPad and she didn't have it either, but I pulled it out,and
there it was, not in English, but Spanish, pulled up and ready to go
for us to read. Not only did this happen but she opened up to us and
told us everything that was happening with her, everything and no we
know exactly what to do to help her. It was amazing. Literally a
miracle. It was the coolest thing ever.
  Well then, we got a transfer
call from president... I AM LEAVING MIDWAY. I have never been SO sad,
I have to leave Ricardo y Carmen, and Angeles, Hno Ortiz, Hna Velez,
Jennifer and everyone else I love. Ah, I am still just SO sad. Ah, NO!

Domingo- well, because it was my last Sunday here I got pictures with
everyone and Angeles and Rudy let us come over to eat, and I told
Ricardo y Carmen and they almost cried, and they were like... no mi
hija!! You can't leave! This is your home, well, we are getting a a
Facebook for you, and you are coming to our baptism! I was SO SAD! I
don't want to leave!! And then they told me they love me, and it was
horrible. Haha, but good, I am going up to Woodstock, which is the
border of Wisconsin:(.. Haha but I am SO excited for my companion! Her
name is Hermana Michael and she came out with me! President said when
he called us, "hermana Hammond, you greenies up in Woodstock!" Haha so
it'll be really really good for my Spanish:) and I am SO excited:):)
well, yes.

While I was lamenting haha, I was flipping open my scriptures and
right as I opened them, I read the last lines from the book of Nefi,
which say, y yo debo obedecer. In English it says, and this is what
The Lord commanded me, and I must obey. And this is how I feel, I
don't want to leave my investigators, my less actives, my barrio, but
The Lord commanded me and I must obey.
I love you familia, you are the best ever:)
Yo debo obedecer
Amor
Hermana Hammond

My new comp. is Hna Michael she had dad for religion! I hear good things about her. I'm getting sent to the boonies way far away in Woodstock. They say there are possums!! :0 ;)

THIS IS MY FAMILY! I love them like my own family! I have to leave
them and I am soooo sad but I love them! This is Carmen and Ricardo.
We found them after three hours of knocking on our way home, they
live 10 houses down from us and we asked them if they needed help
with their groceries and they let us right in. After the first discussion they cried &
told us that this is what they were looking for, and said yes to
baptism. Yes I love them:)

                              Hermana Velez

                            This is Josue Puente

                                 I just love these girls!!!

                                 Hermano Ortiz

                            Waiting for the bus in a blizzard

                             Angeles & Rudy

Mom this is the best drink ever! Orchata! Can you please learn how to make it so we can drink it when I get home? 

 

Yummy!!  La Cebollita my favorite !!!

 

 

We went to yummy unhealthy Pizza at Giordanos! YAY!

 

Jan. 13 2014 Midway Call of the Champions Citius, Altius, Fortius!!

Jan. 13, 2014
Call of the Champions. Citius, Altius, Fortius!
Feliz Cumpleanos:
Cute Madi, Baby Ryan Kate, Scott Kidd, Greg, Matt & Stuart!!!!

Hola mi querida familia!

 It was quite the week. Quite the week, but let me start at the beginning:)

 Lunes- Well, because it was -50 with wind chill we got the message that we must not leave our casas unless we have a cita AND we have a car, well we had neither... so we had to stay inside, but honestly it was FREEZING it was horrible! But, I must say pretty epic tambien! We did A LOT of studies and A LOT of Area Book! (putting the paper area book to the ipad (its horrible)

 Martes- Well this day we got a text (like 7 different ones) from president telling us that a missionary got frost bite because he stayed out for 5 minutes without wearing a hat, so we had to be confined to the house today.

 We did have one cita with Jennifer (WHO YOU NEED TO MEET) She is Guatemalan and less active and going through some really hard things, and she is amazing! We had a wonderful lesson and she cried and we almost cried and it was the best. BUT before the lesson I asked to go to the bathroom because she had three dogs and as we all know, my immune system doesn't love dogs, so I said a prayer to help me in this cita, just to be okay until we got out. Literally the second the last prayer ended my allergies picked up, by the time we walked out of the house I could hardly breath, we had been there 2 hours because she fed us food as well... but I was SO grateful because it was literally at the end of the lesson.

Then when we got home I took some Benedryl because.. well it was bad, and we had to do Area Book, but I just couldn't. between Mission Tired AND Benedryl, I couldn't stay awake for Area Book so I went to bed at like 9. But MIRACLE! The dogs didn't affect me literally everything was over! Awesome!

Miercoles- Was kind of a hard day because everything fell through, our backups of backups of backups. So it was a day full of knocking with cold hands and feet.

 Jueves- This day, we did weekly planning and finished and then we tried to find a family, and you should have seen us, trudging through the snow, SO funny, my companion was dying, (not too athletic.. poor thing) (That was mean I don't mean to say it was SO funny that my companion was dying, but it kinda was... ESTOY BROMIANDO)

 Viernes- Well, we had a Zone Conference and we were.. chastened I guess you could say. It was good, and our President said some really good things o bring us to repentance because, well, gotta repent ya know.

 Then we had a cita with Angeles, and it was really sad and really intense. Because she was crying and we were almost crying because, she was feeling pressured by her boyfriend (who is Mormon) and then she dropped us. Hard. it was literally the hardest thing that has ever happened. My companion and I felt so sad, its really interesting because you start to really feel the Saviors love for your investigators. Over and over I told her that the ONLY reason we were there is because we love her, and we do!

 I am not going to lie, this day was horrible, so we went to ice cream:) we deserved it. But when we got back to the casa I was feeling SO down. Like horrible. My thoughts were literally this (here is the words from my journal)

""Why am I here?" "people don't even want to talk/see me" "Why am I knocking doors in the freezing cold, with freezing hands trying to give people cards they are just going to throw away? "What am I doing in the horrible place Chicago, where people are mean?" "Why am I here where I don't get to work out, or do the things I wanna do?" "Why do I keep knocking doors knowing a drunk man will open the door and yell at us?" "Why Am I with this companion who treats me like dirt, who wont help me do anything, who I am trying to love" "Why am I here when I am not even making one difference " Why am I here?" "Why do I even try." While I was saying all of these words, we got home, and I went into the bathroom and just started to cry. Asking myself these questions over and over, then a voice came to me. Like I have never heard ever in my life, a voice so distinct it literally it shook me said, "Oh Brittany, you know exactly why you are here." And that was it. It was one of the most powerful experiences I have had, and that I may ever have in my life, because I do know why I am here. I am here, because I love my Savior, and that's the only reason. "

 

Those were all the words in my journal that day, it was a life changing moment for me.

Sabado- This day was.. a day, ja ja. We had a Skype date, (where we teach people over Skype) with Hna Jones best friend who isn't a member. I don't have much time to say everything but it was SUCH a good learning experience for me. She has taken the missionary lessons before (a lot!!) and she told us she came to her conclusion about the church (although she wasn't positive yet) she said, "I believe Joseph Smith was a liar. I hope he gets condemned and not you all for following him." and it lasted and she went on and on, even so, it literally made me question my faith. (which dad I have some questions for you) She brought up Such good points, that it was almost scary to listen to, but honestly EVERYTHING came back to the conclusion that the Book of Mormon wasn't true. The Book of Mormon IS EVERYTHING! Well, SO interesting, because we testified! Sometimes that's literally the best we can do.

 Domingo- Today was a day that made this week worth it. We had church and it was SO wonderful because Angeles CAME! WHAT! It was a miracle AND she invited us back on Viernes! Yeah, that was amazing! Then after we went knocking and FUNNY things happened there, ill tell you soon I am just running out of time and then we had THE BEST lesson with Ricardo and Carmen, we brought the Garcias and THEY ARE A POWER COUPLE! He is a convert and she was a missionary like a year ago so BAM combined they were AWESOME! and we committed them to baptism, yeah the Spirit is the MAN! It made ALL of the hard things of this week worth it!

 Well, very quickly this week I read a talk by James E Faust and he talked about The Call of the Champions. Because I tell myself I am a champion everyday (because I am jaja ;) I thought it applied. Apparently its like the Olympic Theme or something, but Citius means Swifter, Alitius means Higher and Fortius means stronger. These ALL apply to missionary work AND in life because as we move swifter and act with more urgency, as we reach for higher goals and do ALL we can, and as we work with ALL of our strength we will be a successful missionary NO MATTER HOW LOW OUR NUMBERS ARE! This will help us as we become champions! (and not gonna lie, Call of the Champions is a pretty epic title and theme)

I love you familia! Thank you for your prayers for me this week! I really needed them and could feel them. I love you!

Con amor

Hna Hammond

Jan. 6, 2013 Midway A consecrated Missionary

 

Jan. 6, 2013 Midway

 Feliz cumpleanos: G-pa Green tomorrow , Ryan (yesterday) & David on thurs.
 

Hola mi querida familia! Feliz Ano Nuevo!

Como estan? Pues, this week has been a good one:) Like always, everytime our district leader (of Zone leader calls us) and we call in numbers I say, "Hello Elder Haggard, we are low in numbers, BUT HIGH in spirits." Then they laugh at me. Jaja.

Well, how about I start with the beginning:)

Lunes- Well, because Pday was cut in half we had to go proselyte, so we did that after writing, so honestly it feels like I haven't gotten a Pday in forever! But 'sta bien! These are the exact words from my journal about Lunes, "we tracted in the 10 degree weather, champions?, yes. Champions we are."

Martes- We had a training meeting, and guess what that meant? I SAW HNA HATCH y Hna Pearson! Happy day it was! They are my family out here, I love them, AND I saw Hna Felt! I LOVE that girl So incredibly mucho! So fun! Well then that night we had a ward activity, and I SO wish you all were there. One thing Mexicans do, is they know how to throw a fiesta. There were balloons for midnight and our Elders did the funniest skit and we helped and I have pictures and when I get home I will show you the videos, we called it, "Misioneritos" So fun! Then Hno Escalante (our ward mission leader, who happens to be el Hijo de Hna Velez) gave us HUGE tortas, I will show you a picture, they were literally bigger then my head and Hna Jones head combined, HILARIOUS! But for the meat, it was Pig skin, and so... we just needed to throw it away, couldn't do it. BUT SO awesome! PS this day when we got home, (every time we leave the house we turn off the heat) we got home to 42 degree home, ya... almost died

Miercoles- Today we had our usual district meeting, and that was good. Then we weekly planned today because on Thursday we had a mini missionary come out with us for 4 days! So we did planning early.

Jueves- OUR mini missionary, so the stake does this thing and the youth come out with the missionaries for 4 days and they are just like us, they do everything we do. It was awesome! I have pictures:) We knocked doors, got rejected! And taught a beautiful lesson to a less active Jennifer WHO IS AMAZING, she cried at our message, because we shared Mountains to Climb and it was just the message she needed, and I LOVE HER!

Viernes- EXCHANGES! Our mini missionary got to experience EVERYTHING, because we also had exchanges this week, and guess who came with me... yes Hna Felt! It was THE best thing ever. It was So nice to have a good break from my companion.. (sorry tried to say that as nicely as I could) We taught Hno Ortiz, and surprised him with Hna Felt, He died and LOVED it! He just loved Hna Felt and I! SUCH A WONDERFUL DAY! BAH! we also taught a lesson to Angeles and it was an AWESOME lesson, we read Enos with her because she is having a hard time finding un respuesta if el libro de Mormon is verdadero.

Sabado- Knocked a lot of doors, went to a lot of home, and SANG a ton! Because Hna Felt and I.. well, we just love to sing and our mini missionary thought it was AWESOME, (she is a native, so she was totally helping us with our Spanish) then sadly we had to switch back, because exchanges were over, OH IT WAS SO HARD, I didn't want Hna Felt to leave, that seriously was probably the hardest thing, but I played it cool, but inside I was like DONT LEAVE ME! NO SALGA! Pues, then we had a baptism for someone in our ward and she was 8, she was SO cute! And they asked me to sing... of course, 5 minutes before the baptism started:)

Domingo- Awesome day! Hno Ortiz CAME TO CHURCH! I texted Hna Felt that, and I got a text back saying, "Hna Felt is so happy she died and is now laying on the floor" jaja which that is what I was thinking! Then we had studies and while we were doing this we hear the Elders all shoveling the snow from our house! It was SO nice! and digging out the car from the snow! Our investigators are all sick (Ricardo y Carmen) so we couldn't see them, we were SO sad. Then we had to give back our mini misionera. She was awesome!

Well that was my week! Because of the new years, I made a goal for myself. this year I get to preacj the gospel for AN ENTIRE YEAR! So I thought it was appropriate to make my goal to be, A Consecrated Missionary. In everything I do I can step it up! Be better! Work harder! Be happier! Because its the year I can dedicate to the Lord! So that's my New Years resolution!

Well familia I love you! thank you for ALL your support.

okay, just some info- its -15 today! jaja, we got a text because its SO cold we aren't allowed to tract! crazy huh! So today- we aren't quite sure what we are going to do! But we will think of something!

So for the past week my companera and I have been going outside and throwing water to see if instantly it will turn to ice, and we have some awesome videos:) So far it hasn't worked, but apparently we are supposed to do it with boiling water, jaja, we are TOTALLY trying it today! (we tried it this morning but we did it with cold water.. oops) its gonna work!

Also, I love you! You are ALL champions!

Con MUCHICIMO Amor

Hermana Hammond

 

 

 

Hna Hammond & Hna Jones & their mini missionary  She says she looks Russian- I think she looks Darling!!  Hna Hammond, Mini Missionary (she loved her!!!) She loved being with Hna Felt  This is taken today!!      It's fine it's supposed to get -50!!   This is the trash room stuff from Christmas!!  This is her District!