Aug. 25, 2014 I am REALLY SERVING THE LAMANITES... and I really love it...

Aug. 25, 2014 I am REALLY SERVING THE LAMANITES... and I really love it...
Camee, aaahhh I can't believe you had your baby!! Precious, she's so sweet!
Feliz Cumpleanos: Randy, Dev, Kolton, Jonah, Paige!!  Randy I am praying for you!!
Hermosa Familia,

So I don't have a ton of time, but, I have had a crazy crazy week!

I just want to rant about how incredible this WARD is! It literally is
known for being the best Hispanics ward in the mission. It's amazing.
The ward members are friends! They love each other, we have an
incredible ward mission leader, who we actually call and he is totally
on our side, there is ALWAYS members ready to come with us to lessons,
the members are centered on missionary work, and here the members LOVE
missionaries, like they LOVE us. It is the coolest thing ever.- and we
eat A LOT of food, it's great.

This area- I was right about it being the best area ever! I think all
my areas are the best ever, literally. Haha. But this one is SO fun,
it's NOT dangerous, all around us, in this part of the city we have
TONS of hipster college kids around us, (which I secretly love.. I love how they dress, and its pretty just

 awesome... I'm like a WANNA-BE HIPSTER MORMON YEAH!) 

 and TONS of Hispanics. I LOVE it, because I meet people from EVERYWHERE, tons of Cubans, Puerto
Ricans, Peruvians and Mexicans, and some Ecuadorians. I have literally
had to relearn Spanish because everywhere it's SOO different. I
absolutely love it. It's seriously the best. I also LOVE contacting!
There are actually people here! AHHHH it's awesome.

I feel like I stepped into another mission, because it's so different
here than the sticks. The people in the city, are much nicer and more
willing to talk to us, because they are used to talking a lot, and
back in Woodstock it's like little home town, quiet and peaceful. Man,
it's awesome. I am just learning SO much. It's really pushing me to be
a better missionary, because I am learning how to adapt  with all
different surroundings, with different types of people, and with a new
ward, investigators and new calling. I love it! I really feel like I
am in this part of Chicago, in the city, with my new ward, with new
investigators, with a new calling and companion because it's molding
me to become a more refined polished missionary and servant of The
Lord. Well let me tell you about my week.

Martes- was transfer day! We went and my new Companion is Hna Izu.
She's an awesome missionary, it's so cool because before her there
were missionaries like Hermana Felt, and hermana Russon (who is an awesome missionary) 

 in this area, ALL of the missionaries in this area have been sister training leaders, and I
just feel so humbled to be here knowing that so many great
missionaries were here before me. Every time I would go on an exchange
to this area I secretly wanted this area, and now that I am here I am
like, "man, what were you thinking God....?" And he says, "Oh Hermana
Hammond, I needed you to be more humble, to get out of your comfort zone
in little Woodstock, and start working your brains out." And then I
say, " okay.... " (then every night I crash die because I am so
tired,,,) haha Well, we did some service for a less active, Mercy Artunduaga 

she is so sweet, then we had dinner with una familia from Puerto Rico.

La Rivera family, and it was SO fun because I had actually been to their home 

before on exchanges (and mom she sent you a Facebook message about it

like 4 months ago... go facebook her back.. shes awesome.) 

Miercoles- we went to Hno guerrros home. She is an awesome member who
went on a mission to Mexico. She is moving, and so she fed us (ps.. All of our members are like

we are gonna convert you to be a little puerto rican, and their Food IS 

SO MUCH fried STUFF... really healthy right?) --Like even fried platanos..

they don't eat tortillas either... they eat LOTS of pan... great 

(It doesn't beat Mexican food) 

 We met with Alquides and he is an
investigator from Cuba, he is like 75 ish and awesome. He loves our
church and just feels like it's his family. I am SO excited to work with him.

He is awesome! 

We then met with a less-active Rosalba and she's awesome too. Hermana Felt and Hermana
Russon (who were the sister training leaders before) baptized her, but
she started working on Sundays, she really loves missionaries and
wants to come to church. Sorry no hay tiempo to finish the day :)

Jueves- we did a lot of weekly planning, and here this area is just so
busy. Then in this area we have THE COOLEST ward mission leader.
Hermano Saucedo. Seriously after my mission I want to be called as a
ward mission leader, and then be like Hno Saucedo. He is awesome. He
cares so much about us missionaries and the work we do and totally
helps us out. Ah, I finally feel this coming together of members and
missionaries. It's so cool because this work truly is impossible
without the members. In my last area the work is so slow and one of
those main reasons is because their isn't member missionary work, but
that doesn't mean it won't be like that forever, little by little that
branch will become a ward. :)

Viernes- We met with a returning less-active member. Sandra! She was
baptized when she was 10 and then left, came to Chicago and after 40
years of searching for the truth and trying to go to the Catholic
Church she remembered her childhood church and it was all about
family's. She has a gorgeous family and now is returning to activity.
She is AWESOME, and so pretty! Her husband is catholic and really shy
but soon he'll come around to.It just gave me such a powerful testimony of 

PLANTING seeds. Literally for Sandra it took her 40 years, and that's okay! 

Lots of my mission is planting seeds, and THAT'S OKAY!

Sabado- I am SO excited to tell you all about WANDA. Wanda is an INCREDIBLE 

woman, Hermana Felt and Russon contacted her on the street, she is one of the 

most special people on the face of the world. She is kind of famous because everyone 

knew that she was the Sister training leaders AWESOME investigator, and she was baptized 

last transfer, and NOW I GET TO WORK WITH HER. She is awesome. She has had SUCH

a hard life, and has a lot of mental problems and illnesses, but she is so special. 

She has had a really hard week with depression so we stopped by (I had actually met her on exchanges before with Hermana Felt and she was just so cute..) but literally she is 

the type of person that, automatically you give your heart too. She is so special I 

just already love her so much. The missionaries in the past haven't been able to 

talk to her son Brandon, but TODAY we just talked about One Direction ( he is obsessed with

them) /...(he even gave us posters... its awesome) He agreed to start taking LESSONS WITH US

We are so excited, PLEASE pray for Brandon, he is 13 years old, and pray for Wanda. I 

just already love her. 

Domingo- Alquides and Wanda both came to church, and it was the best thing ever. This ward

just feels like a family and I love it! It was such a great day! No hay mas tiempo..

You'll understand :)

Well family I just want to tell you and ask you, if you could all pray for me this week. We have 

exchanges starting tonight. I am SOOO excited, mostly because I SERIOUSLY LOVE MISSIONARIES! 

Especially Hermanas! I am so humbled to serve with them, and SO excited to learn from them! 

People to pray for.. for all ya alls-

Wanda

Brandon

Alquides

WE NEED MORE INVESTIGATORS

Thanks mucho! I love you all SO much! 

But more than you all, I really just love my Savior, because He is the reason

I am here and that we have a way home back to our father in Heaven. How lucky am I

to be here among the LAMANITES. Helping them remember who their fathers were? 

Man, I am just the luckiest girl alive. 

Ps family, next family vacation is..... GUATEMALA! ... okay 

Peace and blessings peace and blessings

All of me loves all of you all! 

Hermana Hammond                 Hermana Riveron and Food!!

August 18, 2014 I have officially seen a Pentecostal blessing given to Hna Monges....

August 18, 2014 I have officially seen a Pentecostal blessing given to Hna Monges....
Feliz Cumpleanos: Teri, Grandma Hammond & Tanner!!! Love you all!!!

Hermosa familia..

So, I have officially seen, a Pentecostal blessing given by a woman,
to Hermana Monge. It was... One of the craziest things I have ever
seen.... Let's just say... They believe in the gift of tongues-- but
the very interesting/scary/I don't even know how to describe gift of
tongues.-- but that story will have to wait for another time.

I am leaving Woodstock and have been called as an Hermana Training leader.

I feel very inadequate for this calling, but I am grateful for this
chance to serve the Hermanas in this mission.

"Just as God called you and will guide you, He will magnify you. You
will need that magnification. Your calling will surely bring
opposition. You are in the Master’s service. You are His
representative. Eternal lives depend on you....

There will be times when you will feel overwhelmed. One of the ways
you will be attacked is with the feeling that you are inadequate.
Well, you are inadequate to answer a call to represent God with only
your own powers. But you have access to more than your natural
capacities, and you do not work alone." Henry B. Eyring

The reason I feel inadequate is because I AM, But I do not work alone!
All of the Sister Training leaders have trained a lot, and I haven't
trained at all, so please pray for me. I obviously have a lot to
learn! We go on lots of exchanges and I am here to serve the Hermanas
in this mission. Here we go!

My new companion will be Hna Izu, and I am very excited because it's
my DREAM AREA, the DOWN TOWN CHICAGO! I am so excited! I love you all!
Please pray for me, I really need all the prayers I can get.

Saying goodbye to people was HORRIBLE, I have had like 5 citas in
these past two days, and I am just ... Man I love you all, and
then I cry... It's great! And then they feed me like I won't eat in a
thousand years.... Man I love it!

Love you all! So proud of Kolton!
All of me loves all of you all.
Sorry this is short but it's all I can give today. Got more people to
see and say goodbye to...
Love mucho
Hermana Hammond
                                            The District!!

This is when I said Goodbye to Hna  Monge

                                                        Hno Juan & Sori

                                                        Hna Alcantar

                                           Awe ... The Young Women!!!

                                                        Hno Garcia & Shaddai

                                              La Familia Camacho

                                                 La Familia Gomez !!!! We have to visit them after my mission!

                                                   Necesito mas zapatos!  ha

                                                     They are falling apart!

August 11, 2014 A changed person I am

August 11, 2014 A changed person I am

Feliz Cumpleanos: Brian & My beautiful cousin Michelle!

Hola hermosa familia!

I received 4 awesome letters this week!
  Brooke
  Brielle
  Haylee
  And Hayley :) thank you all SOO much! You made my week, literally. I
love you all!
Brielle.... Loved the avatar jokes.... Yeah... Still laughing

Okay, la obra misional

Well, it was a very normal good week. What I am learning on my mission is essentially- becoming a better, more faithful, more diligent, more obedient covenant keeper. I love that baptism isn't the end. I love that our goal for everyone is the temple. That is the goal! Go make covenants with God, be obedient, and do the best you can. I love it!
That is the goal for the branch. Very few of our members here, are
actually endowed. So first... We start with the Book of Mormon. Even
though I have been here for about 7 months, and the members aren't
really doing it yet, I am seeing progress. Testimonies of the Book of
Mormon, and praying everyday, and going to church are the foundation
of a person, a family, and a ward/ branch. This is what we are working on. It's great! And I love it. I think The Lord needed to teach me that really small and simple things bring about great things. Reading and praying are so simple, and yet, they make all the difference. This
branch struggles, because the people don't do the simple things. They
don't read, they don't pray, BUT that's why we are here to tell them,
to use boldness and say, "We love you, and The Lord loves you, and you need to come back to church, because allá bendiciones están esperando para ustedes."

Lunes- we had a great day. We did service at the library, and then we
went to go find a PNI with the English sisters because they were teaching him, but he definitely speaks Spanish, and he's AWESOME, but I really need you all to pray for him. Rueben, he says he's REALLY hard to convince, and he's had missionaries from ALL sorts come to his
home, but he doesn't believe any of them. And he's looking for the
truth, PRAY ALL OF YOU that when he reads the Book of Mormon, he will feel it! Pray for him! Prayer is power.

Martes- we cleaned the house again... When I say "the house" I am
referring to the house we cleaned on last Friday. I want to say that the
atonement really is working on the lady, who's house we cleaned. The
first time she wouldn't even talk to us, wouldn't look up, way past the point of embarrassment, and quite frankly she was the saddest person I had ever come in contact with, and Martes, she talked and
told us about her kids and was just awesome! Her face light up when we came. She didn't really smile that much, but her eyes were off of the ground, and her face had a new light in it. It had hope. Her face was more light, the light of Christ. it was incredible.
Her room was horrible, but I won't go into much detail. We had to pull out the rake because
the whole ground was covered in things, waist high. After vacuuming
the baby larva's and everything on the ground the lady said to us, "guys, (with tears in her eyes) I haven't seen the ground of my room in a whole year. Thank you so much." Her home is still bad, but now it's at least it's pretty sanitized. (That's what really matters to
me...) but it felt so good to come out of the that home, and seeing
what it looked like. Cleaning this womans home changed my life, and man, service makes ya feel so darn good! :) haha

Miercoles- We had a zone meeting, we have had so many meetings, but this one was great. All about how we are changing how we do goals and stuff. I really like meetings, even though they are sometimes long, and I am really antsy by the end, they are really good, I love when
our mission president speaks. He really is full of the spirit, and really does love God. Then we had a Book of Mormon class, and no body came to it.... But that's okay!-- this week.... There will be personas alla!

Jueves- We did weekly planning, and contacted some people. I didnt write anything in my journal, but thats okay! Great missionary day as usual!

Viernes- We had a lunch cita with Hermana Alcantar, that went great. Then we had a lesson with Noelia!! She is PROGRESSING. Its the first progressing investigator I really have had my whole time here in Woodstock! SOMEONE IS PROGRESSING. I  didn't know what to do. But we taught the Plan of Salvation and we never can finish that lesson because no hay tiempo, but we testified and said, "In the next lesson we are going to talk about this more, but WE KNOW that you Noelia can have your beautiful children for forever, and you can be with your family forever." And she was just like, "Hermanas, you can't just end your lesson like that! TELL ME..." haha well, we had to leave but we told her to read the pamphlet and we would be there next week. She is awesome, and she will be baptized!

Sabado- We went to Hebron because there was a HEBRON WHOLE CITY garage sale. Yeah, hilarious, but more than that... Mexicans. So we went and we just talked to everyone, sadly no one wanted the gospel, but we still had fun! I love to contact! I have realized that sometimes we just keep doing missionary work, and we keep talking to people to show God that we love Him, and to show Him that we are being faithful. I love it!

Domingo- It was a great Sunday! We found a less-active. Hermana Chavez. She has been so busy and we haven't been able to find her, but finally we did!

Well- here I am great. I am changed, and learning a lot of patience, but great!

Here is a quote that I have been thinking about a lot this week. "God said both male and female are created in His image, meaning His nature, His character, His attributes are in us-- not fully developed, to be sure, far from it, but nevertheless we are of Him." D. Todd Christofferson.

On Saturday our car had trouble starting and we just so happened to be at the gas station, and being 20 year old girls knowing nothing about cars, we were trying to figure out how to get the hood open to our car, (haha pretty pathetic) when this nice man came up to us and helped us out. My thoughts were "Man, inside everyone is GOOD, we are naturally good people... with a lot of natural man tendencies... but we all come from essentially the same place, we all come from God." We are OF God! Man, thats just awesome. Okay, well gotta go!

Love you all! Have a wonderful week!

All of me loves all of you all! 

Hermana Hammond

                                               This is Down town Hebron!! It's really pretty

    Eating the best peanut butter sundae ever in Hebron IL! Worth the 1000000 calories? Don't mind the man behind me in the mohawk

Aug. 4, 2014 I Stand all amazed

August 4, 2014 I stand all amazed
Feliz cumpleanos: Chase & Jonah Haven
Mi Familia,
Our experience on Viernes
I had a life-changing experience on Friday. I don't cry too often, I
can count how many times I have literally let tears fall on my face
during my mission, this was the 6th time. Let me back-up.
 On Friday we got a call from an English member (who has helped us
with all of our weddings and everything) and she asked us to return
the favor, (she is incredible) she needed help cleaning a less-actives
house in the English ward. It was her, her two daughters, the English
Sister missionaries and us, on the job.

This member told us 2 things before we entered this home, we weren't
allowed AT ALL to speak of this womans past family life- because her
husband killed himself, and her two children got taken away TONS more
happened but....no importa, and 2nd rule, we weren't allowed AT ALL to
make a fuss about the house. No gasps. No laughs. No judging. Seemed
pretty simple at first.

   We walked in the home, and first we took a step in and I have never
smelt such a horrific smell, but this member brought in a huge box of
cleaning supplies, and we put on our gloves. We all introduced
ourselves with a smile and the less-active looked down and started to
cry. I knew her house was bad. We said a prayer to start out, because
we needed Heavenly Fathers help. Then we divided and started to clean.

   Let me describe the house. I have never in my life heard, or seen
anything like this house. My companion and I were on kitchen duty with
Kailee (the members daughter) we walked into the kitchen to see at
first glance long fly catchers that hang from the ceiling completely
black, covered in flies. 3 of them. With each step we took we were
stepping on at least 30 flies. Dead flies. The member told us that
there were at least in this house 10,000+ dead flies AT LEAST Covering
the floors of this woman's home. The sink was brim full, of still
still still BLACK water, thick water, full of black dishes, dead
flies, raw meat, and everything, from sitting there for so long with
mold that took over. You cannot imagine the smell. 

The floors, if not covered in dead flies, were full of opened egg shells, dried
milk, garbage, food of every sort, raw meat, thrown up food, and I
won't go on. The other sisters were on bathroom duty.-- you don't even
want to know what was in the bathroom.-- I will add the kitchen was
worse. The stove in the kitchen was covered in at least, half an inch
of mold, magots, flies, spiders.. 

   The member then decided to put Vocal Point hymns on to invite the
spirit, because it was needed in this home. The first song that played
was, I Stand All Amazed.
   We started just throwing all the clutter on the floor away, we got
the vacuum but within the first push, it was clogged because of the
amount of flies. We got to taking out the dishes in the sink. We
couldn't see anything we were taking out because it was so full, of
mold and everything so we were just pulling out dishes that were
completely black... You don't wanna know the smell, my companion
started to gag, but our wonderful member who was there, kept shoving
this really good smelling stuff in our faces, so we were okay. After
fishing out the dishes with a long moldy spoon, in the thick water, we
didn't know what to do with the water, we put drain-o down and
nothing, because it was so full of bacteria. So we used the moldy
bowls and threw the water out the window to the outside.

      As you all can imagine, there was LOTS of trash being piled up,
so as I was taking some trash out and I realized that I was holding
the trash bag with all of the bad bad trash with all of the stuff from
the sink, and it's started leaking...where?....on my legs. I started
gagging, but didn't throw up.

     After all of this there was a big pile of dishes, and I told the
crew, "We have to power-hose the dishes, it's the only way." We nodded
our heads, and silently got to work. Listening to Vocal Point.
    As I was walking out the door, with flies in my hair, with moldy
throw upy water covering down the side of my legs, with a huge stack
of black/blue/green/brown dishes in my hands, I started to cry. Tears
streaming down my face. I heard this over and over again in my head.
"I stand all amazed, at the love Jesus offers me, confused at the
grace, that so fully he proffers me." I was not crying because I
thought it was gross, not because of the smell, not because of the
sight, but because those words sank deep into my heart, and soul.

 I was so confused as to why this woman had to go through such a hard
life, I was so confused at why does she have to feel what she is
feeling, I was feeling so sad for how bad she hurt inside. Why did she
have to go through this? Why did she have to be the one to ache
inside? Why not me? Why did she get the family she got? There were no
words to describe what I was feeling for this woman. I just stood
there on the grass, with tears streaming down my face. Then the words
rang in my head, "Oh it is wonderful, that he should care for me,
enough to die for me... Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me." 

There was one word that described what I was feeling, only one word that
could help this woman at all, one word that penetrated my heart, and
that was, The Atonement. This woman has one way to go, she has reached
the end, touched the bottom of lifes-hardships, there is only one way
to go now, and that is, up. How wonderful is the atonement of Jesus
Christ. "Oh it is wonderful, that he should care for me enough to die
for me, oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me."
   I couldn't wipe my tears away, but I had to shake it off, and wipe
them with my shirt. I knew this woman was in the hands of God. Long
story short...

   We worked so hard, the fridge was horrible. Milk from December,
January, April, May. Raw meat, eggs shells, all the food was old and
moldy. Magots and flies covered the bottom of the fridge. It was bad,
but I am glad to say that after two hours of hard work the kitchen
transformed. We had to leave because we had a cita, but literally as
Hermana Woolf and I walked out of the house we couldn't say anything.

I had just seen what depression, bipolar, and anxiety was to it's
extreme. More than that I feel like a got a glimpse of the love that
Jesus Christ has for this less-active women. I saw that He really died
for us, because He loves us. He died for people who have been so low,
that they don't know where to go, He died for people like me, who was
suffering watching the affects of trials and the world, He died for
everyone. Going to this woman's home, changed my life-- para siempre.
How wonderful is the atonement? Where we all have the chance to go
only one way if we use it, and that is up! "Oh it is wonderful,
wonderful to me!"
The house still isn't done, we are going back on tuesday-- but all of
the really nasty stuff is done!

Miracles from this home alone
- We didn't have to call a Plummer, for the sink in the kitchen or the
bathroom. We plunged both with a toilet plunger. Miracle! Literally.
- no body threw up. Big miracle
- the LESS-ACTIVE WOMAN CAME TO CHURCH!
- we are going to bomb the house, literally, with fly killer next
time.. No more flies!

That was my friday!- Because this story took up so much time I'll tell
you all just one more story from Sunday.

Okay, I have to write this story that happened to Hna Alcantar. She
told us a story, and she is seriously one of the strongest members
ever, I love her so much. She said in Idaho last year she went to visit her
son, she was in bed and her back was really hurting. She said that it
was hurting so bad, she could hardly move her arms. It was Sunday and
there was church and her son had to take her to a different building
for Spanish as his family went to the English ward. She closed her
eyes and was just thinking, I can't even move because I am in so much
pain, I can't go to church today. She closed her eyes, and heard a
voice that said, "my daughter, you need to go to my holy house, you
need to go to my house." And she said, "Lord heal me, I can't move,
heal me so I can go to your house.." Then she said, she saw a vision,
two angels came to her, and spoke to her, (her exact words), "they
came and spoke to me in Spanish." She said it was George Albert Smith
and one other man. They put their hands on her head, and gave her a
blessing, and then she woke up. Wasn't in pain, and hurried didn't say
a word. She went to church and bore a powerful testimony and was
healed. Ever since she hasn't taken ANY medicine for being sick. What
an experience is this!!-- Hna Alcantar didn't question The Lord, she
just said, "Heal me".. And she was. She is a very special woman. I
love her.

Miracles-because I have no time because we are going to the Woodstock fair!

-Had a cita with Noelia and she said YES to baptism!!- she was
avoiding us because her son was in the hospital, good excuse!
- had Sisters conference. Our mission president did AWESOME! Hermana
Woolf and I had to do a 15 min, to 4 groups, so (an hour)
presentation/talk to ALL of the sisters, about planning. It went well!
-I got too see ALL of my favorite people at the sisters conference! It
was the best.
-I went on exchanges on tuesday I went to the city! It was great!

Well, we were gonna go to the Woodstock fair, since I got to
Woodstock, right across where we live there were dates to the fair.
Back then I thought, "man I'll never be able to go the fair, it's too
fair away.." And look where I am! Here.... But they took EVERYTHING
down today:( we are so sad! so we are gonna do something fun.

I love my family! Thanks for all your prayers for me!
All of me loves all of you all!

Hermana Hammond

I saw some of my favorite people this weekend! I love them all soooo big!
                                                          Hna  Buys      Mexico MTC comp

                                                        Hna Pearson in my district from Mexico MTC

                                                      Hna Hatch in my district from Mexico MTC

                                                         Hna Felt Ist comp in Chicago

Hna Michaels 2nd comp in Field

Aug. 4, 2014 I Stand all amazed

August 4, 2014 I stand all amazed
Feliz cumpleanos: Chase & Jonah Haven
Mi Familia,
Our experience on Viernes
I had a life-changing experience on Friday. I don't cry too often, I
can count how many times I have literally let tears fall on my face
during my mission, this was the 6th time. Let me back-up.
 On Friday we got a call from an English member (who has helped us
with all of our weddings and everything) and she asked us to return
the favor, (she is incredible) she needed help cleaning a less-actives
house in the English ward. It was her, her two daughters, the English
Sister missionaries and us, on the job.

This member told us 2 things before we entered this home, we weren't
allowed AT ALL to speak of this womans past family life- because her
husband killed himself, and her two children got taken away TONS more
happened but....no importa, and 2nd rule, we weren't allowed AT ALL to
make a fuss about the house. No gasps. No laughs. No judging. Seemed
pretty simple at first.

   We walked in the home, and first we took a step in and I have never
smelt such a horrific smell, but this member brought in a huge box of
cleaning supplies, and we put on our gloves. We all introduced
ourselves with a smile and the less-active looked down and started to
cry. I knew her house was bad. We said a prayer to start out, because
we needed Heavenly Fathers help. Then we divided and started to clean.

   Let me describe the house. I have never in my life heard, or seen
anything like this house. My companion and I were on kitchen duty with
Kailee (the members daughter) we walked into the kitchen to see at
first glance long fly catchers that hang from the ceiling completely
black, covered in flies. 3 of them. With each step we took we were
stepping on at least 30 flies. Dead flies. The member told us that
there were at least in this house 10,000+ dead flies AT LEAST Covering
the floors of this woman's home. The sink was brim full, of still
still still BLACK water, thick water, full of black dishes, dead
flies, raw meat, and everything, from sitting there for so long with
mold that took over. You cannot imagine the smell. 

The floors, if not covered in dead flies, were full of opened egg shells, dried
milk, garbage, food of every sort, raw meat, thrown up food, and I
won't go on. The other sisters were on bathroom duty.-- you don't even
want to know what was in the bathroom.-- I will add the kitchen was
worse. The stove in the kitchen was covered in at least, half an inch
of mold, magots, flies, spiders.. 

   The member then decided to put Vocal Point hymns on to invite the
spirit, because it was needed in this home. The first song that played
was, I Stand All Amazed.
   We started just throwing all the clutter on the floor away, we got
the vacuum but within the first push, it was clogged because of the
amount of flies. We got to taking out the dishes in the sink. We
couldn't see anything we were taking out because it was so full, of
mold and everything so we were just pulling out dishes that were
completely black... You don't wanna know the smell, my companion
started to gag, but our wonderful member who was there, kept shoving
this really good smelling stuff in our faces, so we were okay. After
fishing out the dishes with a long moldy spoon, in the thick water, we
didn't know what to do with the water, we put drain-o down and
nothing, because it was so full of bacteria. So we used the moldy
bowls and threw the water out the window to the outside.

      As you all can imagine, there was LOTS of trash being piled up,
so as I was taking some trash out and I realized that I was holding
the trash bag with all of the bad bad trash with all of the stuff from
the sink, and it's started leaking...where?....on my legs. I started
gagging, but didn't throw up.

     After all of this there was a big pile of dishes, and I told the
crew, "We have to power-hose the dishes, it's the only way." We nodded
our heads, and silently got to work. Listening to Vocal Point.
    As I was walking out the door, with flies in my hair, with moldy
throw upy water covering down the side of my legs, with a huge stack
of black/blue/green/brown dishes in my hands, I started to cry. Tears
streaming down my face. I heard this over and over again in my head.
"I stand all amazed, at the love Jesus offers me, confused at the
grace, that so fully he proffers me." I was not crying because I
thought it was gross, not because of the smell, not because of the
sight, but because those words sank deep into my heart, and soul.

 I was so confused as to why this woman had to go through such a hard
life, I was so confused at why does she have to feel what she is
feeling, I was feeling so sad for how bad she hurt inside. Why did she
have to go through this? Why did she have to be the one to ache
inside? Why not me? Why did she get the family she got? There were no
words to describe what I was feeling for this woman. I just stood
there on the grass, with tears streaming down my face. Then the words
rang in my head, "Oh it is wonderful, that he should care for me,
enough to die for me... Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me." 

There was one word that described what I was feeling, only one word that
could help this woman at all, one word that penetrated my heart, and
that was, The Atonement. This woman has one way to go, she has reached
the end, touched the bottom of lifes-hardships, there is only one way
to go now, and that is, up. How wonderful is the atonement of Jesus
Christ. "Oh it is wonderful, that he should care for me enough to die
for me, oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me."
   I couldn't wipe my tears away, but I had to shake it off, and wipe
them with my shirt. I knew this woman was in the hands of God. Long
story short...

   We worked so hard, the fridge was horrible. Milk from December,
January, April, May. Raw meat, eggs shells, all the food was old and
moldy. Magots and flies covered the bottom of the fridge. It was bad,
but I am glad to say that after two hours of hard work the kitchen
transformed. We had to leave because we had a cita, but literally as
Hermana Woolf and I walked out of the house we couldn't say anything.

I had just seen what depression, bipolar, and anxiety was to it's
extreme. More than that I feel like a got a glimpse of the love that
Jesus Christ has for this less-active women. I saw that He really died
for us, because He loves us. He died for people who have been so low,
that they don't know where to go, He died for people like me, who was
suffering watching the affects of trials and the world, He died for
everyone. Going to this woman's home, changed my life-- para siempre.
How wonderful is the atonement? Where we all have the chance to go
only one way if we use it, and that is up! "Oh it is wonderful,
wonderful to me!"
The house still isn't done, we are going back on tuesday-- but all of
the really nasty stuff is done!

Miracles from this home alone
- We didn't have to call a Plummer, for the sink in the kitchen or the
bathroom. We plunged both with a toilet plunger. Miracle! Literally.
- no body threw up. Big miracle
- the LESS-ACTIVE WOMAN CAME TO CHURCH!
- we are going to bomb the house, literally, with fly killer next
time.. No more flies!

That was my friday!- Because this story took up so much time I'll tell
you all just one more story from Sunday.

Okay, I have to write this story that happened to Hna Alcantar. She
told us a story, and she is seriously one of the strongest members
ever, I love her so much. She said in Idaho last year she went to visit her
son, she was in bed and her back was really hurting. She said that it
was hurting so bad, she could hardly move her arms. It was Sunday and
there was church and her son had to take her to a different building
for Spanish as his family went to the English ward. She closed her
eyes and was just thinking, I can't even move because I am in so much
pain, I can't go to church today. She closed her eyes, and heard a
voice that said, "my daughter, you need to go to my holy house, you
need to go to my house." And she said, "Lord heal me, I can't move,
heal me so I can go to your house.." Then she said, she saw a vision,
two angels came to her, and spoke to her, (her exact words), "they
came and spoke to me in Spanish." She said it was George Albert Smith
and one other man. They put their hands on her head, and gave her a
blessing, and then she woke up. Wasn't in pain, and hurried didn't say
a word. She went to church and bore a powerful testimony and was
healed. Ever since she hasn't taken ANY medicine for being sick. What
an experience is this!!-- Hna Alcantar didn't question The Lord, she
just said, "Heal me".. And she was. She is a very special woman. I
love her.

Miracles-because I have no time because we are going to the Woodstock fair!

-Had a cita with Noelia and she said YES to baptism!!- she was
avoiding us because her son was in the hospital, good excuse!
- had Sisters conference. Our mission president did AWESOME! Hermana
Woolf and I had to do a 15 min, to 4 groups, so (an hour)
presentation/talk to ALL of the sisters, about planning. It went well!
-I got too see ALL of my favorite people at the sisters conference! It
was the best.
-I went on exchanges on tuesday I went to the city! It was great!

Well, we were gonna go to the Woodstock fair, since I got to
Woodstock, right across where we live there were dates to the fair.
Back then I thought, "man I'll never be able to go the fair, it's too
fair away.." And look where I am! Here.... But they took EVERYTHING
down today:( we are so sad! so we are gonna do something fun.

I love my family! Thanks for all your prayers for me!
All of me loves all of you all!

Hermana Hammond

I saw some of my favorite people this weekend! I love them all soooo big!
                                                          Hna  Buys      Mexico MTC comp

                                                        Hna Pearson in my district from Mexico MTC

                                                      Hna Hatch in my district from Mexico MTC

                                                         Hna Felt Ist comp in Chicago

Hna Michaels 2nd comp in Field