Jan. 26, 2015 What a week :)

Jan. 26, 2015 What a week  :)
Feliz Cumpleanos: My wonderful Aunt Bee!!, Sweet Kaylee!!!

A little bit about this week! We had a great week, we had tons of
miracles. Our first counselor wants us to work with less actives, so we
are on operation finding lost sheep. It's great because we lost all of
our investigators! So it's been great!

On Wednesday, our bishop told us to go find this less active named
Angelica Escobedo. Her home just happens to be right down town. So we
were like, YESS, OUR WARD IS DOWN TOWN, our area is definitely the
city, we just work in one little area where most of the Hispanics are,
 this less active is pretty down town, so we set off Hermana
kohlhase and I. It was at 6:00 on Wednesday and we were all bundled up,
mother coats, scarves, hats, 2 leggings, all of it, and we rode the
train. (Train and bus contacting is really just the best) we rode
pretty down town and had to take the bus, and then we walked and
walked and finally got to her home. Her home was a house with 4
or 5 different floors (like every house here in Chicago) and so we
start at the bottom and start to knock and no one was there, then we
get to the top, the last floor where she could be and we said,
"man, she isn't here!" So, then we are walking all down the stairs
when, bamb, the door opens, and Hermana kohlhase and I looked at each
other and we knew it was them, so we ran down the stairs and there was
an Hispanic looking lady with a ton of clean laundry. Prime moment.
"Hi! Can we help you?" Us. Her. "Hi Hermanas! Sure!"...... Angelica it
was! So we went in, and got to know her and her two kids. Her little
sister was also there. She has two cute kids and has been a member her
whole life, just very less active. We had a good time and we showed
her a video and then we asked, "Angelica, can we teach you every
week?" With tears in her eyes, she said, "Si Hermanas." Then she wiped
the tears away and said, the Elders try to visit me, but my husband is
never here, and I just want Hermanas, and here we came! What a
miracle! So we will be helping her! It was a testimony to me of how
the Lord works. We found her just in time to do some service and get
on good terms with her. Also, her husband isn't a member. We are going
to be going to them every week for sure :) We are now just going to
hunt down all of these less actives we have, while still trying to find
new investigators! On Sunday we also saw Angelica's dad, he is in a
different ward, so I didn't know him. Hermana kohlhase did, and she
said "that's her Dad!" And we told him we found his daughter and
he looked at us, tears filled his eyes, and he said, "Hermanas muchas
gracias." That is the gospel.

Miracle: El Hermano Villanueva and Oscar are officially active and
they BLESSED THE SACRAMENT. The poor Hermano was so nervous, it took
him around 5 times, but he did it! Also Oscar (his son who is 20) got a
new calling, he is the NEW ASSISTANT WARD MISSIONARY LEADER,.... when
they announced this I literally (literally) jumped up. I almost
yelled, but I restrained. But I was just SOO happy! Oscar has changed
so much and will do AWESOME in this calling, (hopefully help him to
serve a mission) PS, their family will come see us in Idaho. Practice
some Spanish fam.

Other miracle: We taught Rafael again! Hermana Calderon (his neighbor
who invited him in the first place) went to his house with us and was
like, "Rafael, do you want to be someone? Are you going to meet with these
missionaries? It will change your life! You will know why you are
here! Will you be honest and keep to your word to meet with them?"
(Love Hermana Calderon with all my heart, boldness with love is one of
the best things I have learned on my mission) and he accepted and had
a great lesson with him! We taught the plan of salvation, and we know
that poco a poco he will come to church.

Family, covenants are why we are here! Heavenly Father wants us to
make them. And when we do he expects us to do our part and when we
don't, we are breaking those covenants with him. That's why we are
finding these less actives, they are breaking covenants, and really
it's just hurting them. I know we will find success in this! We will
help them remember their testimonies and help them remember the
covenants they made with Heavenly Father! All my life my goal is to be
a valiant covenant keeper. I have realized that the mission really has
just been like an MTC, or CCM, for the rest of my life and I love it.

Love you all!
All of me loves all of you all!
Hermana Hammond

                                                         Wanda Bracelets

                                          Chicago's Field Museum! Dad would love this!!

Before and after sugar bomb fried food!!

Jan. 19, 2015 Pateei Thai rum rum mi cha cheee chi!

Jan. 19, 2015 Pateei Thai rum rum mi cha cheee chi!

Feliz Cumpleanos: Sweet Ellie!!

Dearest family

We had one great week! I really don't remember all of it, but it was
great. Hermana kohlhase and I lost just about all of our
investigators. We really don't know why, but I guess that doesn't
matter much. We have been trying to exercise a lot of faith! We did
however see so many miracles with our less actives!

At Giovanni's house we were all reading in the Book of Mormon, and
right off, the Hermana asked a golden question, "Hermana's,
how do you read the Book of Mormon?" I was able to share a simple
testimony of how my family reads the Book of Mormon every day, and how
it's so important not just to read the Book of Mormon, but to stop and
talk about it. After, we read in Mosiah 3, and we stopped all the
time, Giovanni was asking such great questions about Christ and then
he asked, "what is the natural man?" And Hermana Kohlhase and I were
able to boldly tell him that it's putting off those natural desires
that we all have, like sleeping in instead of going to church. They
all responded very seriously, Giovanni even said, "well, I think my
natural man wins a lot..." It was cute. We testified of how we all
fall short, but through Jesus Christ we can become clean! And..... They
came to church for the second time in a row.

On Saturday, we went to the Villanueva familia, and we taught them
also about the Book of Mormon. The spirit was so strong in their
lesson. We went through why we have the Book of Mormon, and this
family really hasn't read much of it, but they know it's true. One of
my favorite things to testify about is the Book of Mormon. We asked
the question, "why do we have the Book of Mormon when we have the
Bible?" The answer, "well because it testifies of Jesus Christ, and
it's true." Then we were able to testify that the Bible tells us of
Jesus Christ's life, but the Book of Mormon helps us know WHO is
Christ. It also is really THE KEY STONE of our religion, if it's true,
then so is everything else. I love it. The Hermano and the Hermana and
Darlene and Oscar are all considered actives!, por fin! Love them!

Also on Saturday I got to witness a SEALING by the Resendiz family in
Woodstock!  It was such a happy thing! I just thought, man that really
is the goal! To have a family forever I love it!

Then one funny story to end off this email: so last week one of our
less actives told us to go to this one Thai Place and she has been to
Thailand and said it was the best one in Chicago, so we decided to go.
Before this, I had taught Hermana kohlhase the Thai National
Anthem.... Hilarious, so we sang it to them and they started crying,
 Then they told us they loved us, and then Dad's voice came to my head
saying, "Swatty Caaww" so I bowed my head and said that, and then they
were like, WE LOVE YOU! Then we had to go .... We then took our
district there the next day for District lunch, something we do
once a month, and we sang again and they gave us free oranges, and
sang it with us. Man, Dad, our next trip needs to be to Thailand, we
gave them cards and they accepted them!.... And the food was the best
Thai food I had ever eaten! The Pad Thai was a winner, so was the
Yellow and red curry ... I am taking you there Dad! Love youuuu! This
story was for you!

Well, pray that we find a prepared person ready for the gospel!
There are some out there, we just have to find them!

All of me loves all of you all!
Hermana Hammond

                                                Sealing of the Resendiz Family

                                         Woodstock Missionaries!

                                                                 Thai Food!!!!!

                                            At Denise's house

Jan.12, 2015 Some Miracles this week!

Jan. 12, 2015 Some Miracles this week!
Feliz Cumpleanos: Rob Eaton, Madi 8!! Wow, can't believe your getting baptized! I want to come!, Ryan Kate, Scott Kidd, Greg M, Matt, and Stuart!!!

Sorry that I have no time this week, but I just want to say I have the greatest family ever!

Let me just list some miracles this week:

The Villanuevas are officially una familia activa! -- we had a power lesson with them and they are preparing to go to the temple. We also brought with us Los Hermanos Pules, it was a powerful lesson. We taught the restoration and tied it back to the restoration, and asked, "what does the restoration have to do with TEMPLES??" and at the end they all answered, "It has EVERYTHING to do with TEMPLES!"

The hermano and the son are taking classes to prepare to have the priesthood. BIG miracle.

The familia Lara came to church! We had a great lesson with them! This is Giovanni, Ailana, and Ivonne. We read in Mosiah 2, and it was powerful. The spirit told us to be very direct with them and during the lesson we asked, "What do you think Heavenly Father would say to all of you right now about going to church?" and Giovanni answered, "He would say, GET ON IT..." ..... and this sunday they came :)

Well this is all that time permits. Next weeks letter will be better. I LOVE YOU FAMILY!

People to pray for

Rosa (she is taking a "spiritual vacation right now") PLEASE pray that we can get in contact with her.

Wanda.. she is going through some hard things

All of me loves all of you all

Hermana Hammond  

           

Thanks for the Aquarium tickets! It was awesome!

Jan. 5, 2015 50 Things I am grateful for!!

Jan. 5, 2015       50 Things I am grateful for!!
 Feliz Cumpleanos: Michael Weekes, Elder Ryan Hernandez, My Amazing Grandpa Green and David Daniel!!!!
Today I am going to tell you  50 things I am grateful for, from LAST year as a missionary and representative of Jesus Christ.

These have no specific order :)

1. Ricardo and Carmen

2. Hermana Monge

3. The sacrament

4. The current companion Hermana Kohlhase

5. The Priesthood

6. The Woodstock Rama

7. Being a missionary

8. Being on a bike that was bargained for, for $20

9. Trying to navigate Chicago, and figure out the buses and trains without looking like a tourist

10. Rosa, Enrique, Nicholas

11. Hermana Izu

12. Hilda Monge

13. The restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

14. Seeing the Gomez family get sealed in the temple

15. Hermano saucedo- the best ward mission leader anyone could ever have

16. La Familia Villanueva!

17. Hermana Woolf

18. EXCHANGES- it's me who does all of the learning

19. Good laughs with companions

20. Running away from dogs- or seeing them and crying a little bit

21. Hermano Ortiz and Hermana Velez from Midway

22. Hermana Michael

23.The "mother coat" o el abrigo madre

24. Joseph Smith

25. Bus contacting- one of my favorite things to do ever

26. Faith

27. Hermana Felt

28. The temple

29. Hermana Milagros

30. Running for the bus in our mother coats

31. Priesthood Blessings

32. Cleaning really dirty houses and making them new :)

33. Seeing people change and repent

34. Baptism

35. Christmas as a missionary

36. Talks in sacrament meeting

37. Spanish

38. Eating citas

39. Less-active work!!!!

40. President and Sister Woodbury

41. Bearing testimony

42. Mormon Messages

43. THOMAS S MONSON

44. My family

45. The Book of Mormon-- and Book of Mormon classes

46. Elder Hammond

47. Preach My Gospel

48. Prayer

49. Chicago

50. JESUS CHRIST- He really is why I am out here

I love you family, this is why I am here and I have so much more to do! Families to reactivate, people to baptize, and souls to save.

All of me loves all of you all!

Hermana Hammond