Monday, May 23, 2016

Hard week

How goes the adventure South of the equator? Its good. the Toliet water still spinns clockwise soo yeah. 
Did you pull out your wide brimmed hat now that the clothing rules have changed? Did all the Sister missionaries start wearing slacks all the time?   WHATY HAHAHAHA TA LOUCO!!?!?! NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS!! presidente will definitly say something about this tomorrow. hahaha are you crazy of course im gonna wear my hat. haha I think it might just be for americans

 Do they talk about Zika much there? yeah dangy (dengue fever) and zika is crazy here its literally getting everyone. half the missions got dangy already. its really strong in some areas and weak in others but its dangerous. it sends missionaries to the hospital for like a week. other cases are less serious. I think i had it for a week but it wasnt' too bad. Fever, rashes, at the end of the week my feet were like swollen and hurting super bad but you get over it. haha my feet hurt all the time so im used to it.

where do you shop for groceries?  we have to walk up a huggge hill to go to a little super mercado called pajeu. its alright but theres not a lot of stuff to buy. 

Do they have bakeries there?  HA! ive been living on bread for 3 months now. We live next to a bakery and there are like a lot of bakeries around brasil. 

Where you are now it is more like Ashburn (developed) or more like a third world country (people living in shacks and no sanitation)? third world country. There are some parts of the city that are super developed with huge houses but its like just a small part of the city.

So this week was pretty sad. I had a really bad day this week. That day no one wanted to hear our message, my recent converts had really bad news about serious sins, and one of my favorite ex investigators lost his soul. i was actually really sad. 

But yeah other than that the week was normal. had missionary work all day and all night. Im in JF today and ill go back tomorrow.

BUUTT I LOVE YOU GUYS!! Miss you all so much! 


-- 
Elder Hamm

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Getting warmer

Questions from Dad: 
You said it was cold – have you been wearing a jacket?  Ive been wearing my long sleeve shirts ive almost never worn. Haha, I also have i think 2 sweaters so I was wearing those too but its already gotten hot again.

Did that 72 year old convert get pneumonia?  To my knowledge no. 

Do you serve in just one branch? Yeah I serve in the Sion Branch. There is one more branch in this city called Varginha branch. but our branch is stronger and has more members even though its like 1/4th the size of the other. Haha what can I say, we love to baptise ;) 

So yeah between today and yesterday not a lot happened. Transfers. Elder B is going to be close to Juiz de Fora and im going to stay here and be companions with Elder T. When I lived in staff one of the Elders there was Elder S and he was the man. He's up at BYUI waiting for me to get there. So he trained my new comp and always talked good about him so im excited. haha

Other than that its just back to the old grind. I got a year left so its just head down and plowin. 

I love you guys!! It was so good to see you all!! Miss you guys so much! Cant wait till we´re all together so we can mess around and play cards and stuff. I have a new card game called Truco to play with you guys. 

I Love you guys!!  

-- 
Elder Hamm

Monday, May 2, 2016

A little over a year left....


Dad's Questions: 

How long does it take people to get to the temple from there?  here its actually pretty close. its like 7 hours. in juiz de fora its like 13.

Do they have ward temple trips?  yeah. in bigger areas they have them like once a month where the church rents a bus or van and people buy spots on the bus or van. here they are like once every 3 months.

I assume you don’t get to go to the temple since it is outside your mission?  That is correct
 
What investigator could use our prayers this week and why? Well there are a few who could use them but in Preach My Gospel it says to not ask your family to do prayers or special fasts for your investigators. but we do have 2 people who could be baptised this next week and that would be a huge blessing to them and would really help them out a lot.

So we went to São Lourenço this week to do an interview because their DL couldnt do it. it was 4 hours to get there and 4 hours back stopping off at every freakin farm and it was just the worst. but we did pass a little city called Lambari where I will probably buy a house as a safe house if I ever become a spy because its a small town with a huge lake and its super pretty. I took a picture and ill send it to you guys. its way pretty. but yeah.



We also had interviews with President Cascardi and then Sister Cascardi took me and Elder B back to our house to see if its clean or not.... lets just say last pday i was in JF so I couldnt clean so I guess no one cleaned. She was pretty mad but we joked. She told us what we could do better and this week our house is spotless. but President Cascardi is the man if I havent already said that.

So because I want to focus on the work here I have decided to pretend that i will be here for 1 more year. So do me a favor and play along. Haha I cant focus during the lessons cause I think about the beach and family and stuff so lets just all go along with this lie. haha.

This week I bore my testamony at church (not unusual because I normally do it every first sunday because there isnt a lot of members and I like to bear it) and I talked about gratitude. I realized this week that when we call people, its never really to just chat. When the missionaries call its because they need help or they have a plan and you are part of it! But me and Elder B were just feeling really humbled by the work and help of some of the members here and I was just so grateful for people taking care of me. And I thought how are we ever going to show our appreciation and repay these people? And then it hit me. I dont have to! well, not alone, I can show my gratitude of course and try to do the same to others but in a way, Missionary work isn't mine! I am not the owner of this work. God is! When these people give rides to my investigators or come to teach lessons with us during their lunch break or come pick us from the bus station at midnight they are doing part of this marvelous work! The work of God! They too are getting the blessings of our heavenly father. He will repay them in ways I cant even imagine. I am so grateful for people and their help and so imagine the gratitude of God. It was a good feeling and a even better feeling knowing that these people will be belssed. 

I love you guys! I'm so happy that Jackie got married and it all worked out. I guess ill see you guys next sunday for Mother's Day? Maybe? haha I only got a little over a year left so we dont have to skype right? ;) haha love you guys!!

-- 
Elder Hamm