Monday, June 13, 2016

Good questions for the last letter



As you are near the end of your mission, what would you tell someone considering a mission about how to prepare?  Study the scriptures and go out with the missionaries. That's probably the best you could do. 

What challenged you the most about your mission?  On the mission there are a lot of challenges and a lot of really hard times. Its hard to try to isolate just one thing that was the hardest but I would say having a companion that you dont like, is probably the hardest. You just wanna hit him in the face as hard as you possibaly can but you know you cant. You wanna just run away and be alone for a day or a few hours but you cant. You have to be patient. You have to try to love him. That's extremely hard for me because for years I held grudges. I would get mad quickly and so for the past 2 years Ive been working on losing those time-earned habits.  

Do you think you have changed? If so how? I have definitely changed. If I havent changed then the mission would be of no purpose. Interesting about the change is it's not so much losing weight, or getting older (that's happened too) but it's more about the inner you. I'm still me. I love to joke around, a lot of the time more than I should. I still have problems obeying those little white rules that dont really seem to make a difference. I still have weaknesses and things I struggle with. The difference is I now know how to get through any problem. Bold, right? I know the cure for any broken heart. I know where I can find peace and love and comfort that no beer or drugs any worldly pleasure could give me. I know where true happiness lies and I know that I am destined for much more than I´ve been living up to. 

Knowing these things, sadly, doesn't mean I will always live them with perfect ease. There will be times when I´ll fall. But I know I have to get back up. I might get distracted and lose sight briefly of the straight and narrow path. But I know the process well, for as far as ive fallen, ive gotten back up. So am I different, absolutely. Will you be able to see the difference? Maybe, maybe not. But by your fruits you will know them. Ask me again in 10 years if the mission changed me and then you´ll see. 

I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ here on the earth. I know that this is the only church on the whole earth that has the authority of God to baptize and make promises with God that are sealed here on earth and in Heaven. I know that my Savior lives. I know that through His sacrifice I can be made clean and pure. I can be forgiven of my sins, even the worst ones I dont want anyone to know about, He knows, and He has forgiven me. I know that God has a plan for everyone here on earth and even if you dont see it He helps you out everyday. He watches you and cares for you and wants the best. I know that the Leaders of the church, Presidents, Bishops, Apostles, Prophets, I know that they are all called of God and He called them because He needed their skills to bring his work forward. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that everything about it is true. I know that God gave it to us to have the rest of the eternal gospel that was lost over the many years and alterations of the Bible. I know this is all true and I now have a burning desire to share it with everyone I know because this is eternal life. This is happiness that lasts longer than a high and doesn't give you a hangover. 

I love you guys and I love the mission. I came on the mission out of plain obedience to the commandment that all worthy young men should serve a mission. I stayed on the misson because I learned the true meaning of the commandment. I think serving a mission is my favorite commandment.  haha!  Love you guys.  See you soon. 

The last letter of,
Elder Hamm

I fee like there should be some dramatic ending like The end. or something hahah, but yeah, maybe like Over and out. yeahh

Over and out.

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

another day older and deeper in.... blessings ;)

Our zone is like a ward!  


Tell us about one of your investigators – how did you meet them.  Well this week a girl called T went to church! We found her because we received a reference from a member and when we went there the reference wasnt there so we decided to knock the neighbors door to not make the trip a whole waste. And she was super skeptical. on the second visit she said she didn't read the Book of Mormon because she didnt know who Nephi was but right when we walked in she said, "how do you baptisms for the dead?" So we explained about doubts and questions and the difference between them and then asked where she learned about Baptism for the dead (which to her dismay is my FAVORITE TOPIC AND TO ME THE MOST UNDERSTANDABLE DOCTRINE that you can really get just all out of the Bible). And she admitted a friend had told her about it so after explaining all of it she said "wow you really believe all of that? That is weird, thats the weirdest thing ive ever heard. im sorry but thats crazy." Thats when I said, "Well, T, we showed you all the evidence of this in the bible and we explained it to you in a way where you dont have any questions so now your problem isnt with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints its with the bible so tonight I think you should really pray to God and ask HIM if the Bible is the word of God because this is biblical not just with the Church of Jesus Christ. And thats when she felt really stupid and from then on didn't really doubt anything but had good questions and understood the doctrine of the chapters we marked really well. She said she loved the church and that she's going to come here every sunday and shes gonna bring her family (shes 24) becuase she loved it so much. It really was a miracle. God is so great.

What is your favorite part of “Preach My Gospel”?  Probably about our purpose as missionaries. How we can be sucessfull in the mission field. It says a lot of things that conforted me in the beginning of my mission knowing that I could be successful without baptising people like Alma. haha

What do most people wear to church? eh normal. just there is always a few who wear jeans and a white shirt and tie. Sunday J wore a suit with a t shirt and a tie I gave him as a present after he was baptised. hahahaha it was so funny. hes a crazy old guy. haha

This was by far the best fast sunday in a lonnnggg time. All of the recent converts got up there and bore their testamony about 2 angels going to their house and finding them when they most needed to be found. They were so grateful for the Gospel in their lives and all of them said they intend to be a member of this church untill they die. They talked about the troubles they had and the answers they got that I didnt even know about. I dont think I let a tear roll down my cheek but I was definitely chokin up in the back. God really does do a lot of wonders among the children of men. 

Me, the Big Man and his wife
We taught 2 women who were sitting outside of their house when we walked past. They were staring an awful lot, so I decided since they were so curious, I would stop to talk to them. We started off our lesson about God and families and prophets and the church Jesus Christ built. They were already telling me I was wrong. I explained to them the truth and showed a few verses in the Bible and continued. My companion taught that the authority was taken from the earth and lost and they were already tellin us we were wrong. That if it was lost there would be no purpose of us being here. I said EXACTLY! So i started with the first vision, they were laughing in my face when i said that this young boy's prayer was answered. It was a really neat expierence Just kinda taking the rejection nobely and teaching what I know to be true. I'm past the point where the laughter of others make me doubt what I'm saying. I have a message to share with everyone who will listen. Whether it be of God or not I would LOVE for them to be the judge, in fact we INVITE them to be the judge. To pray and ask god if all this is true. My comp taught about the proof we have the "fruits" of joseph smith being the Book of Mormon. and they didnt want the book. But they wanted us to come back another day where they would have a list of questions for us to answer. I said I would be happy to help them know anything they want about the Church of Jesus Christ and about God. Whether they accepted or not they had been taught the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and they cannot be found blameless in the last day before God. Maybe that was our purpose in teaching them, just to plant a small seed. 

But yeah I love you guys!! miss you all lots and lots!! MAN i was pretty sad this week. We had 2 dates to be baptized this week but NO ONE TOLD THE MISSIONARIES that it was district confrence. I called the presidente begging him to let me baptize but he said the rule is that there has to be sacrament meeting to be confirmed... I was like NOOOOO But they will be baptised next next week. but yeah love you guys!!

--
Elder Hamm

P.S. I’ve had that experience (of wanting to help Nathan or Tyler prepare for a mission) too, only it was earlier on the mission in a really hard area. I thought about Nathan and about how am I gonna let him go on a mission when it’s so freakin hard!  It took me a while and the answer came months later. I can’t stop the world or Satan from tempting him. I can’t ask God to take away their trials and make their lives perfect. That would not make them any better than they are now. I want their missions to be as hard as they can take because the harder they are the stronger you leave, and the more prepared for the rest of your life you will be. You just have to hang in there and just take it. Not a take it like "bite the bullet" but take it like, "seja feito tua vontade e não a nossa." [Not my will Lord, but thine be done.]  The mission was good for me. 
 

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Elder C

Which companion taught you the most and how/why?  Hmm well they all have taught me different things but I think Elder C really taught me a lot about how I can't control other people I can just be paitent and let him do what he wants. 

What is your favorite scripture right now?  hmm well today I read Alma 21 where the king there talks about how he will give up all his sins to know God. I thought that was a really interesting message. But my favorite of all time would be in Mosiah, I think... where Alma asks God about what he should do with all the members of the church that are doing really bad things and God talks about repentance. I dont remember where it is right now but when I find it ill send it to you haha

What is your favorite tie? I Have a lot of favorite ties. you can probably tell by the fotos which tie I wear the most. 

But yeah this week was pretty normal. Im geting on a little early because we´re going fishing soon so thats gonna be fun!! WOOO!

The zone confrence was awesome! it went really well. This is a group of really good missionaries who love the Lord and love to serve. Im really sad that was my last zone meeting but it was a good one. 30 in attendance. hahah it was the size of some wards here. I gave the training on studying and how we can study better. It was awesome. Presidente gave that training on tuesday so really i just passed what he told me to pass on. But yeah Im gonna keep working hard! im super determined to baptize a few more before I go home!! I love you guys!! miss you all a ton! 


-- 
Elder Hamm