Jesus The Christ

What do you do on a typical P-day?  P day we dont do a lot... Even though the presidente forbid anyone from "doing nothing on P day, or sleeping." We normally stay in our house writting letters, talking, making something to eat, joking around. Sometimes we go to a members house to chill there cause there are so many cool members here. Last week we went to J´s house (I´ll send a pic) and just hung out there.

What time is your church on Sunday? Sunday church starts at 9. 

 Are there multiple wards in your building? No we are the only ward in this building and it is a big beautiful building because it was meant to be the stakecenter but turns our there's another area with a higher attendence rate so they moved the stake center there and we got left with a big beautiful building all to ourselves. haha its pretty sweet. 

This week was pretty awesome. Saturday we helped someone build their house! Or, well, continue building their house. So if I were to explain how to build a house here in Brasil it would take fooorrreveeerr. But its super neat how they do it and makes perfect sense. So here is like a summary. They put 9 metal rods in about 13 cm thick cement to make a frame, its like a box that makes up the corners of the house. Then on top of the house they get more metal rods embeaded in cement and lay them on top of the cement box you made. Then you can put bricks (which are super heavy and not that wise to use) or styrofoam (which is lighter and 1 real more expensive) to fill in the cracks between the cement planks you put down. Next saturday we´ll put 13 more cm of cement on top of all these cement planks and thats the hardest because you have to mix the cement on the floor with a hoe because those machines are expensive. and that takes a LOT of energy. but im excited. Ill send pics to help explaine. haha or maybe next week Ill send them

But yeah this week I had the opportunity to study a lot about Jesus Christ and his life, mostly about the sacrifice that he made and the way he handled it. I think my favorite part of all of it is when Peter is talking to Him and saying that he will go to the ends of the earth even death to stay by the side of Jesus. Thats when Jesus saids something along the lines of in Lucas 22:31 "Simon Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have been converted, strengthen your brothers." I thought that this scripture is about the coolest thing ever. He knew that Peter's Spirit was really strong but his body weak. Imagine the Savior of the world, the Prince of peace praying for you. Jesus Christ took upon himself the pains and sins of the world so that we could all be clean and make it back to live with him and with our families for all of eternity. And Jesus really has prayed for us, he paid the price for us and all we have to do is accept his sacrifice. We accept it by being baptized by someone who has the priesthood of God or the authority to baptize and perform the sacred ordinances of the Gospel. Im go grateful that I have 2 years to help people understand this, and to help them accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ so that we can see our family members after this life. I love you guys and I really miss you all!! Ill try and send some pictures now!! love you guys!!

Elder Hamm

yeah maybe if I find someone in the ward who can clean the virus off my card ill send you the pictures. haha thats actually reallly sad cause the pictures thsi week were really sick but yeah Love you guys!!

Pooh Bear Chillin'

this is my bed where pooh bear just chills flying kites all day and elder M.  And the falg where the Elders sign

On Mon, Aug 17, 2015 at 2:04 PM, Jacob Hamm <jacob.hamm@myldsmail.net> wrote:

messing around 

Q´s: Tell me about a family there who recently joined the church and what made them decide to become members.

Well something really cool about Brasil is pretty much everyone here is a convert to the church. Everyone has a story as of how they were baptized here and what made them know that this was the right choice. Some say that the had a very slight rememberance of the lessons the missionaries left with them so they knew that they were sent from God. Others took a little bit longer and after a year or two decided that they could stay on the border the rest of their lives as to, be baptized or not, or they could be baptized. this is when they really decided to pray and ask God and thats when they recieved their answers. Really almost everyone here has a story super cool which makes me kinda jealous because I was baptized at 8 years old but everyone in some point in their lives have to come to the conclusion themselves, whether this Gospel, Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon are things of God or are from the devil. There is no inbetween, it is either all true or all a lie. And the only answer we can trust and really receive is from God, through prayers and reading the Book of Mormon and honestly searching. That didnt really answer your question but thats what I want to write. haha

also I found some guns 

Sooo this week I was sick. Yet again, but this time it was pretty tough. My comp C was also pretty sick this week so we ended up going to the hospital with him sunday right after sacrament. But we´re both recuperating well.

I met a guy this week who was a assistante to Presidente when he was in the mission manous. Now that mission baptized like CRAZZZZYYY like this guy was telling me that he had almost 500 baptisms. which I believe cause Ive heard the stories ive just never met one of them. and as i was talking to this guy it occurred to me that I hadnt ever seen him at church and he lived in our area, so long story short, This Legend, this guy who was assistant to the president who baptised 30 per week is now a less active member of the church, is divorced, and doesnt get to see his kids that often. 

So we visted him this week with one of his best friends in the ward A, and A doesnt pull any punches. When we get there he asks us "why didn't God save my marraige? Why didn't he help me when I worked so hard for two years and did so much good?" And A replied with something that will stay in my mind until I die. He said, "Because He couldn't. Were you going to church on sundays? Were you reading your scriptures? Were you having family night evey monday? God couldnt help you because God has rules too, and if he did help you he would be breaking his rules and would thereby cease to be God. God is a just God and sadly that means that if we don't do our part, he cant help us." That hit everyone in the room pretty hard. and just helped me remember that it is by the little things, the small and precious things, are great things come to pass. 

So yeah that was kinda my week.

love you guys!!!! miss you all!!

LOVEEE 

Elder Hamm

awnser to prayers...if that's how you spell answers

What is a popular item street vendors sell there? There is always stands for hot dogs (which is different than the US) and BBQ. The hot dogs are with like 20 different things on top thats like cheese, corn, peas, ham, bacon, egg, little tiny french fries, and other stuff

So this week was pretty sick, just to share a quick story that happened. So we were in our house at 11:30ish at night, Me Elder C and 2 other elders from a different district. We are waiting for Elder M and Elder J to get home from Juiz De Fora where they had a meeting and had to pick up a bunnnch of supplies.

Some side info, J was super sick he was having a allergic reaction to some salad we ate and had already been to the hospital twice and the supplies they were bringing were for 5 districts because our zone in the biggest zone so it would be a LOT of supplies.

So were sitting in home talking waiting for these guys to get there and all the sudden the thought enters my mind that we should go help them. It wasnt a firm someone saying ´we should help them´ and it wanst a prompting. But I know it was divine because of how weird it was that the thought just popped into my mind. So I say "lets go help them cruz." And C is like "Its wayy late and im tried." So jokingly I was like "God will give you strength." and C, who would normally try to desist a little more just said "okay." So we leave and start kinda jogging down the street to the bus station, about 30 minutes from our house. after about 15 we see 2 guys in suits with a BUNCH of boxes on a cart turn down a side road. I had no idea that side road went to our street but I felt like that was them so when we reached the side road I looked up and about 20 yard in front of us I see both of them stopped in the middle of the road in front of a hill and I tell C to run over there and see if its them. So he runs over and sees its them and calles me over to help. When we get there J is super swollen with red spots and M is literally about ready to cry. He said that in the bus station he prayed that these boxes would be light and when they started he felt like he could make it home. But on the way it got heaver and heaver and when they reached that hill he was praying "God please send someone, Anyone, to help." As soon as he said amen they heard the voice of C and knew that we had come to help them. He said that he couldnt have taken one more step and as we got in home we all felt the spirit really strong about prayers. 

I personally love to help people and I am so greatful that God trusted me to be a tool in his hands and help 2 of his servents. Im greatful that he called me to help and not some car or stranger on the road. 

Sorry I dont have time to write more but i LOVE YOU guys!! miss you all soooo much!!

Elder Hamm

Visiting Less Actives

When are transfers?  When you had that short transfer period it messed up all my calendars and I haven’t gotten them all fixed yet.  Transfers were last week so the next transfer if im not mistaken (or too trunky) will be on the 31st. 

How do you do most of your contacting?  So I used to always just knock doors cause I liked knocking doors but that isnt the most efficent way to work so now we´re working more on visiting less actives in the church and part member families to try to find new people to teach and help get baptised. Its going really well if I do say so myself. 

Where is the place in your mission that everyone wants to get sent? Where is the place one wants to be sent? Everyone wants to be sent to Menis because in the state of Menis everyone is more accepting of the gospel and is more open hearted. Here in Rio its like New York but with more deaths, drugs, and guns. Haha but yeah I have yet to serve in Menis.... But I like it here in Rio. Places like Três Corações, and Varginha baptise like 20 or on a good month 30. So yeah. 

Sooo this week was just another week of work work work. Something really funny happened this week though. So in order to be baptised into our church you have to be interviewed by someone. Normally its the district leader but if the district leader is baptising the Zone leaders have to go and interview them. So I live with the Zone leaders and most times Me and Elder M will go to interview someone while Elder J and Elder C will do splits so we don't completely abandon an area and waste a full day of work. 

So me and Elder M are on a bus comming home from Barra do Piari and its one of those travel busses with recliner seats where they turn the lights off at night. So its like 7 at night and were halfway home (about 30 more minutes) and 5 young couples get on the bus and you can tell they´ve kinda been drinking so the bus takes off, the lights go off, and me and Elder M just know that some not so praise worthy things are going on in the dark. So when the lights turn at the next stop everyone jumps back into their seat and act like they werent doing anything, Me and M are laughing pretty hard and we look at the driver and he just kinda shakes his head then we look at the cobrador (who collects the money) and he just kinda shrugs like what can you do? and so when the lights turn off again I yell "TA FACIL" and Elder M saids "ta perecendo um hotel aqui!" haha which is like, oh so its that easy? its lookin like a hotel in here" hahhaha so everyone starts busting out laughing and they all stopped cause they were all embarrassed. haha but when we get off at the bus station we were all joking about it and gave them all pass along cards and they were all super chill. 

To be a missionary you cant have any shame. This is something I still struggle with and something Elder M was born with. He´ll tell people exactly what hes thinking, hell call a lady in the ward and say lunch fell though and ask if we could eat lunch with her, he´ll do pretty much anything. Haha one time he didnt wanna walk all they way to the store (10 minutes) so he called the family who lives up the street and asked if they could drive us haha I love this guy. 

My comp is good Elder C. He works really hard and is learning really fast. Hes also studying english, and I think me helping him, is only making it worse. (Miss Colebank will get a kick out of that, the fact that im trying to teach english) I can only tell him if it makes sense or not haha. but yeah I love you guys miss you all a ton. Hope all is going well!!

Love,

Elder Hamm

Update

this is presidente d who is the second counsler in the stake presidência who lives up the street from us and we have family night in their house evey sunday cause we love them. 

What do you wear most days when you go out working – long sleeves or short?  Are you crazy? Sister cascardi made a new rule that you cant roll up your sleeves so I almost always work with short sleeves. I only wear long sleeves sunday cause it looks better with a suit

How do you pick out which tie to wear?  Its basicly how im feelin that day. But I try to wear them all before repeating. You know how it is.

What is something that many people have on the walls in their homes? hmmm I dont really understand the question but some people have those statues of saints to worship? or photos? Haha

Soooo Elder Costa!! We got to hear him and I really learned a lot about how I can better myself and better my teaching abilites. I got a really strong testimony that despite our falts and our weaknesses, God will still call us to do his work because we have things that other people need, be it, knowledge, teaching ability, a good atidude, ext...

This week was pretty good. It was hard to work and have some good results cause really we only worked thursday friday and saturday because we had to travel to Petropolis and then the LZ´s had to do some interview in Itatia so I went with Matos to do the interview so Cruz could work in our area and Jardime in their area. It was cool. 

buttt yeah sadly I have to go but I llove you guys!! miss you guys so much!!

Love, 

Elder hamm

Hump Day

Questions: 
How did the nail wounds in your hand heal up?  Suppppper sick. Haha but really it healed up nicely. 

Where do people go on vacation there? cabo frio, Angra dos Reis (man that place is sick just to look at the pictures of crystal clear beach waters)  

How often do you eat at members homes?  Here we eat lunch amost every day at a members house. Only like 3 times por week we receive money to buy things and eat in our house. 

Do you burn shirts at your hump day? I dont burn anything... actually thats a lie. But I dont burn anything of value because I am my fathers son and my dad doesnt like anything to go to waste. haha BUUTTT I do have some shirts that have permanant stains and one has a hole that I stitched shut so it looks like a bullet hit me and so yeah I might just burn a shirt at 1 year. Haha speaking of shirts I might have to buy some more because they are all stained with literally all sorts of stuff. 

You know cause in the moment I always try to help people like I see some old lady trying to cut down bananas and im like, "oh can I help?" (mainly because it looks super cool and kinda a challenge to cut them down) and theyll say "no youre in such nice clothes, youll get all dirty!" and thats when I say something I probably shouldn't like "senhora If I go home clean I feel like I didnt even leave the house to work that day." or "Do you think that Jesus went home every day, without a speak of dirt on his shoes?" and thats why all my shirts have stains. And another thing, Im not even ashamed of my stains! but really I think im gonna buy some more clean shirts. haha especially since on wednesday ill be seeing a member of the quorum of 70.

So yeah this week was good, you guys remember that green parrot from my last email? So we went over to their house again this week (they live wayyy in the boonies but we had someone to teach) and I was messing around with this parrot. So I put my finger on the edge of the cage and this dude sneakly comes over and pecks it. so I was kinda startled so I let out a "woooah" and whipped my finger back. So this parrot literally starts laughing like one of the most cynical laughs ever. Haha so I start playing with him and every time that he pecked my finger I would let out a little scream. So the dad calls my name and I look over and right when Im not looking this parrot bites my finger and hunks a chunk off! And then starts laughing!!! Hahaha so now I have a little hole in my finger from a parrot. 

So monday we played ball at O's house and her husband who passed away was a soccer player for flemango and then a famous doctor here in Barra Mansa so she has lets just say money to blow. So we get there and shes not even home. but we see this guy bbqing some food and hes like if you guys wanna eat now you can or you guys can play ball first. haha She payed some guys to cook food for us. Then we played some soccer and invited him to play. it was super sick. she had a pool too and it was SO freakin hard not to jump into that pool. but we played with water balloons so that was cool. 

So wednesday at night I will go back to my old area Cascatinha to sleep there for one night!! Then on Thursday I will listen to elder Claudio R.M. Silva give a talk to us about missionary work in Correas. so that should be sick. 

We also had a ward party for Junina! its basically like a country fest. haha its super awesome and we had a booth that was all about missionary work and we handed out 7 books of mormon and like 8 packages of the pass along cards. its freakin sweet Ill send you guys some photos. but I love you guys!! miss you guys lots!!! 

Also O and L are the two super nice kinda old ladies who keep putting photos of us on Facebook! we have a family night with them every sunday at like 5ish then they make us a dinner ish thing and dessert cause they live all alone and their granddaughters who live near them like the missionaries and arent members. Haha so basicly their freakin sweet and I love them ahha

so on the 23rd we have plans to stop working around 7ish and to go celebrate my 1 year. haha we have like 5 people from the ward and 2 of our investigators who will be baptized hopefully next saturday who are gonna party with us. hahah love you guys!! 

Elder Hamm

Missing Peanut Butter

What do you find that you don’t miss at all that you thought you would miss before you went on your mission?  hmm well theirs a lot of things I thought I wouldNT miss that Im missing...? Like peanutbutter. 

You said more people in your new area have cars, how are the drivers there?  They drive like they drive in India.. crazy. Motors swerving in and out of lanes and really with whatever rules they want. haha

 What music is on the radio there – do you hear US music as you walk around? They like Funk here its like super explicit with the same beat but they also like songs in english so I hear a lot of popular music on the streets here. 

Sooo lets start off with last monday, so right after we left the house we went over to the second counselor in the stake presidency and we had bbq! haha it was super good but a little different than the US. I´ll send you a pic. 

Then we went wayyyy out into the boonies for lunch this week and when we got there this family (who thinks im gonna marry their daughter who gets home from her mission in 20ish days) has a bunch of land and a parrot that talks like crazyyy.  its sick so its like 2 hours walking to get there so we take a bus. The only problem is that the only bus that passes there passes at like 11 and then again at 3 in the afternoon so we were there for 3 ish hours. so we visited some of their neighbors and stuff. haha but it was way sick i´ll show you guys a pic.

Then we also Baptized a lady who has 83 years!! Shes super awesome and the missionaries have been working with her for about a year and she just felt like she wasnt ready. So one day we were over there and she was talking to us about something random and I was already feeling like crap cause I was sick and stuff so I just wanted to go in on her and the spirit kinda hit me in the back of the head and was like, listen and you might learn something. So I kinda sat up and started listening to what she was saying and she was talking about a dream she had about a man in white and some big gates and stuff and in that moment I just started explaining that the man in white was my companion waiting to baptize her and that the gates are the gates of heaven and stuff and I just started to interpret
her dream just going off the promptings of the spirit. it was suppper sick and super spiritual. so yeah 

But yeah this week were going over to a hugggge house for pday to play some ball and chill out and stuff. The lady there is like 70 and lives alone in a mansion so this should be fun, well do some exploring and take some pictures. haha love you guys!! miss you all tons

Elder Hamm