Dec. 19, 2015 Guayaquil

Dec. 19, 2015 Guayaquil

This week has been so amazing!  I am loving the mission more than you can even know! Right now we're in a place called Piñas! It's a place almost in the center of our mission. It's just a ton of mountains! We've come to see how all of the missionaries are and everything!  This week has been great! We had the great opportunity to have training meeting for new missionaries that come to the mission.  To see the fire they all have coming from the MTC! They are a little funny when they come but it gives us more desire to work!!

Just wanted to tell everyone MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!! The next time I'll talk to my family will be on Christmas!  I am SOO EXCITED For that!! To talk to my amazing wonderful and supportive family on Christmas!!  I love this work!! I love it with all of my heart! I know that as we are obedient and trusting in the lord he will bless us with more blessings that we can even imagine!! Obedience brings blessings but obedience with exactness brings MIRACLES!!  We are seeing them every single day!! I know Christ LIVES!!! He is OUR SAVIOR!! He was sent to save us and redeem us! I am learning and more than grateful to PREACH and defend His Faith for these last 18 months!! I will keep doing it!! I love you soo much!!  MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Elder Hammond

Dec. 12, 2015 Guayaquil

Dec. 12, 2015 Guayaquil

This week has been insane!!  I can't even believe how fast it has gone by and how many things we are doing!  I'm absolutely loving it!!  This week we have had the grand privilege to be and do stuff with the choir.  We are pretty much in charge of it! This week we took a WHOLE tour around the WHOLE mission presenting in front of every Stake that we have in the mission! I had the opportunity to be a narrator along with my companion, President, and the presiding Stake President.  For example, if we were singing in Dads stake, Dad would be the narrator! Kinda fun!! So we just BARELY got back from Cuenca.  We had that show last night!  We are all tired!  It is an amazing thing!! I love it!!   This week will be even more amazing!! We have soo many things to do and to plan for! Missionaries ending and coming to the mission,  the choir and so many other things! I LOVE IT!! 

A special moment this week was when I was in Loja! When I was there, there was a guy that was called David and his Mom would never give him permission to get baptized.  He would literally beg his mom balling his eyes out to be baptized! When I was there we worked our brains off to be able and gain the moms trust making food from the states and just EVERYTHING!  Then I had changes! A few weeks later when we had training mtgs. I saw the zone leaders that were in loja and they told me he got baptized!! So..When the choir was done in loja David CAME, he came up to me and gave me the biggest hug just crying and crying saying that we got baptized! By the end we were both crying of joy! He is defnitely a different man and THE GOSPEL IS TRUE!!! I love you family and I love this church!! 

Love, Elder Hammond

The picture is a family I baptized in Naranjal!! Super fun to see them active in the church still!!

Dec. 5, 2015 A note to dad

Dec. 5, 2015

We went to a place called Santa Rosa, it's 4 hours from Guayaquil. We went to go work with some missionaries and split into divisions. We went on a bus and it looked like everyone was kind of down. We thought everyone needs a little lift, so I asked my companion, “hey bro, have you ever sang in a bus before, because we sing all the time in buses!?” So I asked the missionary by me, “Do you have your hymn book?” and he’s like, “yeah.” I was like, “ok good!  Follow me!” I went to the front of the bus and asked the bus driver to turn off the music, and this gringo missionary and I asked them (the people on the bus..) what was their favorite christmas hymn, and so we sang Angels We Have Heard on High! It was very neat! Then we went and the bus driver asked OTRA? Which means another? We sang another and then we invited the entire bus to be baptized and go to church, it was a really special experience for the new missionary;  but I have and do those types of things every day! If I don’t sing on a bus I preach and invite to the people on the buses that have 40 maybe 50 on them. Some people don’t listen, but most do. I really hope we can change lives! I’m just trying like it says in the scriptures INVITE ALL!! So that’s what we’re doing! I am giving my all to the Lord!

Elder Hammond

Dec. 5, 2015 Guayaquil

Dec. 5,   2015 Guayaquil

Well, this week has been AMAZING!! It has gone by fast soooo fast it's crazy!! It's been really fun and really busy!! We had to plan and organize so that the missionaries could go and do sessions in the temple! We have about 200 missionaries and some missionaries live more than 12 hours away (which is loja!) We did that Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday! WE DID IT! It went soo well! Everyone in the whole mission was able to do a session and enter the temple even us!! WHAT A BLESSING it is to go to the temple and feel the spirit I LOVE IT!! Also what we're doing is called the Coro Navideño! We have done 3 shows here in Guayaquil! You can see more on the face book page, we have Mission Ecuador Guayaquil Sur 2013-2016! We are narrators and we get to present all of that this next week outside of Guayaquil, so this week is going to BE NUTS!! SUPER PACKED!! We also have new people coming soon and it's been amazing!


I want to share a cool story!!! On Wednesday we went and got people for the temple and 2 missionaries came up to me and said that they talked to my cousin Michelle here in the terminal! I thought that was so COOL!! So we got everyone loaded to sleep at the temple and we had 40 missionaries that we were in charge of!!
As I walk in the front entrance I hear JJJJJAAAAACCCCCOOOBBBBBB!!!!!!! I was like WHATT?!?! I looked over scared!!! Sure enough it was my beautiful cousin MICHELLE!!!! I had noo idea how to react!!! like noo idea. I couldn't even believe that I saw her!! let alone in the temple!!! I shook her hand and it was soo weird!! We started talking in Spanish and it was cool we took a picture and we both had to go do our own things!! I was like oh my gosh!!  My cousin!!!!!!!! POR FIN!!! I saw her!! I was like oh my gosh what do I do... like I didn't know!  It was amazing!! Wow, such a highlight in my mission! She is SOO GORGEOUS!!!! It's amazing! Anyways that's my week!!! love you all soo much!!
Love Elder Hammond

Nov. 29, 2015 Guayaquil

Nov. 29,  2015 Guayaquil

FELIZ DIA DE ACCION DE GRACIAS!

En serio cada uno de nosotros somos sumamente bendecidos para tener el evangelio en nuestras vidas! Voy a tratar a escribir en español porque es un poco mas facil para mi ahorita.  jaja pero este semana ha sido buenisimo! Hemos vista tantos milagros en la obra del Senor! Tuvimos Consejo de lideres con todos los lideres de zona y hermana lideres era muy estresante.  Tuvimos la oportunidad para dormir por solo 2 horas y mi cabeza estaba en ful dolor pero esta bien! Yo AMO con todo mi corazón este evangelio que bendición y privilegio que tengamos para ser guiados por un profeta de Dios. Se con ninguna duda que Jesucristo mismo es nuestra capitan y el nos dirige en cada momento! Que honor es para mi para ser un soldado en su ejercito y ser un discípulo verdadero en este ultimos dias! Cada dia estoy aprendiendo algo nuevo y progresando! Aunque si es difícil pero con el Senor es posible! Este semana vamos a organizar que cada misionero puedan ir a hacer una sesion en el templo entonces va hacer una semana muy beuna! Muchas gracias por todo sus oraciones y por TODO su apoyo en todo! YO SE CON TODO MY CORAZON que la iglesia es verdadera! Y siempre cantare el nombre de nuestra salvador Jesu Cristo a cada persona! 

Elder Hammond

Here it is in english--- (Pretty close anyway:) ) I am definitely rusty on my translation- It sounds better in Spanish He told me that they had to organize the whole meeting and he had to present 15 minutes alone!  Love ya'll Noelle

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY!

Really each of us are greatly blessed to have the gospel in our lives! I'll try to write in Spanish because it's a bit easier for me right now. haha but this week has been great! We have seen so many miracles in the Lord's work! We had a meeting with the Council leaders and zone leaders and the Hermana leaders, it was very stressful. We had the opportunity to sleep for only two hours and my head was in pain.  but it's okay! I love this gospel with all my heart  and what a  blessing and privilege we have to be guided by a prophet of God. It is with no doubt that Jesus Christ is our captain and directs us in every moment! What an  honor it is for me to be a soldier in his army and be a true disciple in this last days! Every day I am learning something new and progressing! Although it is difficult but possible with the Lord! This week we will organize  every missionary to go do a session in the temple.  It will be a very great week! Thank you very much for all your prayers and for your support in everything!  I KNOW WITH ALL MY HEART that the Church is true! And I always sing the name of our savior Jesus Christ to every person!

Elder Hammond

                                               On top of the clouds!!! President took this on our way to mtgs.

  

Ecuador

                                               An Elder thats leaving

Nov. 23, 2015 Guayaquil

Nov. 23, 2015 Guayaquil

Well, this week was really legit!! We worked our tails off here in the office! We had the great opportunity to go to Naranjal this week and to work hard over there! I got to see over 20 of my converts that I had there!! It was such a joyous reunion to see that more than half are assisting and some have assisted the temple.  They even have the priesthood of God!! WHAT A BLESSING!! 
 Mom,  I have some money in my bank account can you please make sure that I can take it out!! I need some money sorry.   I really love this gospel with ALL MY HEART!! Really I just love it soo much!!  Maybe I can't go out and preach like a normal missionary, I LOVE helping missionaries. Being by the side every single day to the mission president and just working hard I LOVE THIS Work!!  It is the Lords work and I know that I am going to be the most happy doing something that the Lord would want me to be doing!! love you family soo much and thank you for all of your support!!I got to go!!!

Love,

Elder Hammond

Nov. 14, 2015 Guayaquil

Nov. 14, 2015 

17 Months!!!! Can you believe that!! Time is literally flying!!!  I don't have much time again today to write because we are doing soo many things and working hard with the missionaries.  This week we have been visiting soo many zones and doing so many things to help the missionaries. I think alot of them don't like us at all! but its alright! ha ha I LOVE THIS GOSPEL!! literally it is the biggest blessing to be here in Ecuador helping the Lord press forth his work!! My companion Elder Soto is a great guy! A great missionary who helps me a lot to be better! I Really LOVE being a missionary and being able to be soo close with President Torres! love you soo much!!  THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!!

Elder Hammond

Nov. 7, 2015 Guayaquil

Nov. 7, 2015 Guayaquil 

 This week has been awesome!! We have worked dang hard!!  We did good with the newbies and the terminators! We have worked soo hard and we haven't been sleeping at all. We are here in Santa Rosa and going to a place called Pindal! I have never been there because it's just a place for the assistants! It's cool! Sorry I have noo time to write because we got to go work!! But I LOVE THIS GOSPEL!! We are doing soo good we are tearing it up and I love the gospel with all my heart! Thanks for all of your support! I  love my family!!! Thanks for everything!!! 
Love you!!!!!!

Elder Hammond 

Nov. 2, 2015 Guayaquil --

Nov. 2, 2015 Guayaquil

I am soooo sorry that I wasn't able to email on saturday!! WE WERE SOO BUSY!!! We couldn't even email you just to tell you guys that we were okay and everything!! That will happen sometimes.  If I don't write on saturday don't worry I am okay!!  I love you soo much!! We went to Santa Rosa and there was a conference. We went with President.  Super cool!! We are super super busy right now and have SOO MUCH to do!! We have over 40 changes in the mission tonight.  We have 11 new missionaries coming tonight at 11.   Then we have a mtg. at 1 tomorrow for everything.  We have 7 people finishing their missions this wednesday! It's going to be nuts.  I'm not going to get ANY SLEEP!! ha ha  but it's alright! I love you all sooo very much thanks for everything!! I am doing soo good!  I'm healthy,  just very very tired because I don't get any sleep! but I'm not here to sleep. Anyways giving it ALL to the Lord!!  I love you guys all soo very much and I'll try and email you this saturday!! Thanks for everything!

Elder Hammond

Oct. 24, 2015 Guayaquil

Oct. 24, 2015 Guayaquil-office

THIS WEEK HAS BEEN CRAZY!  It's been awesome!  Honestly, I'm just doing soo great!! I love this work and I know it's the right thing to do!! We are tearing it up!

This WHOLE WEEK we've been giving the whole mission training mtgs.  We've been in Machala and Santa Rosa and then Cuenca and Naranjal and now we just barely gave one in Loja that's where we still are.  There is so much stuff to do this week!

For the usual we get like 2 hours of sleep.  We were soo blessed to get 8 hours last night! I was soo grateful to the Lord for that blessing!  We have been visiting and helping and training missionaries this whole week! It's been really stressful and soo fun. I'm learning soo much from our amazing Mission President!!

Honestly, I love this work soo much!!  The gospel is just the best thing in this whole world!! I love it soo much! I am reading soo much in the Book of Mormon about  how they had the chance to preach the gospel and defend the truth!! I get to do that NOW!! I love it soo much!!

Elder Soto! My new companion is literally soo awesome! We are twins! We get along soo well and we both are soo ready to tear it up over here! He's from Utah and he's a boss and were ready to get things done! For example assistants usually Never have baptisms. But we just had a baptism this sunday!!  It was awesome. I would send you a picture but I can't because I don't have a place to put my memory card! But honestly I am doing good!  SO happy all the time and really loving my mission! My time is going by soo fast!   We HAVE SOO much to do here in the mission.  I apologize if I don't get to email you that much.  I love this work!!  soo glad to be a disciple  of Jesus Christ and be a true defender of the Lord and the Gospel on the earth today!! LETS GOOO!!

Elder Hammond

Oct. 17, 2015 Transferred A P

Oct. 17,  2015  Transferred


Well family, I have some news to give you guys! 
This week has been CRAZY!!!  It was all regular,  we had a huge multi zone conference on tuesday.  It went really good.   I was the zone leader of 18 missionaries and it went really well!  Then we kept working that day and all that kind of stuff.  All was really well! 
 Wednesday we get a call that I have changes ha ha so shoot I started calling all of the members saying good bye and all that stuff.  I was nervous because I haven't been here for very long!  But I have learned soo much and I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had to serve here. I got a call from the assistants - I had to be in the terminal at 9 in the morning and there were only 2 people and 1 assistant which was kinda weird and they were like Elder Hammond what did you do?  Like you need to tell us now what you did! Your not going to be a zone leader anymore.  I have no idea what you did! They were  freaking me out like crazy!  They were saying I have so much to do!  Then after like 1 hour my new companion Elder Soto gave the keys to the office home to me and said Elder Hammond your my new companion!  He is the Assistant.  I have just been assigned to be the Assistant of this Mission in Guayaquil Sur! My companion Elder Soto is from Utah Spanish Fork! 

 I have  a lot to do!  I can honestly say I have given it my all I could!  But I honestly cried because I was soo nervous what they were saying and scaring me!   So I had 2 hours because we were going to go to Machala  and a place called Santa Rosa for meetings with President Torres!  We traveled with him! We didn't plan much!  We had to get everything planned!   So we went and there were about 100 missionaries and I still hadn't had a day as an assistant and we had to talk and everything to pump  everyone up and tell them whats going on! 
So we're going to tear it up! It's been hard!  I haven't been sleeping much! My pdays are going to be on Saturday!  And yeah! So HERE WE GO!! hah I am ready to help the missionaries and learn more!  Serve in every way I can!! I love you all so much!  I don't have much time! Because as assistants we don't have much time to do anything!    Pretty much never have pdays! Please pray for me! I love you my family!!! The new AP

Elder Hammond in Mission Guayaquil SUR!!!

Oct. 12. 2015 Guayaquil

Oct. 12, 2015 Guayaquil
Familia,
I honestly can't believe that this week I will have 16 months in the mission.  The time is literally flying before my eyes!! This week has been such a good week full of miracles and full of hard work and sweat and being very very tired! ha ha but I love this work soo much! I am soo grateful to my goodly parents says Nefi of teaching the great principle of hard work!! Here, I see kids well jovenes (youth) and stuff that really don't know how to work hard and it just hurts me to see that some missionaries are just out here taking their time doing what they want!   I'm like come on man!! Lets go to work!! Let's get some baptisms! That's why were here! 

Well it was awesome this week. On tuesday we had leader training with President Torres.   In the morning we had the great opportunity to go do a session in the temple!  I have done 4 sessions now in my whole life!  In order to go to the temple we had to get up at 3:30! Ohh my gosh that was a killer.  Especially getting and taking a cold shower at 3:30.   (was not that fun at all!)  In the shower doing the hoki poky- right foot in right foot out!! ha ha so funny! Then we had training/counsel and it was awesome!! So espiritual and just so powerful.  We have  a lot of work to do!!  A lot to baptize!  I love it!! After, I was soo tired!!! ha ha

On Wednesday I wasn't feeling too well.  It's the food I ate I think.. but its alright!! I felt better thursday!

During the days wednesday and thursday we worked with the missionaries helping them to realize the importance of this great work which I love! Everyday I LOVE getting up doing a....  (barely any exercises because I am so tired but I do a little)  but then to study the scriptures!!  I LOVE studying them!!  The hour that I have!! I love it soo much!! I wish every single person had this chance!! I love reading the scriptures every day!!

Then saturday we had our reunion (meeting) with our missionaries it went really well I thought.   In our zone there are only 5 gringos and the other 13 are latinos!  It's funny! From all  lugares (places) of the world!  After it was SUPER COOL!! What was happening was that there was a HUGE thing going on in our sector.  ALL of a sudden comes a super nice black car with TONS of security and out comes President Correa!! The president of this country!! He was 1 block from where we live!!! WHAT!! I wanted to shake his hand, but i didn't!!  So that was super cool!!! 

 Sunday.   Turns out we had to give talks again.  It went really good, I shared my talk on the sacrament and the importance of it!! I hope it went well! It was funny even the bishop of the ward was taking notes and writing down the scriptures I shared with the ward!! ha ha  Super cool!!  Then  I made patacones and they were delicious!! ha ha.  I love this work and love being a missionary!! Thanks for all your prayers and support!!

Elder Hammond

Oct. 5, 2015 Guayaquil

Oct. 5, 2015 Guayaquil

Mi Familia!!

WOW!! This week went by way too fast!   I cant even tell you!!! WOW!! it's crazy!  How fast the time and how my life is changing every single day! i love this work!

It was such a blessing to go to conference this weekl! 

Here in our mission it's a rule that you have to bring investigadores to conference if you want to go!  So I MADE SURE...that we had investigadores every time!!... because ..like I wanna go and stuff!!  I was so excited to hear who were the 3 new apostoles! I think that's soo cool!!

This week our whole zone was kinda low!   Our numbers.. and the missionaries weren't doing much! I was soo looking forward to conference .. that we could enjoy it,  and take advantage of conference to inspire us  to get more baptisms!   In order to baptize someone they have to assist the church 3 times!   Attending  sessions on  Saturday and Sunday  both count as an assistance.. so we really needed to take advantage of conference so that we  could have more baptisms this month!

Last month we had 18 baptisms as a zone which is not very good!  So we need more!  So what we did this week was worked A TON!!... with  all the elders!   We went and just worked our brains off and helped every one of them reach their maximo potential! 

We really need to help the missionaries to not be afraid to talk to everyone!!   That's what I tried to do, because I think the lord has blessed me to be able to talk and not have fears to talk to groups of people !  So the WHOLE WEEK,  we were just working , helping and visiting our missionaries!!  That's probably why the week went by so fast! haha

Then conference came!!  We got to go every session!! SOO AWESOME!!  I love it!!   Something that hit me, ( I don't remember who said it). but he said,   Pray about  what is holding you back, to have success  and then just give it your all I LOVED THAT!.. So I acted upon that!.. and I will study the scriptures super hard this week to find the answer!  I love you soo much my wonderful family!!   I LOVE THIS WORK!!  I love being a defender of the truth!!...and bringing the world his truth! 

I Love you guys!!

Elder Hammond

Sept. 28, 2015 Guayaquil

Sept. 28,  2015 Guayaquil

Mi Familia!

Because i don't have too much time..here goes  how this week went!! it was sooo AWESOME!! We worked our tails off just trying to find new people and talking with everybody!! So i love it! I honestly 

 love talking to people, finding out who they are, and the problems they have...because 

anything they say, or problem they have, a principle of the gospel is going to help them in their life!!!

     We have definitely  seen the hand of the Lord in the work this week!!  We were planning to have 3 baptisms, but it turned out that with the help of the bishop, we were able to find and have 1 more bautismo!!  So we had 4 bautismos!!  It was so cool and awesome to have them!!!!

     This Saturday we had our meeting as a zone, and we just talked about the things we have to do

better!  ...and that we really need to be converted to the gospel first, to be able to preach it to other people!!   I hope it stuck with the missionaries!!

     Afterwards, one of my old companions from Argentina who served with me in the Galapagos

talked with me.  He was super disanimated!!   And I talked to him for about 15-20 minutes about

my mission and the things that I have learned to do when troubles come!  He had tears streaming

down his face, and he thanked me for my words!  I was really cool!!  Really!!  I love this work!!

     It truly is the work of the Lord, and we are so STOKED to listen to God's chosen prophets who guide and direct us these latter days!!!

     I love you so much, and am praying for you daily!!  Have an amazing week!!!

Elder Jacob Hammond

Sept. 21, 2015 Guayaquil

Sept. 21, 2015 Guayaquil
FAMILIA!

Wow!  This week went by sooooo fast!!!  I can't even tell you guys!!!  Here in the coast, the

weeks pass by like water running through your hands!!  It's been nuts!!  I love it!!  I've been

studying my brains off, and really I am learning so much and having so many experiences

that are so amazing, and have seen so many miracles this week!!  i love my MISSION!!  My 

mission is literally the best mission in the whole wide world!!

This week...well, on Tuesday we had a good study and then went and checked up on some missionaries and it was really bad.  They weren't doing anything.  They weren't studying and 

they weren't even in mission clothes and we had to reprimand them pretty good so that they could

have a change of heart and keep working hard in the Lord's work!!  Because it's not our time it's the

Lord's time so if we waste one moment we're not even wasting our time, more important we're wasting God's.  And that's what we talked about to them, and really this next week I hope they

do better!!

Then this Wednesday we worked our tails off so we could have a BAPTISM and WE DID!!  We found a couple that have assisted the Church a few times, and yeah, they got married on Thursday

but on Wednesday we found it all out, and we were like, 'Would you like to get baptized like

Jesus Christ?  and they were like, "yeah! let's go!!  So right then and there we started talking and

teaching ALL they had to know because the next day on Thursday we're going to have her interview!!! DOPE!!!

On Friday  our missionaries that I was talking about earlier, well they didn't get better and the

assistants had to come talk to them and I felt so bad for them because they aren't converted

to the gospel themselves yet!  They can't teach others the gospel of Christ because first of all they

THE MISSIONARIES aren't converted to the gospel!!  We really have to help missionaries to convert

themselves!  For the least when I come home I wanna have 1 convert!!!  And that's gonna be me!!!

On Saturday!! We had our reunion de conpromeittos!  And we talked about being unidos with our companions and teaching with power and authority!   And I hope it went really good!  After that we

had the BAPTISM!!!  IT WAS REALLY COOL!!!  I would send pictures, but this computer has a

virus and I'm really scared with what happened last time with the virus I had!!  Sooo sad se fue

400 pictures!!!   hahaha

Sunday was awesome!!  I love church and I didn't have to give a talk!!  ESOO!!

I love you all soo much my wonderful family....Brittany, Mom Dad and Haylee  you guys have a

blast in Europe!!!  I love you guys soooooo much guys!!

Elder Hammond

Sep. 14, 2015 15 MONTHS!!!!!

Sep 14, 2015   15 MONTHS!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY MOTHER!!!!!!!!!!!! MOM,  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!! I can't believe you have 49 years!! That's soo crazy!! You don't act or look like it at all!!! How in the world do you look so amazing and so beautiful being at that age!! I love you soo much mother!! You literally mean so much to me. During all my time here in the mission, Mom you have been such a huge help and a great support!  You have always been there in every moment bigger or smaller! I have always had the best Mom in this entire world! Every boy says that their Mom is the best! But just like the scriptures it says, for their fruits you shall know them. My Mom is the best mom because she shows it inside and out!! She's a helper she is always always willing to help anybody out with anything! Even if she doesn't feel good! She is ALWAYS there to talk to! To share something with! My Mom is always a supporter in sports and in anything I was doing! My mom is an angel! I know I am soo blessed and will be forever grateful to have such an amazing wonderful and beautiful mother like mine. My dad you totally lucked out! ha ha love you soo much mother dear!! HUGE HUG!!!

This week has been absolutely amazing.  I have loved every minute of it!!

So turns out that on Monday night some people in our zone had changes.  We went and had to check up on the district leaders because they have their reunions every Tuesday. As zone leaders we had to check up on them if they were doing good. It turns out that they had a switch in assistants.  The old assistant came here into my zone ha ha cool! So I hope he helps our zone out, and he has!

On Tuesday it was cool we had a different food. We had duck! It was alright, wasn't delicious but it was cool.

On Wednesday it was super cool, we found a guy named Carlos he's  bigger than a  refrigerator, haha and he has huge problems with smoking and drinking. He came to us and was like, "guys you know what your doing to save lives, I need your help." We talked with him and he wants to change, he's super cool.

Thursday: I had to do some interviews with a family that is going to get baptized. There are 3 of them! It went really well, one was like 30 minutes long and it was a huge testimony builder to me. Seeing how the gospel completely changes their lives is amazing. 

On Saturday we had our zone meeting. The whole goal was to animate them because we have had to deal with some really disobedience this week in the zone; we had a lot to improve on. The 2 assistances came and it went well thanks to the Lord. 

 Sunday was super cool. We got up at 6 and tried to go for all of our investigators, sadly not many could make it. But right 5 minutes before the church starts the bishop comes to us and says, "hey you need to give 15 minute talks!" I was like yippie! I hurried and picked a subject and talked about the plan of salvation. How each and every one of us  have trials and difficulties, but that God loves us and has a plan for every one of us.  I  hope it went well.

I love this work! I can really feel it in myself this last week.  I honestly can't feel that I have 15 months in my mission this week. I love you guys all soo very much! This week we will have many more miracles!!

Elder Hammond

                                                 This is the Zone I'm in charge of

Hermana Hammond feliz cumpleaños de part de la familia Pincay . Conocimos a su hijo hace casi un año atras y como nosotros le decimos es uno de nuestros angeles y hoy esta aqui visitandonos el guarda un lugar muy especial en nuestros corazones . Bueno le deseamos un feliz cumpleaños que dios la colme de   bendiciones. El elder Hammond le envia un fuerte abrazo y q la ama demasiado un guato inmenso saludarla que tenga una excelent noche. 

Sep. 7, 2015 Guayaquil

Sep 7, 2105 Guayaquil

FIRST OFF BRIELLE AND BROOKE CONGRATS FOR WINING And scoring goals!! and GENTRY FOR GETTING MARRIED THIS SAT. THAT'S AWESOME! I love you!
This week has been soo amazing I can't even tell you!!  Being here in Guayaquil has been such a reminder when I first came out here!!  Not knowing ANY Spanish. The smell of urine and poop and dirty dogs and sweaty people and SOO HOT!!  It's a fire here! It's great. I don't even sleep with a sheet! I just jump on my bed and that's how I sleep with 2 fans going!  It's funny!

Tuesday I had changes from Loja to here and had the counsel mtg. So awesome! Literally changed my life! I loved it!  Then got here and put all of my luggage in the house. I couldn't stand still so I went to THE PLACE WHERE I WAS BORN, SANTA MONICA! I couldn't stand still so I went there to see my converts. Turns out that my 1st convert got sealed in the temple AHHHHH!!!! GOT SEALED!!! When I came to the house they both screamed and the mom wanted to give me a huge hug but couldn't and my cheeks were hurting because I was smiling soo big!! We talked and talked some more it was one of the high lights of my mission for sure! We came back ready to work!

On Wednesday!  We worked like crazy. We went and just started working Guayaquil, its soo funny because the people here are just crazy. They are nuts and they just make you laugh!

On Thursday I got up and went to iron my shirt and the iron EXPLODED ON ME!! It totally exploded in my hand. I'm totally good, just my whole hand was super black. My companion was like, "what happened?!" It was a highlight too!

We had our meeting on Friday, we have 18 missionaries in our zone. It went great! I tried to animate the missionaries. It was also such a blessing to fast here!

Sunday was awesome, the ward here is  awesome!  We had 13 people come to church, and 7 of them are progressing! SO cool! We worked our heads off. Then after church I  couldn't rest and went to Santa Monica again and visited another baptism that I had. When I opened the door she (the convert) burst out in tears, and she told me, "I knew you would come!" It's a family and they are so STRONG in the church. The teenager had a girlfriend who is a member of the church and has gone to the temple 3 times to do baptisms for the dead, so awesome. I literally have honestly felt the joy and the happiness that the Gospel brings to the people! When we ended one guy said the prayer and one of the teenagers Johnny said, "thanks for sending Elder Hammond. The angel sent him from heaven to our home to bring us this message!." I couldn't stop the tears falling from my eyes, I was so happy! The mission is the best ever. I love it! Thanks for all of you support! I love this work, and we are going to keep working our tails off this week! LOVE YOU SOO MUCH!!!

Elder Jacob Hammond 
Making you proud in Ecuador

Sep. 1, 2015 Transferred to Guayaquil

Sep. 1, 2015  Transferred to  Guayaquil

I am a Zone leader in Guayaquil.  I was soo nervous and SOO stressed out to this new change. I am training a new zone leader he has been a zone leader for 1 week.  He's from Peru his name is Elder Pacheco! He has 16 months in the mission.
 It's sooo hott here!! I am the zone leader where I was born in the mission in Santa Monica! The place where I first came to the mission! So I can totally visit my converts and see how they are doing and everything! I'm excited! This zone has a bunch of potential and I hope we can break it!  I'm completely relying on the Lord for this one!  Hoping that He will guide my decisions as we make a zone and I hope he will give me the right words to say to my new investigators.  MOM I GOT THE PACKAGE!!  I got your package from Sister Riggins!  The bounce sheets and stuff for fleas! But I just got transferred!  NOO!! You worked soo hard for me! I appreciate it soo much! I love you soo much mother dear!
 I only have 20 minutes to write today!  Tell the family to keep praying for me! I really need it!! I am good, my health is good!  We're working really hard!  Going to prove to the Lord and see his smile over the faces of the people here in Guayaquil!  I'm in one of the most dangerous parts of Guayaquil.  But don't worry about it! LOVE YOU SOO MUCH!!!

Elder Hammond

Aug. 31, 2015 Getting transferred

Aug. 31, 2015 Getting transferred

I don't have time to write today. I found out one hour ago that I am getting transferred!! The bus leaves in 5 minutes.  Tell everyone I'm great and that I love them.  Maybe I can get permission to write tomorrow - well see.  Tell Denny thanks for the awesome letter and that I will write him back.
Love you!!! Please pray for me I don't know where I'm going.
Love you,  Elder Hammond

August 24, 2015 Loja

August 24, 2015  Loja 

This week has been really good! We have worked really hard and tried to get more people to come to church!!  It's a struggle here in the mountains!  

Tuesday! We decided to go for an adventure and contact in the mountains where it literally is like the Teton Mountains. Tons and tons of trees and rivers! We came to a place where the missionaries have never been. We started contacting there! It's super super cool!  It's a town of like 50 to 60 people and they are ALL FAMILY!! So, if we can baptize the Grandpa and Grandma we will be able to baptize the entire family!! ha ha but they are super catholic. They pretty much have their own church.  So we have plans this week to visit the pastor and try to convert him!!  Hah it's gonna be good!!

Well, my companion and I  had to travel to Machala this week to do some things. We went and it was super fun to see how the zone was doing!  I absolutely LOVE MACHALA!!  It's soo warm and amazing! The people there are soo much more animated and want to talk!  But it's good. I love it here in Lola!  It's  like Idaho!!

Then on Thursday! I don't know if you guys know but everyone here are catholic.  Every year they have a huge tradition to walk miles and miles carrying the virgin Maria and it came here! Thousands and thousands of people came here to Loja to see it.  I was like oh no we have to see our investigators!   They went to see her and stuff.  I was feeling like we really are still in the great apostasy! Soo many people need this gospel and they need it now! They  have absolutely noo idea what they could have! How they could be blessed with this message that we have! I was like wow! There were thousands of them!! They closed the streets! Even members went!  That will tell you how big it is!! 

Friday! We had an amazing lesson with PF and T. It  went really good. We taught her about the restoration of the gospel. I always always love sharing this message more than any other! It's because it's the message that you can feel the spirit most for me I think! She told us she was going to come to church afterwards!!

Then we worked and we didn't have any appointments, so we just started talking to everyone!  We found a Colombian he's super super cool He has 2 kids and is separated from his wife! He started talking to us how he wants to come closer to Christ and we are like WE HAVE THE MESSAGE WE HAVE IT HERE!!  We invited him to be baptized and he accepted it was super cool!  So he and his family all came to church!!

Thanks everyone for all your prayers in my behalf.  I have  been able to learn the great attribute of patience this week with a lot of things here! Thanks for everything and all you do ! I don't have much more time at all but the Gospel is true!! Jesus Christ lives and is our Savior!  There is  nothing more ensuring than that! Love you all

Making you proud in Ecuador!!

Elder Hammond

August 17, 2015 Loja

August 17, 2015  Loja

Yeah this week has been awesome!! It's been kinda slow but its been good!!

On tuesday we were going out looking for people to teach and were using a list of people that are lost or  menos activos and we started looking and we found a house that was super super scary, it looked just like the house after the bad witch off of lion witch and the wardrobe did to the house of Mr. Tumnus if you know what I mean when EVERYTHING is everywhere!! It was nuts we were like wow,.. there were dolls everywhere, and all the eyes on the dolls were popped out.. and it was creepy! haha but cool!!

On wednesday we did a interchange with some other elders in the zone that are here in Loja! it was good we started in the morning and we ended the next day! we worked really hard and after the day was done I shared with him the things about my mission and about being a true leader in this mission! He put all of his attention toward me because he is the district leader and he loved what i said! It was cool!!

On Thursday we were inside the whole day, because in the country they were doing a revolt against the president, here its called del paro, and we stayed inside all day long it was cool! I washed my garments and studied. I love the story of Lehi's dream, about the people who were strong enough to make it to the tree! Even though they were made fun of or mocked them they stayed firm i love that!! 

On saturday! we had our reunion! and i shared a scripture in Alma 16:15, the whole zone loved it! The reunion went good, and I hope they had more animos para trabajar! (energy to work!)

DOMINGO!! What A DAY!!!

Church started at 8 so we have to get up at 6 to get ready and get out investigators. 2 didn't really wanna come and i showed up at 8:10 to the meeting just in time to get the sacrament! Then the president was like  were going to listen to the elderes today, I was like okay lets go! one 15 minute talk without being prepared lets go! I had to get up first. I talked about Joseph Smith and how important he was in carrying out the restoration.  The amazing scripture thats found in D and C 136, I hope the members liked it because at the end we were crying and laughing! After that I had to go to a place called SARAGURO! Its a branch that had literally 4 people in the branch, 4 people! The place where they meet is a room as big as our computer room and theirs just a sacrament table, and a table for a the podium! I gave another talk about the atonement of Christ, it was such a testimony builder because there in saraguro its very very HARD!!! Every single person there is a catholic, its about 2 hours away from Loja. EVERYBODY has long hair; boys, men, and  women! They all have long hair and where these cool hats. There used to be missionaries living there but they beat the heck out of the missionaries about 5 years ago so they took the missionaries out! Its soo cool that 4 people in that little town would wait every week for the missionaries to give them the sacrament! because we don't come they can't take the sacrament! i was soo humbled and so grateful that really this church is true and its the same wherever we go!! I love this gospel! and I love this work! I am so grateful for Christ and his atonement I love him,and for that reason I am here on the mission, to thank him for all that God has given me and my family!!

Love you soo much!!!

Elder Hammond

the picture is of the branch is Saraguro!!