Jan. 26, 2015 Galapagos

Jan. 26, 2015 Galapagos!

Well, this week has been soo much better!! I have had soo many amazing things going on here!! But first HOLY COW!!! Soo cool!!!! The snow sculpture!!! HOW COOL!!!! I  love it soo much!! You guys are just the coolest family in this whole entire world!! And OH MY GOSH, more the 200 people at our house!! The floor didn't like go down... and break sorry I cant think of the word in English, oh its collapse!! ha ha but how fun!!! My family is doing so many things how awesome!! 

 I am soo proud to be serving at the same time with my beautiful sister Brittany!! She's awesome, I love her to death!!       

This week in the Galapagos!!

We've been working our tails off here, and I love it soo much!  I love working hard!! We are friends with the workers and we testify to them!! It's super super funny!! I feel like I'm in Rexburg!!  There are not a lot of people that live here, so I know like more than half the island!! So, on the street I'm like whats up?,  Good morning to everyone! THEY ALL KNOW that church is at 9 clock!! Ha it's hilarious!! 

 But gosh!! Super cool!! This week has been better being lider de district! It's been fun guiding the zone and giving my advice to the zone too! More than anything I want to share an experience that was really cool that I think you guys will all like!

It was Friday and we were doing planamiental semal which is when you plan for your investigators for the week! At the end you have the chance to talk about your relationship and how things are going between you and everything, and what you could work on better! I asked him "what can I do to improve?" and he went down and he started to get choked up and started to cry! I thought, oh cool this could be really bad or really cool! He started talking and this was all in Spanish so I'll try and translate! He said every night I give thanks to God for giving me such a good companion! Never in my whole mission have I had a comp who works as hard as you do and is as obedient as you are and everything! He told me how much I meant to him by being an example to him!  It was super super cool! He told me how he has trouble talking to people and you Elder Hammond, you can talk with anybody and anyone and your not scared! Your like Ammon who didn't have fear of anyone! He said I want to be like that when I have your time in the mission! It was super super cool!  It was worth the tough time that I was having!! It was so cool!

 We talked to a family from the United States that were Mormons in the airport!  They were from Florida and had such fun accents-- English is super weird!!! haha I love you guys soo much! I could feel your prayers! I love you and I love this work!! The Galapagos really is one of the most beautiful places on the earth!!! It's soo beautiful, the stars at night and the sunsets!! Even though its Burning Hot! And I get burnt! I love it!! The people here are even more awesome! I love these people, I will hate to leave them!! I love this work and I know its true!! love you guys soo much!!
Elder Hammond

Jan. 19, 2015 This week in the galapagos!

Jan. 19, 2015 This week in the Galapagos!

 This week has gone by pretty fast but kind of slow here too!! It's been good and everything, but also been pretty dang hard!  Well, as you know, I just got called to be the district leader here in the Galapagos!  Which is kind of  fun!  I have to talk to a lot of people and have to give talks and encourage them! Which means my Spanish needs to be like perfect... ha ha so it's been a little hard but that's okay! I gave my first one this Saturday to the zone. I hope it went well! I talked about the church and we did a little bonding activity which didn't go too well, but everybody was laughing!  I felt the spirit while I was teaching so I hope they did too!  I've felt your prayers! 

I got a new companion he is from Argentina which is nice that I can keep working and getting better at my Spanish but this guy is super super new! I have to be learning a lot of patience and everything! He looks like Kyson Kidd, but he doesn't act like it! It's just been hard!!

 This week has been good, we have 2 new people and baptism dates that we are working with!  It was SUPER COOL!! We broke the record here in the Galapagos! I brought over 8 people, investigators to church! I was like ohh yeah!!!! It was the most in all the zone!  I was proud, but it was all the Lord!! 
This week we had the chance to bless 2 people by the power of the priesthood! I love using that great power that the Lord gives to his worthy men! We also  gave a lesson to a person who speaks English! She was ateo!  (Atheist) Which was way hard!! I am not used to people being ateo!!
  
Today we went to the HIGHEST point in the Galapagos!! It was awesome!! All of our shoes got super muddy! It was super fun!! I loved it! The other missionaries didn't, but I had a great time!! We've been waking up at 5:45 to go running everyday too!! ha ha so that's just great! haha I am just really tired! I am sorry, I'm just trying to do everything, and it's hard! But the lord is helping me through it all! Thanks for all your prayers! The Galapagos Islands are soo beautiful, like really I am always soo grateful for the chance to serve here in this beautiful country!!  aver... I don't remember what I was going to tell you guys! I had a good week it's just been really hard!  I Love you guys, and I thank you all for your support for me! I love you guys soo much!!
Elder Hammond

Jan. 12, 2015 This week in the Galapagos!

Jan. 12, 2015 This week in the Galapagos!

Well, this week went by pretty fast but kind of slow at the same time!   We had a trio and it was good but kind of tough too! The companero de the other Elder came! He was the assistant to the President! Super cool!

 The things this week that were cool:  We ate cow liver and cow stomach! (which is not that good by the way!)  We also ate the leg of a horse which was not that good either! haha The other elders had a baptism on the beach which was awesome! I am going to have one soon! I am having soo many adventures that are so much fun and cool but one thing I wanted to say was my goal for this year my new years resolution! My new years resolution is this!!

To turn outward instead of inward!! To turn out to people instead of turning inward to me! To be able to focus on other people and their needs and not mine! To be able to loose myelf in the work and the problems of others! ALL of my life I've tried to find these words but I finally heard them! During high school and through out my life this is how I've wanted to be or better to become! I am really hoping that I will be able to do that with the amazing example of the Savior! He was the perfect example of helping others and not himself! How coool of an example! He was ALWAYS going about doing good! Always focused on other people, always focused on the WILL of His Father that sent him! Not His will but the will of the Father! 

That is what our Father asks of  us!  Love our neighbor! Serve them and love them! And  worry about them! Like it says in the bible!! We will find ourselves in the service of others and then find our self because we werent looking! One of my favorite parts of the Saviors life is the Atonement!  It was at that point where it was soo hard for the Savior to accomplish the task! He didnt want to get whipped, he didnt want to get nailed on a cross, but he did it! Because he loved us... He loves US!!!  That's what as missionaries we are called to do!!  Serve Him!! Him that sent us!! That's my goal this year! To be able to learn and grow and to serve the people the children here in the Galapagos here in Ecuador and wherever the Lord needs me!!  When we conquer and finish our task, the Lord will bless us more than we can imagine! That's what I know and believe. If I finish HIS mission he will bless me and my future family and my kids! I love my Savior and I am soo grateful for his example!!!  Even when it's hard! Even when we personally don't want to! It's OUR JOB and our responsibily to love and serve others! 

I love you guys soo much!! This week we went to a crater which is like a SUPER BIG HOLE that was made of  lava!! It's awesome!! I love you guys soo much, I hope you have an amazing week!! love you guys!

 Love, Elder Hammond

 

Jan. 5, 2015 This week in the Galapagos!

Jan. 5, 2015 This Week in the Galapagos!

Wow, my amazing cousin DAVID Weekes Just killed it in Bolivia!  Now is going to be the next apostle!! I love it!! Dave I love you soo much and thanks for being such a great example to all of your cousins! Can't wait to see you in 18 months if your not married!

This week we've been in a trio because one of the companions left here!  So we had to go to the airport really early at like 4:30 in the morning, yeah! ha ha but we did it! It was SO WEIRD to see Americans!! I'm not used to it!! They were speaking English! I was like guhh.. I totally forgot what people said and everything it was bad!!   This week was great and full of miracles! I love being here and the chance of being here on the Island!!

Since the trio and the new year we had to be in our houses at 6 in the night!  Soo it was really hard to contact people this week because I don't know if you guys know, but new years in this part of the world is one of the biggest parties in Ecuador! People are buying and buying soo much beer and everything!!  So we had to be in the house at 6! Which meant those 3 hours that we could have been helping and serving other people, we were in the house but I loved it because we got to study the scriptures!!  I loved it! I learned alot about the power of the Holy Ghost and repentance!
 

I really hope that we can have a baptism this week! We are praying and we fasted this week that we could have baptism!  Please pray for Ulysses Masaquiza!  That he will have the desire to be baptized! And we can receive the revelation of what to teach him so that the spirit will touch his heart and be baptized! One thing I love about the mission is that it really teaches you to be humble and really to trust in the lord! If we are exactly obedient, he will bless us! That's something that I'm learning now and I hope that I will live it after my mission!
 Thanks mom for telling those really nice compliments about when Brittany was doing junior miss! I did love to cheer for her! Haylee is going to tear it up!! I love my family soo much!!  It really is NOO FAIR that all of you guys went snowmobiling without me!! And on the raft, how fun!!! We should have thought of that!! I am soo glad that you guys are having fun!! There is nothing better than the family!!

The Galapagos!! Today for pday we went to the tunnels!! The 2nd biggest tunnel in South America!! COOL!! It was cool, it was like the ice caves!! I felt like whoaa cool!!  The Galapagos are awesome! People here and soo nice and friendly, but the work is tough because they all work in boats or tourism! But that's not letting us get down!! I hope everyone has such a great week!!  I love you and can feel your prayers!! love you so much!!

Elder Hammond

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