March 26, 2016 Guayaquil

March 26, 2016 Guayaquil

First of all THANKS SO much everyone for all the birthday wishes! It means SOO MUCH!! Thanks family really for always being there!!  A lot of families here were able to show so much love in telling me happy birthday and having cake it's been fun!! Even President was able to call me and buy some empanadas for me!  He's the best!!

This week has been really amazing! We have been working outside of our sector the last 2 days in a place called Santa Rosa! It's really down south of Ecuador and in our mission!  A really productive place!  It was good.  We went on interchanges with the zone leaders to see how the missionaries are doing and how the companionships are doing!  On one occasion we went to visit the sisters on the outside of their house.  The sisters came out and started talking about how the mission is and what's hard for them.  One of them is super super new!  We asked a few more things but it was weird I had a thought and feeling to ask them about the unity in their house and everything. I waited a while and then I asked them how's the unity in your house. The instant I said that they ALL looked at me like deer in the head lights! Like how did you know?  The zone leader was like oh my gosh and then we finally resolved it!  It was an amazing experience of how the spirit works to help the mission! 

This week has been just so good! We have seen miracles!  We have sent missionaries to the Galapagos. I keep pushing!! Even though it's been tough and hard the mission is amazing and I'm learning SO much here!!  I love it so much!! 

Well, I love you all soo much!! Ecuador is getting super hot and super cool right now. Also, it's Semana Santa! (Easter Week) Where all the country is just remembering Christ! THEY CLOSE EVERYTHING!! Nobody is in the streets. They are remembering Christ's crucifixion! It's cool!  I am praying and fasting for all of you guys!!

Elder Hammond

Birthday Celebrations

All of the Elders that have been assistants that are still on the mission.

March 19, 2016 Guayaquil

March 19, 2016 

This week has been amazing!! We have really seen miracles and been to amazing experiences! This week we were able to be in the temple twice!  We first got to go to the temple yesterday because we were going to a sealing! AMAZING!! A couple from Galapagos! AMAZING!! While we were at the temple,  young men and young women from the amazing Island of Santa Cruz came to the temple!! SO I GOT TO SEE  PEOPLE THAT I SERVED FROM THE GALAPAGOS!! SOO, AMAZING!! Then at that same time members from a ward that I served in machala went to the temple as well!! SO FUN TO SEE ALL THE MEMBERS!! They were all like ELDER HAMMOND!!  We were all loving it!!  It was really good!!

Then today, it was good we are getting ready to FINALLY have a p-day when Pres calls us and tells us we get to go to the temple. So we get there and they put us to work doing confirmations with Pres Torres along side of him and being witness's for baptisms! We did that for a while! It was AMAZING!! Now it's about 6:00 and I got to go!! Love you all so much!! The gospel is true!! I love this work more than you can even imagine!! We are doing good!  We are killing it here in the BLAZING SUN!! 

Elder Hammond 

                                    Baptism In the dark in the deep jungles of Ecuador!!!

                                        Sealing

March 12, 2016 Guayaquil

March 12, 2016 Guayaquil 

WELL, THIS WEEK HAS BEEN AMAZING! Like straight up we have been going non stop! Giving training meetings and then receiving new missionaries also having transfers through out the whole mission!  Then after that, working with the zone leaders.  It's been AMAZING! And quite inspiring. I love this work! I love being able to be here in this beautiful country of Ecuador! What a blessing it is for me to be here every day and to breathe the dirty air and  shower in the cold water, I love it!!  This coming up week won't be as busy, but we will still be working with the leaders and zone leaders!

Yesterday, my companion and I worked in Naranjal.  It was AMAZING!!  Being there again to preach the gospel to those wonderful people! Turns out I had the opportunity to see the couple that is going to be sealed.  The husband just started crying and said, thanks so much for all of your help and sacrifice for our family.  He is super excited to be sealed in 2 weeks! I am soo excited to be there and participate in that sealing! Other than that I am doing super good! Learning and growing and progressing every day! I LOVE THIS WORK.  I am so grateful that I made the decision to go on this mission! Even though it's the Hardest thing I have ever done it's AMAZING!! I am happy when I'm doing what God LOVES and wants me to do!!

Elder Hammond

March 5, 2016 Guayaquil

March 5, 2016 Guayaquil

THIS WEEK HAS BEEN AMAZING!! I love this work soo much. I can’t even describe my feelings that I have toward this amazing work! Really it is the best work in this entire world!! 

This week we have been with Presidente Torres doing meetings of  Salud (health) for the Mamitas that we have!  Teaching them how to cook food good! What to do when you eat! What we can’t eat, how to wash your hands…ALL that stuff.  We did that from tuesday to last night! We got back at 1 in the morning! We are really tired!! But the lord doesn't sleep and we aren't either! This week will be amazing too!! We have new missionaries coming and then we have a BAPTISM on monday!   Then, we have missionaries that are finishing and we also have training mtgs. So, it’s going to be a crazy and amazing week full of miracles!! I can’t WAIT! 

There was a family I taught the gospel to in the Galapagos, they are getting sealed on my birthday and I get to go!! 

 I love you family! Thanks so much my family for all of your prayers and all your support I can feel them every day! The gospel is true! Let's live it more and more each day! let us be true disciples of Jesus Christ in every thing we say and do!! I hope all of us can be more converted to the Lord! HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK !!! 

Elder Hammond 

Mom, could you put some more money on my debit card, these families need help getting to the temple. Would that be ok? I feel like it's a great opportunity to really help them. Some families need to get married first so that they can be baptized also. That would really be amazing.