Sister Jessica Hammond: The One where Im feeling grateful.

Hey y'all!

I hope you had a great week! Because I sure did! Thanksgiving comes this week. The Argentines don't celebrate it but I still do :) I have been so full of gratitude as I reflect on all the things I have to be grateful for. My list is pretty long but I'd thought I'd share a few things.

1. I am grateful for my country. Being here in Argentina has made me have such a better respect for where I'm from. I took a lot of things for granted in the states and my view on things has been changed forever. We are so blessed.

2. I am grateful for rainy days. This week we had a break from the heat and had a rainy cold day. I am grateful for my rain boots, raincoat and umbrella. My companion and I were out working and started jumping in puddles and taking pictures. It was a great day.

3. I am grateful for washers and dryers. I will never complain about doing laundry again.... doing laundry here takes about an hour... scrubbing your clothes by hand, putting them in a spinner to somewhat dry them... but the spinner sometimes freaks out and spins around the apartment like a tasmanian devil while we all take cover, then you put your wet clothes on a jump rope that we hung across the apartment and cry as you sacrifice the only fan we have to dry your clothes... hahaha okay that was a bit dramatic but that's how I felt today! Hahaha

4. I'm grateful for my life. Another thing I took for granted. That is why I love the mission so much. My eyes have been opened and I have grown such a love for my Heavenly Father for all He has blessed me with. Life is so FUN! I love being here!

5. I am grateful for a healthy body, for a healthy family, for a home to live in, food always on the table, for my incredible friends, for my cousins, my aunts and uncles, my grandparents, for all of the support I have here on my mission.

6. I am grateful for temples. I have also grown a greater love and respect for temples while being here. It is absolutely incredible the power that exists inside those beautiful buildings. To be SEALED for not only this life but the one that will follow. I tear up every time I teach about the importance of families and temples. I will be forever grateful for Heavenly Fathers great plan of happiness and salvation that allows us to have a peace of mind that we will be with our loved ones for eternity. And that's why I'm here... to tell everyone about it! :)

7. I can't say enough how grateful I am for my incredible family. When times get hard here I just think about them and feel a burst of motivation. Their prayers seem to lift me through any difficult time. I LOVE MY FAMILY. My parents are beyond wonderful. They have ALWAYS supported me in EVERYTHING. My siblings are my best friends. They help me so much. I don't feel like the oldest with them... they are such examples to me.

8. I am very grateful for the scriptures! Every day I learn something new. I love reading them and searching for the perfect scripture to share with an investigator. The scriptures are such a blessing. We should take more time to read them and show our gratitude for them.

9. I am grateful for this gospel. Holy moly that will never change. I am so grateful that I was born in the covenant and grew up knowing of my divine potential. And I am so grateful for the chance to share it. Which brings me to...

10. I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR MY MISSION!!! My heart just keeps getting bigger as I meet new people, as my testimony grows, and as I see conversion happen. I have grown such a love for my mission. This has become such a sacred time for me. I wouldn't take it back for anything and I encourage anyone who is preparing to go to love every moment! Let Heavenly Father shape you to who He wants you to be.

Okay here's an update on the week :)

Well I forgot to say last Monday we went to McDONALDS!!!! Yup. There is a McDonalds in the city. It was great. I had a chicken sandwich, fries, and a coke.... I don't even know me anymore. Haha

This week was great! We had Stake Conference and interviews this weekend. Stake Conference was so cool for me. I felt like it was a big testimony meeting. I love hearing testimonies. It strengthens me. And it's the coolest thing to see the church so strong in another country. I love it. Interviews were great!! President Chaparro is the best! We talked a lot about how I am doing in my mission so far. I told him about my feelings about not having much success. We talked a long time about how much I have really done here. A couple days ago my companion told me that the first day I got here we went and visited a lot of less actives. Then that Sunday every one of them came to church. I didn't realized they were less active until she told me that it had been years since they had come to church. We talked to them about it and every family told me that when I came to visit them they felt something in their heart say, it's time to go back to church. Well you can say that I had a lot of tears flowing this week. I had no idea. Now many of those families have kids preparing for missions. I was blown away and very humbled. I was grateful that Heavenly Father let me see that I really am making a difference. I learned that HE knows what's up. I am just a humble servant. It was very cool. This week we had so many people accompany us on lessons! For the first time here we had more member present lessons than others. The branch is changing. I'm changing. It's incredible to be here.

Okie dokie I think I better wrap it up. Holy smokes I almost forgot! Hermana Chaparro brought me a package on Saturday!!!!! Shout out to my amazing mom and grandma for filling it with my favorite things!! Definitely made my week! :)

Our investigators are doing great! We are expecting a lot at church this week! Please continue praying for the same people. The familia Chambi is incredible. We visited them yesterday. They have such a desire. We thought it was going to be hard to convert the mom but yesterday we took them a big picture of Christ. She started crying. She has been wanting a picture of the savior for a long time to bring more light to her home. That lesson was the bomb. She was so receptive, asked inspired questions, and the WHOLE family is committed to come to church :) boo yeah.

Alright I have to get going. Thank you all for all you do. I hope you have a great week and a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Hermana Hammond

I don't even know anymore…I had a coke.

I am one happy American.

In watermelon heaven

Jumping in puddles.

Rainy day in Tucuman

Missionary VIP

Oh…my companion dyed my hair...

Our district

This darling girl is preparing to go on a mission. She is from one of the families that was inactive that I mentioned in my letter.
She accompanied us for a few hours. I gave her a skirt.