Wow Wow WOW!! What a week! Christmas was good here! I actually was impacted a lot more than I thought I would be. Christmas Eve we went to a members house to eat dinner but we had a rule that we needed to be in the apartment by 10:30. And we had to go in a taxi. Well... there were no taxis... we decided to run. There was no one in the streets so I felt better. The dinner was great! I love the members here. But as we were leaving the dad started pulling out alcohol... I was like... HUH?? It was super sad... but that was just the beginning. We got to the apartment and crashed... for like 20 minutes. Then at midnight the streets were filled with people drinking, setting off fireworks, and drinking some more... We live on main street so you can imagine how crazy it was. There was loud music and we couldn't fall asleep... this lasted until 7 in the morning... I finally fell asleep at 6:50... and the alarm rang at 7. It was really hard for me. I thought about my family, in our quite home, after reflecting the Savior's birth. I thought about the stillness of our home and the peacefulness I had felt all the years before. Then I looked outside my window to see all of the craziness. Nobody even thought about the Savior. It was a feeling of hopelessness. I started to cry. How could people become so wicked. As I watched, unable to sleep I began to read the scriptures. I read stories of prophets and prophets who had been so concerned about the same thing. For a moment I felt that feeling of peace. Salvation is something personal. We can preach and preach until we are blue in the face but God gave us our agency. I felt better. I am here to preach the gospel and my Heavenly Father called me to preach it here. And that is what I will do.
AND Christmas got a whole lot better when I skyped the family!!!! Oh it was such a lift for me! They are the greatest!!! I was able to feel the spirit so strongly. I am so grateful for that. They asked me to share my testimony in Spanish before I had to sign off. It was the greatest experience for me. To say what I know to be true. They couldn't see but the family that we were with were all crying as I testified. I watched as my own family began to cry... I was already in tears... but it was the neatest thing to feel the spirit so strong even though we were so far apart. I will NEVER forget this Christmas. It was hard but so very special to me. I love my Savior and I know He lives. And I will keep teaching people that until I am blue in the face.
SO the day after christmas we had a cool experience! There is a less active family that we absolutely love! Their daughter, Lourdes, is 17 and hasn't gone to church since August. We were at their house and she joined for the lesson. I felt the impression to talk about the importance of missionary work. She started to cry and told us about an experience she had the night before. She couldn't sleep because she had been worrying about what she needed to do after high school. She said she prayed for the first time in a long time and prayed with a lot of faith. She then turned to the scriptures and read a verse in D&C where it talks about missionary work! She felt the need to serve a mission! I don't have time to tell the whole story but I was the neatest thing for me and my companion to hear her story because we went through the same thing!! Then I remembered that the mission was looking for a mini missionary! It is a program they have here in South America! When a missionary is sick, goes home during the transfer, or there is a companionship of 3, they ask the youth to be a mini missionary! It lasts a few weeks but they get to experience everything about being a missionary! It's super cool! I told her they were looking for one but she would have to leave the next morning. She was like I'M IN!! It was such a cool experience!! Everyone was in tears and it was so cool to see her family support her because they know the church it true!! The next day we took them to the bus station and off she went!! Super neat. She comes back January 12th! :) Then the coolest part was Sunday!!! Her parents came to church!! No doubt this is exactly what they needed to become active again. I will send pictures next week!
AND..... drum roll please..... WE HAD 2 INVESTIGATORS AT CHURCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well my time is up!! Speaking of time... IT'S FLYING BY! I hope you all have an incredible NEW YEARS! I want to share a quote that my mom shared with me! I think it's a great theme for 2015!
"Resolve to spend more time with those we love. Resolve to strive more earnestly to become the person God wants us to be. Resolve to find happiness, regardless of our circumstances."- President Uchtdorf
I love you all! Have the greatest week! And see ya this year!!! ;)
Hermana Hammond
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| Skyping with my family on Christmas! |
I have invited my family to read the Book of Mormon with me this year. We plan to finish the day that I am released. And I invite anyone and everyone who reads this to join with us. Let me know if you're in :).
Email my mom at: janette.hammond@gmail.com if you would like the reading schedule.
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