TRANSFERS!

Hello everyone!!!

Here's a little update! So everything went well in Salta! I finished everything and we don't have to go back! Haha it was pretty funny because we were sitting waiting for our names to be called and I hear ¨Jessica Lauren!!!¨ Hahaha it sounded like dad yelling my name... I was like... woah. I haven't heard that in a while! Haha. So we are back in good ole Santiago! 

I was pretty sick this week but am feeling so much better! Oh and TRANSFERS WERE YESTERDAY!!!! I am staying here with Hna Creason for 6 more weeks!!! WHOOOO!!! hahaha, We are soooo excited! The zone leaders called us last night and said that we were having an emergency transfer and that I was going to leave... He told us companions, bus time and everything! I started crying and Hermana C kept taking to him. Then after about 5 minutes of information they said JUST KIDDING! I started freaking out! Hahah then he said guess who was the mastermind behind it all... your bishop!!! Hahahah he is soooooo getting pay back. Hahah so all is well! We are so happy and hopeful for this transfer! It is hermana Creasons last transfer and all we want to do is teach the world! I am so grateful for her attitude and desire to get better. 

So good news! Oscar is coming to UTAH!!! He is saving up to come January 2016!!!! Can you believe it?! He goes to Buenos Aires this weekend to get his passport! It is his dream to visit the Salt Lake Temple. So happy for him.

So funny story... there is this little store outside our apartment where everyone decides to smoke outside... there's this piece of paper outside that says ¨hay cigarrillas¨... so we were walking by one day and I had had enough. I ripped the sign off and took it to the apartment. Hahaha I felt kind of bad but not enough to put it back... It didn't work though... now there are 2 pieces of paper... and the smoking continues. Oh well. I tried.

So much is happening here and I can't express how happy I am! We are moving forward with Valeria's baptism on the 6th! Praying for a miracle that's for sure. 

Okay I think that's everything! At least good for now! Thanks so much for your prayers for our investigators! I can feel them everyday!

I love you all!

Until next week! Over and out.

Hermana Hammond

The best district ever!!!

Happy 4 months! haha

¡FELIZ DIA DEL AMIGO!

Hello everyone!

Woah this week was crazy!! Thursday we went to Satla... at midnight... we drove all through the night and got there at like 7am. We went straight to the place where I need to renew my traveler's visa and waited for the elders... they got there and some more hermanas too. Hermana Briggs was there! It was good to see her. And then we waited... and waited... and waited... and didn't even start!! The problem was there was too many people there and they close at 1. So we went back to the mission office for a little bit and then got on a bus and came back at like 8. We went out and taught a few lessons and then completely crashed that night... we calculated we had been traveling for 20 hours... on a bus for 14 and hadn't slept in 2 days... and for that... I now have a cold. Haha I should of saw it coming. The worst part is we have to go again this week... our bus leaves at 3 in the morning on Wednesday... I'm tired. Haha, but what can you do.

Okay can I just tell y'all how great Oscar is?? He wrote us a letter and I forgot it in the apartment but he wrote a super long letter and then had his friend come over and help him translate it for hours into English. He gave it to us Saturday and had Hermana Creason read it out loud... well it was the sweetest most precious letter ever. And in perfect English! I will share a little bit of it next time. Then Sunday he invited us over to meet some of his friends. We got there early and 3 of his friends came over and were so interested in the gospel! Oscar has shared his testimony with them many many times and ughh!! He is such a missionary!! It was so cool to watch his conversion. He knows without a doubt this church is true and all he wants to do is share it. He is also helping his family a lot. We need to be patient with them but he has it under control. It's soooo cool!!!

Valeria accepted a day to get baptized! August 6th! Can you please pray that will happen? I think it is the anniversary of when her dad died. I know she can do it and if we pray Heavenly Father will change her mom's mind.

Sunday was the day of the friend! We had 3 investigators at church! Mirium and Carlos are progressing! They asked us if we wanted to go out for drinks.... I guess we need to teach the word of wisdom in the near future... haha. 

Tonight we are going to the fair! It's really just a place to buy a bunch of cool things from all over Argentina! I am so excited! 

Well that about sums up the week! I love you all! Thank you for your prayers! Keep living up the summer! Oh, speaking of summer, today is the prettiest day ever! Winter is over... only lasted like 3 weeks... that's my kind of winter ;) And now it is gorgeous! Not looking forward to the hot hot Argentina I have heard all about but it's gotta come some time. :)

Okay I love you all!
Until next week!

Hermana Hammond

BEST WEEK EVER!!!!!

Oh my goodness gracious!! This was the greatest week of my life!! I only have time to tell y'all about Saturday and Sunday. 

So first of all..... drum roll please..... OSCAR GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!! Oh it was the coolest thing ever!!! Cried like a baby. His best friend (hermano Alan) baptized him. I seriously can't express how happy I am. After his baptism the bishop asked him if he would share his testimony... cried some more. He expressed how grateful he was for us missionaries and our patience with him. He talked about his long hard road to baptism. He has been investigating the church for 14 years!! But Satan really had a hard grip on him. What happened was a lot of missionaries gave up on him because he would progress and then immediately stop. That happened with us but we were persistent. He thanked us for our patience and for not giving up on him because that is when he needed the gospel the most. How cool is that?!?! And it gets better!!! Sunday he was confirmed a member of the church and he received the priesthood!!!! He was just beaming on Sunday. 

Speaking of Sunday... a member brought a friend to church! That never happens is this ward! Miracle! And then 2 more people brought friends to church!! MIRACLE!! And the coolest part is one of them is from SPAIN! Her name is Marta. She will be here until September and wants to learn more about the church. She is so cute! She is in her 20's but I told her my dad served there and she just beamed! I love that I have this opportunity to teach someone from where my dad served. Miracle! Then!!!! Mirium and Carlos came to sacrament meeting!!!! MIRACLE!!!!! They loved sacrament meeting! And after Mirium received a priesthood blessing. She has been having a hard time knowing if God is aware of her. The bishop had a very direct talk with her and said God IS aware! He hears her prayers. Oh it was so cool! She was crying the whole time and the blessing was really sweet. Carlos couldn't stop thanking people. Oh it was the greatest day. 

Then we went to have lunch with the familia Silvetti and Valeria was there!!! MIRACLE!! She was my first lesson here in A-town and we have been teaching her every week. The problem is she doesn't have permission to be baptized. But she's unreal!!! Anyway she is Brian's girlfriend - one of the boys in the family. And she was at their house for lunch!!! AHHHH so many miracles this week. I can't believe it! We are so undeserving of this many miracles. 

I forgot to add we met Presidente y Hermana Chaparro this week! They are UNREAL!!! He really has some great ideas for the mission. I love them so much!

Tough loss with Argentina... we were getting update texts from the bishop. Everyone here thinks we're from Germany... EVERYONE!!! So we are getting a lot of respect now... and a lot of whistles... hahaha I think it's funny... good thing it's not dangerous and we are being very smart about what areas we work in.

Oh and another thing! I am going to Salta on Friday to update my travelers visa thing... it will be a fun little trip! Haha we have to do it every 90 days.. so here's to one of many! 

AHHHH ANOTHER THING! We went to the hospital to visit a member who had a baby..... I was in shock..... I seriously don't know how to describe what I saw... but her baby was darling!!!!! Ahhhh my love for babies and little kids hasn't changed!

Okay I think I have said it all.... hopefully because I'm out of time...

Love you all!  Thank you for all of your prayers!!!

Lots of love,

Hermana Hammond!

p.s. some kids starting calling us hermana jamon y hermana queso.... hahaha we're a ham and cheese sandwich... HAHAHA so funny!

President and hermana Chaparro

the zone!

Oscar before and after baptism 

Oscar!!!

Confirmed a member of this church!!!

Happy 4th!

Wow what a great week! President and Hermana Chapparo are fantastic! And we haven't even met them yet! We have a zone conference tomorrow and I am so excited!!! He definitely has a greater focus on recent converts and less actives. Which is what we love!! Valentina is on FIRE with missionary work! She asked one of her friends if she wanted to be baptized!! And she accepted! How cute is she! Then on Sunday she called us and said she woke up with a big headache and couldn't come to church. We said she was okay and we would come by this week. Then she shows up! What the?? She has the strongest testimony and she's 11! Now we are working on teaching her family. 

We have really learned how to help people with the conversion process. It is a hard one I must say but definitely worth it. We can see it with Oscar. He is truly converted now and has the biggest desire to get baptized. We went to his house with the bishop yesterday and the bishop asked him why he wants to be baptized. He said because I now realize how badly I need the blessings that come from it. Ahh it was amazing!! He is truly ready to make this covenant with Heavenly Father! I know I will cry like a baby. His baptism is this Saturday. We had another lesson with him Wednesday because his mom wanted to teach us how to make pasteflor. IT IS THE BEST DESSERT HERE IN A TOWN!.. and now I know how to make it so don't worry :) His mom is cute. He said she wants to talk with us but is nervous and unsure. Well here comes bold sister Hammond... we have an appointment with her this week. I love teaching families. Especially helping them in times of need.

 

I realized I never finished my thought from last week! Haha oops... well I have been thinking a lot about my family on the other side of the veil. We have a lot and now there are even more. Last Sunday when we had such a great day I was looking around at all the people in the congregation. I could see all of my family members sitting in the seats helping me. Great grandma and grandpa Rawlinson, Madi, Uncle Reed, Aunt Adelia, everyone! And there was family there I haven't met yet. But I knew they were there to help me. It's hard to explain but I couldn't help but get tears in my eyes. I saw angels helping me because I can't do this alone. It was the neatest experience for me and I will forever cherish that moment I had. I am so incredibly grateful for the family I have. I have grown a greater love for them. Both here on earth and in the spirit world. 

Ahh you guys I love being a missionary!!!!! It is the coolest thing! I can't believe Heavenly Father is blessing me so much! I couldn't be happier! Thank you all for your letters and prayers! I love and miss you all! It is so cool to hear about all the family history work y'all are doing in the temple! Ahh I love it! Keep it up! Rock the HOUSE!!!!!! (We love saying that.) 

Until next week!

Hermana Hammond

P.S.

Happy Birthday shoutouts to Grandma Toni, Nora, and Eden this week!!! Love you all!

Happy 4th of July!! Haha, Elder Slighting got the memo!

New President and HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALLIE!

Hello everyone!

What a wonderful week! Here are a few highlights-

Thursday night I went to La Banda for splits! It was great! I love it there! I worked with Hermana McCrae. She is great. She was talking to me and encouraging me about my Spanish. She said something that touched my heart. She said God is blessing me with the gift of tongues. From day one I have been able to say what I want to with no problem. She said that is because there is no time to waste. He needs me right now right here to preach the word of God. It made me realize how blessed I really am right now. I know Spanish and that truly is a miracle. I need to take advantage of this wonderful gift that He has given me and use it to change lives. THERE IS NO TIME TO WASTE! 

I got back Friday night and we had a ward council... the first one in YEARS. We were running late and took a taxi. I started talking to the driver and asking him the usual questions. I felt the impression to ask him if he believed in God. He said honestly, "no. My mom died a few years ago and I don't feel like there is a purpose in life." This response just about broke my heart. It was a very special experience to sit there and tell him where his mom is. To tell him he would see her again. To tell him he IS a child of God and has so much potential. I definitely shed some tears. I thought I would be tougher with crying but I can't help it. I have been thinking a lot about my ancestors. Those in our family who have passed on to the other side of the veil. 

Sunday was a very special day for us. We taught a lesson in the morning and then got to church. Calling and calling and calling investigators. Oscar said he was on his way but was all the way in La Banda. We had lost hope when we were waiting outside and saw Valeria walk up. She doesn't have permission to come to church... she snuck out!! She's incredible. She wants to serve a mission and is preparing herself spiritually to go to the temple... and she hasn't even been baptized! Then sacrament meeting was about to start and I was satisfied. Then I hear Hermana C say Oscar's here... I looked and there he was!! We had a very long talk with him last night after lots of study and sincere prayer about his situation. We decided to work on his testimony and ask him when he wants to get baptized. He has finals for 2 weeks and picked the 12th. We prayed and truly feels this is what Heavenly Father wants. Please pray for him; that satan won't temp him and he will be able to resist the power satan has on him already. So then we are sitting in sacrament meeting is about to start and a member out in the hall motions us to come here. Mercedes shows up!! I don't think you know her yet... she is Oscar's girlfriend. She is progressing and wants to be baptized too! HOW GREAT IS THAT!!! I couldn't help but sing the first hymn crying because I was so happy. Wow... lots of tears this week. It was an incredible day.

Update on Juan- he finished The Book of Mormon! He has a baptism date of the 19th! Please pray for him. He has a smoking problem but we know he can do this!

One more thing. We were teaching the mom of a member this week. She is VERY Catholic. We were teaching the restoration. She usually just agrees with us and then just blabbers on about random stuff. Well she did... I was getting sick of her not feeling the spirit how she should. I cut her off and said, that's all great Hermana but what we are trying to say is that the catholics don't have the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. She looked at me like I was crazy, her daughter had the biggest smile and I began to teach her for like the 100th time that we have the fullness of the gospel in our day. Right now. In Cabildo. She was like, really?? LIGHTBULB!!! Haha that was pretty neat. She told us she would pray to receive an answer from God.

We are getting a new President today!!! What! I am very excited and I know I will get very close to him and his wife.

Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALLIE!! 14 years old!!! Love you!

Okay I think that is about all. I am absolutely loving every day of my life right now. We are seeing miracles happening and lives changing. I can't believe Heavenly Father trusts me enough to teach His precious children of Cabildo. I will forever be grateful for this experience. I have said it before but it is truly priceless and timeless.

Until next week,

Hermana Hammond

Happy Birthday Callie Bell!

I LOVE MY COMP!!!

This darling little boy was just standing outside... praying I guess...
hahahaha seriously the CUTEST thing!!!

Los niños...

Hola everyone!

This week was great. Oscar still hasn't been baptized. Seriously we are learning so much from him. He is suffering a lot and Satan just has so much control over him. We are continuing to visit him and he really is progressing. Just not on baptism days... 

Okay our new bishop is DE 10!!! (It's a phrase here... like saying he's a 10) He seriously is incredible. There were 62 people at church on Sunday. My first week there were 25... MIRACLES ARE HAPPENING! We have a goal to have 100 before Hermana Creason goes home at the beginning of September. It is so happening. We are now rolling and working together. We finally feel like we can be missionaries and teach new people instead of trying to pick up the pieces with less actives. It is so cool to watch the work take off.

Wednesday Elder Blackner (district leader) challenged us to a competition... whoever had 20 contacts first wins and whoever is the last to get 20 contacts has to bring a treat to the next district meeting. A contact would just be talking to someone on the street or wherever, leaving a passalong card, and inviting to church or something like that. Well we had 20 before lunch... it was awesome! Then he texted us and said... no you need to have 20 each missionary... so we got 20 more. He was kidding but we ended the day with 45 contacts, the elders had 20 and the other elders had 9... Needless to say I am excited for district meeting. Haha. 

So this week Hermana C got sick. Friday she couldn't go out and work. She slept most of the morning and then we called the zone leaders to see if there was someone from the Stake who could go out with me while she stayed with a member. And there was! Hermana Elsa (yeah.. frozen... I love her) came to Cabildo! We went and dropped Hermana C off at mama Sivetti's house and we went and worked! It was a great experience for me! I knew where everyone lived and sort of started the lessons. It was different but I loved it! Hermana Elsa was great! She gave awesome input and we had some very spiritual lessons! It was really cool. 

Yesterday we had a family night with a family in the ward. They are less actives but the awesome thing is they always bring their nonmember friends! Every time we go over there we have a new investigator! One of them his name is Juan... funny story. We taught him earlier this week... he was super interested in The Book of Mormon and faith. We left him a Book of Mormon and told him to read the introduction and Alma 32... well we went back and he had read the intro UP TO Alma 32!!! What the heck... it had been 5 days!!! He said he would stay up until 5:30 reading some nights! So he is definitely on track to baptism. Then at the noche de hogar we watched Finding Faith in Christ. There were kids everywhere!!! Climbing all over me and when we tried to leave I had 3 kids hanging on my back and my arms. It reminded me of all my cousins! They were crazy but adorable!!! 

Okay I am out of time... speaking of time.. it's going by way too quickly. But I am loving every minute! Thinking and praying about everyone! Thank you for all you do in return!

Lots of love and hugs!

Hermana Hammond

gave myself a facial... it rocked.

The Silvetti's took our measurements and wrote them on the wall...
we really are their daughters :)

TRANSFERS!!

Hello family!

 

Transfers were this week!!! What??? Hermana Creason and I are staying here! Elder Blackner played a joke on us though... he said Hna C was going to get transferred, leaving at 1:30 am and that I was training... not funny. But yay!!! Hermana Creason hasn't had a companion longer than 1 transfer so I am the longest!! 

I am SO EXCITED for the things that are happening here. Our bishop is INCREDIBLE and ahhh I just love it here. I will give a brief summary of my week but this letter will be short. 

So we found Oscar! He is suffering a lot. I don't know if I said this already but last time he was almost baptized his dad passed away that morning. That was 4 months ago. He wants to be baptized so bad but Satan is really working on him. We taught him a very spiritual lesson and he feels a lot better now. We are planning on his baptism being this weekend so I hope it works out. Please pray for him that he will have the strength to resist the temptations of Satan. 

As far as investigators go we are just trying to find new people. We are working a lot through the less actives here. 

OH YEAH! The World Cup! So haha we knew Argentina would be playing and the game started at 7 so we just moved our studies to the night. We could hear fireworks and people in the other apartments watching the game so we had a pretty good feel who won. ARGENTINA!!!!!!!! We definitely have some A-town pride!

Alright that is all for this week.

I love you all and can't thank you enough for your thoughts and prayers. This truly is the Lord's work and I am so incredibly blessed to be a part of it. 

Have a fantastic week everyone!

Love,
Hermana Hammond

Dog on the roof...just a day in the life. 

The best zone ever: Zona Santiago del Estero

A Typical Sam Picture

With Elder Slighting.  I forgot to add in my letter I spoke at the zone training this week and in sacrament meeting yesterday... nothing like testing my Spanish than that! Haha!

What garbage?

The familia Silvetti! This family is the best!

They love River. It is a team down here so we bought jerseys and had them sign it. They FREAKED OUT! AHH I love them!

The view from the Bishop's apartment.... it's incredible.

Argentina Pride