Week 64

"It's simple, just do exactly as I say."

We had the opportunity to go to the mission devotional on Sunday night. Sister Edvelson is the choir director and she's amazing. We sang a new song called "Beautiful Savior" and I tried out the alto part this time, it was fun! The spirit was so strong as we sang and listened to testimonies of those who have recently found the gospel. As we were practicing Sister Edvelson sarcastically said, "It's simple, just do exactly as I say!."

I'm so blessed to be able to stay in South Hill with Sister Erickson for another 6 weeks. We are working so hard together and learning from each other all the time. I've seen so many evidences of the Lord's hand directing us and helping us to be able to find people who are being prepared to hear the Gospel.

We also had an incredible miracle on Sunday. One of our investigators, Shania Roberts, is 16 and she wants to be baptized by her brother before he leaves on his mission. Her mom has been against it for over a year. She barely let Jose, Shania's brother, be baptized a couple of years ago. We've been praying and fasting for her. On Sunday Jose came into church and said, "Sisters, I need to tell you something. Last night I bore my testimony to my mom about how the gospel has changed my life and how I know it will be good for my siblings. She agreed to let everyone be baptized when they turn 16. Sisters, Shania can get baptized!" 2 Nephi 27:23 says, "For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith."

I know that our loving Heavenly Father provides the way for all of His children to receive the hope and peace and direction that comes through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Sister Hammond <3

Week 63

(From Sister Erickson's perspective)

Sorry for not emailing last week! I was busy with college applications. This is Sister Erickson's email from last week.

"This week has been a wild one. But a wonderful one at that.

On Sunday morning, the car slid in the parking lot and I ended up parked on a hill/curb, inches away from a tree...angels definitely took the wheel and i'm so grateful we, and the car, were okay. It was pretty traumatic though, and definitely instigated some tear shed. Tried to collect myself, and we went into church, only to find out, who had come to visit that Sunday? President and Sister Rasmussen and my old companion, Sister Woolsey. Sweet. :) really, it was, it just led to more emotions...and thus more tears....I love being a girl and crying all the time haha. 

Other great things happened this week. My favorite family, the Thompsons LOVED my analogies when we taught the the plan of salvation this week. AND they remembered my analogy to pizza when we taught them about the apostasy a few weeks ago...a lot of my analogies have to do with food/pizza...because that's what i love haha :)

We had an incredible experience yesterday. We went by to follow up with one of our investigators who has been sick. She was still sick, but we ended up teaching her dad, who was a potential investigator, and is now a new investigator, Greg. Me and Sister Williams had a powerful lesson with Greg on exchanges a few weeks ago, but he didn't agree to meet with us again. Greg has had a really hard life and his time in the military left him with deep spiritual and emotional wounds. He has a hard time applying God's love to himself and says he has lost hope in mankind. We were able to testify boldly and with great love that God lives, and loves him. We read many scriptures together, Mosiah 3:7-8, Alma 7:11-12, Romans 8:35-39, and Romans 8:16-18. As I testified of God's love for Greg, despite the sins and wrong doings Greg feels like diminish God's love for him, I felt the spirit bear powerful witness of the reality of what I was saying. That Jesus really is the Christ. That He truly lived and died, and lives today! That we can be clean from sin as we follow Him. We invited him to be baptized, and it wasn't something that was wrote or forced, but came as an invitation to really come to Christ and feel His healing power. I got emotional many times during this lesson as it was one of the most powerful lessons I've had on my mission. Greg told us he knew that God sent us to him that night, and that God seems to always send us by when he really needs us. I was so humbled to be an instrument in God's hands in that way. I am so grateful to be a missionary and to testify of the divinity and the reality of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Well, I hope you all have a wonderful week. Read the Book of Mormon. Tell someone you love them, and then show them that you do.

LOVE,

Sister Erickson"

1. trying to take District meeting pics 

2. so icey outside so we had to go VERY slowly down the driveway

3. The sun finally made it's appearance!

Sister Hammond <3

Week 62

2017 + snow + locked out

It's been an exciting last week of the year and the beginning of a new one. 2016 has honestly been one of the best. I am so grateful that I was able to consecrate the whole year in service to our God.

Exciting things from this week:

3 exchanges with these lovely sisters. They are all amazing and so spiritual. I've learned so much from them and it's cool to see the love that they all have for the Lord and the people they're working with. Each one teaches so differently. I have a lot of great ideas to implement into my teaching style as well.

It snowed!

Also, we got locked out of our car. So we slept over at the Hermana's house and had a fun adventure this morning getting everything worked out :)

I'm excited for 2017 and all of the miracles that we'll see. 

I love you all ♥

Sister Hammond ♥

Week 61

Murry Christmas!!

Lighting the world one act of kindess at a time.

I love the Christmas season and it was especially great to be able to talk with my family this week. They sent me this cute blanket as a gift, it has pictures on it from the past 2 years and is a perfect reminder that I am called as a missionary to unite families together eternally.

So many great things happened this week that are a constant reminder that God is at the head of this work and He loves us. His love is so personal and it's never ending. I've been reading in the Book of Mormon and Nephi is quoting the Isaiah scriptures. This one stood out to me specifically this week. 2 Ne 7:1 "...Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement? To whom have I put thee away, or to which of my creditors have I sold you? Yea, to whom have I sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves..." then in chapter 15:25 "...but [my] hand is stretched out still" It is our own weaknesses that separate us from God. He is always there reaching out to help us work through our trials, we just have to be humble enough to accept His help.

"He is the Light, the Life, and the Hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His Divine Son." - The Living Christ.

Sister Hammond ♥

exchanges with Sister Wynder!

I ♥ christmas time

caroling at an old folks home last night! (featuring Steve and Kitty) plus the Elders in the background. ♥

our zone at the old folk's home ♥
​

Week 60

The Tacoma Mission

Christmas coming up this week has truly brought the spirit of Christ. I am so grateful to have the privilege of serving a mission, especially at this time of year.

LIST OF MIRACLES

-Our headquarter referral became a new investigator! But he lives in Tacoma so he'll be taught by the Tacoma missionaries. (everybody lives in Tacoma. Literally everyone we talked to this week is either from Tacoma, moving to Tacoma, or is visiting Tacoma...)

-Exchanges with Sister Bowman - We met a family from Guam and they'll be teaching them later this week!

-Had our mission Christmas party and our zone memorized "The Living Christ" and sung "I Believe in Christ" The spirit was in abundance because Christ truly is the Living Son of the Living God.

-Our mission did a 'Festival of Finding' - we went out with different missionaries in different areas and just knocked on doors for 6 hours. It was one of the most amazing days on my mission because WOW. People are prepared everywhere. We just have to have the faith to find them and then the confidence to teach them our unique message. We went to an apartment complex and found these 2 guys helping their friend move. We started talking to them and they don't have religion, but they do have a strong faith in God. Sister Peterson and I shared Joseph Smith's experience and she asked the guy, David, what he thought about that. His response was, "it reminds me of footprints." He then bore his testimony about how he knows God is always there for us because He carries us through our trials and always walks with us.

-Last night we went knocking on doors again and met a man who has also never really had a part in religion. Sister Erickson and I testified that God loves us and our families and has given us this gospel to bless us. He said yes when we invited him to be baptized. ♥

I've been studying the Atonement recently. Specifically Alma 42 in the Book of Mormon.

15 And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.

God, our Heavenly Father, loves all of us unconditionally because we are His children. Because of His love He's created a plan for us to learn and to grow and to return to live with Him and to become like Him. But in order for this plan to happen, He gave us our agency - the ability to choose. Which introduced sin into this plan. Because of sin and death we are eternally separated from God.  God has to be just. No unclean thing can live with Him. Jesus Christ is the gift that God gave us to overcome both sin and death. He pays the price for our sins and allows God to also be perfectly merciful.

I am so grateful for my Savior and for the Love that He extends towards me.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/okGb2ghx0-s?rel=0"

I love you all! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Sister Hammond ♥

Week 59

"Thanks Elizabeth"

Every week just keeps getting better and better. We were talking with a man named Grant, in the middle of trying to testify of the Resto he looks at Sister Erickson and says, "Where are you from?" "Utah" "Not with an accent like that, are you sure you're not from England?" HAHA, positive. Then, we met a Ukrainian man who kept thinking Sis Erickson's name was Elizabeth. (Fit's with the British theme.) as we were leaving he said, "thanks Elizabeth!" We had to hold in our laughter until we'd walked down his long driveway. 

On Tuesday we went out finding and we were led to a incredibly prepared man, Dave Matthews. Brother Matthews has had a really rough past, he was released from prison a few months ago, and he has had a strong desire to rekindle his faith in God and go to church. Right off the bat, he said he would come to church this Sunday. We were very happy with that :) We were able to teaching him about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and later on, about the Plan of Salvation. He is really excited about everything he has been learning, and says that he feels like we have helped save his life. I know that truly it is the power of the Atonement in his life that his helping him have these feelings of hope and light. I'm excited to help him recognize this more too. At church on Sunday, we were waiting for him to come, and getting more anxious as the time grew closer for Sacrament meeting to start. During the opening hymn he still wasn't there, but we were keeping faith that he would show. Sure enough, in the middle of the hymn he walked in with his leather jacket, his hair long clean and braided, and his best blue jeans with the chains on them on. He enjoyed church and the members did a wonderful job at introducing themselves to him and helping him feel welcome. When Brother Matthews introduced himself to bishop he told him that he is getting baptized on January 14th. Brother Matthews is evidence that the Lord's prepared people are out there, and if we open our mouth and are worthy of the guidance of the Holy Ghost, we will find them.

He also told us that if we ever need a body guard or a mechanic, he's our guy HAHA.

One other miracle. Sister Erickson had the idea to start praying to have a head quarter referral of someone who watched the Christmas video and wanted to meet with the missionaries. She has a strong testimony of headquarter referrals, and we figured with the Christmas initiative it only makes sense that it would be a good time to receive some. Well, that exact prayer was answered the very next day. Robert Bartholomew googled "how to convert to Mormon"and was led to the Christmas video where he then requested missionaries. So cool. God is so good and answers the prayers of all of His children in the way that helps them the most.

​I love you all!! MERRY ALMOST CHRISTMAS!

Sister Hammond ♥

Week 58

The church fairy

Being in the South Hill ward has been amazing so far. The members here are great and there are so many places to go tracting! haha Sister Arnold, there's more than just 3 neighborhood for us to go to. ;) We visited one member last week and shared the Christmas video. Her calling is, as she calls it, "the church fairy" because she restocks all of the toilet paper and paper towels that are mysteriously never empty!

On Friday I got to see Sister Zavala and Hermana Huhem, the two other sisters that came out with me :)

I'm excited for this Christmas season and to be able to share the light of the gospel with the world. Heavenly Father loves His children everywhere. Isn't that a cool thought to think about? Yesterday we had stake conference and one of the speakers was Elder Stapleton of the Seventy. He spoke about how the Savior comforts us in our afflictions. He is the way, the truth, and the light. He is the living Son of the Living God.

This Christmas season provides the perfect opportunity for us to reach out and share our testimonies of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

I love you all!

Sister Hammond ♥