Pictures!

Pictures!

My First week in the field

Well I got in the field Wednesday. It rained on us Thursday. Finally it rained! But the rain made me happy. We had an appointment fall threw when we were walking in the rain, but it allowed us to talk to another lady. We got a referral from church headquarters. She wanted a book of Mormon. Unfortunately we couldn't find her house. We were suppose to have a baptism on Saturday, we were at the stake center filling the font. and the father of the person to be baptized said he couldn't be. So we went to their house the next day and talked to the father. He said he asked his son about the church and he gave him the wrong answer. So it was weird. The father was proud of his son for doing something. but doesn't want him to be baptized. He will let us continue to teach him and study the scriptures. He just doesn't want us to baptism him. But eventually we will. The young man, Rikesh, wants to be baptized. He keeps telling us this. Just his father won't allow it. So we will pray that the fathers heart will be softened.

The ward here is really good. Most everyone is converts to the church. There are alot of families and old people in the ward. Everyone is happy to come to church and learn. We have a really good ward mom, her name is Sam Perry. She schedules the dinner appointments for the missionaries. And is a really great tool to us. She is practicly a missionary herself. and we have John Parry, he serves in the stake young mens and he is really a great man. He can do magic tricks. He can make a napkin into a £20. 

I don't know how to cook!!! And it is really a problem. Neither me or my companion really know how to cook. so we have been having pb and j, rice, cereal, and apples. So mom and dad, make sure you teach Brock and Nick how to cook!! I get enough food. We work hard. We don't have a car, so we walk every where. so I feel tired all the time, but its a good thing. It means that I'm working hard. People here are friendly. They will stop and talk to you. They just don't like to bring up religion. They want to talk about football and the weather. There are so many people here! I miss the small quiet country. There is always sirens going off at night, and we live next to a busy road. I am in Liverpool, so the people are a bit hard to understand at times. Everything is going great love the mission!

Love you,

Elder Hammond

Letter to mom

This is the letter my mom received:

We wanted to let you know that Elder Hammond arrived safely In the England Manchester Mission yesterday (Wednesday, 24 July 2013) from the Chorley MTC.
Attached is a picture of Elder Hammond with his new companion and also one with President & Sister Preston.  We are so happy to have him here in the EMM!

Sister Owens
England Manchester Mission

First Transfer

My first tranfer from the MTC is to Tubrook Liverpool!! My companion is Elder Kunzler. He went to Sugar and is the Rhoton's cousin. So I already knew him a little. I am so excited to serve with him. He is a hardworker. It's really cool to be out in the field. It's a bit nervous also. I also got to see the Cardon's they are happy and well. When we got off the bus, as we were walking to our flat, apartment, we did some street contacting and got a Sister interested. She said she would have us over next week. Also I experienced a miracle! We talked to a Brother named Peter. He said he had been sitting in the park all day and just decided to get up and walk. He was walking in the opposite direction of his house and ran into us. We asked how he was doing and he started to cry. He had hit rock bottom. He wants to change, he says alcohol isn't the answer. And I believe that he will change! The Lord is preparing people to hear the gospel. Thank you for all the prays and love and support. I love you have a happy 24th of July!!

Love Elder Hammond

PS sorry it isn't very long, we don't get much time on the computer.

My first week at the MTC

Wednesday is my last day at the MTC I get transfered to Manchester. So I won't have a P day till Monday. So I will write more then :)

It's a small world. I met up with 3 other missionaries at the Salt Lake airport. One from Marsh Valley, Elder Shirflift, another from Twin Falls, Elder Elias, and Elder Green from St. George. The MTC President is Brother Edwards, he has a twin brother that is a sealer at the Rexburg Temple.

On my flight from Idaho Falls to Salt Lake, I talked to a lady from Driggs. She was taking a dog to Seattle, and you know much I dislike dogs. From Salt Lake we boarded a plane to St. Paul Minnesota, but got delayed, so we had to bard another flight to Minnesota. I had a nice conversation with one of the flight attendants about Preach my Gospel. She is a member and talked about her 17 year old getting ready for a mission.  From there we tried to fly into Amsterdam, Netherlands. That was a 7 and a half hour flight, plus we gained 8 hours. I started to realize  I wasn't in the US any more. At the airport hardly anyone spoke English. Just Dutch. From Amsterdam we flew into Manchester England.

We went through boarder agency and went to get our bags and they weren't there. They were lost. So luckily I had my carry on bag with a few things. And the MTC gave us stuff till we got ours back. It only took like two days.

There are 55 missionaries here at the MTC. Real small. The first day was really relaxed. They let us sleep most of the day so we wouldn't experience jet lag. I did for like 3 days. We arrived in Manchester at 8am, midnight our time.

My companion is named Elder Von Wagoner from Utah. He is the zone leader, so we work really hard. Im also roomed with a kid from Canada.

The weather here right now is quite nice! It was been sunny shiny all the days we have been here. There hasn't been any rain at all. So its like 80 with 45% huminity. so it feels really hot and sweaty.

Saturday we taught our first investigator at the MTC. It was our teacher role playing. The spirit guided the meeting and I thought it went really well. We invited him to baptism and he accepted. Also we read the first chapter of 1 Nephi as a district and the spirit was so strong in verst 20. Tender mercies of the Lord. I can feel the spirit very strong here. I am learning about our Savior and his Plan of Happiness.

Sacrament meeting and church are a little different in the MTC. It's nice and the messages are great. We have it at the MTC. My companion gave me a blessing. He was telling how priesthood is a service, so I asked if he would. I felt inspired to have one. President Durkin gave his conversion story and talked about teaching people not lessons. We heard from President Edwards about how to honor the priesthood. He taught from D:C `121 and the spirit testified to me of the truthfulness of his message. Then we had a devotional given by Elder Bednar entitled, "Is it me, or the spirit" it was an old MTC talk given in Provo. He said to not worry about it, just teach from the heart.

I had a first real miracle happen. We were teaching, using pictures to help teach, and I could feel a change in our investigator he wanted to learn. The lesson plans all changed, but it was directed by the spirit which is what he needed to hear. We taught to his needs. It was crackin. It was a testimony builder to how the spirit works through us for the investigators. I know through heavenly father all things are possible. And that I will continue to grow as a missionary. 

This morning we got to go to the Preston Temple and that was really cool. It is a beautiful temple. We did an endowment session. Everything here is gorgeos. Super green and there are trees and beautiful flowers all over. I am only in the MTC one more week.

Love all you guys,

Elder Keegan Hammond