Swinton!

Hello Everyone,

 

This week has been crazy with transfers. I got to pack up all my stuff and clean the flat so that the new missionaries could go in and feel at home. I think we did pretty well at leaving the area as good as possible. Because we were getting both moved out and Chinese missionaries put in. On Friday night the other Elders in Gaerwen, Elders Roberts and Hulterstrom, went and taught Jason and his roommate David. They are the ones that came to the Chinese activity last week. David is now dated for baptism :) It is such a miracle to see how much church activites can help in someones progression and comfort in the church.

 

I got to visit members all week going to different ones each day. One of the members has a Lotus and took me out for a ride. I just asked if I could get a picture of his car and he let me ride in it. Wow that thing has some power! We smoked the tires as we left the driveway and we were off. We took the corners going about 85! Wow that thing handles well. I felt like I was riding in a roller coaster.

 

The members in Gaerwen were so good. I felt like I got to know each of them individually and grew to love them. But I am excited to serve in Swinton now. My companion is from Spain and speaking Spanish and is learning English. We both served in Stockport at the same time so it was great to see how much he has progressed and gotten better. We taught two lessons in Spanish yesterday, and by we I mean he taught. I realised that I don't remember much Spanish at all and it was a great learning experience. Elder Vaquera is a great hard working missionary. Last night we set a baptismal date for a man name Mario. He will be baptised on the 16th of November :)

 

We got a referral from Mormon.org on Tueday it was a university student named Nathan. He watched a video that someone posted on facebook and really liked it, so he got onto momon.org and watched videos for the rest of the night and wanted to learn more. So we met up with him on Friday at a café and sat and talked. He was very interested in learning more and I hope to hear how he is doing soon.

 

I know that each transfer is a time for me to recommit and recognize the things I can do better. This transfer I really look forward to working with Elder Vaquera and with all the amazin people in Swinton.

 

I love you all so much,

 

Love Elder Hammond

Things are about to Explode!!

Yesterday as we sat down with our bishop he told us just how lucky we are to be serving in Gaerwen. He is a very straight forward man and said that he just feels that something huge is about to happen. He told us that he is going to invite certain members to step up and either they are in or they are out. There is no middle ground anymore! It was a powerful meeting with him. I feel like I have a better direction of what he wants us to do and where he sees the ward going.

Yesterday was also the mission home fireside. Which is were missionaries and people that they are teaching gather together in Manchester to hear the testimonies of recent converts and returning less active members. We went with the other elders and Kris Little. He got baptised on Saturday. He is absolutely 100% through and through a kingdom builder. He is dating a member right now and they are planning their wedding in the temple next year on the 11 of October! He already seeing baptism as such the beginning. He is looking forward to the temple and being with his family forever :)

We found out this week that we had a Chinese member move into the ward. His name is Jing. He got baptised in Cambridge last year. He is going to be a big asset in teaching Chinese people because none of us know Chinese and he is very knowledgeable already. We met with him and he told us how he is teaching his roommates all about he church and will have them there next week. The explosion is about to take off in Gaerwen!!

For the month of October we as a mission are focusing our studies on the Atonement and what is made possible threw it. Oh my days it is amazing to see the spiritual growth you can receive in just a week. We have been reading conference talks and scriptures especially on them. My understand and love for the Saviour has grown.

I hope you have a great week! I love you all

Love Elder Hammond

we built sandcastles in zone meeting this week :)

Conference week

Dearest Children of the Lord,

This week we had some amazing things happen. The first was a man named Li. He is an investigator that was found before we got here. He has been taught all the lessons and for some reason or another we lost contact with him. We had called and text him for the past few months and only heard from him once. On Tuesday night while we were planning, we got a text from Li saying that he had been busy finishing his dissertation that is why he hadn't gotten hold of us. So we set up a time for Thursday. We met him with a member university student. And got to know Li abit and invited him to come with us to conference he said he would. So the member brought Li with him to church yesterday to watch one of the session. Li really liked conference . He stayed for one session and we are seeing him tonight to talk about it! It just shows how we can never give up on someone. The Lord is touching peoples hearts all around us.

We were at a members home having tea talking with them, and I said something. The members looked at us funny then said I thought you were the new missionary and Elder Rolfson was training you! Then all four of us started to laugh. It was pretty funny. Elder Rolfson is an amazing missionary and person. I love serving with him and watching him develop and become way better than his trainer!

I loved how in conference that different people spoke in their native tongues. It just showed to me that the church is a global church. It doesn't matter what language it is spoken in, it is the same message about Jesus Christ and the Restoration of the Gosple through Jopepsh Smith. It strengthened my testimony and showed that people form all walks of life can be the Lord's chosen disiples. The messages that I heard were so powerful. I feel so blessed and priviaage to be a missionary and see first hand the Lord and his church growing in the world. I feel a great sense of purpose to help the Lord bring back his scattered sheep.

I hope you all enjoyed conference as much as me. Have a great week,

Love you,

Love Elder Hammond