Carlisle Castle

Hello Everyone,

Last Monday me companion and I decided to go to the castle here in town. It is massive! It was build a thousand years ago and is still holding up. I am marvelled at how they got all these stones and moved them all to build a castle it was huge! And there were stairs all over and rooms they knew what they were doing that's for sure!

As well as a castle this week I also found Hammond's pond. It is a big park we have in our area that we walked through. It was pretty nice and it has a pretty good name. And also we found St. Ann's house. Which looks like Satan's house to me!

Tuesday we had a missionary meeting and we rode the train over to Workington. I started chatting with the lady across from me and it turned out it was a members wife! We have been trying to get hold of them and we finally got to go on Sunday! The Lord providing tender mercies all the time. I think the Lord blesses us so much more than we could ever imagine. Even a little simple thing like that it just shows how he directs this great missionary work throughout the world! He loves all of us and I know that he prepares people for us to touch.

Last week we decided to organise a branch social. So this next Friday we are going to be doing a multicultural evening with all the members and their frineds. It should be a night full of fun from all over the world.

I am so thankful for the Book of Mormon and the power of prayer. Joseph Smith is a prophet and I know that he was called by God to be the prophet of the restoration. He was a man of God and gave so much for the kingdom of God. I know that God does hear and answer my prayers. No matter how longer or short it has been since I last spoke to him. I know that he wants to bless us sometimes we just have to ask for that help and be humble enough to receive it. The church is true. There is nothing more important that we could ever do than to prepare to meet God. I love you all very much and have grown to love my family even more and more each week.

Love Elder Hammond

Good morning everyone,

This week the weather has been smashing! We have been in shirts and ties almost the entire week. So summer might be on it's way, but you never know with English weather it is a bit bi-polar at times and changes on the dot. Wednesday we got to go down to a place called Barrow-In-Furness we went to meet with the Elders there and interview one of the people they are teaching for baptism. It was a 3 hour train ride along the coast and it was beautiful. We met a girl from Germany that sat across from us that was a member that got baptised last year. So it was great getting to hear how she joined the church and it was a tender mercy from the Lord to catch the same train as her.

Barrow was great we got to have tea at the bishop's house and then do the interview. She will be getting baptised next Sunday :) It's great to see the desire of her to follow the Saviour. Then the next day we took the same train ride back to Carlisle. Where we went and met with our good friend Steven. He is homeless and has been taught a few times. We felt that if we taught him the Word of Wisdom that would help him the most. So we taught him and then later in the week he decided it wasn't for him. He was happy with the life style he has, the good seed has been planted we hope we run into  him again.

On Saturday we had a few refurrals from Mormon.org to conctact in a place called Penrith. It is a 15 minute train ride away and I had never been there so we boarded the train and had lunch there in an old castle. It is the first castle I have really been in. But today we are going to go to Carlisle castle and explore a bit there.

Our good friend Paul is doing quite well. We saw him Saturday and taught him about family history work and how he can help out his ancestors. We will be going back on Tuesday to hopefully put in his information on the computer. It has been a quick week!! Things are going really well here. We both are stayin healthy and well. God bless everyone and have a happy week,

Love Elder Hammond

Transfer Week

Dearest Family and Friends,

This week on the life of Elder Hammond; It was transfer week. So sadly I had to say good bye to my favourite Guyanian Elder Singh. I was gutted to only serve with him for one transfer. We really got along and I could see a huge change in him. We went around to all the members of Carlisle and he said his goodbyes. The branch loved him so much! They gave us tons and tons of chocolate to eat. Which is a good thing for me because he was transferring, so more for me! It was sad to see him and some of my other friends in the zone leave. He is off to Stockport one of my favourite areas I served in.

After I picked up my companion Elder Knight, we rode the train to Carlisle. Our branch mission leader picked us up and the strangest thing happened. A man knocked on the car window and told us he was from Kendal and was interested in finding out more about God. He is friends with the patricch in the stake. So it was really a tender mercy from the Lord to meet Steven.

On Friday we decided to see what it would be like to not have a phone for a day, we left it on the bus. It is really hard. We didn't have it for most of the day so we went to a members house and called to see what we should do. Eventually it was turned in at the bus station and our branch president brought it to us. Mean while he did that we had a bbq with an amazing family here in Carlisle. I found out that I don't really know how to bbq though,, what kind of a person am I? I turned out to be really nice in the end. And we had probably the best pudding ever! It was like apple pie, but instead of pie crust it was cinnamon rolls!! I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

As we rode the train this week I saw out in a field a herd of sheep. And admit it was a bunch of young lambs. I was preparing a talk to give at sacrament meeting about Our Saviour's Love. That's when two and two went together. I turned to 3 Nephi 17 and read about the Saviour blessing the Nephite children. Imagine how that must have felt to be one of those little children to feel the nail prints in his hands. To be admist the greatest person that has ever walked this earth. I am so thankful for my Saviour Jesus Christ. I imagine what it felt like to be resurrected and appear to the Nephites, people that recognised him as their Saviour. The prophied one. The only Begotten of the Father and they accepted him. That must have been great for Jesus Christ to be accepted by a group of people that had never personally met him. He was dispised by his own, but accepted by all else as the promised Messiah. I am thankful for my family. I love them with all of my heart. And know one day I will stand before my Maker. in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Love you all,

Love Elder Hammond 

Easter Week

Hello Family and Friends,

This past week has been one of the most special weeks for all of us. A time to celebrate and remeber what Jesus Christ did for each of us. When he went to the garden of Gethsemane and bled from every pore for our sins. he suffered both in the spirit and in the flesh. I know that because of his suffering there we can be forgiven of  our sins. We still have to do our parts, but our parts would be nothing without the aid of the Saviour and Redeemer. Also getting to celebrate his Resurrection on Sunday morning as well as hearing from the apostles and prophets. That was such a remarkable experience. I love M. Russell Ballard's talk in priesthood session on raising the bar. I know that I need to raise the bar, so that when I stand before my Maker I can say I can hear the words, Well done thou good and faithful servant.

Yesterday I was able to go down to the temple with some amazing members here in Carlisle. They drove the 120 miles down to the temple for us and did a session. I was able to do temple work for one of my ancestors that had passed on in the 1750's. I know he had been waiting a long time for someone to help him on his journey back. As well as I had a really spiritual experience in the temple. That reconfirmed my testimony of the church. I am so thankful for my testimony. And the testimonies of others that have been offered in the hardest and easiest of times. I know that because of Jesus Christ we will all be able to see our loved ones again. the gosple of Jesus Christ is real and it does change hearts. 

It's transfers this week. I will be staying in Carlisle and my companion Elder Singh will be headed out to one of my favourite places Stockport! I am thankful for my time with him and his humble attitude. I love yous all,

Love Elder hammond