May Flowers

Hello my dearest Brothers and Sisters, friends and family,

This week I just want to start off my expressing my love for the Saviour Jesus Christ. I know that he came to earth to atone for my sins and shortcomings. I know that he did feel all of my pains in the garden of Gethsemane. He literally gave his life in the benefit of all of  us. So when life gets tough, fall on your knees and I can promise you will feel your burdens being lightened.

My mum sent me an Easter package that arrived this past week full of candies and sweets. As well as a talk that Elder Jeffery R. Holland gave in 2000 entitled The Miracle of a Mission. I hope that anyone that is considering to serve a mission or has ever thought about it to read it. It has made me realise just how much trust the Lord has put in his 18-30 year olds across the world. To wear his name upon your shirts and be a living day representative of him who came down for us. Greater joy and of no great importance than is it to preach the gosple. For 2 years or 18 months we are set a part from the world. To live our lifes as best as we can. I have grown and changed so much in the mission field. My ways are now his ways, and my thoughts his thoughts. I am forever greatful for the lessons I am learning out here in the mission field.

Last Monday after emailing we were walking throught town centre eating our Micky D's and I notice a man with a shirt on that said the Book of Mormon I enquiered of him. He said that is was from the Book of Mormon musical. He started asking us questions and agreed to set up another time. So we ended up seeing him 3 times last week!! he is such a great person and so full of questions and wants to know how a believe in God can help him out. You could call this a Book of Mormon mucical miracle!

On Saturday before we went to see your book of mormon musical friend we had a few extra mmintues so we decided to knock a few doors. The last one a man opened we told him who we were and in the background we here oh my I want to talk to them! This university aged girl comes to the door and proceeds to tell us her friend just got home from his mission in London. And invited us in to have as she put it a mormon talk. It was such a miracle that when we give it our all the Lord blesses us then. we don't receive a witness until after the trial of our faith.

I love you all have a great week,

Love Elder Hammond

Beginning of May Flowers

Hello everyone,

On Wednesday of last week I had two really good friends go home from their missions. Elder Sutton whom I served with about a year ago in Wigan. And Elder Humpherys from Idaho Falls. I am so very thankful for their examples to me and for what they each taught me. They sure will be missed here in England.

My companion and I had this brilliant idea to start riding the bikes. I am not exactly 100% sure of the rules of the road here, so it was a bit of an adventure. But I manged to stay on the left side of the road and not break any major rules so everyone is safe. The first few days were hard getting use to the way the seat is and my legs were shot but now it's all right. I have managed to destroy a pair of trousers but its all part of riding bikes I guess.

We have this Scottish man that lives not far from us that we taught this week. He has a few kids and was very receptive to our teaching. He is a good man that is just searching for how God can help him out in life. I am so thankful that the Lord prepares people for us to teach. In Docterine and Coventants 88:73 it says, Behold I will hasten my work in it's time. We had someone from the mission presidency come speak in our branch yesterday and this is what he talked aobut. It isn't us that hastens the Lord's work. It is the Lord. We are just tools in his hands. I know that if we all pray for missionary opportunities the Lord will bless us with them.

One of our good friends we have been teaching stopped smoking last week! He hasn't smoked for over a week. I am so proud of the man he is doing very well and you can already see a difference in him. Now he just needs to continue on and pretty soon he will be ready to enter the waters of baptism :)

Yesterday was of course Mother's Day! I am so thankful I was able to Skype me family. I love them with all of my heart they mean the world to me and it was great to see them in person. Well as close as you can get across the sea, but thankful for technology that makes this all possible.

I  love you all,

Love Elder Hammond

Mountains to Climb

Hello Everyone,

This week I had the opportunity to go to young womans. It was their feed the missionaries night. And I would say I really enjoyed it. It was the first time I have done anything like this. I know that people look up to us missionaries. And we try to be as much like the Saviour as we can be. As well as that activity we also had a branch social. Where the theme was multicultural night. We had Phillipeon, Spanish, Scottish, English, Canadian, and I represented American food. So I decided to make peanut butter cookies because what's more American than that? At the social we did a few quizzes and played a few games. It was a really fun evening with all the people from here.

On Saturday we had to go down to Manchester for a full mission conference. It was held in the Man South chapel and I have never seen so many missionaries before! I can vaguely remember when the last mission conference started. That was back in me first transfer. We got taught about ipads and how to use them to spread the gospel throughout the world. I am so thankful for the time that I have to serve the lord. I know that this was the specific time in my life where I needed to be here with lessons to learn.

Yesterday we when and hiked a mountain with our branch president. It was an exciting day we hiked a few peaks and then decided to take a rest so we went and saw a few waterfalls. the Lake District is beautiful. We were in a place near Keswick. I think I have served in the two most beautiful areas Gaerwen and here in Carlisle. I love the city, but it's nice to get out into the free air now and again.

I am so very thankful for my mom! I know that next weekend is America's mothers day. So I wish a very happy day to my mom, aunts, and grandma! I love you all,

Love Elder Hammond