numero 6

Hello Familia!
It never ceases to amaze me how fast time goes by and i am right back here writing an email while doing my laundry. I really can't beleive how fast the weeks go by here. We do the same things every week so the days just turn into weeks so fast but its going great and i love it here. I am learning more and more each and every day! and I love that about the mtc. Well my health is great just to let you know i haven't felt sick or anything since then and i am 110%. I really am not exaderating i am rolling here! But i do appreciate all the packages and all the love that you all have sent. Thanks aunt mitzie for the package i really appreciated the letters and the vitamin c! Just so everyone knows i have tons of vitamin c now haha no problems there!
> This week we had some great firesides. JoHN H. Groberg spoke to us on tuesday night with his wife and what an amazing night that was. They discussed the importance of temples and missionary work again and i can truly see the importance of the temple and my investigators. He told an amazing story who was in an indian reservation and no one was letting them in and so they were walking home and he saw a broken wire on a fence with a lot of cattle in there. The one missionary wanted to leave and go but the other one said"I was taught to NEVER was past a broken wire" The missionary stayed and fixed the fence and just as they were getting done a man walked up to them and said thank you and thought that he probably had time to listen to their message! It was an amazing story about not knowing who is watching us but to always do everything we can to go out of our way to help someone else. I think that story wtih stay with me forever. But it was a great fireside and i enjoyed listenign to him and his wife.
> Last night we had a fireside by Stephen B. Alan. he's over the missionary department and his talk was about adversity as a missionary and how to overcome that. His whole talk was based on the song Come come ye saints. He has us listen to it during his talk by the MOTAB and wow! I had the chills reading that song and to just keep hearing ALL IS WELL was amazing. I think i have a new favorite hymn because he compared us to the pioneers and how we are the pioneers of our day. Last night was just an amazing night. After our firesides on sunday they let us watch movies like Joseph smith, legacy, testaments etc... But last night was the Joseph smith video. We have already seen it twice and it still just gets to me everytime. The sacrifice that he made for this gospel is unbelievable. There's a part of the movie where i lose it every time ha it's when he's on his way to carthage and he goes down a street and it's all the people who he has touched, and i just hope that i can have that same experience with people in my mission. All in all it was probably one of the most spiritually uplifting nights here. It was really amazing.
> Well now on to the espanol. Our teachers speak all spanish now to us which is really crazy, but it also is very helpful. It's tuff to pick them up but i can usually get the gist of what they are saying. We are teaching leccion 1 in spanish now and it's really fun how each day elder bowden and i just keep adding to our spanish vocab and are able to teach better and better. It's tuff to not just be scriptive when teaching spanish and make it personal and keep the questions coming that let us teach to the investigators needs but with time that'll come. It's just fun to get studying about espanol and speaking it more and more. Our teachers expect a lot out of us and are pushing us in spanish but all of us are more than willing and can all do it. so it's really fun.
> This week we lost a district to mexico. So we will be getting a new one on wednesday. Elder Bowden and i are in charge of orientation and taking them around and showing them the ropes so that'll be fun. In one week our district will be the senior district which is unreal because i still feel like the young new guys but wow time sure goes fast in this place. It's hard to remember what we do each week because the days are so similar that it's tuff to remember all of the great experiences. Elder bowden and i forget what we eat the day before sometimes because it's just so repetitive. I mean that in a good way not a bad way ha. I am loving it here. Gym time is the best. Basketball in so fun and i am working it on the floor. Ha everyday i am just drenched in sweat cause i love it so much. Had a wipe open dunk this week...doinked it off the back of the rim! I was pretty disappointed in myself i must say. Hopefully i'll have better news about dunking next week.
> Thank you everyone for the mail and packages i really appreciate all your love adn support. Ha the mail is funny here saturdays we don't get like any mail cause it closes and no dear elders ever come on sat. then on monday afternoon i end up getting about 10 dear elders ha i love that it's the best time of my week. i absolutley love to hear from all of you and all the adventures going on. Thank thank you
> Well this week i'll be finishing the Book of Mormon. I have about 30 pages left. I'm so excited to finish it and get right into D&C. I should have that finished before i leave the mtc which will really help me. I have loved my personal study of the Book of Mormon though. it's so much better reading it fast the storyline just sticks and it just is so much more meaningful. I know that Joseph smith translated that book through the power of God and i know that the Book of Mormon is true. NO DOUBT! I can't beleieve how great my days are because of my studying it and praying to know that it is true. I love it, and i love to study. elder bowden and i are reading all the way through pmg and true to the faith together and it's really helping us out. Doctrine, doctrine, doctrine right nick? I truly know that i'm here for a reason and that are people out there being prepared for me. I nkow that the spanish will come and i ahve no doubt in my mind that in a few months i'll be able to do everything i need to in spanish. The gift of tongues is real! I know it. I'm saying things some days that i don't even know where it came from but i said it and i know that the lord is really blessing me right now! I am surrounded by the greatest people. My zone is amazing, my district feels like my other family and my branch pres. is amazing i truly am so blessed to have them. Well fam i love you all and i am so grateful for everything you do for me. Thanks a bunch to Everyone and all my pen pals. I love hearing from you all and i am grateful for each of your examples in my life. I really have been blessed to have great people surround me in my life and it couldn't be more true about my family and friends. Good luck this week bell at the doctor! ill be thinking of you! I love you all so much. I'm doing so great and i love it here don't forget that! Have a great week everyone. Love you tons
> Elder Hammer