Aug 8th

What's up guys!!!!!!

 

Well another week and i'm back. This past week was a pretty crazy roller coaster ride up and down up and down but a lot of good lessons learned for sure. Thanks for the letters and the packages mom and dad. They loved the scriptures so much and are so excited to finally have scriputres like the rest of the other members,THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I loved the pictures of the 1 year celebration, it's nice to get some pictures of the family once in a while and i loved the pictures of my niece haha she's so cute. Jess thanks for sending me alex's email and also thanks for sending me those pics this past week i love the picture of her sitting on the bed with the controller, she's adorable!

 

Well we had our big training meeting throughtout our mission that was awesome for 3 days this past week! It was quite the circus because a lot of people in our zone don't have cars so i was driving a 12 passenger ford econoline van full of missionaries through the city haha it was one of those experieces that you just don't forget about haha. Needless to say we made it and all went well for the 3 days as far as safety goes! I thnk i may have a career in being a bus driver! haha

 

This past week Laura Sandoval had her baby and it was awesome to be there at the hospital with them and also with Elder and Juana there. She had a boy and it was about time i thought for sure she was going to explode but it was fun to be there, they feel like family now it's awesome. Marlon taught priesthood and did so good. He volunteered to teach the class after 1 month of being baptized. He's going to be the branch president so quick! haha

 

Elder told us at the hospital that he wasn't going to be able to come to church on sunday becuase he needed to look for work because there struggling financially. It hit us hard becaus he was supposed to get the priesthood but we taught him about commandments and the blessings that come when we keep the commandments and he told us that he would see. Then we found out that Juana sipped some coffee and so we were like man we got to get them to church. Sunday morning rolled around and walked in Elder in a white shirt and tie with Juana!!!! He got the priesthood! And the sacrament talks were on the law of tithing. He was filling out a slip before he could even get done witht eh meetings. It was such a testimony builder to me of the faith that people put in the lord and when they trust in him. He blesses them so much. Juana understood why she needed to take the sacrament and that she had repented but still felt bad but she came to take the sacrament and said she wouldn't do it again! I have so much love for them especially just their willingness to change and do whatever it takes! It was a such a gratifying sunday.

 

Rafael couldn't come to church and wasn't able to meet with us this week and he was supposed to be baptized this upcoming sunday but that doesn't look to likely like it's going to happen. It's been a really humbling week as well. Rafael has been up and down and we felt really good that he was ready to do this. And satan throws the work excuse at him and he fell for it, which is a pretty valid thing, considering the circumstances of these great people, so we are excited for the upcoming week to see what we can do with him.

 

While we were in our leadership meeting we got a text message from kelly that siad, "elders something happened and i need to step away for a while, i don't want to talk about it, sorry" Yep it hit me like a ton of bricks. We talked to her boyfriend and i guess he said that she said that she wasn't doing it for herself and that she was just doing it for him. It was pretty hard to hear that because i know that she felt the spirit and that she knows that this is true. It's been a pretty humbling week to see both Rafael and now Kelly kind of fall. I have really been trying to just be patient and realize that it's on the lords will and on his timeline, but it's just been humbling to see how close someone can become and totally go the other direction. I feel like we gave it everything we had and that we gave her the best that we could give but something came up. So we've been praying like crazy that something will just tell her to call us so we can help her. It's been a learning opportunity for me to see things going so amazingly and now we are struggling to find new people and the people that we had fell ( not rafael, just kelly) We are hopiong fo rthe best for Kelly.

 

But i dont' want to end on a sour note though! Even though this past week has been a huge roller coaster ride in all aspects, We have been so blessed and we have seen so many blessings. Elder got the preisthood, jose and william passed the sacrament, marlon blessed and taught a lesson and people are progressing and we have to realize that and focus on the good. One of the best things i've learned is that on my mission ( and even in life) things come our way that aren't expected and that hurt us pretty bad, but we have the choice to be happy and to look at the good or be negative and it's just easier to just be happy so that's what we are doing! I love the gospel and i love the tests that we go through in our lives and they are just to make us stronger and to see what we are made of, but we can get through it and it's all because of our savior and the gospel. I love you all and thanks for your love and support!!! Have a great week

 

MUCH LOVE

 

Elder Hammer

Aug 2nd

Bueno, Bueno!!!!

 

hey guys! We are back again after another quick week and it puts a whole new emphasis when i see WE because now im serving in a 3 man companionship with Elder Woolley and my trainer(first companion) Elder Caballero from St. George again. It's been a lot of fun to be back with him and the three of us are having a good time together. Just getting a little used to having 3 people doing everything haha knocking doors is quite the circus, but it's been fun and it'll only be for a few more weeks until elder woolley goes home. I'm glad to hear that you all had fun in AZ without me ha I don't think dad and nick are going to be able to play golf with me when i got back because they play so much now they might drowned themselves out! I'm doing good though, just so everyone knows my throat is fine it hasn't hurt now for 2 weeks, i don't feel sick anymore and all is well. Thanks for all the concern, mitzie thanks so much for the package and grandma hafen for the letter i really appreciate it!

 

Well this week is going to be a really big week! We have a brand new training thing that will last for 3-4 days where all zone leaders, district leaders, and trainers go kind of like zone conference but all we are working on is new training from the MTC and each zone leaders have their own section that they are training on so it should be pretty awesome. It's just what our mission needs and it's goign to help us out so much. So that'll be all day tues-thurs.

 

This past week we finally got back with Kelly. She was in Texas for the past month and so it was good to get back and teach her again. It was a really good lesson where i think she learned a lot. She finally came to terms that she's not going to get this big huge ANSWER. that she's been getting them all along. Her fear is for sure the family but we layed it all on the line and just told her that she was already living all the commandments but wasn't being fully blessed for living them because she hadn't been baptized. She was pretty shocked and it was pretty bold speaking but we laid it out as clear as could be and she knows now. She wants to be baptized it's just when is the question. She doesn't want people to think that she is just doing it for Blair her boyfriend but we still are working with her and she's great.

 

We moved Marlon and Laura into the same apt as elder and juana. It was a day full of moving on saturday we moved to different members. But our recent converts are doing awesome! We had the confimations yesterday of elder, juana, and rosa. Marlon blessed the sacrament. Jose and William recieved the preisthood and will be passing next week. And elder got interviewed to get the priesthood yesterday. It was awesome to see so many things take place with all of them. Last night we were over at their house and elder said "Elder's me and marlon were talking and we gotta fill the isles in the church on sunday" (when elder caballero was here a year ago, the branch had 20 people coming, yesterday was 90!) but elder continued he said, "There shouldn't be room in the parking lot nor on the streets nearby to get into the church" It was awesome to hear that from him and we got a new person that we are teaching who is a good friend of Marlon this past week at the move. They are so fun to be around. I really am so content with where we are and how much progress we've made in our branch when i first got here the branch was falling apart from people being offended and gossip and the missionaries did a fast for the branch, and Our heavenly father blessed us with 10 baptisms in less than 30 days. How's that for answers to prayers. It's been such a blessing and we got to just keep it going!

 

All is well though and i'm really happy i'm loving where i am at! and i'm loving being a missionary. I'm learning so much about myself and about trials and blessings. I can't even begin to explain how much i feel like i've grown but there's a lot more that i need to do. Thanks for everything and i hop eyou all have a good week!

 

MUCH LOVE

 

ELDER HAMMER

july 26th

Hola!!!!!

 

Well it's been the sweetest month of the mish so far and this weekend pretty much just put a nice little cap on that!! We have been blessed like crazy and our zone for the month ended up hitting 13 baptisms which is the most it's ever hit i'm pretty sure! I know that you all have been praying for me and the investigators that we have and i'm grateful to all of you for doing that, this has for sure not been just me and elder woolley doing this alone.

 

We had the sweetest wedding ever for elder and juana! Elder and juana called us saturday morning and told us that they had been robbed and the rings they bought were gone and didn't want to get married without them, well a few hours later and a whole bunch of drama the lady that lived with them stole them and gave them back and we were back on for the wedding haha just when you think that it might go well something always comes up haha. But all went well, Elder invited a bunch of his family up from washington dc to come and his uncle who is a DJ for the music. haha we had lights and disco balls and all this crazy hispanic music but it was so much funa nd most importantly Elder And Juana were so happy!

 

But the next day for the baptism was even better! We had four baptisms yesterday and things were crazy! haha it was a circus from the time we walked in at 8 30 till 4 o clock when we left but i wouldn't change that feeling for anything! There was a bunch of people there and not enough room in the relief society so we did it in the chapel. Me and elder woolley were on the front row in white with rosa and elder and juana and then elder caballero and their investigator too and it was pretty awesome. We sang i am a child of god for the opening hymn and i lost it and start crying just looking at these people that i was sitting next to and their lives changing. By far the most satisfying feeling in my life! So we got all ready to go in to do the baptizing and we look at the font and the water had been slowly draining!!!! it was about midway to my thigh so we turned the water back on and sang a song or two and waited haha it was classic and thank goodness we were baptising small latinos because i dont' think they would have been able to go down. But All went well with all 4 baptisms and i got to baptize elder it was so awesome! He siad in the bathroom that he felt so good and that's my fav. part of baptisms! listening to the people talk right after adn seeing them completely submerged is the best! Rosa also talked to us after and just said that she had the chills and her heart couldn't stop beating like crazy. I can't believe these people, and how muhc i love them and their families. It's been pretty humbling to be apart of this month!

 

It's been a great week and elder woolley is staying here so i'm way excited about that! We are going to have another great month! Thanks so much for all you guys do for me! I'm so grateful for it and more than anything this gospel. We have so much to be grateful for like unbelievably. But wow the mission is awesome and the church is true! Have an awesome week! MUCH LOVE

 

ELDER HAMMER

July 19th

Hola, hola

 

Well this past week was such a sweet week not only for our own area but for our enitre zone!!!! This past week our zone had 7 baptisms, 2 of which were from our area but it was such a sweet weekend for all of us. The month of July has been so sweet and we have been blessed like crazy. I guess as the temperature keeps on getting higher and higher, we just keep baptizing and more than anything being blessed. I don't really have any random information for you about maryland this week haha Thanks so much for the pacakage DAD, i was very suprised to see a package from you cause usually it is mom but thanks a bunch dad it lifted me up when i needed it! Mom and jace and bell thanks so mcuh for all of your letters as well this week ha i love to hear from you guys, ha hailey and jace your letters are classic thanks so much!

 

First and foremost i just want to let the Rogers Family know that they are in my prayers and especially Ricky! I'll be praying and fasting for you guys and hope all goes well in the upcoming weeks! Love you Ricky.

 

This past week Jose and William were baptized. Every 3rd sunday our branch has a linger longer where everyone brings food and we have lunch afterwards so we threw the baptism in the middle of church getting out and the food so we had a nice party haha. Jose and William are awesome. They were nervous for the baptism but i just wanted to share an experience. I baptized william and i was down in the water and he came down and we did the baptising and he comes up out of the water and just shouts out, "WOW THAT WAS AWESOME!" everyone just started laughing but it was so funny because that's just how he is, I think the spirit works in everyone differently and i guess for him it must have been more humorous. It was such a special day and one that i will never forget.

 

We have been teaching William and Jose's Aunt named Rosa for quite a while now and we have invited her to be baptized before and she said yes but she wanted her husband to be along for the ride as well and he hasn't been because he works so much, but we were over there teaching her on saturday. We were teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to her and really focused on Baptism. We got to the end and she said, " I've really been thinking and i need to be baptized" That brought smiles to our faces. then she says, " I should probably set a date for that right?" by this point me and elder woolley are just stunned haha and she says "Can i get baptized next weekend?" She put herself on date! I have never had that happen before but ya Rosa is getting batized next weekend with Elder And Juana! So in our branch we should have 4 or 5 baptisms next week! Our branch by the end of this month will have 8 or 9 baptisms and the rest of the zone will have about 6. Things are really happening in our branch and it's so much fun to be there!

 

Rafael is doing great, he's been stuck on the Bible so we went over there this past week and really taught about the BOOK OF MORMON and more than that the restoration and i think he is understanding it. We went back 2 days later and he had read 19 chapters and was giving us a summary, there was such a different spirit when he talked about the Book of Mormon that was so amazing. It's really cool to see when the Book of Mormon just opens up he heart of someone who is so stuck on the Bible. We have been greatly blessed, and i'm so excited for the upcoming week, we are throwing another wedding for Elder AND Juana and they are so excited! I'm sure next week i'll have much to report, but all is well here and we are doing great!

 

Thanks for everything you do for me i really appreciate it! Have a good one!

 

Much Love

 

Elder Hammer

july 12th

Hola!!!!!

 

Well at the start of this past week all i can say is it was just hot! It was about 105 with humidity i thought i was going to be able to fry an egg on my dang forehead haha but we are good now and it's cooling off. This place is so dry the grass is dead and the leaves are falling off the trees because we haven't got rain in so long. It almost looks like it is fall with all the leaves falling off. It's a pretty wierd site thoguh that is for sure. Haleluah.....The world cup is finally over!!! I survived a world cup on my mission, that's pretty good i guess but man it's great to know that when you knock on the door people are going to answer now haha. Thanks for the letters from Sandiego mom and dad i'm happy you guys had a good time and that all went well.

 

This past week was a lot of fun with zone conference and some changes that are going to be happening in the training worldwide are going to be great.

 

I went on exchanges down in the city with an Elder Astle who's best friend is training Alex Darrow. It was a blast, the city jsut has this feel to it that's so much fun that you can't really describe but all i can imagine is that its kind of how you feel when your in a circus and just wondering how in the world haha. They have been way blessed with a media referral who is way solid that will be getting baptized this upcoming saturday. 4 weeks ago he was addicted to Cocaine and marijuana and since he met the missionaries he's been clean and we got to teach him, ha he even gave us a ride in his car, oh those wonderful memories. President talked in zone confernce how amazing it is how we can love some of these people and i was thinking that when i was in the car of an ex cocaine addict but the man looks like  abishop and is so cool. He's so solid and nothing is going to get in his way from getting baptized. It was a fun exchange

 

Yesterday Marlon and Laura were confirmed at church. They are the best, they came with a white shirt and tie and she came in a dress, which usually doesn't happen but they are so solid. They told us after when we went and visited them that they aren't going to fall and they are going to stay strong and go to the temple. not to mention it was a litle helpful having the DC temple president speak in church yesteday on the blessings of the temple.

 

Elder And Juana also came to church and talked to our presdient about their wedding and baptism. They are doing great! When i was on exchagnes the other elders went over there and taught them and they made them dinner and gave a plate to elder woolley for me. Then next morning i got a call from Juana at 9 am "Elder have you ate my food yet, wasn't it so amazing? i'm a great cook huh?" haha it was pretty funny, i love these families more than i can explain.

 

Yesterday we had 10 investigators at church and Rafael came as well he's doing good. We got to get the Book of Mormon more into his mind because he is pretty set on the Bible but he is on date now for the 8th of August! He had a tuff time yesterday and shed quite a few tears talking to people about his son but he came and he's doing great.

 

Next week is the BAPTISM of the aviles boys on the sunday for Jose and William, they have already passed the interview and all looks good! We are being blessed so much right now in our area and things are looking up and up for our zone and the mission.

 

I gotta run we are playing basketball with our zone today but i hope you all have a great week! Thanks for all the prayers and for all the support!

 Much Love

Elder Hammer

July 5th

HOLA!!!!!

 

We had the best week on my mission thus far this past week! It was the coolest expereince in the world and i'll get to that later but ya we are pretty happy here in Towson right now! Thanks for all the letters and the packages everyone. Thanks for the package aunt Mitzie i really apreciate it! Thanks for 2 packages this week mom, ha elder woolley was a happy camper seeing all that food.

 

So this weekend was the wedding of Marlon and Laura Sandoval. Saturday night we had quite the FIESTA with the members to make, what we thought was going to be a tiny wedding into a huge blast! Marlon and Laura were so excited and they had been out shopping the day before and we met them in a parking lot and she had finally found a dress that she liked. You got to remember she's 8 months pregnant and she's about ready to pop so finding her a dress isn't an easy task. When they showed up to the church on Saturday night and she was all done up walking through the doors and he was smiling to ear to ear it made every hot hard day worth it. I've never felt so happy to see a couple come together like this. Weddings are a ton of fun, me and elder woolley said we are going to start doing this more often haha We had a very short ceremony and it was great and then all the members brought food and the relief society made a cake. For a little branch it was quite the party and it was so much fun to see them just happy as can be! We had 10 of our investigators come to the wedding so that helped but elder and juana are going to have the same thing on the 24th and 25th of July so they are excited!

 

Then it was off to the Baptism on Sunday. Marlon asked me if i'd baptize him and then elder woolley baptized laura. They were so happy. As all four of us were standing there in white taking pictures i just was filled with the greatest love for this family. Never have i felt so confidnet in a family to return to the temple in a year and be sealed forever than i have with the Sandoval Family! I told them that if they did go through in a year that i would be there and so would elder woolley ha they wanted us to sign something to amke sure that we were there. The baptism went great marlon went first and then i stayed in the water to help laura wiht elder woolley so she didn't haveto do too much being pregnant, the water was way warm and i was thinking i sure hope the baby doesn't get excited and come early that would put a damper on the baptism but luckily we made it through and they couldn't stop smiling. The Branch really supported them this weekend and they were so greatful, they have nothing they live in an apt with 14 people and 1 bathroom and yet these people have now found what happiness is! It's been the best weekof my mission for sure!

 

Yesterday Elder and Juana cmae to church and Elder bore his testimony. He did great and said we need to serve god and here serving god is where we will be! He's on fie right now and he invited us over to teach his family and friends yesterday. This past week we got 2 new investigators from elders friends being at his house. And it's almost like a member present lesson cause elder is set on the church. Yesterday he was going off saying these other churches where is their authority, they don't have any just because you study the bible and go to school doesn't mean you have power and authority from God. ha he's amazing i wanted to give him my tag and say go for it! We have been so blessed through Elder, that's how we found Marlon and Laura.

 

It was a great week and our zone is doing great as well we usually are at about 6 or 7 baptisms a month and this month we have a goal of 16!! our zone is on fire right now and we have been given so many blessings. We are really excited for our zone as well.

 

Life is going really good right now and i'm so happy. I've decided life is too much fun to be down and have realized how blessed we are. The gospel is the only thing that makes us this happy, there isn't any other thing like it! I love you all and hope you have a great week!

 

MUCH LOVE

 

Elder Hammer

June 28th

Hey Guys!!!!!!

 

This past week can be described in one word.....HOT! It's so hot here i can't believe it haha There was like a code red warning 2 days last week because of the heat and the humidity, i think back to the great words from sandlot "Benny, I'm toastin' like a bacon cheeser!" It's great though, people are always outside and that makes missionary work a lot better, but we've been blessed again this past week and had a lot of great experiences. Thanks for all the letters and the love. Thanks for the 1 year package mom! Me and Elder Woolley had a little Fiesta in the apartment with brownies and the camel you sent me ha Mom one question though....the camel has 2 humps...is there another year i don't know about haha no, no thanks a lot mom it was a great day. I can't believe that a year ago i entered the MTC as such a boy and how much things have changed now but i'm so glad for all that i have experienced that past year it truly has been the most amazing experience of my life!

 

To start out this week has been great, especially with the lesson with Kelly! She didn't have too good of an experience last sunday and we knew that but she showed up to our lesson on tuesday in shambles, she looked like she had been hit by a bus. She just walked in and broke down. Rewind a bit...we have been struggling at finding someone for Kelly to be friends with but the night before we were tlaking to freddy about what we were going to teach her and he suggested a girl named amanda out of the clear blue, we called amanda at about 10 15 and she answered and said, elders i've been thinking i needed to call you for some reason but i didn't know why and thought it was too late to call, but i'm glad you called. Yaddi yaddi yadda and she was in for the lesson. She's from Thousand Oaks California and lives on twin ranch the course we played down there last year. Basically she's the only normal one haha so she came and when Kelly walked in she was there with us. Kelly had gotten curious and started looking on the internet and was upset that she even did it but more just confused. Amanda talked to her about it and come to find out Amanda's dad is catholic and mom is mormon and that is EXACTLY what kelly needed. We got her calmed down and began the lesson on the BOOK OF MORMON she had done all her reading and said  "So the book of mormon is like really aplicable for our day" haha it was music to our ears. We talked about the tree of life and then we watched the Safety for the soul conference talk from elder holland on the Book of Mormon and there were tears in her eyes. Then Elder Woolley shared how he got a testimony and by the time he was done all 5 of us were in tears. I know i say this all the time but this lesson was the most spiritual lesson of my mission, it was like angels were in that room with us. She left doing a complete 360 and she's now in Texas with her boyfriend. We talked to her last night and she went to a normal family ward and she siad she loved it. I wouldn't be suprised if when she gets back she says i want to get baptized but we'll just keep praying. It was a great experience and great lesson!!!!

 

We put Elder AND Juana on date for the 11th of July this past week! They are doing so good and both said that they wanted to be baptized so we are planning a wedding for them too now haha Elder Hammer and Elder Woolley.....missionaries i think not but wedding planners yes haha I love those two so much.

 

Marlon and Laura are doing amazing. They both passed the interview on saturday and we are having a FIESTA on saturday for their wedding and their baptisms on sunday! They are amazing people and being around them is humbling. They live in one bedroom and there is 14 people living in a 3 bedroom apartment with 1 BATHROOM! it's unreal the sacrifices that they are going through but they are so content and so happy. I'm so excited for this weekend!

 

This past week we got a call from a former investigator who kind of flaked out on the missionaries but wanted us to come by and talk to him. So we went by and we asked what was up and he started to break down and told us that his son was killed in a car crash two days prior. It was one of the hardest experiences to see this grown man just in shambles wth the loss of his son and not seeing any hope for the future. BUT he did remember to call the missionaries at his greatest time of trial. Rafael knows what the spirit feels like and he's felt it so we tried to bring it with all we had with the plan of salvation! He felt the difference and asked us to come to the funeral which was last night. Probably one of the most akward experiences of my mission being in a baptist church and seeing the despair and absolutely no hope in the eyes of the people there for this 28 year man. It ripped me up quite a bit, but Rafael told us when we left that he wants us to come by and teach him again, and that he wants to come to church again. I am so grateful for the knowledge we have and that we have the ability to find peace through the plan of salvation. Hopeful something will touch him to where he will change and feel the need to be baptized. but i could feel his pain, we are so blessed to know what we know!

 

This week has been a week filled with highs of highs and last night i didn't necisarily feel the low of lows but my heart went out to this guy who had nothing and now had lost his son who was his pride and Joy. The gratitude for life becomes something more when you see that and i'm just grateful for all that we have. and especially for the peace and joy the gospel brings, especially the peace reading from the book of mormon can bring into our life. We are in for some great weeks ahead of us with 6 baptisms lined up for the next 3 weeks and we are doing great. Thanks for all you do and for all the love and prayers. Have a great week in all you do!

 

ELDER HAMMER

 

june 21st

I know that i always start off my letters with it's been another great week in our area but it seems to be what comes to my mind because we just keep getting blessed and blessed more and more it's incredible, so yes It's been such a great week in our area! We are getting so blessed i can't say that enough, everyday me and Elder Woolley are just amazed at what has been given to us and the many things that are going on in our area! Thanks for the letters this past week mom and dad and bell. Grandma hafen thanks for the card and letter with the money i really appreciate it!!!

 

Yesterday at church we had 9 investigators there, 1 away from double digits two weeks in a row. I was hoping that we could do it two weeks but it didn't work out but all who came are so solid, the aviles family, marlon and laura and Kelly. We had a really good fathers day and the talks that were given in the singles ward were really good. I was thinking about you a lot pops, i hope you had a good one!

 

Man the singles ward got on my nerves this past week though. Yesterday we had a munch and mingle and there was so me ward members who just freaked Kelly out, talking about tank tops and bikinis and just freaked her right out so she didnt' have to swell of a time yesterday. She's going to go visit her boyfriend in Texas for 2 weeks so that should be a great environmnet for her to see the difference in living with a LDS family. The singles ward is great but all the people go to Johns Hopkins and they are so brilliant when it comes to books, but they can barely tie there own shoes or let alone carry out a conversation with the opposite sex haha but there great i love them but ya it was a rough day for Kelly especially being father's day and he dad dying it was rough, but we had a great lesson with her on tuesday and she's doing great though, still just waiting on that answer.

 

We went to the temple with Marlon and Laura on Saturday and that was such an amazing experience! They had been to the temple before but they really wanted to go the the one in DC because they had been to the one in Salt Lake. I was so excited to go with them and they had seen the Joseph Smith Movie before so we watched the Testaments with them. That was the first time i have seen the testaments on my mission and it was so powerful, After the movie was over and the lights came back on Laura and Marlon were just in tears and just sobbing away. It was so wonderful to see the spirit working on them. The temple is the greatest place on earth! I'm so happy that they got to go there and i'm so happy that the spirit there just fills people with so much happiness and love. They also got there marriage licence this week so they are good to go on the 3rd of July, who would have thought me Jordan being a wedding planner on the mission haha but i'm loving it though! We are way excited about them.

 

Last night we went to Elder and Juana's because they didn't come to church because Juana worked but we really had to lay it down on them about getting married, and as usual we had to wait and eat the food she gave us haha EVERYTIME without fail she feeds us but we started talking and teaching and Elder just out of nowhere looks at Juana and says " Juana, i've already decided we are getting married" haha and that was the end of that. They are going to get there licence as soon as they can and now we just have to work with them on getting sundays off for Juana because that could be a big problem  because she always has saturdays off because she works for the Jewish people and Sundays she works so that is where we are to with her and Elder. It's so great to see them  though they want to be baptized and married and the spirit just is working on people in so many ways.

 

The aviles family of 9 still haven't got there divorce papers done yet but the two oldest sons this past week said to me and elder woolley that they want to be baptized without there family on the 18th of july so we are going to have a baptism for them! They approached us about it and want to do it for themselves and there pareants are really happy that they took the initiative for themselves to want to be baptized. Once again we are just being so so so blessed here with the greatest people in the world!

 

All is well in Maryland and we are so happy here. We have some great thigns going on and we just need to keeep working harder and harder. I love you all and thanks so much for your support!

 

Much Love

Elder Hammer