the week 12/5/2011

Well this week was a fun one!! IT was actually pretty stressful!! My comp went to Ibague this week to sing in the Choir so i was left in my area with a mini missionary! So i was running the zone alone! It was really that hard but it was just alot to do!! For some reason nobody warns anyone about anything here! They like being spontaneous! So they called us friday at 1015 to tell us that the missionaries from the MTC would be comin to our area saturday at 8! We were all like well ok, lets get to work!! We were short on missionaries right now becasue we have the christmas choir performance that we are doing as missionaries so some missionaries were traveling so we had to re coordinate some stuff i was with my mini missionary (hes a kid in my ward that is preparing to go on the mission! So he does no the area and i was teachin him missionary stuff!! And they sent us 4 missionaries to my area and to other areas in my zone didnt have missionaries either so we had to work things out and all!! But we got everyone to an area to work and got it all good!!

 We are teaching this family that are super funny!! Theres this old guy who has lost part of his memory and is hard of hearin and basically just sits there all day watching tv and his stomach always make weird noises while we are in the lessons!! So anyways we were in sacrament meetin and the sister left her grandpa at home yesterday because she didnt want him to come for some reason! So just as we started the passing the sacrament Enrique comes and knocks on the door to the sacrament salon!! haha!! And starts yellin hey thet door is locked!!! The door is closed! And kept knockin on the door haha!!!! I tried to not die laughin!! So i went and let him in!! When he talks he talks very loud becasue hes hard of hearin too so you have to yell at him so he can hear you adn then he responds back yellin too!! haha!! So i was like ENRIQUE SIT DOWN!!! And everyone in the chapel was like what the!! haha!! Everytime he recieve the Sacrament He always thanks the person thats passes him it! but super loudly and says GRACIA JOVEN!!!!! But he screams it!! haha!! He s great!! haha!! We work alot with makin the ward better here!! THerer are so many inactives in the ward due to people being offended s owe tell the ward memebers to watch what they say and not to offend people and not to be offended!! Anyways we finally got this family to come back to church for the first time in a while!! And they sat in the back of the chapel and came a bit late!! But then afterwards like the whole ward came and talked to them and gave them a warm welcome back and the sister said it felt so good to be back and it was a marvillous day there in the chapel!! YES EXITO!!!! We always get the interestin investigators here its so interestin! THeres this lady we are teachin and she always has the weirdest stories!! She told us how she met a devil before!!! She said when she was a teen she snuck out of her house and went dancing at some party! THere was this gringo there at the party white boy with blond hair blue eyes and a hunk!! So she was dancing with him like all night and then she sat down and rested while this kiddo kept dancin and she looked a t his legs and his feet were cow hoofs (When she was tellin us the story she stood up and started to dance as if she had cow feet haha!! I tried to hold in from laughin but she was sp serious about how she was dancing with cow feet some how i kept in my laughter) Then this cow footed man then looked at her and he had now red firey eyes!! And he told here with her eyes not to look at him!! THen she said oh my!"·$"$(Lords name in vain) and then he got mad at her and told her that he should never say that name because it takes away his power. Then this man left with some chick to like go make out with her or somethin and then the girl started screamin that he was the devil!! I had no idea what to tell her about that story so i asked if she was awake when this happend or is this a dream!! She got made at me adn said that no this actually happened in real life! I had no idea what to tell her!! but then she kept tellin us more weird stories!! So we told her that would bless her home and cast out some evil spirits if she would like she said she would like that!! So thats my spiritual experience of the week haha!!

 But on a legit note I had a bomb time contactin people this week!! I really do love to talk to people in the street! ITs always great when they actually listen too!! I a have been workin on gettin there attention with some cool point or something like that! Usually people think that we come to like bible bash or somethin, but really i hate doing that!! So when they try to bible bash or just cause conflict i try to respond in some ways to respond completely different!! SO we were contactin and appartently the state made some trade agreement with Colombia and there are people that dont like it. So this guy was like hey why does america like war, all you gringos want its war!! I said Yes, we like war!! WE are actually at war right now!! I am a soldier did you know, we are soldiers against wickedness! I dont want satan to win the war so we are rescuing soldiers!! WE are here to save!! He was like, well thats interstin how do you save!! So we talked to him!! IT was awesome so he invited us to come back this week! another time we knocked on a door And some guy was washin his clothes on his roof balcony! And he threw a tub of water at us!!! So i asked the guy that threw water at us (he missed us thankgoodness) why do you through water at us when all want is to give you a present! WE only like to get wet when we get baptized. The guy laughed at me adn said he would come down and talk to us!! So we got to talkin and he was actually super interested so we basically takl him the 1st lesson then and there in his doorstep and we ended up giving him the book of Mormon then and there and he apologized for the water and we will visit him this week too!! So it was a good week! I liked it!!

But the missionaries from the MTC, oh boy, they were so scared!!! They just gave people pass along cards and said nothin haha!! I was like ok Elder Vasques(missionary from the MTC) your time to contact! he knocked at the door and the lady opened and ask what d oyou want (a bit rudely) and he just stood there, shell shocked!! I was like Elder say somethin, he said nothin, so i stepped in a nd talked to the lady and she was actually pretty cool!! But this happened like 6 times he would just stand there at the door and say noothing for like 10 seconds haha!! It was hilarious but a bit diffult haha! But a good time!! I finally found some cookie dough ingredients here so i have been makin cookie dough for everyone haha!! LOVE THAT STUFF!!!

 I am super stoked for this and next week!! WE have the Missionary choir program in Bogota this week and next week i am goin into the AMAZON RAINFOREST BABY!! I am goin to Leticia for a week to sing in the choir there!! I sing super good!! haha!! _not!! But they have me singin a solo in spanish Im sing Oi su voz!! (I heard his vioce) i am singni a verse! AHhh!! WE shall see how that goes, but i get to go to the rainforest to sing it so i am happy!! I feel like i have the voice of an angel i am followin in the footsteps of my sweet sister Jay! haha!! I have no voice like my sister!! Here is an updated Christmas list!! I actually would like a Cd of Mom singin me those goodnight song that she would sing, the BYU courage song, and the my birth song (dont know what you call that song) And sister Jay singin some good hymns, and a song of mace singing me a song with Dad playing Guitar and Weenie singin some Hannah Montana song!! And then a song of Evy Vrying and a song of Hen and jerry singin a hymn!! And picture of Luke! haha!! Well somethin like that haha!! All is weel here builing up zion in Roma haha!! Love Elder Hammer

i am grateful to be in the gospel and to be an american 11/21/2011

I am so tired of teaching athesist people!! AHHHHH!! They are so easy yet so hard to teach!! Theres this guy that we are teachin that is part of something called Metta physica!! Its a belief that God is in everyone, that a person is made up of a spirit a soul and a God!! When they pray they pray to their yo superior, so they pray to the God that is in them!! The believe that Christ only is a person that has lived perfectly becuase he conquered his inner yo superior!! The believe in the re encarnation, and things like that!! They dont believe that Adam and Eve really were adam and eve, they believe in many on this earth that there we atlest 50!! I was like how do you know that! He didnt have an answer!!!! Then We he denied the divinity of our Savior Jesus Christ I got like literally mad! It was a weird mad, it was more of like how dare you even question the divinty of Christ!! So i started to talk alot to him about Christ and I asked him, if they believe in re encarnation then what happens when we become perfect he was like well we all have to come back to earth again and stay fresh and he used an example that its like when we study addition we still must practice it so we dont forget!! So then i asked him then where is Christ, He has only one body, he was resurrected, the scriptures testify of this, that our Lord is not here on earth physical but yes we have the Holy Ghost here that testifies of Him, So if everyone must re encarnate then where is Christ today! Then i had the opportunity to testify to him of the Divinty of Christ, The importance of His coming here to the Earth to save us, The great power of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus and How we can be saved through the atonement only if we repent and come unto Him! The thing about theses athesists is that you cant really use the scriptures too much to help them believe, my comp is hilarious when we teach these guys, He is super good with the scriptures and all, so the last time he used the example of Korihor, the anti christ and how he get trampled and is killed, the guy was like, are you telling me people are going to step on me until i die!! I was like, Elder its an excellent story but maybe the trampling part we could have left out!! haha! but i love my comp!!! But the thing abouit athesist is that the whole time is, is that we start of on their field using their logic until we get them to a point where they question there one knowledge then i become a testimony field! The only thing that can change an athisit is from a testimony so he testify, and thats what i love to do!!! I have increased so much in my love for the scriptures and i know them sooo much better and i can teach with them and use references but its really the terstimony that will create another testimony!! So i always try to leave a good point for them to think about but even more important a testimony to feel!!!!

We had a crzy fun pday today!! Its rainy season so its always wet here!! But we had a soccer game against Zona Soacha, we dont know why, but we decided to make them a rival Zone, we we played them today!!! The field was soakin wet and all muddy, but what do we do, of course, its an allout war of mud tackel soccer, YES!!!! IT was so beasty!! I am gettin a lot better at soccer now!! I am like the defender of the Zone!! I love it!! We get pretty agressive and we attack and of course my zone won!!!! Zona Soacha has been undefeated for like the past 5 months, but i have never played against them ,and of course when my zone comes in, we beat them 10 -6 !! That how we do in Zona Libertad!! We made a logo for our Zone as the statue of Liberty!! haha! WE got little sweaters made for our zone that we are all gonna wear to the next multi zona aconferencia!! its gonna be bomb!! I love being Zone leader!! Its a blast!!! I just love being a missionary in General!! Its the greatest!! We just help people, thats all!! I love it!!! but i hate doing so many errands! Ahh!! We do a lot of errands as zone leaders so we loose a lot of time in our area!!!! but tis alright, i love my zone, we basically are the best!!!

 We are super excited here in Roma i think i told you about the family that we met conatctin the other week here well they got a baptismal date for JAnuary!!! We are super stoked!! I put a pic of them as an attachment!! THey are doing so good!! THe girl speaks english and is super cool!!! But shes like a bit clueless about what is this whole purpopse of life is and things like that, and i feel so greatful that I have been born in the truth and have this understanding and testimony of God!! Cuz without it i would be lost!! But they came to church on Sunday and they liked it an we got an FHE with them tonight!! We are gonna try to also have thanksgiving with them!! They dont have thanksgiving here, but we are gonna do something as a zone that, i am cooking the turkey it seems!! haha!! All is well my dear friends!!! I love being a missionary!! I love Colombia!! I love my savior and my God!! I miss you all tons!! But super content being in the Service of the one and only true God!!! Our saying in the Zone is PREPARANSE POR GLORIA!!!! haha!! Prepare yourself for Glory!!!! Thats what we do!!!

 Love ya all!! Enjoy THanksgiving!!! My three candy corns for the Year!! Number 1!! I am so greatful my my Savior Jesus Christ!! He is more that just a great teacher, but he really is the Savior, he is my light and my guidance and give me an understanding of Purpos!! Number 2!! I am so greatful to be a missionary in the Service of my God, to have the opportunity to be an instrument in His hands and serve Him here in the same country as my beloved Father!! Yes MY POPS is super number !! I am greatful for my superheroe Heavenly father and my Good ol Pops here in the Earth!!! I am greatful to serve in the same country as him!! I will have lunch with pres pico, next week!! And Numer 3 Which is super important is my lovely family!! YESS My family is soo perfect!! I am grateful for my perfect family!! To have parent like nephi a brother like Sam and sisters all three like my mary magdelenes!! That is my scripture comparision of my family!!!! I am so grateful to have grandparents that are firm in the faith and have raised up my bomb parent to raise me and my stellar sibling and i am so stoked to get to know my niece Evelyn soon! I am grateful to have my awesome aunts and uncles that played with my parents as children and who all are number one aunts and uncles!! I love ya all and will be think of you all this thanksginving as i preach the word of God this Week!!! Love Elder Hammer

theres a new stake here! 11/14/2011

Yesterday offically we formed the colombia bogota liberty stake!!! It was pretty cool to be there they divided 2 stakes into 3!! Elder Pino came a 70 and divided the stake here!1 It was fun to be there with all fo my homies!! because i am still in the same stake as Patio bonito i saw all of my homies and was like friends!! how are we doing!! It was soo fun!! I loved Patio!! It was nice and poor, with a little bit of insanity and something wierd or a dyer problem to resolve! So it was excellent!! I kind of got the Elders case that are there in Patio!!! there are now 4 elders there, so they should be doing double the work that we were doing and they didnt even baptize this transfer!!! I was like Elders i know you are workin but i left you 10 with baptimsal dates!! 6 for this transfer! Why didnt anyone get wet!!!! But they will have some baptisms soon i hope there!! We are startin to get some wonderful investigatores here!!! We found 2 new familes that are super hardcore!! One family is has 3 kids all older like 22 and up and the mom has cancer and always has to have surgery and all that stuff so we talked to them about God and the REstoration and how God is a God of miracles and mercy and the importance of having Faith!1 And they loved the message they were soo cool!! one of the sons was asking alot of questions about how it would be possible to have a prophet in these times so we explained and was super cool about!! he is an airplane pilot for the army here!! We had a good time talkin about things!! Since ive got in the mission i have decided that i would like to be an helicopter search and rescue pilot!! i think that could be awesome!! The other family was such an amazing experience!!! We were out contactin and all and we knocked on a door and i was like hey there, we are missionaries!! Here the people always pop out of the windows!! Like maybe one person has actually answered the door here in Colombia! So the lady was like, excellent!! I will come down!!! Wich is super strange, I was like she must think we are someone special becasue its very rare that someone comes down to hear us! she was like!! Hello, then i testified to her about the power of the family and all about the family!! And she was super happy!! She told us how she had prayed us here!! That she was praying to God to see if he really knew here!! she has had a pretty ruff life!! but she was so humble and was like, but God has never hated me, i chose to bringu upon myself these trials.! I loved to party, had a child very young, have gotten into drugs, and i married basically a stranger that beated me just cuz i needed money to help with my kid finacially!! But i brought that upon myself!! My comp and i were like!! Well thank you for recongnizing the power of God and recogning fro yourself the importance to follow Christ! Then her sister walked by and was like what is going on here so we told her who we were and she got super excited!! wow, my Sister has prayed you here!! Excellent!! Then we kept tlakin and were like hey come back tmmoroow, we wnt you to talk to my daughter! so we went back on Fridayand the lady has an 18 year old daughter who lives in the States and speaks perfect english she doesnt even have an accent!! So i started to talk to her in english and she just liked opened up and told me like here story, she lived in Pittsburg and then in Colorado! she got into some heavy things and then she was like, so who are you!! And i told her about how we are missionaries of God and we are here to help people come to know him and to find true happiness!! And she told me i would really like it if you would teach me about God now please!! And she was so sincere and it was so awesome!! It was so cool to do a lesson in english the first time here in colombia, I loved it!!!! today the family came and planned sports with us in the chapel with some other families we got some investigators, members and recient converts to come play with us!! It was a success! So we are slowly but surely building the kingdom of God here in Roma!!

Ok, now it is time to tell you all that i am kind of famous here!! We have a Mission choir here for Christmas!! So i tried out to do liek a duet thing and all and i got the part!! So i am part of the touring choir of the mission so for basically 2 weeks i get to go tour the mission!! i am super stoked!! I am going to LETICIA!! It a city in the middle of the AMAZONS!!! I am super stoked we will be there for a week and then another week in Ibaque and in Giradolt!! check these places out on google Earth or somethin cuz these are legit little town with monkeys and everything!! i am sooo happy!! It will be fun to finally get out of the city!! now for the important thing is to what is on the christmas list!!! A back massager!! please!! My back kills me here!! and i am not in a singles ward, so i cant ask some lady to rubb my bakc, Mom aint here either, and tookies aint here to walk on my back or nothin so i am kind of a lost cause!! Thats all really!! some candy is always welcomed and cookie dough!! Then maybe a few bills in the bank account!! Its that in Leticia they have like hardcore suovenirs and all!! So thats how its all going here!! I love my comp!! He is so hardcore!! We have a great time!! Hes kind of different when it comes to teaching!! He is studying to be a lawyer so he always show people a scripture and then tells the mto do it cuz the bible says it!! Its pretty funny he loves to get into gosple fights!! But its all good we ahve a great time here!!

Love Elder Hammer