This week In Gresham Oregon

My companion and I 

Alright where to start here. I really am starting to enjoy my area. Just a little more background on the area. It is kind of ghetto just outside of Portland. There are a lot of crazy people in crappy apartments and houses. There are some nice parts, but there are also some run down places. I really like it here though. At first I didnt like it as much, because I didnt feel like I was welcome at all. But I forgot it was just my first week there. There are so many things that I have to write about, but I always will forget something, sorry.

ME and my companion. I really like him. This week we started to get along really well, and it is just fun getting to work with him We enjoy our time together. We havent really had the opportunity to teach a brand new investigator yet, but that will be this next week. We have fun doing lessons and meeting with people though. Most of the people we meet with are innactives, or partially innactives or things like that. we are really trying to reactivate them. It is really cool. We can be doing just a little simple thing like coming to see them, and it can mean the world. I love it. We do have two people on Date for Baptism though! One of the people is really cool. Her husband was a member but was innactive and didnt have the priesthood or anything, but now he is getting it, and she is getting baptized! I am so excited to see everything come together. The other is a woman who has wanted to get baptized for quite a while, but she has had issues with smoking. This week we put her on date so she should be done smoking by that time :) It makes me happy to see people who have decided to be baptized. Even before they are baptized they are super happy, they love it. 

It is really fun living with another companionship of elders. We all have fun in the apartment and spend time together when we can. They are cool guys. We all get along really well. It is fun.

So this week I decided to buy a guitar. It is a Yamaha, and I am super pumped about it!. It is a pretty nice guitar too. I have missed music so much, it is quite ridiculous. Music means so much to me. I think what I am going to do is start recording hymns and stuff on my ipad with me singing and playing guitar and posting the videos on facebook. The YOUTUBE videos continue ;). I think people respond better to videos. I will share thought at the end of videos too. I am pretty excited. Music can sometimes speak louder than words.

Hmm what else to say. Oh ya I am sick once again.. GREAT. hahaha Oh well I think the reason is because last week we had the opportunity to clean out a mouse infested garage. I dont think that Mouse poop is too good for ya. So ya.. We are all kind of sick in the apartment. Oh well the Work still goes on here :)

We almost got killed by this dog. It was just a puppy, but it was a bull dog. It would not stop jumping on us and attacking us. The guy at the door couldnt even grab the dog. It probably lasted about 20 seconds but it felt like a solid minute. IT was so funny. 

I really like walking around and talking to people. I find it funny that everyone here just kind of avoids us. They will be playing basketball in the street, as soon as they see us. They will go to their houses so they dont have to talk to us. I just laugh every time. So That was pretty much my week in Gresham. IF you have have any more questions feel free to hit me up with an email :)

Love you guys. 

Elder Parker Hamrick

Here are some pictures from the MTC:

MY teachers! THe top picture is Irmao james, and the bottom one is Irmao Mummey. Both of these guys are awesome

Pictures with my BRAZILILIAN BUDDIES. como e bom ser vida loca

THe first picture is me and Elder Gabriel. HE is from Angola Africa and he speaks Portuguese. He is awesome. The second picture is me and elder Maladri (Left) And Elder John (Right). Elder Johns name is John John he is from the Marshall Islands. And is awesome. Maladri is from Fiji. I love those guys

My TONGAN BROTHER. Look for Elder Kaafi in the Independence Mission