"Open Your Eyes" You're a Missionary: Alright SO NEW AREA!

June 16, 2014

As you know I was transferred last wednesday. I really was not looking forward to it because I loved the area I was in so much. Well I am glad that I got transferred now. It is kind of hard to explain. In Gresham there was a real lack of work going on there. I tried my best to do the most work that I could, but there just werent as many opportunities that showed up.

My new area with Elder Kesler Martin! So I will just start with how it started out. To be honest the first day in my new area... Was really hard for me. I didnt know why, but I wasnt talkative, I didnt feel like saying anything. I just felt lost pretty much. But Heavenly Father was with me the whole way. The next day I felt so much better. The work that needs to be done in this area is truly amazing. In Gresham we had about 6 Investigators... here we have like 32! It is insane. I mean not all of those are super solid and we need to go through them and clean them out, but there is an evident abundance of more of the work that needs to be done here. I am so excited to be here and to do the work.

The area that I am in is pretty similar to Gresham in the way it looks. It is a whole different feeling though, that is for sure. Not ghetto, at least I dont think so, and the people around are generally a lot nicer to us missionaries.

I love Elder Martin. He is an awesome guy, He is from Eden Utah and has been out for about 6 months. We have been getting to know each other a lot and enjoying that time we have had so far. Transfers are hard, but when you take a step back to realize why it happens, You become so much more grateful.

The ward here is pretty interesting. I havent really gotten to get to know too many members here yet, but I will for sure let you know when I do get to know some awesome families.

We live with the McClurs.(Pretty sure I spelled that wrong). They are pretty cool. We basically have our own little house in the basement. A living room/kitchen, a bathroom, and a bedroom. I like it there. The view from the backyard... Absolutely amazing. I cannot wait to be able to take some awesome pictures there.

So we are in a biking area now. My second day was a crazy biking day, and my legs did not thank me the next day. We basically rode to the bottom of our area (our area is the largest in the zone and it has a bunch of hills) back to our house then back to another part of the area.. It was a crazy busy day with a lot of physical labor. We helped move someone from one apartment to another. She had a whole lot of stuff there.... haha it was actually pretty weird. But anyways. That day killed me on the biking. We probably rode at least 10 miles that day. It doesnt sound like a whole lot, but there are tons of hills here. It feels like a whole lot.

We had an awesome experience with an investigator. We came to her house she wasnt available, so we sat on our bikes talking about an experience we had prior(It wasnt a good experience so it was all negative about someone getting mad at us) Then she came out. We asked her if she had time for a lesson and she said yes. Well as soon as we sat down she said "When do you guys have your baptismal services?" We told her usually saturdays. Then out of nowhere she said "I would like to be scheduled in for one" It was an awesome feeling. She said that she knew that it felt right and that she should be baptized. I wish more people would realize that while we are teaching them, but anyways a cool experience.

The first day here I actually talked to two people from KANSAS! One person in our ward actually was in our stake years ago! If anyone knows the Coatneys. One of their sons is here with his wife. Anyways that was cool, made me feel a little more like I was home.

I think with any new area you go to that you are going to find that it takes a bit to feel like you are at home again. I had a revelation last night about back home. I feel that I got changed to a new ward (Stanley Ward) Right before I left so that I would be used to that feeling. Once I realized that I feel so much better about leaving areas. Of course it is going to be hard, but it makes it feel a little bit easier.

I have an interesting story. We got welcomed into a home yesterday. HE was not a happy man, and did not think too highly of the missionaries. So he told us that we were ruining society and everyone in it. Persuading people to believe in this "bull crap" we were forcing people to believe. Then he continued to compare us to those people that believed so much that they crashed into those towers.... I was amazed that he said that. Then I went to say all we are doing is trying to help then he said well youre doing the opposite. You are making the world an awful place. We then said well you arent welcoming so we will leave. Then said have a happy fathers day. Experiences like that are pretty hard to go through, even if I know that I am doing good. having people be so hostile and all of that really did not feel the best. But it helped me strengthen myself to know that what I am doing is for the better of everyone, including myself. It reminded me of the scripture I put on my missionary plaque. God is always on our side if we are willing to be on his side. He is a rearward he is everything and always looking out for us. He truly is our Loving Heavenly Father.

Love you all and miss you,

Elder Hamrick