It's Time to Prove Myself

February 23, 2015

SO this week started off a little differently.... It was Carnaval and there were not a lot of people that were willing to listen to our message sadly. But we made the best of it trying to get closer to the members and everything. There were lots of rival gang egg wars! It was pretty funny but a little dangerous too haha. 

I really love the members in this ward already... We are only here like 10 days in this area, but I am already feeling a lot closer to the ward. They are really here to help, and to do this work together with us.. I have never seen a ward so focused in this... But also it needs a lot of work... But having members in your area that are awesome really help everything out... I love it here. 

Theres this road that is in our area.. One guy was baptized like 10 years ago and he was the first member on that road. Well after he was baptized he took upon himself the need to share the gospel with everyone. Now that road is like the Utah of Fortaleza. It is hard to find someone who is not a member there... 

I had an experience that I Think will change my whole mission now... I was studying in the last general conference Ensign... I was reading a talk.. Well There was this quote that caught my attention.. THis was a rough day for me too... We had basically everything fall through.. SO I wrote during my study in my planner this quote. "When everything goes wrong, FORCE a smile look towards heaven and say."I Understand Lord, I know what this is... Time to Prove MYself" I forgot that I had written that in my planner until the last moment where  I just about lost all hope... Well I read that and did what it said... IT really makes and puts everything into perspective... I am here to prove myself to the Lord...

we were able to go from one person at church to 7 people at church in one week... Trust me we are working hard... But we still have a long ways to go... 

Suprisingly it has been raining a lot this week... Like really hard.. One of the days even had thunder... I was super surpised but also extremely happy that I was able to hear thunder for the first time in like a year..

SO thats about it... I am here to prove myself... Sure it is frustrating sometimes to see that Slackers baptize more than we do... but it doesnt matter... WE ARE HERE TO PROVE THAT WE ARE ON THE SIDE OF THE LORD...

I am happy... THings are looking up, and I am ready to work..

Love you all.. FEel free to write me letters or packages or whatever... Just dont write if it contains more than 30$ because it will be super expensive and most likely will be stolen.. 

LOVE,

Elder Hamrick

This is why we wear flip flops... I left them in my big bags, and I only brought my little bags.. 

Elder G. Silva and I 

This Week Was a Mess

February 9, 2015

Sorry for the negative title, but how all of you know I dont like to sugar coat things that happen for me in the mission. I really dont know why I was transferred this week. The new missionaries wont get in until this week... So we got to the mission office and it was time to see what would happen. Well I was put with Elder Andrade... And we were to just stay in both of our areas and just switch around... then just let us go...

Well The thing is I didnt even know where our areas were.... They just told us to go. 

Saying goodbye to everyone in my last area was sad too... So that didnt really help. We finally found our house at about 9 at night... This house was the worst houses that I have seen missionaries live in... I would send pictures but I dont trust this compter with my memory card. So I will have to find another area sometime next week to send photos. 

The missionaries before were supposed to move before they left... But they didnt... SO we had to go do it just with us and one other member.. needless to say it was a little difficult...

The other house is a lot better, but It is also going to be called the batcave now... Because... it is full of bats... I really dont like bats hhaha... They poop all over everything... super cool huh?

we also had to get a lot of buses to get to our areas... So I lost a lot of money this week too... hahaha

We also didnt have pillows fans or anything this week to use to sleep with..sorry for the negativity. 

We went to elder Andrades area... He has a part that is super ghetto... its something called favela... One of the most dangerous parts in our mission... woohoo haha... My area has favela too but it isnt nearly as bad.

As we were there in his area we got commanded to leave... The first guy saw us marking down the name of the road and he flipped out... Told us to leave... Then went inside to go get something... needless to say we didnt stay long enough to find out what it was. Then another house we went to and it was awesome we taught a family.. But then this drunk guy started yelling at us... You have been here since 5 dont you have anything else to do? Then started yelling that he doenst need us he gets the word of God everyday. Then continued by literally punching himself in the head... He then yelled false prophets! like 50 times... ``TELL ME THAT YOU ARENT`` everyone was looking at us... It wasnt to cool haha... 

Elder Andrade and I started to write a song in portuguese... It is beautiful to sing.. I like singing in portuguese. Everyone in this area is super impressed by the way I speak.. So that is pretty cool.

Happy 1 year anneversary on the mission! just one more to go! It is going by fast. We really taught no one this week.. So it was a little rough for me.. BUT IVE ONLY GOT UP TO GO!

love you all,

Elder Hamrick

Where to Next

February 2, 2015

Well this will be the last email that I send to you guys from Maracanaú. I will be transferred in a couple hours... I really dont know what will happen this week. I will be training in an area called Castelão .. in an area callled Jardim União Which basically means. Big castle. In a part called Unity Garden.. So this will be interesting. I heard that it is all favela... Oh ya and I will be training and getting doubled into an area again! woohoo! I am super humbled and sad to leave this area. Elder West and I were doing some great things... and the wedding I have been waiting for for like 2 months will happen in two weeks... and I wont be here... So that kind of stinks a lot. We have found a lot of awesome people, and I Dont even have a chance to say goodbye to anyone.. So people will just find out when I am gone... 

So something that I have noticed a lot recently is that little kids look at missionaries differently.... Its almost like they know us for who we are... Servants of the Lord. Or like they remember us... This one little girl everytime I go to give here a handshake she takes my hand and kisses it.. Haha she is like 1 1/2 It is super cute. Makes me miss my nieces and nephews.. but it is super interesting. 

GEtting a package from home or a letter really makes a huge difference. I dont really know how to explain it, but it makes me super happy, and a lot more loved. I got my Christmas Package from my parents this week. Its never too late for Christmas right?

( thanks for the package) 

The weeks go by super fast... This week I will have one year on my mission. On the 5th of February... How crazy is that? Sometimes I feel like I have been gone a short time, and other times it feels like 3 years... Haha we always have good and bad days right? Everything will work out. 

THis work really is something difficult. But I always think back to a talk given by Elder Holland. ``Salvation is not a cheap experience, Salvation was NEVER easy`` why should I think that it would be easy for me... It wont ever be, but I am never alone. 

So this week was our first english class.. It was a little bit interesting, but I think the next time will be a little better. But I wont be here... So that will be sad too haha... But all is well. Tudo Bem

Usually Church is a super stressful thing... But this was my favorite sunday yet... We got there and had 6 of our investigators there. DUring sacrament meeting João Pedro who was baptized a few weeks ago recieved the priesthood and he passed the sacrament... It was amazing to see. THen Vinicius who was baptized like 2 weeks ago got up and bore his testimony! it was amazing to see the gospel already acting in their lives. 

We also did a service project this week. The first one that I have ever done... It made me happy to do service again...

So I dont know what will happen between now and my next letter, but be ready to recieve some exciting things hopefully.

LOVE YOU ALL> 

Elder Parker Hamrick
Rua Republica da Armenia, 765 Agua Fria

Fortaleza, CE 

CEP. 60821-760

Feel free to write me at the address above

Thank you for all the support I have.

Elder Hamrick

Pretty sights here in Brazil

I like animals now!