The Lord Will Work Through Us

April 27, 2015

So the name of this email is this because this work has nothing to do with my capabilities. I know for a fact that I could not have made it to where I am without the Help of the Savior. It is truly amazing... 

So we might be having a transfer either today or tomorrow or something... I hope that I get to stay here. I absolutely love it in this area. We are doing so well, and I have been super happy latelly. But I think that I will be going to another area sometime soon. I had exchanges with The Ap´s this week. President told them to go on one with me to see if I am ready to be more of a leader... So we will what happens... AT the end the Assistant said now we know that we can trust you WHENEVER we need you to lead... So who knows... we will see. 

This week a lot of members of the ward found my YouTube.. It is kind of crazy that I had that... I focused so much on that.. And now I cant even do anything related to it... But trust me I will do a lot when I get back :) I am already dreaming of ideas... Thinking of things I can do... I just hope that I can do some good stuff.. 

THis week was really full of craziness. We only had like 2 normal days to work in our area... So We were crazy running around catching buses. And doing interviews.. One day too it rained literally all day until like 6 pm... and my companion is sick so it was hard for himn to go out in the rain.. super hard... haha

although this week was super stressful and busy... We were able to find some pretty awesome families! we are getting ready to marry a whole bunch of people. 

I had one lesson this week that completley stood out to me... I felt the spirit so strong... I almost cried... He was truly searching... Then the next day he said that He cant leave his church.. I dont lnow what happened. But I know that he at least felt a little part of what I felt... He will remmber.. 

There was this Iguana that these guys caught close to our house.. they were all going crazy.. Running after it and looking at it.. haha but then this drunk guy ran and grabbed it by the tail and chucked it into the forest! It was super funny.. I caught a little bit of it on video.. you will have to see it when I get back.. 

We had to empty the whole baptismal font again with buckets... It tookj a super long time this time... Super full.. Super dirty... But the end of the day it went well... She was baptized!

Sundays generally seem to be the most stressful day of the week for me... SO MUCH TO DO... but it is good. 

I never believed that I was much of a leader... But this week I was able to feel that I somehow am turning more of a leader every day.. The Lord is Working Through Me.

I love you all.. This week was stressful but someone was baptized... The joy it brings is hard to explain... I am happy.. We will see what exciting things happen the next time we talk. 

Elder Hamrick

Andando Na Rua Olhando Pra Eternidade

April 20, 2015

"Walking down the road looking at eternity"

This was a phrase that President Fusco Said on Tuesday this week. We had a mission conference And I think this phrase will stick with me for quite a long time. It is so important that We keep our minds focused on the things that truly matter, and the way things can turn out eternally. This is something super important as a missionary. You never know who could be interested. So we just have to look at them like they are all already members and have gone through the temple. I am still working hard on getting better at this. 

at the mission conference we were able to watch MEET THE MORMONS... That movie really hit things home for me. Who knows what these people I am trying to help will turn into.. They could be the means of blessing so many people... But they dont have any way to do that without me first doing my part... I will be thinking a lot more eternally now about the mission.

So something interesting about this area is that the hours of like 1-3 in the afternoon is like super dead. Everyone is sleeping, not home, or just dont want to talk.. It also happens to be the hottest hours of the day.. And We are basically just walking down the road with the heat... Needless to say that is one thing that i will not be missing haha

this week someone got killed in our area.... Something super weird here is that everyone goes running towards the crime scene... like literally running even people from different neighborhoods want to see the dead guy... Woohoo.. haha

I GOT A PACKAGE! packages are the best.. Thanks mom :)

This week i got sick one day... We didnt work as much as I would have liked to... And then the next day my companion got sick... So we didnt work a whole lot that day too..

But surprisingly the area is still doing really well... We had another baptism this week and it was a baptism we had to work for haha... The baptismal font was half way full and with a lot of sand and the pump wasnt working... So we had to empty it and clean it with buckets... I didnt get a whole lot out of the classes at church this sunday.. But everything went right he was baptized. 

We are working hard... Finding new people every single day.. 

today we practiced in a whole mission choir.... We will be getting a visit from Elder Christofferson of the quorom of the 12 next week.. We will sing for him.. We are going to need a lot of the spirit for it to turn out super beautifully haha.. 

This week was good. Times still flying by. Hope this was a great week. Feel free to send me anything that you want. I am aways willing to accept.

Love,

Elder Hamrick

It Was a Normal Week

This is my District. Sister Valdez, Sister L. Santos, Elder Amaral, Elder Foland, Elder Munson, Elder Gomes, Me, and Elder Sampaio

April 13, 2015

So this week was honestly just a pretty normal week. NOthing too exciting happened at all, but I will still try to go into a few details of the week 

So this week we started working in this part of our area that we havent ever worked in before. Everyone says that it is sketchy there. As of yet we havent seen much of this sketchiness. Just a bunch of people who accepted everything that we said. Thats the problem though. They all accept it but they dont really want to.. We had more than 15 people say that they were going to go to church with us... Of these 15.... 0 went to church with us. 

It is really sad to see that the enemy is working hard with the people we are trying to teach. Right when we were teaching a super good lesson about to invite everyone to be baptized. A HUGE group of people decided to knock on the door at that exact moment and we had to end the lesson. IT is super annoying, but I know that This Church is true because of all the persecution. 

We are for sure walking a lot here in this area. MY shoes are starting to get worn down a little bit. As long is it doesnt rain... I will be good.. Well it rained this morning haha... Not too cool. 

We sweat a lot here... Like always... 

I got a valentines present! in April!

WE had another baptism this week! It is just so great to see baptisms happeninguu heure. 

I am happy.. tired... But happy :)

Love you all, 

Elder Hamrick

this crazy animal in the front of our house... it had really big sharp teeth haha... And they said it was a small one... 

Baptism of Fabrício

Firm, Clear, Courageous

April 6, 2015

So this week was a pretty different one... It started off out of the normal. We started with a district meeting then We went on exchanges. It is always super weird going on exchanges in an area where you dont really know anything about, or where everything is strange. 

So we were going to stay the night in their area and go to the bank the next day to get our money, well out of nowhere the assistants called and said that we were going to have interviews with President Fusco the next day... Well We happened to have to have suits... We werent at our house, and we never have our suits with us. Well luckily at their house they had a bunch of extra suit coats... ITs just that none of them were the right colors for us... I will send a picture of how it went. 

(Super classy, but you gotta do what you gotta do)

The interview was super chill. just like it was in WAshington.. ''do you need anything?'' nope... Alright well keep up the work then. But he did say the three words of the title of the email which really stuck out to me.. These three adjectives are crucial for the work of a missionary. 

Then we had something that never has happened with me before.. We had two baptisms at 9 AM.... Super weird. But a GREAT start to the day. We had to walk a ton this day... I dont know how much we walk here still, all I know that it is a heck of a lot more than I walked before haha... AND EVERY SINGLE DAY... 

Then friday was a holiday.. HEre in Ceara everyone decides to drink on holidays... So it was a little difficult to be able to talk to anyone seriously about the gospel, well we did our best, but it still wasnt the best day. 

Saturday was Conference! I seriously love General Conference. EVerything about it is just so good... The first session I watched in Portuguese, but then we were able to get the rest in english... It brings back so many memories watching in english... It was great.

Sunday was such a stressful day for me... We had to wake up at 5 in the morning to be able to watch the Priesthood session. It was super good too, so it was worth the tiredness.. But then we came back and had lunch and then back to the stake center for conferemce. There were not very many people at the first session so we had to go and try to get some other people to come to the second one.. IT was a huge rush, but it was good. 

(General Conference with some of the Elders in the Elders Quorom... And Artur hahaha)

EAster is a hard day... Well really all holidays on the mission are pretty dang sad... It doesnt feel like a holiday at all.. 

This week was super busy and we didnt get to work as much as I would have liked to, but theres always this week. :)

Love you all so much, thank you for all you do.. When you see a missionary... Do whatever you can to make him or her feel better and more at home 

Elder Hamrick

This picture brings me happiness... What an awesome Baptism :)

Isso é Meu Pão e Mantega

Fresh coconut

March 30, 2015

So this week was another great week. I am really feeling great about this missionary work. I am tired as can be, but I am working hard. We taught more lessons this week than I ever have in the mission. 

The title of this email is This is my bread and butter. I am really beginning to enjoy missionary work more and more every day... also Its because when we are at home we only eat bread and butter... hahah It is super true. 

Another thing that we eat a lot here is called Din Din... Its like a frozen smoothie in a little sack. I will have to take a picture of one this week. But I am like addicted to them I can hardly go a day without one... The day just doesnt feel right without one. Luckily they are only 30 centavos here... Which would be like 7 cents... Haha

It is super interesting being district leader... I am in charge of a few missionaries and I never had that responsibilty before... So It is a change, but I think I will like it a lot. I just want to help them out the most and the best that I can. Whatever way that may be... IT is also a lot of weight on my shoulders now, but It will all work out

We had 2 baptisms this week again! It really is amazing how much of a difference baptism makes in the lives of people... It literally brings an automatic happiness to the person... Not just the person, but all the people in the family... It makes a difference. We will have two more this upcoming week. 

I think that everyone in this ward is getting excited about everything... So that is a great sign.. I am starting to really love this area and everyone in it. 

I now that this Church is true... Everytime I just stop to even think about it I am more and more sure... especially with General conference coming up we will be able to recieve revelation directly from a living prophet of God... Just saying that makes me happier. I know that we will be blessed in everything we do if we simply are obedient to the commandments of God. 

I love you all so much.. Time is really going by faster than I can think... I gotta make the best of it while it lasts. 

Love,

Elder Hamrick

Baptism of Keké

Baptism of Artur

churrasco with the neighbors. Nadjara, Bruno, and us