Weird Week... Good End

June 29, 2015

So this week was a little weird. I feel like I got like nothing done during the week...We started off by going to the dentist to get some cavaties filled... it was super cheap here... dont know how good the quality was... but its all done with now... 

Then the next day we had a normal study day which is pretty rare for us in our area haha.. but then we had a pretty normal day except that we had to go back to the dentist because my companion was having some problems with his teeth still so we went to get that all fixed so it didnt make any more problems during the rest of the week... We got there just for her to say that it was normal haha.. 

( The Dentist) 

Then we had a pretty cool district meeting where we made some french toast for everyone! it was Elder Seawells idea which is one of our district leaders... It was super cool.. and it was good to eat something american for once in a long time... It took a little while but it was totally worth it.. I will send some pictures dont worry. Also we are doing english class.. This week was super interesting.. because like 40 people showed up and like 25 of them were kids... And guess who taught the kids class... I DID... it was super hard and stressful. But I think it will turn into a great finding tool.

(The Zone French Toast)

It is awesome because this ward is always wanting to help.. We did splits with some of the members.. It is awesome because it makes things a little different and it also makes the weeks past by pretty dang fast haha... We get quite a bit done. We ended this week with a bunch of people taht we are teaching.. Now we just need to help them out and get to work... 

Then We did a division with elder Seawell and elder Barbosa.. Elder Barbosa just got here.. He is a great missionary.. Its cool because I get to know the people in the zone a lot better now.. I dont lnow how much of a difference I am making.. But we ended up having 3 baptisms this weekend... I love this family.. They are just super awesome I will send some photos too.. 

Saturday was a day full of walking from one end of our zone to the other.. Its funny to think that I had a car like a year and a half ago... SO that would be nice to have... But I have a lot of fat to burn ( NOT ) hahaha... 

Then we had baptisms... And it made me super happy. President Fusco and his wife ended up giving talks at our sacrament meeting the same day.. To see the hapiness on their faces.. and the people that were baptized.. That is why I am out here.. 

(Fernanda, Conceição, Gabriela, and Erica)

Food at the baptism 

I love you all.. Hope you are all doiung well.. Feel free to ask questions if you have any. :)

Elder Hamrick

The view from our house... Looks pretty cool

A spider at the church 

Brazilian barbeque 

Opening a crouton 

If they were to call me to Samoa or tonga is still be ready! "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go"

How we work... Not how much

June 22, 2015

So ever since I got to this area I was super worried about working super hard and working a lot because in my last area that worked super well and things in that area are just getting better.. But I forgot that I passed like 5 weeks of working super hard without getting basically anything done... And I feel like I have been doing the same thing here.. 

Monday we changed our way to think about what we are doing here... We stopped and relaxed... We worked for The Savior... And with our desires... not of our leaders... We found 9 new people to teach in like an hour and a half... We taught with the spirit... I felt so good.. I was actually happy for the first time in a long time since I have been here in this area... 

Then tuesday we had a district meeting that we just read a good conference talk and talked about how we can apply it into our areas... It was pretty dang cool.  Also I had a division with Elder Albino again... We had a lot of fun together. Hes a super good elder and really thinks about how the gospel is going to help these people in the future.. We always have to have an eternal perspective.. THen we had this music clas.. This guy didnt know how to sing but was telling us all how to sing.. When I sung he acted like it was nothing and told me everything I did wrong.. It was pretty funny.. But I hope things go well for him. 

Good quote from the Music Man

"You pile up enough tomorrows, and youll find youve collected a lot of empty yesterdays"
-Harold Hill

THe rest of the week we were just working well... Inviting everyone to get closer to the Savior.. .And 4 baptisms came out of nowhere that will happen next week.. With this family that I absolutely love... THen we had a cool division with our ward mission leader and theyoung mens president.. They are awesome.. I need to take a lot more pictures with them... They are the best.

THis week was just a lot better. I am feeling better, but I have a lot more to fix than what I am doing right.. SO here we go.. this quote has always stuck with me ever since my last mission. 

SUCCESS IS NOT WHAT YOU ACCOMPLISH ITS WHAT YOU BECOME.. 

I have changed a lot... I dont know how well it shows in emails.. But i feel different.. But I still have a heck of a lot better and farther to go.. THIngs will get better... everything we do can be done through Jesus Christ. 

I love you all.. Hope everyone is doing well.. Time is flying fast, but At least I am co-pilots with the Savior. 

Com amor te amo muito meus queridos. 

Èlder Hamrick

My shoes are starting to get a little warn out from walking up and down these hills!! 

weird drink thing that they have here.. cevada... Its like coffee They all say... but i dont like it that much... but I am still losing weight haha.. i weigh like 150 now

this is a awful picture.. But its all i got haha... Bishop far far left

CHURRASCO with bishop

Awesome albino rabbit with awesome family

Humble Heart

Welcome to Ceara

June 15, 2015

Well I am for sure ready and willing with a humble heart... We have had a lot of things happen this week but we havent been as busy as last week. 

So something that always happens is I get in a weird mood in like all of my areas... Because I cant feel the reason that I need to be there... I have been here for about a month and a half and I still dont feel why I need to be here. I have been praying every single day about it.. SO I will get an answer I am just waiting with a humble heart. 

There really wasnt anything all too exciting.. .Well we had one experience that I cant really go into many details that has made us learn a lot this week.. We are thinking a lot about how we are actually doing here.. And how we can do better.. 

We are teaching this family where there are some recent converts.. And the family is huge. Yesterday we had a ward conference.. Usually we have about 60 people in total at church. At this conference there was 100 something.. That family brought like 8 people.. That was pretty awesome.. We have some pretty awesome people that are getting ready for baptism... But they want to wait for a little while... Things will work out. WE do our part and God takes care of the miracles.. We are men.. We cant do miracles... Its only God.. 

This whole week was honestly a blur... Noting too different happened and w dont have a whole lot planned that will be too different either... But I know when we get down its only because we have so much higher that we need to go... God loves us.. We just need to look for it.. I want you all to know that.. .He LOVES EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU... Talk to him... 

Sorry I dont have too much to talk about this week...

Love you all. 

Elder HAmrick

We made real hamburgers, they don't have these here. 

Açai... Super good :)

Lourinho

I Thought Other Weeks Were Busy

June 8, 2015

I am just going to start off by saying I dont really have much to say about this week. It was super super busy and we still didnt get a whole lot of good things done. So on tuesday we had a mission council and we set up the new mission standards of excelence.. There was a lot of super good things discussed that have been on my mind for quite a while.. So after that day we got back into our area at like 5 and ate lunch at 5.. then while we were eating we got a call and found out we got to go back and do it alll again haha. So another day traveling to another stake to do the same thing.. A lot of things changed.. but it made things better in the mission I think.. I am excited to see how it goes... 

Then we had weekly planning that was actually like one of our first days to actually get to work at the normal time.. except that day we really didnt get too much done.. But the next day we had  azone conference and explained everything that was talked about at the council.. ( I dont know how to spelll that in english anymore) SO that was super cool... And we had also planned a split with 2 members.. Except one fell through.. And I came down with a fever.. 

I have a testimony that as missionaries the Lord truly does give us more strength than we really have.. I was dead.. Walking around and teaching still.. I stayed sick until now.. now I am a lot better but still a little sick.. We will see what happens haha.. 

Saturday was super crazy as well.. We had to run around and do a bunch of interviews.. But Something I started doing is literally inviting everyone I saw to come to church.. We really never know who will or wont go to churhc.. especially here.. Everyone says they will but like 90% wont go... So I just decided to invite everyon.. who knows one day it will all work out.. 

This week was super busy and we had transfers today too.. I am staying but like half of the zone is changing... So that will be interesting. 

I love you all.. 
It is weird how long I have really been out on my mission.. It doesnt quite feel real.. 

TE AMO MUITO MEUS QUERIDOS> 

ÈLDER HAMRICK

This Is the Work of the Lord

June 1, 2015

SO this week was like the busiest week ever for us. We didnt have like one day to have a normal day hahah. 

We started off the week with a district meeting. Then I did a division with Elder Matheson. Which was super awesome because Him and I served in the same ward in my first area. So we already know eachother super well. It was great to be with him again. We had a super good time. We went out with some members and we also saw some super sweet turtles (Pictures to come in the future). The day passed by super fast. 

So in my last area I got pretty used to just working by myself with my companion... But we were still doing well... We started off at the beginning here doing the same thing. Well we really didnt have much of another option. because we didnt know anyone.. But that really didnt work out... So this week we left a lot with the members. It made things so much better. It is them that are going to stay not us... So they need to be the support for the people who are coming to learn more about the church and everything. 

I love noting the tender mercies that happen when you are a missionary. I stopped doing it for a while to be honest... But one day we had one that was just too big to go unnoticed. We were visiting this man who was in this apartment complex... When we finished talking to him we went to leave and we were locked in... So instead of going back to talk to him to open the door... We went to the first door that was open that we saw... And it was a member! and what did the member do? he instantly said lets go see a friend... That was probably the first time in a while that I felt the spirit so strong. I KNOW that we were there for a reason... The Lord needed us to be there to talk to him. It is crazy that the littlest details can literally mean the world to someone... So crazy. God trusts us so much. 

Then we had an interesting day where we all did weekly planning together as a Zone. I gave them all Reisens (Thanks mom.. They loved them :) )

Then we had a surprise that two elders in our zone were transferred and they had a baptism that was going to be happening there that week.. And no other elders were going to go there in their place. So we had to go there and get all things figured out... She ended up getting baptized.. The Lord worked a miracle there... 

The biggest miracle that happened this week was that we had a baptism! 

So we had a ward activity this week that we made up... There were a bunch of people there. There was this girl who was super ready to be baptized but didnt want to. Then Bishop talked with her... she ended up deciding to be baptized. She has recieved so many answers. I am so grateful to be a part of this miracle that happened... We are really working hard with the Bishopric in this ward.. We are almost always with them.. In the bishops office and everything. We are going to do some good work here. 

I am happy. There are things that happen during the week that are hard.. But to think back it was all worth it. God Is Good... God is Great. 

:) Love you all.. 

Hope you all have a super awesome week. 

Tchau Tchau. Te AMO!

Èlder Hamrick

this was Livia who was baptized this week.. It was a miracle

The turtles

Divisions with Elder Matheson

Artsy

Birthday

True love... Haha!

What is Normal

May 25, 2015

Well I officially dont remember what it is like to be a normal missionary without a bunch of responsibities. Although I am sort of getting used to carrying a box full of 40 Book of Mormons across the city every monday haha. 

It seems like something comes up every single day. There isnt much of a chance to have just a normal day. On tuesday we had a meeting with president fusco. We stayed there for a while then We had a division with some of the elders in our zone. So I spent the day in his area for a day. Its cool getting to know the zone better. My love for them is for sure growing. 

This week we also had a peruvian lunch which was pretty dang good. We had this avacado salad which is like guacamole... They dont have that here.. They also dont have tortillas or tortilla chips. I miss "aMerican Food``. Food is so good haha,. 

Every day that we think we will have a normal day something comes up. This week we got the opportunity to help the sisters move to another house. It was fun, But it helped me remember how hot it is here in Fortaleza hahah. 

Then we had another exchange with the Assistants. It was cool; I got to be with Elder Molina. He was my zone leader in MAracanaú. He is super awesome and we are pretty good friends. So it was good to work with him again. 

I GOT MY BIRTHDAY PACKAGE THIS WEEK! 

Thanks! now I have a few more sweet ties. (I am wearing one right now)

WE had a super awesome  family night after church last night. We played some games and everyone was just laughing and being super happy .

opening an area is still hard.. but things are picking up slowly. We finally got some people that came to church with us after 2 weeks of no one. 

I LOVE THIS WARD! they are all super focused on missionary work. They have us in mind always. 

this mission is focusing on love. I am trying my best to love EVERYONE even when i dont get along too well with them. 

WE always have a chance to become more like Christ. 

I love you all and feel your prayers. God loves us.

Elder Hamrick