Bravery, Ladybug and SFO

You know I have been working on being brave this year...doing things that are out of my comfort zone.  This past week Ladybug went to San Francisco with her high school choir group, and I freaking had to be brave.  It's not like we have never been apart.  She has gone on trips with her grandparents and girl's camp without me...but this is California!  And not just a few hours drive...She is my baby, and this was so dang hard.

She was so good about texting or calling at least once a day to check in.  She got to do so many fun things and sing in some amazing cathedrals.  This was good for her, and it was good for me.  I usually don't like being brave, and this is one of those times.  I sure missed this kid.

of Death and Struggles {Miguel's Missionary Moment}

July 2013 with Elder Loertscher

"April 21, 2014

Well hey!

These past two weeks have been kind of interesting.  One of my favorite missionary Companions passed away, really one of my best friends.  I had a week of hearing from members in old areas, missionaries telling me again, and it just kept coming up. It weighed heavy for a while, but  I know Christ lives and I know we will all live again. 

It has just been a contrasting week. John, an investigator we have, has been doing so great and we have had so many spiritual experiences this week with him. Last Sunday he skipped work and got fired because he wanted to be able to come to church.  He is just such a sincere guy. But, sadly, he couldn't make it this week because his new job called him in and he said he didn't want to lose another one right away.  He shouldn't have to work Sundays usually.  He is super elect! 

I think with watching John change through Christ and hearing about Elder Loertscher's death that my testimony of Christ has really been strengthened these past couple weeks. I know my Savior lives, I know guilt and regret can be changed, and I now know death shall have no sting. I'm am so grateful for this gospel! As we all should be!

Hamer out!"

Deciding What's Important...

Source

A few weeks ago I talked about how Something Just has to Click in order to become successful in the healthy living quest.  Back when I was still struggling with consistency, my husband mentioned "You just have to decide what's most important."  I was a little put off at first.  Of course, healthy eating and working out was important to me.  I work part time, come home eat lunch, read my scriptures, do laundry, house cleaning, errands and other things important to home management.  Sometimes my work out got shuffled to the back burner.

So, I heeded my husbands advice and decided what was most important.  I have been getting up at 5:00 am to go to the gym.  With exactly 45 minutes to work out before I need to head home to get ready for work, I can get in some strength moves and a 25 to 30 minute run.  Working out is now literally coming first.  It feels good and a great way to start the day.  The only drawback?  I'm ready for bed by 8:30.

Do you work out?  

If so, when do you find time to squeeze it in?

What works for you?

Missionary Countdown!!

Two more months!!

Holy Cow!!

Miguel Testifies of the Work {Miguel's Missionary Moment}

April 7, 2014

Hey!!!

Well another week down!! I had two days of meetings and General Conference! So like four days of work were out!!  I kind of felt bad because we had 21 lessons and I was talking to some Sisters and they had a rough week and I was like yeah us too! They asked how so and I said we only had 21 lessons and they said they never had that many for their whole mission. It was awkward, but we were averaging 30 a week for like 4 weeks. I hate having to talk to missionaries who are struggling.  But a Sister who just got transferred said we were the best Zone Leaders she ever had. Then we mad fun of her because she brought it up by saying that they had been talking about how awesome we are.  I was like "You would be talking about us" It was funny! But yeah slow week///Loraine is still doing awesome!!! She came to conference!!! Conference was sweet!! I don't know what my favorite part was, I gotta go back over my notes!!! But yeah good but slow week!

I just realized I only email like 10 more times............ Freak!!!! Better go hard with the work!!! Gosh I don't want it to end!!! I love this work!! I was sitting in bed reading the Book of Mormon the other day and in 3 Nephi 27:19 it speaks of no unclean thing entering into the Kingdom of God. The Spirit hit me so strong that this is it. I just wish everyone knew the way, the way to return to God, the only true way.  God has provided the one and only Truth! Mom I'm changing my name and putting my papers back in when I get home! Haha but for real! This has been so life changing over the past 21 months. I have been cursed at, threatened, demeaned, persecuted, condemned, ignored, But oh how sweet the reward!  I have seen people healed by the power of the Priesthood, I have seen lives changed by the Atonement of Christ, I have seen people cleansed of their sins through the waters of baptism and reception of the Holy Ghost, I have felt the Spirit so strong I could not open my mouth, and more than anything else I have felt the Atonement change me. I am so grateful for this!  I don't have much time left. but I hope and pray I serve diligently and faithfully. I wish I was a better missionary but I guess I can only do my best. The struggle is real, the reward is great!! Get off the sidelines and go to work!

Hamer out!!!

Because of Him

I am so grateful to Him for His life, love and sacrifice.  I am grateful and in awe of the miracles that continue to bless lives all over the world including mine.  I know He lives and loves me.  I know Him...

Family History - What's the big deal?

One of the things I have immersed myself in this spring in some good old fashioned genealogy.  When I was a little girl, I was fascinated by the stories and pictures my grandma would tell about her childhood and my ancestors.  She would break out pictures and point out who they were and my relation to them.  As she got older, she began to repeat herself, which is okay I didn't mind hearing the stories again.  I only wish I had had the foresight to write down what she was saying.

I have been using a website called Family Search.  So far I haven't encountered any expenses.  You can input your known relatives and begin searching for more.  I find it addictive.  It's like I crave a connection to the past, that these people are crying out from the dust and want to be remembered.  I want to be remembered and matter, and that is why I think it is a big deal...Because, I bet these relatives wanted to be remembered and matter to someone, too.

A few years ago I was involved in the Nations largest service project...the indexing of the 1940's census.  Indexing is transcribing old documents and digitizing them.  Documents like birth and death certificates, marriage certificates and enlistment forms are made available right at the tips of your fingers.  It's pretty cool, really.  Yesterday I indexed a bunch of birth certificates from 1923 in Chicago, Illinois.  My husband is from Chicago, and I thought it would be cool if I saw one of his family's birth certificate...but I didn't.  My daughter is interested in this family history work, and has listened to me and dabbled in it herself.   She even put in ten hours of indexing for a service project.

There are many different forms that family history takes:  

blogging, scrapbooking, journaling, genealogy, indexing.  

What do you do to connect to your past?

A Baptism and a Dog Bite {Miguel's Missionary Moment}

March 17, 2014

Well another week down! No big deal met with three General Authorities in a week! Elder Cook, Elder Piper and Elder Kapiska! It was sweet! Elder Cook spoke a ton about faith, and I had actually been praying that he would! So it was so cool that he did, and that was on Saturday! On Thursday we had zone Conference with Elder Kapiska and had a six hour question and answer session.  It was so crazy! I learned so much.  I cant even remember it all without my notes! The next day I got to go to another three hour meeting with him and all the other Zone Leaders! So a lot of meetings this week, but it was sweet!! This Friday we have a baptism, Loraine is so legit. 

Elder Hamer

March 24, 2014

This week was pretty sweet!! Loraines's baptism was awesome! Her son came and he was in tears as he gave a talk on the Holy Ghost.  It is always a good baptism when it only takes one time under the water! but it was awesome, and we had a great turn out from the ward as well.  The visiting and home teachers came and introduced themselves after the baptism so everything is going great! But, outside of that we had to drop a lot of investigators so we are pretty much starting over on finding! Last night we did find and teach a family a first discussion so we are definitely finding but just finding people who are willing to progress is hard. We talked to the bishop about where we should go and he directed us to an area that I am looking forward to a lot this week. 

Oh and I got bit in the face by a member's dIg!!! It freaking sucked!  I was petting it, and it just turned and got me in the face, and I bled.  it was super annoying.  I wanted to punch it.   It's tooth went into my cheek.  It was the worst dog experience I have ever had out here and it was a little dog!!! But thats all i got!

Hamer out!!!

Something has to Click

Source

The other day I mentioned some things that had been on my mind while I was absent from the blogging sphere.  Weight loss has been on my mind since my whole back episode last summer and then surgery.  Gaining weight while being basically stagnant was hard for me.  But, losing that weight is critical to the health and the health of my back, and it's so dang hard.

I'd try then I'd stop...I'd try again and get discouraged and stop.  There was no consistency to desire and no commitment either.  Deep down I wanted to be healthier, but It just seemed too hard, I wanted to do it the easy way...

In February, something just clicked.  It was a mental thing.  It was like suddenly a light turned on in my brain.  I realized that I was the only one who could do anything about it.  I am committed!  My "I can" matches my "I want" desire to be healthy.  That little "click" helped me to log over 50 running miles on the treadmill in March!

I read an article that listed 6 mental shifts that need to occur for weight loss.  Some of them are

• Be ready to commit
• Love yourself enough
• Have clarity about your goal

You can read more information about it here.

So, although I'm not a fitness expert by any means, I thought I would share some things that are working for me.  I mean we all need a bit of motivation and maybe you will keep me accountable.

What helps you get motivated and stay motivated?

Things on my mind

Source

1.  Spring Break
2.  Fitness/wellness - exercise, healthy eating, sugar detox, gave up soda, weight loss.
3.  Trying to figure out what to do with everything in my craft room...we are getting a permanent house guest
4.  Air Force man is coming home in 23 days!
5.  Time with my four year old niece.
6.  Birthdays, late cards letters and gifts...I just can't get it together.
7.  Birthday, mine, today!  I'm getting SO old.
8.  Family history - tracing family lines...How fascinating!
9.  General Conference weekend - So uplifting!
10.  I've thought about you, truly I have...I've just been so busy in body, mind and spirit.