A Baptism and Memory Loss {Miguel's Missionary Moment}

September 2, 2013

"Hey!!!

Well this week has been pretty sweet!  Zion is gonna be baptized this Saturday, he is super excited.  He was at school talking about getting baptized, and his teacher started telling him a bunch of anti mormon stuff. So he walked out of the class.  Then he told us that he wanted to slap his teacher with a Book of Mormon.  So we told him to ask God for what to do, and he did and felt like he had to say something.  He told his teacher how much the book of Mormon has changed his life, and how depressed he was before, and how happy he is now.  The teacher was in tears, and Zion gave him a Book of Mormon the next day. Zion is a stud! Oh and last night we had another lesson with Zion about Joseph Smith, and about all he went through.  Zion was amazed and the spirit was super strong. 

Then we went and contacted this internet referral and this kid said he just meant to order a free Bible, and I asked why he wanted one and said he was looking for truth and we just testified! It was awesome! Then right after that we went to this ladies house but she wasn't there.  We were with a member through all of this, and I saw some people outside so I tried to talk to them.  They ignored me so I decide I was going to knock on a door and no one answered there either. But when we were walking back, Lydia got home and she invited us in and we taught a short lesson about the restoration the spirit was awesome!!!! It was a sweet night! 

Elder Bronson is leaving me, and I'm getting an Elder named Elder Poole he is cool!! That's all!!

The Elder Hamer!!!!"

September 9, 2013

"Well!!!!!!

This week was great! Zion was baptized on Friday night! It was awesome! We had a lot of people there.  We were scared the room wouldn't be big enough, but that is a good problem to have! After the baptism, Zion bore his testimony and said he was so grateful Elder Hamer kept getting on him about his language and reading and coming to church and said how much it has changed his life.  It was a sweet baptism!!!! But, Elder Bronson missed it, and it was his first baptism!  He got transferred out.

Elder Poole is my new companion. He is super cool, he is just a little guy...he is short!  haha tallest I have ever felt! We had a good week because we found a lady who was baptized in California and moved to Georgia and never went because she was scared of some place new, and she came on Sunday with her 13 year old nonmember son.  We get to teach him this week.  We don't have any super solid people at the moment, but we have been teaching a ton of people at least the first lesson.

Oh Elder Loertscher my son! Got sent home :'( He passed out and hit his head or something on the cement and lost 3 years of memory.  He thought he was 15 and so he had to go home. He was like my best friend out here now he doesn't even remember all our good times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sad! I miss him a lot! 

That is crazy to hear about your back mom! It better never happen to me!  I will definitely be praying!!!! But all is good out here.  Miss you all!!!! Get better mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love Elder Hamer"

All that Gratitude

Source

I had to speak in church last year.  Now that in itself is a miracle, because I despise, no, HATE, public speaking.  The rapid heart bead, sweaty hands, shaky knees....yeah, it's not my thing.  But, I thought I would  share my thought with you that I shared on Sunday.  This will be a several part series, because, it is along, and if you have a little attention problem like me, then long posts are a deterrent.

"Between the Bible and the Book of Mormon, the word Thanks and it’s derivatives are mentioned approximately 340 times.  That would be Thank, Thanks, Thanked, Thanksgiving, Thanksgivings, thankful, thankfulness, thanking and thankworthy.  Clearly the Lord is trying to send a message to us on how important it is to Live in Thanksgiving Daily and surely this is a divine principle.   A little research into the word Thanksgiving revealed some interesting observations.  Thanksgiving comes from the Greek word Eucharisteo.  Eucharisteo is a word often associated with the last supper, communions or the sacrament.  The root word of Eucharisteo is Charis which means “Grace or favor”.  When we are thankful we are grateful for a favor or grace.  And a favor or grace from whom?  All favors or graces or blessings ultimately come from our Heavenly Father.  But, there is more.  The root word for Charis is Chara meaning joy.  When we fully are appreciative and thankful, we can live with more joy.  

We can learn as much as we can about the topic of Gratitude and Thanksgiving.  We can listen to or read talks and a book on it, but Thanksgiving is more than learning, it is acting.  Putting into action Thanksgiving, allows us to feel that gratitude all the way through to our heart.   Gordon B. Hinkley said, "When you walk with gratitude, you do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism, you walk with a spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives." end of quote. 

In the last hours of Christ’s life he broke bread with his disciples and gave thanks.  He knew he was going to be crucified, but He still gave thanks.  If our Savior is our brother and mentor, the one we try to emulate in all we do, should we not give thanks continually?  When we partake of the Sacrament we do it in remembrance, and we are thankful.  Just as Christ expressed Thanksgiving that last night, we, too, express gratitude as we partake of the Sacrament.  We remember we thank and we partake of the atonement; the greatest gift ever given. 

The act of Thanksgiving or expressing gratitude is so important that our modern day prophets have reiterated it over and over.  “Be Grateful” was one of President Hinkley’s 6 B’s to the youth.  There is a whole section in For the Strengthof youth devoted to Gratitude.  We often hear of the importance of gratitude during General Conference.  Modern day scripture indicates that this being grateful and expressing Thanksgiving is not merely a suggestion but a commandment.  D&C 59:7 says, “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things” But do we really do this?  If we are honest, my bet is that more than often we fail to thank the Father yet, expect so much more...."  

To be continued....

**Originally published on 11/26/2012**

What I love most about Autumn

The change of seasons make me happy...I am a sensory person.  The colors, the smells, the sounds...everything about Autumn just appeals to me.  AND the weather has been unbelievable.  How can you beat 65 degrees during the day.

Football!  Two weeks after my back surgery I was able to go to my first BSU football game.  I missed two!  Had to give my tickets away...in fact, I watched one of their games from my hospital bed.  For a girl who didn't grow up playing sports, I sure do love to watch some BSU football...Ladybug and I wear matching blue and orange shoes...

I have enjoyed afternoons walking my dog...the sound of the leaves crunching beneath my boots, the smell of damp leaves, the golden sun warm on my skin...

I've been busy...probably much to busy for my own good.  I'm back to pleasing my daughter again.  Not that I haven't pleased her in the past, but there was a while there when I couldn't do anything.  So, I made her a Minion.  He was entered in a Pumpkin contest, but we didn't win.

Oh, and I went apple picking.  Don't you just love those beautiful pictures of the apple orchards and gathering apples.  It is an experience I tell ya.  But, I don't do apple picking quite like that, unfortunately...Walmart, is a different kind of an experience altogether.

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What do you love most about Autumn?

Miguel's Missionary Moment

August 26, 2013

"Hey how is it going!!!!??????

This week was good! Zion the kid who is getting baptized on September 6th is going strong He is a stud! The Spanish Elders where in his neighborhood and caught him reading the book of Mormon on his porch.  He asked me to be the one to baptize him!  He basically bore his testimony last lesson about how hard his home life is, but when he is around the Church and people from the Church and reading the Book of Mormon he just feels at home.  It is so sweet! He actually reminds me a ton of Oshea.  He is a good kid!

Oh this week we had a ton of stuff come up that we weren't expecting and we fell super far behind on our contacting goal...We had three days to get like 54 contacts so we got all but 15 by Sunday.  On sunday we had lessons all day and only an half an hour to contact so I prayed where to go, and a area came to mind so I biked there and we were able to talk to 16 people in a half an hour and hit our goal. None of them were that interested but I realize I was showing the Lord my effort by trying to hit the standard the mission president set for us.

I think I'm really starting to understand the atonement and the fact that we can't do anything by yourself.  I finally realize that I have to rely on the Lord wholeheartedly. I realize that when Christ said pick up your cross and follow me it is about submitting yourself and giving your own desires and lusts up, and doing all the Father commands no matter what he asks. It went a lot along with studying the fact that those who are endowed are under covenant to give all heart, might, mind and strength.  It doesn't sound like a lot, but I realize how much I give is how much more the savior will give me.

The mission is good gottta tear it up on bike another week. I got a flat tire this past week :p lame but game on!

Elder Hamer out!"

Breaking the Shell

This proverbial introvert, the one who has been craving community and more purpose in her life, just accepted a social invitation.  Shocker, right?  Yeah, I'm shocked, too!

A Facebook friend, someone I actually know in real life, too, invited me to a book club meeting.  The invitation was there...the door was open...the ball was in my court....and so I clicked "will be going" on the online invite.  It is time to be daring!  Who would ever think a book club is daring, but my dears, it really is...Now it is my turn to psych myself up for a gathering of women.  I mean I love all things books and treats. But sometimes women are so dang scary.  Some women can be judgmental and mean spirited.  Past experiences have me cringing, but I will not judge these ladies on my past experiences.

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The book this month is "These is My Words" by Nancy E. Turner.  I picked up the book the other day at the library and have not been able to put it down since.  Loving the book will make the meeting just a little bit easier.  It is so nice to be invited and included.  I've tried to make it a motto to accept invitations, because if I decline, follow ups may be few and far between.

I'll let you know how it goes, in the meantime...Carry on

What activities do you find difficult and 

What do you do to overcome?