Hanggang Wakas

December 24, 2012

Hello Family and friends,

Thank you all so much for the mail.  I have received the last delivery before Christmas. (Of course)  Lots of fun mail!  I promise I am writing everyone back it just takes a while since I only have so much
writing time and the mail is slow. :)  MERRY CHRISTMAS!  I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and remembers the true meaning for the season.  Sister D and I just came from packing rice and canned
corned beef, meatloaf and sardines into bags for some of the families in the ward.  It was a wonderful reminder of why we celebrate Christmas.  I am so grateful for all that I have in my life and feel
so blessed.  I am grateful for this opportunity God has given me to serve a mission and come closer to Christ.  I have gained a greater appreciation for the Book of Mormon and the things that it can teach
me through daily study.  I encourage everyone to read it daily even if you can only spare 10 minutes.  Just set a timer and then 'just do it'! :) (Easy for me to say, I know, while all I have to do in my life is study and teach the gospel.  But I bet 10 minutes can be spared.)

Not sure if you posted about the family for baptism on Wed.  But yes, the three of them were baptized on Wednesday!!! :)  And Sister delivered a healthy baby girl early Friday morning.  Thank goodness
for the inspiration to move the baptism!

Let's see.... random fact of the day....everything here is smaller.  I told you my height is average but also the babies are like the smallest I've seen and there are little puppies and kittens wandering around and they are absolutely adorable and way smaller than I've seen them in the US.  So yea.  That's that.

This week has been good. We were fed multiple times which is always nice. haha :)  I tried a new dish.... Its a chicken curry with potatoes and carrots.  It reminds of mom's chicken broccoli casserole. Delicious!  And I got it twice this week!  We had our Christmas party and had a roasted pig! :)  Really fatty meat and crunchy outside.  It was pretty yummy.  (Pictures to follow on a different day.)

At our Christmas party the Mission President and his wife taught us a lesson about JOY. :)  The fail safe equation for happiness is putting J-Jesus first O- Others second and Y-You last.  Good reminder and lovely talk.

I was saddened this week when we visited a less active family where the mother left some while ago and the father (sometime within the last 3-5 years, since his baptism) lost his left arm and leg.  The oldest daughter (18) now drives a trike to earn money for the family. It was sad because I knew how much the gospel could help ease the burdens they all have and that it must be so hard for them to have this trial of their faith and this trial in their lives.  I don't know why they became less active but it reminded me of the talk from this October Conference, "Trial of your Faith".  In there it talks about how trials are meant to be hard and that there will be nights of wet pillows and anguish but they do not have to be spiritually fatal.  When a trial comes the best thing to do is do those things that brought conversion originally.  We repent, we pray, we read, we go to church.  "Leaving the church during a trial is like leaving the safety
of a storm shelter just as the storm comes into view." I do not judge this family at all and understand that it is so much more difficult to do than to say.  It simply made me think of talk.  I hope that the
Spirit will once again touch their hearts and help comfort and strengthen them.

Well I think that is it for this week.  I hope everyone is safe and well.  Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (Maunlad na Bagong Taon)!  (Say that 10 times fast :) )

Love
Sister Hamm

Cant wait to talk to you... tomorrow... today.... whatever it is! haha