A June Week

Hello everyone, this week was a great week. We went to MLC on Tuesday and got to learn about how to be a consecrated missionary, and it is always good to see the other missionaries. There are a lot of new young leaders in the mission, and it makes me feel like the old man at MLC. That was great then on Wednesday we our investigator Jessy didn't show up to our appointment and we haven't been able to contact her since. That was a bummer, but hopefully she just went on vacation or something and forgot to tell us because she was solid. Daniel is doing well and came to church and one of the activities. He still iffy about baptism, but we aren't giving up on him. Until then we have been trying to meet some of the member's friends who are members, and that hasn't turned into anything yet but soon. We actually gave the family Elders  great referral thought this week. We were at dinner with Josh in our ward and his family, and his little sister's friend (she's about 16) stopped by and they convinced her to stay for dinner. She isn't a member and she had a lot of questions about what we do as missionaries. So naturally for our dinner lesson we didn't want to just throw everything on her, but I shared 2 Ne 33:10 and asked her if she is familiar with the story behind the Book of Mormon. She was like no, so we explained a little bit and that peaked her curiosity and started asking questions, and we taught it all anyway! So ya that was great and we got to help the other Elders out. But ya life is going good, and we get to meet with Elder C. Scott Grow this week, first with MLC then with half the mission. So I am super excited. Thanks for all you do and Happy Fathers day on Sunday Dad!

The Twin Towers of Gospel Preaching

Greetings from Simi Valley! Transfers are in and I am staying! Unfortunately they are breaking up the twin towers of gospel preaching. Elder Hunt is going to Santa Maria, which should be a fun place. My new companion is Elder Wickern who is currently in the zone as one the the district leaders (one of my favorites on that note) So he isn't getting transferred very far and I already know him pretty well, so I am pretty excited about this next transfer. This last week was a great week though. We went to the temple on Wednesday, and it was great to get to go since it's been almost a year since I have gone. We had a good time, and it was weird to think that Jen was probably somewhere not too far. We also found a new investigator named Jessy, and she is great. She soaked it all up like a sponge and was excited to come to some activities. She is out of town this weekend, but said she would start coming this next week. She also committed to a baptismal date in July. Daniel is doing great, he came to an institute activity and loved it. He is a little shy sometimes, so we are glad he had a fun time. He came to church and is really progressing towards his baptism on June 17th. So things are going well and there are a few of the members who are working with there friends, and hopefully we start meeting with some of them. I really like the members here, and the ward is growing with return missionaries, and kids waiting to go to school in the fall. It's weird to think that I will be one of those students in the fall. Until then I'm going to find all those YSA kids out there who need the gospel. Thank you all

Elder Hamson

Alan Leads Them Astray!

This week was exciting, we started off with a multi-zone hike. President Felix took us all on a hike and had us blind folded and our companions had to guide us down the trail. It was fun and we would switch off who was blind folded and whatnot. While this was going on Sister Felilx went around trying to lead us off the path. I may or may not have listened and started walking into the bushes. I guess I know who not to listen too! Then we did one where President had me be the one to try and lead one of the missionaries astray. I had fun and had Elder Gray going the wrong way for a while before he figured out he probably shouldn't listen to me. It was a fun hike, and I got to see some good missionary friends. Daniel is doing well and he is set to be baptized on June 27. He has been taught for almost two years and he has made some big steps forward in the last couple of weeks. Saturday night we all knelt down and he prayed to know if this is what God wants him to do, and he felt a burden was lifted and he just felt good. He is still a little nervous about the whole thing, but is moving forward with faith. His dad is cool with it, but his mom is a devout catholic, and he isn't sure how she would react. Parents seem to be the most common problem in the YSA ward. There is a lot of other good things going on, and it always seems there are things coming up with either the people we are working with or the missionaries in the Zone. One of the bad ones was our investigator Samantha dropped us over text, because she is too busy. On a better note 2 of the investigators in the Spanish branch wanted to get baptized kind of last minute, and we were scrambling to get one of them interviewed by someone who speaks Spanish. Elder Hunt did the other interview and he pretended like he had problems with question 4, turns out it was all planned out by the Spanish Elders and Elder Hunt was grumpy about that. It was good that the baptism went well. Thank you all for the support, transfers are next week so I'll let you know if anything crazy happens. Hopefully I just keep living the dream here in Simi.
Elder Hamson

The Old and the Young

Well this week happened quickly, and was another fun and exciting week. On Tuesday I went on an exchange and had fun teaching some old people. It's a lot different from all the YSA kids, but the gospel is still true no matter how old you are. On Friday we found a new investigator named Samantha she is fantastic. Her dad is investigating in a family ward so Elders Referred her to us. She isn't sure what she believes, but claims Lutheran. We had a great lesson on the restoration and she was fascinated and soaked it in. She accepted a Book of Mormon and is super excited to read it. That lesson stood in stark contrast with another lesson we had with some bashers the next day. We taught a lot of the same things, but it wasn't nearly as powerful. Which means whether or not we feel the spirit has a lot to do with how much we are willing to listen. Everything is going well here in Simi valley. Keep being awesome.
Elder Hamson

Mother's Day Baptism

Happy Mothers day yesterday, it was nice to talk to you all. Maybe I'll fill in some of the gaps that we didn't talk about.
This week was a great week to remember. We had MLC on Tuesday which is always a very spiritual meeting and I always learn a lot. Also it's really nice to not have to drive 3 hours home afterward. We are only 45mins away here in Simi. A lot of the mission leaders are going home in the next 4 months, so it will be interesting to see how that all plays out. We are still working with Rachel, and that has been going well. She came to church again yesterday and we have had so great lessons. She has some unique concerns, and in our last lesson we ready the story of the tree of life and drew it as we read. She is more artistic so we thought that was a good idea to draw it out, also mine kind of looks a 3rd grader drew it. The most exciting thing though was Jessica's baptism. It went well we got the program all figured out, we made sure that she and Elder Hunt remembered a towel and a change of clothes. We got there early to fill the font, and grab a jumpsuit that Jessica would be able to fit into, but they didn't have any (oh no!). We couldn't leave the building while the font was filling, so we called some other missionaries to come help us out. They got here and I stayed to get everything set up and Elder Hunt went with Elder Wickern. Turns out that they went and Elder Wickern remembered that one of the members keeps the baptismal suits so they called a bunch of people and finally got a hold of some one who didn't have them, but they knew who did. They couldn't get a hold of them so they went and "broke" into their aunts house and found a baptismal suit for Jessica. After that is was smooth sailing. President Felix came, and a lot of other missionaries that I know and love were there as well as Colby Jackson (my former companion) came down from Utah. The spirit was there and it is a day I won't forget anytime soon. Jessica started meeting with the missionaries a year ago, and at that point she was an atheist. It's incredible to hear her story and how far she has come, and I am simply blessed to be here for her baptism. Everything is going well, I am working hard, having fun and the days just seem to fly by. Thank you all for being awesome. I love you Mom!
Elder Hamson

That's My Life and I Absolutely Love It

May the fourth be with you!

Everything is going well out here in Simi Valley. We have a lot of good things going on, including Jessica's baptism this weekend! She had her interview and we announced it in church so it's official. We have planned a lot of it out, and hopefully we can remember everything and plan ahead. Although I have learned from experience to be ready for some unexpected things to happen. Everyone is excited and it should go well. Also one of our investigators Daniel is doing well. He is hispanic and loves his catholic family. Which makes things hard, because we believe in families, as well as the restored church and sometimes you have to make a choice between the two. We met with him twice this week and it was four different missionaries. We went on three exchanges, but anyways Daniel is awesome we taught him about the parable of the pearl of great price and how he has found it, so it's going to cost him everything he has. That's the thing about the gospel it's a lifestyle, not just a one time or once a week thing. Also I got to meet Dichele one of our other investigators she came to church and she has investigated for a while, but is hesitant to be baptized. She is coming to Jessica's baptism which I think should help. Also a less active we met a week ago came to church with us despite some hard feelings, which was great! I think we can really help her (Rachel) so hopefully we keep meeting in the future. The 3 exchanges was a lilttle crazy, but this week we don't have any, but we do have MLC, Zone meeting, the Baptism and Mothers day. Not to mention all the regular missionary work, but that's my life and I absolutely love it. I am enjoying being with Elder Hunt and I am excited to get to talk with some of you on Sunday. 

Elder Hamson

Back in the Valley

Well I made it back here to Simi valley, and it still has a lot of the same people, which is awesome. It has been awesome running into a bunch of people I knew from before, and The YSA ward is a great ward so I am excited. I met one of our investigators Jessica on Thursday, we had fasted with her the day before about if she needed to get baptized or not. In the lesson she told us that she got an answer to her prayer and felt the spirit so strong. Also she is reading through the Book of Mormon and after she prayed she started reading, and ran into Alma 32:16 where it talks about "blessed is he that. . . is baptized without stubbornness of heart" She has been investigating for a very long time, and I feel very lucky/blessed to come in right when she gets her answer.
On a different note I am having a lot of fun being companions with Elder Hunt. He is 6' 6" but he hasn't measured in a while, so maybe he's taller. But as of right now we are a combined height of 13' 9" and let me know if you hear otherwise, but my theory is that we are the tallest companionship in the world. We play basketball in the mornings with other Elders in the complex and they are actually pretty good, so it has been a lot of fun having some competition. I am still a little sad about leaving SLO, but I couldn't have asked for a better companion or area. I am living the dream being a missionary out here Simi. Thank you all, and keep being awesome.
Elder Hamson

Elder Hunt and Elder Hamson