WEEK 37: March 9, 2020

Elder Hammond & Elder Ramalho in Pedra Branca

Well this week was really awesome!  New things and new places make time pass by fast, and this week was great getting to know my new area of Pedra Branca!  This area is one of the most beautiful places I've seen in my life, it's full of members (everyone loves the missionaries here!) , we have a ton of investigators with potential, and we live just a 10 minute drive from beautiful beaches!  

Sometimes people think Andrew is the Brazilian and his companion is the American!

This week we had a baptism, my companion and the other missionaries here have been preparing Valkyr and on Sunday, after sacrament meeting, he was baptized!  It was a super awesome experience, and he's really got a strong testimony.  

Valkyr's baptism

All the missionaries in Pedra Branca at Valkyr's baptism

My first day here, we started teaching a woman named Kayla.  She has a lot of interest in being baptized, but she had a few things that were holding her back from being baptized. So, we invited her to watch the baptism of Valkyr.  She went and felt a really strong spirit, and she wants to be baptized either this week or next!  Super great. 

This area is super tropical and hot which led to my new addiction to sugar cane juice, which is sold ice cold on the roads for super cheap haha.  Thanks for reading!!  

Elder Hammond

From our Conversation:

• The people in his area are very open and friendly.
• His companion, Elder Ramalho is obedient, which Andrew loves.  He loves that he can get to work right on time in the morning and be productive all day.  He seems really happy.
• The girl (Lede) that he and his last companion taught in Vacaria got baptized yesterday.  Elder Barbosa sent pictures, which was super nice.  He was very happy to get those pictures.

Lede's baptism in Vacaria

• The members in this new area fight for the chance to feed the missionaries.  He isn't going hungry in Pedra Branca!

Lunch with a member family

• He was also excited that there are 2 malls in his area.  They even ate at Burger King today!

Elders at the mall