Dec 22...I can't wait to see Salguiero flourish

Dear Family,

Good news! I made it to Araripina in one piece with all of my luggage :)! It's crazy to be back here again! It feels like it was only yesterday that I was coming here with Elder Constantino for District meetings! But its definitely changed. First of all, its a zone now. When I would come here at the begining of my mission we were part of the zone Juazeiro but President just split it into Juazeiro and Araripina. I got super lucky! :). 

Our zone has 12 Elders (For now), one of which was transfered here a couple days after me that was Assistant to the President and now he's serving with a real calling as Branch President in Trinidade! CRAZY! He's a super good Elder and I know he's gonna do a ton to change that area. Unfortunately, I wont be able to go to Salgueiro until next year (a few weeks). But I'm super excited. Unfortunately, the 4 missionaries that are there right now are having.... Issues. So I'm gonna do a suprise visit and stay there for a week or so. I'll go back one week out of every month for as long as needed to whip them back into shape. I can't wait to see Salgueiro flourish :). 

This week should be super cool. The 24th we´re all gonna go and sing in the public square and the 25th.... SKYPE!!! Oh ya! Mommy and Papa, don't put you phones on silence tomorrow ;). Love you guys!!! P.s. My new companion, Elder Munson is the one standing behind the two older people (The lady with the red shirt) in the gray suit.

Dec 15...Going back to Salguiero - my first area

Dear Family,

This week I'm feeling super blessed. I am seriously feeling the love of my Lord. Looking back on my mission until now, its super easy to see his presence. Everything that I've really desired, he's given me. When I got to the CTM, all I wanted was a trainer that could speak English and help me adjust. So, He gave me Elder Constantino and an awesome area (Salgueiro). I always wanted to be a hard working missionary, willing to do everything and anything for my God. So, He gave me 2 great examples of what not to do.. After my 2 great examples, I really wanted an American companion, annnnnnd I got Elder Page! We had a great time together and worked many miracles (Alma 26:12..) My scripture on my missionary plaque!! :)), But now its time to move on to my next blessing. Tomorrow, I'll be leaving Pacajus. After almost 7 months and a ton of learning. Fortunately, Elder Hershberger (My awesome friend that was called as assistant a couple weeks back) called me on Thursday (We usually only get 1 days heads up) to let me know. So I've already gotten to say goodbye to everyone and were gonna have a party at FHE tonight :). So ya, my next blessing... I'M GOING BACK TO SALGUEIRO!!! Wellll... more or less haha. I'll be ZL in Araripina and Salgueiro is in my zone!!!! Its super cool! I've already been to the house there and gotten to know the area a bit when I did a division there my third week of my mission! So ya, there isnt one ward in my entire zone. All groups and branches. My next companions name is Elder Munson and hes American too! I can already feel my Portugese getting worse... Ive never met him before, buuuuut I hope hes good haha.
--

Elder Hamstead

(Tried to upload pics but my cam is being dumb. Put a couple on Box.com)

LOVE YOU ALL!!

DEC 1...Anything but Normal

Dear family,

Well this last week was difficult... So Monday was Pday as normal. Tuesday we had district meeting like normal and I went on splits like normal. Wednesday we worked (Like normal). And then Thursday arrived and from then on, it was anything but normal. 

So Thursday morning (Thanksgiving!) I woke up feeling pretty bad. I grabbed my thermometer annnnnd I had a fever of ~100. Fun! I called Sister Fusco around 8AM and she said to take some Tylenol and to rest. I took some Tylenol and took a freezing shower and about an hour later, my fever had basically broken. We hung out inside and slept basiccaly the entire day. Sister Fusco said that we could go out at night if I was feeling better, so we started getting ready and in that instant, I started feeling sick again. I layed down for a little bit but didnt feel any better. In fact, I was feeling worse and worse. I grabbed my thermometer again and my fever had returned with vengance... 103.6. Not good. I went and got under the freezing shower water while my companion called Sister Fusco. She said that we had to go to a hospital in Fortaleza right then. I called Andrea and told her what was going on and her and her husband rushed over to our house, sped us to the hospital and waited there with us until I finished. I am SUPER greatful to have them in my area! So ya, they ran a bunch of blood tests and it turned out to be a little virus (A different one than the last time). They gave me a prescription and we were out of there. I woke up the next day completely fine. Unfortunately, President said that we had to stay inside again. Andrea brought us lunch and a bunch of coconuts (which I havent drunken yet, but dont tell her!) and then basically the rest of the day we just sat around. For the rest of the week the work was slow, but I'm hoping and praying that this week will be better. We have training and interviews with President Fusco in my chapel on Thursday and I'll be able to see one of my good friends, Elder Hershberger, who was just called as Assistant to the President! Im so excited!!!

As always, Eu sei que tudo que nos ensinamos é verdadeira. Eu sei que Jesus Cristo realmente foi enviado pra terra para nos salvar. Ele nos ama. Ele sofreu tudo e morreu por nos.  Eu amo ele e vou fazer tudo o que eu consigo fazer para servir a ele. (As always , I know that everything we teach us is true. I know that Jesus Christ was actually sent to earth to save us. He loves us. He suffered and died for us all. I love it and I will do everything I can do to serve him)

João 3:16

Love you guys!!

--

Elder Hamstead

Pres. and Sis. Fusco

NOV 24...It seemed like the entire week was going against us

Dear family,

This last week was probably (definitely) the busiest / hardest / most stressed week of my entire mission. So Tuesday morning I recieved my new district (Horizonte and Pacajus 2B) and gave training. Its kinda funny, Im DL of my second trainer now (The one that didn't really like me that much). So ya... Back to the point. This week we worked so hard (Maybe a bit too much... Sick again :/). But once Sunday arrived, it was SOOOOOOO worth it! We baptized the family of Jerry in the morning, and then after church, we baptized Alan, Leticia, and Wendel and then that night we had the baptism of Bianca.  It seemed like the entire week everything was going against us. Our biggest struggle is that now we have to take care of the Recent converts and less actives in my area AND Elder Gardners area (Which was closed last week and became part of ours). We're gonna have to stop baptizing to handel the load (At least until president sends another companionship).

Sorry for the short letter. Feeling sick. Gonna go home and get some rest :/

LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

--

Elder Hamstead

NOV 17...Coincidences don't exist. He is always leading us

Dear Family,

This last week has been crazy. The area of the other missionaries that I lived with was closed this week. It's so weird to have a house to ourselves... So ya, Elder Gardner became a Zone Leader and Elder Alvorado became financial secretary. I'm super happy for them, but I already miss them a ton :\... They are great missionaries. Unfortunately, when they left, their area became part of our area... Our area basically doubled in size and now we have more than 35 recent converts all baptized within the last 4ish months to take care of. We're gonna be working our butts off haha. 

So last night we got the transfer news annnnnnnnnnndddddddddddd no one was transfered. Later that night though, while I was accompanying the district, one of my Elders told me that Elder Queiroz (an elder in my district) was called as district leader... I was so confused. No one had told me anything. No one had told me that I wasnt DL anymore. So I called the Zone Leaders and asked them what was going on. They had no idea and just told me that we are both DLs but really didnt know what was going on. So this morning when we arrived in Fortaleza (My companion and I had been invited to attened a Zone leaders meeting with President.. I saw Elder Constantino!! Hes gonna train another American and open ANOTHER area.. I'm so jealous! :) ) I asked President what was going on annnnnnnnnnnddddddd.... He had no idea haha. He called his assistants into his office and a couple minutes later, they came out with the response.. Pacajus is gonna be divided. I'm not sure how it's gonna work out. The other DL lives in the house with the rest of my district and now there's no one else in my house. I think its more likely that I won't stay DL for too much longer. Which is really sad to me. It's a stressful position sometimes, but I really love it! Either way, I know that we're all being led by God and that God doesn't make mistakes. Coincidences don't exist. He is always leading us, and only when we follow will we really be happy.  :)

P.s. Mom - Please buy papa a nice pair of thick leather gloves. I wanna come home to a 10 fingered dad :)

-- 

Elder Hamstead

Photos... Last day all together. Baptims of Vitoria and Lunch with my Elders (Gardner and Alvorado)