missionary work effectively. This week involved four or five trips to the hospital to help Uta not having to leave from home so early in the morning (she would have to ride with Matt, Gerald's son on his way to work, 6:00 a.m.) On Tuesday we picked her up at 11:00 a.m., but when Gramma opened the door the dogs got out so we had to wait until they were rounded up. On Wednesday we had to wait to pick her up until 2:00 because of heavy (and I mean heavy) rains and Tornado warnings. We had three umbrellas and water running in the gutter like a small ditch. We just got started down the road and she had forgotten her glasses, so Gramma and I insisted on going back, because we understand how hard it is to function without reading glasses when you need them. When we got back she couldn't find her keys. so we searched her bags and I checked along the sidewalk. This was all happening in a rain much like the ones we use to get in Samoa. After we found them and she got her glasses and we were finally headed to the hospital we all had a good laugh about it. Gerald was doing much better and they moved him to a regular room on Friday. Soon he will be going to a rehab center.
Monday night we taught some baptismal lessons to Dash, a eight year old that was getting baptized on Saturday. The family had been invited to the Bishop's house and we taught her there with her family, Gramma from Hawaii, and dad who is not a member. Gramma did a great job of teaching her and preparing her for Saturday. We met again on Wednesday to find baptismal clothes for her, but there was no baptismal suit her size. Thursday we drove to the Stockbridge building to get one, but the Elders couldn't find a key to the closet, so we went on to Conyers building and again found a small selection for kids, so we took two that we thought might work and headed home. It was over a 60 mile trip in heavy traffic in the rain. When we were taking them over to Dash, the Bishop informed us that they had found a nice gown for her to use. It is the thought and effort that count. Mom and her family are Tongan, Dad is African American. Being Tongan the baptism was a good time to get together with family and eat. Dash sang a solo before her baptism and the Family sang "Love At Home", one verse all together accapella, and Dash sang one verse in Tongan. It was very nice. They had a lot of food (very good food) and some of it was island food which we enjoyed. Many of the people there were not members of the church and the missionaries answered questions after the service.
Gramma does not like me taking pictures of her sometimes, here you can see she has threatened me with a plastic knife. She doesn't realize she can't take a bad picture, at least in my eyes. The chocolate cake is Gramma's. Yesterday it actually snowed in Marietta, Gainsville, and Roswell, (cities outside Atlanta. Some workers at a fire station built an eight foot snowman, and the T.V. anchors were deliriously giddy talking about such a weather phenomena. We started this morning with typical Georgia fog, and that was Stockbridge's version of winter. In the evening Brother Hellesoe insisted on taking the missionaries for their weekly meal. We were at the Olive Garden, so we gave him our gift card, and forced him to use it for part of the tab. He always chooses quite expensive dining and not fast food joints. We ended up eating at 8:00 p.m. and two senior missionaries were stuffed after eating a Polynesian meal at noon.We delivered the elders back at their apartment and made no plans for a big Sunday dinner. Left over chicken noodle soup would be sufficient.
This coming week we will continue to be busy. We hope to get a P-Day this week. They are predicting 80% chance of rain for the next four days. Doesn't sound fun, but we will still get things done no matter what. We have District Council, the last one with Elder Scott from New York. He is getting transferred and on Wednesday we will drive him and Elder Jensen to transfer meeting at the Whitewater Chapel. Friday we are going to the Temple for Valentines Day and do an endowment and some sealings. We will have the Sisters with us. They are going trough a session with a member of the Ward that is going through for the first time. As you can see we find plenty to do and there are a lot of people that need help. We have a man (Ronnie) that is coming to our bible class who is not a member, but loves to study the Book of Mormon. It has been great to have him there the past couple of weeks. We are enjoying the work and want you to know that the Church is true. We love y'all and think and pray for you always. Love, Grandpa and Gramma Hammond.
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