Email 2/20/14

Hello Familia!

   Today was a beautiful day! We were able to go beyond the walls of the CCM! We went to the Mexico temple! It is closed of course :) But we were able to go to the visitors center and go to the little gift shop that the church owns. It was so fun! And just being out and about in the city and seeing everything was so cool! I love it here!!! :)

    So this week we said bye to 13 B ;( It was so so sad! They just took such great care of us and we were all so close we were like family! But its all good :) We aare all doing great things so its worth it. I was just lucky that I got to meet all of them! Hermana Crow and I got a calling! We are the new sister missionary trainers! We get to help and serve and just LOVE the girls in our zone! I love this calling! We get to interview the girls tomorrow night and I am SO excited to just have time to talk with them. I love the girls in our zone. They are all hard workers and we all just love each other. Seriously..being a missionary is the best! Oh! And we got some new arrivals on Wednesday and President Suaste told us that we will have a new district in our zone! So tonight Hermana Crow and I get to go welcome the new district! I can´t wait!! 

   On Saturday it will be our 1 month anniversary for being a missionary. Can you believe it!? Where has the time gone? This next coming week is my last full week here at the CCM :( I am sad but so excited at the same time! Where did the time go?? Oh I have to tell you one more thing! On Tuesday nights we have TRC and thats where members, investigators and less actives come to the CCM and we get to teach them a lesson. So our first lesson was overwhelming because the only thing I understood was Hola. Seriously! It was intense. They just talk so fast! But this last Tuesday night Hermana Crow and I walk in and guess what! I understood and I talked a lot! My grammar was horrible BUT I have improved! The Lord seriously answers our prayers. 

   RADDON!!! I can´t believe you will be 15 on Sunday!! :( What the heck! That is wrong. Remember that you are NOT 16 so you may not date girls yet. I know that they all love you because you are a stud! Just remember you still have another year until you get to think about girls! Happy Birthday buddy! I love you and will be singing to you on Sunday! 

   Family: Thanks for being so strong in the gospel. Thank you for being a strong family. I LOVE our family and how close we are. Heavenly Father shows us how much he loves us through families. He loves us SO much! I am so grateful for your love and support. 

I hope you all have a great week! Its crazy how far apart we all are from each other but one day soon we will all be back together and it will be so fun to hear all of the stories :) I love you all so much!     Love, Hermana Hamblin

Email 02/13/14

Hello Family!

   Oh my goodness. Best week ever! Where do I even start?? Ok so the Dedication was on Sunday night and it was the best experience! That day was kind of hectic but I loved it!! So Elder Oaks didn´t actually come to the CCM until about 5 ish. All of us missionaries had just gotten out of a meeting about how to act in a dedication and we were all heading over to dinner and a few of the kids in my district saw a few nice cars pull into the CCM and it was Elder Oaks!! We were all just standing there like idiots watching him pull in and get out of the car! Haha oh gosh but I loved it! We were all so excited that he was finally here! So we quickly ate dinner and went to the auditorium to get good seats and me and my hermana got FRONT ROW seats for the missionaries!! So because it was a dedication and a lot of important people were there the missionaries had to sit about five rows back from the fron but missionary status we got FRONT Row seats! It was so cool! So we were in our seats about an hour before it started so we were all talking to each other just enjoying the moment. About 15 minutes before the Dedication started we started singing hymns to bring the spirit in the room. Then all of the sudden they opened the doors and in walks Elder Oaks and we all stood and seriously we all just started singing loud and proud! There is something about being a missionary and being in the presence of an apostle. The spirit was overwhelming. And you all know how that my favorite part of conference is when we all reverently stand up when President Monson walks in! That and when they bear their testimonies! I was on a spiritual high that night! 

   Anyways so we start the dedication and two of my cutest friends were in the dedication video! They are so cute! Anyways and then Elder Oaks got up to talk and he asked everyone to stand up. After we stood up he just looked at us for a moment and then he said, "You are a remarkable site". Ok now remember that I was front row! He was looking at me! Well all of us but it was incredible! I just started crying! You always see the apostles telling the missionaries that, but when YOU ARE the missionary and Elder Oaks is LOOKING at you it is the best feeling in the world. He is so sweet! Another favorite moment was when of course he was bearing his testimony. How could you hear an apostle of the Lord bear his testimony AND NOT believe it? It just blows my mind! He ended with of course the dedication prayer and it was amazing! This sounds really crazy but you know when you close your eyes for a prayer and it is usually dark? Like of course it is becausse your eyes are closed right?? Ok but when he offered the dedication prayer and I closed my eyes it was bright! It felt like angels were all around us and the CCM. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! The spirit was SO STRONG! I LOVE this gospel. I have not once nor will I EVER regret my decision to serve a mission. It has been the best experience. 

   Also I met the International MTC Director! He came to speak to us on Tuesday and gave the best talk ever! Afterwards we went up to talk to him and I totally got his signature! He looked at me like I was so immature but...well I am immature but its all good :) YOLO right? :) Oh and BTW did you know that the Provo MTC is 30 acres and the Mexico CCM ( best one ever) is 90 acres of heaven! It is just beautiful here! It is by far one of the prettiest. Well in my opinion it is the prettiest :)  So that was my week!

  Raddon and dad! Yay for going to the Gilbert temple! I am so jealous! I think next P DAY my district gets to go to teh temple here! It is closed but we get to go to the visitors center and we get to go outside of these walls :) We are pretty excited! I am still praying hard for uncle Merrill. We pray for him everyday. 

   Mom! I just got your letter. It seriously made my day! I was the only one who got mail that day...no big deal! I have THE BEST PARENTS IN THE WORLD! I LOVE you and dad so much! Thank you thank you thank you for giving me this opportunity to serve. I pray that you guys will receive many blessings for how strong you guys are! I LOVE you guys!!

   Rad! You need to send me a pic of you asap! I just dont want to forget how good you look! ;) I hope that you are having a great semester!! Remember to be the best you can be! Love you Rad!

    Ok familia! I will talk to you guys next week! LOVE YOU!

Email 02/06/14

Hello my dear sweet familia!!

   Well it has been another wonderful week here at the CCM! I couldn´t be happier with my life! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! Love it! This week has been so fun! First we had a new group of missionaries come including Hermana Udall :) I saw her at dinner last night and then helped her find her casa! I LOVE being not being the greenie :) Today President and Sister Pratt are coming back to the CCM! Sister Pratt had to have surgry and so we still have not met them but hopefully we will tonight! And then (this is the best news) the CCM is being dedicated on Sunday and so one of the general authority and 2 apostles are coming!! I am so excited! the general authority is already here in Mexico! How cool is that!?! Yesterday we had to make a little video thing for the dedication and it was so fun! Me and Hermana Kholehace were acting a little immature everytime we saw the camera..but it was so fun :)

  On Tuesday we had our first TRC Tuesday and thats where they have REAL investigators come and we have to have a lesson with them. So for our first one, Diego was his name, we walk in and the only thing I understood through that whole entire 20 MINUTE lesson was "Hola". They talk so so fast! So ya that freaked me out a lot! We got out of the room and I freaked out! I was thinking there was no way that I could do this and it felt like all of my hard work for the past 2 weeks went down the drain and meant nothing. But then yesterday we had an appointment with another one of our investigators and right before we went in my hermana, Hermana Crow said that she was going to turn the lesson over to me. I said that that was a good idea and we had a prayer and asked for the spirit to be with us and we walked in and I was completly confident in myself and I actually taught a mini lesson and I didn´t use Predicad Mi Evangelio as much as I used to. I am so proud because I am improving in the language. I have to have faith in the lord AND faith in myself. I know I can do this. I totally can :) Seriously going on a mission has been the best decision I have ever made. I wake up each morning thinking, "I am in Mexico! I get to spend another day in Mexico serving others and learning about the gospel." And it is so awesome because we hear gun shots like all the time and its totally normal now and I have never once felt scared or anything. I feel so secure and safe. I just love it here! Love it!! And the weather here is just beautiful! Seriously. Best experience ever!

   I love my district! We have the best districts ever! We get together every Wednesday night and have a "P-day eve" and we play games and sing disney songs haha and then we go around the room sharing our most spiritual experience of the week. The spirit that is there is so incredible. Missionary life is the best :) I am so satisfied with m,y life! I hope things are ok with uncle Merrill. My companion and I pray for him morning and nights. We will pray extra hard on Monday and I will be thinking of him and his family. I love you guys so much!!

   Rad- I hope you are enjoying life :) I think about you all the time! You are the best teenager ever! I hope you are loving high school! It goes by fast so enjoy every moment. 

   Mom and Dad- Seriously. Best parents ever. I love you guys. Thank you for everything. For all your love and support. Thank you for your prayers. I am so grateful for the love that you guys have for not only our family but for eachother :) I am so lucky!! :) I love you all and hope that you guys have had a great week! 

P.S.

I heard this this week- When girls go on missions its like "taking your daughter to work day" --for 18 months. I LOVE that :)

P.S.S.

Ya enjoy that snow! It is 70 degrees here :) Love you guys!!!!

 

 

                                             She calls us her "Sister Angels"!  I love her!

 

Email 1/30/14

HOLA FAMILIA!!! 

  This is by far the coolest experience I have ever had! Its only week one and I am in love with being a missionary! By being a missionary every member in our church automatically has so much love for you. The workers here at the CCM are all so sweet and everyone greets us with, ¨Hola Hermanas¨I love it :) I love being a missionary!!!!! Natalie! Yay about your call!! So excited for you girl! I was a little jealous that you were going to Salt Lake City but my mom clarified that you are not the temple square mish so I am ok :) JK. 

   This week has been so awesome! The spirit that is here in the CCM is so strong. Sunday night we had a devotional and they started it off with the CCM choir singing I Know the My Redeemer Lives in spanish. When 20 kids get up and sing that song specifically in a foreign language after being here at the CCM for only three weeks...ya I was crying! It was so spiritual. And I get to be around this atmosphere for 18 months!! I just love it here! My Branch president last night was telling our zone that he and his wife were looking at pictures of us the other night and he just expressed to his wife the love that he has for each of us. He doesn´t even know me that well yet he loves me and wants to help me in every way that he can. It is the best! Our church rocks!!

   So everyone here at the CCM speaks spanish including our teachers. One of my teachers knows a little english but other than that it is spanish all the way. That kinda freaked me out the first few days but now I am picking up here a little and there a little. Me and my companion, Hermana Crow, have taught our ïnvestigator¨, Ivan 5 times now. I am so proud of myself because I can for the most part, understand what he is saying. I can´t say anything because I can´t form sentences but my companion can. She is so smart! That girl impresses me! It is kinda hard not being able to teach because like I know that my investigator kinda knows english but we can´t speak english to him. Like yesterday we were teaching him about Joseph Smith and you all know that is my favorite subject to talk about and not being able to tell him my feelings for Joseph Smith kinda annoys me! They have books to help you out but its not the same when its not your own feelings. I can´t wait for the day to come when I have the opportunity to bear my testimony about Joseph Smith to one of my future investigators. That will be a high light in my mission for sure.

   RIANN you know how Rex kinda told me to go on a mission because it is the best experience ever?? DO IT. Seriously. I dont want you to miss out on an opportunity as good as serving a mission. I am so happy. All of the time. Even when though I cant speak the language and I cant bear my testimony I am still confident in myself. I know I can do it. Like I dont get mad at myself. I have grown to have more confidence in myself and more faith in myself. I know you would LOVVE the mission life.

   MOM and DAD you guys are by far the Best. Parents. Ever. Thank you for all of your hard work to let each of us kids experience the mission life. I can´t tell you how grateful I am for you guys. You have taught me all I need to know to so that I can go teach others to become an eternal family. I work hard because I have been taught the right way. I love you guys so much! Thanks for the emails mamá! ;) 

  Rad hope highschool is treating you well. I hope that you are learning all you can from seminary and from morning scriptures with mom and dad. Listen to mom and dads testimonies as often as you can because that will help you become a better member missionary.

  Mandy and Rex  I love the mission life!!!!! So happy that I decided to go! Mexico is AWESOME! It is polluted and dirty and I just love it all!! The city seriously goes up the moutains and it is just house upon house! Uh it is so cool to be here at the CCM. I hope you two are doing great! Rex you look good driving a mini van :)    

  Family and friends I love you all!! I will talk to you next week! And I am praying for Uncle Merrill and his family!!

     LOVE, Hermana Hamblin

Made it to Mexico

Hola madre y familia!! I am in Mexico! It is crazy! I thought we were going to die on our drive to the MTC. Rachel and I were amazed at how different it is here. I was taking pictures the whole time! I just barely put my name tag on and I just feel official and everything. The plane ride over was quite an adventure. First I would just like to say that I am happy to be amoung the living--the Show Low airplane is TINY! Then we got on the US Airways and I got the pleasure of sitting by two mexican guys..oh my gosh. It was interesting! One of them was falling asleep on me and oh he snores! Very loudly I might add. I was cracking up the entire time. I wish that I could have had a feather and some shaving cream with me :) I would have had a fun time with him!

When we landed in Mexico I was a little overwhelmed! It is just so crammed! And it smells! The driving here is so intense. I was pretty sure that we were going to die..several times. We would be stopped at a stop light and people would just come out of nowhere and go around selling popcorn and asking to wash your car windows and oh! Once when we were at an intersection some people came into the intersection and started doing like magic tricks. Right in the middle of the intersection! And when the light would turn green they would scamper off. It made me so nervous for them! Oh it is crazy here but I think I just might like it :)

RIANN you seriously need to get over your fear of flying. It was seriously one of the coolest things that I did today of course that is what I have been doing all day :) But still..girl when I get back we are going to take a trip and you will appreciate me for breaking you out of that fear. I couldnt stop looking out the window. It was just beautiful! And good news! I had no problems with my ears. They haven´t hurt at all today--I am so grateful for that :).

Ok I have to go! Mom I am so sorry I dont have pictures My P-day is Thursday so I will make sure to get you some asap :) I love you guys and miss you like crazy!! Love hermana hamblin!

Sweet Sister Hamblin

Sister (Hermana) Hamblin left today. We are going to miss her! She will be an amazing missionary!

Last minute packing

Checking in

Good byes

So glad she gets to travel with Rachel, does a moms heart good!

Farewell Hermana Hamblin

Today was Hermana Hamblin's farewell. She gave an amazing talk and will be a perfect ambassador. We are proud of her.

Jordan Wilkins just got home from her mission to the phillipines on Thursday. She is one of  Kale's 

Good friends. So glad they were able to see each other before she leaves.

Other friends came to support Kale.

It was a big day!