Email 4/21/14

Ok..you can't even see the bee sting in this picture but it really did hurt ok!! :)

Hello Family!

 Good news!! I found out that I am not allergic to bee stings! I was stung for the first time on Saturday! It was so intense! (You know me, it can't be just a simple bee sting). So we were at our branch picnic playing baseball and I was covering first base with one of the cutest girls in the branch! And all of the sudden I hear something buzz into my hair. So I go to put my hand through my hair and I put my hand right into the stinger! I looked at my hand and the bee was like stuck there in my hand so I had to like flick the bee away and hurry and get the stinger out of my hand! It was in my hand for probably like five minutes! I was freaking out! Once we got it out my hand was all red and it was a little swollen but they think its just because the stinger was in there for awhile. We had President Perez look at it and he said that I just need ice on it. I love that I can now say that I have been stung by a bee! :) Missions are so fun!

   This week was so fun! We had a picnic with the branch on Saturday!! We were able to cook carnasata(?) which is my very favorite! President Perez let us all help cook! it was so fun :) Then we were able to play games and listen to good ol mexican music! I loved it! Easter was perfect! It was a beautiful day and we were able to eat with one of my favorite members of the branch! We had this kind of soup that had questionable things in it. I wasn't able to finish it. I took a couple of bites but in one of the bites I took I had something really squishy goin on in my mouth and I have no idea what it was and then the very next bite I had a spoonful of bones! It was interesting! I just had no idea what in the world I was eating. I was confused! But I love that family and we were able to read John 20:1-18. It was perfect :) I love the mission life :) Ok! Sorry its short! I love you all!! :) 

Email 4/14/14

Hi Family! 

  This week has been CRAZY! I had my very first Transfer Doctrine!! We received transfer doctrine on Friday and that whole day we were freaking out!! My companion, Hermana Thompson has already been in Woodland for three transfers and it is unusual if a missionary stays in one area for more than three transfers. I was nervous because I didn't want my trainer to leave me and she was nervous to see where she was going. Also, Sister Alba calls sister missionaries on Friday to give them new assignments if they were chosen to be a STL, trainer or on a special assignment. So if we were to get a call from Sister Alba then it would be more than likely that Hermana Thompson is leaving. So all day Friday we were nervous! Well it was 5PM on Friday. We were on our way to dinner and our phone rings. It is Sister Alba. I freak out and am like, "IT'S SIS. ALBA!!" My companion doesn't believe me! I had to tell her three times that it was sis. Alba before she actually believed me! So I answer the phone trying to sound normal, "Hello this is Hermana Hamblin and Hermana Thompson!" Sis. Alba is so sweet! She was so sweet! She was like, "Hello Hermanas! How are you sisters doing?" She explained that we were BOTH staying together in WOODLAND!! But she had a new assignment for Hermana Thompson! Hermana Thompson is the new STL! We are so excited! :) We have work to do here in Woodland! :)

  About two weeks ago Hermana Thompson and I were out contacting and we ran into some teenagers. They were smoking and drinking a little. We talked to them for awhile but found out they weren't really interested.We gave them our card with our number on it and told them to call if they change their minds. As we were walking away Hermana Thompson was saying that they are going to need a life changing event that will bring them to the gospel. We kept on contacting for the night. A week goes by and we get this phone call from a random number. We answer and it turns out to be one of the kids who were talking to us! His name is Carlos and he is 20 yrs. old. He said that he had been in a really bad car accident and that the police told him that he should have died. His car should have flipped over but for some miracle it didn't. The police officer saw the LDS card and asked if Carlos was a member. Carlos said no. The officer said that he should really consider going to church. So he called us! Cool huh!? So we meet him on Saturday night and just talked to him and invited him to a fireside that was being held in Davis on Sunday. He showed up to that! We have another appointment with him tonight as well :) The only sad thing is, is that he lives literally right outside our area. So we have to hand him over to the elders tonight! We are so sad about that! But maybe he is meant to meet with the elders. Anyways he is GOLDEN :) We are so excited for him!

  And family! Why didn't I hear about Mandy! You guys are supposed to keep me updated! Riann was the only one who said something! Keep me updated!! How is everyone?? Is that really cute Sister missionary still serving there? I can't remember her name. She served with Sis. Roberts. Have you guys heard from Sis. Roberts?? I loved those two! :)

  Sister Rhoton! Thank you so much for the cute primary cards! I loved them :) and thank you so much for the gift card. You are so thoughtful!! I appreciate it!

Family! Have a great week! i love you guys and will talk to you next week!!   -Hermana Hamblin

  

Pic #1: My district!

Pic #2: My zone

Email 4/07/14

Family!

  Conference was perfect! I had no idea dad was able to go! He got to hear Elder Holland talk! That is so cool! I really liked Elder Hollands talk and I loved Sister Reeves talk. I just wish everyone would listen to conference. Our world today needs help! The more I walk around California the crazier it gets! Friday night we were walking around in this apartment complex and we saw some 7-8th graders playing football. Hermana Thompson and I walked up to them and we started talking to them. Hermana Thompson wanted to play with them and so while she was playing football I was "Dan Jone-ing" it and I got a couple of people to come over and listen to me. It was so fun! This one girl though was pretty sure she was a little too cool for us and started spitting our rude remarks. Eventually she threw in cuss words and family, you know me! I wanted to give her my opinion on how she is to young to be using such language and ask her where the heck her closet was so we could go help her put on some cloths! It amazes me that a 7th grader was down to wearing pretty much nothing! And there was this boy who was in 6th grade who was wearing an inappropriate shirt. It just breaks my heart to see these young kids in such conditions. I wanted to just let them know that how they were acting and how they dressed was not ok, but I seriously cant do that in a nice way. So my companion tried her best to talk to them, but that dang girl kept going at us. So we finally backed away and left. We got in our car and started talking about how we should act. We were both clueless. Then Elder holland opened conference with that powerful talk. It was perfect!!

   This past week I was also able to see a few awful living conditions! We went to this small town called Knights Landing. We went to this run down trailer park. I was amazed that people actually lived in tiny trashy trailers. There was one in particular that was just little. A family of 6 lived there and it just blew my mind! I felt so bad for them. It made me grateful for my hard working parents. For going to school and living in those same living conditions. Living in Utah in the winter. Staying in the library as long as you possibly could so that you wouldn't have to go home to that cold apartment. Barely eating! Listening to President Nicoll singing in the shower! :) (I would have actually enjoyed that)You guys are my heros. I got lucky! I cannot thank you enough. I am so blessed! 

     I love you all and hope all is well! Rad! I give up! Mom and dad thank you for your support! When does grandpa get there?? Let me know how you guys are doing!! Have a great week!

Email 3/31/14

Hi family!

  What a CRAZY week!! Where do I even start!? Ok so this week we had a baptism!!! I love being a missionary!! Ok so Juan and Estela Fuentes are the best. They are the ones who were baptized. Juan has been unsure about baptism this whole week! He wanted to get baptized and wanted to have the gospel in his life, he just wasn't sure if he could be fully committed. He always said that whenever he does something, he is ALL in. So we were able to meet with him and Estela every night for 2 hours this past week just answering all of his questions and his concerns that he had and we were able to bring members with us each night. Members are SO SO SO important in our work! I didn't realize how important they were! Juan and Estela got baptized because of the help of the Cruz family! They became really good friends and Estela and Hermana Cruz are in the same Zumba class so they kind of already knew each other.

  On Monday night Juan said that the interview that he has before his baptism will determine if he will get baptized. There was so many things that have happened in between but I will just write all of that stuff to you guys.So we had to wait until Thursday night to get an answer from him! Estela was already in. She loves the gospel! She is so cute! The interviews on Thursday night took 2 hours! Juan took an hour and a half! Longest night of my life!! We were stressin'! He came out with a smile and ever since then he has not stopped smiling! The baptism was Friday, so the next day so me and my companion were running around like crazy! But it was beautiful! When Juan and Estela both were baptized, just seeing those two come out of the water- I love missionary life. The members were so supportive and they all took Juan and Estela to the movies afterwards! I love Latinos! They love to party and make life fun! :) I seriously LOVE our branch! Such sweet, good people! 

   Yesterday Juan and Estela were confirmed. On their baptism date we actually had a former show up to the baptism and she came to church on Sunday as well! So I was talking to her a little bit and Juan came over to Hermana Thompson and I and was just thanking us for everything. We introduced him to the former investigator and Juan got to talking to her. Juan was able to answer all of the questions that she had about our church AND he bore his testimony. It was one of the best days of my life! Seeing our investigator change SO much this past week and hearing his FIRm testimony of the church and the Atonement--I love being a missionary!! I was like crying I was so proud of Juan! And then Estela came up to Hermana Thompson and I and told us that she knew that she had made the right decision to be baptized! Uh yesterday was great! It was perfect! Our branch president came up to us and said that he knows that Juan and Estela are going to work miracles in our little branch! And its true! They will be members for life! They will convert their family- heck! Juan is already doing missionary work! We can now bring him to our lessons as a member present!! The church is true!! :) I love it! 

  Ok! You guys! Tell me everything! Spring break was good?? Mom, I was thinking about you ALL Friday night during the Women's Meeting! You are precious! You did a perfect job in raising us! Seriously! You are the perfect example of how to be the best mom. You are so strong! :) Love ya!

  Dad- I am so sad I didn't hear from you this week :( I hope that you are doing good! Do me a favor and go get a chocolate shake this week! You are just so tiny ;) I LOVE YOU!

  Rad- Seriously. It has been 2 months and I have received one letter from you. You fail. REX emailed me Rad! REX! You can do better!! I miss you! Do me a favor and watch the "Come Unto Christ" 2014 Youth Theme video. I don't care if you have already seen it. Watch it again. I love you so much you don't even know! I think about you every night! You rock! 

  Ok family! Have the best week ever! I love you so so so so so much :)    - Hermana Hamblin

The little boy is their grandson. He is so cute and so funny!