6/22/15

Hola Familia!

  Thanks for all of the support and prayers. I love you all so much. I
just ranted last week and I'm sorry about that. I was frustrated with
a couple of things and I have a lot of questions, but I am going to
forget about the negative and focus solely on my purpose as a
missionary and the good things about this area. For example: We
dropped all of our "investigators" this week but hey, at least we are
cleaning out our teaching pool and starting fresh. No members feed us
BUT we have a less active who wants to feed us like every night (our
only fan). Sis. Robinson and I were making jokes one day as we were
tracting: Do you wanna hear something funny? We got an investigator in
Marin County! Haha or wanna hear another thing that's pretty funny?
People are nice to you in Marin County! Haha anyways we try and make
it fun :) we have jokes for days!! Another thing that is cool about
this area is I will never ever ever get tired of the view! It is
gorgeous. We contact people by the bay, I see the GGB like almost
everyday. I really shouldn't complain. It is a beautiful area! We will
never be bored in his area, that's for sure! My companion and I both
work hard everyday. I am so grateful for a hard working companion. We
both work so hard to get our 20.3.1 everyday.
  We went on exchanges this last week and I was back in my old area in
Novato and I got to speak Spanish! It was so fun to use it and to
actually hear it again. I was surprised and blessed to realize how
much I actually remembered! I love Novato!
  Last night the STLs had a conference call with Sis. Alba and she did
a little question and answering session with us. It was so cool to
hear her thoughts and her counsel. I love the Alba's so so much. They
are so loving, but very strict and expect nothing but the high
expectations for us as missionaries. I am so grateful that they love
us enough to cut us down so that we can grow. They truly have made
this mission the best mission in the world. She closed with her
testimony of Jesus Christ and had us all in tears. This week is their
last full week in the field. I am excited because on Wednesday we are
having an all mission conference with them and there are going to be a
lot of people there! I might be able to see some of my old companions!
It will probably be the last time that we see them in the field :/ but
I am so g ate fulminate they were my mission parents.
  Ok so I got my flight info. It is kind of annoying because I go from
Oakland to Phoenix, then from Phoenix to Albuquerque. So PLEASE be at
the Albuquerque International Sunport airport on July 21st at around
2:30 pm. My flight gets in at 2:40ish. You probably know all of this,
but I just want to double check.
  Other than that I think that's it. I hope you all are enjoying
summer. Sounds like it's been a busy summer! I am so jealous you got
to see grandpa Bill and grandma Melinda! Ryan is so big! They all look
so good :) thanks for the pictures. Enjoy this week! And by the
way...did anyone do the BOM Challenge?? Go and do it! Not for me, but
for you!
Love, Hermana Hamblin


Oh my goodness! I forgot to tell you my highlight of the week! So
yesterday being Father's Day, I got a Father's Day card in the mail
from my son Hermana Hancock! And then yesterday morning Sis. Robinson
made me a Father's Day breakfast. It was the cutest thing ever. I'll
have to show you a picture of the card that she made me later, it had
a tie on it with a skirt at the bottom (missionaries are SO weird) but
it was the cutest thing ever. Best Father's Day ever! :)
Also thank you so much for the package! Sis. Robinson and I treated
ourselves to Subway the other night in honor of you all :) we were
very grateful. I love you all so much! Have a great week!

June 15, 2015

Hello Family!

  Oh my goodness. This has been a crazy week. So I get to my new area
only to find out that it is an English area. I am serving in an
English ward. I kind of knew that it was an English area once I heard
transfer doctrine but people just said that President Alba wants it to
be a zebra area, but that makes no sense because any time I get to
speak in Spanish that's called poaching in another area so I have to
hand them off as referrals right away. They have Spanish missionaries
here in San Rafael, so it is all just so confusing to me. I don't get
it.
 Yesterday at church I saw all of the people who go to the Spanish
branch and they kept asking me if I came back to serve in Novato, but
I had to tell them I am now in the English ward, so it's been a little
rough :( and my Spanish is so bad now. Uh. Oh well. We had interviews
with President Alba and I asked him if I still need to do language
study, because as of right now I don't even want to bother with the
language, I would just rather be outside working instead of studying
for the language that I don't use. He said that I need to keep up with
it because even though I haven't used it for the last half of my
mission I need to learn how to speak Spanish and that I was called as
a Spanish missionary not just for my mission.
 This area is crazy. We have zero progressing investigators, more than
half the ward is less active and we have to work with a new convert
(whose baptism I went to six months ago with Hermana Hancock) who was
baptized less active :( Yesterday one of the members said, "Welcome to
the hardest area in your mission." I was like haha...thanks? I am
actually so so so grateful that President Alba sent me to an area that
needs a lot of work done. I would rather come into an area that needs
all of the energy that we have plus more, than to walk into an area
with 5 baptisms coming up. It keeps us focused and it gives us a job
to do. Plus it is in the hard areas that we learn the most. This area
is pretty rough though. Last transfer they never had a member present.
And yesterday we had no investigators at church! Zero! And the only
two investigators that we do have have been investigators for over a
year. It's ridiculous.
 It is so funny to see the difference between my Spanish mission and
my English mission. In the beginning of my mission I was in trailer
parks eating rice and beans every night. Now I am in the richest
county in the country (they remind me every day) going into homes that
are bigger than I have ever seen. It is so sad though because it just
confirms to me that money doesn't buy you happiness. You can't buy
happiness. These people just reject us at every opportunity they can
get. We are lucky if we get "We are servants of Jesus Christ" out, and
that's only the first one of the 5 Key Phrases! Haha oh my goodness.
It's interesting to say the least. So pray for us. And please feed the
missionaries and just love them and support them. I know it's a lot
different in AZ, but all the love they can get is much appreciated :)
 It will be fun. I will have A LOT of stories to tell that's for sure
:) anyways I love you all! Have a great week!
Love, Hermana (or sister. It's whatever) Hamblin

Sent from my iPad

June 8,2015

Hello family!

Wow! This week has been our most semi normal week of this whole transfer! Haha ok so I on Tuesday we get a text from the APs asking if we have time to do a language study with two guys from SLC so we told them that we had time. The guys were super nice, but oh my goodness. I have learned how to just embrace the awkward. They literally sat in front of us and watched us study and they had their lap tops and were taking notes on everything that we did..it was so weird! They got into Willits a little bit early and so they asked if they could watch us do 12 week as well. It was crazy! They were actually in our mission for a reason though..not just to watch us study :) They came because they are "testing" out a new pamphlet. It is going to be a follow up pamphlet for our less actives, investigators and recent converts. They had a little meeting with my ZLs, DL and me and my comp to hear our feedback about the new pamphlet like what they could improve on? What we liked about the pamphlets, etc. I am horrible with feedback! I just kinda sat there and listened to the conversation. It was really cool though to be a part of that meeting! I think they said that those new pamphlets are coming out in like December maybe? Super cool though!

 Okay....we totally got harassed by this one lady this week. We were out tracting and this kid about 13 yrs old pokes his head out from the door neighboring from where we are at and I happened to see him so I said hi to him. We asked if we could give him a card, he was super cute! Then we hear this lady's voice coming from behind the door and she was like, "whose talking to my boy that is under the age of 18 without my permission?" the little boy told her that we were Jehovah Witnesses and I was like "No we are from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints" the mom started yelling stuff like "We aren't interested! Get out of here!" but then her husband came to the door and was like "I love Jesus, what do you have to say?" Oh my goodness. It was crazy. Her husband got all mad when he heard that we actually went to church and he was like " Ms. Do you want to know why I dont like your church!?" I was like "No I dont" and then we left. Well once the lady heard we were leaving she came and stood on her porch and was screaming at us and telling us to leave her town and that we were strangers to her town. This continued for like ten minutes. We kept going door to door and everytime a person wasnt home she would laugh at us. Well the worst part was we had to turn around and go back to our car, which was on the other side of her apartment. So she follows us for a good five minutes. I was a little scared! We were in a sketchy place of town too, so everyone else we were around were on something (if you know what I mean). But we made it out alive! It was crazy! Some people!

  Friday we finally received transfer doctrine! I am leaving Willits!!!! :( I am so sad, but I was expecting it. I am going to San Rafael!! I am so excited! The golden gate bridge is in my area! The only thing is that I am in another zebra. So..we will see how that goes. I am so excited! I get to do exchanges in Novato! I get to be in my old area again!! I am going from Willits to San Rafael...HUGE difference! Haha but it will be good! So that is weird mom that you will be in Oakland. I will be like 30 minutes away! So weird. We will be neighbors for a couple of days :) 

  Anyways sounds like a lot is going on for you guys! That will be fun to have the Sorensons over for two weeks...they are family anyways :) but I am really sad about their house :( I dont want them to move!! They will still be in Eagar, right?

  Ok you all have a great week! I love you! Thanks for your love and support!

Love, Hermana Hamblin

Pictures:

April&Pepper Love them!!

David Bureson!! Our new Golden investigator!

Rob Copeland! Another great investigator!

Mama PJ --she is crazy but I love her :)

June 1, 2015

June 1, 2015

Hi mom!

 This week was crazy busy! We had PDay, District meeting, baptism interviews, exchanges, MLC, baptism(!), talk in sacrament meeting/confirmations for April&Pepper :) I am exhausted!! But you know me, I love being busy :) So this was a great week!

 I felt bad for April&Pepper because we had to kind of cram L5 in on Monday last week and then on Tuesday we went over the baptism questions and Wednesday they had their interviews. They are so funny! I love them so much! We also picked up another investigator..I can't remember if I told you about him, but he is so prepared to receive the gospel. He has attended sacrament meeting every Sunday since we have picked him up as an investigator. He is actually in the ward choir now. He is great! He has a date for June 27th. We are so excited for him! 

 The baptism was really good! Amanda (our recent convert) gave the talk on baptism and oh my goodness. She did SO good! I almost cried! We love her. April and Pepper are so funny! They wore their swim suits underneath the baptism suit! Haha I was waiting to see if bishop would say anything about it but he said that it really doesn't matter what they wear as long as they are baptized by priesthood authority and immersed completely in the water. I love Willits :)

  MLC was so good! It was the Alba's last one with us. Sister Alba had each zone prepare a two minute skit to present what Pres. Alba has taught us about leadership. So the Zl's and I decided to sing "Love One Another" because at every zone conference or MLC we all sing "Love One Another" to those who have prepared our lunch. So I had everyone stand up except for the Alba's and we sang that song. Both of them were crying. I was almost crying! It is hard seeing them getting ready to leave :(  Both of their testimonies were so solid. I wish that I could tell you all that they said, but there isnt enough space here! :) President closed the meeting with a prayer and he had us all kneel. He prayed for us and prayed for our success. I have the best mission parents in the world! I love my mission so so much.

Oh! And PS Pres. Alba is requiring me to take the drivers test so that means that I will probably get to drive again next transfer!! Yay!

  This week we get transfer doctrine. I am begging President to let me stay. I still have work here to do and six months wasn't long enough for me to do it all. Pray that I will stay here for one more! That is all I am asking :)

 I love you all! Sounds like you had such a fun week seeing every one and Rad getting to go to Disneyland!? Jealous :) I love you all! Have fun 

and be safe!      Love, Hermana Hamblin

Pictures: 

1st: The Footes and I haha So random!

2nd: Exchanges :) I was with Sis. Naqia (the one right next to me)

3rd: April&Pepper! Love them!

May 24, 2015

Dear family,

  I am so sorry to hear about the shooting. That is so sad. I am happy to hear that everyone is ok. I will keep little Round Valley in my prayers. 

  This has easily been the best week of my mission! I guess Willits is the place to be :) So lets start with last Monday! Last Monday we were having dinner with mama PJ so we ordered a pizza from Papa Murphy's and we walked to Safeway to pick up some drinks. As we are walking into Safeway, I see Elder Wright (one our AP's), then I see his other two companions and then I see President Alba! In the little Safeway here in Willits! Haha I was like.."What!?" So I walked over to them and I asked them what they were doing in Willits and Elder Morley was like "What are you doing here!?" I told him I was in my proselyting area haha doing what I was supposed to be doing! Turns out that they were on their way to Eureka to do some exchanges up there. It was SO random! We never see other missionaries here in little Willits so that was awesome! And to see President! haha is was great!

   Well, so then on Thursday we had our temple trip. My companion and I walk into the chapel and as we are going to sit down I see President and Sister Alba and all three of the AP's sitting in the back row! Being that we are the only sisters in our zone, I got to sit right next to Sister Alba throughout the session. That was the best/spiritual experience. I am telling you, Heavenly Father answers our prayers. Being with Sister Alba we were able to talk a little bit and I told her how special this temple trip was for me because this was my very last temple trip as a missionary and I got to spend it with the Albas. She explained that she and President Alba don't just go to the temple all the time with the missionaries, they just happened to have time to go with the Ukiah Zone. She was also telling me that she and President Alba were sealed in the Oakland temple :) how cool is that! I love them. I was able to see Sister Alba's testimony of temple work shine as we were together in the session. She kept saying to me that she was so happy to be there with us :) When we were sitting in the celestial room President Alba shook every missionaries hand. When he got to me and Hermana Burton, he smiled and said, "It has been a pleasure seeing you twice in one week" and added, "separate occasions of course". They are awesome.

   But it doesn't stop there! As you know, yesterday was the craziest day of my mission thus far :) haha oh my goodness! I walk into the chapel and we are talking to our investigator and I just look up and guess who randomly walks into the chapel! President Foote! Haha I was like, "What!?!" He saw me and just started laughing :) He was like no way! Haha he had thought that I had already gone home from my mission and so that was a complete surprise to him! He said that they were in Ukiah for the night and Sister Foote said that she didn't want to go to the 11 church (in Ukiah) and that they should go check out the church in Willits and so they did! I sat by Sister Foote in Relief Society and all. It was SO funny! I guess they are on their way to Eureka as well :) That was so fun to see and HUG a person from home :) They are so great!

  Anyways this is going to be another great week for us! We have the baptism of April and Pepper this week :) Yay!! We are so excited! We found a new investigator last week and we set a date for him too! Willits is on fire! I love it here!

  I hope you all have a great week and travel safe! And BTW who did my challenge from last week!? It was to hand out a BOM. If you didn't do it, which I am assuming you didnt because no one replied to that then do it this week! Seriously!

  Love you all! Love, Hermana Hamblin

Even though I don't look the best, this is one of my favorite
pictures. Best day ever.

May 18, 2015

Hi mom!

  Wow! Sounds like May :) it is always so busy! And who knew that Rad could sing?? I had no idea that he was into that! Is there anyone that I know that is graduating this year? I can't believe the school year is over. Where has the time gone??

  We are pretty busy here! Everything is coming to a close. Elder&Sister Seely (Our mission grandparents :) ) are getting ready to end their mission in two weeks, President&Sister Alba are getting things ready for President&Sister Wright to come and then they will leave (they have about six weeks left on their mission). I am excited to meet President&Sister Wright though. We have been praying for them. They have a son who is still in high school that will be coming with them. I can't imagine leaving high school. I love how faithful members of the church are. When they are called, they leave everything behind and come to work. It is amazing.

  This last week has been a good one! We had exchanges and I was with Sister Peterson. She is great. She has great ideas for making missionary work fun. I always love going on exchanges with her :) We are also planning a Mini MTC for our ward! Out theme: Come Unto Me and I Will Make You Fishers of Men. I am so excited for it! We are going to have gold fish and Swedish fish involved. Hopefully this ward participates. We made mini flyers to hand out yesterday and we also made four big flyers to hang around in the church. It will be on June 6th! So we are pretty much booked for the rest of the transfer! It will be good :) This Thursday we also get to go to the temple! I am looking forward to that. I love the temple.

  Yesterday in Relief Society, Sis. McFadden gave the lesson and it was on the power of the Book of Mormon. She said that we need to read and reread the Book of Mormon so that we can be committed, centered and consumed in Him. She said, "Yesterdays meal is not going to fill you for today and tomorrow. We need to be on going, feed yourself everyday everyday everyday." She had us go up and role play giving a Book of Mormon to a friend and we talked about ideas that are simple and non threatening and not scary. These ideas included writing your testimony in the cover page of the book of mormon, when a friend asks you how your weekend went and what you did, talk about church! Use a funny example that someone shared in a talk, or talk about the enlightenment your received. Share a pass a long card with a neighbor. The list goes on and on and guess what! It continues to go on and on. Its all about the ACTION part. Once you do it, it will become easier and easier. This is what the prophet and his apostles are asking us to do as members. Be a part of the missionary work. Share a Book of Mormon with a friend and get over your selfish fear of talking about your religion. Be the light. Live your religion and in this you will find great joy. When you bring one soul into the kingdom of God how great shall be your joy, right? I invite you all to hand out a Book of Mormon THIS WEEK and tell me about it next Monday. I promise that if you have a prayer in your heart to find one who is looking for truth but does not know where to find it, Heavenly Father will put someone in your path. 

  I love you all! Happy summer&enjoy the week!       Love, Hermana Hamblin    

May 11, 2015

Familia!

 I just love you all! It was so fun to skype and talk/see you all. Mandy and Rex, thanks for joining :) I wasn't expecting that so it was really cool to hear from you both :) Rad, I didn't get to talk to you a whole lot, but it was good to hear your DEEP voice. Oh my goodness. You are just growing up still!! Riann, so excited to live with you girl :) Just like old times, right!? It is going to be fun haha. And mom and dad!! You two are precious!! Thank you for everything!! (BTW--just a little side note haha, we were in a lesson once with Charlene and Garland and I told them that they are precious and Charlene said she didn't like that word, so I called them cute and she said that didn't fit her age, so now I am only allowed to say that they are awesome haha..so if the word cute or precious offends you, I am sorry :) --for dad I will just stick with the word tiny ) 

 Oh man! So yes. I love the mission. I am so sorry, I really did have a lot of good stories and a lot of things to say but then it actually happened and my mind went blank. I just get so excited to see and talk to you that that one hour is enough to look at you all and just smile :) I am grateful for each one of you. You each have helped refine me and my testimony through your individual experiences and the people you are now. I am so grateful for the love and support you give me. I love you so much and I am sorry that I was an emotional wreck towards the end, it is just amazing at how much the Atonement has changed who I am. I am so grateful to be on a mission, I will never be able to repay Heavenly Father for this experience that I am having. It is a blessing.

 Have a wonderful week! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY RIANN!! Make it the best one yet! Love you girl :)

    Love, Hermana Hamblin

Pictures!!

1: I have told you about the place that is like 45 min. North of Willits called Round Valley, right!?

2:Beach Day with Amanda :) 

 

3: It is beautiful here!!!

4:Overboard!!! Except in the movie the bridge is green :)

5: The Albas. Love them! Our last zone conference with them :(

6: Arizona picture! the third one from the left is the one from St. Johns! Small world :)

May 4, 2015

Dear Family!

 Yay for Sunday! Can we skype at 6:30ish? I am excited to see you too :)

About Ron..he is on my prayer list already. Reading that makes me so happy just to see and hear what You all do about those same situations that I am in daily! it is so fun for me to hear that you are all in on Rons little quest in finding the Gospel. 

 Yesterday in fast and testimony meeting, Sis. McFadden got up and was talking about how this is an all aged church. The Lord has prepared organizations for every walk of life. Once we give our ALL to him, that is when we are giving Him a gift. He has already given us our clothes, money, house, family, cars..everything. Give Him your all. Consume our will with God's and THEN we will have complete satisfaction. Get on the boat. The time is now. The work HAS BEEN hastened. Get on and stay on and thank Him EVERYDAY that we are members of this gospel. It isn't easy but it sure is worth it and we need to be grateful to our father in heaven. Mom, she is a power house! Seriously. I have learned SO much from her! She is fearless in sharing the Gospel. I am so grateful for their family and just this ward. I feel at home here. I love it.

 Anyways this last week was so stressful! We had transfers and meetings on Tuesday, Wednesday we had MLC and so we were out of our area for two whole days! We rolled back into town Wednesday night and the only time we had left to do is to go shopping and to meet Bishop. But things are starting to be normal again (missionary wise) and we are so excited to start this week! My new comp is Hermana Burton and she has been out for about six weeks! So I am follow up training again! It is so fun. My new little greenies teach me far more than I will ever teach them. I am so grateful that I get to work with her. We are going to get work done here.

 Other than that I think thats it! I love you all and hope you have the best week ever!  Love, Hermana Hamblin

PS HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!