Email 3/24/14

Dear family,

This week is a week of miracles!! We have had two amazing lessons with our investigators. As she bore her testimony of her knowledge that this gospel is true I felt the spirit confirm to my soul again that the church is true and that Heavenly Father loves us each individually and personally. I felt again that the Book of Mormon was written for us in our day to help us better understand the Atonement and the love Heavenly Father has for each of us. I am feeling it again even now as I type this to you. It is amazing! I am so grateful for the Spirit and for his teachings. 

We have been making a lot of calls to formers and potentials these past few weeks trying to find those who are now prepared for the gospel. After calling more than a few people and visiting with some of them, we came across someone named Eve. We called and three days later they called back asking us if we could meet with them that same day. We met HIM at the church and turned him over to Elder Bey and Elder McPerson. Eve is so prepared. He has friends who are members and is already reading the Book of Mormon. He walked into the church saying "I want to join this church." He said he really enjoyed the Joseph Smith story and says that the Book of Mormon is really helping him to lift his spirits. Heavenly Father is blessing the people here and I am so grateful to be a part of it. 

We saw many more miracles this week and I have learned once again the more you are obedient, the more joyful you are! Mosiah 2:41 asked me to consider the blessed and happy state of those who keep the commandments of God, and I have. I testify of the power of the Book of Mormon. I invite all to read it, no matter how many times you have read it and ask God if it is true, no matter how many times you have asked. Heavenly Father will witness to you if reality of the truth. The Atonement is REAL!! Heavenly Father loves us so much! The Gospel has changed my life forever and I know it will changes yours al well!! 

I love you all so much! Have a great and obedient week :)

Love,

Sister Hamblin :)

Email 3/17/14

Dear Family,

What a week we've had! We have seen many miracles and I am so happy
here in Brooklyn!! I LOVE it here! I can't believe how much I have
fallen in love with New York since coming here. This is a hard place
but it is filled with greatness and so much JOY! There are many
challenges here that are unique and almost unexpected but they are
bringing us so much excitement! I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK!!! Ok sorry I
just got a little excited... My bad :)

Ok but seriously, this week has been amazing! I feel as if I am
finally getting the hang of missionary work. I have felt so happy
these past few weeks here in Brooklyn and I am finding that through
the aid of our Redeemer I can do all things. I am slowly becoming more
and more "fearless" and am experiencing "exceedingly great joy"
because of it. I love watching scripture apply to me as I "consider
the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of
God." I love it further as I realize that the reason that I am so
happy is because of my obedience my love for my Father in Heaven is
increasing. Through this I am better able to show that love to our
fellowman! It is so exciting. I obviously still have a lot more
learning and growing to do but I am excited to see progress in the
right direction.

Sister Hodgson teaches me so much on a daily basis. She has a way of
making sure that things go according to plan that I need to keep me on
track. Our district is doing a 40 day fast of those things that "poke"
at our spirits and prevent us from being able to really do the Lords
work here in New York. Sister Hodgson is so supportive of my personal
goals and I am so grateful for that. She is just an wonderful
missionary. She is an amazing teacher! She knows the points of the
lessons and knows how to explain things simply so that those we are
teaching are better able to understand. I am so grateful again to be
serving here in Midwood with her. Man missionaries are so great!

Ok have a fantastic week!!!!

Hermana Hamblin-- two things. I will come to California and beat you
senseless if you do not send me the family email THIS week. Poor Mom
has been so patient in sending them to me. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE send
me your EMAILS!!!!! Yes I am needy and whiny just send me your
emails!!! Thanks your the best :)
SECOND- You are a champion!! I hope to be as fearless as you at the
end of my mission!!! You are my hero!!

Elder Hamblin-- thank you so much for including me in your emails! I
sure do appreciate it.  ;)

Riann-- or should I say Sister Hamblin??? My mission president wants
you to come here.... Pray for it girl! It's the best in the world!!!
Right along with Santa Rosa and Vancouver

Raddon-- you are so great!! Keep being such a great example to your
friends!! I will pray for his foot!

Mom- thank you for the scarf you made me two Christmas ago. It is
literally saving my life here in Brooklyn!

Dad-- let me know how your prayers are going :)

I love you all so much!!!

Sister Hamblin :)

Here are a few pictures of my district here and some people that we
are teaching ward FHE, and my sweet companion! I love them all so
much!

Email 3/03/14

ODear Family,

Another great week! If you ask me why I might not know but I do know
that it was really great.

Monday- ...   ...   ... That was a week ago.... Please don't ask me to
remember :) OH yeah!!! I remember now. We went to look up a media
referral and found a really nice mother and daughter who have had
quite an interesting past. They love the Bible and had requested one
from the church's website. We took her one only to find that hers had
been so warn down that she literally couldn't read it any more. She
was in tears when we handed her her new one. We have met with them
twice more this week and have loved getting to know them.

Tuesday- District Meeting day!!! This is my second favorite day of the
week (my first being Sunday of course). My district right now is
incredible!!!! They each have strong testimonies of the Book of Mormon
and Bible allowing them the opportunity to feel the influence of the
Holy Ghost and receive very personalized revelation for their
investigators. They love serving The Lord with "all of [their] heart,
might, mind and strength." There is power in dedicated servants of The
Lord!

Wednesday- What did happen Wednesday...? Oh yeah! Ha ah sorry this
keeps happening! Ok so on Wednesday we went to teach a member of the
ward who is just so great! She gets her whole family ready for church
ever Sunday and gets them all to church in time with little support
from her husband. She testified that the most incredible part of her
week is Sunday when she can come to church and partake of the
Sacrament and renew her covenants. She has such a strong testimony of
the Atonement and of the power that it brings into her life. She is so
concerned about her relationship with her Father in Heaven and wanting
to repent always with sincerity. She asked a great question. What if I
know that I feel bad about the things that I have done but I know that
I am going to do them again? She used the example of being annoyed
with her husband but wanting have patience. She said that she knows
that she is going to end up yelling at him over something so does she
even need to repent in the first place? What do you think? How would
you answer her question?...

Ok so Wednesday night we got a call from President Calderwood
informing Sister Blosil that The Lord had called her to be a
TRAINER!!! I am so excited for her!!! Sister Blosil is going to be an
amazing trainer she is so good at talking to everyone and inviting
them to do something. She is sincerely interested in doing the Lords
will here in New York. She loves God and she uses that as hr
motivation in everything she does. It is amazing. Just what a new
missionary needs to see.

(Funny how I couldn't remember what happened and now you have two
paragraphs :) )

Ok Thursday (best day of this week for sure!)- off to Queens we went.
Trainers go to a trainer meeting to train them on how to be trainers
before their trainees get here. The workshop is put on by President
Calderwood and his assistance. Sister Blosil said that the meeting was
really good and that she is excited to train. We have spent the rest
of the week getting her ready for that. At they meeting I was able to
talk to some sisters who are just amazing! We have such amazing
sisters in this mission! I'm sure every mission has them but I just
love the sisters here!!! I also got to see Sister Howard!!!! Man I
love that girl!!! She is also training and I am just so excited for
her! These new sisters coming in are just going to be the most well
trained sisters the mission has ever seen!!

After we got back from the meeting in Queens we went to teach Janet
and Nadia with Riann and Breanne!!! This was one of the best lessons
that we have had with Janet and Nadia because if the strong
testimonies that these girls brought with them. It was so awesome to
hear them testify of the power of Personal Progress and of the
gospel!! I am so grateful for the opportunity that we had to teach
with them on that night. I love that The Lord is hastening His work in
a way that is going to be super beneficial for His children (quit
rolling your eyes dad. It's great and you know it :)). It was really
such a great experience.

Friday- DEEP CLEAN!!!! My favorite day of the transfer!! It was
actually supposed to happen last week but we were to busy for that.
But we got it done and our apartment looks beautiful now!! It was
stewing me out before so I am so glad that it looks better now!!!
Friday night we had to drive the Zone Leaders around because they took
their car into the shop and needed a ride. Ok so something that I
forgot to mention earlier was that one of our zone leaders and
district members is going to become the next assistant to the
President. So we were taking them around to say goodbye to all the
families that they are teaching. We are not supported to know that he
is the new assistant but he is really bad at lying and so we got it
out if him eventually. But anyway he had to be with the current
assistance to pick up all the new missionaries today so he had lots to
do before last nigh and not having a car was stressing him and his
companion clear out. It was quite entertaining.

Saturday- More driving the Zone Leaders around. One of their
investigators invited us in for lunch as well so were able to get to
know this sweet family a little bit better. They seeking truth and I
am not really sure why they are not baptized yet! They just need to
keep threading the Book of Mormon and praying and they will eventually
see the need for priesthood and proper baptism and temple marriages
and... You know... the blessings of eternity!

Saturday night was transfer calls... Because my companion is training
it wasn't much of surprise that I am out. I am really sad about it
though. I have only been here for six months and was secretly hoping
for two more here but The Lord has something else in store for me. I
love the members here so much!  I am so sad to be leaving!!!

Sunday- another great Fast and Testimony meeting!!! The youth in this
ward are amazing. I think it is all part of this rising generation.
They are all so driven by their love of God!!!! I am so impressed.
EVERY youth in this ward comes because THEY WANT to!!!!  It is
amazing. There were three that come without parental support. And they
have such strong testimonies!!! It is amazing!!!

After church we went to visit some people to say goodbye and it was
just a rough night for me. I LOVE this ward! There are such amazing
people here. They all know how to use the Atonement to progress in
their lives. They all have such charity for their fellows man and I am
just so grateful for the opportunity that I have had to get to know
them all.

Ok family, I love you all so much!!
 Hermana Hamblin... I didn't get an email from you last week.... Make
sure I am on the list GF
Elder Hamblin- thanks for always being my inspiration... Tender, I know :)
Riann- seriously thank you so much for Thursday!!!! That lesson was so
powerful. Please tell breanne that we are so grateful for her as well.
RADDON- dude you have been on my mind all week. I love you lodes.
Mom- thanks for being a rock
Dad- I love you. Keep praying about IPads and Skype :)

Love,
Sister Hamblin