Email 10/07/13

Dear Family,

What an amazing week it's been! We have been so blessed to see so many miracles happen. Conference, awesome lessons, many referrals, Heavenly Father has blessed us abundantly. Feel so blessed to be serving in such an awesome area. We have amazing leaders and amazing ward members who are really into missionary work. After conference on Saturday our bishop as well as several members in the ward and even investigators gave us names of people they would like us to go and visit. Overwhelmed with so many names we called the district leader and zone leader (both are in our district) and asked them if they had the same response... they said they did and that they, like us were not sure when they were going to be able to visit everyone with in the next week. 

Conference was amazing and I learned so much! Some things that stuck out to me were... of course missionary work, Christlike attributes, strengthening our testimonies and the importance of every day decisions. Elder Hamilton of the 70 made said " Our simple decisions can have eternal and far reaching consequences." How true it is! The simple decision to smile can effect someone for months and years to come. This is true for some girl have never seen before or sense but because I let her turn left before I went strait she gave me a huge smile and "peace fingers." That has seriously made my day time, after time. Just thinking about how there is one kind person out there is all I need to get through a day. I hope to keep my simple every day decisions ones that will allow me to make it back to live with my Father in Heaven once again. I am so excited for that day.

Next week is going to be a busy one. We have a Mega Zone Conference and a Zone Training Meeting as well as another phase of "operation shepherd." Heavenly Father is blessing us so much right now and we have so much to be grateful for. We are also getting Facebook and I pads this next week. I hope Hermana and Elder Hamblin's areas are moving into this phase of missionary work as well. Our mission is so excited for it and the Zone Leaders and Sister Trianing Leaders who have already begun this new phase are testifying of great experiences they are having. 

One of those things that we have to be grateful for is amazing weather. I am sorry to hear that it is so cold in Arizona right now but New York just had a week of summer-like weather. Fans, short sleeves, and AC are still needed in such nice weather. However we are starting to see glimpses of fall. The changing leaves are so beautiful and I am in love with fall in New York. Fall is just an all around great season anyway so it almost goes without saying that I am going to love it!

I am sorry that I have not sent pictures... I really don't know how on these computers. I have tried my cord, my sd disk in the computer and I just don't know how to do it. Although I think my companions know how. So maybe I'll ask them. I wish I could send you pictures though. There are so many beauties here on Staten Island! I love it here! How grateful I am to be serving in New York amongst such amazing people and missionaries!

Thank you all again for your prayers and letters :)

Love,

Sister Hamblin :)

This is basically what the view looks like from the Staten Island ferry to Manhattan... The Statue of Liberty is just off to the left a little and it is a beautiful view! This is pulled off the internet... just so you know... I don't know how else to get you pictures today.