Memorial Day 2011

Beautiful River in Noble's First Area.

***

We might describe this animal as a water buffalo. In the Philippines it is called a carabao (pronounced kah-rah-bow. The bow is like bowing at a performance.)

***

The kids of Noble's investigator. Shana and I believe they are Rochelle Sagid's boys.

***

It appears that this is some unusual farming equipment. I'm guessing that by the pile of harvested hay in the background.

***

Meat Market in the Philippines.

***

Noble looking like one of the locals with a yellow bandana.

***

Noble standing in front of a banana plant. However, the bananas have all been harvested. There is a purple triangle shaped bud at the end of a bunch of bananas (We don't see that here).

***

Noble in front of the rice paddies. It sure is green and beautiful there.

***

This is an unusual bridge. You can tell that Noble is out in the jungle and people do what they can to make things work.


Wow! 1st of all I would like to apologize to Shay. You did your best to stop little red and I hope that your lip and air bag burns turn out okay. You've got a knarly story to tell your friends and you now can say you have been hit with an air bag.
Mom I am sorry I didn't tell you about our investigators. I was just too worried about that silly old truck. Anyways 1st we have Tatay Leonardo Almasan. He is the old man who had a stroke and needed our help to review and review the lessons so he'll remember them. Then the Dakanay's they are a family with one daughter and they are the ones who want to be baptized but are having pressure from their friends and need help from the members. Arnold and Richard are two great guys who we gave a Book of Mormon but they have a hard time with praying and this new family the Orbans with the 3 sons the youngest's middle name is rich man. We've only taught them once but they seem pretty interested. Rochelle Sagid has 2 kids and an alcoholic husband that uses the money she earns working abroad to buy more alcohol. She lives a hard life but we're giving her exactly what she needs. The gospel of Jesus Christ. We have others but we only see them every now and then and I don't remember all their names.
I didn't play piano in Sacrament meeting but I did in zone meeting! I could only do one hand and sometimes 2 but it didn't sound great. I had no time to practice. My companion heard they needed a piano player and volunteered me! We taught a whopping 14 lessons this week and 7 were with members present! We are getting the members to help us out on Sundays. It's hard with the branch Pres. in Manilla except for weekends and hardly any male members to work with and the ones we could work with are working their tails off during the day for their families. I love the people here they are so nice and hospitable. I want to bring some of their good characteristics back to the states. They always seem to have snacks to give us and if they don't they send someone out to get some for us! (see picture of pepsi and Hansle, soberong masharap) I'm getting used to the rice and things. So thats whats up there!
Dane keep memorizing Veggie Tales! They are funny and you'll love them! Love your big bro Elder Hamblin!
Devree, Thanks for writing! JK I love you tons! Wow you've got a lot going on in your life! A lot of friends coming over and a lot of things going on. I see that you are having problems with feeling the spirit. The things that usually help me is to go out and get to work. For you that could be service in any way shape or form to your fellow classmates or just people in the neighborhood. It's just a great way to lose yourself and help others. That usually helps me with listening to the spirit along with scripture study and meaningful prayer. Try that and tell me how you're doing. The movie quote you gave me was not enough! I don't know what it is! I'm gonna guess Alice in Wonderland but that might be wrong if it is, give me another line from that movie and I will try again! Thanks for being an awesome example to me and your little brothers!
Love your older bro, Elder Hamblin
Shay let me know when you get the election information. I hope you win the election and that you rule with kindness and patience just like Nephi did! Read the beginning of 2nd Nephi where it talks about how much the people loved him! You should lead just like him! Loved the joke! Stay in school and stay cool.
Well here's some things that have happened in my week. L.A. sent me a letter and the district leader yelled to all the other missionaries, "Hey Elder Hamblin, your girl friend sent you a letter!" I thought, "No I don't have a girl friend. I broke up with my girl friend for this specific reason to not have a gf on the mission!" But when I saw it was from L.A. I laughed my head off! I said "You were close. I have dated her but she is not my gf!" We were teaching a little girl and her mom and her dad. They are the couple who owns the RM bakery that you saw in the picture! The little girl had a friend and of course they were speaking in Tagalog and little did I know that her friend said to her to come out and ride her bike. She replied "Can't you see that we have a guest and we can't get the bike out!" I was in the way so she politely asked me to get out of the way and so I did and she was on her way. That was pretty funny the way she said it! For dinner I had Fish balls. (Not Fish Testicles) Fish don't have those! Anyway they are balls of fish that you can fry up in the Wok and they taste good but they are not very good for you with all the oil and stuff. Some other interesting things I've eaten. Dad I ate Dinuguan which is basically whatever animal you want, take its intestines and fry them in the blood of that same animal. The Cow intestines are really chewy but the dog ones are really bitter. I like the cow intestines more than the dog. But my companion disagrees with me. Haven't had balut yet but its definitely on my list of things to try! Yum Yum! Their spaghetti here is not like spaghetti in the U.S. It's really sweet and they put chunks of hot dog in it! Yummy! They eat it for birthdays and New Years because they believe in the long noodles giving them long life! I think we should start that tradition also! I like spaghetti. I've have had more Pepsi here than I've had my whole life! I sent you a picture of it! Enjoy!
Dear Dad,
Thank you Dad for telling me the whole story of what happened. Your words were beautiful explaining how "little red roared into action." Thank you for your words of wisdom and encouragement! I really needed it this week. We were in a lesson with Rochelle Sagid and I was really tired and wasn't listening very carefully. When Elder Bates turned to me to say my part I told her in Tagalog that the Book of Mormon was true and it was important to the plan of God. Little did I know that she had just told us that she was having problems with her husband beating her when he is drunk and she was having a hard time. I don't know what I could have said to help comfort her but I felt horrible about it. It ate me up inside knowing that if I would have paid more attention maybe I could have said something that helped and didn't sound completely heartless! I got back to the house and felt lower than dirt. I felt useless and like a complete failure. I felt like I had made 0 progress in Tagalog and I was just really getting down on myself. Then E. Bates told me to stop thinking about it and learn from it. Today I'm doing a lot better and I am realizing that serving a mission isn't all peaches and cream it's hard work and I won't just wake up one day and know Tagalog. It's gonna take some hard work. My cross to carry may look big now but at least my foot isn't fractured!
I'm sorry to hear about Beth and I hope her foot heals well. I hope she knows she's loved and has a loving 2nd family that care about her also. Give her my best wishes!
I also enjoyed hearing about Low Rider and how he's learning to roll over! He's sometimes a really dumb dog but he does surprise us every now and then!
I really was feeling down on myself but now I have a new faith in the work and I will try harder to stay focused and stay apart of each lesson and contribute with what little Tagalog that I know. Each day I learn more Tagalog and I try to use it with my companion and members and with other missionaries.
I enjoy all your emails! I love you all and I hope you all stay safe and Healthy!
Love, Your 1st born in the wilderness and serving a mission in the wilderness,
Elder Hamblin