Dear Mom,
Sounds like camping was tons of fun and the borrowed quads were put to good use! For Billys Baptism we had to call Pres. Carlos for permission to precede with the pres. in Solanos permission. Me and Elder Anzal have been getting along just nicley except for the occasional weird thing he does. Like one day I look up from reading in the Ensign and Elder Anzal is moving my desk across the room and sweeping and throwing stuff on the ground like its garbage. Turns out he didn't like how the desks were arranged and he was moving them without consulting me. If I was a blind person I would be dead by now from all the stuff he moves so it will look better! But thats a little trial to get over. He is really a cool person and mabe I will get to send you a picture of him soon! He is just funny! He loves to sing and tell me how silly I am! HE'S always the center of attention at zone meetings and service projects! Last Saturday we were digging a burn hole for a member and I was manning the wheel barrel that looked like it was about to break! He Loved clapping for me everytime I dumped the dirt out in the pile and soon everyone would clap for me!
Work in Villaverde has gotten slow! None of our investigators seem to be sticking really! I am having problems understanding all that is going on because Elder Anzal talks SOOOOO FAST! But it's just better practice for me to learn this confusing and yet simple language. I feel the prayers but don't stop now. I will need them now more than ever.
I've really Been diving into Jesus the Christ by who Elder Talmage! He sometimes makes my brain hurt! I am getting a better appreciation for the Savior and all he did for us! He dedicated his whole life to the gospel and Elder Talmage does a great job of describing in detail what he went through!
Story Time!!!!! I almost DIED! when we were waiting for a ride to Solano for District meeting. I saw a big dump truck driving down the road towards me and my companion which was nothing out of the ordinary. BUT when I stepped off the road to let the truck pass apparently it ran over a rock about the size of my fist and sent it flying towards us! I didn't have any time to react, I just watched the stone fly right towards me pass me and E. Anzal and slam into a parked car waiting to turn! It left a huge dent in the car which the driver was not very happy about at all! But just think if I had stepped one more foot forward I could have a broken rib! I could have been in some serious hurt! It was a close call but I remembered to pray for protection this morning so I thanked the Lord for perserving our lives and answering my prayer and the prayers of my family! Dane I really do try to be safe on my mission! Anyway it was a close call that I am glad to tell the story about!
Lastly MOM, Mannys new address I still need it and I sent a letter back to him at the old address so hopefully they forward it to him! If you could find out his new address that would be great! Thanks Love ELder Hamblin
Dear Devree,
I hope you get used to the new hearing aid and everything works out fine! I'm glad Jason is home and next Sunday give him my best! I really do love that guy! Anyways I hope Louis isn't putting the moves on you during class or anything! JK Don't worry I got 2 mosquito bites to match yours on my foot! I am very familiar with those anoying little bumps! I really want to see Cars 2 it sounds awesome! Well your movie was White Chicks. Heres mine, "Grandpa is this a kissing book?" or "Inconcievable!" Guess that! Love ya tons!!!! ELder Hsmblin
Dear Dane,
I would use as many bananas as you can fit in the blender because I just GO BANANAS FOR BANANAS! JOKELANG! SO for the real recipe for a time machine. It turns out that the government blocks out any top secret research about time travel! They won't let me send the recipe to you so you'll just have to wait till I come home and then we can build it together! Okay? Don't brake the borrowed quad and I have no six pack yet but I am losing weight! Love Ya Elder HAmblin
Dear Shay,
So the race to the six pack begins ay? I would like to tell you that when I left on my mission I was 220lbs. As of last transfer meeting I now weigh in at a frightening 190lbs now! Thats 30lbs of weight loss in 3 months and counting! So be afraid be VERY afraid! I'm glad to hear that Harry is your section leader. He will take good care of you because you are a Hamblin! Don't let any girls kiss you. They are just trouble! You don't need that kinda stress with Band and Soccer and don't worry if they are gonna kiss you they let you know before they go in for the kill. Just stay on your toes and remember "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" (That was for you Devree!) Well I'm sure you're gonna Kill It in highschool just have fun with it okay? Love ELder HAmblin
Dear Dad,
Work sounds hectic as usual and you sound like you're still hard at work! Wow you are moving up! Just look at it as an opportunity to stretch and grow your skills whether in computers or in just cooperating with people! I am sure this is just another blessing in disguise for you and the whole family! I loved the story about the King and the ending was kinda corny I'm not gonna lie. But it shows the importance of seeing the silver Lining in all things and looking for the flowers and not the rocks on the path of life! Thanks Dad you really help cheer up my week. All of the email do! Thanks for all of it!
Tatay Leonardo is doing fine. He's back and kicking, but you can tell it takes its toll on the mind. He is more "spacey" than before and we had him sit in a lesson with us and he just stared off into space the whole lesson so we didn't ask him to add anything. He is still up and about but I don't know how much more his frail body can take!
Tatay Billy is doing great he has work again in Solano as a carpenter and life is good. He still stays clean of the ciggaretes and he is just doing great! He is always willing to help out in a lesson and he got us a new investigator. Guess who it is? HIS NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOOR! And she's doing great! She is a single mother with two kids and reads everything we give her just like Billy! She's great!
Well thanks everyone for all the love in your emails and stuff! I will keep on keeping on so you all better too! LOVE YOU ALL!
ELDER HAMBLIN
On Mon, Aug 15, 2011 at 7:50 AM, Hamblin Family
Dear Elder Hamblin,
We had an awesome time this weekend by camping with the Olsons and the Neumeister's. Boy did we go on the quads. Shay went and went. Devree and I did go to Scott's lake on the quad. It was about 2 miles. You remember Hope Valley and the lake where you saved Ethan Galloway? It was a whole lot of fun. We came home last night to be ready for Sunday today.
I am so happy about your baptisms! I want you to tell us about how you challenged them to be baptized and what exactly did you do at your baptism without the branch president. Do you and your companion get along? Sometimes different cultures are hard to get along with because we are raised so differently. We laughed alot about the "Sex Bees". I also loved how you told Dane about how to make a time machine but really it was a smoothy.
I finally reserved a place for the Rice Reunion next summer. It is more south than Ensign Ranch because it got too full. It is right by Mount Ranier. Everyone is getting really excited about it and Koe sent her money already.
So I have a great story for your mission. Elder Talmage, who wrote Jesus the Christ, said when he was in college he met a Lamp salesman. He already had a lamp but he invited him to his room. The salesman asked Elder Talmage to show his lamp. So Elder Talmage lit his lamp and the saleman complimented him on how easy it was to light and trim it and how it did shine but then the salesman asked if he could show him the new lamp, Elder Talmage saw how his lamp was brighter and shows up even the darkest corners. So Elder Talmage said that is how we need to share the gospel. Not by saying how bad their religion is but by showing them how much better our religion is. So is that what you have been doing? I think you really do have a love for the Filippino people. That is why you are able to find those souls.
Sure Luv ya! Love Mom
Dear Elder Hamblin,
Jason Wheeler came home today! And his brother with the Asian wife and all their little girls live in our ward now. They have a new baby girl that they blessed today! Jason got to help with that. He also spoke and it was a great talk about how your garments can protect you. He also told a story about a guy that was hooked on drugs and they were teaching him but he couldn't let go of the drugs so they stopped teaching him. It turns out he listened to General conference and he heard that when you're having trouble, read the Book of Mormon so he did and he stopped the drugs and cleaned up and later he went on splits with that companion and they saw how much that man had turned his life around and changed. It was a good story. Well, since I'm the only "stalwart" kid my age it was just me and Bro. Breithaupt in class because Sis. Shannon is going to be gone all month. It's kind of cool to really think about things on a higher level because it's just the two of us. Sis. Atkins brought cupcakes to our class and they had Cars 2 rings on them and I got Mater and it was cool! I was looking at my hands today and I'm going from left to right; burn, scratch, mosquito bite x2 on the left, then it's basically good til the mosquito bite on the right. I have my new hearing aids now and everything is so LOUD and my voice echos slightly so I sound like a ghostie o.O It's weird. Your line was from Freaky Friday. Here's mine(it's a dialogue);
"Omigosh Britney I can't believe you said that!"
"You were thinking it!"
"Yeah but you said it!"
Guess that! Well I miss you and love you!
Love, you bestest sister,
Devree <3
Dear Elder Hamblin,
Do you have a six pack yet? About the quads. Dad was very proud of me when I drove. I liked the recipe for the smoothy but I haven't tried it yet. How many bananas? I need to know so I don't go bananas. Jokla. You can't have strawberries without bananas. You have to say that with an English accent.
Love, Dane
Dear Noble,
I went to lunch with the Hanses' during band camp. Hillary has already graduated but she was visiting that day. We went to Sierra Joe's and Harry and Hillary said you were amazing! They thought you were funny and it was so cool that you could do the flips at lunch time and in your Spanish class with your funny accent saying "kissass" which means maybe and also "pissina" which means pool because of your silly accent. They said a lot of cool stuff about you. Harry is my section leader. He is a senior like Devree. I'm amazing at soccer and I may get a six pack before you. So the race is on.
We went camping with the Olsons and we did ALOT of quading and I got more experience. It was sooooooooo FUN! (now this is Mom talking) Also Neumeister's granddaughter Becca was there and she has a HUGE crush on Shay. She sat on his lap with the jacket over their heads till Dad told Shay to come to bed. Shay said it was cold is why they put the jacket over their heads. Shay also said "What if a girl 'ACCIDENTALLY' kisses me!" But Shay said he accidentally didn't get kissed this time.
This is Shay again. Well I LOOOOOOOOOVE YOOOOOU! Bye Noble, Love Shay P.S. Next time send a better recipe for a time machine okay?
***
Dear Elder Hamblin,
Things have kind of changed at work. I didn’t really want to be the Network Supervisor, but they had me do it anyway. As it turns out, I have actually enjoyed holding that position and I have learned a lot. My boss has talked about me being the Network Manager and replacing him when he retires. I have seen all of the problems he solves, so I have been pretty out spoken about not wanting his job. Well, they just transferred my boss to another position. I am now the acting Network Manager. If they can get funding, they will rehire the position in 2 years.
So I am advancing in my career and learning new things. I have actually been able to do a lot of difficult things already. It is possible that in 2 years I might want to apply for the position. Then I would start getting paid for doing all of the extra duties. Perhaps the Lord is trying to bless me whether I want it or not. LOL
***
ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD...
The story is told of a king who had a close friend with whom he grew up. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life (positive or negative) and remarking, "This is good!"
One day the king and his friend were on a hunting expedition. The friend would load and prepare the guns for the king. In preparing one of the guns, the friend had apparently done something wrong, for after taking the gun from his friend, the king fired it and his thumb was blown off. Examining the situation the friend remarked as usual, "This is good!" To which the king replied, "No, this is NOT good!" and proceeded to send his friend to jail.
About a year later, the king was hunting in a dangerous area. Cannibals captured him and took him to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and bound him to it. As they approached to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the king was missing a thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone that was less than whole. So after untying the king, they sent him on his way. As he returned home, he was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend. You were right," he said, "it was good that my thumb was blown off." And he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just happened. "And so I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this." "No," his friend replied, "this is good!" "What do you mean, 'This is good?' How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?" "If I had NOT been in jail, I would have been with you."
Situations may not always seem pleasant while we are in them, but the promise of Heavenly Father is clear. If we love him and live our lives according to his precepts, even that which seems to be bleak and hopeless will be turned by Him for His glory and our benefit. Hold on...And Know That God is!
***
Please forgive me for taking up precious time with a story. I thought it might be of some encouragement as you sacrifice to get along with Elder Anzal. You already have the right attitude. I just wanted to send something that said, “Hang in there Elder Hamblin!!!” Keep trusting in the Lord. I bear my testimony to you that he will not let you down. Read Mosiah 24:13-16 when you get home. Sometimes this is how the Lord works.
You make me proud Noble. You are serving your mission with wisdom beyond your years. I love you my anak, maybe more than you know. I loved your last letter. Your words warmed my heart and made me feel grateful for the son you are. We have a father & son bond that neither of us will ever forget.
Mahal kita,
Your Tatay
P.S. How is Tatay Leonardo after his stroke? My Grandpa Hamblin was told that if he ate a whole grain cereal (oatmeal or cracked wheat) and a fruit everyday he would not have another stroke. I guess it depends on what causes the strokes.
P.P.S. Billy Bongalon sounds like an awesome person. I am glad that you were able to find him.
No comments:
Post a Comment