August 21, 2011

Dear Family!!!!!
Whoo weee you are all so busy doing good things. I always can feel the love in all your emails! Thanks for the love.
Dear Mom,
I can't believe Dane's 10 now! Your little boys are growing up. 1 on a mission 1 asking girls to dance. 1 turning 10 and partying with his friends. All your kids are in the double digits now. Do you feel old? Just kidding sorry that was kinda Bastos (rude). So Manny's got a roomate now. I hope he is a good guy cause I'll probably end up rooming with him later! I think he's a good guy though he is now apart of helping Devree get her smile back! I miss all of you and I constantly think about Manny! PLEASE if you can get me his new address!!!!! When you told me about the Munch and Music I was really impressed with Star and all she does. I thought about how she asked if it was okay if they name their next son after me. I was really touched and I'll never forget her for that. Then I read who the lead singer is for Ethans Band. BAAAAHAHAHAHAAAAAA! I made everyone in the computer shop look at me and my companion because I was laughing sooooo hard! I'm glad Ethan finaly made his band and I hope he goes far! Even if his lead singer is the (Mom deleted this part). I am also glad for Jake and his contract. Way to go! Also the Frasier boys will always be a big hit in the ward. Well Thanks for the update and sorry if your reading this at Midnight! Love ya Elder Hambin
Dear Dane,
Wow you big 10 year old you! I hope your birthday was tons of fun thanks to your VERY creative mother. (that was for you mom!) The Bey Blades sound SWEET you'll have to show me how they work when I get home! You know the kids here in the Philippines are CRAZY about Bey Blades and they watch the TV show and everything! Posters and little tops are everywhere! Well don't worry I'll let you count my 6 pack when I get home even though you won't need to because there's only 6 thus the name 6 pack! Well Love ya
Elder HAmblin
Dear Shay,
Wow way to go bro! You were the big man and got wimpy Preston to ask the girls to dance. You made a big difference in his life you know. I wish I could have done that with Louis more. You are living my dreams and exceding all that I have acomplished in my High school years and I am proud of you. Truly you are a hope for this rising generation. You will be faster, stronger and smarter than my generation will ever be and be the true leaders of this world so keep on being awwesome just like you are! You better bet that every day I wake up I do sit ups for my six pack! So be afraid be very afraid. Don't read Judges 4:21 read Proverbs 3:5-6 Love ELder Hamblin
Dear Devree,
Wow you are an inspiration to the other girls your age. You show them that you can be proactive at the dance. Way to go sis! Keep being the shinning example that you are. Your movie was The Mummy and o how I miss it so. It gets harder and harder for me to come up with lines that are challenging for you because I am kinda cut off from movies. So I'm thinking I'm thinking. Got it! "Calvin Calvin I half to tell you something! Whats wrong George? Darth Vader came to me last night and told me if I don't ask Mary Ann to the Enchantment Under The Sea Dance that he'd melt my brain!" Or if thats too hard "Whoa thats Heavy!" or if tha'ts still to hard "1.21 Jigawatts" Try that on for size!
My companions full name is Elder Anzal I thought I wrote that in the last email! Hey don't let any guys give you crap. Go and ask them to dance that will show them that you mean business! Love Ya Tons! ELder Hamblin
Dear Dad,
Wow thanks for the SD card reader but the package hasn't come yet! It will come in handy here. The 1 guy that is good at getting my pictures on the computer is saying that I have alot of viruses on my sd card but I don't belive him because the people at the photo printing station get in and out of my card easy but its just him who has a hard time! I really really wish I had a laptop to just email you all from because that would make things so much easier but thats not pwede! Wow you are one busy Tatay taking youth to really long dances and just being Dad! You've got a really important job you know! Raising all your rambunctious boys and your very special daughter. You really have alot on your plate but that being said its Tagalog Time!
So the word I want to teach you about today is Naka. Naka means to be in the state of. If I say Naka pula ako it means I am in the state of being red or I have a red shirt on! If you ask a girl what are you wearing and she says Naka wala that means she is in the state of nothing or shes naked! SO run! JK You can also use it for other things like naka tulog siya or he's sleeping! So have fun with that!
It's been an adventure here. Just last night I had to conduct the funeral service of a 19 year old boy who had committed suicide and the family was a part member family so I had to conduct all of it for them in Tagalog! It was hard but I did it. At least Elder Anzal did the talk about the Plan of Salvation so I didn't have to do that also! The funeral got me thinking about Grandpa Hamblin's funeral. When I held his hand as he was laying in the coffin it didn;t feel like grandpa. I miss him as I'm sure you do also. I think he knows I'm on a mission and he's proud of me! I think he can give me strength when I am weak and he watches over all the missionaries that are a part of his family D&C 88:85. I'm not sure that's the right one but it's the scripture about how the angels are there to bear you up in your times of need! I just thought you would appericiate that thought.
Having a Filippino companion is challenging especialy when he won't slow down his Tagalog for you! but i have learned to adjust to him and we are getting along smoothly. I think that my tagalog comes even faster now. I am constantly using it with him and members and I can order any food I want completly in Tagalog now. I communicate with people more easily now and I can tell stories now and people understand me! I love this language and I don't want to ever lose it when I go home.
Keep to the faith for it is the hope we need to get through the rough times. Every NOBLE work is at 1st considered impossible. I have done some things here that other people have considered to be impossible. I got the 1st baptism in Villaverde after so many cycles of nothing. I have showed love and patience to companions that other missionaries have told me are impossible to work with. I've stopped a smoker from smoking and a coffee drinker from drinking. I have learned a language that I didn't even know existed before my mission and I use it to teach people the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have done some crazy things and I still have alot more to do! The list of tasks in front of me seems absolutly impossible to accomplish but some how I do it and in the muggy heat of the Philippines the Lord truly gives me strength every day. I pay 500 pesos every time I withdraw money for emergency situations like my companion using up his support money or my light bulb dies or silly things like that and it truly has come in handy! Mabe someday I will save some money up for the masarap fund to by some Reeses Peanut Butter Ice Cream! YUMMMMMM!
Well I've written enough! My companion is almost done with his online "Stuff" he has to do so I should sign off! Love you all soooooo much!
THe one the only ELLLLLLLDER HAMBLIN!!!!!!!!!