March 18, 2012

HELLOOOOO HAMBINS!!! I am excited to email you all again and am
Sad because I have forgotten my SD card reader at home and will not be able to
send you all pictures! I know what a bummer but you'll just have to wait until
next time! Anyway we are doing alright here in Tuguegarao. This
past week was kinda rough. We have ALL been burning the candle at both ends and
I am really feeling it this week. Just collapsing into bed with that dreaded
feeling that the alarm is gonna go off in like five minutes! YEA! Last Sunday we
blessed the sacrament, I played the piano we taught gospel principles and they
wanted me to teach priesthood also but I said no they could have someone from
the branch teach. We're trying to get them to be self reliant and not leaning on
the missionaries for EVERYTHING! We're not super heros people! (even though we
look like them! :) Anyway we have been stressed over the upcoming baptisms of
Elena and Raul and everything seems to be in place for that so no problems
there! If you could put Armin Valdez in your prayers tonight that would be great. He just needs the Faith to come to church and reap the blessings from it. He is an older man and has gotten divorced...ish. Divorce doesn't really happen here. They just split. Anyway we are trying to get him to come to church for a long time now and we need some help so your prayers would be great right now for him. Please don't forget us in your prayers! We need all the help we can
get right now! Things are good right now and we are still alive and kicking! Pray for us. We need the help right now to get some miracles done here in the Cauayan mission.

SO DAD: Sorry I didn't come to the Merit Badge Convention but it sounded amazing! Our family is a very active family in the church because we help a lot with the activities! But you are right. I beat you when it comes to raw hours of work. I never take off my white shirt and tie and if eat in my white shirt and tie. Heck I might as well sleep in my white shirt and tie! But I don't regret the time I am investing here in the Philippines. Every minute of every day is golden! Don't stress out! It's one of the most sure ways to make your life miserable for as long as you like!Stressing causes ulcers and we all know you don't need an Ulcer Pops! So keep up the check lists that will help a lot! Ironically I have been getting better with my Personal Management here on my mission. (Its a good thing I got that merit badge! It has helped me out a TON!) JK I love you Pops and don't have too much fun without me! And don't push yourself too hard. You're not a
teenager any more! Love ya, Elder Hamblin

Dear Mom,
You guys are ALWAYS BUSY! I guess if you weren't the email would be pretty boring like other missionaries get. HA! But not the Hamblin Family. Were still partying hard and fast no matter what! I hope you enjoy your break at the beach with swimming and eating delicious food without me. GOSH I miss my family. I don't miss anything more than I miss my family. American food is up there though! Things are good and we are pushing on through the trials and tribulations of
being a servant of the Lord.

Elena and Raul are doing alright. They are just so busy I'm worried that they won't come to church one Sunday and that will goof up everything and the dates will have to change! But I have faith that they can do it! I've been kinda tired lately. I think I'm pushing too hard then the next day I feel like I'm being lazy. I'm just going crazy right now and I could just use a vacation to San Diego and just put my toes in the sand, go body surfing. I miss home and the mountains sometimes. After a year in the Philippines, you start to lose the shock value when people are welding outside without a mask or when a Carrabaou moos at you. I try and always find
some thing new to look at or see it in a different light but after all the glitter and shine of it fades away the question remains, "Elder Hamblin, Why are you Here?" but the answer never changes, "To Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored Gospel!" After all the souvenirs are faded and lost, after the photographs fade and after all is said and done. I am here to preach this gospel to people who are "perishing in unbelief" or in the less actives case are straying from the Iron rod. I'm on a mission because I know this church is true and that these people need that message. That's why I'm staying. That's why I'm gonna finish this thing. Not for me, not for my family, not for the prestige of being a RM. I'm doing it for God and for my Savior Jesus Christ who gave everything he had so that I would have a chance to come here and eventually return to our Heavenly Father. That's why I walk up and down the dusty roads of Solana at all hours of the day, beating back dogs with my umbrella. That's why I try to love all the members of this church ESPECIALLY the less active ones who are smoking now and going to other churches. That's why I go through the heart ache and joy of seeing people accept and reject this gospel and seeing them be baptized. That's why I'm gonna finish this thing. That's what keeps me going at 9:20pm when we're at least 2 kilometers from my bed and we're gonna walk it because there are no rides. I can't give up and I won't give up until President Carlos tells me to go home already!

I love you guys and tell those lazy siblings of mine to get on the ball and write me an
email! JK love you!
ELDER HAMBLIN PHILIPPINES CAUAYAN MISSION
P.S. I am sorry the email got broken and I am glad that my siblings do still love me and the letters just got lost instead. JK