March 30, 2011

Noble and his MTC companion Elder Fonua. In class (NOT alseep).

The Elders are playing the "Waa" game before bed. The guy in the orange is the other District Leader in our zone.

This is the other district leader showing how I messed up.

This is me getting laughed at.

Cool guy walk!

Temple Trip!!!

I got my St. Patricks day package from home.

Missionary Pose

One more of the "fountain photos". (It looks like Elder Hamblin is ready to yawn.)

Dear Hamblin Family, Written an hour after my last email. Here are some pictures of me and my Elder friends that I have made while I have been here. Elder Fonua got a ton of candy from his parents. It's their way of saying "Get Fat" before you go to the Philippines. I have been running and getting smaller and skinnier. I used to be 220 but now I am 211 and when I get under 200 we will celebrate and have a party. The language is coming and I can do a door approach and say my whole testimony in Tagalog. I run harder and faster everyday and I try to be a good, obedient, powerful missionary. Pray works, I know that and when you have enough faith, it works immediately! This kind of prayer is something that I have never experienced before. It is powerful and special to anyone that has used it. Thanks for all of the support and concern for me and my companion. Maybuti ito! "It is good!" Nagpapasalamat po ako para sa pamilya ninyo. "I am thankful for my family". I love you all and I only pray for the best things to happen to you while I am gone. Stay healthy and righteous. Also I have noticed some interesting things about missionaries and their psychological behavior. After every big meeting at 8pm sharp they show a church approved movie like "The Joseph Smith Story". Well last night they were showing "The Legacy". You know the one about pioneers? Well I noticed something quite peculiar about the mentality of the missionaries. This movie is the closest thing we have to going to the theaters/dating. And so we treat it as such. When the main character (by the way, a horrible actor!) kisses her husband and everyone has to cheer and when the movie is over, they clap. Mind you not even an hour before we were having a good spiritual meeting in the same place. It is really interesting how the feeling in the room changes. Keeping the spirit with us in the residence hall is the hardest task of them all. With the guy down the hall playing his ukelele down the hall and my companion. I can hear him from anywhere in the Residence Hall. It's like a mother hearing a child. If he wanders off I can find him by ear. He sings everything but always forgets the words halfway through the song. Like for example, he'll start singing in the shower. "I need thee every Hour. Most gracious one." And then he forgets the words and starts vocalizing like he's some crazy black woman, "Beyonce" singing the national anthem! It was like "Hmmmmmm, Ohhhhhhh, Aaaaahhhh, Yeaaahhhhh!" It gets on my nerves. Then "I NEED THEE Oh I NEED THEE" and the chorus is just fine. It's a small price to pay for our awesome companionship. Those things don't matter when it comes to preaching the gospel. So I can overlook those parts of his personality. Uhhhhhhh I have one other problem to address. Why can't any of the sisters here, be ugly?! Everyone of them, they walk by and they're like, "Kamusta po kayo." And I'm like "Maibuti." (How are ya'll) (Good) Pronounced My booty. They know we can't flirt or do anything about it. So they giggle intensely. Eyelashes and everything. Which brings me back to how prayer works!:-) They are awesome! They are all wonderful daughters of God and they know it and we know it and everything runs smoothly. You know sometimes I look back on how my life was and I realize how little I did. Then I cry a little inside, because I never realized how much sleep I got back then! When I get done with my mission I will probably look back and cry at how exhausted I was! I hope you enjoy the pictures of my roomates and my companion sleeping. It's true if you don't stay active you will sleep anywhere. One time I started falling asleep in my chair so I decided to turn around in my chair and read that way so that I couldn't fall asleep. I still did with my book hanging in my arms. I woke up when I dropped the book. Seriously I've got to stop this letter or my companion, (kasama) will eat me for breakfast. We are writing these from the laundry room and our clothes are almost done drying. I love y'all (kayo) and I hope I get some pictures from you soon. (hint hint) Write to you again soon! Elder Hamblin P.S. Shay stay in school. JK!

March 28, 2011

Dear Hamblin Gang,
TO MOM: HEY MOM THIS IS TO YOU!!!! JK here is some answers you wanted to know!
Elder Fonua: Salt Lake City
Elder Larsen: Salt Lake City
Elder Oliver: Salt Lake City
Elder Carrasco: Fontana, California
Elder Huffstuttler: Birmingham, Alabama
Don't worry I will take an awesome photo of me but no matter how hard i try i can't send pictures through the computer. I can't email them because the Admin who contols this computer has disabled my usage of the usb port. You can take that up with him if i open up the computer and hack in! When i get tothe field mabey i will be able to email then. I'll chang the batteries on my camera and see if that helps with the quality!
TO DANE: No i don't have a six pack yet but i have a story to tell you. My guru (teacher) who teaches me Tagalog said he ate a ton of food. He left the MTC 220 pounds and he came back from the Philippines 160 Pounds! I think that when i get to the Philippines a six pack will be no problem bud!
TO SHAY: My pocket knife i took has already been super usefull! I open mail and packages with it all the time! That little green ball is still super popular in my room. I am super proud of you for getting a job and trust me she's an awesome Boss! Bro you could pick up poop in her backyard until you graduate high school and she would still be happy to have you there! Enjoy the extra cash and buy yourself something nice for me!
TO DAD: The only reason that we even thought about opening it was that the missionaries who had been there before us told us there might be some goodies in there. SO just to see we opened it and we would have never expected all that stuff to come out! We each took something from the hole so that we would remember it. Dad there are alot of missionaries here that need help in the spiritual developement and social and physical development and i really do belive that i have helped some of the adjust to the MTC. I have some experience now that i have been in the pen for almost a month! One time i was sitting on my top bunk and i said, "There are 356 stones in our cell I have counted them many times." Then Elder Carrasco without skipping a beat says, "Yes but have you named them yet?" and i start to cry. Which movie was that from?
TO DEVREE: I'm so happy you got to go to UNR. Did you like it? well besides walking up and down those stairs? I think the movie your thinking of is spelled, Pride and Prejudice but mabey thats just me! I hope that you are doing your best in school and teaching those other kids how its done!
TO GRANDMA/GRANDPA: I love you and thank you for your wonderful Example through out my life and i hope to hear from you soon! Thank you for being awesome grandparents!

Tagalog: Mahal kito, I love yall/ Kami ay mga misyonero ng ang simagan ni JesuCristo ng mga Banal sa mga Huling Arawl. We are missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Love, Elder Hamblin

March 21, 2011

I hope Grandpa gets better and I hope Devree's hand heals! I'm so happy that Dane is being a good missionary you should all follow his example! I am doing great and my super cool nick name is either Poly Ca which is interpereted Polynesian Cousin or Korbata which means tie in Tagalog. The reason why they call me that was because our teacher asked me a question and i didn't know the answer so i said KORBAATAAAAA! and the whole class laughed at me. My companion drew a picture and i will send a picture of it to you all!



At times i do get discouraged with the language because it is like Spanish but his evil cousin. Think of saying something now think of saying it in the longest way possible now say that backwards. That is Tagalog. here is an example. Totoo ang Ebanghelyo ni Jesucristo. Directly translated it means true is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Try this one out. Nagpapasalamat po kami para sa mga pamilya ako. Thankful (respectfuly to you) for family of mine. Its comming and I try to incorporate it in my every day speach like if i held the door open for someone they would say thank you i would say "Walang Anuman" which means "Its nothing"
Shay you will never know the full measure of joy you have given our district when you sent that ball in the care package! Games have been invented and journals written about that ball. One game in particular is when whe get an old tie and we lay it down across the floor in our resedence hall. Then each Elder takes turns hitting it back and forth to one another without accidentally hitting it on there side of the tie! if it does happen to hit the tie then it is a tie! get it! That little ball is what we use to relive stress everyday when we get back after a long day of language and religion study. Thank You Shay for your generous gift. We Love you and stay in school.
Devs im sorry about your hand and i hope you grow skin soon. as for your question yes we are supposed to only call eachother by Elder .... but that doesn't apply for nicknames. Yes i did tell my companion my whole name and he liked the Theo part of it.
Dane i love that your being an awsome missionary keep it up and don't stop be an example to the rest of those yahoos.
I am deeply sorry for the devestaion that Japan is facing right now. If you can i need the adderess of Will Galbraith,Manny Boga,Kyle Matsko, and any others i will put with the other pictures i am sending you. Thank you for the letters and the emails and i want you all to know that i love you and keep up the good work.

Love Elder Hamblin,


P.S. KORBATAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

St. Patricks Day Photos 2011

Dear Hamblin Family,

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for this wonderful package. I think that you know me too well. Not two days ago I saw a missionary on our floor playing with a rubber bouncy ball and I thought to myself, "I wish I had that silly stress ball I got!" Its funnny the things that you miss from pre-mission life. I miss you all but I don't miss video games. I want to hug everyone but TV, I completely forgot! The most important things in my life are being magnified new and I can decern more clearly the important things in life.

I gain more knowledge of the scriptures of Preach My Gospel everyday and my outlook on life is brighter. My life is significantly better after 1 week at the MTC. I'm getting stronger and I can run a mile without throwing up! I am loosing weight and gaining a stronger testimony everyday. Don't get me wrong. I miss home. But when the Elders were looking up their houses on Google Earth, one missionary said "If you want to look at your home, search for the MTC." The MTC is my home now and I love it. I have so much to learn!

The temple walks are great and we always take a bunch of pictures. I put in some pictures I have taken so far. They range from District group photos to my companion opening a rootbeer can with his teeth. I hope you enjoy them. Just remember that you should keep them in a safe place for me please! I don't care if you copy them just make sure that they all stay safe okay?

I love you all and I hope to hear from you frequently! Devree, live the dream. Dane, I don't have a six pack yet. Shay stay in school. Mom and Dad, Don't pull your hair out just yet. Grandma and Grandpa don't forget that you're old and you've earned the right to be lazy sometimes. Grandma, DON"T SHOVEL SNOW...EVER!!!

Everyone stay healthy and read your scriptures. It will bless you live's so much!!!

Love, Elder Hamblin

P.S. Remember, If you're tired enough you can sleep anywhere!

The District from Left to Right Top Row: Elder Oliver, Elder Hamblin, Elder Larson, Elder Huffsutler, Elder Fonua, Elder Carrasco. Bottom Row Sister Lybert, Sister McKinze, Sister Pulu



Elder Fonua and Elder Larson sleeping during study time, on their desk, in the classroom.

Me and My companion, Elder Fonua.


Elder Oliver and Elder Huffsutler are companions. With Elder Fonua and myself.

Elder Fonua and Elder Neemia
The Provo temple


These are my roomates. Elder Larson, Elder Carrasco (the one that had the shouting nightmares) and my companion Elder Fonua and me.
Our room or residence Hall.
Here it is again.


The toy stash we found.
All the toys in the wall we found.

My crazy companion.

My still crazy companion that bit off the top of a soda can.
The poor can.

March 14th, 2011

Dear Hamblin Family Gang,
I loved your email! It was great getting an update on whats going on in the outside world! Something i just noticed i can't type as well as i use to because lack of practice! Thats weird. Anyways Mom, don't worry the puking days are over and i am really excited and busy here at the MTC. Our temple walks are always beautiful and my companion keeps having an enourmous amount of patience with me! I accidently locked my key in my locker when we went to the temple for a session and had to get someone with a master key to come help me out! I had a hard night last night because some weird stuff went on.

10:15 Everyone is brushing there teeth and going to bed and things are calming down.

10:30 Lights out and im always the 1st one asleep. it takes almost 2 min and then i'm out and all the other Elders in my room take 1/2 and hour to calm down and go to sleep.

11:30 Elder Larson starts freaking out or as my companion stated "Trippen" and sits up in his bed with his eyes open and states, "Who Dat, Who Dat in my room" He is still asleep.

11:33 My companion Elder Fonua, (Tongan Brother or "Poly Ca") goes into fight or flight response mod and wakes up Elder Larsons companion by yelling "Elder Carrasco are you hearing this!" Elder Carrasco is trying to find his ear plugs which are in his ears but he's so tired he can't find his ears. He says what are you two yelling about and then Elder Larson wakes up and the two Elders who wittnessed the freak out tell him what happened and they all laugh loudly.

11:40 Elder Hamblin during all this is still asleep! The other Elders who are completely awake get the midnight munchies and start in on my precious Mint OREOS THAT I GOT FROM MY FAMILY! (how dare them) Subconciously i hear them getting into my munchies and i start to freak out! I say really fast in my sleep "don't touch my stuff thats mine wheres my stuff don't touch that and cycle through those pharses at light speed then (still sleeping mind you) i say "Just kidding and lay back down so they think im awake with them!

12:00 I actually wake up and ask what is going on and they tell me and my only reponse was : I said what!

I am so sleepy all the time lately and i need to pray for more strength to stay awake. I will send some pictures soon! I am so glad im at the MTC and i love all my roomates to death like brothers but sleep is precious here.
I love you all and I wish you all good luck talk to you soon
Love,
Elder Hamblin

First Letter

Dear Hamblin Family,
I have been so blessed to arrive at the MTC with no damage so far. I got off my plane in Utah and hit the ground running. I went tothe shuttle bus and got a van to the MTC. When I got here apparently I had missed the big rush and so me and 2 other Elders went in through the wrong dorrs and ended up missing some important video and blue supply bag (which I got later) but I found my class and everything and my companion was there waiting for me. Elder Fonua is an amazing missionary with a big heart and a rock hard testimony. It was his first day too so we were in the same boat and he became my older brother practically. He introduced me to everyone and even gave me some gum to tide me over till dinner. He is just awesome and aspires to be a physical trainer so every morning I wake up at 5 am with him and he works ME out! I am going to be a mean, lean, preaching machine when we're done. He's Tongan so nobody picks on me and thats also a plus!

So anyways the 1st day goes by and I'm still in the shock of being here so I wasn't home sick yet but I was getting there with all the other missionaries getting their family photos out. Send me a photo of our family please. It would mean the world to me! We start our real 1st day in the MTC at 5am with my personal trainer/companion and we do situps, pullups, push ups, and then we went jogging. By the end of it all I wasn't feeling too good and when we went to go take a shower I was down right sick. Turns out I was dehydrated and there was no food in my body so I went to go re-hydrate at the wter fountain and drank a gallon of water. When I got back he gave me a banana he had smuggled out of the cafeteria and as soon as it was in all of it came out! I threw up all that water in the trash can and then I felt better.

We went on with our day and had more lessons in Tagalog. We learned how to pray, say hello, say where we are from and things like that. Saan Po Kayo Magmimisyon? Where is your mission? Magmimisyon Po ako Sa Kawayan/Cauayan." My mission is in Cauyan.

The language is coming faster than you would think and I am lovin it here. We went to the book store and I got some pretty cheap envelopes and stamps. So I could send you guys a letter! I get to use the computer once a week on P-day so I'll get to e-mail you pictures then! Check the address I'm sending this from. It's different from the one you got so make sure to change it!

I miss you guys I hope all is well and that everyone is getting healthy! Don't worry I'll take pictures of things and my companion. Even the snow-capped mountains are beautiful here! Well take care. Love you all!

Love, Elder Hamblin

Going to the MTC

When Devree was little and heard us say the "MTC" she thought it was the "EMPTY SEA" and she didn't understand why missionaries would be sent to an ocean without any boats in it. The MTC stands for Missionary Training Center and the main one is located in Provo, Utah. Life has been a whirlwind getting ready for Noble to go. We just got back from Devree's Make A Wish Hawaii trip on Thursday afternoon. It was Stake Conference on Sunday. Frantically we were trying to get everything done and packed on Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday, Noble got set apart by our stake president, President Haas. What a beautiful setting apart with all of the blessings you could ask for as a missionary. This mother didn't have a dry eye. Noble was asked to bear his testimony to us and as a family it was quite a tender moment. Grandma Rice was able to come with us.

Wednesday morning we were up by 5:30 to have family scripture study and to bid farewell to Noble. Devree and Shay were so busy ready to get out the door to seminary and tutoring they forgot to hug Noble goodbye. They decided to send Noble some chocolate hugs. Grandma and Grandpa Rice came with Todd and I to drop Noble off at the airport by 8am. Manny Boga had locked his keys in his car as we drove up. It was a time to try and get AAA to come and help Manny while saying our goodbyes to Noble. I checked the hatch back on Manny's car and it was open so he could crawl through and get his keys. Noble had to get an extended drivers license for the Philippines and so his license had a hole punched through. I watched him go through security to make sure there was not a problem. I did have more tears saying goodbye to my oldest. I know he will be a great missionary and I am very excited for him to go and find those that want to hear the gospel.

It was hard on Todd and I not being able to call to see if he got to the MTC all right. But I told Todd if he didn't make it, I'm sure the MTC would've called and asked where Noble was. Now the waiting for the letter to see how he is doing.