Email 5/27/13

Dear Mother,

This week has been absolutely nuts! We had transfers this last week and they are always crazy when you are leaving! I was moved from White Salmon/Stevenson, but I was put in another area just north of Vancouver...Woodland! Do you know where that is? It is just south of Longview. And if you don't know where that is I don't think that I can describe it! It is so beautiful up here and it rains all the time still! We are supposed to get some better weather coming up here soon, but for right now I love the rain.

 

I have an awesome new companion, Elder Babbitt from the Mid-West. We have had just too much fun over the last few days.

 

Sorry that this is late, but we just found out late last week that we were going to the temple today, so P-Day was moved accordingly.

 

I can't believe everyone is gone! Ship's done, Rat's about to suffer the long pangs of summer ball ;), and Blake is gone to China! What the heck! I am gone for 9 months and everything goes and thinks that it can change! Without me! But then there is a lesson in that too. Change is the purpose of life, and most of it is not up to us, but rather how we react. Just a thought!

 

Love,

Elder Hamblin

Letter 5/20/13

Dear Family,
Life has been such a roller coaster this past transfer!  it's ups and down then it ends all before you can truly enjoy the ride.  Sometimes you scream with excitement, other times you scream for terror, and then there are those times when your stomach just can't seem to hold itself.  When the ride comes to a halt, you realize that you have been screaming (and hopefully not up-chucking) on the person right next to you, your companion.  I have been so blessed by the Lord to never have a "bad" companion, and Elder Wilmott is no different.  He is older, but has such a love for the gospel that i wish one day I can obtain.

Anyway, the week was wonderful.  I had an exchange in The Dalles on Monday and Tuesday with Elder Peterson from the sunny state of California, Los Angeles in particular.  He is our Zone Leader here in The Dalles Zone and has had such a marvelous influence over every missionary here.  (As a side note, my "father" Elder Olsen is coming to The Dalles to serve as a Zone Leader with him.  Too bad I won't be here!)  Anyway, after P-day we went out and knocked some doors.  Elder Peterson is quick with words and wiht the Spirit; we found 3 new investigators in 3 hours!  It was a miracle.

Then Elder Wilmott and I went back to work in our area.  Despite our best efforts we have seen quite a sudden drop in the work here over the past few weeks.  It has been a unique challenge, but one that was needed.  We were able to learn much about each other and how to keep motivated while we see something fail.  BUT when it all came down to it, we figured out the solution.

As a missionary, we have a purpose; This "statement" can be found on pg. 1 of Preach My Gospel.  Not only is this a mission statement, no pun intended,  but also a profound expression of love once we truly encompass this into our lives.  Quite simply it is how the Doctrine of Christ meets the action necessary in order for us to show our love for people.  Once we learn why we love, the how becomes easy.

Anyway, these are some of my thoughts this week.  I sign out from White Salmon/Stevenson.  A literal home away from home.

Love,
Elder Rex Hamblin

Email 5/20/13

Hello Mother,

 

CONGRATULATIONS SHIPPA!!!! I knew that she is the best and just overall loving in Round Valley! And I am beginning to learn that there are not many things more important than being a seminary graduate. You can see and feel the difference between the missionaries in the mission field whom graduated from this amazing Church Educational System that the Lord has provided for us. Bro. Wilkins always said, "Just going on a mission will always change your life for the better. What you do in the field will determine how much more better your life will be effected." I strongly know that seminary (ESPECIALLY with Bro. Smith and Sis. Martin) is the exact same way. We all are better people and just for the mere fact that we took at least an hour of our day and sat through a seminary class. Even if you slept through the whole class you WILL be a better person!

 

It just so happens that this week is a big week for all of us. Ship's graduating, Rat's promoting, and Mom is ending. I found out on Saturday that I will be transfered to the Woodland 1st and 2nd Wards in Woodland, Washington (just north of Vancouver). My new companion is Elder Babbitt, but that is all I know about him. I have loved White Salmon and Stevenson more than I ever thought I could. The people here are just so great, although they don't take to the gosple very well. That is alright as long as I know that I did my best to help them, even if it was just to smile, I know that I helped bring in a little more of the Light of Christ into their lilves.

 

Well, I have to go, but I will write more in my letter (if I have time between packing!).

 

Love,

Elder Hamblin

Letter 5/13/13

Dear Family, 

Well, not much has happened since yesterday, just some normal P day stuff...emails, shopping, driving are just some of the jist of it.  It was really nice to see you all though. This letter will probably be short because I don't have much to say.

Last Monday the Relief Society president from the White Salmon ward asked Elder Wilmott and myself to come over to her house and teach her family the lessons.  Her husband has had some health problems, so he has not been able to make it to church.  Her grandchildren live with her, and they have been coming to church every now and the .  She said she wanted us to come and help her family.  I think it was at this time that I caught a glimpse of our true calling in this work...a very personal representation of Jesus Christ.  I have stated this again and again in "My Missionary Commission" but it did not hit me until then, we are called OF God.

This week it is forward!  As Samuel the Lamanite, we will find a way! (Hel. 13:24).  That was a pretty inspirational scripture for the week.  Well, told you this was short, but I really do love you all.

Love, Elder Rex Hamblin

Love this face,

Email05/13/13

Well I just talked to you yesterday so there is not a whole lot to say; it was really good to see you all (except for Kale...;) just kidding you know that I love...well at least like you.) Things are going very well and we hope to really see the work pick up this week. This week is the week before transfers which usually means the slowest week of the transfer. As a Zone we set some lofty goals to keep us focused on the work and moving toward perfection. We want to find almost 20 new investigators as a zone, and I think that the average that we have found per week is just over 10. Pray for us! We have also set some other goals in hopes that we will be able to acheive these goals, but we will see what will happen in the upcoming week. We are really trying to work on contacting referrals this transfer to, but we have not been receiving that many. Hopefully we can pick-up the wards as we pick-up the work.

 

This last week we had a really good Zone Conference: the last one with the Greers. I really do love them and am thankful for everything that they have taught me and do for me. The really are just like a second set of parents. It wil be sad to see them leave, but change will never be for the worse and always for the better. Even when we think that things were better "back then," if we truly look at our lives and see how much we have grown, we will notice that change, just like rain, is a good thing. Yet I will still miss them.

 

Anyway back to the Zone Conference I had one major take-away--because the Prophet said so. That is it. Because the Prophet said so. This quiet and simple truth came to me in the most unlikey of places, when we had our meeting with our Vehichle Coordinator. He was talking about way we keep our cars clean and after a few remarks from us he said as a side remark, "Because the Prophet said so." He then laughed and gave some other reasons, but that phrase was branded into my every waking and resting thought for the next day or so. Because the Prophet said so. What a remarkable statement in showing your love for the Lord! What trust you show in your priesthood leaders! If all we have to do for our eternal salvation is respond to every why with "Because the Prophet(s) said so," how great will our wil l our calling in election be!

 

Love,

Elder Hamblin

Letter 5/06/13

Dear Family,
As (with all) weeks pass, the beautiful summer weather is beginning to set in.  The days are progressively getting warmer as the suits are being shed.  More white is new shown and the beauty all around is displayed as the scenery comes from their shadows behind the clouds.  Green from Mt. Adams to Mt. Hood can be seen in the overly luscious Columbia River Gorge.  People are reverting back into people as they shed their turtle like shells.   (And who said there is no evolution)!  The wonderful human creation responds to sun and light in a fashion that resembles a flower.  First they are bundled up (even almost dead) and refuse to share with the world what God has given them.  The warmth of the sun allows them to blossom and share their intellect with the world. 

Past experience, future prospects, and current growth are seen and detected in each conversation.  From door-steps to investigators, everyone is opening up.  We have an investigator that we have not seen since just about the first time we saw him.  He was a referral from the bishop and was very excited about the Gospel and the promised changes it will bring.  Thoroughly enthused, we committed him to be baptized.  We saw him again the following Saturday; although sick, he was still engrossed in the Gospel  He asked us to send him a chapter to read everyday as he changes his life.

That was just about the last we heard from him.  He would cancel or miss every appointment we would set up with him by giving some skittish reply.  Days turned into weeks as weeks turned into a couple of months.  Appointment after appointment was missed.  After some thought and prayers for planning, we decided to give him one more shot before we let him go...and again, he missed it.  The next day, Elder Wilmott and I were in his area and felt impressed to stop in.  Following the Spirit we knocked on his door to a hollow answer.  Again we knocked with the same reply.  We were just about to leave when he opened the door.  Obviously we had just awoke him from a mid-afternoon nap.  Groggily  he invited us in and asked us to sit while he made some phone calls.  There was no hiding the fact that he was trying to escape this current meeting by a "rescue" from his pals.

After a few failed attempts, he looked at us with dismay and told us it was over.  he fed us many excuses which we would refuse by some simple questions.  Slowly but surely we could see his will dissolve right before our eyes.  Before long, his shield was completely broke and true confession came out.  He broke down and began to tell us the things which he had been doing, and how hard it was for him to quit.  He mentioned his friends that have been bad influences for him.  He described the disappointment of his mother whom he had been trying to help.

The more we listened, the more the Spirit flooded the room.  The more he talked, the more the Spirit bore testimony to him of the comforting power of repentance.  We told him that we were there for the sole purpose to help HIM.  That is all it took.  We told him that we never did expect perfection from him.  I am truly glad he wasn't perfect.  Disappointed, yes, glad, absolutely.  We asked him if it would be good to have his mother there with us.  he said that she, too, had been hitting rough times and could benefit from this Gospel.  We gave her a call and she said she would love to help her son and would love to come and sit in.

Family is family is a family is a family. That is it.  The whole gospel-family.

Love,
Elder Rex Hamblin
P.S. Chuck Norris' Driver license photo looks amazing.
P.S.S.  The only time Chuck Norris has ever been wrong is the time he thought he had made a mistake
P.S.S.S. Chuck Norris once struck lightening
P.S.S.S.S. Ghosts are actually caused by Chuck Norris killing people faster than death can process them.

Just to let you know, every night Chuck Norris prays to be more like Kelvin Walker.  What you learn from a mission...Love ya Dad!

Email 5/06/13

Called it, but I honestly didn't see Bishop Nicoll and Bishop Davis as the counselors! I think that they will do a little more than an amazing job at running and maintaining the Eagar, AZ stake. They are definitely some very wonderful men and I count myself lucky to have been partially raised by each of them. I am very excited to see what will happen in the up coming years.

Seattle won't be part of the new Vancouver mission, but it will be pretty close. We already know who our new mission presidents will be for each mission, so now it is just a waiting game to see which of the two new missions we will be called to serve in. I honestly don't care which mission I will be in, but I love this area very much! I think that my time here is coming to a close, though, but I tell Elder Wilmott he will be the next one transfered. I think that I could stay the rest of my mission here. Of course both towns that I serve in (and the surrounding towns) are about half the size of Round Valley, I don't mind. In Stevenson there are very few people that I have not met! I have jsut about ran into everyone here in the town, but they are all so friendly.

The other day I got a parking ticket. I thought that is was the most hilarious thing that I had ever seen. We were in Hood River for a District Meeting, and then went out to lunch afterwards. When we came out from lunch, we saw that we had all recieved parking tickets. Everyone was very upset and I could not help but think to myself that it was not a huge deal. We all messed up. To see how mad they were at a funny thing like that was more than I could handle, and I just burst out laughing! Then I got to thinking of what a great teaching tool that could be. We all blatantly obverted the parking signs and had to pay the consequence. We too, in life, have the specific rules for life, which we sometimes seem to be uncareful and unaware. We both recieved a fine for our blunder, and both had to pay the price. Now that could ruin a day or make your week (cause I am still laughing about it), and it is all up for us to decide. I can tell you what though, I am MUCH more careful where I park now!

Love,
Elder Hamblin

P.S. I sent you a request on Skype, if you could accept. If not I will send another one on Mother's day.
I think that the best time for me would be about 8 in the evening. We are on the same time right? I hope that works for you! Love you!

Letter 4/29/13

Dear Family, As I have mentioned in my email this week, we had some pretty amazing miracles take place before us. This is not just here in the Mission Field, but in our everyday life. We have done all we could to do the best we could do to see as much success as we could. Now I desire to keep this desire to continue to go forth and serve the Lord. This past week we worked hard with one of our investigators who was on-date for the 27th of April. This is the kid that I mentioned in my email. This miracle did not come to pass from any work and devotion from Elder Wilmott and I. This came from the work and prayers of missionaries in years past, present and future. This came from all these missionaries laboring diligently in the mission field, especially (because I play favorites) in the WKM. This came from the families of all the aforementioned servants of Christ. Blessings come from diligent and persistent prayer, because prayer is the axle which drives thought to action. Although vain repetition is harshly rebuked by the Lord, continued righteous desires (followed by the open heart and mind) are rewarded and added upon. Most of the week was spent pushing for his baptism and focusing on getting investigators to church (although we only had one investigator show up for the two wards). Elder Wilmott and I did our best. But we will be satisfied for the baptism. Love you all and Talk to you soon! Elder Hamblin "Deep in the valley lies a school we love so well. Round Valley High School Must we say farewell? We thy sons and daughters, Raise our voices to the sky, And the hills re-echo Sending back our cry! R.V. Round Valley High School! Alma Mater Proud are we! R.V. Round Valley High School Thy sons to be..." I can only imagine what it'll sound like! Go Shippa! (Riann)! 2013