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!