Email 6/24/13

Well, transfers were this week and we all survived! We had many miracles this week, but in order to actually write you and Pres. Greer, this will be this short!  P.S. the school in the back round is where they filmed Twilight. Just thought you all should know...

Email 6/17/13

Dear Mother and Sister Hamblin (yes this is for both of you),

Thank you so much for the money for a new suit. You can take back anything that I didn't use because I found a very nice and comfortable suit for $8! Yes it was from a thrift store, but it looks good and fits just right, so I didn't have to spend too much money (thank goodness). We like to do a lot of thrift store shopping here in the beautiful Northwest!

 

It is official! I am staying here in Woodland this upcoming and final transfer for the WKM as we know it, and I will be reassigned to serve in the Washington Vancouver Mission. I really would not have cared either way, becasue I love each of everything about both sides of the mission. Now (well after July 1st) we have four stakes from Portland, so now our mission streches from The Dalles to the ocean on both sides of the Columbia. Right now in the WVM we have 130 missionaries; by the end of the year we will have 200! Some of the larger wards in Vancouver and in Portland will have more than one sets of missionaries in their ward! The growth here is incredible! I am so grateful to be serving here right now, it is simply the best.

 

This last week we saw President and Sister Greer for the last time. We had a Specialized Training so they could give their last advise and give their good-byes. We, as a mission, have beeen focusing every aspect of our teaching on what is most important, HIM! I do not think that I personally know two people who not only teach but live their lives to emulate as close as they can the countenance that the Savior has given each of us. They have taught me so much of what a Christ-like person should truly be like and they have definitely defined THE way (2 Nephi 31:21). Yes, it was against mission rules, but as we were all giving our last good-byes, Sister Greer gave us all hugs. I love the Greers so much and it will be sad to see them leave, but we have so much to look forward too! President and Sister Taylor will be coming soon and they seem to be outstanding people. I love them already.

 

We also have seen some pretty awesome miracles this last week, but I will tell you about those in my letter that I will send this week. Sorry about no pictures, but I left my camera in the car. I will do my best to take some this week and send them in the next! I love you all.

Email 6/10/13

Dear Mother,

 

Well that is cool that Mandy gets to go to a Mets game! President Greer would never let something like that happen! But every mission is different and President Calderwood knows what he is doing that is best for the missionaries in his mission. I can only imagine what Sister Hamblin is going to do at the game!

 

I have been very busy this past week doing a bunch of "mission" stuff. I will probably write a little more in my letter, but this past week we only had about 10 hours of total proslyting time! It was fun, but I would much rather be able to proslyte than do the work like that. I like being out with the people and having the Spirit tell me what I can say to bless their lives for that day, but there is much to be done with the mission splitting and there are some missionaries that we need to look out for. Bytheway, are you getting my letters? This morning when I went to put a letter in the mail box where we live, there was still a letter that I had sent Friday. Granted I didn't have any time whatsoever to even think about a letter last week until Wednesday, but this week you should get two letters back-to-back. I am doing my best to keep my promise to President Hunt.

 

I hope you all have fun on your Nauvoo trip. Elder Babbitt is from that area, so and he knows all about Nauvoo! You will have so much fun on the way to Nauvoo. We had a trip to the Tri-Cities (about a 5 hour drive from Woodland) and I learned something along the way. Roads have directions. They also have signs. Where do you think you are going? Unless we have a goal, we are wasting time (and for missionaries precious miles) roaming around waiting for somthing to happen. We have a destonation whether we know it or not. The real question is are we goal setting for how far we want to go, because as missionaries we HAVE to make every mile count.

 

Love,

Elder Hamblin

Email 6/03/13

 Well all I can say is that it must be a good thing that Uncle Scott called Kale to serve a mission because she needs to go. There are way too many people here in the WKM (and soon the WVM) for Kale NOT to help. (That is just my guess to where she will be called to go!) It is amazing how much the work is progressing! We are seeing so much success as a companionship, as a district, and as a zone. The Lord is truely moving his Spirit to help those who are looking for the truth to be able to find it. The rich, poor, needy, well-off, the suffering, those who rejoice, the thoughtful, those who don't know why, and all others who can be "titled" are recognizing the gospel truths and are striving to find it. This, I believe, is in the infux of missionaries in the world. Yes they are better prepared, but without a doubt, every single missionary that is "fresh" or about to depart will all have the same respose in 18-24 months: "I KNOW THE GOSPEL IS TRUE." These wonderful young missionaries are the true truth-seekers in the Lord's equation as the seek to find those who will accept them. My mind is continually turned back to the irrevocable Economy of Heaven; the more we focus on someone else, the more we will come to know we are seeking the truth too. We just have the added advantage of knowing where to look.

 

For example, Elder Babbitt and I have been teaching a foriegn exchange student from Brazil. He is really trying to find what is right and told us that he will continue to investigate the church while in Brazil. In our most recent lesson with him, we knew that we wanted to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but we didn't know where to start; as soon as the prayer ended I felt the Spirit wrought within me to move me in a way that I have never been able to teach before. Both Elder Babbitt and I knew at that moment what God's plan consisted of and how we can find out more for ourselves. Such powerful instances will always fill our hearts as we testify, with faith, to what we have felt to be true!

 

Love,

Elder Hamblin

Letter From President Greer

23 May 2013

Dear Elder Hamblin,
Congratulations on your call to serve as a Zone Leader.  You have distinguished yourself as an obedient and capable missionary who walks by faith and teaches by the power of the spirit.

The Lord has placed a great trust in you by giving you this assignment.  The Mission President's Handbook describes your duties as follows:  "Your most important responsibility will be to lead by example in proselyting, baptizing and confirming.  Your area will be a "model area" for other missionaries to see how they an be successful and build the Kingdom".  (Mission Presidents Handbook, 5)

Your influence on all those around you-missionaries, members, and investigators-has been of great benefit to the Lord and His work.  You will serve as a representative of the mission president in your zone.  In all that you do, you will represent his direction, policies, instruction and guidance for the mission.

May the Lord bless you as you undertake this important assignment to lead a zone.  In all things lead as the Savior would.  Lead with love; lead with courage.  help the missionaries be successful as they strive to build up the Kingdom of God in preparation for the return of our Lord to this earth.

Faithfully,
President Leonard D. Greer
Washington Kennewick Mission