Email 7/28/13

Mother,

 

https://missionary.lds.org/dress-grooming/elder/dress/shoes/?lang=eng 

 

This should have the bags that we can use for our mission. I think that if you just scroll down and look you will find one and then just order one online. I don't think that you can order on the lds.org site, but I think that if you look around, everything should be fine. Thanks!

 

I would just send you our address...but we are moving this week. The family that we are living with has a son that is getting married this week and will be moving into our appartment which is above their shop. I guess family takes priority! They could find a place for us to stay until Saturday, and so we are spending the next few days moving and preparing. I am not quite sure what the address iwill be, sorry! This week is going to be crazy! We ahve to move, take in a mini-missionary, go to several district meetings, prepare for MLC, go to MLC, and prep for a zone meeting that we are running. I really like being busy, it is the best!

 

This last week will stand in stark contrast with the current we are facing. Although slow, we did have some fun times and we learned lots! This next week should be fun!

 

Bytheway, Elder Taft got transferred. There was a misunderstanding in his previous area and President Taylor really needed his help in another area. He is going to White Salmon and Stevenson. I think they are still trying to recover from the mess that I left there, and Elder Taft is the perfect man for the job. I love you and I will write you soon.

 

Love,

Elder Hamblin

 

P.S. I will need the bag before the 24th of August. Elder Holland will be coming to the mission and President Taylor would like us to be prepared by then. Thanks!

Letter 7/22/13

Dear Family,
Just as lightening precedes an Arizona rain or the song of birds is a harbinger of Spring, so is "change" the loud and physical representation of the many blessings that are soon to follow.  The Arizona rain comes hard and fast but always leaves in its stead a rejuvenation of earth life;  robins and sparrows call in the new season, where in the rebirth of the earthly cycle begins.  We, as missionaries, have the opportunity to see this "cycle" happen daily in the lives of those we serve and within our very self.

We see these cycles often, some slow and some quick, as we help people understand who they really are.  This hastening of the work is not only manifest by the droves of new missionaries or the procedure updates by the church.  Rather, this hastening is very much professed in the knocking on doors and finding more people susceptible to hearing the message of the Restoration.  Literal changes manifested as miracles are pure evidence of this marvellous work.

So far this transfer we have seen miracle after miracle pile up.  Not just us but all the missionaries around us are seeing miracles which increase our faith and our desire to join in the work.

just the other day Elder Taft and I were walking down the street to an apartment complex we had tracted.  As we were walking we passed by a garage sale.  As we strolled by, the girl at the sale called out, "Hey, aren't you going to buy something?"  "Well, do you have any ties?"  I responded, figuring this would be a good opportunity to share the Gospel.  "We are always looking for ties".

"No, but we do have a suit and other church stuff."  We looked at the suit (which was made for an over sized cow) and the other items not really interested.  We picked a conversation with the girl and her brother, both of whom seem as uninterested as we were.  We gave them a card and turned to leave when we heard a crashing noise from the garage.

We turned about just in time to see a lady hurdle over the items of the sale.  "Wait!!!"  she called out, "I want a pamphlet or book or something!"

Bewildered, we took a minute before we realized she was talking to us.  She has always been religious and loves to learn about the different religions, hence the call for a pamphlet.  we talked with her for a bit, gave her a Book of Mormon, and got her address and number!  When we gave her the Book of Mormon it finally clicked with her who we were.

"Oh!  My best friend is a Mormon.  She lives in Utah now, but she really is great!  I have always wanted to be like her."  She became very interested the more we talked and gave us her life-story.  We set a time to meet.  She ended up living out of our area, but it was still a miracle to see.  We had something similar happen like that to us.  

A woman was found and taught in Woodland, but actually lives in our ward in Longview.  We met her in church on Sunday and she is very prepared to hear the Gospel.  It has been amazing to see all the work that is happening.

I love you all and hope you have a good week!

Love,
Elder Rex Hamblin

Letter 7/15/13

Dear Family,
Once again, transfers have come again with its changes.  Like seasons, missionary work tactics almost completely change with the area and companion.  We apply our knowledge we have gained and see what we can do to help "Lift where we stand".  Our zone completely changed as the missionary force continually increased; three areas were opened and a tri-panionship as we have more missionaries to help our fellow kin-folk.  Along with all the changes, we find that we too must change.

Testimonies are foundation, but they are added to; conversion is deepened as we drink from the never dry fountain of true water.  We change in our capabilities and, in doing so, increasing in our availabilities to the Lord.  I have learned much of this as I have had this amazing opportunity to be "white washed" into an area which is primed to perform for primium missionary efforts and a companion who is still climbing to the peak of his missionary efforts.  How lucky am I to be so blessed with both?

I didn't make a big move, but I made a huge transition.

Other than that I had some really cool stuff to tell you, but I can just bet that you really don't want to hear.  It's too bad because it was an amazing story that involved more than your average white tale.  Honestly I did have something to say, but I cannot remember.  Sorry, I guess all you need to know is that I am having fun and staying alive.  I love you all!

Love, Elder Rex Hamblin
P.S. Mom, I couldn't find a bad today and they probably won't come in for a while.  Could you please order me a bag?  Thanks!

Letter 7/08/13

Dear Family,
This week has been one full of running, remembering, and growing.  The 4th of July is, and always has been, a wonderful day to celebrate my freedoms.  What better way to show my rememberance than by teaching about He who made all this possible?  Without the unknown soul and the family of the nation we would never have the opportunity to hear the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fulness.

Now I know this letter is terribly short, and for that I apologize.  I am packing and cleaning right now, and have not had time, but I thought I would just scribble out a letter, so ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
``~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The End!
Sorry, but I thought that was funny.  Just remember I love you ALL!
Love,
Elder Rex Hamblin
P.S. I really am sorry!

Email 7/22/13

Dear Mother,

 

I really don't have the time this week, and for that I am very sorry. We got to our e-mailing session late, and we only have 25 minutes! This past week has been a blast. I went out on excahnges to Long Beach, Washington and for moring exercises we ran to the beach! We couldn't go on it, of course, but it was amazing to see the ocean and smell the salty fresh air. (That is where I ate the squash. It is amazing to see how small the world really is.) Tell Rat the football is the best preparation for a mission...if you know how to work the system right! I honestly think that it would be in my top three activities that prepared me for my mission, so don't lose hope. It is the best!

 

Love,

Elder Hamblin

 

P.S. Mom, I think that I am going to need you to order me a new bag online. Just look it up onlds.org and use my money and pretty please send me a bag. You are the best!

 

P.S.S. When is Kale getting her mission call?

Elder Babers

This is Elder Babers, Sis. Brown's grandson. He is in the Kennewick Mission, but somehow this got to me. Enjoy!

http://www.nbcrightnow.com/category/189473/video-center?clipId=9065783&flvUri=&partnerclipid=&topVideoCatNo=0&c=&autoStart=true&activePane=info&LaunchPageAdTag=homepage&clipFormat=flv. 

Email 7/08/13

Thank you so much for the birthday stuff, it was really needed (especially the jerky;). I really did have a fantastic birthday, all we did was run around! I think that I told you before but with the mission split, our zone just was added upon with the Rainer, Oregon Stake, so our zone went from 10 missionaries to 22! Talk about Mt. St. Helens exploding! So Tuesday we had a leadership training in Vancouver that started at 9. Our mission vehicle is a mini-van, so we took all the DL's in our zone. We live at the very edge of our zone, so we literally drove all day running missionaries to and from places and then went to the Stake Correlation. In total we spent 45 min. proslyting, 5 hours in meetings and the rest driving (and we started at 7:30)! Over all we drove just about 250 miles just on my birthday! It was a blast though; when you're with Elder Babbitt, you know that you are going to have a fun time!

 

Transfer calls were also this weekend. Because we are at the end of our zone, they doubled us out of Woodland and are moving us up to one of the "struggling" ;) wards in Longview. Not only that, but they are adding 2 more proslyting companionships to the zone and have a tri-panioship, so in total we will have 27 missionaries in our zone! I AM SUPER EXCITED!!!!!!!! This week has been great, but deffinately not like the 4th in EAGAR! I kinda missed that, but we were having more fun up here! O, I forgot to tell you that Elder Babbitt is also getting transfer to Washoogal, and I am recieving a missionary fomerly from Portland, Elder Taft. Love you all!

 

Love,

Elder Hamblin

Email 7/01/13

WELCOME TO THE WVM (the one and only Washington Vancouver Mission)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bishop Smith, I am sure that it won't be long before he is called to be an Apostle (do I hear the next Pres. Monson?). He is honestly one of the biggest influences in my high school years. He definitely had the way of keeping me focused on what is most important in the life of a teen-ager! I love that guy!

 

Well this week all the magic happened. Pres. & Sis. Greer left on Saturday as Pres. and Sis. Taylor arrived. We are completely ready for this new mission and we are totally excited! Everything has run smoothly as the mission has changed hands and names. We are taking in part of the Portland mission and our zone is taking part of one of the zones from Portland. Before we only had 10 missionaries in our zone, but now we have 22! That is one of the largest zones in the mission! We are going to be very busy ove the next few weeks dealing with all the missionaries, but it is going to be "funner thn a couplethree awrs of fishin". Tomorrow we have a Stake Correlation with the new stake that is in our zone, and we don't even know any of the missionaries or of the work they have been doing. This will also be Pres. Taylors first Stake Correlation as a new mission president, so I think that we will have the Lord's Luck on our side. Before that we have a leadership training in Vancouver and so we will be running around all day! It is looking to be a great 14 months left!

 

Other than everything, not much has been going on...except the work! We are trying to stay busy and the wards here are really kicking it into gear and helping us find more people to teach. We didn't have a great week last week (teaching wise) so the Bishops are getting on the wards to really help us out. I have been extremely blessed to have worked in such fantastic areas where the wards love the missionaries; this is a very positive point, because I am terrible working with members! So when they already love the missionaries, it really helps out a ton!

 

Well, sorry this hasn't been too informative, but I have to go! Love ya!

Love,

Elder Hamblin

Letters 6/10; 6/17; 7/1/13

Dear Family,
Hey! I am writing you on P-Day! Hey!  That is something that has been awhile. Okay, the truth is I usually write you on P-Day, Monday, but the letter doesn't seem to find it's way into the mailbox until later in the week.  I often ponder on how this phenomenon happens and I come up clueless everytime.  Anyway, the most important thing is that I write to you, right?

As I mentioned on my e-mail, everything has been hectic these last few days.  And we had very little time to proslyte.  But that brought a whole new meaning to the phrase "Standing as a witness of God at all times, and in all things, and in all places" (Mosiah 18:10).  As a missionary our goal is to talk to everyone, so when Elder Babbitt and I find ourselves alone, with no one to talk to, we often feel as if we are not doing our job.  The "main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing!" which often means having spiritual experiences with yourself first and then your companion.  When we have those spiritual experiences together, we become more unified and develop a relationship and friendship that will last forever.  This equation, in return yields success far beyond what we can comprehend in this mortal atmosphere and further accomplishes the father's plan for us all to be united and sealed together for eternity.

In both cases I did my first job in approaching them, but in one I failed to communicate in proper terms God's love for them.  As I have focused my attention to blessing their lives because they have come in contact with a representative of Jesus Christ, I can see more people open up and express their concerns.  Honestly, they still only let us in a small portion of the time.  But I know I did my part in inviting them to come closer to Christ.

In the scriptures previously mentioned, but promosed that our mouths would be full, and they will, but we still choose HOW to fill them.  "The kind words we give shall in memory LIVE and sunshine forever impart" (Hymns #231).

I Love you all!
Love, Elder Rex Hamblin

6/17/13
Dear Family,
In case you might have missed it, the world is changing!  The mission is being split, summer is upon us, and people are beginning to see the Son in their lives.  It has been a miracle to see so much change and growth within  the world, which produces a happier people.  As mentioned in my email, this past week we saw President and Sister Greer for the last time.  They don't gohome until July 1st, but they wont be back here before then.

What an extreme privilege it has been to serve along side president and Sister Greer.  It has been an experience of learning, growth and progression all in one.  Every chance I have to be around Pres. and Sister Greer, I have always learned something that I know helps me spiritually, mentally and/or physically.  I have loved Pres. and Sister Greer, but I know that Pres. and Sister Taylor will be just as amazing, and Christ-Like, because I am staying in the New Washington Vancouver Mission!  I will miss the east side of our mission, and it looks like I won't be able to go back to Milton-Freewater, but I LOVE this area.  I have to have one of the most beautiful missions in the world! 

I don't have much time but I want to tell you all about an experience we had last week.  The other day we recieved a referral from the oregon Portland Mission for a young mother.  The missionary who gave us the referral told us they were moving into our area and they (The missionaries) have been teaching them for a while.  We gave the sister a call and she sounded enthusiastic to meet with us.  When we asked to set up an appointment, she told us that her sister was VERY interested, too, and we needed to set up a time with her.  So in concordance to her request we talked  with her to "meet" and greet them both.  Just their intensity over the phone was enough to excite Elder Babbitt and myself to teach them. 

We met at the park here in Woodland, and they were both exceedingly joyful.  I am surprised that they were as Ammon, who seemed to be too exceedingly joyful at times.  Bt, as Ammon, they both were "truly penitent" and were each "humble seekers of happiness" (Alma 27:18).  As they began to ask questions it was clearly evident that they recieved the Spirit which  the Lord poured out upon them so they would be open to the word.  (See Alma 16:16).  They told us they had stalked our church and drove around it several times.  They told us they both had been INTENTLY reading the Book of MOrmon, Mormon.org, watching all the Mormon Messages, and changed their Facebook status' to Mormon.  We asked if they wanted to go on a church tour and they were more than excited, one almost started crying!  It is amazing to see the many different ways the Lord shows His almighty hand in bringing souls unto him!

Love,
Elder Rex Hamblin
P.S. Dad, I know its late but I hope you had a good Father's Day (and enjoyed the card) But I would like to express my gratitude as Nephi does, who writes about his father in every verse but 1 in 1 Nephi 1.  Love ya!

7/01/13
Dear Family,
Another crazy week brings us to another relaxing P-Day and another time of reflection.  Gone are the days of the WKM and the leadership and love of Pres. And Sister Greer.  Here today we have the creation of the WVM and a new found love for Pres. and Sister Taylor.  Happy are we to move forward in this hastening of the Lord's work and to move progression as we continually work to find those whom the Lord has deemed His elect.

Everything is going great up here in Woodland; the work is full and the weather nice.  People always open up along with the weather!  We do our best to keep all of our appointments, but things do fall through.  We did a ton of walking  this week to conserve the Zone's miles.  We have the most miles as the Zone Leaders and we have to share... a lot!  we walked a lot to help the Zone and found much service to do by simply asking and looking for opportunities to help.  This did not lead to many teaching opportunities, but it did lead to a full heart and miracles seen.  I was able to literally see the change within people about their view of "Mormon" and missionaries.

I did not learn this lesson of service and viewpoints until today.  I regret to admit that last week was hard, and I was very down on myself; I focused more upon: "now what do I need to do to make myself feel better?"  No success comes from looking solely inward for help and not seeking upward or looking to find someone else in a rougher rock and a harder hard spot than you, yourself are in.  If I were to merely glance about and see who I could help, our Heavenly Father promises us help and comfort from on high.  To quote maybe the funniest senior missionaries I have ever met, Elder Warren:  "Don't worry, never hurry, and be sure to smell the flowers along the way."  If we just look to help people "enlarge their memory" (Alma 37:8) then we are doing what the Lord requires of us. 

Sorry I don't have any sweet stories or cool experiences, but I am trying my best to remember them!  (that is not working out so well...)  I hope that this is sufficient; If not chastise me!  I love you all!

Love,
Elder Rex Hamblin

P.S.  Thank you for the package.  NO, I haven't opened it yet!  You are the best!
P.S.S. Mom, I can't remember if I told you, but I found a suit for $8, so you can take back the $ from my card.  thanks!