Email 10/21/13

Well hello there! The great Portlandia is just getting better and better! Don't get me wrong, the town is still very weird, but I think everyday that I am here I love this place more and more; granted I probably still wouldn't raise a family here or live here, but when I know that I am protected by the Lord, it is not too bad. I am continually amazed about the strength of the members here. The families here know the very definition of "living in the world but not being of the world." Not only that, but they are coming alive with their missionary work! They keep us very busy and give us much work to do.

We have been teaching Jaclyn (the woman whom we found between the sessions of conference) and we put her on-date for November 9th, the weekend before Elder Olsen goes home. She is the very essence of what the Lord is talking about when he says that we are to gather the elect. She is currently studying Chinese Medicine and is super busy in college. When we asked her on Friday how here reading of the Book of Mormon has been going, she said something like this: 

"I had a mid-term in one of my classes and a major quiz in the other one. I had been really busy in study groups and I have had to use every chance that I get to study for my classes. Every time that I sit down to study I think to myself 'I could study or I could read the Book of Mormon...I think I will read the Book of Mormon.' Then I end up reading it for hours on end and don't really study for my classes....I got a 98% on my mid-term though!"

She is already at 2 Nephi 16, well that was on Friday. She is loving everything that the Spirit is teaching her and I am so humbled and grateful to be a part of it! We hope that she will still be doing good here soon!

I found my camera, it was down at the mission office. I just got it back so I haven't taken any new pictures, sorry. I will be more diligent this next week! I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love Elder Hamblin