August 22, 2013 

 Mom, I stinkin LOVE YOU!! It's so great to hear from you every week! I am glad that your back is doing better and that you are walking. over a mile a day?!!! sheeesh that's great! 

This week has been good. I sent some pics so I hope that you get some. I sent one with me and a palm tree. 

I hope that sent! I can see an improvement with the language. We do about 2 practice investigators each day. Sometimes our lessons go for about 35 mins and we speak Spanish the whole time. It's great! I know I make lots of mistakes, but they always understand what we are saying. It's a really cool feeling. At lunch I try to talk to the latinos..we have one elder we talk to all the time and whenever he responds, we can't respond back. We have no idea what he is saying. 

 I have not yet received the PB package,....but as I read it, a huge smile took over my face. HA! I told Hermana Scholes and she just laughed. oh man! Last week somehow the elders got my fork story out of me......I should have NEVER EVER told them. They all poke jokes about it EVERY day at least a few times. They all think that it is hilarious. My district wants to take a photo with us and our forks. That will probably come next week! So I hope you enjoy it :)

 I heard that we are leaving the MTC on sept. 10th. that is a rumor, but I'm pretty sure that is correct. Well I should probably go because I have only 45 mins to email and I have to read everyone else's but I will reply more if I have time. I love you and thank you for all of the support! I really appreciate and need it :)
 -Hermana Hamblin

Thursday, August 16, 2013 * Hey Sweet Mamma! It's so great to hear from you! I am trying to upload pics but I dont know if I will have enough time to figure it out. Sorry if I can't! I got my first letter from Dad yesterday! Tell him thanks! I wrote both you and Dad a letter and so they should be sending it out any day now. Today we got to actually leave the gates of the temple and MTC. HOLY COW! It is a very differnt world out there! The traffic is ridiculous! haha We walked about 15 mins to go to the store and I was pretty much drenched in sweat. I bet Blake knows all about that! We had about 50 missionaries all go to the store so you can imagine the looks and stares we got! People kept pointing and say "Americans! Americans! I couldn't stop myself from buying an almond Snickers and a dominican chocolate bar. I am just missing chocolate!! The only time we have sweet things are at night after "family prayer". Sister Freestone has a little basket of choclate and so we line up and say goodnight and receive a chocoalte. It's a very special part of the day! After walking to the store I am so excited to start proselyting! But I am a little nervous about how to teach people on a busy, noisy street! I can't believe Blake has a companion that does not speak any English! That is good in a way because she will learn the language the best in that scenario. I kind of hope that happens to me! Each week we are given a topic that we are supposed to prepare a talk for. Then on Sunday President Freestone announces who will talk and bear their testimonies. Of course, I was the first and only sister asked to speak on the first Sunday. It went well, but it was kind of ironic because the night before I was talking to my companion and telling her I hoped I would be called on to speak,,,,,sure enough I was!!! As for the language, yes, we still speak English. I still have to take in written notes to teach my lessons, but it is coming. We had a new bunch of new sisters come in from JAMAICA!, and a few from other Central Amreican places. It's so much fun to be surrounded by people from different cultures. I think I will have the same companion the entire stay at the MTC. I think they are counting this as our third week and that we only have two weeks left, but no one has clearly communicated anything yet. I honestly have no idea how many missionaries are in the West mission, but there is an island that is part of my mission too! I am so glad that your back is getting better and that you are feeling well! It makes me happy. How is your deal of no chocolate working out?? I shouldnt be craving any because you haven't had any for a LONG TIME. Jess is having twins. I just know it! Then I can come home to find 2 lil bundles of joy! Maybe I should start praying for that!! haha Today was the second session that we went to the temple. I had a really neat experience. I might not have time to email Granny so tell her for me :) At the end of the session before I went up to the veil I was just praying. I was kind of falling asleep but I was praying for the lady that I was going through for. I prayed that she would receive the ordinances that I was doing for her. At that very moment a thought popped into my head...Papa Hamblin knows this lady. I dont know how or anything but I immediatley woke up becasue it was so strong! I felt that she accepted it. Then I looked down at the place and it said from Massachusetts. Didn't Papa serve there? I don't know but the date was 1776. It was a cool experience! for the deoderant, we have only gone to the store once and we weren't given much time and I'm not sure if they will have a good brand here. I should go but I love you bunches!!!!! Tell everyone hi!!! -Hermana Hamblin!!

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Hi Mom! And Dad! Thursday at 12 your time is when my p-day is! Thank you for writing me. It is always good to hear from someone you love. Well, I really love it here! I met sister Huish in the airport. She is darling. I room with her and 3 others. My companion's name is sister Scholes. She is from Boise Idaho. pretty cool huh?! It is beautiful here! We can barely see the water from the MTC but that is enough for me! It is definitely humid, but I can't tell too much until gym time. For the last few days I've been playing volleyball with like 30 other people. By the end everything is COMPLETELY soaked. My district is awesome! we have 8 people in my district. 6 elders and me and my companion. 
We have a Haitian in my group that speaks Creole/French and knows Spanish pretty well. He is older and is such a nice guy! His name is elder Joseph. My Spanish has been getting better by talking to him. We still speak English here..lots actually, but when we are in class they pretty much just teach in Spanish. I have taught a practice investigator 2 or 3 times and it has gone okay. It is all in Spanish, but I write all of it down on a piece of paper. I read it, but I can say things off of the top of my head as well. There are only about 60 missionaries in this MTC, and I love that it is so small. We know pretty much everyone, including the janitors. The people here are so kind. We also stay with all of the temple missionaries and those who come to be temple workers from all over. The other day we met some people that were from a tiny island located in the lesser Antilles :) We also met some older ladies from the West Indies that come here to go to the temple to work. They take their vacation time to fly 10+ hours to work at the temple. What an example they are to me! The teachers here are amazing. I really love all of them. One sounds like he is from India and is soooooo sarcastic. Everyone loves him though. He reminds me of people at home interestingly enough haha. It is hard to switch straight to Spanish and sometimes I ask myself if I can do this....YES I CAN!! because it is the greatest thing I can be doing right now! There are lots of people here that have been such an example to me and have lifted me up! Well, it is great hearing from you and I love you a ton!!! please share this with Dad. :) Love, Hermana Hamblin