2 weeks or 2 years???

It's only been 2 weeks but it feels like 2 years!!!

And yet, I don't want to leave! I absolutely love it here!

It amazes me how much I can learn in just one day!

My companionship had a hard week. It turns out that I have been offending my sweet french companion every time I say "you're good." I say it all the time like when people apologize or say excuse me I say it instead of "no problem" or if she is asking if she is saying the English word correctly I just say "you're good!" Apparently that doesn't translate so well in french! The whole time we've been here she has thought I didn't like her ! But now thank goodness we talked it out and we are already much closer. I just wish I had known sooner! 

We have been working on companionship unity this week. It is harder when there is three of us, but I'm up for the challenge!

Anziano Nelson and his wife came out yesterday! Sorella Nelson talked about how important it is to be desperate: desperate for the gospel, desperate for the Savior. I hadn't really thought about it like that before. Anziano Nelson gave a lot of good advice. One thing that stood out to me was his reminder to ask for blessings. The Lord is willing and waiting to bless us, all we need to do is ask!

Everyday I am reminded of how real the gift of tongues is! It's incredible!

I saw Sister Vandebourge (I know I spelled that wrong!!!) from my BYU ward and Sister Bennion from Allen!!! It is so fun to see people I know! I see Elder Andrews all the time. Both my comps. are extremely social so between all three of us, we can't go anywhere here without seeing someone we know.

My favorite days here are Sundays and Wednesdays (P-day) We get to walk up to the temple on Sundays and get to do a session on Wednesdays. I am really going to miss the temple while I am in Italy! 

I have grown so much as a person and I've only been here two weeks. I am on the craziest emotional roller coaster but I have never done anything that is better for me. I have grown to trust and rely on the Lord more than ever before.

Tomorrow we are teaching 4 lessons (in Italiano of course)! Wow. I think we have finally figured out how to teach well together though, so I'm pretty excited! Yesterday we had one of the best lessons.

Please please keep writing me. Mail time always makes my day so much better! Thanks for keep me updated! Love you all!!

I'll close with a thought I heard last night:

Why I am here on a mission? Because I follow Christ.

Con amore,

Sorella (Dani) Hamblin

My companions and me at the Provo Temple.

Week 2 District pic.

Take 2!  Probably should have done a few more takes!

Sora Quist (going to Rome) is one of my best friends here.

More sisters going to Rome!

And more....

And one more!

This drawing was done by my French companion.  Can you guess which one I am?

Bongiourno!!!

OOOOWOW (wow in Italiano)! What a week!! Come si dice "emotional rollercoaster"?!?

So much has happened I don't even know where to start!

Every one has been telling me the first couple days at the MTC are hard, well... it's true. The MTC motto is "just throw them into the deep end so they can learn how to swim." But hard is good. Hard things make life worth it. I want to be able to look back at my life and say I did hard things and they made me stronger!

If you can make it to Sunday you are home free. This is the truth. Sundays are marvelous here. THE SPIRIT IS MOLTE MOLTE FORZE (so strong)!!!!! Last week Holland was here, I just missed him :(  However, this week we got Bednar! He opened the floor to Q&A session. How often do you get to ask an apostle any question you want. I didn't ask anything, but any question I could possibly have about the gospel was answered that night. Like seriously. I wish I could just send you a tape of the whole thing. But they only show the tapes at the MTC.

I have 2 companions, which I am actually starting to really love. 2 best friends are better than one right?! Sorella Pinkston is 31 and way sassy but super kind and outgoing. We think a lot alike too which is fun. Sorella Destribois is from France! She never really spoke English before she came here so we have a hard time communicating sometimes. That has been one of my hardeset challeges so far. When it gets hard I think of how much harder it must be for her. She knows French. Spanish, and English and is trying to learn Italiano. Almost all her sentences come out in 2 or 3 languages. It is such a blessing that Sorella Pinkston and I both took French in high school.

Our district is fantastic! Everyone is so eager to work and help each other out. I also love my Italiano teachers. They are so patient and supportive. I like my zone a lot too. We have two Italian districts and 2 Romanian districts! My companions and I are the only Italian sisters but the Romanian sisters are wonderful! Yes, Anziano Mika (aka BYU basketball star) is in my zone. He was a little rude at first but he has really opened up and I already know too many of his embarrassing stories. 

I've already seen everyone I could possibly know here.  I've already seen everyone I could possibly know here. I've seen Elder Andres, Elder Yates, and Elder Bronson all form BYU 49th! It's so great to see people I know and I'm excited that more will be coming in while I'm here!

The language is so hard, but I truly know the gift of tongues is real. I surprise myself daily with how much Italian I can say. I'm even starting to think some in Italian! Please pray for me to be able to have the gift of tongues. Elder Bednar promised that if we would continue to pray for the gift of tongues it would come. He said it would only come if we wanted it for the right reasons, if we we wanted it so we can help those we teach not for ourselves.

I'm am so grateful to be here. There is a spirit here at the MTC that is unlike anything I have ever felt. I love it here. I love it for the good and the bad. I have already grown so much as a person in just one week! I know this is where I am supposed to be at this time. I wish I could share everything I have learned! I am so grateful that the Lord answers prayers and I never have any reason to fear if I have faith. This is the very best time to be a missionary!

I hope you are all doing well! Thank you for all the emails and letters, they truly make my day. I remind my district leader everyday to check the mail! DearElder.com is the best way to reach me because they deliver on the same day! Please include your address though if you send me a letter through dearelder! I love hearing from everyone, please keep me updated!

Love you all!

Sorella Hamblin

P.S. I found the Jacob Hamblin building!!! It's my own building!!!!!

Home sweet home for 6 weeks!

Temple time is our favorite!

My district is the BEST!

Sorella Long and I rock at cleaning!

Anziano Mika rocks at "photobombing"!

Ciao!

My name is Dani Hamblin and I've been called to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I've been called to serve in the Italy, Milan mission. I will speak the Italian language. I leave for the MTC on May, 14, 2014 and will be in Italy around June 25. I am excited to be able to serve the Lord for a year and a half and can't wait to get out there! I love this church and thankful for this opportunity in my life.