CRAZY DAY!

So I've had a crazy day...

We left the MTC at 6 a.m.  After a bus and 2 trains we got to the airport. We were about to check our bags and then we found out our final flight had been cancelled.  The rest of our district going to Rome were fine and went on. They had already gone through security when we found out that our flight to Milan was cancelled, so we didn't get to say goodbye to the rest of district, including my companion. That was probably the hardest part of my day. Lugging over 150 lbs of luggage on 2 trains back to the MTC was not fantastic either. When we arrived at the Provo train station, the MTC forgot to send a car so we waited for an hour. We didn't get anything to eat at all until 3:00 p.m. today.  However when we (there are 4 of us Milanos btw) finally got back to the MTC we "ran into" Elder Ballard and he shook all of our hands. The devotional tonight was by Elder Christofferson. It was about the worth of souls and it was great! All in all we saw 7 apostles today! I think it made up for the 2 extra MTC meals we had to eat.

We all know we this trial for a reason and are praying everything tomorrow goes alright.  Hard things are good for us!

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Sorella Hamblin

BYU 49th Ward Missionaries at the MTC with me!

One week left?! COZA?!?!

Ciao!

This week has been amazing! Sister Sherri Dew came on Sunday and her talk was so inspiring and uplifting. She talked about how grace is power and how important it is for us to understand what grace is in our lives. Elder Ballard came last night, and. he talked about how important it is for us to stay focused in the Doctrine of Christ and to not worry about what the world thinks of the Church. He said to always look to the 15 men that lead the church because they will not and cannot lead us astray. Public Opinion is not God. God is God.

It is amazing to see miracles happen everyday here. I have loved seeing our investigators (our teachers acting) grow closer to Christ as we prepare them for baptism. I can't wait until I get to do it for real. I am not confident in the language and leaving makes me nervous; but it is a miracle that I already know so much and I know the Lord will help me through it.

Don't tell anyone but I'm actually going to miss the MTC a little. The spirit here is so strong!!!! I think I say that every week ;)

I also think I was sent on a mission to get over my worst pet peeve: people popping/cracking their knuckles/backs/necks/knees/anckles/toes. The sound gets to me :P But everyone does it here!!!

Haha my pazienza has definitely been tested.

One thing I learned here is that the Lord can still work through me despite all my weaknesses. He qualifies who he calls. I know this is true.

Thanks for all the love and support!

I love all the letters and Dearelders (shoutout to Danielle for sending me the pictures, so fun!)

Love,

Sorella Dani Hamblin

Take 1

Take 2

Take 3

My companions and me!

Studying!!!

And Studying!!!

Never silly though!

Hosting Sister Hurley

Skirt trade day with Sora Quist

Italian Party!

Party time!

Sorella  Destribois and me

The Italian GROUP!

I still can't believe I'll be in Italy in 2 weeks!

Same old, Same old going on here. I am learning so much! As soon as I feel like I am mastering the language they throw some new concept at me (past tense/imperfect/supersquash... yes supersquash!!) On Saturday our district  had a Solo Italianano day. It actually went really well, but by lunch we were all were frustrated with not being able to say what we wanted to say, I think it was the most quiet my companion has ever been in her life! Hopefully the next Solo Italiano day goes a little better.

The devotionals here are so amazing. My companion was asked to say the closing prayer,t and I got to sit on the stand with her and Elder Cook! After the devotional Elder Cook came over to say something to Elder Mika who had said the opening prayer but didn't shake any of our hands. Haha I was so close ;) The devotional was so great. I loved how his wife talked about how our mission is a message of gratitude to the Lord. At the end of his talk, Elder Cook  said that our mission would bless every single person in our life; what a cool promise from an apostle!

Teaching is getting easier and I actually look forward to it each day. We committed one of our investigators (who is actually our teacher) to baptism!! We also had our very best lesson as a companionship on Saturday when we taught a less-active (who is also a teacher). I strongly believe we teach better when there is no contention in the companionship. It is amazing how much I have learned about the spirit and how I can get it even more strongly in my life.

I love seeing all my 49th ward family here! Jeremy came in last week and today I hosted Courtney Hurley (going to Korea!!) who I met at school!

Today at the temple we ran into one of our favorite workers, Gloria Nixon. She is the cutest older lady who always gives us about ten hugs each and tells us how much she loves us! All the older ladies in the temple love talking to the missionaries, it is so fun! They make going to the temple even more fantastic!

Oh and goal accomplished! I memorized D&C 4 in Italiano this week!!

Thanks for the mail and dearelders! I really do love it! Thanks for all the prayers too!

Love you all,

Sorella (Dani) Hamblin

Reunited with my Freshman BYU Temple Buddy!

The good ole MTC Cafeteria (Breakfast time!)

Sora Quist, me, Andrew, and an Elder from Milan...

Week 3... Halfway there!

I seriously can't believe I only have 3 weeks left! There is still so much I need to learn! Besides the food, I am loving it here at the MTC. Every day is work but I always feel like I have accomplished something at the end of the day. I love teaching the two investigators we have: Luana and Christiano (they are really just our teachers). I feel like I learn the most when I am trying to teach them. Our teachers are fantasitc! I love all 4 of them. They all served their missions in Milan, watching them speak so fluently gives me hope that I will be able to do this!

Emily Schill, Andrew Tasingco (I know I spelled that wrong!), and Savannah Young all came to MTC this week and I've gotten to see them all. Our 49th ward family at the MTC is growing! I think there are 6 of us here now!

Not much has changed here... We get up, study, eat, workout, study, eat, study, eat, then study. and Mondays and Saturdays we have 6:15 service. I love Sundays and Tuesdays because of the devotionals! Last night's devotional was all about how we are supposed to love the people we are going to serve. I feel like this is one the biggest things they teach here at the MTC: LOVE. As Sorella Nelson says, "Love is always the answer." It reminds me of home because that is pretty much Mom's motto. Another thing that stood out to me in last night's devotional was the importance for people to realize that they are a child of their Heavenly Father, who loves them. It is the first section of the very first lesson and some people tend to just glide right over it . It is so important. I know that is how my own conversion began. That was the first testimony I gained and from their I could build the rest of it. I was talking to one of my companions last night and she told me she has always known that she was a daughter of God, but it has never been evident before she came here. This is so true. Miracles happen daily here, sometimes hourly. It is incredible. I have never been more sure in my life that Heavenly Father has a plan for me and knows the trials and the blessings I need in my life. 

Io so que Dio ci ama. Io so que questo vangelo e vero.

Thanks for all the love and support! I wish I had time to write more!

Love you all,

Sorella (Dani) Hamblin

Week 3 District picture.

My French Companion, Sorella Destribois.

One more District pic.  We have a hard time getting a good pic. of everyone!

Sora Quist and me!

Mom sent cookies!  They were sooooooooooooo goooooooooood!