Rule 51: Homeless people really can be the best investigators!

I think the most interesting thing that happened this week is that both me and my companion got colds. Haha! Other than that, we've had a pretty average week. We have been doing a lot of "finding" work in the cities closer to the church because most of our investigators live really far away. We found out that the church is only about a 20 minute walk from the train station so all we have to do now is convince everyone that they want to have fun Sunday walks with the sisters. 

Oh the cool girl we met on the train last week came to English class on Friday! She actually speaks English amazingly well,-- better than I speak Italian! Who knew?! She probably doesn't need the class at all but I'm not going to tell her that! Another amazing person that we are teaching is a homeless man that lives in our city. He is amazing and has already read so much of the Book of Mormon. The only problem is he likes to hang out on the steps of another church. It makes it a little hard to teach him, but at least the pastor of that church is super nice! 

Well somehow I always run out of time, one day I will write a super long incredible misssionary email :)

Till next week!

Vi voglio bene,

Sorella Dani Hamblin

Rule 45: Mission Birthdays are the best!

September 24, 2014

(This was stuck in the "draft" folder, so it is a little late!)

Thanks for all the birthday wishes!!!! I had the best birthday a missionary could ask for; full of birthday miracles! We even set a baptism date! It was really weird because the whole day I kept forgetting it was my birthday. You spend everyday on your mission trying to think about yourself as little as possible so when your birthday rolls around you don't know what to do. I made it my birthday goal to set a baptism date and we were able to! It was one of favorite days on the mission so far. We were blessed with having a day full of appointments and even teaching on the train in between. I have learned a lot of success on the mission comes from having faith. Sure, everyone you work with has their own agency. Yesterday we got stuck in a small city called Incisa for an hour because a lady never showed up to our appointment and there was no train back. But even when things fall through you can still look on the bright side. Because we had this appointment we took a train where we met an amazing girl and she is going to come to our English class! We got off at the same stop and she asked if she could walk with us for a while because she liked talking to us. We would never have met her if we hadn't been stuck in Incisa. 

I had culture class this morning so our p-day is cut a short. Sorry I can't respond to everyone today!

I have a new companion, her name is Sorella Russell and she is AMAZING! We get along so well and she is such a hard worker. This is her last transfer so she is ready to work as hard as she can before she leaves. I am excited for the weeks we have coming up. 

Vi voglio bene,

Sorella Dani Hamblin

My birthday dinner with Jasmin and Muma!

This is so appropriate for this week!  New companion!  I will miss Sister Jarvis though!

My new awesome companion:  Sorella Russell!

Funerals! Baptisms! Transfers! Oh my!

Jasmin was baptized on Saturday!! Sorella Jarvis felt the adversary fighting against this baptism all week, especially Saturday. Because Firenze is pretty far for our branch members, most of them couldn't make it, including the two members we asked to give talks. The anziani were great though and offered to the do the talks. The biggest miracle is that Jasmin didn't feel the tension at all! Right before the baptism she said she felt sick, and we were scared she was getting nervous. But when we asked her what was wrong she said that she had never felt so full of happiness before, it was literally making her sick. The baptism really affected her mom as well. She said it was amazing to watch Jasmin come out of the water! Jasmin brought with her some cousins and another one of our investigators.  She was going to bring two more aunts but the van was full and Firenze is just so far from Arezzo.  Jasmin is an amazing example and I know she is really going to help the work in this area. She wasn't confirmed Sunday, because her mom could't come but she will be this Sunday.

I think I can say with assurance that Saturday was the craziest day of my whole life. First off, I dressed someone for burial at 7am. It was the first time I have seen a dead person, let alone touched one.  I can't believe I did it!  If you know me at all, I don't do medical things -: blood, shots, nothing!  My companion was having a really hard time because we had actually visited the women a few days earlier. I know I was blessed with strength to be able to overcome my fears so I could help. Now everyone in Relief Society thinks I should be a doctor... haha sooo not happening!!!! However the experience ended up being really great and made me really appreciate the Plan of Salvation. It wasn't a a sad experience which was really cool.  Afterwards we headed straight to Firenze to prepare for the baptism. On the train we got a call from President.  Sorella Jarvis is heading to Rimini tonight to be Sister Training Leader and my new companion is Sorella Russell who only has one transfer left. I will meet her tomorrow and I am super excited. This means I will most likely be in Montevarchi for two more transfers and I am so excited about that! 

As far as the baptism, a lot of things fell through last minute but it was a good experience for Jasmin, and that is all that is important. She really is one of the most elect young women I have ever met! President Dibb always says our little branch has the best young women. It is so true!

Well I am hoping this next week will be a little calmer, but either way I am excited for things coming up. This work is amazing!

Thanks for all the birthday wishes already!!! 

Vi voglio bene,

Sorella Dani Hamblin

Rule 27: Sing Often!

MIRACLES: The same simp I wrote about last week, Meri, came to church this past Sunday!  She told us she wasn't going to make it but then she just showed up with her two year old daughter and her daughter Michel who got baptized last year! It was such a great day. In Gospel Principles we invited a member to the lesson. It was so great. Meri connected to her instantly and the spirit was so string during the lesson. I am hoping to have this member come to more lessons with Meri because they live near each other (which is another miracle). All-in-all we had 5 investigators at church. Our baptism commitment,Jasmin, brought 2 people with her. She is such a great example to everyone around her and I know her baptism is going to bring even more miracles!

We have definitely felt increased opposition with this upcoming baptism. We are praying members even show as it is going to be more than an hour away for most them. However, Jasmin is still super excited, and she just amazes me everyday.

Today we went to Cortona, an old city up in the mountains. It is beautiful! We missed the bus we were going to take back so we decided to walk around until the next one came. Well... it started pouring  and there was absolutely no place for cover. A man yelled at us to stand under his little restaurant to wait out the rain (We were trying to hide under a balcony... we were soaked). He went inside then came back and had brought us wine. He had already poured us 2 glasses before we could tell him we don't drink alcohol. He then said in English, "but you drink water?" He gave the wine to a nearby couple and then we had to run to catch the next bus. I don't know if he was going to bring us water but he was super nice! So it turns out that the bus to take us back looked nothing like the bus that took us there, so we missed it again. And it was still pouring. All of sudden this bus full of people in super fancy dresses shows up. A WEDDING! They let us stand in the bus until ours came. I think the only reason they let us in is because Sorella Jarvis and I were singing "Singing in the Rain". We were able to tell them about our missionary work. I should have told them about the Rome temple...

Yesterday there was an Europe Area Women's Conference. Anziano Bednar and Anziano Ballard spoke along with many other speakers. It was amazing! We had to go to Firenze to watch it so we had to leave before either of the apostles spoke but it still so great. It made us feel so connected to the church . Sometimes Italy feels so disconnected. They don't even have quads in Italian... haha -- ok little thing :)

This week I have studied charity a lot. It so important to remember that everyone around us is a Child of God. They may be hard to work with but charity isn't easily provoked and we have to be patient. God is patient with us and all the silly things we do. I am so thankful I have been able to see people in a new light here as a missionary. It is amazing to see people as our Father in Heaven sees them. Every soul is precious!

Vi voglio bene,

Sorella Dani Hamblin

Cortona

Cortona

Cortona

Cortona

Cortona

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The downpour in Cortona!

Cortona and the rain!

Soaking wet in Cortona!

Cupcakes!!!

Reading with our new convert!

Reading with our new convert!

Rule 17: Everyone picks on the new kid

September 3, 2014

Rule 17: If you have a one in 30 chance to show off your Italian skills in your very first zone conference you can almost guarantee you will be picked (even if it is a computer choosing).

We had zone conference! It was amazing! It really was the spiritual uplift that I needed! President and Sorella Dibb are so amazing and they just love us so much! 

Rule 13: Don't accept referrals from anziani who have cars. Sorella Jarvis and I have decided that Trek is actually mission prep for when anziani give you referrals on the hottest days of the summer. Luckily the weather is getting really cool here.

Our miracle this past week is that we got to meet with one of our past investigators twice! She is the mother of one of our new converts and has actually been to church a few times. I met her for the first time on scambio with Sorella Hoffman. She finally let us see her this week. She was really open with us. She knows that baptism is a big commitment and I really respect that she knows she isn't ready yet. She said she will prepare for October. Since we set this goal I have seen things in her life improve. The lessons we have with her are some of the most spiritual experiences I have had on my mission. It is so wonderful to find someone who is honestly searching for the truth.

Jasmin update: We just have a couple more lessons to teach her. She is AMAZING. She is such a great example to her friends. She has such a big heart. When she found out that my birthday is coming up she started planning a HUGE party. Yeah... my companion and I are still trying to explain why we can't have a huge party. 

One of the Sorelle that is going home after this transfer shared her testimony at zone conference. I want to share something she said. She loves sports so is a sports analogy. The mission is game time. You had 19 years to be with coach but now its up to you. Coach can't play. It's against the rules. We can't always hear coach but He trusts us. Sometimes we feel alone whether it be on the mission or not. It doesn't necessarily mean that we are being punished. Sometimes He just wants to see what we can do.

Vi voglio bene!!!

Sorella Hamblin

Zone Conference

Sorella Hoffman & Hamblin together again!

Sorella Hoffman & Hamblin!  Allen girls serving in Italy!

YEA!  We didn't have to cook!  Sorella Jarvis & Hamblin

Such a Dani picture!

A Grateful Heart

Last week was the Week of Consecration for the Italy Milan mission, and after talking to some other missionaries, it turned out to a be pretty rough week for everyone. Despite cancellations and empty trains we still were blessed with incredible miracles.

One of my favorite miracles this week was on Saturday. It was another day when every single appointment canceled. We decided to go try to find two families we talked to in Incisa during finding. We ended up taking a few wrong roads and we realized we were on the wrong street completely. All of a sudden a car drove past us then just stopped in the middle of the road. The driver started to get out of the car and Sorella Jarvis was saying "Buona sera" when she realized it was Noemi, a simp. from months ago. They had to stop teaching her because her dad made them. Noemi had recognized Sorella Jarvis and stopped her car in the middle of the road to say "Hi". We found out that she has moved out! We can teach her again. I know that the Lord led us to that street so we could find Noemi again. I have only talked to her for 5 minutes but I already love her so much!

Jasmin continues to amaze us. We asked her to read the introduction to the Book of Mormon. We come back the next day and asked her what she thought. She said that it means that we have to pray to know the Book of Mormon is true because if we do we can know that everything else is true. Wow!  She is 12 and she just understands so much. When we told that if she didn't stop drinking tea we may have to push her baptism date back she said "NO!!! Okay, I'll quit today. From today on, no more!" Wow!  I am so happy with how much her mom supports her too!

 

This week I have thought about how important it is to be grateful. Things may be hard,but we always have so much to be grateful for. This gospel and this life is amazing. Always remember how blessed you are.

Vi Volglio Tantissimo bene!!!!

Sorella Dani Hamblin

Checking out the view with the sisters serving in Florence.

Florence!

Florence!

Florence!

Love this Work!

We set a baptism date with Jasmin! She is the 12-year-old cousin of our new convert Michel. We started teaching her English and then we got permission from her mom to teach her. She actually asked a couple weeks ago how she could be a part of our church. She has just embraced this Gospel. She takes notes when we teach her and she always has so many questions for us. I just love her so much and am so excited for her. She has given us so many referals, including her mom. She really is the biggest miracle I have seen in my mission. She amazes me every time we teach her. When we set the day for September 13, she realized it was two days before she goes back to school and she said "Good. I'm going back all puuuurrre (in Italian: puuuurrrrraaa)." Haha she is just so excited and it so wonderful.

We have had such a great week. I just love all of our investigators so much. After every appointment Sorella Jarvis and just talk about how much we adore all of these people. We have been blessed to teach some truly amazing and humble people.

This past week EVERYONE has wanted to feed us. I have eaten a lot of Dominican food, and Phillippino food, and I even ate wild boar! One of our investigators told me I was eating lamb... but it was actually just steak!

This week I have been thinking about how wonderfully perfect this Gospel is. Everything about it just makes so much sense, I just wish I could show everyone! I just love my mission, every single thing about it. There is nothing that has brought me more joy in my life than telling people about this Gospel. I know if people really understood how much their Father in Heaven loved them they would never want to do anything wrong again. Even I forget sometimes. But it is this knowledge that changes lives. I feel so incredibly blessed to have it in my life.

NEVER FORGET GOD LOVES YOU!!! MAI!

VI VOGLIO BENE

Sorella Dani Hamblin!

Jasmin, Sorella Jarvis & Sorella Hamblin