August 24, 2013 

 I have felt so much strength this week! I am so grateful for your support. Thank you. really, I can feel the difference in my life. I hope to be that Bright Spot in someone's life. And YES! I am becoming Chinese and FAST. It is a pretty rough transition. And this may seem mean but I am SO glad that other missionaries are having the same struggles I am! It is nice to know that I am not the only weak one that the Lord needs to strengthen! Again, thank you so much for the prayers and fasting and everything you do. I love you! 

 Yes I know Camrie! Sister Smith haha. She was in my MTC group! We are great friends and I love her. We loved talking about Round Valley and Snowflake together :) We have planned to see each other at Christmas next year! HOW COOL IS THAT?! She is such a sweet girl! That is so cool that you met her aunt :) 

 You send letters and everything to that address! I got one of Dad's letters last week! We only get mail once a week....maybe. The mission office is so far away for missionaries so whoever decides to go to Kowloon will pick up the mail. 

 Ok, we have a great normal toilet and shower in our apt. So that is a blessing! But Hong Kong does have a lot of squaters haha so I'll probably be using one soon :) our apt. is a high rise! I'll send a picture! But we are only on the 17th floor. That is such a blessing because the elevators are SO HOT! Everything is so stinking hot and HUMID! I know I say that every week haha but it is so true. And We have a washer and a dryer in our apt. Really we are blessed. The food is NOT like American Chinese food. I ordered some sweet and sour chicken the other day and let me just tell you that it was sketchy. We have this market called the gaasih. And boy does it stink!!!!!!!!!! It is just a bunch of raw meat sitting out in the heat and humidity. The smell fills up the streets and I have to hold my breath for like 5 minutes. I'm surprised I haven't passed out yet haha. 

 Everyone speaks Cantonese and no one really speaks that much Mandarin...well, they know it and they know English but they don't speak it! Sister Lee loves the food! Chicken feet and all! Charlie is so cute! I'll get a pic of that too. This week Our mission president let us go to a concert!!!! YEAH A REAL ONE! It was a boy band by the name of Beyond 5! haha They are all members of the church and the church sponsored their Asia tour so it was cool! But it was so weird....music is weird to me now. How sad is that? Anyway at the concert we were supposed to get as many emails as we could for our online elders. So I just asked everyone! I got quite a few. Then I asked one boy and he asked me on a date. I told him that I could not date while on a mission and he said oh I know, I'm a member. He gave me his email and told me that we could start after my mission. hahahaha It cracked me up! 

So hey, I still have hope after my mission! I do love this gospel with all of my heart! It is the most amazing thing on this earth. If I preach this gospel, Heavenly Father will take care of my family. He will take care of me. 

Another amazing experience! Yesterday at church I was welcoming the members. Then A WHITE MAN CAME INTO THE ROOM! (I never ever ever see white people) and he was a member of the Asia 70! He shook my hand and talked to me a little bit about my experience and how long I had been in China. Then, later he talked in sacrament meeting. And during his talk he made me stand up and wave to the members. Then he told the members to support ME and to help ME. He said, "Sister Hamblin may not be good at this language, but her testimony and the spirit will convert the people". I thought that was such an answer to my prayers. Then my comp and I traveled to another city for a turnover lesson and I saw the same man coming out of the elevator! He came to me, shook my hand, looked into my eyes, and said " You are in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing". and then he walked away. I love the confirmations I get daily and the blessings I get from missionary work. I love you all so much! STAY STRONG! Oh and what do I eat normally? rice....chicken...noodles...and other stuff I am not sure of. OH AND CEREAL! It is so expensive...but yes i am gaining weight! haha sad sad.