September 27, 2010

Hey Family!

I´ll start with the questions.

 

Tell us a little more about the language.  Sounds like you are already comfortable with it which is really great.  Do you take turns running the meetings you have with investigators?

     Language is good. I can pretty much understand and speak. I need to build my vocab and the grammar is coming more and more with time. We take turns teaching sections of the lesson. We usually divide the lesson into two parts and we take turns teaching each part.

Give us a little more detail on the food you eat.  Do you have snacks during the day?
    Food is always rice and beans with some kind of meat. Also lots of potatoes. No snacks during the day, so we´re always hungry when we get home at night haha. Usually have a sandwich or something.

Did we ask you if a mosquito net would help you sleep at night?  It's your choice, but if I were you, I would rather have bug spray on than have bites all over.

    I´ve thought about a mosquito net. I may just have you guys send me one in the next package. I´ve been using the fan and it works okay.

 

Do you get to watch conference?  Where?

     We can watch conference. It will be in Pirassununga, a town about 30 min away. We will either catch a bus or caravan with the church members here. I don´t think we´ll get to watch priesthood because they show it at 9 saturday night and 6 the next morning. We´ll see though. From what i understand it will be in Portuguese haha. Saturday is an if, it depends on how the work is going during the week and investigators and stuff. I think Sunday is a for sure though. I´m excited. It´s cool being able to tell people that they get to hear a prophet of God speak to us. It really is a privilege and is important to watch. I think people forget.

So glad that you weren't bitten by a dog.  How is Elder Souza's leg doing?  

    Fine. It really wasn´t too bad.

     Well it was a tough week to be honest. We had two interviews with 2 girls, one 12 and the other 15. They passed but the parents won´t sign. Its frustrating. There are parents here who barely have a mind for where their kids are and what they are doing, but when it comes to baptism and not drinking and living the law of chastity, they say no. Only Satan can do that to people haha. We are working really hard but nothing seems to be coming our way. There were some days that I just wanted to quit. I´m glad for my companion. He said that his first transfer was like ours. I´m doing well now. We just have to keep working with the hope that we can find someone. I really like the parable to the lost sheep. Jesus left the others in search of the one. This is what I am doing right now. Searching for the "one´s" that are ready to hear the gospel. I also like D & C 18 and how it talks about the worth of every soul and our joy with one soul in the kingdom of God. It has been hard but we keep going on. At the beginning of every week we get to start over. A chance to start new and try for a new best. This is exactly like the atonement. Every week we have the opportunity to partake of the sacrament, a chance to repent and do better. No matter what happened last week we can change and learn and do things differently. What a blessing. Right now for the work we need to find new investigators. We need better quality investigators too, those who are really looking. We arent receiving references yet so we find through contacts. 

I have a cold right now that I am fighting. Wish you were here Mom haha. I got a haircut today and it was great. I hadnt had one in a month! It was about time.I love you all so much and thanks for the love and support. Stay strong and close to the Lord through the Spirit. I´m going to try to attach some pictures.

 

Love,

Elder Hawkley

 

This is my district at the CTM. I will forward the pictures from zone conf. 

More pictures next week.

 This was a Zone Conference in Pirassununga, Brazil.  Ryan is in the top row, middle.