Hey family,
Well, I found out last Thursday that I'm going to be a dad haha! I will be training. And what's more is that I will be training the only missionary coming from Portugal! Haha I'm super stoked! From what I understand the people in Portugal speak portugues as well, but with a different accent and some of the words we use have different meanings to them. It will be awesome! Presidente Prieto served his mission in Portugal as well. I will be going to a city called São Carlos and from what I hear the field is white. I'm ready to work. A missionary that will be training too is leaving that area. He was with a missionary that didn't want to work very much and I guess the members said that they have some referrals, but will wait for that one missionary to leave. So, I'm going to go there and work hard and get these referrals. Elder Wright, one of the financial secretaries, worked in the area that I'm going to before he came to the office. He loved it and told me lots of cool stuff about the area. I'm so excited to get back to the field and be able to serve the Lord full time. I will be a District Leader in the Zone. In my district, there is only one other companionship, and they are Sisters, haha. So at least I wont have to do divisions haha. But from what I hear the sisters there are working hard. In our zone there are 10 missionaries, which isn't very much. Including me, there will be three missionaries training, another elder and one sister. We will be a young zone, but ready and excited to work. It will be a great transfer! Last transfer was introduced a new training program. Trainers and their new companions will now stay together for 12 weeks (2 transfers). During this period, we will have one hour of personal study and 2 hours of companion study. It is pretty structured what we should study in these 12 weeks and what should be our goals with our new companions. The purpose of this new program and our purpose as trainers is to train our companions in such a way that they are able to train another missionary at the end of this time period. The Lord is providing his missionaries with many new techniques and technologies to help us in our service to him. Each companionship now has a personal DVD player to watch training dvd's. Elder Boren, other financial secretary, served a little in the states and said that the Zone Leaders there have laptops at home. The Lord is putting more and more trust in his missionaries so that we have a chance to serve him more effectively.
How's scott doing? And Elder Bean? If you could, it would be cool to receive their emails.
Thanks for the updates about the wedding! Please send more pictures when you can! Sounds like Murphy's law is taking effect with you guys. But don't worry, it will work out. How's the new truck doing now? Can you say Warranty!/?! (I hope so) How is the new couple doing?
In two days, I will make 1 year and 5 months since I left home. Can you believe it? The time has gone by so fast! It doesnt even feel like it has been that long! I'm glad I have the time left that I do to keep learning and progressing. I watched a mormon message the other day by Elder Nelson. I like how he said that we shouldn't demand too much of ourselves, but that we should demand is improvement. That is so important to remember, especially as a missionary. We only finally figure out what we are doing after experience. That is why the Lord sent us here, to learn through our experiences. There are things that are impossible to describe to teach, that we learn only through experience.
It has been a blessing to serve in the office. Some of the things I learned from Presidente Prieto:
-In the mission, the Lord blesses our families. After the mission he blesses us.
-If you are having problems with comp (or spouse for that matter), go home say a prayer and talk until the problem is fixed
-Families that regularly hold FHE may have children that fall away, but they those children will eventually come back.
-I have learned a lot about the workings of the Spirit
-Through his example, I have seen the importance of patience and how it is an essential attribute in loving people.
From Elder Ilustre I learned the importance of humility and patience. He never got mad or frustrated with me, no matter how stupid I was. From Elder Wright, I learned the importance of being happy and positive. In EVERY situation there is something good to find. It may be stupid, but at least that will make you laugh. Elder Boren was an example of growth, of learning how to do better and then changing and putting it into practice. These elders have become my brothers. I love them and know that our friendship will continue after the mission.
I have been writing Elder Bean and Elder Hardy. They are my best friends! Their words of encouragement and support have been so great! Now that I leave the office, pdays will be better and I will have more time to write them back haha. They seem to be doing so well and the Lord for sure is blessing them too!
In our area, I grew a love for the members. They became my family. That family seemed a lot better this week, but ended up not going to church. I know that they will be baptized one day. The Lord led us to anohter family in need. We were walking one Sunday to see that family. They called us and canceled. We were a little bummed and standing in the shade in a park. A man came accross the street and asked us if we were mormons? We said yes and invited us to his home to drink some water. He said that he had been baptized in the church in the United States. He talked a little but then had to leave. Before he left, we talked with his mom who said she had painted a painting of Moroni (the one in the Book of Mormon kneeling) for a sister missionary that she liked (she is not a member). She asked us if we wanted to see the painting. We said yes, so she took us to a friend of hers house to see the painting. We went to the friends house and saw the painting. It was super good and about 3 feet by 4 feet. We started talking to this lady's friend. The painting was a good oportunity to explain about Moroni and the Book of Mormon. The lady who made the painting went home and we got to know the friend (an 86 year old senhora) and her son. She showed a lot of interest in the church. Her son told us how his wife is dying of cancer. We talked about the Restoration to his mom and then testified quickly about the Plan of Salvation to him. The spirit was strong. We now have a baptismal date with the mom and the son is open for our visits. For now they are without time as they care for the son's wife. I know the gospel will help them and that the Lord led us to them. He know's his children individually and loves everyone of us. He doesnt want to see us sad, but it is part of the plan. Our job to keep the commandments so that no sadness that comes is a result of our actions.
I love the gospel and the answers that it gives us. I know that it is true. The Book of Mormon is true. The church is true. Families can be forever. We have a living prophet!
I love you all and thanks so much for the support! Hope all is well and I want you to be happy.
Elder Hawkley
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