One Year

Email received:
Well, what an interesting week this has been!

We lived through Typhoon Glenda! It really was just a normal typhoon, nothing to exciting! But we had fun cleaning up little mini flash floods from all the water coming through our windows! :)

There are some areas in our area that have some flooding, with pretty black water! That was way fun! Its a good thing I like adventures! But please pray for the people here as typhoon season has just started!

This last week I celebrated what would have been my 1 year mark as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints! What happened to the time?! One year already?! It feels like it has only been a few months!! but I have learned and grown in ways I never though possible! I can now eat fish, and shrimp, and even speak a different language. But the thing that has been the greatest is the daily walk I get to take with our Savior Jesus Christ! From the first moments I wake up to when I go to bed I am engaged in this work. I have learned from the scriptures and from the Holy Ghost and have had the unique privilege of seeing modern day miracles!! None of this would have been possible to this extent if I had stayed at home! Even though this past year has been filled with heart ache and trials, I know that those trials are necessary to give me the "spiritual traction" and Elder Bednar puts it, to help me grow!

Every day when we wake up we have no idea what it going to happen! But we also don't know the many wonderful blessing our Heavenly Father had prepared for us!

So wherever you are at, and whatever heartache you are facing, face it with a smile and with courage for you have the Savior of the world behind you ready to back you up!!

I love you all so much! Maraming Maraming salamat po sa lahat ng support ninyo at pagmamahal!! ( Thank you SO much for all of your support and love!) I couldn't do it with out you!

-XOXO-

Sister Hawkins

 Written Letter Received:
 So Today is what wouold have been 1 year as a missionary!  One year ago today I entered the Manila Missionary Training Center.  I had no idea the kind of adventures that laid ahead of me, the excitement and heartache I would face as I invited others to come unto Christ!  And I had no idea how fast time would go!  It feels as though this day a whole year ago was just yesterday. 

Today I realized something wonderful.  We contacted a referral last week whose name is Henry, but his nickname is DubDub. We are going to teach him and his parents for the first time later today.  And I just realized what a big event this is. Their family is about to enter one of the greatest journeys of their life today and they are being given the opportunity to effectively prepare for eternal life.  They didn't have this chance yesterday!  Today, it all starts.  And they have no idea.  a scripture I found that seems to be appropriate for both these amazing events is D&C 78:17.  In this relation to Joseph Smith the Lord says "ye are yet little children and ye have not understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands prepared for you" 

As we wake up everyday we have no idea the kind of happiness our Heavenly Father has prepared for us.  But everyday we have the opportunity to find out. The Lord then continues to say in verse 18 "ye cannot bear all things now, nevertheless, be of good sheer, for I will lead you along.  the kingdom is yours and the blessings there of are yours and the riches of eternity are yours" 

Even though we may be blinded by our everyday troubles we ned to look up and be of good cheer because he truly is here, Leading us by the hand and eventually we will one day realize just how great our potential is! 

:Live each day to the fullest, cheerfully!  They go by  to quickly!  I love you all and I am so thankful I have such amazing people in my life who love and support me.  I will see you soon.  Love Sister Hawkins

MIni Miracles

So... A new transfer and the same companion! :) Sister Mole and I are still together. She goes home in October so just 2 more transfers! I think Ill be the one to kill her (that just means im her last companion!). We are gonna have lots of fun this transfer!
This last week was a lot of fun and we saw some miracles as we were able to teach some people who have in the past not wanted to listen!  We thought that Sister Mole was going to be transferred so she was showing me some homes of less actives in a particular subdivision. for some reason after she showed me, I just walked right up to the gate and rung the door bell. Normally I would say lets try here but for some reason I didn't even think about it! I just did it! And guess what! They let us in. We had a great chat and found out that she hasn't been to church for 10 years because there are "a lot of problems and unanswered prayers". But she asked us to pray for her and her family because they are experiencing some strain in their family! I am really excited to go back to this family! I know Heavenly Father has some great experiences waiting for them!

We also extended a baptism date to a man and his mom who have been involved with the church for almost 10 years and just haven't been baptized. Well the mans sister is coming to stay with them from Washington for 2 months and she is fully active. I think she is going to be a really big strength for them! But while we were there they invited their friend, and they said that they should all just get baptized together! yay!! Its one of the greatest things to see people embrace the gospel! They even said "Hi" and stopped to talk when were walking down the street!

Sometimes being a missionary can be frustrating and disappointing when you don't see the immediate results... However at the end of the sat it isn't the big things that make the difference it is all the little things. And that's not just in missionary work, but in life as well. So when the big things you are doing don't seem to work, break it down and see what you need to do right now, and than, as time goes by watch for the miracles!

So here I am waiting for the big miracles and I watch the little one days by day!

I hope all is going well on that side of the world! Know I love you and miss you all much! Stay safe and get closer to Heavenly Father!

-XOXO-

Sister Hawkins

Those Around US

So yesterday I was able to have an interview with my mission President! (man i love that guy!)... But we talked about who we affect as a missionary.. what are the outcomes. 1, ourselves 2. Our companions and 3. those around us.

this letter will be short because of time but for little bullet points we must take care of ourselves. We must truly "work out our own salvation". We need to work, and we need to work hard. But we must not forget about ourselves and our needs! So... Take some time for yourself this busy week!

Our companions... We can all learn something from those we are associated with. I personally believe that Heavenly Father has placed people in our lives to help give support on this mortal journey!

Those around us... Sometimes we have no idea the people that we affect! We have no idea that the smile we passed their way may have helped them decide to continues to live. And we have no idea that one day they may accept the gospel because of it. Sometime we get frustrated because we don't see the result of our good efforts or we fell that they are wasted. But we should never think that way! "Charity never faileth"

I'm sorry it was so short, but I hope that you can each ponder those people in your life and the kind of affect you are having on them. Who will they become because of your example? Don't forget yourself in that evaluation!

I love you all and I am so thankful for all that you do and for all that you are! Each one of you has had a profound effect on my life and I am forever grateful for that!

Love you lots!

-XOXO-

Sister Hawkins

I've learned this about myself

Through this whole experience with some investigators I have learned something about myself.  When faced with a situation that I cant change I don't dwell on it..  Its not that I don't think about it, or that my heart doesn't ache but I don't focus on it and drive myself as well as others crazy. 

Every time we leave this investigators home my companion gets so sad, and just dwells on it and basically says the same things every time over and over.  Anyways, I repeat it one time and then I am done with it.  I am sure she thinks I have no feelings, but I see no reason to dwell on something I cant change. Rather I exercise my faith by doing my best.  This is the only way his promises are sure and we all need his help.. 

My studies in Preach My Gospel (PMG) chapter 6 have been focused on humility!    PMG.says that humility is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of spiritual strength.  In Helaman chapter 4 the Nephites forgot to be humble they forgot just how important Heavenly Father is and the amount of strength they received from Him, verse 13 tells you what happened. 

" And because of this their great wickdness, and their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper, but were afflicted and smitten, and driven before the Lamanites, until they had lost possession of almost all their lands."


Read it!  Ponder it!  Apply it!  Humility also includes having confidence in HIS plan...I'm still working on this one!  But I do know he has a plan, one much better and more beautiful then we could ever imagine.  Im still trying to work on this but this is why I dont just sit around when something unfortunate happens. 

To find happiness and enjoy His plan more often then not we must get on our feet and work.  Never forget the strength he gives you or we may leave you to your own!!!

Don't forget to let me know about your PMG studies!!  I love you, see you soon. 

Family....Central To Heavnly Fathers Plan

We had mission workshop and the workshop President Sperry gave us was the workshop he gives the missionaries when they are going home.  Since he and Sister Sperry are going home he gave it to all of us. It is about families and finding are eternal companion! Needless to say we were all a bit trunky!  But we quickly got over it.

So he first started talking about the creation and how the earth was truly made for us to come and create families.  Then we talked a bit about how important family is.  We can see how important family is because of the greatness of Satan's fight against it.  Some ideas given were same sex marriage, the degradation of the importance  of children, the attitude of spouses to one another, selfishness, and the pleasures of the world and then the kicker....hanging out!  You know, having personally gone through the affects of Satan's temptations I can say just how powerful and harsh they are, and they aren't going to stop!   

President Hinckley once said that Satan's attack is now on the family.  Why? Because besides Christ, family is central to his plan.  We see many ways Satan is attacking the family, but as eternal law requires there is equal and greater tools and happiness available to families, like prayer, family home evening, making and keeping covenants, being honest, setting family goals, clinging (not just holding) onto your spouse, and allowing Heavenly Father into your life daily!

We examined the examples of Nephi and his family. They went back to Jerusalem to get wives ( I Nephi 7:1) and they even had weddings.  Then the big day came when Nephi was done building the ship and they set sail to the promised land.  As the scriptures tell in I Nephi 18:9 Laman and Lemuel and theiir wives began to make themselves merry and become exceedingly rude!  They even bound up Nephi to eventually kill him.  This is when we see the faith and love of his sweet wife in verse 19 it says, that not even the tears and prayers of his wife and children could soften their hearts.  Nephi was large in stature, obviously a faithful and righteous man......What kind of person was his wife?  Did she honor the priesthood?  It seems to be this way. Nephi got the kind of wife that was comparative to himself. Laman and Lemuel as well.

So what kind of person do you want to marry?

Or what if you are already married, what kind of relationship do you want to have?

I know I am not married yet but I have seen lots of examples of how a good relationship works and how a not so good one works and the good and especially best relationships arent easy and they include 3 people ALWAYS!!  The husband, the wife, and Heavenly 'Father.  We must always rely on him to lead and guide us.

I am so grateful for my family.  I know I knew them before we came to this earth and I pray everynight that we may each become worthy to continue our journey together as an eternal family.  It is absoultely possible. We were once broken but by carefullly applying the teachings of Jesus Christ and using the atonement we have found happiness and hope for a brighter future. The family truly is central to this plan and there is a way to be sure of an eternal companion and to know how to raise failies in this ever changing and dangerous world.  But as with all the commandements of God, we must first exercise faith!

I don't know Heavenly Fathers plan for me after the mission, but I'm excited to find out! 

Everything has a Purpose

So we decided I don't know how to teach kids, especially in another language.  They just get bored and end up leaving.  So I decided to read the friend for some ideas, and I found this quote, "Your  Heavenly Father has known you for a very long time.  You as his son or daughter were chosen by him to come to earth at this precise time, to be a leader in His great work on earth!  You were not chosen for your bodily characteristics but for your spiritual attributes, such as bravery, courage, integrity of heart, a thirst for truth, a hunger for wisdom and desire to serve others!"

EVERYTHING happens for a reason.  And at this specific timing.  I don't believe anything is a coincidence.  Something's are too perfect to be an accident!  We truly have been personally selected by our Heavenly Father to be where we are at this time, and if we are willing we can become an effective tool for him!  Nothing is impossible!  I promise!  Even learning to love those "hard to handle" people is possible.

I read another article from last October Conference and a mom didn't understand why her son had made such bad decisions.  Why was he sent to her, she had done her best!  And the answer she got was...."I knew you could love him, no matter what he did."  Those situations can be hard in the moment and I am learning how to love difficult people, but really it is a privilege when you think about it.  Look at the trust Heavenly Father has in you!

Everything has a purpose, even our relationships with others!

Wearing the Gospel

Fun memories this week!
We had mission tour and the ENTIRE mission was in one place!  It was really cool to see past companions and cherished friends.  The training that we received was amazing as well.

We had spontaneous service projects this week, repackaging wrapping paper for Christmas.  It was so cool, and I got a preview of what the 2014 hallmark paper is!!  It's way cute, just in case you were wondering.  To bad it's not the same in the states.

The ward is doing great and progressing, it's just our investigators that aren't.  We leave commitments we have talked about and talked about how important they are, but they are just choosing not to act!  Which can be really frustrating.  We can't force them.

We have been praying more fervently to find part member families to teach, and that prayer is starting to be answered.  We met a less active part member family last night and they seemed really excited for us to come back!  We had a member visit last week that was absolutely inspired!  We went to Sister O's home, she is a lawyer for the church here in Asia and she has an inspiring story.  When she was first transferred to her area they hadn't had a baptism for 8 months and she was really confused why she was there.  So she prayed for inspiration and to make a long story short, they started being happy and "wearing the gospel".  They then talked to everyone, and not with the pure intent of teaching, but with trust first, and they prayed VERY specifically.  The end result, they had 95 baptisms I think it was in a 6 month period.

I know that this is possible in my area as well.  It won't be easy but it is possible!  Because this is HIS work, and he does not fail!!