(9/7/15)
Brothers and Sisters,
Brothers and Sisters,
Another week come and gone in Modesto, and another one for you. I'm reminded that life is like an hourglass, and we are all just watching the time go by. I have found, however, that the quality is most affected by what sand you are measuring: the sand you have left or the sand that has passed. You can sit there staring at how much sand you have left and see yourself disappointed at watching the pile get smaller and smaller and smaller, you can boast over how much sand has accumulated in the glass and how it continues to grow and grow and grow, or you can enjoy the sand that is passing through the middle. Focusing only on the sand waiting to fall will diminish your hope and will lead to a lack of accomplishment and self-confidence. Focusing only on the sand that has already fallen will leave you purposeless and lazy, unaware of how much time you have left. In either case, the beauty of life is missed. It is in that small aperture where only a few small grains of sand may quickly pass by that life is truly enjoyed. Taking into account how much time is left and how much time has passed is essential in giving you motivation to work your hardest or reflecting on past experiences to help you make correct decisions, but take care that you do not miss those few grains of sand that ultimately affect both past and future.
Companion Quirks:
-The other day Elder Shepherd gave his mail to the mailman in the middle of an intersection.
-We have 40 cheap American flags strewn around our car (it's an everyday struggle to get him not to display them on the dashboard).
-He regularly falls asleep and my attempts to wake him are usually unsuccessful.
Other Quirks:
-We recently got a new (and young) ward mission leader who both he and his wife are trunky for the mission. Kind of backwards. We went on teamups with them and they basically just wanted to knock doors.
-We found a house that trimmed the Lock Ness monster into their bushes.
-I cannot get a close shave to save my life. Seriously.
One thing we do with random people on the streets is just say a prayer. I didn't know that that was a missionary approach but apparently it is. It's funny, because no good Christian can refuse a prayer and most people here at least believe in Christ, even if they don't do the whole 'church thing'. I absolutely love prayer. Read about prayer in the Bible Dictionary. I recently read it and it really redefined my prayers. I was reminded that a prayer is not an attempt to change Heavenly Father's mind, but rather uniting your will with His. Granted, we can still ask for blessings and for knowledge, but only through the mind of Christ. Okay, not literally the mind of Christ. Apparently I have to specify. But through the same perspective of Christ. If we see things through his perspective, we will know what to ask for and we will receive it. This is why we can't ask "did humans evolve from monkeys?" and expect to get an answer. Would Christ ask that? Probably not. Because Christ knows His Father's will for Him, and more likely than not it does not include monkeys (and yes I know Christ created monkeys so he already knows, the concept is the same). It is when we earnestly and honestly seek the knowledge and blessings our Heavenly Father has in store for us, rather than the knowledge and blessings we desire, that we find it. Check out the JST of Matthew 7:7, "Say unto them, Ask of God; ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened." Pray often. Pray earnestly. Pray secretly. Pray with both ends of the telephone, not just one. I love you all!
-Elder Hawkes
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Well, I've got some down time and for some reason our mission doesn't restrict our email time, so I hope everything is going good back home! I'm going to try to write letters today to send back home but it is just so hard to find time to physically write because they have this lame rule that we can only write letters on Preparation Day so I have to sit down and only write letters for a few hours whereas I can just email instead which is much faster. I don't know. Anyways. So Mom? Quick question, could you pay off my credit card? My debit cards weren't working the other day so I was forced to use it to buy a $7 pair of sunglasses and that's it. Super lame. So I believe it won't show up till the end of the month but it's unfortunately there... One of the hardest things I've found on a mission is that I don't know who I have told what. Honestly, it's difficult. I write in my journal every night and email 3 or 4 people every week, so I can never remember what I have 'told' my journal or what I have told other people, or what I have already told all of you. That's why questions help, because then I have something to respond to that I know you don't know. Confusing. More difficult than it should be. Ah. Well hopefully I get flight plans soon, but I haven't heard anything about my visa except from you all. The problem is, they are making assignments for the next transfer and they don't know whether to plan on having me or not, so they will be calling Church Headquarters tomorrow and then hopefully I will find out a little bit more from the other end. Well, Suzie Singh is well on her way to baptism, which is awesome! We just have to wait for First Presidency approval. Lucky duck! The First Presidency quite literally has to approve her baptism. Wow. I mean, the Quorum of the Twelve assigned my mission call and reassignment, but not the First Presidency! We also met again with Gabriel (the young man in the back of the truck) and gave him a book of Mormon and we are teaching him the Plan of Salvation this week! We also got a bunch of referrals which doesn't happen too often. Oh! I have a story. So two weeks ago I was in a care center (on exchanges with Elder Clark) talking to this old smoker lady. We couldn't go into the room because her roommate was sick, so instead we stood in the doorway talking to her in her wheelchair. We are standing there, and then this super old lady walks by on her walker going super slow and I thought I was in the way so I tried to make room, but she kept getting closer to me! So I just sit there and then she grabs my arm and I kind of shy away, but the lady we came to see just said "Let her do it" so I had to comply. I sat there as she lifted my arm to her face and then just held it against her face. After like a minute or two, she finally let go and just crept slowly away down the hallway. The lady we came to see told us that she was kind of crazy and like a raccoon, in that she would just steal things and walk away from them. Apparently she was trying to steal me or something. I have no idea. I guess you could look at it as this 'cute' old lady just being sweet, but in the experience it was so stinking weird. Words just can't describe it. Anyway, hopefully I will get those letters out, but I'll talk to you all again soon! I love you all!
-Elder Hawkes
P.S. Happy Birthday Sarah!!!!!! I hope it's alright if I wait till I get to Taiwan to send you a gift, but I'll try to send a little birthday letter too! Have a great birthday on Thursday!!
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