September 6, 2010
Hey Mama!
My plane ride to Texas was good but hard to breathe because of the humidity and the heat but it got better! I was starting to sweat! It was hot in Houston! But to let you know my first area is not in Texas! It’s in Louisiana! How crazy is that! So the town we basically cover is Jennings and we are the only Sister Missionaries, the rest in this area are Elders. It was a 3 hours drive to get to Jennings from Houston! The town is kind of scary looking but the worst part is our apartment! Why? Because of the humidity and the heat, we get lots of cockroaches in the kitchen and living room! For real! Melanie sent me those mouse/spider sticky traps but they don’t work on cockroaches! We have this spray but you have to drown them to kill them. And we have this white powdery stuff to try to kill them too. It doesn’t work! But luckily they are not in the bathroom or bedroom so that’s a blessing! So every time we come home we go kill them when we see them roaming around. It’s nasty! So we have to protect our food extra careful!
And the water is not so good so we have to buy gallons of water to drink! Once we went tracking and a nice lady offered water and I could tell the water was yucky. It was super hard to drink and she gave me a full glass! But I drank it with a smile!
My companion is Sister Elizabeth Jean Smith and Mama, she is so nice! She has been patient and understanding! For real! It’s a blessing to have her as a companion. Even when we go tracking I tend to freeze and I don’t hardly speak and she does most of the talking. But I’m trying not to freeze up! It’s really hard to do that but Sister Smith says it will come and that I am new and not to stress! She understands. Next week she’ll be out on her mission a year so she only has four transfers left! She heads home in February! She was telling me that her mission is a 17 ½ month mission and she figured out that mine is an 18 ½ month mission! So I’m out longer! I know when I’m coming home because I saw it on my Mission President’s fridge! It’s February 29th, 2012. How crazy is that Mama!
Do you know what? By this Saturday I will be out 1 MONTH!! Mama, it’s really happening and I know the Lord is making this possible for me! He has helped me a whole lot to overcome fears! He knows how much I want this and how much this is going to benefit me! Mama this is hard! Sister Smith says the first couple of transfers are the hardest! So please send letters and words of encouragement! I know as each day goes by I will surely need them!
Well mama I got to go. Sorry it’s a short letter. I wrote lots of people today! I know I should be emailing you tomorrow. I love ya and I truly can’t wait to hear form ya! Love ya.
Love Sister Hawkins.
Her MTC District
Sister Hawkins with her MTC companion (on her right) and roomate Sisters
Last day with her MTC companion (she left Moday morning)
Emily spent Monday with her roomate Sisters
Emily spent Tuesday with two Sisters going to Indonesia
Sister Anderson
(The sweet sister who tutored Emily in the MTC)
Margene, the wonderful lady who emailed me and kept us
updated on Emily's feet. She also baked Emily some delicious cookies!
Sister Hawkins and Sister Bitter (both from Shelley)
How am I going to do this in a skirt?!?
First area --- Jennings, Louisiana!
Sister Hawkins and Sister Smith
What a team!
One of the MANY cockroaches!
Don't mess with Sister Hawkins!
Ready to serve the Lord!
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ReplyDeleteWow! SO wonderful to read through Emily's latest letter and see the photos. She seems really happy and optimistic. And has been blessed with the perfect companion for her. My first companion was called the 'genki shimai' which means the 'happy sister' because she was always so positive and smiling. I only had her for a month before she went home but I was so grateful for her example of rejoicing in the work. Sister Hawkins and Sister Smith look like they are doing exactly that!
ReplyDeleteGotta love those cockroaches, too! Living in humid Hawaii I can totally relate. All you can do is keep all your food sealed up and try to block any open spaces that lead to the outside. Like the space under the door or any windows without screens. Try to seal those up - especially at night when they are out in full force. Duct tape, towels, whatever you think of. ICKY, I know!
Keep up the great work, Sister Hawkins and thanks so much for keeping us posted, Julie!!
Lots of love,
Sarah