Sister Emily Hawkins' Mission: Trip to NASA!

Sorry this post is a little late. I did not hear from her yesterday as the missionaries went to NASA. She had some computer time today though and sent me some fun pictures. Enjoy the post:

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Dear Mom,

Well it's been kinda of a crazy week! We got to play racquet ball again this last week with Jay and Amy but we didn't yesterday because of NASA and because they had meetings but we did have dinner with them and they had a chicken Casserole spaghetti! And boy it was so good! I'm gonna get the recipe so ya'll can have some when I come home and make it! It's really popular in the South and it sure is good!

Well I got to see Ken this last week again. I think I told ya'll about the challenge he gave me to memorize the Articles of Faith. Well I got them memorized and I was really proud of myself. It took some time but it sure was fun! But I got talking with Ken because I didn’t really feel like myself that day. I feel like I don’t fit in with my District very well because we have kinda different personalities and they are lots smarter and they just know the Gospel so well and they joke around a lot and most of the time I'm out of the loop because me being a blond doesn't get lots of stuff. And they sing songs that I use to listen to but I just don't know the lyrics or the artists. But I'm trying to fit in but some days it's hard to be around them. And also Sister Singleton knows about my anxiety problems and when I tell her that I'm nervous or scared she just ask, "Why, there is nothing to be afraid of?" and I just say, “I don't know” and she just doesn't understand. So it's hard and I'm trying to share my feelings and to be united. It’s hard because it feels like no one understands why. Ken just encouraged me to talk with her and to explain that I just get scared or nervous and I just don't know why and to ask her not to say there's nothing to be afraid of, because I really do feel stupid when she says that. She doesn't know that I feel that way so I'm trying to build my courage up to talk to her about it. I just don't want to be teased or have her think it's dumb.

Well anyways I don't have much time today to tell ya'll a lot about this week but I will tell ya about NASA!!! Holy Cow it was so much fun! I took lots of pictures and got some cool stuff to have forever. I bought two shirts and two fridge magnets and some postcards. It was so much fun. I got to ride on a ship that was like a ride and Sister Singleton and I were strapped in together. We couldn’t take pictures because that is what the sign said. But I was the pilot and boy I had me and Sister Singleton turning all the way upside down and just all over the place. It was so much fun. I was laughing and just having a ball but I guess Sister Singleton was getting sick and when we got off the ride…boy she was not happy with me. So for a few minutes a companion of mine was mad at me. But in this ride there is a camera on the inside so people outside can see us and President and Sister Moldenhauer saw us and were just laughing at me because they saw how much fun I was having! It was just the coolest thing ever.

Also we saw a Saturn Rocket that was going to go to space but it couldn't ever be launched because they never had enough money to send it off this beautiful earth! It was so big. I got lots of pictures of that and just other cool stuff that I saw! It was just so awesome and I just don't know how to explain everything I saw. We also got to see two movies that talked about being an astronaut and about space. It was just so cool! We got to ride on a tram to go to a different building and in this one building I got to see the real flag that was on the moon!!!! How cool is that!! I also got to see a control center that was for display to show people. When they update the systems they save all the equipment and so all the stuff we saw in the room was so real!! It was so intense and I got lots of pictures. It was lots of fun. I can go on and on but I really don't have lots of time and plus I want to send ya'll some pictures to put on my blog so I'm gonna wrap this up.

Today and tomorrow I'm on exchanges again with the Fall Creek Sisters. Sister Smith went to be with her Best Friend Forever Companion so for today and part of tomorrow I am with Sister Lundgren and with Sister Hatch. This morning we went to go do service for a place that gives out food for people who can’t afford food and then we went to help a member with all this burnt wood because his house burnt down so it was a busy morning but good.

Oh I forgot to tell ya I got my new journal and thank you so much, I love it! It looks so pretty. And I also hurt my left wrist. I don't know what I did to it. It has been hurting since the beginning of transfers and it seems to be getting worse, but I got a wrist band to kinda help and it's not working so I'm gonna call Sister Moldenhauer to see what’s next because it hurts to twist it a certain way or carry something heavy or just do certain things so I'll keep ya updated on that.

Well I'm gonna try to send pictures before time runs out but I love ya and will write ya next week.

Love ya and miss ya tons!

Love Sister Hawkins