I changed my first flat tire!

Monday, June 6, 2011

Hey Mom,

It for sure has been an interesting week and a very long and stressful week but hey, that is missionary life isn’t it … but you just got to love it! Missionary work is the best thing ever! I love the ward in La Porte and Deer Park! They are truly the best! I'm so grateful for the blessing of the ward helping us with missionary work and being so willing to drive us around and to go out with us and do missionary work! I love Sister Taylor. She is one of the Ward Missionary Leaders and it has been super fun to go out and to work with her! I forgot to tell you last week that she went out with us on Saturday and we were trying a less active lady and then we went back to her car and guess what mom! You’re not going to believe this at all! She had a FLAT TIRE!!! Pretty crazy uh! Well guess what? The Lord blessed me again. I remembered what I had studied in Driver's Ed Class and also all the things I had asked dad about changing a flat tire! So I asked Sister Taylor if she had the tools and an spare tire so I could change her tire. She said, “I do. Do you know how to change a flat tire?” It was funny. Then I said, “I do. I have never done it before, but I have been taught well!” And so I got on my hands and knees and I changed Sister Taylor's Tire! And let me tell you mom, it was super HOT outside and it was awesome because I had sweat dripping off my face! LOL. It showed that I worked hard! LOL. But if I have time today I will send you pictures of me changing a tire! So mom, don't you think it's pretty funny that I have now changed a tire on my mission! I think it is! LOL! I was so excited changing the tire all by myself and the Sisters sat and watched me changed it. I would have taken the time to teach them how to change the tire but we needed to hurry to get back to work for the Lord! So tell dad thank you for answering my questions about a tire change! LOL!

Well mom, my life of being in a threesome has been so interesting because it's kinda hard to get alone sometimes. I must say, its easier sometimes to chill and to share my feelings with Sister Black then it is with Sister Henson, but I know that this is super hard for her right now. It reminds me of my days when I first came out in the mission field. I just know this is super hard for her right now. I'm doing my best to really pray to Heavenly Father and to seek for His guidance right now so I will know how I can help her. I remember when Sister Smith would tell me that she was praying for me to help me get through the beginning stages of my mission and she would pray to see how she could help me out. And so I'm being like Sister Smith a lot in my training of Sister Henson. And it’s tough; I can totally see what Sister Smith had to go through with me. I feel bad for being such a pain sometimes because I know she got frustrated with me because she was trying her best to help me out and all I did was shut down and didn't open up to her for help. Well mom that what is happening to me right now and it's pretty tough. It's hard because I just can't go talk to Sister Black for help because we are in a threesome and its super tough. I'm trying my best to do all that I can for Sister Henson and to be her friend and to help her with her studies and role plays but its hard. There are sometimes that I just want to explode because I know she knows the answer and I just know that it's in her to do these things. But then I always remember my days at the beginning of my mission and how hard and scary it was for me. I know that is what Sister Henson is going through right now. She is just shy and scared and gets nervous really easy but Sister Black and I tell her that it's okay and that we are here for her and we want her to know that over time she is going to get it. And it's so true, just look at me! I'm half way through my mission and I have changed a whole bunch and I'm doing missionary work! It's just so amazing isn’t it mom! WOWSERS!!!!! But no worries; I'm totally relying on the Lord and things are going to be okay. It is just challenges that I have to go through right now to make me a stronger person and to rely on the Lord a whole bunch!

Well mom this last week was “New Missionary Training!” I know I told you that I had to do that when I was new out in the field. Well it was pretty weird to go and experience the New Missionary Training again but this time being the Trainer! It was so nice this time to really relax and to enjoy the talks and to not really worry if they were going to do role playing or ask me to get up to say something. Now it's a piece of cake if they call me up there to say something. I'm still going to be nervous for sure; it's scary to still get up and try to figure out what to say but it's awesome to know that the Spirit really does all the talking and guides me to what to say! LOL. But no worries, I didn't get called up to say or do anything. But it was nice and it was cool because Sister Moldenhauer gave a little talk about my favorite Scripture … Ether 12:27! I totally know that you know that scripture very well! Yes, she said that through our weaknesses we become stronger and we become closer to our Heavenly Father. And it's so true because I look back and I've seen a lot of my weaknesses that I had to overcome and I look at what I went through and how it totally made me stronger! And Sister Moldenhauer told the new missionaries that they were going to be shown many of their weaknesses that they have not seen before placed in front of them, but if they rely on the Lord they are going to make it and totally become stronger! And it's TRUE!! : ) The whole meeting was good and I learned so many things that I need to work on and do better and things I can do to help Sister Henson out too which was a blessing. But it was sad because Sister Henson was having a hard day and got emotional so Sister Black and I took her to the hallway to talk to her. Then sweet Sister Moldenhauer came and talked to her and helped her out. Later when I talked to Sister Moldenhauer she told me that things are going to be okay and that Sister Black and I need to continue to push Sister Henson and to just love her and so that is what we are doing right now. I also had a moment with President Moldenhauer and I asked him what I can do to help Sister Henson and he said, “Do you remember your days at the beginning of your mission? Just do what your trainer did for you. Look at yourself now. You are blossoming into a beautiful rose and still blooming and you have come so far, and what better person for Sister Henson to be with right now then you.” That was really cool what President told me! It made me happy and just reminded me of how far I've come in the last few months!

Well mom it's a truly been a blessing this transfer to see all the wonderful things I've gone through and to really see just how much I've changed and to really be close to my Heavenly Father. My relationship with the Lord has grown so much these last few months and my prayers have really been so sincere and been honest and I am really talking to my Loving Heavenly Father! I'm so grateful for my mission and for this blessing that the Lord has given to me! It's so awesome! I do have challenges but I can make it through them with the Lord!

So mom, my time has run short for e-mailing because I went shopping with Sister Gale today to get me some new shirts and so not much time to e-mail. But I got cute shirts that I will send pictures of. They are super cute! I hope that was okay for me to spend money! Well I love you mom and things are going good and I just love hearing from you and you’re the best mom ever! Well tell everyone Hi and that I miss and love everyone! I will write to you next week and I can't wait to hear from you soon!

Love Sister Hawkins!