Sister Emily Hawkins' Mission: Lots of fun pictures today!

Monday, June 13, 2011

Dear Mom,

Well I hope you got all the pictures I sent you; it's been a while since I sent ya pictures! I hope they all went through and got to ya. Well things have been super busy and crazy this last week and I spent most of my time on the computer today sending you pictures so I don't know how much time I will have to write to you today but I will type fast and try to get everything in okay! So here we go ya'll!!!

So mom, you asked me about the book that you made for President and Sister Moldenhauer; well I was able to give it to them last Friday at Zone Conference since it was going to be our last time seeing them before they go home the end of this month. Before I gave it to them I had written in it and then wrapped it up. I walked up to Sister Moldenhauer and said, “I know that we are not supposed to give ya individual gifts but this is from my family and me.” We were in the hallway at church and so she opened it up in front of me. She just loved the book and she was so excited to share it with her family! She said that is was so cool to have a picture of me with them and also my parents testimony! She loved it a whole bunch! So thanks mom for making them one. I also sent you a picture of a mirror that all of us missionaries chipped in to buy them and they just absolutely loved the mirror. I sent a picture of me with the Moldenhauers too and that will be the last one with them until my homecoming. When I was saying good bye they said that they are going to be there! So I'm so excited for that! It will be fun to see them again!

And Mom their homecoming is going to be on July 10th at 10:00 AM. I told her that you’re going to be making that pumpkin cake for them and she is excited because when I at the mission home recovering from my surgery I told her about your famous cake! They are going to have lots of people so I'm excited to see how it goes and she said that she can't wait to see you and dad! So please make sure you can go! It will be awesome for you to go and to hear them talk! They are powerful speakers and they are just so amazing! It's going to be hard to not have them around but I know I will love the new Mission President and his wife too!

Well mom can you believe it's time for transfers already! Wow! I just can't believe it and I sure hope I'm not leaving La Porte; I just love it so much and I love the people I'm teaching and I love the ward and the atmosphere! It's just so wonderful! I have just blossomed in La Porte. There is a nice elderly lady we have been teaching off and on and we got to see her this past week and I told her I might be leaving. She was heart broken but she sure did say wonderful things about me. She told me I have blossomed into a wonderful young lady and that I have really changed ever since I first met her which was in back in January when I got to La Porte. So she has for real seen me change a whole lot and I just love her. I got her information so we can stay in touch and she wishes me well on the rest of my mission. It's been sad telling everybody that I might be leaving because I have been here so long. I have really made a lot of special friendships these last six months. I have just changed so much and I know it's because of La Porte and the ward and my wonderful companions that helped me through the trials that I go through every transfer. It's also amazing to have the Lord be right by my side with everything that I have gone through! I love my Savior so much and He is helping me to become more like Him everyday! It's so cool, my studies are just so amazing and I'm learning so much about the Gospel. I so regret not taking the opportunity to really study growing up and to have not really taken the time to learn of my Savior's love for me and to learn about His teachings. But it's neat that my loving Heavenly Father blessed me with going on a mission and it's been a big life changing experience for me. Mom when I come home I'm going to be changed. I'm not going to be the same. I'm going to be more like my elder Brother and so much more converted to the Gospel! I just can't wait for you to see me and to see how much I have changed! It's super crazy; everyone around me tells me how much I have changed. These last few weeks I have really looked back and pondered on my experiences from the last 10 months and I'm so grateful for all the things that I have been through! It's so cool mom! I'm so grateful to be on a mission and to live and to grow and to change and to find out who I am and what my Savior wants me to be! It's just so cool!!!!!

Well mom my time is short and I got to run. I'm super sorry that my letter is short today; I had to write to President and then send you pictures and also send Rachel a quick e-mail but I love you and I'm grateful for all the things your helping me out with by sending packages and letters … it's the best! I love you and I will let you know as soon as I know about transfers on Monday; we will see where I'm going to be going next. I'll go where ever the Lord wants me to go! But it would be a miracle to stay longer in La Porte but the Lord knows where He needs me to be. Have a great week and I can't wait to hear from you soon. I will write to you next week! I love you so much and enjoy the pictures and thanks for the package! I really appreciate it a whole bunch!!!

Love Sister Hawkins!