Sister Emily Hawkins' Mission: Loved Conference!!!!

Monday, October 03, 2011

Hey Mom,

Oh my goodness, where do I start to tell you about the things that have been going on and how I am just so excited for being a part of this amazing Gospel!

So Conference … sad day because I didn't see you on TV but I knew you were there and that the rest of the family was watching and that was just so wonderful and awesome!

The messages were just so amazing. The first two sessions I got to watch on TV with members. The first session was with a lady from Baytown First Ward and she loves all the missionaries. Her name is Arod and she is not in our ward but she wanted us to come watch General Conference with her because she was all alone in an assisted health place recovering from knee surgery! I just felt the spirit and so much peace the whole time and I am just loving the Gospel more and more! It was so wonderful! I love how they talked about the scriptures and about studying from all the Standard Works, which means all the scriptures we have. It was like an answer to my prayer because lately I have been reading from the New Testament and I was wondering if I should take time to do that when I can spend more time in The Book of Mormon and Preach My Gospel! But now I know that it's all good and it's been a wonderful journey learning about Jesus Christ’s life and the things He did and went through for us. So mom, have you taken time to read from the Bible and learn more about Jesus Christ? And this question is just not to you but to the whole family! Do we really take the time to read from the other scriptures or is our focus so much on the Book of Mormon! Now don't get me wrong, I love the Book of Mormon, but like it was said in General Conference, we need to do our studies from the other scriptures too! So I encourage ya'll to do the same and encounter the Bible with the Book of Mormon reading that we do each day, that we may be spiritual fed through the words of Christ teachings!

The rest of Conference was so amazing and I was so spiritually fed. The second session I got to watch with a member named Sister Schamburger. I call her Meme and she loves the missionaries a lot and we ate DOVE for Lunch! NO Jiving! For real! I did it and it was the weirdest thing that I have ever eaten ever! I tried to finish most of it so they would be pleased, and when I say they, I mean Sister Schamburger and her roommate. She has a roommate who is not a member and his name is Kevin and he just loves the missionaries. Man I am so glad I am a person now who is out-going and talkative because I think if I wasn't Kevin would really not like the missionaries! LOL When we first met him I was like okay, this guy looks a little rough, but when you get to know him, he is so kind and a very joking person who likes to have fun! So it's fun hanging out at Sister Schamburgers home!

On Sundays we watched Conference at the church so that was just so awesome! I love the stories they tell in General Conference. The speakers are so inspired and it is so amazing how they have learned so much in their own lives and how they apply it to the Gospel so well! General Conference is the BEST!!!! I can't wait for the November Ensign!!!!

Oh speaking of Ensign, have you and dad bought yourself another issue of last month’s Ensign all about the Book of Mormon? Oh boy, when I get time in my studies to read it I get so spiritually fed and it's so amazing all the things that I am learning about the Book of Mormon. Like the other day I was learning more about the Tree of Life and about what Lehi saw and experienced. I can't believe all the things I keep learning from the Tree of Life chapters in the Book of Mormon! It's so cool! Today I got to read from the Ensign and it was so amazing how we need to apply the Book of Mormon in our own lives and I learned how we need to develop it early in our lives and apply it to our future families. I'm so grateful to be on a mission because I think without this amazing mission I would not have developed so much love for the scriptures or for the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Hmmm what else shall I tell ya about! Hmm. Oh today is Zone P-day; I'm excited I get to see Sister Kinikini and I get to see other missionaries too. I wonder who is in our Zone now since transfers three weeks ago. It will be neat to see everyone! We are going to the same water park we went to a while ago and I am super excited but I think I won’t get wet this time, but we will see how that goes, the Elders like to get the Sister Missionaries wet sometimes!

Oh guess what? I get to go to La Porte on Friday and Saturday! I'm super excited. I don't get to be with Sister Kinikini (sad day) but I will see how much Sister Henson has grown. I know that she has learned a whole bunch from Sister Kinikini as I know I did when I was with Sister Kinikini. I know that Sister Henson needed Sister Kinikini even though I heard that is has been tough, which I totally understand, because it was tough with Sister Henson because she is new and is scared of new things but I know the Lord is going to help her to learn and to grow so much just like I did!

Well mom sad news. Do you remember how I had my gallbladder out to stop the pain, well... it's coming back! For real. I don't know why. I talked with Sister Crawford and she told me I need to be on a certain diet and I just need to tell the members I can't have certain things. Man having my gall bladder out bites! So today I am buying fruits and vegetables and then am going to have to tell members to make me salads or have fruit or vegetables for me because I can't deal with the pain anymore. It's not been that bad of pain but like the last few days it's been hurting off and on like it was before so it's pretty frustrating. I will keep ya updated on how I am doing! Will you look up information on the effects of having the gallbladder removed and the foods I need to eat and what I should avoid that will help my body so I can figure this out and be able to last the rest of my mission! That would be super great!

Well I love you mom and am so grateful for all the wonderful things you do for me! I hope you have a great week and that things are going well and that your work’s re-roofing ends soon, because that would be hard to work with the re-roofing noise! LOL Sometimes it is hard for me to stay focused in the mornings because we have a kid upstairs that runs in the morning or they are vacuuming at like 7:30 or 8 in the morning, but it's all good and you get use to it over time! But I got to run and write President Crawford and then get going for Zone P-day! I am super excited! Well take care love ya!

Love Sister Hawkins!