I forwarded my itinerary to you just so you can plan the party details ;)
[Lauren is taking an ice hockey class.] That is intense playing hockey on ice. I guess it is the same as
rollerblades. Skates just have a sharp razor on the bottom to discourage
falling and kicking.
Yeah Bom Jardim, the house is nice so that is good. It happens to be
one of the most dangerous places here in Fortaleza and I've heard a lot
about it. So that's a good last area to serve in right? ;) It won't be
anything new, I'm fond of the ghettos. Nothing cool to report on this
week so we'll just keep our fingers crossed. I doubt the other
missionaries will be saying that but we'll see. I'm still chugging along
like a freight train. I had a hard week but things got better. I don't
know if my shirts will make it until the end. They are like paper. I
ripped my sheets in half because they were so old and fragile. It turned
over and my knee got caught in the fabric and just ripped it. Oops.
Things are good and the Lord will bless me until the bitter end. I will
need more help after the mission though :) This area we are able to find
a lot of people and teach a lot of people too. It is good to have
something to do all day. It hasn't rained hardly at all this year, so it
is nice and toasty still. I don't know if I will be losing any weight
here though since our house is full of people that love to cook.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
12 Mar 2012 - Bom Jardin Area (Mom)
Well transfers. It looks like I will end my mission in Bom Jardim.
With just 11 weeks left, things are looking good. I'm going to
punch Satan extra hard in the face for these last 11 weeks. My new
companion is Elder Sampaio, one more Brazilian. It'll be good to
perfect my portuguese. He is the brother of an Elder that I lived
with a way long time ago. So that is cool. We live with 2 other
missionaries. I don't really know them and they are newbies :) I
feel like an old man that nobody cares about these days. I don't
know any of these new missionaries.
Yay they don't have daylight savings here so I never have to lose an hour of sleep! I would like the extra hour of sleep though. My body is TIRED. 2 years of a mission does a lot to your body. I have been trying to work out but I'm lazy. I plan on starting up at home.....maybe :) I haven't gotten fat and in fact I haven't gained any weight. I'll probably have cancer and diabetes and rotten teeth when I get back home though.
I'm tired and sometimes I don't have a huge desire to leave the house. I know I have to and the Lord will bless me. I'm just trying to forget myself and turn my life over to God. I just do what I'm supposed to do and pray and keep the commandments and follow the Spirit. To me that is giving up your life over to the Lord. Stop worrying, do what we know is right, and live so that the Lord can speak with us at any time.
I love it here. I can't wait to get back home. :)
Yay they don't have daylight savings here so I never have to lose an hour of sleep! I would like the extra hour of sleep though. My body is TIRED. 2 years of a mission does a lot to your body. I have been trying to work out but I'm lazy. I plan on starting up at home.....maybe :) I haven't gotten fat and in fact I haven't gained any weight. I'll probably have cancer and diabetes and rotten teeth when I get back home though.
I'm tired and sometimes I don't have a huge desire to leave the house. I know I have to and the Lord will bless me. I'm just trying to forget myself and turn my life over to God. I just do what I'm supposed to do and pray and keep the commandments and follow the Spirit. To me that is giving up your life over to the Lord. Stop worrying, do what we know is right, and live so that the Lord can speak with us at any time.
I love it here. I can't wait to get back home. :)
12 Mar 2012 - Bom Jardin Area (Dad)
[Yum, chicken liver. I actually like liver.] Ewww
liver. I have had chicken liver and cow liver. They tricked me with the
cow liver though. They made it look just like steak and called it
liver in Portuguese instead of english ;) This was back in the day so I
didn't know. I just thought it was nasty horse meat or something.
[I can't remember if I told you that your sister is taking a hockey class this semester.] Hockey class? I use to play street hockey in front of our house. Does she play on ice? I was thinking about walking on the BYU football team....haha just kidding. Maybe I could do it and they would make a movie called Jeffrey after I play for one down like Rudy. :) Maybe I'll just join a intramural football team if I can find any friends. I have been doing my pushups and stuff. Trying at least. I won't come back too morbidly obese. Just the beginning stages :) Stock the fridge with donuts and pork rinds.
I'm trying to do all the good that I can. Missionary work changes lives. It changes me and it changes my family and it changes the people that I teach. I'm glad that I went and I can see the Lord preparing me and I see His hand in the timing that I left too. Not many young men, maybe none, truly understand the importance of a mission until they go on it. I feel proud to be counted among the 54ish thousands that are out. Soon I will be just another statistic :) Sometimes I just stare at my name tag and wonder what it will be like when I have to take it off. I always imagine Elder Hawkes in the New England area and my pops Elder Hawkes in Costa Rica, and surrounding "neigborhoods". That skinny white Elder Hawkes in Thailand. I'm proud that they are my family and that I carry the same 2 names on my nametag. They were much better than I am but I can only imagine the great amount of success that you had in the Costa Rica San Jose mission. You don't talk about it much because you are humble and I know it meant the world to you. I got that without you having to tell me millions of mission stories. :) I'm thankful for the Lord Jesus Christ and His holy name. He makes my mission worth everything. It would be useless to teach of Him if He never died and paid for our sins.
[I can't remember if I told you that your sister is taking a hockey class this semester.] Hockey class? I use to play street hockey in front of our house. Does she play on ice? I was thinking about walking on the BYU football team....haha just kidding. Maybe I could do it and they would make a movie called Jeffrey after I play for one down like Rudy. :) Maybe I'll just join a intramural football team if I can find any friends. I have been doing my pushups and stuff. Trying at least. I won't come back too morbidly obese. Just the beginning stages :) Stock the fridge with donuts and pork rinds.
I'm trying to do all the good that I can. Missionary work changes lives. It changes me and it changes my family and it changes the people that I teach. I'm glad that I went and I can see the Lord preparing me and I see His hand in the timing that I left too. Not many young men, maybe none, truly understand the importance of a mission until they go on it. I feel proud to be counted among the 54ish thousands that are out. Soon I will be just another statistic :) Sometimes I just stare at my name tag and wonder what it will be like when I have to take it off. I always imagine Elder Hawkes in the New England area and my pops Elder Hawkes in Costa Rica, and surrounding "neigborhoods". That skinny white Elder Hawkes in Thailand. I'm proud that they are my family and that I carry the same 2 names on my nametag. They were much better than I am but I can only imagine the great amount of success that you had in the Costa Rica San Jose mission. You don't talk about it much because you are humble and I know it meant the world to you. I got that without you having to tell me millions of mission stories. :) I'm thankful for the Lord Jesus Christ and His holy name. He makes my mission worth everything. It would be useless to teach of Him if He never died and paid for our sins.
Monday, March 5, 2012
5 Mar 2012 - Palmeiras Area (Mom)
I don't think about going home much. It is
still far away. Sometimes I get frustrated here in the area since it
is hard to do anything. We end up walking around a lot. That is the
mission for you though. I'm just hoping and trying to do what God
wants me to do. I don't have a magical Liahona that tells me what I
need to do at all times, so it is more difficult. When I first got
on the mission as a 19 year old it wasn't that scary. You just kind
of go along with it. There is a lot of stuff that goes over your
head. You just want to be that awesome missionary though.
Sometimes I get excited to go home and put into practice all the stuff to learn. To have a cute little kid on my knee. Then, sometimes I don't :) I don't have to worry much about the whole marriage thing because I never had girls all over me. I hope I grow a lot more. I'm trying to do everything right. They are changing a lot of stuff here which is harder for the oldies, but I'm trying to gimp along. I'm happy though and still have tons of time.
I'll be calling home two weeks before I get home :) The official date is May 29th since Elder Howland called and said he bought the tickets.
Sometimes I get excited to go home and put into practice all the stuff to learn. To have a cute little kid on my knee. Then, sometimes I don't :) I don't have to worry much about the whole marriage thing because I never had girls all over me. I hope I grow a lot more. I'm trying to do everything right. They are changing a lot of stuff here which is harder for the oldies, but I'm trying to gimp along. I'm happy though and still have tons of time.
I'll be calling home two weeks before I get home :) The official date is May 29th since Elder Howland called and said he bought the tickets.
5 Mar 2012 - Palmeiras Area (Dad)
I
was going to go downtown today, but it didn't work out. I'll just have
to go another time. I need to pick up a sweet machete to keep the family
knife buying tradition alive. I just don't know where I am going to
find that kind of stuff.
[I have a goal to read the Book of Mormon in Spanish this year.] I think I will study my scriptures in Portuguese after the mission. I might get lazy though and switch to english :) I have a lot to learn in these next 3 months about Portuguese. I love learning the language but I am never good enough at it!
I was talking to some missionary that has relatives in Preston, the Peterburgs or something like that. I told him to ask his relatives about the Swainstons and the few Hawkes that live there. Uncle Carl looks as healthy as....something really healthy. Hopefully they are all doing well.
[A prescription I was taking has caused me to lose my sense of taste.] I'll try to enjoy my sense of taste more fully by eating lots of beans and stuff. Sometimes it would be good if I could lose it just for a bit, like when I have to eat chicken liver...
Things here are dandy. Not easy, just dandy. The Lord knows what He is doing and I'm trying not to kick against the pricks. I'm just letting him 'beat' me down the right paths like the stubborn mule that I am. I'm grateful to be here and I'm grateful that the Lord needs me. I don't know if I've done all that I was supposed to do. I'm happy though, and I feel like I have done my small part. I haven't been perfect but I've changed when I've realized I was wrong and did the best with my minimal knowledge. I just need to finish. The Lord is our Savior and He loves us. He loves me and I know because I have knelt down and I have prayed in anguish. I have felt His loving embrace surround me. I know He lives.
[I have a goal to read the Book of Mormon in Spanish this year.] I think I will study my scriptures in Portuguese after the mission. I might get lazy though and switch to english :) I have a lot to learn in these next 3 months about Portuguese. I love learning the language but I am never good enough at it!
I was talking to some missionary that has relatives in Preston, the Peterburgs or something like that. I told him to ask his relatives about the Swainstons and the few Hawkes that live there. Uncle Carl looks as healthy as....something really healthy. Hopefully they are all doing well.
[A prescription I was taking has caused me to lose my sense of taste.] I'll try to enjoy my sense of taste more fully by eating lots of beans and stuff. Sometimes it would be good if I could lose it just for a bit, like when I have to eat chicken liver...
Things here are dandy. Not easy, just dandy. The Lord knows what He is doing and I'm trying not to kick against the pricks. I'm just letting him 'beat' me down the right paths like the stubborn mule that I am. I'm grateful to be here and I'm grateful that the Lord needs me. I don't know if I've done all that I was supposed to do. I'm happy though, and I feel like I have done my small part. I haven't been perfect but I've changed when I've realized I was wrong and did the best with my minimal knowledge. I just need to finish. The Lord is our Savior and He loves us. He loves me and I know because I have knelt down and I have prayed in anguish. I have felt His loving embrace surround me. I know He lives.
Monday, February 27, 2012
27 Feb 2012 - Palmeiras Area (Mom)
[I had heard
that the Fortaleza Mission was one of the baptizing-est missions
in the Church.] Fortaleza is one the most baptizing-est missions in
the the church, and sometimes the most. I have been in the most
baptizing zone in the world. ;) I baptize, just don't tell you every
week when I baptize. It's my little secret. :) It is definitely a
lot easier here than many other missions. I haven't knocked doors
for months on end. Here success comes from members and stuff like
that. You don't have to knock doors to scrape for people.
Missionaries do it, but they "waste" time that they could be using
to do more productive things. Some of the best missionaries here
have never knocked doors.They just know perfectly how to use the
members and stuff. I don't know what I would do if I had to knock
doors and stuff like they do in America. I spent the early part of
my mission doing that.
Be grateful of your Elders Quorum and home teachers. :) Home teaching is non-existent here in Ceará. Sometimes they don't even have duplos set up. If they do, nobody does it. I guess it's because everyone thinks that is my job. The mission changes you a lot. I am kind of excited to go home and do home teaching :) It will bring back the good old days.
I learned a lot about teaching and helping people when Elder Bednar came. People just don't get home teaching, temple attendance etc. We can't just teach them what is important. We have to teach them to go and act and use faith. Nothing we will teach them will stick. If we teach them to go and try it out, go and pray, go and do their part then they will receive from God and that will stick forever. It is a more difficult way of teaching since you don't just throw information at them. He also said we cripple people, parents cripple their children by giving them all the answers. He talked to us about learning by faith aka by acting and doing.
I have learned a lot. Maybe too much for my little brain. But, for once in my life, I desire to study, to pray, to go to church, to get better etc. I don't just know, but I actually love it and I want to do it. I knew before the mission, but it was just a knowledge. I love you mom, I love the gospel, I am so very thankful for the gift of repentance and the chance to change.
Be grateful of your Elders Quorum and home teachers. :) Home teaching is non-existent here in Ceará. Sometimes they don't even have duplos set up. If they do, nobody does it. I guess it's because everyone thinks that is my job. The mission changes you a lot. I am kind of excited to go home and do home teaching :) It will bring back the good old days.
I learned a lot about teaching and helping people when Elder Bednar came. People just don't get home teaching, temple attendance etc. We can't just teach them what is important. We have to teach them to go and act and use faith. Nothing we will teach them will stick. If we teach them to go and try it out, go and pray, go and do their part then they will receive from God and that will stick forever. It is a more difficult way of teaching since you don't just throw information at them. He also said we cripple people, parents cripple their children by giving them all the answers. He talked to us about learning by faith aka by acting and doing.
I have learned a lot. Maybe too much for my little brain. But, for once in my life, I desire to study, to pray, to go to church, to get better etc. I don't just know, but I actually love it and I want to do it. I knew before the mission, but it was just a knowledge. I love you mom, I love the gospel, I am so very thankful for the gift of repentance and the chance to change.
27 Feb 2012 - Palmeiras Area (Dad)
Carnaval distractions are gone for now. Although Carnaval isn't much
different than every weekend. I didn't see anyone flocking to church
though, so maybe next week the will take up from their drunken stupor
and realize their wrong doings. Phooey I keep on thinking of things to
write in English and realize I don't know how to spell them or how to
intelligently communicate them. I can hardly speak English with my
companion and I'm always saying stuff wrong. Whenever I see an
unfamiliar word, I try to pronounce it in Portuguese. I was reading Jesus
the Christ in english and there was some random word and I just said it
how a Brazilian would....oops.
We had a cool adventure Sunday morning. We have a sewage man hole in our "backyard" and then another hole inside of our house to check/clean the pipes I guess. It rained elephants and wildebeasts (instead of cats and dogs) Saturday night/Sunday morning. So unfortunately the sewage pipes overflowed and flooded our house. I woke up at 1:30 AM and it smelled terrible! Our house was smelling so I just ignored it. Then I pulled my blanket off the floor and a corner of it was wet. Then I got up and realized our whole house was flooded with half an inch of sewage water. Yay hepatitis! So I grabbed everyone's stuff off the ground and put it somewhere, took a few pictures and went to sleep. It wasn't brown, poopy sewage water because it was mixed with rain water and it was bubbling out of the man hole. So don't imagine some disgusting sludge :) We spent about 5 hours cleaning our house on Sunday too, and my old janitor body is hurting. My bags didn't get wet due to faulty Brazilian construction and unlevel floors. So who knows how this whole disease thing is going to go down. There are some unwashable things (aka scriptures, planner etc) that will be tainted forever.
We had a cool adventure Sunday morning. We have a sewage man hole in our "backyard" and then another hole inside of our house to check/clean the pipes I guess. It rained elephants and wildebeasts (instead of cats and dogs) Saturday night/Sunday morning. So unfortunately the sewage pipes overflowed and flooded our house. I woke up at 1:30 AM and it smelled terrible! Our house was smelling so I just ignored it. Then I pulled my blanket off the floor and a corner of it was wet. Then I got up and realized our whole house was flooded with half an inch of sewage water. Yay hepatitis! So I grabbed everyone's stuff off the ground and put it somewhere, took a few pictures and went to sleep. It wasn't brown, poopy sewage water because it was mixed with rain water and it was bubbling out of the man hole. So don't imagine some disgusting sludge :) We spent about 5 hours cleaning our house on Sunday too, and my old janitor body is hurting. My bags didn't get wet due to faulty Brazilian construction and unlevel floors. So who knows how this whole disease thing is going to go down. There are some unwashable things (aka scriptures, planner etc) that will be tainted forever.
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