Live Joyfully

Hello hello family!!

Another week in the saddle. First off, I wanted to ask if anyone has any questions for me? Maybe about Georgia, my area, yada yada... If not then I guess I'm doing a good job with the blog? But please.. if you have any, comment on the FB page and I'll respond! Sometimes I forget things that may be interesting for you to know...

So this week was super fast. Honestly I don't feel like we did much. Yesterday we came home from church early because Sister Vasquez is sick. She's got a bad cold and an on and off fever of 100. Poor thing. So I've been making tons of calls and teaching lessons over the phone. I've made fairly good progress! You wouldn't believe how much just a phone call can do. I think yesterday I made 71 calls! Oh missionary work. It's  pretty boring from inside the apartment. I ended up baking a cake and studying just to take a break. I decided I'd use the ancient phonebook if Sister Vasquez still isn't better by tomorrow.

Hmm what else. Oh! Women's conference. That was pretty neat... except I couldn't concentrate much. It was pretty late to watch it at 8. Yeah I know I sound like an old lady, but we didn't get home until 10:30 and that's super late for missionaries!! (we had permission to be out past curfew for it!) The lateness wasn't as much of a problem as the translator though! We watched it in Spanish which was fine but it was a translator from Spain translating most of it. That was super distracting because the accent is incredibly odd to me. They sound like they're chewing on something while they talk. BUT amidst the distractions I caught the general message- go to the temple and discover what it truly means to be a daughter of God. If you didn't see President Uchtdorf's talk go look it up! It was awesome!! (click *here* for an excerpt of his talk, it's not in written form yet, or watch the entire conference below!)

I don't have much more time today. Lots that I need to do on the computer for this week. But I will leave you with a thought that's been playing on my mind. I have a paper on my wall that Sister Vasquez hung up for me before I got to Chamblee. It quotes a hymn which says, "and never stand still till the master appear."

I think back to before my mission and wonder what the heck I did all day. It seems like I was so unproductive. Until my mission I didn't know you could do so much in a day. The only time we really stand still as missionaries is when we wait for someone to  open a door.

That is one of the reasons I love the mission so much. I love being so productive in a purpose much greater than my own. Being a part of this work is never standing still. Even for you who may not be on the battle front. All those mom's who put every minute of their day caring for their kids or Dad's who may not see much of their family because they work hard to support them. They care for their families first, and then I see them care for every other family! What amazing examples. We all need each other and there's so much work to be done!

"I have fought my way thru;
I have finished the work thou didst give me to do.
Oh that each from his Lord may receive the glad word,
Well and faithfully done,
enter into my joy and sit down on my throne;"

(come let us anew, Hymn 217)

Love you all! 


Hermana Hawkins



PS. hey that visa thing pulled itself through! One more month and Brazil, HERE WE GO!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Note from the Mom: So I asked her the question I'm sure we all have...WHY does she have to wait another whole month to go to Brazil? Hasn't she waited enough???  Here was her response:

"I have to wait until the end of October, the end of this transfer. They do that to all the visa waiters. It's ok! I had 7 months in english, 5 in spanish and will have 6 in portuguese. It'll be fairly even! I like that! Oh and just so you know, I'll go to the mtc in Sao Paolo for 2 weeks before I go to Juiz De Fora. Crash course portch. :)CAN'T BELIEVE MY VISA IS REALLY HERE!!!!!! AHHH. I'm really happy I have a month to prepare for it because there's a lot I still need to do here." 

That's my girl! Did we expect anything less?