Twenty-One Reasons

Birthday girl, then and now!

What a week! I've been in denial though due to some happenings this past Saturday. As some of you knew, it was my birthday. My 21st! Yay for birhday's... nay for being 21. This year is particularly difficult... why? Well let me just give you 21 reasons why I don't want to be 21:

1. I'm still a kid, how unfair! You can't put an age limit on that! I'll always be a kid at heart. #disneyismybestfriend

2. MY MISSION ENDS WHILE I'M 21

3. If I'm 21 it means others are getting older; my family, friends, dog..etc. No one likes getting older and my mom particularly doesn't like that I'm getting older. So let's just all go back together.

4. Section 21 of D&C is all about the first baptisms in the church. It obviously is a sign that I should not be going home this year... but that I should be on the mission, baptizing. 

5. The phrase, "completion of my mission" is 21 letters long. How insensitive! 

6. Taylor Swift doesn't have a song for 21

7. Trevor doesn't even have a song for 21 (for more info, request the "teenager song" from Trevor)

8. My mission will end while I'm 21 and my tag will be ripped off my chest and I will be forever sad 

9. 21 is not as cool as it looks. When I was younger I thought, "Oh those kids are so cool. I want to be like them." It's a myth. They only made it look fun!

10. Mormons don't really care about being 21 anyway

11. You make big decisions in your 20s that I don't want to make! 21 in my opinion, is already way too far into the 20s. So either I should just go back or skip to the 30s.

12. My mission will die and I will cry

13. If I live to be 99 I only have 78 years left.... only! 

14. Eating 21 veggies off your plate is really tough

15. I have to return to real life at 21. No one wants real life. A mission is like a vacation from your worldly\personal life. Like anyone, who actually likes returning from vacation?

16. It's too big of a number. This list seems it will never end. 

17. Who even uses the number 21? Honestly, you'll never see a 21 dollar bill or SPF 21 or instructions to cook something for 21 minutes. How ridiculous! 

18. It's an odd number

19. The 21st page of my Portugeuse dictionary contains the word "arbítrio" which means agency. The only relation with agency and 21 is that being 21 is against my own free agency.

20. I used to think that you were supposed to be somewhat grown up at 21-- I still don't even know what I want to be when I grow up!

21. Did I mention that my mission will end while I'm 21? I don't want to be 21 :(

So there's my petition. I hope you enjoyed it. I remember thinking before my mission, "Wow! I'll be 21 when I finish my mission." Now it's actually happening and my mission is on a downward slope. Everyone is already telling me I'm "dying"  as a missionary. Goodness, who knew at 21 you'd have one foot in the grave. 

Off I go to another week. Until next Tuesday! Thanks for all the birthday wishes! 

Love you all!

Sister Hawkins

Today I'm the Big 2-0

My B-day Balloons!

I thought (since I'm low on time) that for my 20th birthday I would share 20 reasons why being on a mission rocks. So here it goes:

1.Everything is funnier in the MTC.... I have speculations as to why (lack of sleep!) but in all honesty, I really don't know.

2. You learn to appreciate food outside the MTC. Even McDonalds. And do I dare say, I would even take a helping of Hamburger Helper?? 

3. The sisters and I all shout Disney songs when we shower. Sister Koford always loves to add in her own little flare too since she never remembers the words. Reminds me of a certain someone I know actually.... DAD.

 

4. My companion is pretty dang cool.

5. Elders rip their pants like it's their job. I've sewn 3 pairs of pants already. Oh elders.

6. In my district, we have a physical boot camp within a spiritual boot camp.... #pinterestworkouts4lyfe

7. Sisters are always a step ahead of the elders in Portuguese... but don't tell them that, they're a little sensitive. 

The difference between a sister and an elder, haha... also... notice the size of the desks vs amounts of books

8. A simple dear elder or letter makes the day that much better!

9. You make a second family (shout out to the most awesome district in the world!)

10. Everyday is a surprise... and a complete growing experience. 

11. Instead of solely praying for others, you get to actually give services all day everyday.

12. You gain an appreciation of life without relying on worldly things. It doesn't matter whether you have the latest iphone or if you've seen the latest Hunger Games movie...you learn that life has more important things.

13. Everything you do on a mission is for the benefit of someone else.

14. In the MTC, so many people are in one place striving to bring about one purpose: bringing others to Christ

This is sister Garcia in the middle. She roomed with me and sis Menasco and left this morning for cape verde. We miss her so much! We laughed so much with her and had the best time. So sad to see her go.

15. A mission sets aside time that really makes you recognize just how much the Gospel blesses your life and so many others too

16. Improving someone else's spirituality only heightens yours that much more.

17. You have the best support in the world!

18. The love of God is the driving force behind the work that you are doing. 

19. You become closer to Christ more than you ever imagined you would.

20.  ....and because of that, being the HAPPIEST you have ever been is inevitable. 

Thank you for all the love I've received this week. Special thanks to Mama C and Christine for my packages that I got yesterday!!! Also thanks to Mom/Dad/Fam for the balloons. Yes, I was embarrassed but it was fun walking across campus with massive smiley-face balloons. I felt the love this week when I opened my email and found so many birthday wishes. You are all fantastic!! Have a wonderful week!!!

Love, 

Sister Hawkins

My B-day P-day!

Mama C socks that I LOVE SO MUCH!!!

Sister Koford, me and Sister Keeler on pday wearing our santa hats to bring in the christmas spirit. We got a lot of compliments while wearing them around campus!

My friend Elder Wright from my BYU freshman ward!!! I finally found someone I knew! He left though, he was only here for 12 days. He was solomon's roommate.

Hipsta mountain pic for Tebs (Elder Hawkins!) while walking to the temple. #instagram

Note from the Mom: Thank you, thank you, thank you ALL for helping to make Sister Sie's birthday one of her most memorable EVER!  She said she had 27 emails awaiting her this morning.  How fun is that?  Plus the packages just keep on arriving.  I know even a few more were delivered after she emailed.  I'm sure we'll hear all about it next week.  I told her she'll be celebrating her Birthday all week long. Then it will be Christmas, lucky girl!  

A Day in the Life of a Sister Mish

S is for...Sister SieHawk.....and Snow!

beep. beep. beep. BEEP. BEEP. BEEEEEEEEEP!

The room is dark. There is nothing but the sound of shuffling sheets and blankets. Automatically I kneel by my bedside and pray. At the same moment "amen" leaves my thoughts, my clothes and toiletries are in hand as I stumble out the door to the bathroom. Immediately, fear and alarm fills my body as I scramble to think of an escape from the blinding UFO lights. Oh wait. It's only the empty hallway. Maybe I'm still half dreaming.

Dressed with badges and all, the sisters walk outside toward breakfast together. As I step into the icy tundra, the breath is taken straight out from my lungs and I can hardly adjust to the drastic temperature change... not to mention the foot of snow on the ground. Pretty sure my nose just froze solid on my face.

Breakfast goes by and it's off to class we go. Of the 15 waking hours of my day, about 13 is spent within these same four walls. The fight begins between stories of the Book of Mormon and my heavy eyelids. Despite the drowsiness though, personal study hour is without doubt my favorite time of the day. I learn so much! 

It feels as though I've only just opened the Book of Mormon when Irmao Henry walks in to begin class. The 11 members of our district pull out our books and struggle to fit them on our 12 x 12 inch desks. Amidst this 3 hour class we study, teach investigators, learn new teaching skills, study some more and hang on to as much vocabulary, grammar and energy as we possibly can. And did I mention?  We study. 

Lunch break! And a much needed one at that! Even though the food is not that great, haha. But before I know it, it's time to work again. This time my district ventures to a new room in the same building, mind you the same floor, but new nonetheless! I might add that studying Portuguese on the computer really does help to spruce things up a bit. We step into the computer room and in that very moment, a wave of drowsiness overcomes me again. I can see the same happening to all the others in my district. Later, maybe I'll conduct a scientific experiment and report back with statistic graphs and results.. ha. 

Ah! And now we're back (from outer space!! hehe) to the 4-1-4 (my classroom). This time Irmao Williams instructs our 3 hour class similar to the one before. Which means, you guessed it, studying again!

And sometimes, we're just plain goofy! (photo courtesy of Sis Menasco)

The day ends with dinner, companionship study, intense gym time (thanks to Pinterest workouts) and dear elder letters mostly from Mom and Dad and a few loving friends. Then 10:30 rolls around and I'm kneeling right where my day began at my bedside praying. Praying for all my loved ones; for family and friends and my ward back home. For all those who may struggle to recognize just how blessed we are even in the hardest of trials. And then I thank my Father in Heaven for this truly wonderful life and for the precious truths I learn every single day. 

Finally I fall into bed and close my eyes. The room is dark, but I'm illuminated with the Spirit of God. And all I can think is "Tudo bem, tudo bem."

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I thought I'd build a little picture of how my day looks here in the MTC. Before coming here I had no clue what missionaries did to prep. Now that I know I figured it'd be interesting to show friends and family back home what being a missionary-in-training is really like. Keep in mind that this is just an example of a general day here. Not every day is the same. Other days we have service projects, devotionals and then preparation days like today! If anyone has questions to ask, post on the comments in the facebook group or message my mom and I'll respond to them in my next letter home! Thanks for all of the letters, love and support! Till next week!!

Ama,

Sister Hawkins

P.S. CONGRATS to Hayley Meise and her call to serve in Spanish speaking Oregon! I'm SOOOOO excited for you Hayley!

Note from the Mom: Ok everyone, I have a special request for my girl.  Next Friday, December 13th, as some of you may know, is her BIRTHDAY! PLEASE take a little time out of your week if you can and send her a Birthday card!  It would be awesome if we could just flood her with cards, she would LOVE it. Even if it's not a card, send a Dear Elder letter, or one via snail mail. Thank you, thank you!  Here's her address at the MTC:

Sister Sienna Hawkins

Missionary Training Center

2005 N 900 E

Box 120 BRA-JDF

PROVO, UT 84604