Questions 9/11/16

Hey Elder,

Everything is fine at home. We went over to the church last night with a bunch of people from the ward and watched the U vs BYU game and ate food.  The U won by 1 point.  It was a crazy game! We are writing this letter together as a family which we will try to do every Sunday. Miles says he really misses you and playing Smash Bros with you. Malia is really liking 7th grade. Mrs. Johnson from Millcreek says to tell you "Hi". Malia misses you. She wishes you good luck teaching people. Megan has plans to go to homecoming this week and she really misses you.

Cousin Jake arrived home on Sept 1 and headed right up to Utah State.  Allison is also there.

Jake has lost 100 pounds and looks completely different!

This is an email full of questions. How is being in Reynosa?  Has the weather been super hot?

Where are you exactly?  What is your area called?  Who is your companion and where is he from?

Where are you living?  Are you living with just your companion or are there other missionaries?

Are you in a branch or a ward?  How was your first week at church?  Do you meet in an actual church?  About how many people attended church? Have you had a chance to teach a discussion? How is your Spanish now that you are out in the real world?  How is the food?  Are you getting enough to eat and is it "agreeing" with you?

We are super excited to hear all the details, experiences, and answers to our questions.  Keep up the good work and remember to follow the promptings of the Spirit. 

We love you, miss you, and pray for you always!  Love, Your Family

Pictures 9/6/16

Sister Hawley, thanks for your email. I spoke with Elder Hawley your son last Sunday on the subject and gave him approval to send you some pictures that same day. His camera is broken or doesn’t work for photos but his companion offered some pictures to Elder Hawley from his camera. I hope you received them. I’ve had the honor to meet with your son and can say that Elder Hawley is a talented and worthy missionary who has performed his preparation in the MTC very well, you and your husband can be rightly proud of him.

Regards,

President Glendon Lyons

2^nd Counselor

Mexico MTC

 

~Mom

Thank you so much!  I really appreciate your response and all you have done to help Elder Hawley prepare for the Reynosa mission field. Yes, I did receive the pictures.  Thank you for allowing him to send them to me.

Thanks for all you do for our missionaries in the Mexico CCM! 

Arriving Reynosa Pictures 9/5/16

Arriving in Reynosa Video 9/5/16

Camera 9/3/16

I am worried about you not having a camera.  I should have suggested you get one from Walmart while you were at the MTC.  I feel bad if you haven't gotten pictures of you with your district, zone, and president.  Does anyone else have any to send to me?  I hope your travel goes well. I love you, Mom

Started at the bottom now were here. 9/1/16

So this is my last p day in the mtc. Wow, time has literally flied by so fast. I feel like ive known my companions and district and zone like forever but time is over now. They are all going to the same mission and i am going on a separate plane at 2 in the morning and i am the only american in my group haha it should be interesting. We taught this really old lady who was already a member this week and I felt the spirit so strong when she bore her testimony about the last 70 years of her church life. I know the church is true and I cant wait to be able to teach the people of reynosa. I literally want nothing more than that. Also this week me and the elders in my district buzzed our heads and we look like goobs but its so nice i dont even have do my hair in the morning. Also I wanted to share an experience, so when i was made zone leader me and my companion had to pick my replacement for district leader. He had us both tell him individually who we thought and we couldnt discuss it with each other. I was so scared i was going to make the wrong decision but i prayed really fast and then pointed to a person. Haha and then our district president looked at me and just shook his head. I was like thats it hes gonna send me home i picked the wrong person hah. then my companion went and picked and then the district president came out and was tearing up and out of the 20 something people we all had picked the same person who I had never really though about choosing first. It was an amazing feeling i had after. So I havent started packing yet either but ill have time i dont leave for 3 more days. The food at the hospital was so good, i ordered the only thing i could read on the menu, or that I recognized and it was a giant club sandwich with bacon and ham and chicken salad. so great. Miss you guys but i cant wait to get in the field. Im not sure if i will have a pday for like a week or two so love you guys!

~Mitch

hey!!

~Mom

 Hey hey.  How have you been?

I forgot to tell you in my email yesterday that Kyle Fujikawa is playing Lacrosse at Southern Virginia University.  It was a crazy week for him and his family last week, everything happened so fast and all at the last minute.  Kristy was able to go with him over the weekend until Tuesday to get his room set up.  He is excited to be there.  Remember that was the school that kept begging you to go there until you asked them if they had a swim team which they don't haha.

~Mitch

 So good! Well actually just alright, i was in the hospital with my companion for the last two days and he has a stomach infection they think so I feel really bad for him. But me and the mission president gave him a blessing and I know that everything will be okay. I talked to a elder who was struggling in the hospital and he was having a super hard time it was his first week and he had to have surgery and was really down. I wanted to help him but there wasnt much i could do which was super hard, but hes a tough kid and will be alright, i told him to say high once he got back to the mtc.

thats awesome about kyle though! i am super happy for him!

~Mom

 Did you guys get the letters i sent you??

Oh my goodness.  Is your companion still in the hospital?  What are they doing for him? Antibiotics? We will pray for him.  Are you feeling better physically yourself?  You are being such a strong and good example for others!

~Mitch

 Yeah I hope he gets released tomorrow! yeah they are pumping him full of antibiotics. I feel great myself! I have actually had a hard week though because I have seen so many people struggling and It is kind of weighing me down but i just want to help everyone. Satan has been working so hard on me trying to make me feel unworthy and like i cant be here but I know that he is wrong and just because he trys to do that to me I want to teach every single person to make him miserable

~Mom

 You are definitely doing the right thing and have the right attitude.  Don't ever let Satan win.  You are strong.  I feel when we are doing right and good things, satan is even trying harder to "win".  Keep praying, following the spirit, and obeying the rules.  You will continue to do great things!

Melanie Olson told me that a swimmer from CCAT was sent home recently from the Mexico MTC due to having so much anxiety.  I wonder if you know him and/or worked with him.  

~Mitch

 I doubt i know him but maybe!

~Mom

 Have you had positive things happen this past week?  I thought I would hear from your MTC president before you leave but I haven't.  Feel free to give him my email address. Could you have a picture taken of you and your zone and an "exit" picture of those leaving to email me or have posted on the MTC facebook page? I have seen some of other groups posted. 

~Mitch

 Yes this week has actually been super great and spiritual for me. and yeah I will take a picture with them all.

~Mom

 Melanie and Ryan say they think about you and pray for you every day as we all do! Could you still get a picture of you and your district too as a separate picture? 

~Mitch

 yeah for sure! Did i send you the one of me and my district at the temple?

~Mom

 No, just you alone.

~Mitch

 okay ill send one with everyone.

~Mom

 What a great experience in following the spirit and getting an answer to prayer. I'm confused though, when did you become zone leader?  I thought you told me that you wanted someone else to have a longer chance instead of you? Can you send pictures this week?  The more you send the better then I can have them in case something happens to your camera...I hope not though. Are you writing your experiences in your journal?  You will want them to look back on. 

~Mitch

 They told me that they wanted me to do it so i said okay! Also i used my card this week so i could get some money to use while im here. also my camera broke. someone on the bus stepped on it and i didnt want to make them feel bad. but the camera part works the screen doesnt though. I am writing them in my journal but the days are just so repetative. I will buy a new camera once i get to the field. I tried to take some but i don tknow how they turned out!

~Mom

 We have not received the letters yet.  I'm sorry about your camera.  Hopefully the pictures are still okay on the card. How many have been in your zone?

~Mitch

 We probably have like close to 80 or 90.

~Mom

Wow...have you enjoyed that as much as being district leader?  What has been the biggest challenge?  What has been the best?  Melanie Olson said his name is Ty Payne. He ended up going home last week...so sad!

~Mitch

 So i really liked being district leader but i really think i would like being zone leader too, i wish i had more time. The biggest challenge is seeing missionaries struggle and not really being able to help them more. The best is seeing them overcome problems and become better missionaries.

~Mom

 I am very happy for you that you accepted the challenge and both callings.  It shows what a good leader, example, friend, and person you are.  Keep up the good work.  You will have more opportunities come your way and you will be blessed.  You are a great missionary! What time does your p-day officially end? 

~Mitch

 my pday ends at like 5 but im out of time! I love you guys tell the kids i love them! hopefully you get my letter soon!

~Mom

We love you...good luck packing and safe travels.  We will be anxiously awaiting your arrival to Reynosa. Stay positive and keep smiling. Tell your comp we are praying for him!

~Mitch

 Alright love you!

~Mom

 Did you receive your package for this week and see what I wrote about PB&J?

Thoughts/Experiences 8/31/16

Hi Elder!

How has your week been?  I cannot believe you head to Reynosa on Monday!  Do you feel like you are prepared to go?  Are you going to miss the MTC and who you have been working with and/or teachers/leaders? Do you know any of the Elders you will be traveling with? It will be the Labor Day holiday for us. We will look forward to your call or email when you arrive in Reynosa.  You can call my cell phone if you can make a phone call.

This week has been good but busy for us with everything that goes with kids back in school. Things are going well and they all really like their classes. Megan has Brother Burton for seminary and she really likes him. He asked about you. Miles thinks school is really long now haha but he really likes his teacher. I am going to volunteer in his classroom on Friday mornings and help the kids with reading.

 We went to Dylan's homecoming on Sunday which was good. His theme that he chose for his talk was "For the worth of souls is great in the sight of God". He talked about some of his good and bad experiences he had. We visited with him at his home afterwards.  He asked how you were doing. He seems to be doing good, just really tired, and trying to adjust back to regular life. He headed to BYU to start classes on Monday. Jeni texted me and said that he rooms with six guys who all swam so they are taking a Master's Swim class.  Dylan told Jeni that just swimming a 100 wipes him out.  He cannot believe how out of shape he is. 

Paula said that Thomas is doing good and really likes the new swim coach at C of I.  He is having them swim in open water during a retreat. She said the new coach seems organized and on top of things giving out info, etc.  Do you miss swimming?

Dr. Richards stops by my office and asks about you.  He wanted me to add him to the group email so I did.

Are you finding time to exercise? Hopefully that helps relieve some stress. Have you seen any kind of animals, birds, or different insects when you have been outside at the MTC?  Include any details (good or bad) you can give me while you are away, so I can put together everything from your mission for you to have and read after you return. I wish I had more from you on experiences with you and other elders, teachers, or "investigators" while you have been at the MTC...hopefully you have written them in your journal.

Miles is really into making forts thanks to you haha.  He and Malia made a big one downstairs in the big room and had it up for a few days.  When it was time to clean it up Miles said, "No, I want to leave it up for Mitch to see when he gets back".  Haha I don't think he quite gets how long two years is. He now makes forts on the couches and on our bed haha. 

We really miss you but are so happy and proud of you and excited to hear of your experiences in Reynosa.  Give it your all as this two-year opportunity will go by fast and you don't want to look back and say, "I should have tried harder or done something different".  Don't let girls or anything distract you, stress you, or make you think of your future...everything will fall into place when and how it should when the time comes. Just focus on these next two years day by day, step by step, and take in and enjoy every moment. Remember that "The most effective missionaries always act out of LOVE-by Elder Dallin H. Oaks.  Also, always stay POSITIVE & SMILE as you were told by the MTC president.

Read Alma Chapter 32 especially as you are going into the field. I love this chapter about having Faith and how important it is to "plant the seeds".

We always look forward to hearing how your week has been.  Can't wait to hear tomorrow.

We love you!

Mom

~Mitch

 My week has been great! I feel like i am pretty prepared i wish i knew more spanish but thats alright! I love the mtc but i want to leave so bad it is very repetative and hard to stay focused. I know like one elder traveling with me, but they are all native. I am so happy for megan and malia and miles. I hope you guys get my letter that i sent. I think that i want to swim when i get back. I cant decide if at the college of idaho or some where else but either way we will see. I miss working in dr richards office that was so fun, hopefully one day i can for real! I work out super hard everyday. I miss miles tell him ill be back soon. I love everyone haha or try to.