Amor/Charity A Letter To Elder Hawley 4/30/17

Hi Elder!

How was your week? We enjoyed your letter last week and pictures. It sounds like things are going well. We are glad you survived the bananas vs. Sprite challenge!!!

We learned something in Sacrament Meeting. That in the Spanish scriptures, "Amor" is used in place of or a lot more than Charity is used in the English scriptures. Though both words go hand in hand, it was interesting to learn and that true charity is love and action. Charity is the pure love of Christ. It is the love that Christ has for the children of men and that the children of men should have for one another. It is the highest, noblest, and strongest kind of love and the most joyous to the soul (1 Nephi 11:23).   

Grandma Suz has a friend named Dana in her condo complex that visits her once or twice a week. Dana will take Grandma some food or a treat. Dana also shops for another older lady. Dana and grandma both told Mom this story at different times. Dana went shopping for grandma last week and was in the check out line. She asked the cashier to bag the items in two separate bags for two people who don't get out. As Dana went to pay, a gentleman in back of her, whom she did not know, said that he wanted to pay for one of the bags. So he did and also gave Dana $60 cash to put in the first bag, which happened to be for grandma. Dana thanked him and he said, "I just want whomever receives the money to know they are loved, thought of, and to take care." When Dana gave grandma the money and bag of food she told grandma the story of the man, and it brought tears to both Dana and grandma. Grandma wanted to split the money with Dana but Dana would not take the money. If that isn't Love and Charity with Dana and the man! Plus we can look at them as angels watching out for others and not wanting anything in return. For as much bad is in the world today, there are still really good people out there. Mom wishes she could write a "Thank You" card to the man.

We had our normal busy week with work, school, and kids' activities. Megan went to prom and had a great time. We also had a ward party which was fun. We had breakfast for dinner, everyone seemed to enjoy it.

                                                 

Sounds like you are working hard and doing well. Remember to love the people. Try to understand their culture and the way they think. This will help you to relate to them. It is important to serve those you teach, don't preach to them, love and help them. Patience, love, and charity is the best way to share the gospel.

Keep up the good work. We pray for you, your success and happiness always.

We Love You,

Your Family

9 Meses. 9 Months 4/24/17

The pictures with my comp that I sent last week is not in our house, it’s in a super rich member’s. I want to live in something with a dirt floor, but they’re super picky with the houses.

My companion told me I couldn’t eat 4 bananas and drink a liter of sprite. So we made a deal that if I couldn’t do it I’d buy him tacos, and if I did do it he’d buy me a banana split from down the street. Just to let you all know that I did do it and I thought I was going to die. The banana split was super delicious though!

This week I learned three things.

1. Heavenly Father really does answer prayers.

2. Don’t eat lots of bananas and drink sprite after.

3. The church and the principles we can find in it are true and it really brings a happynesss J that nothing else can.

Love you guys. Have a great week!!!

Elder Hawley

Wow time is flying by. I am loving the mission and I might not come home, so sorry. This week we got to help a family who the parents are members but haven’t been going for a while. They are going again and their kids got baptized this week. We had an awesome week, found some people who are really interested in the church and they came with us on Sunday!

Miles 4/24/17

Sucess/Baby Animal Days A Letter To Elder Hawley 4/23/17

Hi Elder,

We are doing well and had the typical busy week. The exciting part of our week was Megan being serenaded and asked to prom (see video in separate email), she is very excited. Also, Malia started cheer practice early in the morning before school on Tuesday and Thursdays. She loves it and is so excited. She has been chosen to be a "flyer" which means when they do stunts, others will hold her in their hands and throw her in the air. 

Sounds like things are going well. Keep up the good work. We hope you and your companion are getting along. What part of Montana is he from? It sounds like you are in a good area with a good companion. If you guys can keep the spirit with you, work hard, and be patient; you are bound to have a ton of success.

We pray for your success, happiness, and safety. Remember the Lord is in charge. It is his work. If you allow him to guide you and follow him, you will have success beyond what you can imagine. He can make more of you than you can of yourself. 

Enjoy these pictures from Baby Animal Days at Cross E Ranch...

Take care. We Love You!

Your family

Just Chillin With My Peeps 4/17/17

  Shout out to my family for the Easter package, super super awesome thanks! Forgive me for the peeps pun. This week has been an amazing week. We found a ton of people to teach and they are loving the church. Other than that it has been a pretty normal week. I love the mission and I have been seeing miracles.

I had the chance to talk in church on Easter Sunday and I talked about how we can share the light of Christ. The ward I am in now has about 150 members. We had a super good dinner Easter night at a members, some sweet sweet homemade flour tortillas with meat and beans. It is so good, I ate so much. I also ripped my pants this week. You can’t even tell though a lady fixed them in the ward. I’m going to have to cut down on the tacos.

Today we played a ton of soccer and it was super fun, but now I’m super tired and I’m fried. I’m using a hat to protect my face from the sun, because I don’t like sunscreen haha. I have some, I just hate wearing it since I sweat so much with the heat and humidity.

The new area is super safe it’s like the safest in the mission, super tranquilo (calm) compared to my last area. We are working super hard right now and loving it. My companion doesn’t know much Spanish, we are learning good though.

I know this church is true. I want to invite anyone who hasn’t seen the Prince of Peace video to watch it. https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2017-02-1000-the-prince-of-peace-find-lasting-peace-through-jesus-christ?lang=eng 

Love you guys a ton.

Elder Hawley

A Happy Easter A Letter to Elder Hawley 4/16/17

Hey Elder!

From Dad...I hope things are going well. Hopefully you are finding success and happiness. How is the new area and the new ward? I have been looking at the weather, looks like it is starting to get warm down there. From the looks of your pictures you might want to get some sunscreen and put it on your face and neck. You look great though and very happy.

The Lord seems to be taking good care of you. You are gaining great experiences and knowledge that will be a help to you for the rest of your life, not to mention the relationship you are developing with your Heavenly Father. Make the most of this opportunity, the Lord will bless you for it. Your mission is like life it is a short time in comparison to your whole life, but if you are faithful you will earn a reward that will last a lifetime. Keep up the good work. 

We had a great sacrament meeting today about the last week of the Savior's life. The way he served and loved everyone as he was struggling through the atonement is such a great example of how we should be in our own lives. He never let his personal trials affect his attitude or mission or let him pass up an opportunity to serve others.

We had a scripture that hit home for me Hebrews 12:1...“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” King James Version  I like the part, "let us run with patience the race that is set before us". Patience and love, that is the key to life!   

We Love you very much!

Your Family

Lovin Life 4/10/17

 

This week has been super super great. I have been working with my new awesome companion Elder Bair. We have been finding and helping a ton of awesome people. We found a family with 3 triplets-ages 10, and the parents have been inactive for a super long time, but we are going to help them a lot. We also are teaching a lady that is super awesome. Her name is Maria and she really loves the church and really wants changes in her life. 

This week was super tiring because I went from a super little area to work in the biggest missionary area in Reynosa, so there is a lot of walking to be done. That’s alright though, just means I can eat more haha. For example this awesome amazing triple loaded potato in the photo that me and my companion bought last night at this place next to our house, so good. So much walking to be done haha. We are like an hour away from the mission home now and we live in an apartment.

I heard from some of the converts I had in my old ward, and they are doing super good. I have been praying for them a lot because they were passing through some hard stuff but they overcame their challenges and are doing awesome. I have learned that through prayer we can always overcome any challenge, and we can truly feel the Savior’s love if we just look and listen.

Love you guys a ton. Keep up the good work there!

Elder Hawley