September 10, 2018 Transfers and Turning 20

Hi all! 

As our neighbor told us yesterday morning, "Just when you think Summer's ended over here it starts up all over again!" Summer in Fontana blazes on, but it doesn't phase Hna Watkins a bit! Hna Stanfield headed out to the desert this Wednesday, and Hna Watkins came out of the desert to us. She is pretty amazing. She's coming up on nine months, but served the first several of her mission in St.George. Being from Salt Lake, it was a surprising call. Several transfers in, she was reassigned to Redlands, CA, spanish-speaking, and headed straight for Palm Springs (sort of the middle of nowhere). In other words, she is a warrior. Not to mention she's a triple major in computer technology and information systems (something like that, it was sort of over my head to be honest). Hna Watkins is an incredibly dedicated missionary, and brought planning skills like I've never seen. I'm so excited to learn from her this transfer. 

Getting a new companion meant that suddenly, I was the one who was supposed to know what was going on. Driving wise, that means we've flipped a lot of U-ies so far, but Hna Watkins has had the patience of a saint. Yes, that means I'm the designated driver. That also means that everyone who wants to speed past the speed-limit has been getting lessons in patience. This little granny driver is determined to stay on good terms with the Tiwi! 

In other news, I'm 20! I don't know whether that sounds as old to everyone else as it does to me, but I think I half expected to wake up yesterday with white hair and in need of a cane. It was one of the craziest days of my mission so far, but also one of the best. We had Mission tour, and Elder Pearson of the 70 came to visit. What an experience; I couldn't write nearly as fast as he talked but wanted to. The spirit was there so strongly, and I felt such gratitude for the amazing men that lead our church. The Restoration really happened because these are no ordinary men! At the same time, it was fun to see a General Authority out of the context of General Conference. He chatted with us, he laughed with us, and he shared experiences from his own mission. One of my favorite things he shared was what he calls the "Rule of Sevens." The gist of it was this; we aren't actually planting anything new into the heart of those we teach. Each of them, evidenced just by their being here on earth, has already accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ once. "Just because they don't remember doesn't mean they've forgotten," said Elder Pearson. "One day every knee will bow and every tongue confess. That means that every single one of us is in the gap between remembering and remembering. We're all at different levels of remembering (1-7), and only the Holy Ghost can pierce that spiritual amnesia." Put in that sense, no one we meet is either a "yes," or a "no," but all at different levels. If all we do one day is turn 1s to 2s and 4s to 5s, we're still bringing people to Christ. I love the idea that we aren't building something out of nothing, but rather encouraging moments of clarity for those who once knew, loved, and sustained the Savior, and just need to remember. 

We headed straight from the conference to two visits, and so by the time we had time to catch our breath it was eight at night. Hna Watkins absolutely insisted we needed to go out to eat for my birthday, so we headed to a little papusa place on main street. An entire birthday spent listening to a general authority and then papusas?? It was a pretty good day. I spent most of it just feeling grateful to have had 20 whole years living and breathing and being a part of the whole adventure. There's nowhere I'd rather be and nothing I'd rather be doing than missionary work in Fontana either. 

Really grateful for all the birthday wishes, and so excited for the new transfer. Transfers mean new beginnings, and I'm excited for all this one will bring. 

Love you all, 

Hna Hawkes 

Great Quotes

"What is a companion for if not to catch you in the act of mopping the oven?" --Hna Watkins (It's called multitasking.)

"Si Dios quiere." --Pepe's response to my bugging him about coming to church. Yes, Pepe, Dios quiere! 

"Tu enchantas la vida y mi tambien!" --the sassiest little Columbiana abuelita

"We are like the strands of glass in fiber-optic cables; conduits but not sources of light. Just as the glass in these cables must be pure to conduct light effectively and efficiently, so we should become and remain worthy conduits through whom the Spirit of the Lord can operate. We must be careful to remember in our service that we are conduits and channels; we are not the light. It is never about me and it is never about me." --Elder Bednar 

No time whatsoever, but absolutely COULDN'T not tell you both thank you for the package and videos and just everything. Even just opening the card with the hedgehog and opening all the dried nectarines, I laughed and cried a little. Oh and the photos!! So wonderful to have such a family and you all know me so, so well. Grateful for each of you. Already wearing one of the dresses and jamming to the music and everything. Felt very loved. The popcorn will be gone by tomorrow. 

This week was frankly so discouraging, but ended just lovely. I made my new companion bawl (I've never made that many people bawl...at least not recently...I felt just awful), and Elsie really, really hurt my feelings. But more on both another day, learned big lessons from both. 

Yesterday was so wild and crazy we didn't have a minute to catch our breath. We got up at five, and raced over to get dinner around eight. Then we get a call from Jesse, who was desperate to see me on my birthday, so we told him he could meet us at the resteraunt (one of those really grey areas, but Hna Watkins is the most exactly obedient missionary I can imagine and she thought it was ok under the circumstances). You guys, Jesse and Ethan walked in with a chocolate cake and it even had two little candles. I honestly almost cried. Then they sat and ate papusas with us and Ethan opened my Star Wars birthday card for me (i love that little guy he makes me laugh so hard). It was the sweetest thing in the world. Jesse is the best ever! 

I am so blessed to be here. I realized I'll be on my mission for all of my 20, but I wouldn't want to be doing anything else. I'm not sure how to get from good missionary to great missionary, but if truly wanting to give these people, and the Lord, my all, then maybe I can bridge the gap with time. I love you all so much, a mission certainly teaches you how amazing your family is. I pray for you all and love hearing about your adventures more than anything.