April 1, 2019 Hasta La Vista Rama Agua Caliente!

Hi All! 

I wake up pretty frequently in the middle of the night, and usually just wait until I drift off again. The other night, around 3 in the morning, I was just dozing off again when Hermana Ballard started talking. Actually praying. In clear, fairly loud Spanish. She even closed and said "Amen." Then the coyotes started howling... so it was a crazy night! She was pleased as punch with herself when I told her the next day. I guess you know you're a good missionary when you start praying in your sleep?? 

We found out last night I'll be transferred and heading down to Thermal to be with the Hermana Alvarado; Thermal is further South and even hotter. It's date season down there, and many of the people there work in the fields. I'm pretty excited! Hermana Ballard will be receiving two more Hermanas here, and they're pretty lucky! I will sure miss her. 

Hermana Ballard had her 20th birthday this week, and to celebrate she taught me to make ice cream cake in a brownie pan. So far, I think it's the most valuable skill I have gained! The highlight of the day was when our branch mission leader, Hermano Aranda, interrupted our Book of Mormon class bearing a huge grin and an even bigger pink box which was dripping sweetened condensed milk all over the carpet. It was the biggest, pinkest tres leches cake I've ever seen, and Hermana Ballard just glowed. 

The Lord has been sending so many tiny miracles at ever turn, so many little signs that the work is picking up here. It's been such a tender mercy, as I really just wanted to leave with new people and people doing well. We'd catch people we normally don't catch at home. Members would say 'yes' to coming to lessons. So many little reasons to be grateful. I've got to remember to be grateful, because I'm so, so, so blessed and sometimes I definitely take it for granted. I don't deserve a bit of it. 

We met Maria, who despite the giant, intimidating crucifix in front of her trailer, couldn't be more excited to read the Book of Mormon. We finally taught Maribel (the one who loves cacti) about the Restoration, and it was one of the most special lessons of my mission. She's been burning with the same question as Joseph Smith for years, and when we prefaced the journey of Nephi away from his homeland she told us, "That's me. That's me." At the end of it all she quietly asked, "How can I know for myself?" "Maribel," we told her, "We thought you'd never ask!" 

This week, I tried to remind myself not to miss it. We have, or at least I do, a tendency to start to take things for granted. I tried to savor the little things, like little Abuela Maria (not to be confused with Book of Mormon Maria) who we just met and right off the bat started inviting us to birthday parties and giving us big warm hugs. "Vengan a mi house!" She told us. We showed up late, and she bounced up to us in her new dress, scolded us for being late, and then brought us way more food than we could eat. Sitting in that backyard, the sky darkening, guests leaving, Maria marching out with another plate of tamales, I could have cried. How blessed I am! To know these people. To have been here with them, even for a tiny part of their journey. I wish I could go the whole way with them, but that's not really what it's about. There's only one person that stays with us the whole way, and that's Christ. 

Thanks to Sister Pinkney, we finally saw a piece of Joshua Tree. She is the best ever. 

Love you all so much! 

Hermana Hawkes 

Quotes:

"That bird is Carlos! He's pregnant!" --Sophia

"No te quites tu dedo del renglon!" --Hno Aranda

"You can figure out my stress level from the amount of saints candles I am burning. No Saint Anthonys have been buried yet!" --Laura