California Girl - Adventures of Hermana Hawkes

Hi all!  All is well in the desert!  It's date season and chile season, so we're just drowning in both. Everywhere we turn people keep giving us dates, and we can't eat them fast enough! I keep cracking date jokes although my companion doesn't think I'm half as funny as I think I am.  Every time we see Esteban he hands us a big black back with a different color of bell pepper. He got a short haircut which makes him look even more like a Mexican general. He gave us matching embroidered pillowcases that say, "Siempre te amaré" with giant blue rosettes. He says he had been saving them for "some special occasion." They are much too fancy to sleep on, but it made us laugh.  I remembered this week that one of my favorite books growing up was this obscure little story called "Esperanza Rising," that I remember just picking off the shelf one day. It was all about this young girl who moves up to the United States to w

I keep telling Hna Alvarado that the reason Spanish is difficult is because a "pedacito" is a little piece, a "paracito" is a little parasite, and a "payacito" is a clown. Not to mention that a "pancita" is a little tummy and a "pancito" is a little loaf of bread. We're not even going to talk about papita and a papito, other than you can pretty easily be talking about little popes or little potatoes and not realize it.  Wow! I haven't had a lot of time to write, but a whole lot has happened. Best of all, Esteban got baptized. He's so awesome. Although he's not one to talk much, he just has this little grin on his face all the time now. He asked Elder Hawks to baptize him (yes, yes we are 17th cousins!) who was a little worried about getting Esteban (this tan, tall, older Mexican soldier) all the way under. Hna Alvarado told him to just "sweep the legs" which Esteban thought was the

  Don't kick me out, but I spent so much time writing to Melissa that I lost what few minutes I had today! She needed it! I will attach my letter to her. I really feel like I should call Mary, so I'm going to do that quick. I'm so sorry for a lame update this week. I'm struggling to get Hna Alvarado to open up to me...so if you have any ideas on that? Love you both so much. LOVE the photos. I learned about most of that in Art history, so it's crazy to see you in front of it.  Hi you!! I'm writing you very first because I feel so badly I didn't last week. Don't appologise for your letter, I was glad to get it and I've been praying for you. Pdays are just crazy and it's hard to find the time.  Tell me about your friend!! On Calvin, no worries there. We will not be hanging out ever. I think I'm going to try and make some new friends if I'm honest! Also, on that boy that I was kind-of-sort-of dating before the mission, he sto

I remember when I landed here in California, one of the first things I noticed were these tall white trees covered in full, purple blooms. Just last week the trees were in bloom again (which they only do for a few short months annually) and I realized I've been out a whole year. I can hardly believe it. It seems like only a week or two ago I got here, the scared little new missionary who refused to speak even a word of english to her trainer (although I didn't speak Spanish), and would almost break out in tears when anyone turned us away. At the same time, I don't even feel like the same person! What a year it has been! I felt more than special, as Hna Alvarado bought me pan dulce and somehow found a wide-brimmed hat and maracas to use while she sang to me way too loud in Spanish. I really love her!! Our neighbors downstairs probably love her less. Esteban, who we've been teaching since I got her, finally told us he wants to be baptized. He's one of