June 17, 2019 The Taste of Thermal

Yes, Thermal has a taste. Hot dust, mejool dates, and warm grapes. The vineyards and date gardens have all started their harvests, so nearly everyone we know is involved with picking the grapes and has access to dates. They come up to us with bag after bag of grapes, and little plastic boxes and cups full of dates. It's the cutest thing, and we never want to turn them down, but I'm afraid we can't eat them fast enough!! Anybody like dates? I will send you a lifetime supply! 

This week was slower, as we've just been trying to get in contact with many of the people we're teaching. We live so far from all of them, and they are all just so busy. In other news, they will be taking out the elders that work with us in the ward so I'll be teaching all of their people as well. Hermana Alvarado will be leaving me to serve in Agua Caliente. I'll sure miss her, and I'm a little overwhelmed to think about managing this area on my own, but I know it's really the Lord's work and I'll I'm expected to do is be obedient, have faith, and have a willing heart and willing hands. A new little missionary will also be coming to Thermal, which I'm beyond excited about. Please pray for me! 

In the same week someone told me I spoke "close to no Spanish" and someone else told me my Spanish "really, was pretty perfect." I don't know who to believe anymore! Haha it has got to be my pesky accent! Turns out I've been saying "bookbag" wrong my entire mission. You live and you learn right?

We're constantly in different Pepboys getting our car fixed, and I've always had this funny dream of finding someone to teach in one. Well folks, the Lord works in mysterious ways. We've been in Pepboys weekly, as we've had two nails in our tires and had to get all four replaced for various reasons, and just popped another one (we work on a lot of dirt roads. Lots of nails. We're not sure what we can do about it). We see the same two guys every time, and they just kind of look at us like they already know. One we'll call Shon, and he's tall, has big silver gauges, a perfectly trimmed beard, and a sportscar with an engine that sounds like a tiger. Yeah, he's cool, confident, doesn't seem like he'd really worry too much about two little sister missionaries. We started noticing though that he seemed to want to talk to us. He'd listen in on our conversations (one was Hermana Alvarado trying to explain what "cross jaw alignment" was and demonstrating so he definitely started laughing at us.) He asked us what we do, and a few minutes later surprised us by saying he thought he might be interested. He played it really cool, like he was mostly just curious, but after setting up and appointment with him and the local elders it became clear that this man was desperate to get to know and connect with God. The Lord works in such mysterious ways! The experience of sitting down with someone and explaining to them the nature of God, who he is, what he's like, how they can connect with him...I can't even explain it. It's the best thing I've ever done. Shon has looked for happiness in any way he could (cars, friends, success) and it still left him empty. There's something about the gospel that just fills those holes up.This man just opened up about how broken he's been, but how he has hope that Jesus Christ can make it better. Jesus Christ makes everything better. 

One of the best moments of this week was stopping by Socorro late last night. We'd been out all day with Hermano Esteves, trying to track down people who were previously taught from years back. He doesn't remember their names, but he remembers each one of their stories, and he stops by just to minister, just to ask it they're ready yet. Socorro had missed church again (she's a stubborn one), but she'll get there. She was blasting Abba, and we sat there with her for a minute, eating figs she'd picked for us and listening to her favorite song, "Chiquitita." Hermano Esteves kept pretending to do magic tricks and make dates dissapear (he ate them all). It was only a few minutes, but I was grateful to be there with them. Sometimes, people need, more than even a carefully planned message, just to know there's still people there cheering them on even when they've done less than their best. 

I love you all so much! 

Love
Hermana Hawkes 

Note to Tim for Father's Day:

Dad!!!!! I had that whole long call with you and didn't even fulfill the purpose of it and I'm so embarrassed! I wanted to tell you HAPPY FATHERS DAY and that I'm more and more grateful for you each day that I'm here. There is a shortage of good Dads in the world, maybe more of a shortage of that than basically anything else, and it hurts people more than a shortage of money or comfort or anything else. I've seen a LOT of broken families out here and I'm just so grateful for you and the way you've protected, loved, and led our family with Mom. You've always been someone I can turn to and trust with my problems, and someone I know will love me no matter what. You cheer me on tirelessly, and is constantly supporting other people in their dreams. 

You seek stories in everything-- whether it's the people that surround you or the fossils in a rock or a history book. You seem to see the world in a different way, like no little bug or stone or shooting star gets past you. You helped all of us kids keep our sense of wonder alive as we grew up...I think a lot of kids lose that fast. 

You're a leader, but not because you want to wear a badge. I think more than anything you recognize your own strengths, and recognize there is a gap that desperately needs filling, and you're willing to step up and meet the challenge. I always tell you you're our Atticus Finch but I think it's true because you're "the same man everywhere you go." 

Love you so, so much!