July 15, 2019 Out of the frying pan and into the fire!

Sakes alive is it HOT down here. I swear I just kind of melt away. We were visiting a recent convert, and his mom (who is usually kind of cool towards us) kept giving me hydration drinks and bags of grapes...I figured a miracle was happening. Later I found out she just thought I looked pretty funny sweating buckets and decided to take pity on me. I hoped the heat would mean more people would invite us in...but out in Thermal it's hotter in than out. Mostly they just stand in the shade and laugh with us because we can't seem to acclimate. They also spend all day working in the sun so I can't blame them. 

There are all sorts of dogs in the 70, some big, some small. You can't tell by looking at them which ones just bark and which bite, so we have to constantly watch our backs. A mean Chihuahua can be terrifying! They all make Hermana Staker pretty nervous, so I've had to be kind of macho and kind of lead out. One day while tracting, a whole pack of 4 dogs came running through a fence and stood in a line, barking and growling at us. We couldn't go back because there was also a big dog on the other street! It was sort of like one of those old Western movies...we all stared each other down. All the neighbors were watching us which made it even worse. I prayed for the spirit of Daniel to be with me and I tried to step forward . They all went a little crazy, but then inspiration hit. I started calling them all "amigo" and I kid you not I pet every single one of those dogs! 

Little Rosa bounces around every time we stop by just waiting to tell us what she got out of the Book of Mormon chapter we assigned her. I love her. She loves nothing more than talking about her date palms and teasing us that her garden hoe is for "killing snakes." I hope I'm just like her one day! 

Also Hno Esteves, who was following us to a lesson, PASSED me in his bubble van. That thing can't break forty!! I was so mad!! 

Everyone questions my finding methods, but I'd like to report that the purple house with a pinwheel in front happened to be the perfect stop. Ricardo came right out and told us his whole life story, which included living on the streets for 7 years, almost getting killed by a full-length swords (he has the scars to prove it), and conquering his addictions and finding God through an old copy of the Bible he found while in prison. Who needs to go to the movies when people are so interesting in and of themselves? He accepted a Book of Mormon, and we assigned him Alma the Younger. We'll see if he reads. 

Grateful to be here each day. I don't have anything super profound to say today, just that prayer works, and that we are so lucky to know what we do. Have the best week. 

---Hermana Hawkes